Answer:
"Son of Laertes! much-experienced man!
The suitor-train thy earliest care demand,
Of that luxurious race to rid the land;
Three years thy house their lawless rule has seen,
And proud addresses to the matchless queen.
But she thy absence mourns from day to day,
And inly bleeds, and silent wastes away;
Elusive of the bridal hour, she gives
Fond hopes to all, and all with hopes deceives."
Explanation:
In these lines, Odysseus is informed of Penelope's behaviour. We learn that a huge line of suitors is waiting for Penelope to chose a new husband, and that this requires Odysseus's attention. His land has no king, and his wife no husband. Nevertheless, she still mourns his absence constantly, and while she gives hope to men, this hope is false. Therefore, the passage illustrates the theme of deception.
