[74] The hearth was the altar on which the lares or household-gods were worshipped.
[75] That he might begin auspiciously. Wine was served in the same direction. F.
[76] Here again Θεὸς occurs in the abstract.
Eustathius, and Clarke after him, understand an aposiopesis here, as if the speaker meant to say--what if there should be? or--suppose there should be? But the sentence seems to fall in better with what follows interpreted as above, and it is a sense of the passage not unwarranted by the opinion of other commentators. See Schaufelbergerus.
[78] This seems added by Eumæus to cut off from Ulysses the hope that might otherwise tempt him to use fiction.
The beggar Irus arrives at the palace; a combat takes place between him and Ulysses, in which Irus is by one blow vanquished. Penelope appears to the suitors, and having reminded them of the presents which she had a right to expect from them, receives a gift from each. Eurymachus, provoked by a speech of Ulysses, flings a foot-stool at him, which knocks down the cup-bearer; a general tumult is the consequence, which continues, till by the advice of Telemachus, seconded by Amphinomus, the suitors retire to their respective homes.