ὈΔΎΣΣΕΙΑ 3

Ἠέλιος δ' ἀνόρουσε, λιπὼν περικαλλέα λίμνην,
οὐρανὸν ἐς πολύχαλκον, ἵν' ἀθανάτοισι φαείνοι
καὶ θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν·
οἱ δὲ Πύλον, Νηλῆος ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον,
ἷξον· τοὶ δ' ἐπὶ θινὶ θαλάσσης ἱερὰ ῥέζον,
ταύρους παμμέλανας, ἐνοσίχθονι κυανοχαίτῃ.
ἐννέα δ' ἕδραι ἔσαν, πεντηκόσιοι δ' ἐν ἑκάστῃ
εἵατο, καὶ προὔχοντο ἑκάστοθι ἐννέα ταύρους.
εὖθ' οἱ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο, θεῷ δ' ἐπὶ μηρί' ἔκηαν,
οἱ δ' ἰθὺς κατάγοντο ἰδ' ἱστία νηὸς ἐΐσης
στεῖλαν ἀείραντες, τὴν δ' ὥρμισαν, ἐκ δ' ἔβαν αὐτοί·
ἐκ δ' ἄρα Τηλέμαχος νηὸς βαῖν', ἦρχε δ' Ἀθήνη.
τὸν προτέρη προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

«Τηλέμαχ', οὐ μέν σε χρὴ ἔτ' αἰδοῦς οὐδ' ἠβαιόν·
τοὔνεκα γὰρ καὶ πόντον ἐπέπλως, ὄφρα πύθηαι
πατρός, ὅπου κύθε γαῖα καὶ ὅν τινα πότμον ἐπέσπεν.
ἀλλ' ἄγε νῦν ἰθὺς κίε Νέστορος ἱπποδάμοιο·
εἴδομεν ἥν τινα μῆτιν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι κέκευθε.
λίσσεσθαι δέ μιν αὐτόν, ὅπως νημερτέα εἴπῃ·
ψεῦδος δ' οὐκ ἐρέει· μάλα γὰρ πεπνυμένος ἐστί.»

τὴν δ' αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·
«Μέντορ, πῶς τ' ἄρ' ἴω, πῶς τ' ἂρ προσπτύξομαι αὐτόν;
οὐδέ τί πω μύθοισι πεπείρημαι πυκινοῖσιν·
αἰδὼς δ' αὖ νέον ἄνδρα γεραίτερον ἐξερέεσθαι.»

τὸν δ' αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·
«Τηλέμαχ', ἄλλα μὲν αὐτὸς ἐνὶ φρεσὶ σῇσι νοήσεις,
ἄλλα δὲ καὶ δαίμων ὑποθήσεται· οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω
οὔ σε θεῶν ἀέκητι γενέσθαι τε τραφέμεν τε.»

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασ' ἡγήσατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη
καρπαλίμως· ὁ δ' ἔπειτα μετ' ἴχνια βαῖνε θεοῖο.
ἷξον δ' ἐς Πυλίων ἀνδρῶν ἄγυρίν τε καὶ ἕδρας,
ἔνθ' ἄρα Νέστωρ ἧστο σὺν υἱάσιν, ἀμφὶ δ' ἑταῖροι
δαῖτ' ἐντυνόμενοι κρέα τ' ὤπτων ἄλλα τ' ἔπειρον.
οἱ δ' ὡς οὖν ξείνους ἴδον, ἁθρόοι ἦλθον ἅπαντες,
χερσίν τ' ἠσπάζοντο καὶ ἑδριάασθαι ἄνωγον.
πρῶτος Νεστορίδης Πεισίστρατος ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν
ἀμφοτέρων ἕλε χεῖρα καὶ ἵδρυσεν παρὰ δαιτὶ
κώεσιν ἐν μαλακοῖσιν, ἐπὶ ψαμάθοισ' ἁλίῃσι,
πάρ τε κασιγνήτῳ Θρασυμήδεϊ καὶ πατέρι ᾧ.
δῶκε δ' ἄρα σπλάγχνων μοίρας, ἐν δ' οἶνον ἔχευε
χρυσείῳ δέπαϊ· δειδισκόμενος δὲ προσηύδα
Παλλάδ' Ἀθηναίην, κούρην Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο·
«εὔχεο νῦν, ὦ ξεῖνε, Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι·
τοῦ γὰρ καὶ δαίτης ἠντήσατε δεῦρο μολόντες.
αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν σπείσῃς τε καὶ εὔξεαι, ἣ θέμις ἐστί,
δὸς καὶ τούτῳ ἔπειτα δέπας μελιηδέος οἴνου
σπεῖσαι, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτον ὀΐομαι ἀθανάτοισιν
εὔχεσθαι· πάντες δὲ θεῶν χατέουσ' ἄνθρωποι.
ἀλλὰ νεώτερός ἐστιν, ὁμηλικίη δ' ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ·
τοὔνεκα σοὶ προτέρῳ δώσω χρύσειον ἄλεισον.»

ὣς εἰπὼν ἐν χερσὶ τίθει δέπας ἡδέος οἴνου·
χαῖρε δ' Ἀθηναίη πεπνυμένῳ ἀνδρὶ δικαίῳ,
οὕνεκα οἷ προτέρῃ δῶκε χρύσειον ἄλεισον·
αὐτίκα δ' εὔχετο πολλὰ Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι·

«κλῦθι, Ποσείδαον γαιήοχε, μηδὲ μεγήρῃς
ἡμῖν εὐχομένοισι τελευτῆσαι τάδε ἔργα.
Νέστορι μὲν πρώτιστα καὶ υἱάσι κῦδος ὄπαζε,
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ' ἄλλοισι δίδου χαρίεσσαν ἀμοιβὴν
σύμπασιν Πυλίοισιν ἀγακλειτῆς ἑκατόμβης.
δὸς δ' ἔτι Τηλέμαχον καὶ ἐμὲ πρήξαντα νέεσθαι,
οὕνεκα δεῦρ' ἱκόμεσθα θοῇ σὺν νηῒ μελαίνῃ.»

ὣς ἄρ' ἔπειτ' ἠρᾶτο καὶ αὐτὴ πάντα τελεύτα.
δῶκε δὲ Τηλεμάχῳ καλὸν δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον·
ὣς δ' αὔτως ἠρᾶτο Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱός.
οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ ὤπτησαν κρέ' ὑπέρτερα καὶ ἐρύσαντο,
μοίρας δασσάμενοι δαίνυντ' ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,
τοῖσ' ἄρα μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

«νῦν δὴ κάλλιόν ἐστι μεταλλῆσαι καὶ ἐρέσθαι
ξείνους, οἵ τινές εἰσιν, ἐπεὶ τάρπησαν ἐδωδῆς.
ὦ ξεῖνοι, τίνες ἐστέ; πόθεν πλεῖθ' ὑγρὰ κέλευθα;
ἤ τι κατὰ πρῆξιν ἦ μαψιδίως ἀλάλησθε
οἷά τε ληϊστῆρες ὑπεὶρ ἅλα, τοί τ' ἀλόωνται
ψυχὰς παρθέμενοι, κακὸν ἀλλοδαποῖσι φέροντες;»

τὸν δ' αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα,
θαρσήσας· αὐτὴ γὰρ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θάρσος Ἀθήνη
θῆχ', ἵνα μιν περὶ πατρὸς ἀποιχομένοιο ἔροιτο,
[ἠδ' ἵνα μιν κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔχῃσιν·]

«ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη, μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν,
εἴρεαι ὁππόθεν εἰμέν· ἐγὼ δέ κέ τοι καταλέξω.
ἡμεῖς ἐξ Ἰθάκης Ὑπονηΐου εἰλήλουθμεν·
πρῆξις δ' ἥδ' ἰδίη, οὐ δήμιος, ἣν ἀγορεύω.
πατρὸς ἐμοῦ κλέος εὐρὺ μετέρχομαι, ἤν που ἀκούσω,
δίου Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος, ὅν ποτέ φασι
σὺν σοὶ μαρνάμενον Τρώων πόλιν ἐξαλαπάξαι.
ἄλλους μὲν γὰρ πάντας, ὅσοι Τρωσὶν πολέμιζον,
πευθόμεθ', ἧχι ἕκαστος ἀπώλετο λυγρῷ ὀλέθρῳ·
κείνου δ' αὖ καὶ ὄλεθρον ἀπευθέα θῆκε Κρονίων.
οὐ γάρ τις δύναται σάφα εἰπέμεν ὁππόθ' ὄλωλεν,
εἴ θ' ὅ γ' ἐπ' ἠπείρου δάμη ἀνδράσι δυσμενέεσσιν,
εἴ τε καὶ ἐν πελάγει μετὰ κύμασιν Ἀμφιτρίτης.
τοὔνεκα νῦν τὰ σὰ γούναθ' ἱκάνομαι, αἴ κ' ἐθέλῃσθα
κείνου λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον ἐνισπεῖν, εἴ που ὄπωπας
ὀφθαλμοῖσι τεοῖσιν, ἢ ἄλλου μῦθον ἄκουσας
πλαζομένου· περὶ γάρ μιν ὀϊζυρὸν τέκε μήτηρ·
μηδέ τί μ' αἰδόμενος μειλίσσεο μηδ' ἐλεαίρων,
ἀλλ' εὖ μοι κατάλεξον ὅπως ἤντησας ὀπωπῆς.
λίσσομαι, εἴ ποτέ τοί τι πατὴρ ἐμός, ἐσθλὸς Ὀδυσσεύς,
ἢ ἔπος ἠέ τι ἔργον ὑποστὰς ἐξετέλεσσε
δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχετε πήματ' Ἀχαιοί·
τῶν νῦν μοι μνῆσαι, καί μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες.»

