Book III


Nestor entertains Telemachus at Pylos and tells him how the
Greeks departed from Troy; and sends him for further
information to Sparta.

Now the sun arose and left the lovely mere, speeding to the
brazen heaven, to give light to the immortals and to mortal
men on the earth, the graingiver, and they reached Pylos,
the stablished castle of Neleus. There the people were
doing sacrifice on the sea shore, slaying black bulls
without spot to the dark-haired god, the shaker of the
earth. Nine companies there were, and five hundred men sat
in each, and in every company they held nine bulls ready to
hand. Just as they had tasted the inner parts, and were
burning the slices of the thighs on the altar to the god,
the others were bearing straight to land, and brailed up
the sails of the gallant ship, and moored her, and
themselves came forth. And Telemachus too stept forth from
the ship, and Athene led the way. And the goddess,
grey-eyed Athene, spake first to him, saying:

'Telemachus, thou needst not now be abashed, no, not one
whit. For to this very end didst thou sail over the deep,
that thou mightest hear tidings of thy father, even where
the earth closed over him, and what manner of death he met.
But come now, go straight to Nestor, tamer of horses: let
us learn what counsel he hath in the secret of his heart.
And beseech him thyself that he may give unerring answer;
and he will not lie to thee, for he is very wise.'

The wise Telemachus answered, saying: 'Mentor, and how
shall I go, how shall I greet him, I, who am untried in
words of wisdom? Moreover a young man may well be abashed
to question an elder.'

Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again:
'Telemachus, thou shalt bethink thee of somewhat in thine
own breast, and somewhat the god will give thee to say. For
thou, methinks, of all men wert not born and bred without
the will of the gods.'

So spake Pallas Athene and led the way quickly; and he
followed hard in the steps of the goddess. And they came to
the gathering and the session of the men of Pylos. There
was Nestor seated with his sons, and round him his company
making ready the feast, and roasting some of the flesh and
spitting other. Now when they saw the strangers, they went
all together, and clasped their hands in welcome, and would
have them sit down. First Peisistratus, son of Nestor, drew
nigh, and took the hands of each, and made them to sit down
at the feast on soft fleeces upon the sea sand, beside his
brother Thrasymedes and his father. And he gave them messes
of the inner meat, and poured wine into a golden cup, and
pledging her, he spake unto Pallas Athene, daughter of
Zeus, lord of the aegis:

'Pray now, my guest, to the lord Poseidon, even as it is
his feast whereon ye have chanced in coming hither. And
when thou hast made drink offering and prayed, as is due,
give thy friend also the cup of honeyed wine to make
offering thereof, inasmuch as he too, methinks, prayeth to
the deathless gods, for all men stand in need of the gods.
Howbeit he is younger and mine own equal in years,
therefore to thee first will I give the golden chalice.'

Therewith he placed in her hand the cup of sweet wine. And
Athene rejoiced in the wisdom and judgment of the man, in
that he had given to her first the chalice of gold. And
straightway she prayed, and that instantly, to the lord
Poseidon:

'Hear me, Poseidon, girdler of the earth, and grudge not
the fulfilment of this labour in answer to our prayer. To
Nestor first and to his sons vouchsafe renown, and
thereafter grant to all the people of Pylos a gracious
recompense for this splendid hecatomb. Grant moreover that
Telemachus and I may return, when we have accomplished that
for which we came hither with our swift black ship.'

Now as she prayed on this wise, herself the while was
fulfilling the prayer. And she gave Telemachus the fair
two-handled cup; and in like manner prayed the dear son of
Odysseus. Then, when the others had roasted the outer parts
and drawn them off the spits, they divided the messes and
shared the glorious feast. But when they had put from them
the desire of meat and drink, Nestor of Gerenia, lord of
chariots, first spake among them:

'Now is the better time to enquire and ask of the strangers
who they are, now that they have had their delight of food.
Strangers, who are ye? Whence sail ye over the wet ways? On
some trading enterprise, or at adventure do ye rove, even
as sea-robbers, over the brine, for they wander at hazard
of their own lives bringing bale to alien men?'

