followed him. Then did Athene shed a marvellous grace upon him, so
that all men wondered at him, as he sat him down in his father's
place.

First spake Aegyptus [Footnote: AE-gyp'-tus.], who was bowed with
many years, and was very wise. Four sons he had. One had gone with
Ulysses to Troy, and one was among the suitors of the Queen, and
two abode with their father in the field. He said: "Hearken to me,
men of Ithaca! Never hath an assembly been called in Ithaca since
Ulysses departed. Who now hath called us together? If it be
Telemachus, what doth he want? Hath he heard any tidings of the
coming back of the host? He, methinks, is a true man. May Zeus be
with him and grant him his heart's desire!"

So spake the old man, and Telemachus was glad at his speech. Then
he rose up and said:--

"I have great trouble in my heart, men of Ithaca, for first my
father, whom ye all loved, is dead; and next the princes of the
islands come hither, making suit to my mother, but she waits ever
for the return of her husband. And they devour all our substance;
nor is Ulysses here to defend it, and I, in truth, am not able.
And this is a grievous wrong, and not to be borne."

Then he dashed his sceptre on the ground, and sat down weeping.
And Antinous, who was one of the suitors, rose up and said:--

"Nay, Telemachus, blame not us, but blame thy mother, who indeed
is crafty above all women. For now this is the fourth year that we
have come suing for her hand, and she has cheated us with hopes.