’So I spake, and he apprehended a thought in his heart, such an one as he was in counsel and in fight.  So he whispered and spake to me, saying: 

’"Be silent now, lest some other Achaeans hear thee.”  Therewith he raised his head upon his elbow, and spake, saying:  “Listen, friends, a vision from a god came to me in my sleep.  Lo, we have come very far from the ships; I would there were one to tell it to Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the host, if perchance he may send us hither a greater company from the ships.”

’So spake he, and Thoas, son of Andraemon, rose up quickly and cast off his purple mantle.  And he started to run unto the ships, but I lay gladly in his garment, and the golden-throned Dawn showed her light.  Oh! that I were young as then and my might steadfast!  Then should some of the swineherds in the homestead give me a mantle, alike for love’s sake and for pity of a good warrior.  But now they scorn me for that sorry raiment is about my body.’

Then didst thou make answer, O swineherd Eumaeus:  ’Old man, the tale that thou hast told in his praise is very good, and so far thou hast not misspoken aught, nor uttered a word unprofitably.  Wherefore for this night thou shalt lack neither raiment nor aught else that is the due of a hapless suppliant, when he has met them that can befriend him.  But in the morning thou shalt go shuffling in thine own rags, for there are not many mantles here or changes of doublet; for each man hath but one coat.  But when the dear son of Odysseus comes, he himself will give thee a mantle and doublet for raiment, and send thee whithersoever thy heart and spirit bid.’

With that he sprang up and set a bed for Odysseus near the fire, and thereon he cast skins of sheep and goats.  There Odysseus laid him down and Eumaeus cast a great thick mantle over him, which he had ever by him for a change of covering, when any terrible storm should arise.

So there Odysseus slept, and the young men slept beside him.  But the swineherd had no mind to lie there in a bed away from the boars.  So he made him ready to go forth and Odysseus was glad, because he had a great care for his master’s substance while he was afar.  First he cast his sharp sword about his strong shoulders, then he clad him in a very thick mantle, to keep the wind away; and he caught up the fleece of a great and well-fed goat, and seized his sharp javelin, to defend him against dogs and men.  Then he went to lay him down even where the white-tusked boars were sleeping, beneath the hollow of the rock, in a place of shelter from the North Wind.

Book XV

  Pallas sends home Telemachus from Lacedaemon with the
  presents given him by Menelaus.  Telemachus landed, goes
  first to Eumaeus.

Now Pallas Athene went to the wide land of Lacedaemon, to put the noble son of the great-hearted Odysseus in mind of his return, and to make him hasten his coming.  And she found Telemachus, and the glorious son of Nestor, couched at the vestibule of the house of famous Menelaus.  The son of Nestor truly was overcome with soft sleep, but sweet sleep gat not hold of Telemachus, but, through the night divine, careful thoughts for his father kept him wakeful.  And grey-eyed Athene stood nigh him and spake to him, saying: