Then Athena asked Zeus: Father — what is your mind? Will you make further war, or set friendship between both sides?
Zeus who gathers the clouds answered: Child, why ask? Was it not you who planned that Odysseus should take vengeance when he came? Do as you will — but this is fitting: since he has paid out the suitors, let them swear a solemn oath; let him be king all his days; and let us bring about a forgetting of the killing of sons and brothers. Let them love one another as before, and let wealth and peace be plentiful.
He stirred Athena, who was already eager; she darted down from the peaks of Olympus.
When Odysseus and his company had eaten, he sent one of Dolius's sons to look. The young man saw the attackers close and called them to arm. Odysseus, Telemachus, the herdsmen, Dolius and his six sons, and gray-headed Laertes put on bronze, opened the gate, and went out — Odysseus leading.
Athena drew near in Mentor's form and voice. Odysseus told Telemachus that now, where men fight for mastery, he must not shame the family of his fathers. Telemachus answered that he would bring no shame. Laertes rejoiced: What a day — my son and my son's son contend over excellence.
Athena stood beside Laertes: Son of Arceisius — pray to the bright-eyed maiden and to father Zeus, then poise your spear and let it fly. She breathed force into him. He prayed, threw, and hit Eupeithes through the helmet; the bronze went through, and he fell with a thud, armor clattering.
The men of Ithaca still pressed forward behind their fallen leader. Dust rose over the farm track; bronze flashed; the shout of both sides met in the air.
Odysseus and Telemachus fell on the front fighters with swords and spears. They would have killed them all and left none to return, if Athena had not cried out and checked the host: Hold from harsh battle, men of Ithaca, so that you may separate at once without bloodshed.
Pale fear seized them. Arms flew from their hands and fell to the ground at her voice; they fled toward the city, longing for their lives. Odysseus cried out terribly and swooped like a high-flying eagle. Then the son of Cronus cast a smoldering thunderbolt that fell before Athena. She said to Odysseus:
Son of Laertes, seed of Zeus, resourceful Odysseus — hold your hand; stop the strife of leveling war, lest Zeus who sees afar grow angry with you.
He obeyed and was glad at heart. Then for the time to come Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus who bears the aegis — in form and voice like Mentor — set a covenant of peace between both sides.