τὸν δ' ἠμείβετ' ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
«ὦ φίλ', ἐπεί μ' ἔμνησας ὀϊζύος, ἣν ἐν ἐκείνῳ
δήμῳ ἀνέτλημεν μένος ἄσχετοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,

ἠμὲν ὅσα ξὺν νηυσὶν ἐπ' ἠεροειδέα πόντον
πλαζόμενοι κατὰ ληΐδ', ὅπῃ ἄρξειεν Ἀχιλλεύς,
ἠδ' ὅσα καὶ περὶ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος
μαρνάμεθ'· ἔνθα δ' ἔπειτα κατέκταθεν ὅσσοι ἄριστοι·
ἔνθα μὲν Αἴας κεῖται ἀρήϊος, ἔνθα δ' Ἀχιλλεύς,
ἔνθα δὲ Πάτροκλος, θεόφιν μήστωρ ἀτάλαντος,
ἔνθα δ' ἐμὸς φίλος υἱός, ἅμα κρατερὸς καὶ ἀταρβής,
Ἀντίλοχος, περὶ μὲν θείειν ταχὺς ἠδὲ μαχητής·
ἄλλα τε πόλλ' ἐπὶ τοῖς πάθομεν κακά· τίς κεν ἐκεῖνα
πάντα γε μυθήσαιτο καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων;
οὐδ' εἰ πεντάετές γε καὶ ἑξάετες παραμίμνων
ἐξερέοις, ὅσα κεῖθι πάθον κακὰ δῖοι Ἀχαιοί·
πρίν κεν ἀνιηθεὶς σὴν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἵκοιο.
εἰνάετες γάρ σφιν κακὰ ῥάπτομεν ἀμφιέποντες
παντοίοισι δόλοισι, μόγις δ' ἐτέλεσσε Κρονίων.
ἔνθ' οὔ τίς ποτε μῆτιν ὁμοιωθήμεναι ἄντην
ἤθελ', ἐπεὶ μάλα πολλὸν ἐνίκα δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς
παντοίοισι δόλοισι, πατὴρ τεός, εἰ ἐτεόν γε
κείνου ἔκγονός ἐσσι· σέβας μ' ἔχει εἰσορόωντα.
ἦ τοι γὰρ μῦθοί γε ἐοικότες, οὐδέ κε φαίης
ἄνδρα νεώτερον ὧδε ἐοικότα μυθήσασθαι.
ἔνθ' ἦ τοι εἷος μὲν ἐγὼ καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς
οὔτε ποτ' εἰν ἀγορῇ δίχ' ἐβάζομεν οὔτ' ἐνὶ βουλῇ,
ἀλλ' ἕνα θυμὸν ἔχοντε νόῳ καὶ ἐπίφρονι βουλῇ
φραζόμεθ' Ἀργείοισιν ὅπως ὄχ' ἄριστα γένοιτο.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Πριάμοιο πόλιν διεπέρσαμεν αἰπήν,
[βῆμεν δ' ἐν νήεσσι, θεὸς δ' ἐκέδασσεν Ἀχαιούς,]
καὶ τότε δὴ Ζεὺς λυγρὸν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μήδετο νόστον
Ἀργείοισ', ἐπεὶ οὔ τι νοήμονες οὐδὲ δίκαιοι
πάντες ἔσαν· τῶ σφεων πολέες κακὸν οἶτον ἐπέσπον
μήνιος ἐξ ὀλοῆς γλαυκώπιδος ὀβριμοπάτρης,
ἥ τ' ἔριν Ἀτρεΐδῃσι μετ' ἀμφοτέροισιν ἔθηκε.
τὼ δὲ καλεσσαμένω ἀγορὴν ἐς πάντας Ἀχαιούς,
μάψ, ἀτὰρ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον, ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα, -
οἱ δ' ἦλθον οἴνῳ βεβαρηότες υἷες Ἀχαιῶν, -
μῦθον μυθείσθην, τοῦ εἵνεκα λαὸν ἄγειραν.
ἔνθ' ἦ τοι Μενέλαος ἀνώγει πάντας Ἀχαιοὺς
νόστου μιμνῄσκεσθαι ἐπ' εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης·
οὐδ' Ἀγαμέμνονι πάμπαν ἑήνδανε· βούλετο γάρ ῥα
λαὸν ἐρυκακέειν ῥέξαι θ' ἱερὰς ἑκατόμβας,
ὡς τὸν Ἀθηναίης δεινὸν χόλον ἐξακέσαιτο,
νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὸ ᾔδη, ὃ οὐ πείσεσθαι ἔμελλεν·
οὐ γάρ τ' αἶψα θεῶν τρέπεται νόος αἰὲν ἐόντων.
ὣς τὼ μὲν χαλεποῖσιν ἀμειβομένω ἐπέεσσιν
ἕστασαν· οἱ δ' ἀνόρουσαν ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ
ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ, δίχα δέ σφισιν ἥνδανε βουλή.
νύκτα μὲν ἀέσαμεν χαλεπὰ φρεσὶν ὁρμαίνοντες
ἀλλήλοισ'· ἐπὶ γὰρ Ζεὺς ἤρτυε πῆμα κακοῖο·
ἠῶθεν δ' οἱ μὲν νέας ἕλκομεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν
κτήματά τ' ἐντιθέμεσθα βαθυζώνους τε γυναῖκας.
ἡμίσεες δ' ἄρα λαοὶ ἐρητύοντο μένοντες
αὖθι παρ' Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι, ποιμένι λαῶν·
ἡμίσεες δ' ἀναβάντες ἐλαύνομεν· αἱ δὲ μάλ' ὦκα
ἔπλεον, ἐστόρεσεν δὲ θεὸς μεγακήτεα πόντον.
ἐς Τένεδον δ' ἐλθόντες ἐρέξαμεν ἱρὰ θεοῖσιν,
οἴκαδε ἱέμενοι· Ζεὺς δ' οὔ πω μήδετο νόστον,
σχέτλιος, ὅς ῥ' ἔριν ὦρσε κακὴν ἔπι δεύτερον αὖτις.
οἱ μὲν ἀποστρέψαντες ἔβαν νέας ἀμφιελίσσας
ἀμφ' Ὀδυσῆα ἄνακτα δαΐφρονα ποικιλομήτην,
αὖτις ἐπ' Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἦρα φέροντες·
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ σὺν νηυσὶν ἀολλέσιν, αἵ μοι ἔποντο,
φεῦγον, ἐπεὶ γίνωσκον, ὃ δὴ κακὰ μήδετο δαίμων.
φεῦγε δὲ Τυδέος υἱὸς ἀρήϊος, ὦρσε δ' ἑταίρους.
ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετὰ νῶϊ κίε ξανθὸς Μενέλαος,
ἐν Λέσβῳ δ' ἔκιχεν δολιχὸν πλόον ὁρμαίνοντας,
ἢ καθύπερθε Χίοιο νεοίμεθα παιπαλοέσσης,
νήσου ἔπι Ψυρίης, αὐτὴν ἐπ' ἀριστέρ' ἔχοντες,
ἦ ὑπένερθε Χίοιο παρ' ἠνεμόεντα Μίμαντα.
ᾐτέομεν δὲ θεὸν φῆναι τέρας· αὐτὰρ ὅ γ' ἥμιν
δεῖξε, καὶ ἠνώγει πέλαγος μέσον εἰς Εὔβοιαν
τέμνειν, ὄφρα τάχιστα ὑπὲκ κακότητα φύγοιμεν.
ὦρτο δ' ἐπὶ λιγὺς οὖρος ἀήμεναι· αἱ δὲ μάλ' ὦκα
ἰχθυόεντα κέλευθα διέδραμον, ἐς δὲ Γεραιστὸν
ἐννύχιαι κατάγοντο· Ποσειδάωνι δὲ ταύρων
πόλλ' ἐπὶ μῆρ' ἔθεμεν, πέλαγος μέγα μετρήσαντες.
τέτρατον ἦμαρ ἔην, ὅτ' ἐν Ἄργεϊ νῆας ἐΐσας
Τυδεΐδεω ἕταροι Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο
ἵστασαν· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε Πύλονδ' ἔχον, οὐδέ ποτ' ἔσβη
οὖρος, ἐπεὶ δὴ πρῶτα θεὸς προέηκεν ἀῆναι.
ὣς ἦλθον, φίλε τέκνον, ἀπευθής, οὐδέ τι οἶδα
κείνων, οἵ τ' ἐσάωθεν Ἀχαιῶν οἵ τ' ἀπόλοντο.
ὅσσα δ' ἐνὶ μεγάροισι καθήμενος ἡμετέροισι
πεύθομαι, ἣ θέμις ἐστί, δαήσεαι, οὐδέ σε κεύσω.
εὖ μὲν Μυρμιδόνας φάσ' ἐλθέμεν ἐγχεσιμώρους,
οὓς ἄγ' Ἀχιλλῆος μεγαθύμου φαίδιμος υἱός,
εὖ δὲ φιλοκτήτην, Ποιάντιον ἀγλαὸν υἱόν.
πάντας δ' Ἰδομενεὺς Κρήτην εἰσήγαγ' ἑταίρους,
οἳ φύγον ἐκ πολέμου, πόντος δέ οἱ οὔ τιν' ἀπηύρα.
Ἀτρεΐδην δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀκούετε νόσφιν ἐόντες,
ὥς τ' ἦλθ' ὥς τ' Αἴγισθος ἐμήσατο λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον.
ἀλλ' ἦ τοι κεῖνος μὲν ἐπισμυγερῶς ἀπέτεισεν.
ὡς ἀγαθὸν καὶ παῖδα καταφθιμένοιο λιπέσθαι
ἀνδρός, ἐπεὶ καὶ κεῖνος ἐτείσατο πατροφονῆα,
Αἴγισθον δολόμητιν, ὅ οἱ πατέρα κλυτὸν ἔκτα.
καὶ σύ, φίλος, μάλα γάρ σ' ὁρόω καλόν τε μέγαν τε,
ἄλκιμος ἔσσ', ἵνα τίς σε καὶ ὀψιγόνων ἐῢ εἴπῃ.»

τὸν δ' αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·
«ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη, μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν,
καὶ λίην κεῖνος μὲν ἐτείσατο, καί οἱ Ἀχαιοὶ
οἴσουσι κλέος εὐρὺ καὶ ἐσσομένοισιν ἀοιδήν.
αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοσσήνδε θεοὶ δύναμιν περιθεῖεν,
τείσασθαι μνηστῆρας ὑπερβασίης ἀλεγεινῆς,
οἵ τέ μοι ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται.
ἀλλ' οὔ μοι τοιοῦτον ἐπέκλωσαν θεοὶ ὄλβον,
πατρί τ' ἐμῷ καὶ ἐμοί· νῦν δὲ χρὴ τετλάμεν ἔμπης.»

τὸν δ' ἠμείβετ' ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
«ὦ φίλ', ἐπεὶ δὴ ταῦτά μ' ἀνέμνησας καὶ ἔειπες,
φασὶ μνηστῆρας σῆς μητέρος εἵνεκα πολλοὺς
ἐν μεγάροισ' ἀέκητι σέθεν κακὰ μηχανάασθαι.
εἰπέ μοι, ἠὲ ἑκὼν ὑποδάμνασαι, ἦ σέ γε λαοὶ
ἐχθαίρουσ' ἀνὰ δῆμον, ἐπισπόμενοι θεοῦ ὀμφῇ.
τίς δ' οἶδ' εἴ κέ ποτέ σφι βίας ἀποτείσεται ἐλθών,
ἢ ὅ γε μοῦνος ἐὼν ἢ καὶ σύμπαντες Ἀχαιοί;
εἰ γάρ σ' ὣς ἐθέλοι φιλέειν γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,
ὡς τότ' Ὀδυσσῆος περικήδετο κυδαλίμοιο

δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων. ὅθι πάσχομεν ἄλγε' Ἀχαιοί· -
οὐ γάρ πω ἴδον ὧδε θεοὺς ἀναφανδὰ φιλεῦντας,
ὡς κείνῳ ἀναφανδὰ παρίστατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη· -
εἴ σ' οὕτως ἐθέλοι φιλέειν κήδοιτό τε θυμῷ,
τῶ κέν τις κείνων γε καὶ ἐκλελάθοιτο γάμοιο.»

τὸν δ' αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·
«ὦ γέρον, οὔ πω τοῦτο ἔπος τελέεσθαι ὀΐω·
λίην γὰρ μέγα εἶπες· ἄγη μ' ἔχει. οὐκ ἂν ἐμοί γε
ἐλπομένῳ τὰ γένοιτ', οὐδ' εἰ θεοὶ ὣς ἐθέλοιεν.»

τὸν δ' αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·
«Τηλέμαχε, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων.
ῥεῖα θεός γ' ἐθέλων καὶ τηλόθεν ἄνδρα σαώσαι.
βουλοίμην δ' ἂν ἐγώ γε καὶ ἄλγεα πολλὰ μογήσας
οἴκαδέ τ' ἐλθέμεναι καὶ νόστιμον ἦμαρ ἰδέσθαι,
ἢ ἐλθὼν ἀπολέσθαι ἐφέστιος, ὡς Ἀγαμέμνων
ὤλεθ' ὑπ' Αἰγίσθοιο δόλῳ καὶ ἧς ἀλόχοιο.
ἀλλ' ἦ τοι θάνατον μὲν ὁμοίϊον οὐδὲ θεοί περ
καὶ φίλῳ ἀνδρὶ δύνανται ἀλαλκέμεν, ὁππότε κεν δὴ
μοῖρ' ὀλοὴ καθέλῃσι τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο.»

τὴν δ' αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·
«Μέντορ, μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα κηδόμενοί περ·
κείνῳ δ' οὐκέτι νόστος ἐτήτυμος, ἀλλά οἱ ἤδη
φράσσαντ' ἀθάνατοι θάνατον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν.
νῦν δ' ἐθέλω ἔπος ἄλλο μεταλλῆσαι καὶ ἐρέσθαι
Νέστορ', ἐπεὶ περίοιδε δίκας ἠδὲ φρόνιν ἄλλων·
τρὶς γὰρ δή μίν φασιν ἀνάξασθαι γένε' ἀνδρῶν,
ὥς τέ μοι ἀθάνατος ἰνδάλλεται εἰσοράασθαι.
ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη, σὺ δ' ἀληθὲς ἐνίσπες·
πῶς ἔθαν' Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων;

ποῦ Μενέλαος ἔην; τίνα δ' αὐτῷ μήσατ' ὄλεθρον
Αἴγισθος δολόμητις, ἐπεὶ κτάνε πολλὸν ἀρείω;
ἦ οὐκ Ἄργεος ἦεν Ἀχαιϊκοῦ, ἀλλά πῃ ἄλλῃ
πλάζετ' ἐπ' ἀνθρώπους, ὁ δὲ θαρσήσας κατέπεφνε;»

