hatever she wove by day. Telemachus had gone to seek his father, but
came home baffled to Eumaeus' hut, and there was allowed to recognise
Ulysses. But it was as a beggar, broken-down and foot-sore, that Ulysses
sought his palace, and none knew him there but his poor old dog Argus,
who licked his feet, and died for joy. The suitors, in their pride, made
game of the poor stranger, but Penelope sent for him, in case he brought
news of her husband. Even to her he told a feigned story, but she bade
the old nurse Euryclea take care of him, and wash his feet. While doing
so, the old woman knew him by a scar left by the tusk of a wild boar long
ago, and Ulysses could hardly stifle her cry of joy; but she told him
all, and who could be trusted among the slaves. The plans were fixed.
Telemachus, with much difficulty, persuaded his mother to try to get rid
of the suitors by promising to wed him only who could bend Ulysses' bow.
One after another tried in vain, and then, amid their sneers, the beggar
took it up, and bent it easily, hit the mark, and then aimed it against
them! They were all at the banquet-table in the hall. Eumaeus and the
other faithful servants had closed all the doors, and removed all the
arms, and there was a terrible slaughter both of these oppressors and the
servants who had joined with them against their queen and her son.

After this, Ulysses made himself known to his wife, and visited his
father, who had long retired to his beautiful garden. The kindred of the
suitors would have made war on him, but Pallas pacified them, and the
_Odyssey_ leaves him to spend his old age in Ithaca, and die a peaceful
death. He was just what the Greeks thought a thoroughly brave and wise
man; for they had no notion that there was any sin in falsehood and
double-dealing.

[Picture: Greek Pottery]

CHAP. XI.--THE DOOM OF THE ATRIDES.

[Picture: Decorative chapter heading]

You remember that Ulysses met Agamemnon among the other ghosts. The King
of Men, as the _Iliad_ calls him, had vast beacons lighted from isle to
isle, and from cape to cape, to announce that Troy was won, and that he
was on his way home, little knowing what a welcome was in store for him.

His wife Clytemnestra had never forgiven him for the loss of Iphigenia,
and had listened to his cousin AEgisthus, who wanted to marry her. She
came forth and received Agamemnon with apparent joy, but his p