"Fountain nymphs," he cried,
"children of Zeus, if ever Odysseus burned you thigh bones covered
with fat whether of lambs or kids, grant my prayer that a
daimôn may send him home. He would soon put an end to
the swaggering threats with which such men as you go about insulting
people- gadding all over the town while your flocks are going to ruin
through bad shepherding."
Then Melanthios the goatherd
answered, "You ill-conditioned cur, what are you talking about? Some
day or other I will put you on board ship and take you to a foreign
country, where I can sell you and keep the wealth you will fetch. I
wish I were as sure that Apollo would strike Telemakhos dead this
very day, or that the suitors would kill him, as I am that Odysseus
will never come home again."
With this he left them to come on
at their leisure, while he went quickly forward and soon reached the
house of his master. When he got there he went in and took his seat
among the suitors opposite Eurymakhos, who liked him better than any
of the others. The servants brought him a portion of meat, and an
upper woman servant set bread before him that he might eat. Presently
Odysseus and the swineherd came up to the house and stood by it, amid
a sound of music, for Phemios was just beginning to sing to the
suitors. Then Odysseus took hold of the swineherd's hand, and
said:
"Eumaios, this house of Odysseus
is a very fine place. No matter how far you go you will find few like
it. One building keeps following on after another. The outer court
has a wall with battlements all round it; the doors are double
folding, and of good workmanship; it would be a hard matter to take
it by force of arms. I perceive, too, that there are many people
banqueting within it, for there is a smell of roast meat, and I hear
a sound of music, which the gods have made to go along with
feasting."
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