τὸν δ' ἠμείβετ' ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
«τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, τέκνον, ἀληθέα πάντ' ἀγορεύσω.
ἦ τοι μὲν τόδε καὐτὸς ὀΐεαι, ὥς κεν ἐτύχθη,
εἰ ζώοντ' Αἴγισθον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἔτετμεν
Ἀτρεΐδης Τροίηθεν ἰών, ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·
τῶ κέ οἱ οὐδὲ θανόντι χυτὴν ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἔχευαν,
ἀλλ' ἄρα τόν γε κύνες τε καὶ οἰωνοὶ κατέδαψαν
κείμενον ἐν πεδίῳ ἑκὰς ἄστεος, οὐδὲ κέ τίς μιν
κλαῦσεν Ἀχαιϊάδων· μάλα γὰρ μέγα μήσατο ἔργον.
ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ κεῖθι πολέας τελέοντες ἀέθλους
ἥμεθ'· ὁ δ' εὔκηλος μυχῷ Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο
πόλλ' Ἀγαμεμνονέην ἄλοχον θέλγεσκεν ἔπεσσιν.
ἡ δ' ἦ τοι τὸ πρὶν μὲν ἀναίνετο ἔργον ἀεικές,
δῖα Κλυταιμνήστρη· φρεσὶ γὰρ κέχρητ' ἀγαθῇσι·
πὰρ δ' ἄρ' ἔην καὶ ἀοιδὸς ἀνήρ, ᾧ πόλλ' ἐπέτελλεν
Ἀτρεΐδης Τροίηνδε κιὼν εἴρυσθαι ἄκοιτιν.
ἀλλ' ὅτε δή μιν μοῖρα θεῶν ἐπέδησε δαμῆναι,
δὴ τότε τὸν μὲν ἀοιδὸν ἄγων ἐς νῆσον ἐρήμην
κάλλιπεν οἰωνοῖσιν ἕλωρ καὶ κύρμα γενέσθαι,
τὴν δ' ἐθέλων ἐθέλουσαν ἀνήγαγεν ὅνδε δόμονδε.
πολλὰ δὲ μηρί' ἔκηε θεῶν ἱεροῖσ' ἐπὶ βωμοῖς,
πολλὰ δ' ἀγάλματ' ἀνῆψεν, ὑφάσματά τε χρυσόν τε,
ἐκτελέσας μέγα ἔργον, ὃ οὔ ποτε ἔλπετο θυμῷ.
ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ ἅμα πλέομεν Τροίηθεν ἰόντες,
Ἀτρεΐδης καὶ ἐγώ, φίλα εἰδότες ἀλλήλοισιν·
ἀλλ' ὅτε Σούνιον ἱρὸν ἀφικόμεθ', ἄκρον Ἀθηνέων,
ἔνθα κυβερνήτην Μενελάου Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
οἷσ' ἀγανοῖσι βέλεσσιν ἐποιχόμενος κατέπεφνε,
πηδάλιον μετὰ χερσὶ θεούσης νηὸς ἔχοντα,
Φρόντιν Ὀνητορίδην, ὃς ἐκαίνυτο φῦλ' ἀνθρώπων
νῆα κυβερνῆσαι, ὁπότε σπέρχοιεν ἄελλαι.
ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθα κατέσχετ', ἐπειγόμενός περ ὁδοῖο,
ὄφρ' ἕταρον θάπτοι καὶ ἐπὶ κτέρεα κτερίσειεν.
ἀλλ' ὅτε δὴ καὶ κεῖνος ἰὼν ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον
ἐν νηυσὶ γλαφυρῇσι Μαλειάων ὄρος αἰπὺ
ἷξε θέων, τότε δὴ στυγερὴν ὁδὸν εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς
ἐφράσατο, λιγέων δ' ἀνέμων ἐπ' ἀϋτμένα χεῦε
κύματά τε τροφόεντα πελώρια, ἶσα ὄρεσσιν.
ἔνθα διατμήξας τὰς μὲν Κρήτῃ ἐπέλασσεν,
ἧχι Κύδωνες ἔναιον Ἰαρδάνου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα.
ἔστι δέ τις λισσὴ αἰπεῖά τε εἰς ἅλα πέτρη
ἐσχατιῇ Γόρτυνος ἐν ἠεροειδέϊ πόντῳ·
ἔνθα νότος μέγα κῦμα ποτὶ σκαιὸν ῥίον ὠθεῖ,
ἐς Φαιστόν, μικρὸς δὲ λίθος μέγα κῦμ' ἀποέργει.
αἱ μὲν ἄρ' ἔνθ' ἦλθον, σπουδῇ δ' ἤλυξαν ὄλεθρον
ἄνδρες, ἀτὰρ νῆάς γε ποτὶ σπιλάδεσσιν ἔαξαν
κύματ'· ἀτὰρ τὰς πέντε νέας κυανοπρωείρους
Αἰγύπτῳ ἐπέλασσε φέρων ἄνεμός τε καὶ ὕδωρ.
ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθα πολὺν βίοτον καὶ χρυσὸν ἀγείρων
ἠλᾶτο ξὺν νηυσὶ κατ' ἀλλοθρόους ἀνθρώπους·
τόφρα δὲ ταῦτ' Αἴγισθος ἐμήσατο οἴκοθι λυγρά,
κτείνας Ἀτρεΐδην, δέδμητο δὲ λαὸς ὑπ' αὐτῷ.
ἑπτάετες δ' ἤνασσε πολυχρύσοιο Μυκήνης,
τῷ δέ οἱ ὀγδοάτῳ κακὸν ἤλυθε δῖος Ὀρέστης
ἂψ ἀπ' Ἀθηνάων, κατὰ δ' ἔκτανε πατροφονῆα,
[Αἴγισθον δολόμητιν, ὅ οἱ πατέρα κλυτὸν ἔκτα.]
ἦ τοι ὁ τὸν κτείνας δαίνυ τάφον Ἀργείοισι
μητρός τε στυγερῆς καὶ ἀνάλκιδος Αἰγίσθοιο·
αὐτῆμαρ δέ οἱ ἦλθε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος,
πολλὰ κτήματ' ἄγων, ὅσα οἱ νέες ἄχθος ἄειραν.
καὶ σύ, φίλος, μὴ δηθὰ δόμων ἄπο τῆλ' ἀλάλησο,
κτήματά τε προλιπὼν ἄνδρας τ' ἐν σοῖσι δόμοισιν
οὕτω ὑπερφιάλους, μή τοι κατὰ πάντα φάγωσι
κτήματα δασσάμενοι, σὺ δὲ τηϋσίην ὁδὸν ἔλθῃς.
ἀλλ' ἐς μὲν Μενέλαον ἐγὼ κέλομαι καὶ ἄνωγα
ἐλθεῖν· κεῖνος γὰρ νέον ἄλλοθεν εἰλήλουθεν,
ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅθεν οὐκ ἔλποιτό γε θυμῷ
ἐλθέμεν, ὅν τινα πρῶτον ἀποσφήλωσιν ἄελλαι
ἐς πέλαγος μέγα τοῖον, ὅθεν τέ περ οὐδ' οἰωνοὶ
αὐτόετες οἰχνεῦσιν, ἐπεὶ μέγα τε δεινόν τε.
ἀλλ' ἴθι νῦν σὺν νηΐ τε σῇ καὶ σοῖσ' ἑτάροισιν·
εἰ δ' ἐθέλεις πεζός, πάρα τοι δίφρος τε καὶ ἵπποι,
πὰρ δέ τοι υἷες ἐμοί, οἵ τοι πομπῆες ἔσονται
ἐς Λακεδαίμονα δῖαν, ὅθι ξανθὸς Μενέλαος.
λίσσεσθαι δέ μιν αὐτός, ἵνα νημερτὲς ἐνίσπῃ·
ψεῦδος δ' οὐκ ἐρέει· μάλα γὰρ πεπνυμένος ἐστίν.»

ὣς ἔφατ', ἠέλιος δ' ἄρ' ἔδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθε.
τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·
«ὦ γέρον, ἦ τοι ταῦτα κατὰ μοῖραν κατέλεξας·
ἀλλ' ἄγε τάμνετε μὲν γλώσσας, κεράασθε δὲ οἶνον,
ὄφρα Ποσειδάωνι καὶ ἄλλοισ' ἀθανάτοισι
σπείσαντες κοίτοιο μεδώμεθα· τοῖο γὰρ ὥρη.
ἤδη γὰρ φάος οἴχεθ' ὑπὸ ζόφον, οὐδὲ ἔοικε
δηθὰ θεῶν ἐν δαιτὶ θαασσέμεν, ἀλλὰ νέεσθαι.»

ἦ ῥα Διὸς θυγάτηρ, οἱ δ' ἔκλυον αὐδησάσης·
τοῖσι δὲ κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν,
κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο,
νώμησαν δ' ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσι·
γλώσσας δ' ἐν πυρὶ βάλλον, ἀνιστάμενοι δ' ἐπέλειβον.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σπεῖσάν τε πίον θ' ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,
δὴ τότ' Ἀθηναίη καὶ Τηλέμαχος θεοειδὴς
ἄμφω ἱέσθην κοίλην ἐπὶ νῆα νέεσθαι·
Νέστωρ αὖ κατέρυκε καθαπτόμενος ἐπέεσσι·

«Ζεὺς τό γ' ἀλεξήσειε καὶ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι,
ὡς ὑμεῖς παρ' ἐμεῖο θοὴν ἐπὶ νῆα κίοιτε
ὥς τέ τευ ἢ παρὰ πάμπαν ἀνείμονος ἠὲ πενιχροῦ,
ᾧ οὔ τι χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα πόλλ' ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,
οὔτ' αὐτῷ μαλακῶς οὔτε ξείνοισιν ἐνεύδειν.
αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ πάρα μὲν χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα καλά.
οὔ θην δὴ τοῦδ' ἀνδρὸς Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱὸς
νηὸς ἐπ' ἰκριόφιν καταλέξεται, ὄφρ' ἂν ἐγώ γε
ζώω, ἔπειτα δὲ παῖδες ἐνὶ μεγάροισι λίπωνται
ξείνους ξεινίζειν, ὅς τίς κ' ἐμὰ δώμαθ' ἵκηται.»

τὸν δ' αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·
«εὖ δὴ ταῦτά γ' ἔφησθα, γέρον φίλε· σοὶ δὲ ἔοικε
Τηλέμαχον πείθεσθαι, ἐπεὶ πολὺ κάλλιον οὕτω.
ἀλλ' οὗτος μὲν νῦν σοι ἅμ' ἕψεται, ὄφρα κεν εὕδῃ
σοῖσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν· ἐγὼ δ' ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν
εἶμ', ἵνα θαρσύνω θ' ἑτάρους εἴπω τε ἕκαστα.
οἶος γὰρ μετὰ τοῖσι γεραίτερος εὔχομαι εἶναι·
οἱ δ' ἄλλοι φιλότητι νεώτεροι ἄνδρες ἕπονται,
πάντες ὁμηλικίη μεγαθύμου Τηλεμάχοιο.
ἔνθα κε λεξαίμην κοίλῃ παρὰ νηῒ μελαίνῃ,
νῦν· ἀτὰρ ἠῶθεν μετὰ Καύκωνας μεγαθύμους
εἶμ', ἔνθα χρεῖός μοι ὀφέλλεται, οὔ τι νέον γε
οὐδ' ὀλίγον· σὺ δὲ τοῦτον, ἐπεὶ τεὸν ἵκετο δῶμα,
πέμψον σὺν δίφρῳ τε καὶ υἱέϊ· δὸς δέ οἱ ἵππους,
οἵ τοι ἐλαφρότατοι θείειν καὶ κάρτος ἄριστοι.»

