so she sent him to the hut.
And when Telemachus saw him, he marveled and turned away his eyes, for he
thought it must be a god.

"Stranger," he said, "you are changed since a moment ago; your color is
not the same, nor your garments. If you are one of the Immortals, be
gracious to us, and let us offer you gifts and sacrifice."

Then Ulysses cried out, "I am no god, but your own dear father, for whose
sake you are suffering cruel wrongs and the spite of men." And then he
kissed his son and let his tears take their way at last.

But Telemachus could not believe it, and said, "You cannot be my father,
but a god come down to deceive me and make me grieve still more. No mortal
could do what you have done, for a moment since you were old and wretched,
and poorly clad, and now you seem like one of the heavenly Gods."

Then his father answered, "My son, no other Ulysses will ever come back to
you. Athene has done this wonder, for she is a goddess and can make men
what she will, now poor, now rich, now old, now young; such power have the
lords of heaven to exalt us or bring us low."

Then Telemachus fell on his neck, and they wept aloud together. And they
would have wept out their hearts till evening, had not Telemachus asked
his father how he had come to Ithaca at last; and Ulysses told him that
the sea-kings had brought him and put him on shore asleep, and that Athene
had sent him to the swineherd's hut. "But now tell me of the suitors. How
many are they and what manner of men? Can the two of us make head against
the throng?"

"Father," he answered, "I know well your fame, mighty and wise in war. But
this we could never dare, two men against a host. They are a hundred and
twenty in all, the best fighting men from Ithaca and the islands round.
Think, if you can, of some champion who would befriend us and give us
help."

And Ulysses made answer, "What think you, if Father Zeus and the goddess
Athene stood by our side? Should we still need other help?"

"Truly they are the best of champions," said Telemachus, "though they sit
on high among the clouds; and they rule both men and Gods." "And they will
be with us," said his father, "when we come to the trial of war. Now at
daybreak you must go home and mix with the suitors, and later on the
swineherd will bring me to the town, disguised again as the old
beggar-man; and if they ill-treat me or even strike me or drag me out of
the house, you must look on and bear it. You may c