When she was gone, Telemachus spake to the suitors, saying: "Let
us now feast and be merry, and let there be no brawling among us.
It is a good thing to listen to a minstrel that hath a voice as
the voice of a god. But in the morning let us go to the assembly,
that I may declare my purpose, to wit, that ye leave this hall,
and eat your own substance. But if ye deem it a better thing that
ye should waste another man's goods, and make no recompense, then
work your will. But certainly Zeus shall repay you."

So he spake, and they all marvelled that he used such boldness.
And Antinous [Footnote: An-ti'-no-us.] answered: "Surely,
Telemachus, it is by the bidding of the gods that thou speakest so
boldly. Therefore I pray that Zeus may never make thee King in
Ithaca."

Then said Telemachus: "It is no ill thing to be a king, for his
house groweth rich, and he himself is honoured. But there are
others in Ithaca, young and old, who may have the kingship, now
that Ulysses is dead. Yet know that I will be lord of my own house
and of the slaves which Ulysses won for himself with his own
spear."

Thereupon spake Eurymachus [Footnote: Eu-rym'-a-chus.], saying:
"It is with the gods to say who shall be King in Ithaca; but no
man can deny that thou shouldest keep thine own goods and be lord
in thine own house. Tell me, who is this stranger that came but
just now to thy house? Did he bring tidings of thy father? Or came
he on some matter of his own? In strange fashion did he depart,
nor did he tarry that we might know him."