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασ' ἀπέβη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη
φήνῃ εἰδομένη· θάμβος δ' ἕλε πάντας Ἀχαιούς.
θαύμαζεν δ' ὁ γεραιός, ὅπως ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσι·
Τηλεμάχου δ' ἕλε χεῖρα, ἔπος τ' ἔφατ' ἔκ τ' ὀνόμαζεν·

«ὦ φίλος, οὔ σε ἔολπα κακὸν καὶ ἄναλκιν ἔσεσθαι,
εἰ δή τοι νέῳ ὧδε θεοὶ πομπῆες ἕπονται.
οὐ μὲν γάρ τις ὅδ' ἄλλος Ὀλύμπια δώματ' ἐχόντων,
ἀλλὰ Διὸς θυγάτηρ, ἀγελείη Τριτογένεια,
ἥ τοι καὶ πατέρ' ἐσθλὸν ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἐτίμα.
ἀλλά, ἄνασσ', ἵληθι, δίδωθι δέ μοι κλέος ἐσθλόν,
αὐτῷ καὶ παίδεσσι καὶ αἰδοίῃ παρακοίτι·
σοὶ δ' αὖ ἐγὼ ῥέξω βοῦν ἤνιν εὐρυμέτωπον,
ἀδμήτην, ἣν οὔ πω ὑπὸ ζυγὸν ἤγαγεν ἀνήρ·
τήν τοι ἐγὼ ῥέξω χρυσὸν κέρασιν περιχεύας.»

ὣς ἔφατ' εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δ' ἔκλυε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.
τοῖσιν δ' ἡγεμόνευε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,
υἱάσι καὶ γαμβροῖσιν, ἑὰ πρὸς δώματα καλά.
ἀλλ' ὅτε δώμαθ' ἵκοντο ἀγακλυτὰ τοῖο ἄνακτος,
ἑξείης ἕζοντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε·
τοῖς δ' ὁ γέρων ἐλθοῦσιν ἀνὰ κρητῆρα κέρασσεν
οἴνου ἡδυπότοιο, τὸν ἑνδεκάτῳ ἐνιαυτῷ
ὤϊξεν ταμίη καὶ ἀπὸ κρήδεμνον ἔλυσε·
τοῦ ὁ γέρων κρητῆρα κεράσσατο, πολλὰ δ' Ἀθήνῃ

εὔχετ' ἀποσπένδων, κούρῃ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σπεῖσάν τε πίον θ' ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,
οἱ μὲν κακκείοντες ἔβαν οἶκόνδε ἕκαστος,
τὸν δ' αὐτοῦ κοίμησε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,
Τηλέμαχον, φίλον υἱὸν Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,
τρητοῖσ' ἐν λεχέεσσιν, ὑπ' αἰθούσῃ ἐριδούπῳ,
πὰρ δ' ἄρ' ἐϋμμελίην Πεισίστρατον, ὄρχαμον ἀνδρῶν,
ὅς οἱ ἔτ' ἠΐθεος παίδων ἦν ἐν μεγάροισιν.
αὐτὸς δ' αὖτε καθεῦδε μυχῷ δόμου ὑψηλοῖο·
τῷ δ' ἄλοχος δέσποινα λέχος πόρσυνε καὶ εὐνήν.

ἦμος δ' ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,
ὤρνυτ' ἄρ' ἐξ εὐνῆφι Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,
ἐκ δ' ἐλθὼν κατ' ἄρ' ἕζετ' ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι λίθοισιν,
οἵ οἱ ἔσαν προπάροιθε θυράων ὑψηλάων
λευκοί, ἀποστίλβοντες ἀλείφατος· οἷσ' ἔπι μὲν πρὶν
Νηλεὺς ἵζεσκεν, θεόφιν μήστωρ ἀτάλαντος·
ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἤδη κηρὶ δαμεὶς Ἄϊδόσδε βεβήκει,
Νέστωρ αὖ τότ' ἐφῖζε Γερήνιος, οὖρος Ἀχαιῶν,
σκῆπτρον ἔχων. περὶ δ' υἷες ἀολλέες ἠγερέθοντο
ἐκ θαλάμων ἐλθόντες, Ἐχέφρων τε Στρατίος τε
Περσεύς τ' Ἄρητός τε καὶ ἀντίθεος Θρασυμήδης.
τοῖσι δ' ἔπειθ' ἕκτος Πεισίστρατος ἤλυθεν ἥρως,
πὰρ δ' ἄρα Τηλέμαχον θεοείκελον εἷσαν ἄγοντες.
τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

«καρπαλίμως μοι, τέκνα φίλα, κρηήνατ' ἐέλδωρ,
ὄφρ' ἦ τοι πρώτιστα θεῶν ἱλάσσομ' Ἀθήνην,
ἥ μοι ἐναργὴς ἦλθε θεοῦ ἐς δαῖτα θάλειαν.
ἀλλ' ἄγ' ὁ μὲν πεδίονδ' ἐπὶ βοῦν ἴτω, ὄφρα τάχιστα
ἔλθῃσιν, ἐλάσῃ δὲ βοῶν ἐπιβουκόλος ἀνήρ·
εἷς δ' ἐπὶ Τηλεμάχου μεγαθύμου νῆα μέλαιναν
πάντας ἰὼν ἑτάρους ἀγέτω, λιπέτω δὲ δύ' οἴους·
εἷς δ' αὖ χρυσοχόον Λαέρκεα δεῦρο κελέσθω
ἐλθεῖν, ὄφρα βοὸς χρυσὸν κέρασιν περιχεύῃ.
οἱ δ' ἄλλοι μένετ' αὐτοῦ ἀολλέες, εἴπατε δ' εἴσω
δμῳῇσιν κατὰ δώματ' ἀγακλυτὰ δαῖτα πένεσθαι,
ἕδρας τε ξύλα τ' ἀμφὶ καὶ ἀγλαὸν οἰσέμεν ὕδωρ.»

ὣς ἔφαθ', οἱ δ' ἄρα πάντες ἐποίπνυον· ἦλθε μὲν ἂρ βοῦς
ἐκ πεδίου, ἦλθον δὲ θοῆς παρὰ νηὸς ἐΐσης
Τηλεμάχου ἕταροι μεγαλήτορος, ἦλθε δὲ χαλκεὺς
ὅπλ' ἐν χερσὶν ἔχων χαλκήϊα, πείρατα τέχνης,
ἄκμονά τε σφῦράν τ' εὐποίητόν τε πυράγρην,
οἷσίν τε χρυσὸν ἐργάζετο· ἦλθε δ' Ἀθήνη
ἱρῶν ἀντιόωσα. γέρων δ' ἱππηλάτα Νέστωρ
χρυσὸν ἔδωχ'· ὁ δ' ἔπειτα βοὸς κέρασιν περίχευεν
ἀσκήσας, ἵν' ἄγαλμα θεὰ κεχάροιτο ἰδοῦσα.
βοῦν δ' ἀγέτην κεράων Στρατίος καὶ δῖος Ἐχέφρων.
χέρνιβα δέ σφ' Ἄρητος ἐν ἀνθεμόεντι λέβητι
ἤλυθεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο φέρων, ἑτέρῃ δ' ἔχεν οὐλὰς
ἐν κανέῳ· πέλεκυν δὲ μενεπτόλεμος Θρασυμήδης
ὀξὺν ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ παρίστατο, βοῦν ἐπικόψων.
Περσεὺς δ' ἀμνίον εἶχε. γέρων δ' ἱππηλάτα Νέστωρ
χέρνιβά τ' οὐλοχύτας τε κατήρχετο, πολλὰ δ' Ἀθήνῃ
εὔχετ' ἀπαρχόμενος, κεφαλῆς τρίχας ἐν πυρὶ βάλλων.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ' εὔξαντο καὶ οὐλοχύτας προβάλοντο,
αὐτίκα Νέστορος υἱός, ὑπέρθυμος Θρασυμήδης,
ἤλασεν ἄγχι στάς· πέλεκυς δ' ἀπέκοψε τένοντας
αὐχενίους, λῦσεν δὲ βοὸς μένος· αἱ δ' ὀλόλυξαν
θυγατέρες τε νυοί τε καὶ αἰδοίη παράκοιτις
Νέστορος, Εὐρυδίκη, πρέσβα Κλυμένοιο θυγατρῶν.
οἱ μὲν ἔπειτ' ἀνελόντες ἀπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης
ἔσχον· ἀτὰρ σφάξεν Πεισίστρατος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν.
τῆς δ' ἐπεὶ ἐκ μέλαν αἷμα ῥύη, λίπε δ' ὀστέα θυμός,
αἶψ' ἄρα μιν διέχευαν, ἄφαρ δ' ἐκ μηρία τάμνον
πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, κατά τε κνίσῃ ἐκάλυψαν,
δίπτυχα ποιήσαντες, ἐπ' αὐτῶν δ' ὠμοθέτησαν.
καῖε δ' ἐπὶ σχίζῃσ' ὁ γέρων, ἐπὶ δ' αἴθοπα οἶνον
λεῖβε· νέοι δὲ παρ' αὐτὸν ἔχον πεμπώβολα χερσίν.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μῆρ' ἐκάη καὶ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο,
μίστυλλόν τ' ἄρα τἆλλα καὶ ἀμφ' ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειρον,
ὤπτων δ' ἀκροπόρους ὀβελοὺς ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες.

