Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said:  ’Antinous, wilt thou indeed be wroth at the word that I shall say?  Yea, at the hand of Zeus would I be fain to take even this thing upon me.  Sayest thou that this is the worst hap that can befal a man?  Nay, verily, it is no ill thing to be a king:  the house of such an one quickly waxeth rich and himself is held in greater honour.  Howsoever there are many other kings of the Achaeans in seagirt Ithaca, kings young and old; someone of them shall surely have this kingship since goodly Odysseus is dead.  But as for me, I will be lord of our own house and thralls, that goodly Odysseus gat me with his spear.’

Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered him, saying:  ’Telemachus, on the knees of the gods it surely lies, what man is to be king over the Achaeans in seagirt Ithaca.  But mayest thou keep thine own possessions and be lord in thine own house!  Never may that man come, who shall wrest from thee thy substance violently in thine own despite while Ithaca yet stands.  But I would ask thee, friend, concerning the stranger—­whence he is, and of what land he avows him to be?  Where are his kin and his native fields?  Doth he bear some tidings of thy father on his road, or cometh he thus to speed some matter of his own?  In such wise did he start up, and lo, he was gone, nor tarried he that we should know him;—­and yet he seemed no mean man to look upon.’ {*}

{* The [Greek] explains the expression of surprise at the sudden departure of the stranger.}

Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said:  ’Eurymachus, surely the day of my father’s returning hath gone by.  Therefore no more do I put faith in tidings, whencesoever they may come, neither have I regard unto any divination, whereof my mother may inquire at the lips of a diviner, when she hath bidden him to the hall.  But as for that man, he is a friend of my house from Taphos, and he avows him to be Mentes, son of wise Anchialus, and he hath lordship among the Taphians, lovers of the oar.’

So spake Telemachus, but in his heart he knew the deathless goddess.  Now the wooers turned them to the dance and the delightsome song, and made merry, and waited till evening should come on.  And as they made merry, dusk evening came upon them.  Then they went each one to his own house to lie down to rest.

But Telemachus, where his chamber was builded high up in the fair court, in a place with wide prospect, thither betook him to his bed, pondering many thoughts in his mind; and with him went trusty Eurycleia, and bare for him torches burning.  She was the daughter of Ops, son of Peisenor, and Laertes bought her on a time with his wealth, while as yet she was in her first youth, and gave for her the worth of twenty oxen.  And he honoured her even as he honoured his dear wife in the halls, but he never lay with her, for he shunned the wrath of his lady.  She went with Telemachus and bare for him the burning