Antinoüs Mocks the Beggar

31He spoke, and all were vehemently moved
With anger, for they feared that he would bend
The bow, and thus Antinous, railing, spoke: —

32“You worthless vagabond, without a spark
Of reason, are you not content to sit
And banquet with the proudest, where no part
Of all the feast escapes you, hearing all
That we are saying, which no other man,
Stranger and beggar, is allowed to hear!
This good wine makes you foolish, as wine oft
Makes those who swallow it too greedily,
And drink not with due stint. It maddened once
Eurytion, the famed Centaur, in the halls
Of the large-souled Pirithous. He had come
Among the Lapithae, and when inflamed
With wine to madness, in those very halls
Did lawless deeds. The heroes were incensed.
They rushed upon him, dragged him through the porch
And out of doors, and there cut off his nose
And ears, and he departed, frenzied still,
And bearing in bewilderment of mind
His punishment, whence war arose between
Centaurs and men; yet surely he had brought
The evil on himself, when overcome
With wine. Such fearful mischief I foretell
Will light on you, if you should bend this bow,
Nor can you hope for favor here among
The people. We will send you speedily,
In a black galley, to King Echetus,
The enemy of human kind, from whom
You shall find no escape. Drink, then, in peace
Your wine, and seek no strife with younger men.”