Thus did he speak, and they did
even as he had said; they went to the store room, which they entered
before Melanthios saw them, for he was busy searching for arms in the
innermost part of the room, so the two took their stand on either
side of the door and waited. By and by Melanthios came out with a
helmet in one hand, and an old dry-rotted shield in the other, which
had been borne by Laertes when he was young, but which had been long
since thrown aside, and the straps had become unsewn; on this the two
seized him, dragged him back by the hair, and threw him struggling to
the ground. They bent his hands and feet well behind his back, and
bound them tight with a painful bond as Odysseus had told them; then
they fastened a noose about his body and strung him up from a high
pillar till he was close up to the rafters, and over him did you then
vaunt, O swineherd Eumaios, saying, "Melanthios, you will pass the
night on a soft bed as you deserve. You will know very well when
morning comes from the streams of Okeanos, and it is time for you to
be driving in your goats for the suitors to feast on."
There, then, they left him in
very cruel bondage, and having put on their armor they closed the
door behind them and went back to take their places by the side of
Odysseus; whereon the four men stood in the room, fierce and full of
fury; nevertheless, those who were in the body of the court were
still both brave and many. Then Zeus’ daughter Athena came up to
them, having assumed the voice and form of Mentor. Odysseus was glad
when he saw her and said, "Mentor, lend me your help, and forget not
your old comrade, nor the many good turns he has done you. Besides,
you are my age-mate."
But all the time he felt sure it
was Athena, and the suitors from the other side raised an uproar when
they saw her. Agelaos was the first to reproach her. "Mentor," he
cried, "do not let Odysseus beguile you into siding with him and
fighting the suitors. This is what will be our plan
[noos]: when we have killed these people, father and
son, we will kill you too. You shall pay for it with your head, and
when we have killed you, we will take all you have, in doors or out,
and merge it with Odysseus’ property; we will not let your sons
live in your house, nor your daughters, nor shall your widow continue
to live in the city of Ithaca."
This made Athena still more
furious, so she scolded Odysseus very angrily. "Odysseus," said she,
"your strength and prowess are no longer what they were when you
fought for nine long years among the Trojans about the noble lady
Helen. You killed many a man in those days, and it was through your
stratagem that Priam's city was taken. How comes it that you are
so lamentably less valiant now that you are on your own ground, face
to face with the suitors in your own house? Come on, my good fellow,
stand by my side and see how Mentor, son of Alkinoos shall fight your
foes and requite your kindnesses conferred upon him."
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