near and hurled it at the head of the supposed beggar, and but narrowly
missed the hitting of him; and all the suitors rose, as at once, to thrust
him out of the hall, which they said his beggarly presence and his rude
speeches had profaned. But Telemachus cried to them to forbear, and not to
presume to lay hands upon a wretched man to whom he had promised
protection. He asked if they were mad, to mix such abhorred uproar with
his feasts. He bade them take their food and their wine, to sit up or to
go to bed at their free pleasures, so long as he should give license to
that freedom; but why should they abuse his banquet, or let the words
which a poor beggar spake have power to move their spleens so fiercely'

They bit their lips and frowned for anger to be checked so by a youth;
nevertheless for that time they had the grace to abstain, either for
shame, or that Minerva had infused into them a terror of Ulysses's son.

So that day's feast was concluded without bloodshed, and the suitors,
tired with their sports, departed severally each man to his apartment.
Only Ulysses and Telemachus remained. And now Telemachus, by his father's
direction, went and brought down into the hall armour and lances from the
armoury; for Ulysses said, "On the morrow we shall have need of them." And
moreover he said, "If any one shall ask why you have taken them down, say
it is to clean them and scour them from the rust which they have gathered
since the owner of this house went for Troy." And as Telemachus stood by
the armour, the lights were all gone out, and it was pitch dark, and the
armour gave out glistering beams as of fire, and he said to his father,
"The pillars of the house are on fire." And his father said, "It is the
gods who sit above the stars, and have power to make the night as light as
the day." And he took it for a good omen. And Telemachus fell to cleaning
and sharpening of the lances.