table; but whether seated as guests, or served
up as food, is a point to be seriously considered.

"Either way," murmured some of the hun-
griest of the crew, "it will be better than starva-
tion; particularly if one could be sure of being
well fattened beforehand, and daintily cooked
afterwards."

"That is a matter of taste," said King Ulys-
ses, "and, for my own part, neither the most
careful fattening nor the daintiest of cookery
would reconcile me to being dished at last. My
proposal is, therefore, that we divide ourselves
into two equal parties, and ascertain, by draw-
ing lots, which of the two shall go to the palace,
and beg for food and assistance. If these can
be obtained, all is well. If not, and if the in-
habitants prove as inhospitable as Polyphemus,
or the Laestrygons, then there will but half of
us perish, and the remainder may set sail and
escape."

As nobody objected to this scheme, Ulysses
proceeded to count the whole band, and found
that there were forty-six men, including himself.
He then numbered off twenty -two of them, and
put Eurylochus (who was one of his chief offi

[[170]]

p169 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p170w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p171

v?