[45] "Do not scold me, mother,
answered Telemakhos, "nor vex me, seeing what a narrow escape I have
had, but wash your face, change your dress, go upstairs with your
maids, and promise full and sufficient hecatombs to all the gods if
Zeus will only grant us our revenge upon the suitors. I must now go
to the place of assembly to invite a stranger who has come back with
me from Pylos. I sent him on with my crew, and told Peiraios to take
him home and look after him till I could come for him
myself."
[57] She heeded her son's words,
washed her face, changed her dress, and vowed full and sufficient
hecatombs to all the gods if they would only grant her revenge upon
the suitors.
[61] Telemakhos went through, and out
of, the cloisters spear in hand - not alone, for his two fleet dogs
went with him. Athena endowed him with a presence of such divine
comeliness [kharis] that all marveled at him as he
went by, and the suitors gathered round him with fair words in their
mouths and malice in their hearts; but he avoided them, and went to
sit with Mentor, Antiphos, and Halitherses, old friends of his
father's house, and they made him tell them all that had
happened to him. Then Peiraios came up with Theoklymenos, whom he had
escorted through the town to the place of assembly, whereon
Telemakhos at once joined them. Peiraios was first to speak:
"Telemakhos," said he, "I wish you would send some of your women to
my house to take away the presents Menelaos gave you."
[77] "We do not know, Peiraios,"
answered Telemakhos, "what may happen. If the suitors kill me in my
own house and divide my property among them, I would rather you had
the presents than that any of those people should get hold of them.
If on the other hand I manage to kill them, I shall be much obliged
if you will kindly bring me my presents."
