Before Odysseus could fix another arrow to the string, Amphinomus was upon him, with sword uplifted to slay him.  Telemachus saw his father’s peril, and thrust Amphinomus in the back with his spear.  The fall of their leaders arrested the advance of the wooers, and they drew back in a body to the lower end of the hall.  Leaving the spear in the body of the fallen man, Telemachus ran to fetch armour for himself and Odysseus, and the two herdsmen.  Quickly he brought shields and helmets and lances for the four, and they arrayed themselves and took their stand together on the platform.

While these preparations were in progress, Odysseus continued showering his arrows among the huddled troop of terrified men; and at every shot one of the wooers fell.  At last Melanthius, the goatherd, made a desperate effort to save his party.  Assisted by several of the wooers, he climbed up the wall of the banquet-room, and made his exit through the open timbers at the top into a narrow passage which gave access to the inner part of the house.  Presently he returned, laden with spears and shields and helmets, which he had found in the chamber where they had been stored away by Telemachus.

What was the dismay of Odysseus when he saw his enemies arming themselves with spear and shield, and brandishing long lances in their hands!  “Telemachus!” he cried, “we are betrayed!  The women have sold us to the wooers.”  “Alas!  I have erred,” answered Telemachus, “for I left the door of the armoury open, and one of them has observed it.”

While they thus debated, Eumaeus saw the goatherd making his way out of the hall again by the same exit.  “It is the traitor Melanthius,” he whispered; “now have we need of prompt action, or we are all undone.”

Odysseus had now recovered his courage, and he issued his orders without losing another moment.  “Go thou with the neatherd,” he said to Eumaeus, “and seize that villain before he has time to return.  Bind him hand and foot, and come back with all speed to the hall”

At the side of the hall, close to the platform where Odysseus and his party were stationed, there was a door leading into the passage already mentioned.  Through this the two men passed, and made their way stealthily to the armoury.  There they waited on either side of the door for Melanthius, whom they heard moving within.  Before long he came out, bearing in one hand a helmet, and in the other an old battered shield, once the property of Laertes.  Together they fell upon him, dragged him down by the hair, and having bound him tight with a long cord they hauled him up to a beam of the roof and left him hanging.  “Long and sweet be thy slumbers, goatherd!” said Eumaeus as he contemplated his work, “thou hast a soft bed, such as thou lovest.  Rest there till the morning light shall call thee to make breakfast for the wooers.”

When they returned to the hall they found that a new ally had joined their party, in the person of Mentor, the old friend of Odysseus.  No one saw when he came thither; but there he was, and right glad they were to see him.  Very different were the feelings of the wooers when they saw their enemies thus reinforced, and one of them, named Agelaus, cried out upon Mentor, and threatened him, saying:  “Give place, rash man, or thou wilt bring destruction on thyself and all thy house.”