He spake and withal departed to his father’s house.  And the proud spirits of these twain were angered, and they made the wooers sit down together and cease from their games.  And among them spake Antinous, son of Eupeithes, in displeasure; and his black heart was wholly filled with rage, and his eyes were like flaming fire: 

’Out on him, a proud deed hath Telemachus accomplished with a high hand, even this journey, and we thought that he would never bring it to pass!  This lad hath clean gone without more ado, in spite of us all; his ship he hath let haul to the sea, and chosen the noblest in the township.  He will begin to be our bane even more than heretofore; but may Zeus destroy his might, not ours, ere he reach the measure of manhood!  But come, give me a swift ship and twenty men, that I may lie in watch and wait even for him on his way home, in the strait between Ithaca and rugged Samos, that so he may have a woeful end of his cruising in quest of his father.’

So spake he, and they all assented thereto, and bade him to the work.  And thereupon they arose and went to the house of Odysseus.

Now it was no long time before Penelope heard of the counsel that the wooers had devised in the deep of their heart.  For the henchman Medon told her thereof, who stood without the court and heard their purposes, while they were weaving their plot within.  So he went on his way through the halls to bring the news to Penelope; and as he stept down over the threshold, Penelope spake unto him: 

’Henchman, wherefore have the noble wooers sent thee forth?  Was it to tell the handmaids of divine Odysseus to cease from their work, and prepare a banquet for them?  Nay, after thus much wooing, never again may they come together, but here this day sup for their last and latest time; all ye who assemble so often, and waste much livelihood, the wealth of wise Telemachus!  Long ago when ye were children, ye marked not your fathers’ telling, what manner of man was Odysseus among them, one that wrought no iniquity toward any man, nor spake aught unrighteous in the township, as is the wont of divine kings.  One man a king is like to hate, another he might chance to love.  But never did he do aught at all presumptuously to any man.  Nay, it is plain what spirit ye are of, and your unseemly deeds are manifest to all, nor is there any gratitude left for kindness done.’

Then Medon, wise of heart, answered her:  ’Would, oh queen, that this were the crowning evil!  But the wooers devise another far greater and more grievous, which I pray the son of Cronos may never fulfil!  They are set on slaying Telemachus with the edge of the sword on his homeward way; for he is gone to fair Pylos and goodly Lacedaemon, to seek tidings of his father.’

So spake he, but her knees were loosened where she stood, and her heart melted within her, and long time was she speechless, and lo, her eyes were filled with tears and the voice of her utterance was stayed.  And at the last she answered him and said: