thy halls, for I missed not the mark nor spent much time in the
stringing. My strength is yet whole within me. But now it is time to
make a banquet for the Achaeans in the light of day and then season
it with song and dance, which are the crown of revelry.' So speaking
he nodded, and his son took a sword and a spear and stood by him
clad in gleaming bronze."

The first victim was Antinous, whom Odysseus shot through the neck as
he was in the act of drinking, never dreaming that one man would
attack a multitude of suitors. Eurymachus fell after vainly attempting
a compromise. Melanthius was caught in the act of supplying arms to
the rest and was left bound to be dealt with when the main work was
done. Athena herself encouraged Odysseus in his labour of vengeance,
deflecting from him any weapons that were hurled at him. At length all
was over, the serving women were made to cleanse the hall of all
traces of bloodshed; the guiltiest of them were hanged, while
Melanthius died a horrible death by mutilation. Odysseus then summoned
his wife to his presence.

Eurycleia carried the message to her, laughing with joy so much that
Penelope deemed her mad. The story of the vengeance which Odysseus had
exacted was so incredible that it must have been the act of a god, not
a man. When she entered the hall Telemachus upbraided her for her
unbelief, but Odysseus smiled on hearing that she intended to test him
by certain proofs which they two alone were aware of. He withdrew for
a time to cleanse him of his stains and to put on his royal garments,
after ordering the servants to maintain a revelry to blind the people
to the death of their chief men.

When he reappeared, endued with grace which Athena gave him, he