e Laertes knew that it was his son indeed
who stood before him--his son come back after twenty years' wandering.
He cast his arms around his neck, and Odysseus caught him fainting to
his breast, and led him into the house.

Within the house were Telemachus, and Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius
the cattleherd. They all clasped the hand of Laertes and their words
raised his spirits. Then he was bathed, and, when he came from the bath,
rubbed with olive oil he looked hale and strong, Odysseus said to him,
'Father, surely one of the gods has made thee goodlier and greater than
thou wert a while ago.'

Said the old hero Laertes: 'Ah, my son, would that I had such might as
when, long before thou wert born, I took the Castle of Nericus there
upon the Foreland. Would that in such might, and with such mail upon my
shoulders, I stood with thee yesterday when thou didst fight with the
wooers.'

While they were speaking in this way the rumour of the slaying of the
wooers went through the City. Then those who were related to the men
slain went into the courtyard of Odysseus' house, and brought forth the
bodies. Those who belonged to Ithaka they buried, and those who belonged
to the Islands they put upon ships, and sent them with fisherfolk, each
to his own home. Many were wroth with Odysseus for the slaying of a
friend. He who was the most wroth was Eupeithes, the father of Antinous.

There was an assembly of the men of the country, and Eupeithes spake in
it, and all who were there pitied him. He told how Odysseus had led away
the best of the men of Ithaka, and how he had lost them in his ships.
And he told them how, when he returned, he slew the noblest of the men
of Ithaka and the Islands in his own hall. He called upon them to slay
Odysseus saying, 'If we avenge not ourselves on the slayer of our kin we
will be scorned for all time as weak and cowardly men. As for me, life
will be no more sweet to me. I would rather die straightway and be with
the departed. Up now, and let us attack Odysseus and his followers
before they take ship and escape across the sea.'

Many in that assembly put on their armour and went out with old
Eupeithes. And as they went through the town they met with Odysseus and
his following as they were coming from the house of Laertes.

Now as the two bands came close to each other--Odysseus with Telemachus
and Laertes; with the swineherd and the cattleherd; with Dolius,
Laertes' servant, and with the s