Chapter 23 Penelope and the suitors

Now, the goddess Pallas Athena summoned up the courage of Queen Penelope, and made her resolve to come before the suitors, arouse their inner desires, and prove her love to her husband and son Telemachus. Steadfast and loyal, although she did not know that the beggar was his husband. The loyal old maid approves of her decision. "Go, daughter," she said, "stand beside your son and show your attitude. But you should bathe and dress first, and anoint yourself with ointment." Penelope shook her head and said, "Good old man, Don't force me to do such a thing! Since my husband left for Troy, I have no interest in adorning myself."

When Euryclea went to ask the maid to accompany the queen, Athena immediately hypnotized Penelope.While she was sleeping peacefully, the Goddess dressed her up beautifully and left.When the two maids entered the room, Penelope woke up suddenly. She rubbed her blindfolded eyes, stood up from her chair, and walked to the hall.When she quietly appeared at the door of the hall, her charming face flashed from the veil covering her head, and the suitor couldn't help but be moved when he saw her, eager to get this beauty and marry her as his wife.But the queen turned and went to her son, and said to him, "Telemachus, you amaze me. You were a little wiser when you were a child than you are now! Why did you just sit in the hall and watch a stranger fight a duel?" ?He just wants to beg for some food here, how can you let him be wantonly insulted? How embarrassing!"

"Mother," replied Telemachus, "I know it is wrong, but these people are against me, and there is no one who supports me. As for the duel between this stranger and Iros, the result is completely out of the favor of the suitor. Unexpected. I hope they will soon bow their heads like the poor man outside the door, and be ashamed!" Telemachus spoke in such a low voice that the suitors did not hear him.When Eurymachus saw the beautiful queen, he yelled, "Daughter of Icarios, if all the Achaeans in Greece can see you, there will be more suitors coming tomorrow." for you are as beautiful as any woman in the world." "Ah, Eurymachus," replied Penelope, "I have been as beautiful as ever since my husband and the Greeks conquered Troy. Gone! If he comes back, my flower of life will reopen! Now, I have nothing but sorrow. When he said goodbye to me, he took my hand and said: 'Dear wife, the Greeks can't be all Survived from Troy. The Trojans are brave and good fighters. I don't know if I will come back alive. So please take good care of the house and take care of my parents, just like you are doing now. If your son grows up grown up, and I still haven't come back, then, if you like, you can remarry.' He said those words then, and now it's come true! Poor thing, the dreadful wedding day is approaching, how I dread to think of it Ah, how I look forward to his return! Because these suitors do not follow the usual rules at all, how can there be such a way of proposing in the world? If a man wants to marry a woman from a well-born family, then according to the custom, he must send cattle Sheep, give your fiancée a precious gift, and don't squander other people's property as you like!"

Odysseus was glad to hear her speak such wise and wise words.But Antinous replied on behalf of the suitor: "My noble queen, each of us would like to present you with the most precious gift, and ask you to accept it! But we hope that you will first choose you from among us." Before that, we will never go back." The suitors nodded in agreement with him.Immediately they sent their servants back, and soon they brought a great deal of presents.Antinous presented her with a beautiful gown, with twelve rows of gold buttons and beautiful gold clasps.Eurymachus gave him a necklace of precious stones on a gold chain, shining like the sun.Eurydamus held out a pair of earrings set with three pearls.Persandros gave her an exquisite pendant.The other suitors also sent her precious gifts.The maids accepted these gifts, and Penelope left the hall gracefully and returned to the inner court.