τόφρα δὲ Τηλέμαχον λοῦσεν καλὴ Πολυκάστη,
Νέστορος ὁπλοτάτη θυγάτηρ Νηληϊάδαο.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ λοῦσέν τε καὶ ἔχρισεν λίπ' ἐλαίῳ,
ἀμφὶ δέ μιν φᾶρος καλὸν βάλεν ἠδὲ χιτῶνα,
ἔκ ῥ' ἀσαμίνθου βῆ δέμας ἀθανάτοισιν ὁμοῖος·
πὰρ δ' ὅ γε Νέστορ' ἰὼν κατ' ἄρ' ἕζετο, ποιμένα λαῶν.

οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ ὤπτησαν κρέ' ὑπέρτερα καὶ ἐρύσαντο,
δαίνυνθ' ἑζόμενοι· ἐπὶ δ' ἀνέρες ἐσθλοὶ ὄροντο
οἶνον οἰνοχοεῦντες ἐνὶ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσιν.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,
τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

«παῖδες ἐμοί, ἄγε Τηλεμάχῳ καλλίτριχας ἵππους
ζεύξαθ' ὑφ' ἅρματ' ἄγοντες, ἵνα πρήσσῃσιν ὁδοῖο.»

ὣς ἔφαθ', οἱ δ' ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδ' ἐπίθοντο,
καρπαλίμως δ' ἔζευξαν ὑφ' ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους.
ἐν δὲ γυνὴ ταμίη σῖτον καὶ οἶνον ἔθηκεν
ὄψα τε, οἷα ἔδουσι διοτρεφέες βασιλῆες.
ἂν δ' ἄρα Τηλέμαχος περικαλλέα βήσετο δίφρον·
πὰρ δ' ἄρα Νεστορίδης Πεισίστρατος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,
ἐς δίφρον τ' ἀνέβαινε καὶ ἡνία λάζετο χερσί,
μάστιξεν δ' ἐλάαν, τὼ δ' οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην
ἐς πεδίον, λιπέτην δὲ Πύλου αἰπὺ πτολίεθρον.
οἱ δὲ πανημέριοι σεῖον ζυγὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχοντες.
δύσετό τ' ἠέλιος σκιόωντό τε πᾶσαι ἀγυιαί·
ἐς Φηρὰς δ' ἵκοντο Διοκλῆος ποτὶ δῶμα,
υἱέος Ὀρτιλόχοιο, τὸν Ἀλφειὸς τέκε παῖδα.
ἔνθα δὲ νύκτ' ἄεσαν, ὁ δ' ἄρα ξεινήϊα δῶκεν.
ἦμος δ' ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,
ἵππους τ' ἐζεύγνυντ' ἀνά θ' ἅρματα ποικίλ' ἔβαινον,
[ἐκ δ' ἔλασαν προθύροιο καὶ αἰθούσης ἐριδούπου·]
μάστιξεν δ' ἐλάαν, τὼ δ' οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην.
ἷξον δ' ἐς πεδίον πυρηφόρον, ἔνθα δ' ἔπειτα
ἦνον ὁδόν· τοῖον γὰρ ὑπέκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι.
δύσετό τ' ἠέλιος σκιόωντό τε πᾶσαι ἀγυιαί.

ODYSSEY 3

And the sun rose, leaving the beautiful lake, to climb the brazen heavens, that he might shine upon the immortals and upon mortal men on the grain-giving earth. And they came to Pylos, the well-built citadel of Neleus, where the people were making sacrifice upon the seashore, offering jet-black bulls to the dark-haired shaker of the earth. There were nine companies, and in each five hundred men were seated, and for each they held forth nine bulls. Just as the men of Pylos had tasted the entrails and were burning the thigh-pieces for the god, the others sailed straight in and furled the sails of their well-balanced ship, then moored her and themselves disembarked. And Telemachus stepped from the vessel, with Athena leading the way. The bright-eyed goddess Athena was the first to speak to him:

"Telemachus, you must no longer hold back in shyness, not in the least. It is for this you have sailed across the sea, to learn of your father, where the earth now hides him, and what fate he has met. Come now, go straight to Nestor, tamer of horses; let us see what counsel he keeps hidden in his breast. Beseech him yourself to tell you the unerring truth; he will not speak a falsehood, for his wisdom is great."

And wise Telemachus spoke to her in return: "Mentor, how shall I go, how should I greet him? I am not yet practiced in artful words, and a young man feels shame to question an elder."

Then the bright-eyed goddess Athena spoke to him again: "Telemachus, some things you will frame in your own heart, and others a divine spirit will put into your mind. For I do not believe it was against the will of the gods that you were born and nurtured."

So spoke Pallas Athena, and she led the way swiftly, and he followed in the footsteps of the goddess. They came to the assembly and the seats of the men of Pylos, where Nestor sat with his sons, and around them his companions were preparing a feast, roasting some meats and piercing others with spits. And when they saw the strangers, they all came forward in a throng, and greeted them with their hands and bade them be seated. First, Nestor's son Peisistratus, coming close, took them both by the hand and sat them down at the feast on soft fleeces upon the sands of the sea, beside his brother Thrasymedes and his own father. He gave them portions of the entrails, and poured wine into a golden cup; and giving welcome, he addressed Pallas Athena, daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus: "Pray now, stranger, to the lord Poseidon, for it is his feast you have chanced upon in coming here. But when you have poured a libation and prayed, as is the custom, give this man also the cup of honey-sweet wine that he may pour, since I think he too must pray to the immortals; for all men have need of the gods. But he is younger, of the same age as myself, and so to you first I will give the golden goblet."

So saying, he placed in her hands the cup of sweet wine. And Athena rejoiced in the wise and just man, because to her first he had given the golden goblet. At once she uttered a fervent prayer to the lord Poseidon:

"Hear me, Poseidon, girdler of the earth, and do not begrudge the fulfillment of these works for which we pray. To Nestor first and to his sons grant glory, and then, to all the other Pylians, grant a gracious recompense for this glorious hecatomb. Grant further that Telemachus and I may return, having accomplished the task for which we came hither in our swift black ship."

So she prayed, and she herself brought all to pass. Then she gave to Telemachus the beautiful two-handled cup, and in like manner prayed the dear son of Odysseus. Then, after they had roasted the outer meats and drawn them from the spits, they divided the portions and feasted a splendid feast. But when they had put away their desire for food and drink, the Gerenian horseman Nestor began to speak among them:

"Now it is more seemly to inquire and ask of our guests who they are, since they have taken their pleasure in food. O strangers, who are you? From what lands do you sail the watery paths? Do you journey on some errand, or do you wander aimlessly across the sea like pirates, who roam about risking their own lives to bring ruin to other men?"

Then wise Telemachus spoke to him in reply, taking heart; for Athena herself had put courage in his breast, so that he might ask about his absent father, [and so that a noble repute might be his among men:]

"O Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, you ask whence we are, and I will tell you. We have come from Ithaca, which lies under Mount Neion; and this business I speak of is my own, not of the people. I come in search of the wide fame of my father, if by chance I might hear it, of godlike, steadfast Odysseus, who they say once fought by your side and sacked the city of the Trojans. For of all the others who made war on the Trojans, we have learned where each one perished in a bitter death. But of him, the son of Cronos has made even his death a thing unknown. For no one can say with certainty where he has perished, whether he was overcome by his foes on the mainland, or at sea among the waves of Amphitrite. For this reason I have now come to your knees, if you might be willing to tell me of his sorry death, if you have seen it anywhere with your own eyes, or have heard the tale from another who wandered; for to a life of sorrow his mother bore him. And do not, out of respect or pity for me, soften your words, but tell me truly whatever you chanced to witness. I beseech you, if ever my father, noble Odysseus, in word or deed, gave you a promise and fulfilled it in the land of the Trojans, where you Achaeans suffered such pain: remember these things now, and tell me the unerring truth."

Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him: "My friend, since you have reminded me of the sorrow which in that land we endured, we sons of the Achaeans, with our untamed spirit,

all that we suffered with our ships on the misty sea, wandering after plunder wherever Achilles might lead, and all the times we fought around the great city of King Priam, where so many of our best men were slain: there lies warlike Ajax, there lies Achilles, there Patroclus, a counselor equal to the gods, and there my own dear son, both strong and fearless, Antilochus, swift of foot and a mighty warrior. And many other evils we suffered beyond these. Who among mortal men could recount them all? Not if you were to stay for five or six years and question me on all the ills the noble Achaeans suffered there, would you not, heartsore, return to your own country first. For nine years we wove evils against them, devising all manner of stratagems, and only with much toil did the son of Cronos bring it to an end. There, no man ever dared to match his counsel against godlike Odysseus, for he far surpassed all others in every kind of stratagem—your father, if indeed you are his son. Awe holds me as I look upon you. Truly your words are like his; one would not think a younger man could speak in so like a manner. There, for as long as we were there, I and godlike Odysseus never spoke on opposite sides, neither in the assembly nor in the council, but with one spirit and with wise and prudent counsel we considered how all might turn out for the best for the Argives. But after we had sacked the steep city of Priam, [and embarked in our ships, a god scattered the Achaeans,] and then Zeus devised in his heart a sorry homecoming for the Argives, since not all were prudent or just. Thus did many of them meet a wretched doom, through the ruinous wrath of the bright-eyed goddess, daughter of a mighty sire, who cast discord between the two sons of Atreus. For those two, having called all the Achaeans to an assembly, rashly, and not in order, at the setting of the sun— and the sons of the Achaeans came, heavy with wine— spoke the words for which they had gathered the army. There Menelaus urged all the Achaeans to think of their return over the broad back of the sea; but this did not please Agamemnon at all, for he wished to hold the people back and to offer sacred hecatombs, so that he might appease the terrible wrath of Athena; the fool, he did not know she would not be persuaded. For the mind of the eternal gods is not quickly turned. So the two stood, exchanging harsh words, and the well-greaved Achaeans leapt up with a wondrous clamor, and the counsel was divided between them. That night we rested, pondering harsh things in our hearts against one another, for Zeus was contriving a ruin of evils. At dawn, some of us dragged our ships to the sacred sea and loaded our possessions and the deep-girdled women. But half of the army was held back and remained there with Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the people; while we, the other half, embarked and set sail; and the ships sailed very swiftly, for a god had smoothed the monstrous sea. When we reached Tenedos, we offered sacrifices to the gods, yearning for home; but Zeus did not yet intend our return, the cruel one, who stirred up an evil strife a second time. Some turned their curved ships back and departed, led by lord Odysseus, the shrewd and wily-minded, once more to show favor to Agamemnon, son of Atreus. But I, with the gathered ships that followed me, fled, for I knew that the divinity was devising evils. And the warlike son of Tydeus fled, and urged on his companions. Late after us came fair-haired Menelaus, and caught us at Lesbos as we were deliberating our long voyage, whether we should sail above rugged Chios, towards the island of Psyria, keeping it to our left, or below Chios, past wind-swept Mimas. We asked the god to show us a sign; and he showed us one, and bade us cut across the middle of the sea to Euboea, that we might most quickly escape from our misfortune. And a shrill wind rose up to blow; and the ships ran very swiftly over the fish-filled paths, and to Geraestus they came in the night; and to Poseidon many thighs of bulls we offered, having measured the great sea. It was the fourth day when in Argos the well-balanced ships of the companions of Diomedes, son of Tydeus, tamer of horses, came to a halt. But I held on for Pylos, and the wind never died, once the god had first sent it forth to blow. Thus I came, dear child, without news, nor do I know anything of those Achaeans who were saved and who were lost. But all that I learn while sitting in my halls, you shall know, as is right, and I shall hide nothing from you. They say the Myrmidons, famed for their spears, came home safely, led by the glorious son of great-souled Achilles, and safely too Philoctetes, the splendid son of Poias. And Idomeneus brought all his companions to Crete, all who escaped from the war, and the sea stole none from him. Of the son of Atreus, even you have heard, though you live far away, how he returned, and how Aegisthus plotted his bitter ruin. But he, in truth, paid a miserable price. How good it is that a son be left behind by a man who is slain, since that son too took vengeance on his father's slayer, the treacherous Aegisthus, who killed his renowned father. You too, my friend, for I see you are handsome and tall, be valiant, so that men to come may speak well of you."

And wise Telemachus spoke to him in reply: "O Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, that man indeed took great vengeance, and the Achaeans will carry his wide fame in song for generations to come. If only the gods would gird me with such strength, to take revenge on the suitors for their grievous transgression, who in their insolence devise wicked things against me. But the gods have spun no such fortune for me, not for my father or for me; and so now I must simply endure."

Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him: "My friend, since you have mentioned these things and spoken of them, they say that many suitors, for your mother's sake, devise evils in your halls against your will. Tell me, are you willingly subdued, or do the people of your land hate you, following some oracle of a god? Who knows if he might one day return and avenge their violence, either he alone, or all the Achaeans with him? For if bright-eyed Athena were to favor you with her love, as once she cared for glorious Odysseus

in the land of the Trojans, where we Achaeans suffered woes— for I have never seen the gods so openly loving, as Pallas Athena stood openly beside him— if she were so to love you and care for you in her heart, then some of those men might well forget about marriage."

And wise Telemachus spoke to him in reply: "Old father, I do not think this word will ever come to pass. You have spoken too greatly; awe holds me. This could not happen for me, not as I hope, not even if the gods themselves so willed it."

Then the bright-eyed goddess Athena spoke to him again: "Telemachus, what a word has escaped the barrier of your teeth! A god, if he wishes, can easily save a man even from afar. For my part, I would rather endure many hardships and come home to see my day of return, than return only to perish at my own hearth, as Agamemnon perished by the treachery of Aegisthus and his own wife. And yet, death is a thing shared by all, and not even the gods can ward it off from a man they love, when at last the dread fate of dolorous death lays hold of him."

And wise Telemachus spoke to her in reply: "Mentor, let us speak no more of this, though we are grieving. For him there is no true return; already the immortals have devised for him death and black doom. But now I wish to turn and ask another question of Nestor, since he knows justice and wisdom beyond all others. For they say he has reigned over three generations of men, so that to my eyes he seems like an immortal. O Nestor, son of Neleus, you must tell me the truth: how did Agamemnon, wide-ruling son of Atreus, die?

Where was Menelaus? What ruin did the treacherous Aegisthus devise for him, since he killed a man far better than himself? Was Menelaus not in Achaean Argos, but wandering somewhere else among men, so that the other took courage and committed the murder?"

Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him: "Then I will tell you, child, the whole truth. Truly, you yourself surmise how it would have been, if fair-haired Menelaus, the son of Atreus, on his return from Troy, had found Aegisthus alive in his halls. Then they would not have poured piled earth over him in death, but dogs and birds of prey would have devoured him as he lay on the plain far from the city, nor would any of the Achaean women have wept for him; for he had devised a monstrous deed. For while we were there, accomplishing many trials, he, at his ease in a corner of horse-pasturing Argos, seduced the wife of Agamemnon with many words. At first she refused the shameless deed, divine Clytemnestra, for she possessed a noble heart. And with her was a singer, a man whom the son of Atreus, as he left for Troy, had strictly charged to watch over his wife. But when the fate of the gods bound her to be tamed, then Aegisthus took that singer to a deserted island and left him to be the prey and prize of birds, and her, willing, he led to his own home, she willing. And he burned many thigh-pieces on the holy altars of the gods, and hung up many treasures, tapestries and gold, having accomplished a great deed he had never hoped for in his heart. For we were sailing together, returning from Troy, the son of Atreus and I, in friendship with one another. But when we reached holy Sunium, the cape of Athens, there Phoebus Apollo, with his gentle shafts, came upon and killed the helmsman of Menelaus, as he held the rudder in his hands in the speeding ship— Phrontis, son of Onetor, who surpassed all tribes of men in steering a ship whenever the storms grew violent. So Menelaus was detained there, though eager for his journey, to bury his companion and perform the funeral rites. But when he too, sailing over the wine-dark sea in his hollow ships, reached the steep mountain of Malea, then far-seeing Zeus devised a hateful path for him, and poured forth the breath of shrill winds and swelling waves, huge, like mountains. There, splitting the fleet, he drove some ships to Crete, where the Cydonians dwelled around the streams of Iardanus. There is a smooth and towering rock that juts into the sea at the edge of Gortyn on the misty sea; there the south wind pushes a great wave against the left headland, towards Phaistos, and a small stone holds back the great wave. The ships came there, and with great effort the men escaped destruction, but the waves shattered the ships against the reefs. As for the other five dark-prowed ships, the wind and water carried them and drove them to Egypt. So he, while gathering much livelihood and gold, wandered with his ships among men of foreign speech. Meanwhile, Aegisthus plotted these terrible deeds at home. He killed the son of Atreus, and the people were subdued under him. For seven years he reigned over Mycenae, rich in gold; but in the eighth year, disaster came for him in the form of godlike Orestes, returning from Athens, and he killed his father's murderer, [treacherous Aegisthus, who killed his renowned father.] Having killed him, he held a funeral feast for the Argives over his hateful mother and the craven Aegisthus. And on that very day came Menelaus, master of the war cry, bringing many possessions, as much as his ships could bear. And so you, my friend, do not wander long and far from home, leaving behind your wealth and men in your house who are so arrogant, lest they devour all your possessions while dividing them, and you have made a fruitless journey. But I urge and command you to go to Menelaus, for he has newly come from other lands, from those men from whom one would not hope in his heart to return, whom the storms first drive astray into so great a sea, from which not even the birds can make their way in a single year, for it is so vast and terrible. But go now with your ship and your companions. Or if you wish to go by land, a chariot and horses are ready for you, and my sons are at your side, who will be your guides to divine Lacedaemon, where fair-haired Menelaus dwells. Beseech him yourself, that he may tell you the unerring truth; he will not speak a falsehood, for his wisdom is great."

