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challenge me, did they? We’ll see about that... We’ll see...
(He laughs, briefly, grimly.)
    ATHENA
(To the audience)
    That wasn’t much of a laugh, but he will improve. Yes, our patient is coming out of shock. Emotions under control, heart strong, brain working. Now we’ll prescribe a little rest, some concentrated thought, and purge the self-pity right out of him. Really—
(She begins to leave, passing ULYSSES with a light touch of farewell on his shoulder, which he can’t notice, of course.)
    if anyone had any complaints in this world, it should be me. I haven’t had one free hour to myself, since that frontal lobe was invented.
(Calls gently back to ULYSSES , who has been staring thoughtfully into the middle distance ever since her touch on the shoulder)
    The gods gave you a brain. Use it. Stupidity never did produce a happy ending. Think well, my friend. Don’t disappoint me, now. I hate tragedy—it’s such a waste!
(She laughs and goes out.)
    ULYSSES
(Drops back onto the ground at the door of the shack. He resumes the position he had adopted when EUMAEUS left him, but now his rage has gone. He speaks quietly.)
    Penelope, Penelope... And I was so sure of you.
(He shakes his head sadly, then falls into deep thought. His face is hard and cold. The curtain closes slowly.)

SCENE 2
    We are in PENELOPE ’s private sitting room, a kind of anteroom to her bedroom, whose massive bronze door lies in the centre of the back wall. Upstage to the left is the window; downstage to the right is the door to the sitting room. On either side of the bronze door stand three low-backed chairs, covered with embroidery in bright wools. Opposite the window, placed dramatically against the right upstage corner of the room, is a large and impressive leather chair. Beside it rest an equally large and impressive shield and spear. The only other furnishings in this room consist of an embroidery frame, a stool, and a small side table (with wools and cutting knife)—all grouped on the left, downstage, as if PENELOPE liked to face the leather chair as she worked.
    It is early morning. CLIA , a white-haired elderly woman, dressed in a dark wool robe, is tidying the room. She is picking up skeins of gaily coloured wool from the floor, laying them on the little side table. She pauses for a moment to look at the embroidery, and shakes her head with a sigh. AMARYLLIS enters, a pretty young girl with a saucy air. She is dressed in a yellow robe, and she is carrying a small tray with fruit, wheat cakes, and honey, and a flask of wine.
    AMARYLLIS
(As she enters)
    Well, here’s breakfast... Is she up yet?
(She nods toward the bronze door, and starts in that direction.)
    CLIA
(Dropping everything to intercept AMARYLLIS )
    Give me the tray.
    AMARYLLIS
    Oh, let me take it in. Just once!
    CLIA
    No one enters that room except me.
    AMARYLLIS
(Slyly)
    Afraid I’ll tell the men downstairs what her bedroom looks like?
    CLIA
    They’d give a lot to know.
(She carries the tray toward the bedroom door, and AMARYLLIS moves quietly over to the embroidery frame.)
    And another thing—When you are talking of the mistress, don’t call her “she.” Call her Penelope. If you can’t keep your own self-respect with those men downstairs, then at least give respect to women who’ve earned it.
    AMARYLLIS
(Examining the embroidery curiously)
    It isn’t my fault that the house is filled with men. I didn’t bring them here.
    CLIA
    You certainly don’t object to them living here!
(She looks round as she speaks, and sees AMARYLLIS touching the embroidery stretched on the frame. She puts down the tray on a chair beside the bronze door, and rushes at the girl.)
    What are you doing now? Out you go! Get on with your work!
    AMARYLLIS
    All right, all right... Stop pushing! I’m going!
(She moves toward the entrance door.)
    You know why you are so bad-tempered in the morning? You never get kissed at night. You’re too old to be kissed, that’s your trouble.
( PENELOPE has