Homer, Odyssey

So he spoke, and they all bit their lips and marvelled at Telemachus for that he spoke boldly; [270] and Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spoke among them, saying: “Hard though it be, Achaeans, let us accept the word of Telemachus, though boldly he threatens us in his speech. For Zeus, son of Cronos, did not suffer it, else would we ere now have silenced him in the halls, clear-voiced talker though he is.” [275] So spoke Antinous, but Telemachus paid no heed to his words. Meanwhile the heralds were leading through the city the holy hecatomb of the gods, and the long-haired Achaeans gathered together beneath a shady grove of Apollo, the archer-god. But when they had roasted the outer flesh and drawn it off the spits, [280] they divided the portions and feasted a glorious feast. And by Odysseus those who served set a portion equal to that which they received themselves, for so Telemachus commanded, the dear son of divine Odysseus. But the proud wooers Athena [285] would in no wise suffer to abstain from bitter outrage, that pain might sink yet deeper into the heart of Odysseus, son of Laertes. There was among the wooers a man with his heart set on lawlessness—Ctesippus was his name, and in Same was his dwelling—who, trusting forsooth in his boundless wealth, [290] wooed the wife of Odysseus, that had long been gone. He it was who now spoke among the haughty wooers: “Hear me, ye proud wooers, that I may say somewhat. A portion has the stranger long had, an equal portion, as is meet; for it is not well nor just to rob of their due [295] the guests of Telemachus, whosoever he be that comes to this house. Nay, come, I too will give him a stranger's-gift, that he in turn may give a present either to the bath-woman or to some other of the slaves who are in the house of godlike Odysseus.”