I
"How slowly move the hours," said Penelope to Eurycleia, yawning and
then laughing in sheer vacancy of spirit. "How would it be if I showed
myself to the wooers? I hate them, it is true, but it would serve to
pass the time, and I could caution my son not to be so familiar with
these treacherous friends."
"Do so, my child," answered Eurycleia, "but first wash and anoint
thyself, and go not among them with this tear-stained face. And waste
not thy life in perpetual mourning; think what a comfort thou hast in
thy son."
"Speak not to me of such vanities," answered Penelope; "why should I
wish to preserve this poor remnant of my beauty? Foul or fair, what
matters it in my widowed state? But send two of my handmaids hither to
attend me, for it is not seemly that I should go alone among the men."
While the nurse was gone to fetch the maidens, a sudden drowsiness
overpowered Penelope, and she sank back in her chair, subdued by a
short but trancelike sleep. And while she slumbered, invisible hands
were busy with her person, washing away all the stains which sorrow
had left on her face, and shedding upon her immortal loveliness, such
as clothes the Queen of Love herself, when she joins the sister Graces
in the dance. The voices of the women entering her chamber roused her
from that strange sleep, and sitting up she rubbed her cheeks and
said: "Wondrous soft was the slumber which overtook me in my sorrow!
Would that it were death which had come upon me with like softness,
that I might no longer waste away in mourning for the excellence of my
dear, dear lord!"
Thereupon she arose, and descending the stairs stood in the open
doorway of the hall, with a handmaid on either side. A murmur of
surprise and admiration went round the whole company, for never had
she seemed so wondrous fair. Turning to Telemachus she said: "My son,
with grief I perceive that thy understanding increaseth not with thy
growth, but rather becometh less. Who would think, seeing thee thus
tall and comely, like a prince's true son, that thou wouldst suffer
such deeds to be wrought upon the stranger within thy gates? What if
he had come by his death through this violence? What shame and infamy
to thee!"
"Mother," answered Telemachus, "thou hast some reason for thine anger.
Howbeit, I have a man's wit, and am not, as thou sayest, more foolish
than a child. But what can one do against so many? And as to this
stranger, thou wouldst know that thy fears are idle, if thou couldst
see Irus as he now sits at the gate, rolling his head like a drunkard,
with no strength to stand on his feet or stir from his place. Would
that all the wooers were in the same plight!"
While Telemachus was defending himself, Eurymachus had been gazing
with bold eyes on that fair lady; and now he addressed her with smooth
words of flattery: "Daughter of Icarius, sage Penelope, if all the
Greeks could behold thee as now thou art, this house would not contain
the multitude of thy wooers. Thou surpassest all the daughters of men
in beauty, and in stature, and in thy even-balanced wit"
"Eurymachus," answered Penelope, "all the bloom of my womanhood was
blighted on the evil day when the Greeks embarked for Troy, and
Odysseus, my lord, went with them. But now I am like some poor hunted
creature, hard beset by the hounds of fate. Well I remember my
husband's parting words. Holding my right hand he said: 'Dear wife, I
am going into the midst of perils, and it may be that we shall never
see each other again. Be thou but faithful to thy trust, and remember
whose daughter thou art; and when thou seest thy son with a beard on
his cheeks, thou art free to marry whom thou wilt.' Such were his
words, and now they shall shortly be fulfilled. I see the day
approaching which shall make me another man's wife; better for me if I
were the bride of death! For who ever beheld such wooing as yours?
'Twas ever the custom among those who sought the daughter of a wealthy
house in marriage to bring with them their own sheep and oxen to make
good cheer for the friends of the bride; but ye sit here as unbidden
guests, and devour my living."
Odysseus smiled to himself with pleasure when he heard this artful
speech of Penelope, for he perceived her intention, which was to draw
gifts from the wooers, and raise their hopes by the prospect of her
approaching marriage. And the artifice was successful, for the wooers,
following the lead of Antinous and Eurymachus, at once despatched
their servants to bring the bride gifts from their houses. Antinous
gave a splendid embroidered robe, with twelve golden clasps,
Eurymachus a necklace of amber and gold, and Eurydamas a pair of
jewelled earrings. These and other costly offerings were brought to
Penelope in her chamber.