towards him he wagged his tail and dropped his ears, but could not
come near his lord. Seeing him from a little distance Odysseus wiped
away his tears unnoticed of Eumaeus and asked whose the hound was.
Eumaeus told the story of his neglect: "but the doom of death took
Argus straightway after seeing Odysseus in the twentieth year". In the
palace Telemachus sent his father food, bidding him ask a charity of
the wooers. Antinous answered by hurling a stool which struck his
shoulder. The noise of the high words which followed brought down
Penelope who protested against the godless behaviour of the suitors
and asked to interview the stranger in hope of learning some tidings
of her husband, but Odysseus put her off till nightfall when they
would be less likely to suffer from the insolence of the suitors.

In Ithaca was a beggar named Irus, gluttonous and big-boned but a
coward. Encouraged by the winkings and noddings of the suitors he bade
Odysseus begone. A quiet answer made him imagine he had to deal with a
poltroon and he challenged him to a fight. The proposal was welcomed
with glee by the suitors, who promised on oath to see fair play for
the old man in his quarrel with a younger. But when they saw the
mighty limbs and stout frame of Odysseus, they deemed that Irus had
brought trouble on his own head. Chattering with fear Irus had to be
forced to the combat. One blow was enough to lay him low; the ease
with which Odysseus had disposed of his foe made him for a time
popular with the suitors.

Under an inspiration of Athena, Penelope came down once more to chide
the wooers for their insolence; she also upbraided them for their
stinginess.

"Yours is not the custom of wooers in former days who were wont to