d already begun their evening pastimes. The swineherd went up to
Telemachus, and said to him in a low tone: "It is time for me to
return to my farm, that I may give an eye to the things which I have
in charge. I leave thee to look to the house, and all that it
contains; but above all be careful of thyself, for there are many here
who wish thee ill."

The Beggar Irus

Just after Eumaeus had left, a huge, ungainly fellow came slouching up
to the place where Odysseus was sitting, and eyed him with a look of
great disfavour. He was the town beggar, known far and wide in Ithaca
as the greediest and laziest knave in the whole island. His real name
was Arnaeus, but from being employed to run errands about the place he
had received the nickname of Irus. Highly indignant at finding his
rights usurped by a new-comer, and thinking to find in that battered
old man an easy victim, he began to rate his supposed rival in a big,
blustering voice: "Give place, old man, to thy betters, and force me
not to use my hands upon thee. Begone, and that quickly, or it shall
be the worse for thee; out of the way, I say!"

With a stern look Odysseus answered him, and said: "What possesses
thee, fellow, that thou seekest a quarrel with me? Thou art, as I
perceive, a beggar like me, and I grudge thee not anything which thou
mayest receive in the way of alms from those who sit here. There is
room on this threshold for us both. But I warn thee not to provoke me
to blows, for old as I am I will set a mark upon thee which thou wilt
carry to thy death."

Trusting in his size, and encouraged by the nods and winks of the
wooers who sat near, Irus was only too ready to take up the challenge.
"Hark to the old starveling cur!" he shouted. "How glib of tongue he
is, like any scolding hag! Get thee to thy fists then, since thou wilt
have it so, and I will knock all thy teeth out, if thou hast any
left"; and he thrust Odysseus with his foot.

All the wooers now came running up, and crowded round the exasperated
beggars, hoping to see fine sport. Antinous took the lead, such a
scene being exactly to his taste. "Here is matter for mirth," he
cried, laughing, "for many a day. Make a ring quickly, and let them
fight it out."

In the courtyard there was a red smouldering fire, on which two huge
sausages were roasting, a sort of haggis made by filling the belly of
a goat with fat and blood. It was determined to give one of these
messes to the winner in