arth's richer prize, Penelope, they would not have made their
voyage, but would have vowed their valours and their lives to her, for
she was at all parts faultless.

And she said, "The gods have taken my beauty from me, since my lord
went for Troy." But Telemachus willed his mother to depart and not be
present at that contest, for he said, "It may be, some rougher strife
shall chance of this, than may be expedient for a woman to witness."
And she retired, she and her maids, and left the hall.

Then the bow was brought into the midst, and a mark was set up by
prince Telemachus: and lord Antinous as the chief among the suitors
had the first offer, and he took the bow and fitting an arrow to the
string, he strove to bend it, but not with all his might and main
could he once draw together the ends of that tough bow; and when he
found how vain a thing it was to endeavour to draw Ulysses's bow,
he desisted, blushing for shame and for mere anger. Then Eurymachus
adventured, but with no better success; but as it had torn the hands
of Antinous, so did the bow tear and strain his hands, and marred his
delicate fingers, yet could he not once stir the string. Then called
he to the attendants to bring fat and unctuous matter, which melting
at the fire, he dipped the bow therein, thinking to supple it and make
it more pliable, but not with all the helps of art could he succeed in
making it to move. After him Liodes, and Amphinomus, and Polybus, and
Eurynomus, and Polyctorides, assayed their strength, but not any one
of them, or of the rest of those aspiring suitors, had any better
luck: yet not the meanest of them there but thought himself well
worthy of Ulysses's wife, though to shoot with Ulysses's bow the
completest champion among them was by proof found too feeble.

Then Ulysses prayed them that he might have leave to try; and
immediately a clamour was raised among the suitors, because of his
petition, and they scorned and swelled with rage at his presumption,
and that a beggar should seek to contend in a game of such noble
mastery. But Telemachus ordered that the bow should be given him, and
that he should have leave to try, since they had failed; "for," he
said, "the bow is mine, to give or to withhold:" and none durst
gainsay the prince.

Then Ulysses gave a sign to his son, and he commanded the doors of the
hall to be made fast, and all wondered at his words, but none could
divine the cause. And Ulysses took the bow into