Penelope Agrees to Wait

70He spoke; the swineherd went, and as he crossed
The threshold of Penelope she said: —

71“You bring him not, Eumaeus? What may be
The wanderer’s scruple? Fear of someone here?
Or in a palace is he filled with awe?
To be a bashful beggar is most hard.”

72And thus, Eumaeus, you did answer her:
“Rightly he speaks, and just as one would think
Who shuns the encounter of disorderly men.
He prays that you will wait till set of sun;
And better were it for yourself, O queen,
To speak with him and hear his words alone.”

73Then spoke discreet Penelope again:
“Whoever may be the stranger, not unwise
He seems; for nowhere among men are done
Such deeds of wrong and outrage as by these.”

74She spoke, and the good swineherd, having told
The lady all, went forth among the crowd
Of suitors, drawing near Telemachus,
And bowed his head beside him that none else
Might hear, and said to him in winged words: —