in fabulous history, the daughter of Icarus, married Ulysses, by whom she had Telemachus. During the absence of Ulysses, who had gone to the siege of Troy, and who staid twenty years from his dominions, several princes, charmed with Penelope's beauty, told her that Ulysses was dead, offered to marry her, and pressed her to declare in their favour. She promised compliance on condition that they would give her time to finish a piece of tapestry she was weaving; but at the same time she undid in the night what she had done in the day, and by this artifice eluded their importunity till Ulysses's return.