of Zeus; for there was a gleam as it were of sun or
moon through the lofty palace of renowned Menelaus.
But after they had gazed their fill, they went to
the polished baths and bathed them. Now when
the maidens had bathed them and anointed them with
olive oil, and cast about them thick cloaks and doublets,
they sat on chairs by Menelaus, son of Atreus.
And a handmaid bare water for the hands in a goodly
golden ewer, and poured it forth over a silver basin
to wash withal; and to their side she drew a polished
table, and a grave dame bare food and set it by them,
and laid upon the board many dainties, giving freely
of such things as she had by her, and a carver lifted
and placed by them platters of divers kinds of flesh,
and nigh them he set golden bowls. So Menelaus
of the fair hair greeted the twain and spake:
’Taste ye food and be glad, and thereafter when
ye have supped, we will ask what men ye are; for the
blood of your parents is not lost in you, but ye are
of the line of men that are sceptred kings, the fosterlings
of Zeus; for no churls could beget sons like you.’
So spake he, and took and set before them the fat
ox-chine roasted, which they had given him as his
own mess by way of honour. And they stretched
forth their hands upon the good cheer set before them.
Now when they had put from them the desire of meat
and drink Telemachus spake to the son of Nestor, holding
his head close to him, that those others might not
hear:
’Son of Nestor, delight of my heart, mark the
flashing of bronze through the echoing halls, and
the flashing of gold and of amber and of silver and
of ivory. Such like, methinks, is the court of
Olympian Zeus within, for the world of things that
are here; wonder comes over me as I look thereon.’
And as he spake Menelaus of the fair hair was ware
of him, and uttering his voice spake to them winged
words:
’Children dear, of a truth no one of mortal
men may contend with Zeus, for his mansions and his
treasures are everlasting: but of men there may
be who will vie with me in treasure, or there may
be none. Yea, for after many a woe and wanderings
manifold, I brought my wealth home in ships, and in
the eighth year came hither. I roamed over Cyprus
and Phoenicia and Egypt, and reached the Aethiopians
and Sidonians and Erembi and Libya, where lambs are
horned from the birth. For there the ewes yean
thrice within the full circle of a year; there neither
lord nor shepherd lacketh aught of cheese or flesh
or of sweet milk, but ever the flocks yield store
of milk continual. While I was yet roaming in
those lands, gathering much livelihood, meantime another
slew my brother privily, at unawares, by the guile
of his accursed wife. Thus, look you, I have no
joy of my lordship among these my possessions:
and ye are like to have heard hereof from your fathers,
whosoever they be, for I have suffered much and let
a house go to ruin that was stablished fair, and had
