Telemachus made answer: "Verily, Eurymachus, the day of my
father's return hath gone by forever. As for this stranger, he
said that he was Mentes, King of the Taphians."

So spake Telemachus, but in his heart he knew that the stranger
was Athene. Then the suitors turned them to the dance and to the
song, making merry till the darkness fell. Then went they each to
his own house to sleep.

But Telemachus went to his chamber, pondering many things in his
heart. And Eurycleia, [Footnote: Eu-ry-clei'-a] who had nursed him
when he was little, went with him, bearing torches in her hands.
He opened the door of the chamber, and took off his doublet, and
put it in the wise woman's hands. She folded it, and smoothed it,
and hung it on a pin, and went forth from the room, and pulled to
the door, and made it fast. And all the night Telemachus thought
in his heart of the journey which Athene had showed him.




CHAPTER II

THE ASSEMBLY


When the morning came, Telemachus bade the heralds call the people
to the assembly. So the heralds called them, and they came in
haste. And when they were gathered together, he went his way to
the place of meeting, holding in his hand a spear, and two dogs