e for him
now." It mattered not, for the twenty long years had come to an end,
and when Argos had once more seen his master, he sank down upon the
straw and died.

Then Odysseus passed into his house, and he stood a beggar in his own
hall, and asked an alms from Antinous. "Give," said he, "for thou
lookest like a King, and I will spread abroad thy name through the
wide earth. For I, too, was rich once, and had a glorious home, and
often I succored the wanderer; but Zeus took away all my wealth, and
drove me forth to Cyprus and to Egypt." But Antinous thrust him aside.
"What pest is this?" he said. "Stand off, old man, or thou shalt go
again to an Egypt and a Cyprus which shall not be much to thy
liking." Then Antinous struck him on the back; but Odysseus stood firm
as a rock, and he shook his head for the vengeance that was coming.
But the others were angry, and said, "Thou hast done an evil deed, if
indeed there be a god in heaven; nay, often in the guise of strangers
the gods themselves go through the earth, watching the evil and the
good."

When the tidings were brought to Penelope, she said to Eumaius, "Go
call me this stranger hither, for he may have something to tell me of
Odysseus." But the beggar would not go then. "Tell her," he said,
"that I know her husband well, and that I have shared his troubles;
but I can not talk with her before the sun goes down. At eventide she
shall see me."

Then, as Odysseus sate in the hall, there came up to him the beggar
Arnaius, whom the suitors called Iros because he was their messenger,
and he said, "Get up, old man, and go, for the chiefs have bidden me
to cast thee out; yet I would rather see thee depart of thy own will."
But Odysseus said, "Nay, friend, there is room enough here for both of
us. You are a beggar like me, and let us pray the gods to help us; but
lay not thine hand upon me, lest I be angry and smite thee; for if I
do, thou wilt not, I take it, care to come again to the house of
Odysseus, the son of Laertes." But Iros looked scornfully at him, and
said, "Hear how the vagabond talks, just like an old furnace woman.
Come now, and gird up thyself, and let us see which is the stronger."
Then Antinous, who had heard them quarreling, smiled pleasantly and
called to the other suitors: "See here, the stranger and Iros are
challenging each other. Let us bring them together and look on." But
Iros shrank back in fear as the beggar arose, and only one feeble blow
had