Odyssey, Book 3: Nestor at Pylos

1Ἠέλιος δʼ ἀνόρουσε, λιπὼν περικαλλέα λίμνην,

οὐρανὸν ἐς πολύχαλκον, ἵνʼ ἀθανάτοισι φαείνοι

καὶ θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν·

οἱ δὲ Πύλον, Νηλῆος ἐυκτίμενον πτολίεθρον,

5ἷξον· τοὶ δʼ ἐπὶ θινὶ θαλάσσης ἱερὰ ῥέζον,

ταύρους παμμέλανας, ἐνοσίχθονι κυανοχαίτῃ.

ἐννέα δʼ ἕδραι ἔσαν, πεντακόσιοι δʼ ἐν ἑκάστῃ

ἥατο καὶ προύχοντο ἑκάστοθι ἐννέα ταύρους.

εὖθʼ οἱ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο, θεῷ δʼ ἐπὶ μηρίʼ ἔκαιον,

10οἱ δʼ ἰθὺς κατάγοντο ἰδʼ ἱστία νηὸς ἐίσης

στεῖλαν ἀείραντες, τὴν δʼ ὥρμισαν, ἐκ δʼ ἔβαν αὐτοί·

ἐκ δʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος νηὸς βαῖνʼ, ἦρχε δʼ Ἀθήνη.

τὸν προτέρη προσέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

1The Sun sprang up, leaving the lovely lake behind,

into the bronze-bound sky, to shine upon the immortals

and mortal human beings over the grain-giving earth.

They reached Pylos, the well-built city of Neleus.

5There on the seashore the people were making sacrifice,

offering bulls, black all over, to the dark-haired Earth-shaker.

There were nine companies, and five hundred men sat in each;

each company presented nine bulls.

As they tasted the entrails and burned the thighbones for the god,

10the travelers brought their balanced ship straight in, took down

and furled her sail, then moored her and stepped ashore.

Telemachus too came down from the ship, with Athena leading.

The goddess, bright-eyed Athena, spoke to him first:

14Τηλέμαχʼ, οὐ μέν σε χρὴ ἔτʼ αἰδοῦς, οὐδʼ ἠβαιόν·

15τοὔνεκα γὰρ καὶ πόντον ἐπέπλως, ὄφρα πύθηαι

πατρός, ὅπου κύθε γαῖα καὶ ὅν τινα πότμον ἐπέσπεν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἰθὺς κίε Νέστορος ἱπποδάμοιο·

εἴδομεν ἥν τινα μῆτιν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι κέκευθε.

λίσσεσθαι δέ μιν αὐτός, ὅπως νημερτέα εἴπῃ·

20ψεῦδος δʼ οὐκ ἐρέει· μάλα γὰρ πεπνυμένος ἐστί.

τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Μέντορ, πῶς τʼ ἄρʼ ἴω; πῶς τʼ ἂρ προσπτύξομαι αὐτόν;

οὐδέ τί πω μύθοισι πεπείρημαι πυκινοῖσιν·

αἰδὼς δʼ αὖ νέον ἄνδρα γεραίτερον ἐξερέεσθαι.

25τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

Τηλέμαχʼ, ἄλλα μὲν αὐτὸς ἐνὶ φρεσὶ σῇσι νοήσεις,

ἄλλα δὲ καὶ δαίμων ὑποθήσεται· οὐ γὰρ ὀίω

οὔ σε θεῶν ἀέκητι γενέσθαι τε τραφέμεν τε.

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασʼ ἡγήσατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

30καρπαλίμως· ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα μετʼ ἴχνια βαῖνε θεοῖο.

14“Telemachus, you must not be shy now,

15not in the least. This is why you crossed the sea: to learn

where the earth has hidden your father and what fate overtook him.

Come, go straight to Nestor, tamer of horses,

and let us see what counsel he keeps hidden in his breast.

Entreat him yourself to tell you the unerring truth.

20He will not speak falsely; he is deeply discerning.”

Discerning Telemachus answered her face to face:

“Mentor, how shall I go to him? How should I approach and greet him?

I have no experience yet in closely reasoned speeches,

and a young man feels shame in questioning an elder.”

25The goddess, bright-eyed Athena, answered him:

“Telemachus, some things you will devise within your own mind,

and a divine power will suggest others. For I do not think

you were born and raised without the gods' goodwill.”

So Pallas Athena spoke and quickly

30led the way; he followed in the goddess' footsteps.

31ἷξον δʼ ἐς Πυλίων ἀνδρῶν ἄγυρίν τε καὶ ἕδρας,

ἔνθʼ ἄρα Νέστωρ ἧστο σὺν υἱάσιν, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι

δαῖτʼ ἐντυνόμενοι κρέα τʼ ὤπτων ἄλλα τʼ ἔπειρον.

οἱ δʼ ὡς οὖν ξείνους ἴδον, ἁθρόοι ἦλθον ἅπαντες,

35χερσίν τʼ ἠσπάζοντο καὶ ἑδριάασθαι ἄνωγον.

πρῶτος Νεστορίδης Πεισίστρατος ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν

ἀμφοτέρων ἕλε χεῖρα καὶ ἵδρυσεν παρὰ δαιτὶ

κώεσιν ἐν μαλακοῖσιν ἐπὶ ψαμάθοις ἁλίῃσιν

πάρ τε κασιγνήτῳ Θρασυμήδεϊ καὶ πατέρι ᾧ·

40δῶκε δʼ ἄρα σπλάγχνων μοίρας, ἐν δʼ οἶνον ἔχευεν

χρυσείῳ δέπαϊ· δειδισκόμενος δὲ προσηύδα

Παλλάδʼ Ἀθηναίην κούρην Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο·

εὔχεο νῦν, ὦ ξεῖνε, Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι·

τοῦ γὰρ καὶ δαίτης ἠντήσατε δεῦρο μολόντες.

45αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν σπείσῃς τε καὶ εὔξεαι, ἣ θέμις ἐστί,

δὸς καὶ τούτῳ ἔπειτα δέπας μελιηδέος οἴνου

σπεῖσαι, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτον ὀίομαι ἀθανάτοισιν

εὔχεσθαι· πάντες δὲ θεῶν χατέουσʼ ἄνθρωποι.

ἀλλὰ νεώτερός ἐστιν, ὁμηλικίη δʼ ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ·

50τοὔνεκα σοὶ προτέρῳ δώσω χρύσειον ἄλεισον.

31They came to the gathering and seats of the Pylian men,

where Nestor sat with his sons, while companions around them

prepared the feast, roasting meat and threading more on spits.

As soon as they saw the strangers, they all came crowding near,

35welcomed them with clasped hands, and urged them to sit.

First Peisistratus, Nestor's son, came up to them,

took them both by the hand, and seated them at the feast

on soft fleeces spread over the sand beside the sea,

next to his brother Thrasymedes and his father.

40He gave them portions of entrails and poured wine

into a golden cup; greeting her, he addressed

Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus who bears the aegis:

“Pray now, stranger, to lord Poseidon,

for it is his feast you have encountered in coming here.

45When you have poured a libation and prayed, as custom requires,

give this man too the cup of honey-sweet wine

to pour an offering. I think he too must pray

to the immortals, for every human being has need of the gods.

But he is younger, of the same generation as myself;

50that is why I give the golden cup to you first.”

51ὣς εἰπὼν ἐν χειρὶ τίθει δέπας ἡδέος οἴνου·

χαῖρε δʼ Ἀθηναίη πεπνυμένῳ ἀνδρὶ δικαίῳ,

οὕνεκα οἷ προτέρῃ δῶκε χρύσειον ἄλεισον·

αὐτίκα δʼ εὔχετο πολλὰ Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι·

55κλῦθι, Ποσείδαον γαιήοχε, μηδὲ μεγήρῃς

ἡμῖν εὐχομένοισι τελευτῆσαι τάδε ἔργα.

Νέστορι μὲν πρώτιστα καὶ υἱάσι κῦδος ὄπαζε,

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ ἄλλοισι δίδου χαρίεσσαν ἀμοιβὴν

σύμπασιν Πυλίοισιν ἀγακλειτῆς ἑκατόμβης.

60δὸς δʼ ἔτι Τηλέμαχον καὶ ἐμὲ πρήξαντα νέεσθαι,

οὕνεκα δεῦρʼ ἱκόμεσθα θοῇ σὺν νηὶ μελαίνῃ.

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔπειτʼ ἠρᾶτο καὶ αὐτὴ πάντα τελεύτα.

δῶκε δὲ Τηλεμάχῳ καλὸν δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον·

ὣς δʼ αὔτως ἠρᾶτο Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱός.

51With that he placed the cup of sweet wine in her hand.

Athena rejoiced in the discerning and just young man,

because he had given her the golden cup first.

At once she prayed at length to lord Poseidon:

55“Hear me, Poseidon, holder of the earth, and do not begrudge

the fulfillment of these works for which we pray.

First grant honor to Nestor and his sons;

then give a gracious reward to all the other Pylians

for this splendid hecatomb.

60Grant also that Telemachus and I return with our purpose accomplished,

the purpose for which we came here in our swift black ship.”

So she prayed, and she herself brought everything to fulfillment.

She gave Telemachus the fine two-handled cup,

and Odysseus' dear son prayed in the same way.

65οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ ὤπτησαν κρέʼ ὑπέρτερα καὶ ἐρύσαντο,

μοίρας δασσάμενοι δαίνυντʼ ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

τοῖς ἄρα μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

νῦν δὴ κάλλιόν ἐστι μεταλλῆσαι καὶ ἐρέσθαι

70ξείνους, οἱ τινές εἰσιν, ἐπεὶ τάρπησαν ἐδωδῆς.

ὦ ξεῖνοι, τίνες ἐστέ; πόθεν πλεῖθʼ ὑγρὰ κέλευθα;

ἤ τι κατὰ πρῆξιν ἦ μαψιδίως ἀλάλησθε

οἷά τε ληιστῆρες ὑπεὶρ ἅλα, τοί τʼ ἀλόωνται

ψυχὰς παρθέμενοι κακὸν ἀλλοδαποῖσι φέροντες;

75τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα

θαρσήσας· αὐτὴ γὰρ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θάρσος Ἀθήνη

θῆχʼ, ἵνα μιν περὶ πατρὸς ἀποιχομένοιο ἔροιτο

ἠδʼ ἵνα μιν κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔχῃσιν·

65When they had roasted the outer meat and drawn it from the spits,

they divided the portions and feasted on the glorious meal.

When they had put away their desire for food and drink,

the Gerenian horseman Nestor began to speak among them:

“Now it is better to question these strangers

70and ask who they are, since they have enjoyed their food.

Strangers, who are you? From where do you sail the watery ways?

Are you traveling on some business, or roaming at random

over the sea like pirates, who wander

staking their lives and bringing harm to foreign people?”

75Discerning Telemachus answered him face to face,

taking courage, for Athena herself had placed courage

in his heart so that he might ask about his absent father

and win honorable renown among humankind:

79ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη, μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν,

80εἴρεαι ὁππόθεν εἰμέν· ἐγὼ δέ κέ τοι καταλέξω.

ἡμεῖς ἐξ Ἰθάκης ὑπονηίου εἰλήλουθμεν·

πρῆξις δʼ ἥδʼ ἰδίη, οὐ δήμιος, ἣν ἀγορεύω.

πατρὸς ἐμοῦ κλέος εὐρὺ μετέρχομαι, ἤν που ἀκούσω,

δίου Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος, ὅν ποτέ φασι

85σὺν σοὶ μαρνάμενον Τρώων πόλιν ἐξαλαπάξαι.

ἄλλους μὲν γὰρ πάντας, ὅσοι Τρωσὶν πολέμιζον,

πευθόμεθʼ, ἧχι ἕκαστος ἀπώλετο λυγρῷ ὀλέθρῳ,

κείνου δʼ αὖ καὶ ὄλεθρον ἀπευθέα θῆκε Κρονίων.