Then wise Telemachus answered him and spake with courage,
for Athene herself had put boldness in his heart, that he
might ask about his father who was afar, and that he might
be had in good report among men:

'Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, thou
askest whence we are, and I will surely tell thee all. We
have come forth out of Ithaca that is below Neion; and this
our quest whereof I speak is a matter of mine own, and not
of the common weal. I follow after the far-spread rumour of
my father, if haply I may hear thereof, even of the goodly
steadfast Odysseus, who upon a time, men say, fought by thy
side and sacked the city of the Trojans. For of all the
others, as many as warred with the Trojans, we hear
tidings, and where each one fell by a pitiful death; but
even the death of this man Cronion hath left untold. For
none can surely declare the place where he hath perished,
whether he was smitten by foemen on the mainland, or lost
upon the deep among the waves of Amphitrite. So now am I
come hither to thy knees, if perchance thou art willing to
tell me of his pitiful death, as one that saw it with thine
own eyes, or heard the story from some other wanderer,--
for his mother bare him to exceeding sorrow. And speak me
no soft words in ruth or pity, but tell me plainly what
sight thou didst get of him. Ah! I pray thee, if ever at
all my father, noble Odysseus, made promise to thee of word
or work, and fulfilled the same in the land of the Trojans,
where ye Achaeans suffered affliction; these things, I pray
thee, now remember and tell me truth.'

Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, answered him: 'My
friend, since thou hast brought sorrow back to mind,
behold, this is the story of the woe which we endured in
that land, we sons of the Achaeans, unrestrained in fury,
and of all that we bore in wanderings after spoil, sailing
with our ships over the misty deep, wheresoever Achilles
led; and of all our war round the mighty burg of king
Priam. Yea and there the best of us were slain. There lies
valiant Aias, and there Achilles, and there Patroclus, the
peer of the gods in counsel, and there my own dear son,
strong and noble, Antilochus, that excelled in speed of
foot and in the fight. And many other ills we suffered
beside these; who of mortal men could tell the tale? Nay
none, though thou wert to abide here for five years, ay and
for six, and ask of all the ills which the goodly Achaeans
then endured. Ere all was told thou wouldst be weary and
turn to thine own country. For nine whole years we were
busy about them, devising their ruin with all manner of
craft; and scarce did Cronion bring it to pass. There never
a man durst match with him in wisdom, for goodly Odysseus
very far outdid the rest in all manner of craft, Odysseus
thy father, if indeed thou art his son,--amazement comes
upon me as I look at thee; for verily thy speech is like
unto his; none would say that a younger man would speak so
like an elder. Now look you, all the while that myself and
goodly Odysseus were there, we never spake diversely either
in the assembly or in the council, but always were of one
mind, and advised the Argives with understanding and sound
counsel, how all might be for the very best. But after we
had sacked the steep city of Priam, and had departed in our
ships, and a god had scattered the Achaeans, even then did
Zeus devise in his heart a pitiful returning for the
Argives, for in no wise were they all discreet or just.
Wherefore many of them met with an ill faring by reason of
the deadly wrath of the grey-eyed goddess, the daughter of
the mighty sire, who set debate between the two sons of
Atreus. And they twain called to the gathering of the host
all the Achaeans, recklessly and out of order, against the
going down of the sun; and lo, the sons of the Achaeans
came heavy with wine. And the Atreidae spake out and told
the reason wherefore they had assembled the host. Then
verily Menelaus charged all the Achaeans to bethink them of
returning over the broad back of the sea, but in no sort
did he please Agamemnon, whose desire was to keep back the
host and to offer holy hecatombs, that so he might appease
that dread wrath of Athene. Fool! for he knew not this,
that she was never to be won; for the mind of the
everlasting gods is not lightly turned to repentance. So
these twain stood bandying hard words; but the
goodly-greaved Achaeans sprang up with a wondrous din, and
twofold counsels found favour among them. So that one night
we rested, thinking hard things against each other, for
Zeus was fashioning for us a ruinous doom. But in the
morning, we of the one part drew our ships to the fair salt
sea, and put aboard our wealth, and the low-girdled Trojan
women. Now one half the people abode steadfastly there with
Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the host; and half of
us embarked and drave to sea and swiftly the ships sailed,
for a god made smooth the sea with the depths thereof. And
when we came to Tenedos, we did sacrifice to the gods,
being eager for the homeward way; but Zeus did not yet
purpose our returning, nay, hard was he, that roused once
more an evil strife among us. Then some turned back their
curved ships, and went their way, even the company of
Odysseus, the wise and manifold in counsel, once again
showing a favour to Agamemnon, son of Atreus. But I fled on
with the squadron that followed me, for I knew how now the
god imagined mischief. And the warlike son of Tydeus fled
and roused his men thereto. And late in our track came
Menelaus of the fair hair, who found us in Lesbos,
considering about the long voyage, whether we should go
sea-ward of craggy Chios, by the isle of Psyria, keeping
the isle upon our left, or inside Chios past windy Mimas.
So we asked the god to show us a sign, and a sign he
declared to us, and bade us cleave a path across the middle
sea to Euboea, that we might flee the swiftest way from
sorrow. And a shrill wind arose and blew, and the ships ran
most fleetly over the teeming ways, and in the night they
touched at Geraestus. So there we sacrificed many thighs of
bulls to Poseidon, for joy that we had measured out so
great a stretch of sea. It was the fourth day when the
company of Diomede son of Tydeus, tamer of horses, moored
their gallant ships at Argos; but I held on for Pylos, and
the breeze was never quenched from the hour that the god
sent it forth to blow. Even so I came, dear child, without
tidings, nor know I aught of those others, which of the
Achaeans were saved and which were lost. But all that I
hear tell of as I sit in our halls, thou shalt learn as it
is meet, and I will hide nothing from thee. Safely, they
say, came the Myrmidons the wild spearsmen, whom the famous
son of high-souled Achilles led; and safely Philoctetes,
the glorious son of Poias. And Idomeneus brought all his
company to Crete, all that escaped the war, and from him
the sea gat none. And of the son of Atreus even yourselves
have heard, far apart though ye dwell, how he came, and how
Aegisthus devised his evil end; but verily he himself paid
a terrible reckoning. So good a thing it is that a son of
the dead should still be left, even as that son also took
vengeance on the slayer of his father, guileful Aegisthus,
who slew his famous sire. And thou too, my friend, for I
see thee very comely and tall, be valiant, that even men
unborn may praise thee.'

And wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Nestor, son of
Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, verily and indeed he
avenged himself, and the Achaeans shall noise his fame
abroad, that even those may hear who are yet for to be. Oh
that the gods would clothe me with such strength as his,
that I might take vengeance on the wooers for their cruel
transgression, who wantonly devise against me infatuate
deeds! But the gods have woven for me the web of no such
weal, for me or for my sire. But now I must in any wise
endure it.'

Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, made answer:
'Dear friend, seeing thou dost call these things to my
remembrance and speak thereof, they tell me that many
wooers for thy mother's hand plan mischief within the halls
in thy despite. Say, dost thou willingly submit thee to
oppression, or do the people through the land hate thee,
obedient to the voice of a god? Who knows but that Odysseus
may some day come and requite their violence, either
himself alone or all the host of the Achaeans with him? Ah,
if but grey-eyed Athene were inclined to love thee, as once
she cared exceedingly for the renowned Odysseus in the land
of the Trojans, where we Achaeans were sore afflicted, for
never yet have I seen the gods show forth such manifest
love, as then did Pallas Athene standing manifest by him,--
if she would be pleased so to love thee and to care for
thee, then might certain of them clean forget their
marriage.'

And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Old man, in no
wise methinks shall this word be accomplished. This is a
hard saying of thine, awe comes over me. Not for my hopes
shall this thing come to pass, not even if the gods so
willed it.'

Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again:
'Telemachus, what word hath escaped the door of thy lips?
Lightly might a god, if so he would, bring a man safe home
even from afar. Rather myself would I have travail and much
pain ere I came home and saw the day of my returning, than
come back and straightway perish on my own hearth-stone,
even as Agamemnon perished by guile at the hands of his own
wife and of Aegisthus. But lo you, death, which is common
to all, the very gods cannot avert even from the man they
love, when the ruinous doom shall bring him low of death
that lays men at their length.'

And wise Telemachus answered her, saying: 'Mentor, no
longer let us tell of these things, sorrowful though we be.
There is none assurance any more of his returning, but
already have the deathless gods devised for him death and
black fate. But now I would question Nestor, and ask him of
another matter, as one who above all men knows judgments
and wisdom: for thrice, men say, he hath been king through
the generations of men; yea, like an immortal he seems to
me to look upon. Nestor, son of Neleus, now tell me true:
how died the son of Atreus, Agamemnon of the wide domain?
Where was Menelaus? What death did crafty Aegisthus plan
for him, in that he killed a man more valiant far than he?
Or was Menelaus not in Argos of Achaia but wandering
elsewhere among men, and that other took heart and slew
Agamemnon?'

Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, answered him:
'Yea now, my child, I will tell thee the whole truth.
Verily thou guessest aright even of thyself how things
would have fallen out, if Menelaus of the fair hair, the
son of Atreus, when he came back from Troy, had found
Aegisthus yet alive in the halls. Then even in his death
would they not have heaped the piled earth over him, but
dogs and fowls of the air would have devoured him as he lay
on the plain far from the town. {*} Nor would any of the
Achaean women have bewailed him; so dread was the deed he
contrived. Now we sat in leaguer there, achieving many
adventures; but he the while in peace in the heart of
Argos, the pastureland of horses, spake ofttimes, tempting
her, to the wife of Agamemnon. Verily at the first she
would none of the foul deed, the fair Clytemnestra, for she
had a good understanding. Moreover there was with her a
minstrel, whom the son of Atreus straitly charged as he
went to Troy to have a care of his wife. But when at last
the doom of the gods bound her to her ruin, then did
Aegisthus carry the minstrel to a lonely isle, and left him
there to be the prey and spoil of birds; while as for her,
he led her to his house, a willing lover with a willing
lady. And he burnt many thigh slices upon the holy altars
of the gods, and hung up many offerings, woven-work and
gold, seeing that he had accomplished a great deed, beyond
all hope. Now we, I say, were sailing together on our way
from Troy, the son of Atreus and I, as loving friends. But
when we had reached holy Sunium, the headland of Athens,
there Phoebus Apollo slew the pilot of Menelaus with the
visitation of his gentle shafts, as he held between his
hands the rudder of the running ship, even Phrontis, son of
Onetor, who excelled the tribes of men in piloting a ship,
whenso the storm-winds were hurrying by. Thus was Menelaus
holden there, though eager for the way, till he might bury
his friend and pay the last rites over him. But when he in
his turn, faring over the wine-dark sea in hollow ships,
reached in swift course the steep mount of Malea, then it
was that Zeus of the far-borne voice devised a hateful
path, and shed upon them the breath of the shrill winds,
and great swelling waves arose like unto mountains. There
sundered he the fleet in twain, and part thereof he brought
nigh to Crete, where the Cydonians dwelt about the streams
of Iardanus. Now there is a certain cliff, smooth and sheer
towards the sea, on the border of Gortyn, in the misty
deep, where the South-West Wind drives a great wave against
the left headland, towards Phaestus, and a little rock
keeps back the mighty water. Thither came one part of the
fleet, and the men scarce escaped destruction, but the
ships were broken by the waves against the rock; while
those other five dark-prowed ships the wind and the water
bare and brought nigh to Egypt. Thus Menelaus, gathering
much livelihood and gold, was wandering there with his
ships among men of strange speech, and even then Aegisthus
planned that pitiful work at home. And for seven years he
ruled over Mycenae, rich in gold, after he slew the son of
Atreus, and the people were subdued unto him. But in the
eighth year came upon him goodly Orestes back from Athens
to be his bane, and slew the slayer of his father, guileful
Aegisthus, who killed his famous sire. Now when he had
slain him, he made a funeral feast to the Argives over his
hateful mother, and over the craven Aegisthus. And on the
selfsame day there came to him Menelaus of the loud
war-cry, bringing much treasure, even all the freight of
his ships. So thou, my friend, wander not long far away
from home, leaving thy substance behind thee and men in thy
house so wanton, lest they divide and utterly devour all
thy wealth, and thou shalt have gone on a vain journey.
Rather I bid and command thee to go to Menelaus, for he
hath lately come from a strange country, from the land of
men whence none would hope in his heart to return, whom
once the storms have driven wandering into so wide a sea.
Thence not even the birds can make their way in the space
of one year, so great a sea it is and terrible. But go now
with thy ship and with thy company, or if thou hast a mind
to fare by land, I have a chariot and horses at thy
service, yea and my sons to do thy will, who will be thy
guides to goodly Lacedaemon, where is Menelaus of the fair
hair. Do thou thyself entreat him, that he may give thee
unerring answer. He will not lie to thee, for he is very
wise.'

{* Reading [Greek]. v. 1. '[Greek], which must be wrong.}

Thus he spake, and the sun went down and darkness came on.
Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake among them,
saying: 'Yea, old man, thou hast told all this thy tale
aright. But come, cut up the tongues of the victims and mix
the wine, that we may pour forth before Poseidon and the
other deathless gods, and so may bethink us of sleep, for
it is the hour for sleep. For already has the light gone
beneath the west, and it is not seemly to sit long at a
banquet of the gods, but to be going home.'

