I am from Alybas, where I inhabit an illustrous dwelling, the son of Apheidas, son of king Polypemon, and my name is Eperitus: but the deity made me wander so that I should come hither from Sicania, against my will: but my ship is stationed over against a field at a distance from the city. But this is now the fifth year since Ulysses went away from thence, and departed from my country, unhappy one: but there were excellent birds[1] on the right for him as he was going, in which I rejoicing sent him away, and he rejoiced as he went: and our mind still hoped to be mixed in hospitality, and to bestow glorious gifts."
Thus he spoke; and a black cloud of grief covered him: and taking up the dust of ashes in both his hands, he poured it upon his hoary head, groaning continually. But his mind was excited, and now vehement passion beat against his nostrils, as he beheld his dear father. And he kissed him, embracing him and leaping upon him, and he addressed him:
"That one himself indeed am I, O father, after whom thou inquirest, I am come in the twentieth year to my paternal land. But refrain from weeping and tearful mourning. For I tell the plainly; (but it is by all means fit to hasten;) I have slain the suitors in my palace, revenging their grievous insolence and evil deeds."
But him Laertes answered again, and addressed him: "If indeed thou art Ulysses, my son, and hast come here, tell me now some evident sign, that I may believe it."
But him much-counselling Ulysses answering addressed: "First regard the scar with thine eyes, which a boar inflicted on me with its white tusk in Parnassus, when I went there: but thou didst send me on, and my venerable mother, to Autolycus, the dear father of my mother, that I might receive the gifts, which he promised me on coming here, and declared that he would give me. Come, I will recount to thee the trees also, through the well-made vineyard, which once thou gavest me, for I asked each of thee, being a child, following thee through the garden: but we came through them, and thou didst name them and didst tell me each. Thou gavest me thirteen pear-trees, and ten apple-trees, and forty fig-trees: and thus thou saidst thou wouldst give me fifty rows of vines,
- ↑ i. e. omens.
