herald, wherefore is my son gone? it was not at all necessary that he should embark on swift ships, which for men are horses of the sea, and pass over the vast wave? Is it that his name may not be left amongst men?"
Then Medon, acquainted with prudent things, answered her: "I know not whether some god excited him, or his own mind was urged to go to Pylos, that he may inquire of either the return of his father, or what fate he has drawn on himself."
Thus having spoken, he departed to the house of Ulysses. But soul-wasting grief was shed around her, nor did she any more endure to sit on her seat, although many were in the house; but she sat on the threshold of her much-laboured chamber, mourning piteous: and around her all her handmaidens wailed, as many as were in the house, young and old: Penelope, mourning violently,[1] addressed them:
"Hear me, friends, for Olympus[2] has given me grief above the measure of all those, as many as were brought up and born with me; I who before indeed have lost my excellent husband, lion-hearted, adorned amongst the Grecians with all kinds of virtues, excellent; whose glory is wide throughout Greece and the middle of Argos. But now the tempests have snatched away my dear son from the palace, inglorious; nor did I hear of his setting out. Wretched ones, you did not each of you place it in your mind to raise me from my bed, knowing clearly in your soul when he embarked on the hollow black ship. For if I had known that he was setting out on this voyage, then he should have either remained, although anxious for his voyage, or should have left me dead in the palace. But let some trusty servant call old Dolius, my servant, whom my father gave me on coming hither, and he keeps my garden that abounds in trees; that as quickly as possible, sitting by Laertes, he may tell him all these things, if by chance contriving some counsel in his mind, going out he may make lamentations amongst the people on account of those, who desire to destroy his own offspring, and that of divine Ulysses."
Her dear nurse Euryclea in answer addressed her: "Dear mistress, do thou slay me with the cruel steel, or leave me in the palace; but I will not by any means conceal the tale. I
