Thus did they converse, and they
had only a very little time left for sleep, for it was soon daybreak.
In the meantime Telemakhos and his crew were nearing land, so they
loosed the sails, took down the mast, and rowed the ship into the
harbor. They cast out their mooring stones and made fast the hawsers;
they then got out upon the sea shore, mixed their wine, and got
dinner ready. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink
Telemakhos said, "Take the ship on to the town, but leave me here,
for I want to look after the herdsmen on one of my farms. In the
evening, when I have seen all I want, I will come down to the city,
and tomorrow morning in return for your trouble I will give you all a
good dinner with meat and wine."
Then Theoklymenos said, ‘And
what, my dear young friend, is to become of me? To whose house, among
all your chief men, am I to repair? Or shall I go straight to your
own house and to your mother?"
"At any other time," replied
Telemakhos, "I should have bidden you go to my own house, for you
would find no want of hospitality; at the present moment, however,
you would not be comfortable there, for I shall be away, and my
mother will not see you; she does not often show herself even to the
suitors, but sits at her loom weaving in an upper chamber, out of
their way; but I can tell you a man whose house you can go to - I
mean Eurymakhos the son of Polybos, who is held in the highest
estimation by every one in Ithaca. He is much the best man and the
most persistent wooer, of all those who are paying court to my mother
and trying to take Odysseus’ place. Zeus, however, in heaven
alone knows whether or not they will come to a bad end before the
marriage takes place."
As he was speaking a bird flew by
upon his right hand - a hawk, Apollo's messenger. It held a dove
in its talons, and the feathers, as it tore them off, fell to the
ground midway between Telemakhos and the ship. On this Theoklymenos
called him apart and caught him by the hand. "Telemakhos," said he,
"that bird did not fly on your right hand without having been sent
there by some god. As soon as I saw it I knew it was an omen; it
means that you will remain powerful and that there will be no house
in the dêmos of Ithaca more royal than your
own."
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