οὐ γάρ τις δύναται σάφα εἰπέμεν ὁππόθʼ ὄλωλεν,

90εἴθʼ ὅ γʼ ἐπʼ ἠπείρου δάμη ἀνδράσι δυσμενέεσσιν,

εἴτε καὶ ἐν πελάγει μετὰ κύμασιν Ἀμφιτρίτης.

τοὔνεκα νῦν τὰ σὰ γούναθʼ ἱκάνομαι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα

κείνου λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον ἐνισπεῖν, εἴ που ὄπωπας

ὀφθαλμοῖσι τεοῖσιν ἢ ἄλλου μῦθον ἄκουσας

95πλαζομένου· πέρι γάρ μιν ὀιζυρὸν τέκε μήτηρ.

μηδέ τί μʼ αἰδόμενος μειλίσσεο μηδʼ ἐλεαίρων,

ἀλλʼ εὖ μοι κατάλεξον ὅπως ἤντησας ὀπωπῆς.

λίσσομαι, εἴ ποτέ τοί τι πατὴρ ἐμός, ἐσθλὸς Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἢ ἔπος ἠέ τι ἔργον ὑποστὰς ἐξετέλεσσε

100δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχετε πήματʼ Ἀχαιοί,

τῶν νῦν μοι μνῆσαι, καί μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες.

79“Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans,

80you ask where we come from, and I will tell you.

We have come from Ithaca, beneath Mount Neion.

The business I speak of is private, not public.

I am seeking the wide report of my father, in hope I may hear it—

godlike Odysseus, steadfast-hearted, who they say

85fought beside you and sacked the city of the Trojans.

We have learned about all the others who fought the Trojans,

where each man died in his grievous destruction;

but the son of Cronus made even his death unknown.

No one can say plainly where he perished,

90whether he was overcome by enemies on the mainland

or in the open sea among Amphitrite's waves.

That is why I now come to your knees, in hope you will

tell me of his grievous death, if you saw it somewhere

with your own eyes or heard another wanderer's account.

95For his mother bore him to misery beyond all other men.

Do not soften your words out of respect or pity for me;

tell me fully how he came within your sight.

I beg you: if ever my father, noble Odysseus,

undertook some word or deed for you and brought it to completion

100in the Trojan land, where you Achaeans suffered misery,

remember these things now, and tell me the truth.”

102τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεί μʼ ἔμνησας ὀιζύος, ἣν ἐν ἐκείνῳ

δήμῳ ἀνέτλημεν μένος ἄσχετοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,

105ἠμὲν ὅσα ξὺν νηυσὶν ἐπʼ ἠεροειδέα πόντον

πλαζόμενοι κατὰ ληίδʼ, ὅπῃ ἄρξειεν Ἀχιλλεύς,

ἠδʼ ὅσα καὶ περὶ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος

μαρνάμεθʼ· ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτα κατέκταθεν ὅσσοι ἄριστοι.

ἔνθα μὲν Αἴας κεῖται ἀρήιος, ἔνθα δʼ Ἀχιλλεύς,

110ἔνθα δὲ Πάτροκλος, θεόφιν μήστωρ ἀτάλαντος,

ἔνθα δʼ ἐμὸς φίλος υἱός, ἅμα κρατερὸς καὶ ἀμύμων,

Ἀντίλοχος, πέρι μὲν θείειν ταχὺς ἠδὲ μαχητής·

ἄλλα τε πόλλʼ ἐπὶ τοῖς πάθομεν κακά· τίς κεν ἐκεῖνα

πάντα γε μυθήσαιτο καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων;

115οὐδʼ 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 δʼ ἐτέλεσσε Κρονίων.

120ἔνθʼ οὔ τίς ποτε μῆτιν ὁμοιωθήμεναι ἄντην

ἤθελʼ, ἐπεὶ μάλα πολλὸν ἐνίκα δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

παντοίοισι δόλοισι, πατὴρ τεός, εἰ ἐτεόν γε

κείνου ἔκγονός ἐσσι· σέβας μʼ ἔχει εἰσορόωντα.

ἦ τοι γὰρ μῦθοί γε ἐοικότες, οὐδέ κε φαίης

125ἄνδρα νεώτερον ὧδε ἐοικότα μυθήσασθαι.

102Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him:

“Dear child, since you have reminded me of the misery

we sons of the Achaeans, irresistible in might, endured in that land—

105all we suffered wandering with ships over the mist-dark sea

in search of plunder wherever Achilles led,

and all our fighting around the great city of lord Priam—

there all our finest men were killed.

There warlike Ajax lies, and there Achilles;

110there too Patroclus, a counselor equal to the gods,

and my own dear son, both strong and blameless,

Antilochus, outstanding as a swift runner and a fighter.

Beyond all this we suffered many other evils. What mortal

could tell the whole account?

115Not even if you stayed here five or six years

asking of all the evils the noble Achaeans suffered there;

you would grow weary first and return to your native land.

For nine years we kept weaving ruin for the Trojans, pressing them

with every kind of stratagem, and only with difficulty did the son of Cronus finish it.

120There no one ever wished to match his strategic intelligence

openly against Odysseus, for godlike Odysseus

surpassed us all in every kind of stratagem—your father, if truly

you are his offspring. Wonder takes me as I look at you.

Your words are so much like his that no one would say

125a younger man could speak with such likeness.

126ἔνθʼ ἦ τοι ἧος μὲν ἐγὼ καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

οὔτε ποτʼ εἰν ἀγορῇ δίχʼ ἐβάζομεν οὔτʼ ἐνὶ βουλῇ,

ἀλλʼ ἕνα θυμὸν ἔχοντε νόῳ καὶ ἐπίφρονι βουλῇ

φραζόμεθʼ Ἀργείοισιν ὅπως ὄχʼ ἄριστα γένοιτο.

130αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Πριάμοιο πόλιν διεπέρσαμεν αἰπήν,

βῆμεν δʼ ἐν νήεσσι, θεὸς δʼ 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

135μήνιος ἐξ ὀλοῆς γλαυκώπιδος ὀβριμοπάτρης.

ἥ τʼ ἔριν Ἀτρεΐδῃσι μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισιν ἔθηκε.

τὼ δὲ καλεσσαμένω ἀγορὴν ἐς πάντας Ἀχαιούς,

μάψ, ἀτὰρ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον, ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα,

οἱ ἦλθον οἴνῳ βεβαρηότες υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,

140μῦθον μυθείσθην, τοῦ εἵνεκα λαὸν ἄγειραν.

ἔνθʼ ἤ τοι Μενέλαος ἀνώγει πάντας Ἀχαιοὺς

νόστου μιμνήσκεσθαι ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης,

οὐδʼ Ἀγαμέμνονι πάμπαν ἑήνδανε· βούλετο γάρ ῥα

λαὸν ἐρυκακέειν ῥέξαι θʼ ἱερὰς ἑκατόμβας,

145ὡς τὸν Ἀθηναίης δεινὸν χόλον ἐξακέσαιτο,

νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὸ ᾔδη, ὃ οὐ πείσεσθαι ἔμελλεν·

οὐ γάρ τʼ αἶψα θεῶν τρέπεται νόος αἰὲν ἐόντων.

ὣς τὼ μὲν χαλεποῖσιν ἀμειβομένω ἐπέεσσιν

ἕστασαν· οἱ δʼ ἀνόρουσαν ἐυκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ

150ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ, δίχα δέ σφισιν ἥνδανε βουλή.

126All the while that godlike Odysseus and I were there,

we never differed in assembly or council,

but with one spirit, considered judgment, and prudent counsel

we advised the Argives how matters might turn out best.

130But after we had sacked the steep city of Priam

and boarded our ships, a god scattered the Achaeans.

Then Zeus devised a grievous return in his heart

for the Argives, since by no means all of them were sensible

or just. Therefore many met an evil fate

135through the destructive anger of the bright-eyed daughter of the mighty father.

She set strife between the two sons of Atreus.

They summoned all the Achaeans to assembly

recklessly and against good order, at the setting of the sun;

the sons of the Achaeans came heavy with wine.

140The brothers each gave the reason they had gathered the army.

Menelaus urged all the Achaeans

to think of their return over the broad back of the sea.

Agamemnon was not at all pleased. He wished

to keep the army there and offer sacred hecatombs,

145hoping to appease Athena's terrible anger—

fool that he was, for he did not know she would not be persuaded.

