Book 19

TELEMACHUS AND ULYSSES REMOVE THE ARMOUR—ULYSSES INTERVIEWS PENELOPE—EURYCLEA WASHES HIS FEET AND RECOGNISES THE SCAR ON HIS LEG—PENELOPE TELLS HER DREAM TO ULYSSES.

39 passages65 observations · 17 observed placesSHA a4137b1d2fc9…

Passage 1

Lines 4–5

Canonical text · read-only

Source text

Ulysses was left in the cloister, pondering on the means whereby with Minerva’s help he might be able to kill the suitors. Presently he said to Telemachus, ‘Telemachus, we must get the armour together and take it down inside. Make some excuse when the suitors ask you why you have removed it. Say that you have taken it to be out of the way of the smoke, inasmuch as it is no longer what it was when Ulysses went away, but has become soiled and begrimed with soot. Add to this more particularly that you are afraid Jove may set them on to quarrel over their wine, and that they may do each other some harm which may disgrace both banquet and wooing, for the sight of arms sometimes tempts people to use them.’

Location presence

Ulysses covered cloisters

·Direct

Ulysses was left in the cloister.

See evidence text

“Ulysses was left in the cloister, pondering on the means whereby with Minerva’s help he might be able to kill the suitors. Presently he said to Telemachus, ‘Telemachus, we must get the armour together and take it down inside. Make some excuse when the suitors ask you why you have removed it. Say that you have taken it to be out of the way of the smoke, inasmuch as it is no longer what it was when Ulysses went away, but has become soiled and begrimed with soot. Add to this more particularly that you are afraid Jove may set them on to quarrel over their wine, and that they may do each other some harm which may disgrace both banquet and wooing, for the sight of arms sometimes tempts people to use them.’ ”

Claims for this passage

armour kept in Ulysses’s house·Item·Reported

The stored armour is to be removed under the excuse that smoke has soiled and begrimed it with soot.

See evidence text

“Say that you have taken it to be out of the way of the smoke, inasmuch as it is no longer what it was when Ulysses went away, but has become soiled and begrimed with soot.”

Jove·Deity·Hypothetical

Ulysses proposes claiming fear that Jove may drive the suitors into a wine-fueled quarrel.

See evidence text

“you are afraid Jove may set them on to quarrel over their wine”

Minerva·Deity·Direct

Minerva’s help is integral to Ulysses’s plan to kill the suitors.

See evidence text

“with Minerva’s help he might be able to kill the suitors”

Telemachus·Character·Reported

Telemachus is instructed to help remove the household armour.

See evidence text

“we must get the armour together and take it down inside.”

the suitors·Character·Hypothetical

The suitors are presented as liable to quarrel over wine and harm one another if arms remain in sight.

See evidence text

“you are afraid Jove may set them on to quarrel over their wine, and that they may do each other some harm which may disgrace both banquet and wooing, for the sight of arms sometimes tempts people to use them.”

Ulysses·Character·Disguised

Ulysses secretly plans, with Minerva’s help, how to kill the suitors.

See evidence text

“Ulysses was left in the cloister, pondering on the means whereby with Minerva’s help he might be able to kill the suitors.”

Published summary

Pondering how to kill the suitors with Minerva's help, Ulysses tells Telemachus to conceal the armour and to explain that smoke has soiled it and that he fears Jove may incite a wine-fueled quarrel in which visible weapons would tempt the suitors to violence and disgrace the feast and wooing.