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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 Excerpt:...the soul-destroying seductions of Circe; and even through the nether glooms of Hades. Not until twenty years had passed, from the time when he left his son Telemachus an infant Heyne ad Apollod., Virg., &c. Device of Penelope to thwart the suitors. 95 in the arms of Penelope, did Odysseus once more step foot on his little island kingdom. He landed in Ithaca privately, sent there by the hospitable King of Phceacia, in a mysterious ship moved by no external motive power. On,..... Odysseus arriving at Ithaca he learned that his returns to faithful wife, Penelope, had for years been harassed by suitors from the neighboring coasts, who sought her hand in marriage, clamorously asserting that Odysseus must have long since perished, although his certain return was predicted by Halitherses. Finally, wearied out by the importunities of these men, who devoured the substance of the island in riotous living, and perceiving that she must resort to expedients to postpone a crisis, Penelope promised to select one from their number when she had finished an elaborate garment which she then had in the loom. The suitors consented to this plan. But penSape to each night for four years the queen unrav-thart the. suitors. elled what she had woven during the day; thus, undetected by the suitors, she deferred the hour for choosing another husband. She was almost past hope, however, when Odysseus unexpectedly appeared disguised as a mendicant. It was of the highest importance that he should proceed with caution, lest the disappointed suitors should slay him. This the king was quite able to do because Pallas had disguised him, and he was recognized by no one except Argus, a hound who had accompanied Odysseus to the chase twenty years before. Argus recollected his master, crawled...