A killing look,
and the wily old soldier countered, "Out of your mind?
What damage have I done to you? What have I said?
I don’t grudge you anything,
not of the next man up and gives you plenty.
This doorsill is big enough for the both of us –
you’ve got no call to grudge me what’s not yours.
You’re another vagrant, just like me, I’d say,
and it lies with the gods to make us rich or poor. So,
keep your fists to yourself, don’t press your luck, don’t rile me,
or old as I am, I’ll bloody your lip, splatter your chest
and buy myself some peace and quiet for tomorrow.
I doubt you’ll ever come lumbering back again
to the halls of Laertes’ royal son Odysseus."
– Homer
The Odyssey, Book 18, lines 16-22. Odysseus responds to Irus’ objection to him being on the palace grounds, because the house is not big enough for two beggars. In this passage Odysseus displays his cunning, as he uses brain before brawn to outsmart and fight his foes. To avoid a physical confrontation, he attempts to frighten off Irus challenge with words. But in doing so the proud Odysseus cannot help but boast of his fighting powers by threatening to "bloody your lip, spatter your chest."
