Page 299 - the-odyssey

stranger is quite reasonable. He is avoiding the suitors, and
is only doing what any one else would do. He asks you to
wait till sundown, and it will be much better, madam, that
you should have him all to yourself, when you can hear him
and talk to him as you will.’
‘The man is no fool,’ answered Penelope, ‘it would very
likely be as he says, for there are no such abominable people
in the whole world as these men are.’
When she had done speaking Eumaeus went back to the
suitors, for he had explained everything. Then he went up to
Telemachus and said in his ear so that none could overhear
him, ‘My dear sir, I will now go back to the pigs, to see after
your property and my own business. You will look to what
is going on here, but above all be careful to keep out of dan-
ger, for there are many who bear you ill will. May Jove bring
them to a bad end before they do us a mischief.’
‘Very well,’ replied Telemachus, ‘go home when you have
had your dinner, and in the morning come here with the
victims we are to sacrifice for the day. Leave the rest to heav-
en and me.’
On this Eumaeus took his seat again, and when he had
finished his dinner he left the courts and the cloister with
the men at table, and went back to his pigs. As for the suit-
ors, they presently began to amuse themselves with singing
and dancing, for it was now getting on towards evening.

The Odyssey