cus, the most cunning of mortals, and also
gives the etymology (fanciful probably) of the name of Ulysses.
(Odysseus, the Greek form of Ulysses, is here derived from a Greek word
meaning _to be angry_.)

4. After the bath Ulysses returns to the hearth where Penelope is still
sitting. She tells her dream of the eagle which destroyed her geese,
and which then spoke by way of interpretation: "The geese are the
Suitors and I, once the eagle, am now thy husband." Such is the
deep-lying presentiment of Penelope, indicated by the dream, which
crops out in spite of her declared skepticism. Note that she dreams not
only the dream but also dreams its interpretation; surely she is
conscious of some hope now.

The legend at the end of the Book, which tells of the two Gates of
Dreams, one of ivory and one of horn, has roused much curiosity among
readers about its purport, and has inspired much imitation from later
poets. Through the Gate of Horn (dimly transparent) comes the true
dream; through the Gate of Ivory (polished on the outside, but letting
no light through) comes the false dream. Such is the more common
explanation, but Eustathius derives the whole story from two puns on
Greek words for horn and ivory. At any rate there are the two sorts of
dreams, one getting the impress of the future event, the other being
merely subjective.

But Penelope has another suggestion, which is found widely scattered in
folk-lore, the Bending of the Bow. This incident, however, is developed
in a later Book. It is one of her schemes to defer the hated marriage,
after the new hope given by the stranger. She will not yet give up.

_Book Twentieth._ This book is devoted to describing more fully the
situation in the house of Ulysses just before the slaying of the
Suitors. The guilty and the guiltless are indicated anew, with fresh
incidents; especially the fatuity of the Suitors is set forth in a
variety of ways. The scene is in the palace.

The Book may be divided into three portions, which deal with (1) the
royal pair, (2) the servants faithful and faithless, (3) the Suitors at
their banquet.

I. Ulysses is lying on the porch, restless, unable to sleep; he sees
the disloyal women of the household come forth to the embraces of the
Suitors. He commands himself: "Endure it, heart; thou hast borne worse
than this." Pallas has at last to come and to answer his two
troublesome thoughts: "How shall I, being only one, slay the Suitors,
being many?