So spake the daughter of Zeus, and they hearkened to her
voice. And the henchmen poured water over their hands, and
pages crowned the mixing bowls with drink, and served out
the wine to all, after they had first poured for libation
into each cup in turn; and they cast the tongues upon the
fire, and stood up and poured the drink-offering thereon.
But when they had poured forth and had drunken to their
heart's content, Athene and godlike Telemachus were both
set on returning to the hollow ship; but Nestor would have
stayed them, and accosted them, saying: 'Zeus forfend it,
and all the other deathless gods, that ye should depart
from my house to the swift ship, as from the dwelling of
one that is utterly without raiment or a needy man, who
hath not rugs or blankets many in his house whereon to
sleep softly, he or his guests. Nay not so, I have rugs and
fair blankets by me. Never, methinks, shall the dear son of
this man, even of Odysseus, lay him down upon the ship's
deck, while as yet I am alive, and my children after me are
left in my hall to entertain strangers, whoso may chance to
come to my house.'

Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again:
'Yea, herein hast thou spoken aright, dear father: and
Telemachus may well obey thee, for before all things this
is meet. Behold, he shall now depart with thee, that he may
sleep in thy halls; as for me I will go to the black ship,
that I may cheer my company and tell them all. For I avow
me to be the one elder among them; those others are but
younger men, who follow for love of him, all of them of
like age with the high-souled Telemachus. There will I lay
me down by the black hollow ship this night; but in the
morning I will go to the Cauconians high of heart, where
somewhat of mine is owing to me, no small debt nor of
yesterday. But do thou send this man upon his way with thy
chariot and thy son, since he hath come to thy house, and
give him horses the lightest of foot and chief in
strength.'

Therewith grey-eyed Athene departed in the semblance of a
sea-eagle; and amazement fell on all that saw it, and the
old man he marvelled when his eyes beheld it. And he took
the hand of Telemachus and spake and hailed him:

'My friend, methinks that thou wilt in no sort be a coward
and a weakling, if indeed in thy youth the gods thus follow
with thee to be thy guides. For truly this is none other of
those who keep the mansions of Olympus, save only the
daughter of Zeus, the driver of the spoil, the maiden
Trito-born, she that honoured thy good father too among the
Argives. Nay be gracious, queen, and vouchsafe a goodly
fame to me, even to me and to my sons and to my wife
revered. And I in turn will sacrifice to thee a yearling
heifer, broad of brow, unbroken, which man never yet hath
led beneath the yoke. Such an one will I offer to thee, and
gild her horns with gold.'

Even so he spake in prayer, and Pallas Athene heard him.
Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, led them, even
his sons and the husbands of his daughters, to his own fair
house. But when they had reached this prince's famous
halls, they sat down all orderly on seats and high chairs;
and when they were come, the old man mixed well for them a
bowl of sweet wine, which now in the eleventh year from the
vintaging the housewife opened, and unloosed the string
that fastened the lid. The old man let mix a bowl thereof,
and prayed instantly to Athene as he poured forth before
her, even to the daughter of Zeus, lord of the aegis.

But after they had poured forth and had drunken to their
heart's content, these went each one to his own house to
lie down to rest. But Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots,
would needs have Telemachus, son of divine Odysseus, to
sleep there on a jointed bedstead beneath the echoing
gallery, and by him Peisistratus of the good ashen spear,
leader of men, who alone of his sons was yet unwed in his
halls. As for him he slept within the inmost chamber of the
lofty house, and the lady his wife arrayed for him bedstead
and bedding.

So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered,
Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, gat him up from his
bed, and he went forth and sat him down upon the smooth
stones, which were before his lofty doors, all polished,
white and glistening, whereon Neleus sat of old, in counsel
the peer of the gods. Howbeit, stricken by fate, he had ere
now gone down to the house of Hades, and to-day Nestor of
Gerenia in his turn sat thereon, warder of the Achaeans,
with his staff in his hands. And about him his sons were
gathered and come together, issuing from their chambers,
Echephron and Stratius, and Perseus and Aretus and the
godlike Thrasymedes. And sixth and last came the hero
Peisistratus. And they led godlike Telemachus and set him
by their side, and Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots,
spake first among them:

'Quickly, my dear children, accomplish my desire, that
first of all the gods I may propitiate Athene, who came to
me in visible presence to the rich feast of the god. Nay
then, let one go to the plain for a heifer, that she may
come as soon as may be, and that the neat-herd may drive
her: and let another go to the black ship of high-souled
Telemachus to bring all his company, and let him leave two
men only. And let one again bid Laerces the goldsmith to
come hither that he may gild the horns of the heifer. And
ye others, abide ye here together and speak to the
handmaids within that they make ready a banquet through our
famous halls, and fetch seats and logs to set about the
altar, and bring clear water.'

