te of him;
but now, as if their sluices had burst, they came out like rivers,
pouring upon the warm cheeks of his son. Nor yet by all these violent
arguments could Telemachus be persuaded to believe that it was his
father, but he said, some deity had taken that shape to mock him; for
he affirmed, that it was not in the power of any man, who is sustained
by mortal food, to change his shape so in a moment from age to youth:
for "but now," said he, "you were all wrinkles, and were old, and now
you look as the gods are pictured."

His father replied: "Admire, but fear not, and know me to be at all
parts substantially thy father, who in the inner powers of his mind,
and the unseen workings of a father's love to thee, answers to his
outward shape and pretence! There shall no more Ulysseses come here. I
am he that after twenty years absence, and suffering a world of ill,
have recovered at last the sight of my country earth. It was the will
of Minerva that I should be changed as you saw me. She put me thus
together; she puts together or takes to pieces whom she pleases.
It is in the law of her free power to do it: sometimes to shew her
favourites under a cloud, and poor, and again to restore to them their
ornaments. The gods raise and throw down men with ease."

Then Telemachus could hold out no longer, but he gave way now to a
full belief and persuasion, of that which for joy at first he could
not credit, that it was indeed his true and very father, that stood
before him; and they embraced, and mingled their tears.

Then said Ulysses, "Tell me who these suitors are, what are their
numbers, and how stands the queen thy mother affected to them?"

"She bears them still in expectation," said Telemachus, "which she
never means to fulfil, that she will accept the hand of some one
of them in second nuptials. For she fears to displease them by an
absolute refusal. So from day to day she lingers them on with hope,
which they are content to bear the deferring of, while they have
entertainment at free cost in our palace."

Then said Ulysses, "Reckon up their numbers that we may know their
strength and ours, if we having none but ourselves may hope to prevail
against them."

"O father," he replied, "I have oft-times heard of your fame for
wisdom, and of the great strength of your arm, but the venturous mind
which your speeches now indicate moves me even to amazement: for in no
wise can it consist with wisdom or a sound mind, that t