strictly charging Ulysses that he should reveal himself to no man, but to
his own son, whom she would send to him when she saw occasion, the goddess
went her way.

The transformed Ulysses bent his course to the cottage of the herdsman,
and, entering in at the front court, the dogs, of which Eumaeus kept many
fierce ones for the protection of the cattle, flew with open mouths upon
him, as those ignoble animals have oftentimes an antipathy to the sight of
anything like a beggar, and would have rent him in pieces with their
teeth, if Ulysses had not had the prudence to let fall his staff, which
had chiefly provoked their fury, and sat himself down in a careless
fashion upon the ground; but for all that some serious hurt had certainly
been done to him, so raging the dogs were, had not the herdsman, whom the
barking of the dogs had fetched out of the house, with shouting and with
throwing of stones repressed them.

He said, when he saw Ulysses, "Old father, how near you were to being torn
in pieces by these rude dogs! I should never have forgiven myself, if
through neglect of mine any hurt had happened to you. But Heaven has given
me so many cares to my portion that I might well be excused for not
attending to everything: while here I lie grieving and mourning for the
absence of that majesty which once ruled here, and am forced to fatten his
swine and his cattle for food to evil men, who hate him and who wish his
death; when he perhaps strays up and down the world, and has not wherewith
to appease hunger, if indeed he yet lives (which is a question) and enjoys
the cheerful light of the sun." This he said, little thinking that he of
whom he spoke now stood before him, and that in that uncouth disguise and
beggarly obscurity was present the hidden majesty of Ulysses.

Then he had his guest into the house, and sat meat and drink before him;