Thus he spake and lo, they all hastened to the work. The
heifer she came from the field, and from the swift gallant
ship came the company of great-hearted Telemachus; the
smith came holding in his hands his tools, the instruments
of his craft, anvil and hammer and well-made pincers,
wherewith he wrought the gold; Athene too came to receive
her sacrifice. And the old knight Nestor gave gold, and the
other fashioned it skilfully, and gilded therewith the
horns of the heifer, that the goddess might be glad at the
sight of her fair offering. And Stratius and goodly
Echephron led the heifer by the horns. And Aretus came
forth from the chamber bearing water for the washing of
hands in a basin of flowered work, and in the other hand he
held the barley-meal in a basket; and Thrasymedes,
steadfast in the battle, stood by holding in his hand a
sharp axe, ready to smite the heifer. And Perseus held the
dish for the blood, and the old man Nestor, driver of
chariots, performed the first rite of the washing of hands
and the sprinkling of the meal, and he prayed instantly to
Athene as he began the rite, casting into the fire the lock
from the head of the victim.

Now when they had prayed and tossed the sprinkled grain,
straightway the son of Nestor, gallant Thrasymedes, stood
by and struck the blow; and the axe severed the tendons of
the neck and loosened the might of the heifer; and the
women raised their cry, the daughters and the sons' wives
and the wife revered of Nestor, Eurydice, eldest of the
daughters of Clymenus. And now they lifted the victim's
head from the wide-wayed earth, and held it so, while
Peisistratus, leader of men, cut the throat. And after the
black blood had gushed forth and the life had left the
bones, quickly they broke up the body, and anon cut slices
from the thighs all duly, and wrapt the same in the fat,
folding them double, and laid raw flesh thereon. So that
old man burnt them on the cleft wood, and poured over them
the red wine, and by his side the young men held in their
hands the five-pronged forks. Now after that the thighs
were quite consumed and they had tasted the inner parts,
they cut the rest up small and spitted and roasted it,
holding the sharp spits in their hands.

Meanwhile she bathed Telemachus, even fair Polycaste, the
youngest daughter of Nestor, son of Neleus. And after she
had bathed him and anointed him with olive oil, and cast
about him a goodly mantle and a doublet, he came forth from
the bath in fashion like the deathless gods. So he went and
sat him down by Nestor, shepherd of the people.

Now when they had roasted the outer flesh, and drawn it off
the spits, they sat down and fell to feasting, and
honourable men waited on them, pouring wine into the golden
cups. But when they had put from them the desire of meat
and drink, Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, first spake
among them:

'Lo now, my sons, yoke for Telemachus horses with flowing
mane and lead them beneath the car, that he may get forward
on his way.'

Even so he spake, and they gave good heed and hearkened;
and quickly they yoked the swift horses beneath the
chariot. And the dame that kept the stores placed therein
corn and wine and dainties, such as princes eat, the
fosterlings of Zeus. So Telemachus stept up into the goodly
car, and with him Peisistratus son of Nestor, leader of
men, likewise climbed the car and grasped the reins in his
hands, and he touched the horses with the whip to start
them, and nothing loth the pair flew towards the plain, and
left the steep citadel of Pylos. So all day long they
swayed the yoke they bore upon their necks.

Now the sun sank and all the ways were darkened. And they
came to Pherae, to the house of Diocles, son of Orsilochus,
the child begotten of Alpheus. There they rested for the
night, and by them he set the entertainment of strangers.

Now so soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered,
they yoked the horses and mounted the inlaid car. And forth
they drave from the gateway and the echoing gallery, and
Peisistratus touched the horses with the whip to start
them, and the pair flew onward nothing loth. So they came
to the wheat-bearing plain, and thenceforth they pressed
toward the end: in such wise did the swift horses speed
forward. Now the sun sank and all the ways were darkened.