When dawn came, Telemakhos went into town to check on the guest he had brought with him and to show his mother that he was ok. He also asked the swinherd to bring me into town a little later so that I could beg for food from the suitors. Telemakhos got home and once Penelope had hugged and kissed him, he told her to go bathe, change into a dress, and pray to Zeus for revenge. He then went into the square to find Theoklymenos and brought him home for lunch. And they ate while Penelope silently sat spinning a fine wool yarn. When they'd finished eating, Penelope asked what news Telemakhos had found of Odysseus. He told her his journey, how he found out that Odysseus was being held hostage by a nymph and how he was glad to have escaped death by the suitors. Then Theoklymenos, the prophet's son, told Penelope that he had had a glimpse at where Odysseus is and that he is on the island, but Penelope just wished for that to be true. Meanwhile, the suitors were crowding in for dinner after a day of discus throwing and javelin practice. While the prepared dinner, I and the swineherd were coming down from the hut, and on the way we met the shepherd, a man loyal to the suitors, who made fun of me and the swinherd and made my heart and temper flare up in anger, but I controlled myself and ignored his insults as he walked past us to the palace. We arrived at the palace where we met my old dog who was neglected and covered in fleas, dying of misuse and old age, and once he had wagged his tail and seen his master after 20 years, he laid his head down and died. The swineherd went into the palace while I waited outside for a while so as not to arrive with him. I went inside after a while and waited at the window. Telemakhos sent the swineherd over to me with a loaf of bread but he also told me to go beg among the suitors. So I did, and most of them gave me some good bread to fill up my bag, except for Antinoos who decided to throw a foot stool at me, which hurt rather a lot. And by going through the men, I knew who was nice and who wasn't, and this could help me decide how to bring death upon them. I went to the window once more, when Penelope sent the swineherd to bring me into her study because I had travelled the world so much I might have news of Odysseus. But when the swineherd came to tell me, I told him to tell Penelope that I'd come once everyone had gone to bed for it would look bad if a beggar was alone with her in her room, and with this Penelope agreed. So the swineherd went home for the night and I waited for the suitors to go so that I could go talk with my wife...
Picture from: http://www.cloghancastle.com/features/banquet.html
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