So he spoke, and the sun set and darkness came on. And the bright-eyed goddess Athena spoke among them: "Old father, you have indeed spoken these things in due measure. But come, cut the tongues of the victims, and mix the wine, so that when we have poured libations to Poseidon and the other immortals we may think of sleep; for it is the hour. For the light is already gone into the gloom, and it is not fitting to sit long at a feast of the gods, but to depart."

So spoke the daughter of Zeus, and they heeded her words. Heralds poured water over their hands, and young men filled the mixing bowls to the brim with drink, and served to all, after first pouring a few drops in each cup. They threw the tongues into the fire and, rising, poured libations. But when they had poured libations and drunk as much as their hearts desired, then Athena and godlike Telemachus both made to go back to their hollow ship. But Nestor held them back, chiding them with words:

"May Zeus and the other immortal gods forbid that you should go from my house to your swift ship as if from the home of one utterly without clothing, or a pauper, who has not many cloaks and blankets in his house, for himself or his guests to sleep in softly. But I have fine cloaks and blankets. Never, indeed, shall the dear son of this man, Odysseus, lie down upon the deck of a ship, so long as I am alive, and my sons are left behind in my halls to entertain guests, whoever may come to my home."

Then the bright-eyed goddess Athena spoke to him again: "You have spoken well in this, dear old friend; and it is fitting for Telemachus to obey you, since it is far better so. He will now follow with you, that he may sleep in your halls; but I will go to the black ship, to encourage my companions and tell them everything. For I declare that I am the only older man among them; the others who follow are younger men, out of friendship, all of the same age as great-souled Telemachus. There I shall lie down beside the hollow black ship for now; but at dawn I shall go to the great-souled Cauconians, where a debt is owed to me, one that is not new nor small. But this man, since he has come to your house, send him on his way with your chariot and your son; and give him horses, those that are swiftest in running and best in strength."

So speaking, bright-eyed Athena departed in the form of a sea-osprey; and amazement seized all the Achaeans. And the old man marveled at what he had seen with his own eyes; he took Telemachus by the hand, and spoke and addressed him by name:

"My friend, I do not expect you to be a coward or a weakling, if, so young, the gods are your guides. For this was no other of those who have homes on Olympus, but the daughter of Zeus, the spoiler, Tritogeneia, she who also honored your noble father among the Argives. But, O queen, be gracious, and grant me a noble repute, myself and my sons and my revered wife; and to you I will sacrifice a yearling heifer with broad brow, unbroken, that no man has yet brought under the yoke. Her I will sacrifice to you, pouring gold around her horns."

So he spoke in prayer, and Pallas Athena heard him. Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor led them, his sons and his sons-in-law, to his own beautiful palace. And when they came to the glorious palace of the king, they sat in order on couches and on chairs. And for the newcomers, the old man mixed a bowl of sweet-drinking wine, which in its eleventh year the housekeeper opened, and untied its cover. From this the old man mixed a bowl and prayed fervently to Athena,

pouring a libation, to the daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus.

But when they had poured libations and drunk as much as their hearts desired, they went each to his own home to take their rest. But the Gerenian horseman Nestor had a bed made there for Telemachus, dear son of divine Odysseus, on a corded bedstead in the echoing portico, and beside him Peisistratus of the good ash spear, a leader of men, who was still unmarried among his sons in the great hall. But he himself slept in a recess of the high-roofed house, and the lady his wife prepared his bed and his couch.

And when rosy-fingered Dawn, the early-born, appeared, the Gerenian horseman Nestor arose from his bed. He went out and sat down upon the polished stones which were for him before his high doors, white, and glistening with ointment, on which Neleus before him used to sit, a counselor equal to the gods. But he, already vanquished by fate, had gone to the house of Hades, so now the Gerenian Nestor sat there, warder of the Achaeans, holding a scepter. And his sons gathered around him, coming from their chambers: Echephron and Stratius, Perseus and Aretus and godlike Thrasymedes. And after them came the sixth, the hero Peisistratus. And they led godlike Telemachus and seated him beside them. And the Gerenian horseman Nestor began to speak among them:

"Quickly, my dear children, fulfill my desire, so that first of all the gods I may propitiate Athena, who came to me in visible form to the rich feast of the god. Come, let one go to the plain for a heifer, so that she may come quickly, driven by the cowherd. Let another go to the black ship of great-souled Telemachus and bring all his companions, leaving only two behind. And let another bid the goldsmith Laerces come here, so that he may pour gold around the horns of the heifer. The rest of you remain here together, but tell the handmaids within the glorious house to prepare a feast, and to fetch seats and wood for the altar, and bright water."

So he spoke, and they all bustled about. The heifer came from the plain, and from the swift, well-balanced ship came the companions of great-hearted Telemachus; and the smith came, holding in his hands his bronze tools, the implements of his art, the anvil and hammer and the well-made tongs, with which he worked the gold; and Athena came to receive her rites. And the old horseman Nestor gave the gold, and the smith then overlaid the horns of the heifer, working it skillfully, that the goddess might rejoice to see the offering. And Stratius and divine Echephron led the heifer by the horns. And Aretus came from the chamber carrying lustral water for them in a flowered basin, and in his other hand he held barley in a basket; and Thrasymedes, steadfast in battle, stood by with a sharp axe in his hand, ready to strike the heifer. Perseus held the bowl for the blood. And the old horseman Nestor began the rite with the lustral water and the barley grains, praying fervently to Athena as he began, casting hairs from the head into the fire.

Now when they had prayed and scattered the barley grains, at once the son of Nestor, valiant Thrasymedes, drew near and struck; the axe severed the tendons of the neck, and the heifer's strength was undone. And a cry was raised by the daughters and the daughters-in-law and the revered wife of Nestor, Eurydice, the eldest of the daughters of Clymenus. Then they lifted the heifer from the wide-pathed earth and held her; and Peisistratus, leader of men, cut her throat. When the black blood had flowed from her, and life had left her bones, they quickly dismembered her, and straightway cut out the thigh-pieces all in due manner, and covered them in a layer of fat, making a double fold, and laid raw flesh upon them. And the old man burned them on split wood, and over them poured gleaming wine, and young men beside him held five-pronged forks in their hands. Then when the thighs were burned and they had tasted the entrails, they carved up the rest and pierced it with spits, and roasted it, holding the sharp-pointed spits in their hands.

Meanwhile, fair Polycaste, the youngest daughter of Nestor, son of Neleus, bathed Telemachus. And when she had bathed him and anointed him richly with oil, she cast about him a beautiful cloak and a tunic, and he came forth from the bath with a form like the immortals. And going to Nestor, shepherd of the people, he sat down beside him.

Then when they had roasted the outer meats and drawn them off, they sat down to feast; and noble men arose to pour wine into the golden cups. But when they had put away their desire for food and drink, the Gerenian horseman Nestor began to speak among them:

"My sons, come, for Telemachus, bring the horses with beautiful manes and yoke them under the chariot, so that he may begin his journey."

So he spoke, and they listened to him readily and obeyed, and quickly yoked the swift horses under the chariot. And the housekeeper placed bread and wine in it and dainties, such as are eaten by kings, the cherished of Zeus. Then Telemachus mounted the beautiful chariot, and beside him Peisistratus, son of Nestor, leader of men, also mounted the chariot and took the reins in his hands. He cracked the whip to urge them on, and the two flew, not unwillingly, into the plain, and left behind the steep citadel of Pylos. And all day long they shook the yoke they bore on either side. The sun set and all the ways grew dark. And they came to Pherae, to the house of Diocles, son of Ortilochus, whom the Alpheus sired. There they rested for the night, and he gave them gifts of hospitality. And when rosy-fingered Dawn, the early-born, appeared, they yoked the horses and mounted the ornate chariot, [and drove out from the gateway and the echoing portico.] He cracked the whip to urge them on, and the two flew, not unwillingly. They came to the wheat-bearing plain, and there at last they finished their journey; so swift were the horses that carried them. The sun set and all the ways grew dark.

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