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.’
