she might clasp
his hands and kiss him. But her understanding conquers, she keeps at a
distance, scrutinizing, till Telemachus, impulsive youth, breaks out
into a reproach: "Mother, thy heart is harder than a rock." But Ulysses
himself speaks to his son: "Suffer that thy mother test me;" she is
like himself, he understands her better than the son does. Finally
Ulysses takes the bath and puts on fresh garments, while Pallas gives
him fresh grace and majesty, and increased stature; he comes before
Penelope again; still no yielding. Ulysses himself is now forced to
exclaim: "Above all women the Gods have given thee a heart
impenetrable." Thus the nurse, the son, the husband in turn have failed
to shake her firmness, she must have an absolute test, which is "known
to him and me, and to us alone."

This is that strange bed, which Ulysses is unconsciously provoked by
his wife to describe. Penelope commands the nurse: "Bring the bed out
of the chamber which he made." But really it could not be removed, it
was constructed of the trunk of an olive tree rooted in the soil and
its construction was the secret of himself and wife. Very strong is the
symbolism of this bed, and is manifestly intended by the poet. It
typified the firm immovable bond of marriage between the two; their
unity could not be broken. Mark the words of Ulysses: "Woman, thou hast
spoken a painful word," when she commanded the bed to be removed; "who
hath displaced my bed?" In it there was built "a great sign" or
mystery; "now I do not know if my bed be firm in position, or whether
some other man has moved it elsewhere, cutting the trunk of the olive
tree up by the roots." Such is his intense feeling about that marriage
bed, deeply symbolic, truly "a sign," as here designated.

Now this is just the test which Penelope wanted, a double test indeed,
not only of the head, but also of the heart. He reveals to her not
merely that he knows about the bed, but how strongly he feels in
reference to it, and to what it signifies. For he might be the returned
Ulysses, and yet not be hers. But now she has yielded, she explains the
reason of her hesitation, defends herself by the example of Helen who
was cozened by a stranger. She used her craft to defend the unity and
sacredness of the Family, against Suitors and even against husband.
After some talk, the servant lights them to their chamber, "they in
great joy take their customary place in their ancient bed."

II. With