Telemachus, myself. Against eleven men.
PENELOPE
But darling—you won’t have to do any fighting! You are going to win the contest.
ULYSSES
I’d just as soon have some friends to back me up, when I do. Eumaeus—keep your eyes on that hillside, will you? I’d like some warning before these men do get back.
( EUMAEUS moves out into the yard.)
PENELOPE
Let’s have no extra trouble, darling. Please! All you have to do is to win. Those men are cowards—that’s why they are so bold. When they see how strong you are, they’ll melt into the night like shadows on a hillside.
ULYSSES
They may need a little help in melting. Now, an arrow through each throat might do it. But that’s a long job.
(He walks over to the door as he talks and looks up at the bow.)
Can you manage it, old friend? Or shall we settle for one clean swift arrow through Melas, and another one through Eryx? The rest of them might argue less, after that.
(He reaches up his hand and strokes the bow.)
I’d like just to have the feel of you again. It’s been a long time.
(He lifts the bow down and raises it into holding position, the unstrung bow at arm’s full length in front of him, his arm straight and rigid.)
When I was a boy, Telemachus, I had to stand like this for an hour each day. That’s the way my father taught me to strengthen my arm.
TELEMACHUS
(Glumly)
You mean I’ve got to stand like that for an hour, every day?
ULYSSES
If you want to master this bow. It’s more powerful than you think.
(He relaxes his arm, rubs its muscles, and then unwinds the bow’s string. He kneels on his right knee, holding the bow in a scissor-grip between his legs—one horn resting over his right thigh, the other clamped under his left thigh. Now he sits back on his right heel as he presses the horns up toward him, recurving them. It is a mighty effort. But not enough: the string, attached to the tip of the right horn, refuses to meet the tip of the left horn. He pulls and forces. His arm trembles with the strain.)
In Athena’s name! What’s gone wrong? This damned bow—
( ATHENA , who has been inconspicuous in the background, comes quietly forward. ULYSSES is still trying to string the bow. His hand slips and he almost falls with the bow’s spring.)
Hell and—
ATHENA
Blood pressure, blood pressure! Don’t take it so hard, Ulysses. After all, you haven’t handled a bow like that for seventeen years.
ULYSSES
This old bow is stiff with age!
PENELOPE
Try again, darling! You must, you must ! Try again!
ULYSSES
(Wrestling with the bow)
All I need is practice. Give me time.
PENELOPE
(Frantic, now)
But we haven’t got time—
ATHENA
Keep out of this, my sweet! Didn’t I try to stop you from announcing the contest until we saw how Ulysses could handle this bow? You and your bright ideas!
PENELOPE
—oh, oh, what have I done?
(She bursts into tears. TELEMACHUS is horrified. CLIA is as upset as PENELOPE . PHILETIUS stands, helpless.)
ULYSSES
(Holds the bow away from him. He wipes his brow and stares at it. He speaks very quietly.)
What the hell has happened to me?
ATHENA
We don’t get any younger.
(Her voice becomes stronger as ULYSSES covers his eyes with his hands. The others stare at ULYSSES as if transfixed.)
Now, keep cool, Ulysses. We’ve been in some bad spots before this. In the last seventeen years, you and I have thought our way out of many a tight corner.
( ULYSSES drops his hand, lifts the bow, and places it back on the wall. Then he turns and looks at PENELOPE .)
ULYSSES
Well, old girl? There’s your Hero of the Trojan War.
(He begins to laugh, not altogether with amusement.)
PENELOPE
(Running to him)
I don’t want any hero. I just want Ulysses.
(She kisses him.)
I’m less afraid of you, just as you are. Oh darling... All you need is some practice with the bow. If you just could get an hour alone with it...
ULYSSES
(Nodding)
An hour would do it. I hope.
( EUMAEUS whistles a warning from the yard.)
But we
PENELOPE
But darling—you won’t have to do any fighting! You are going to win the contest.
ULYSSES
I’d just as soon have some friends to back me up, when I do. Eumaeus—keep your eyes on that hillside, will you? I’d like some warning before these men do get back.
( EUMAEUS moves out into the yard.)
PENELOPE
Let’s have no extra trouble, darling. Please! All you have to do is to win. Those men are cowards—that’s why they are so bold. When they see how strong you are, they’ll melt into the night like shadows on a hillside.
ULYSSES
They may need a little help in melting. Now, an arrow through each throat might do it. But that’s a long job.
(He walks over to the door as he talks and looks up at the bow.)
Can you manage it, old friend? Or shall we settle for one clean swift arrow through Melas, and another one through Eryx? The rest of them might argue less, after that.
(He reaches up his hand and strokes the bow.)
I’d like just to have the feel of you again. It’s been a long time.
(He lifts the bow down and raises it into holding position, the unstrung bow at arm’s full length in front of him, his arm straight and rigid.)
When I was a boy, Telemachus, I had to stand like this for an hour each day. That’s the way my father taught me to strengthen my arm.
TELEMACHUS
(Glumly)
You mean I’ve got to stand like that for an hour, every day?
ULYSSES
If you want to master this bow. It’s more powerful than you think.
(He relaxes his arm, rubs its muscles, and then unwinds the bow’s string. He kneels on his right knee, holding the bow in a scissor-grip between his legs—one horn resting over his right thigh, the other clamped under his left thigh. Now he sits back on his right heel as he presses the horns up toward him, recurving them. It is a mighty effort. But not enough: the string, attached to the tip of the right horn, refuses to meet the tip of the left horn. He pulls and forces. His arm trembles with the strain.)
In Athena’s name! What’s gone wrong? This damned bow—
( ATHENA , who has been inconspicuous in the background, comes quietly forward. ULYSSES is still trying to string the bow. His hand slips and he almost falls with the bow’s spring.)
Hell and—
ATHENA
Blood pressure, blood pressure! Don’t take it so hard, Ulysses. After all, you haven’t handled a bow like that for seventeen years.
ULYSSES
This old bow is stiff with age!
PENELOPE
Try again, darling! You must, you must ! Try again!
ULYSSES
(Wrestling with the bow)
All I need is practice. Give me time.
PENELOPE
(Frantic, now)
But we haven’t got time—
ATHENA
Keep out of this, my sweet! Didn’t I try to stop you from announcing the contest until we saw how Ulysses could handle this bow? You and your bright ideas!
PENELOPE
—oh, oh, what have I done?
(She bursts into tears. TELEMACHUS is horrified. CLIA is as upset as PENELOPE . PHILETIUS stands, helpless.)
ULYSSES
(Holds the bow away from him. He wipes his brow and stares at it. He speaks very quietly.)
What the hell has happened to me?
ATHENA
We don’t get any younger.
(Her voice becomes stronger as ULYSSES covers his eyes with his hands. The others stare at ULYSSES as if transfixed.)
Now, keep cool, Ulysses. We’ve been in some bad spots before this. In the last seventeen years, you and I have thought our way out of many a tight corner.
( ULYSSES drops his hand, lifts the bow, and places it back on the wall. Then he turns and looks at PENELOPE .)
ULYSSES
Well, old girl? There’s your Hero of the Trojan War.
(He begins to laugh, not altogether with amusement.)
PENELOPE
(Running to him)
I don’t want any hero. I just want Ulysses.
(She kisses him.)
I’m less afraid of you, just as you are. Oh darling... All you need is some practice with the bow. If you just could get an hour alone with it...
ULYSSES
(Nodding)
An hour would do it. I hope.
( EUMAEUS whistles a warning from the yard.)
But we
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