The minds of the everlasting gods are not turned so quickly.

So the two stood trading harsh words.

The well-greaved Achaeans sprang up

150with an unearthly roar, divided between the two plans.

151νύκτα μὲν ἀέσαμεν χαλεπὰ φρεσὶν ὁρμαίνοντες

ἀλλήλοις· ἐπὶ γὰρ Ζεὺς ἤρτυε πῆμα κακοῖο·

ἠῶθεν δʼ οἱ μὲν νέας ἕλκομεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν

κτήματά τʼ ἐντιθέμεσθα βαθυζώνους τε γυναῖκας.

155ἡμίσεες δʼ ἄρα λαοὶ ἐρητύοντο μένοντες

αὖθι παρʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι, ποιμένι λαῶν·

ἡμίσεες δʼ ἀναβάντες ἐλαύνομεν· αἱ δὲ μάλʼ ὦκα

ἔπλεον, ἐστόρεσεν δὲ θεὸς μεγακήτεα πόντον.

ἐς Τένεδον δʼ ἐλθόντες ἐρέξαμεν ἱρὰ θεοῖσιν,

160οἴκαδε ἱέμενοι· Ζεὺς δʼ οὔ πω μήδετο νόστον,

σχέτλιος, ὅς ῥʼ ἔριν ὦρσε κακὴν ἔπι δεύτερον αὖτις.

οἱ μὲν ἀποστρέψαντες ἔβαν νέας ἀμφιελίσσας

ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα ἄνακτα δαΐφρονα, ποικιλομήτην,

αὖτις ἐπʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἦρα φέροντες·

165αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ σὺν νηυσὶν ἀολλέσιν, αἵ μοι ἕποντο,

φεῦγον, ἐπεὶ γίγνωσκον, ὃ δὴ κακὰ μήδετο δαίμων.

φεῦγε δὲ Τυδέος υἱὸς ἀρήιος, ὦρσε δʼ ἑταίρους.

ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετὰ νῶι κίε ξανθὸς Μενέλαος,

ἐν Λέσβῳ δʼ ἔκιχεν δολιχὸν πλόον ὁρμαίνοντας,

170ἢ καθύπερθε Χίοιο νεοίμεθα παιπαλοέσσης,

νήσου ἔπι Ψυρίης, αὐτὴν ἐπʼ ἀριστέρʼ ἔχοντες,

ἦ ὑπένερθε Χίοιο, παρʼ ἠνεμόεντα Μίμαντα.

ᾐτέομεν δὲ θεὸν φῆναι τέρας· αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἡμῖν

δεῖξε, καὶ ἠνώγει πέλαγος μέσον εἰς Εὔβοιαν

175τέμνειν, ὄφρα τάχιστα ὑπὲκ κακότητα φύγοιμεν.

ὦρτο δʼ ἐπὶ λιγὺς οὖρος ἀήμεναι· αἱ δὲ μάλʼ ὦκα

ἰχθυόεντα κέλευθα διέδραμον, ἐς δὲ Γεραιστὸν

ἐννύχιαι κατάγοντο· Ποσειδάωνι δὲ ταύρων

πόλλʼ ἐπὶ μῆρʼ ἔθεμεν, πέλαγος μέγα μετρήσαντες.

180τέτρατον ἦμαρ ἔην, ὅτʼ ἐν Ἄργεϊ νῆας ἐίσας

Τυδεΐδεω ἕταροι Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο

ἵστασαν· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε Πύλονδʼ ἔχον, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἔσβη

οὖρος, ἐπεὶ δὴ πρῶτα θεὸς προέηκεν ἀῆναι.

151We spent the night brooding hard thoughts against one another,

for Zeus was preparing the suffering of a fresh disaster.

At dawn, half of us dragged our ships into the shining sea

and loaded our possessions and the deep-girdled women.

155Half the army was held back and remained

there with Agamemnon, son of Atreus and shepherd of the people.

The other half embarked and rowed. Our ships sailed very quickly,

for a god smoothed the sea with its monstrous creatures.

Reaching Tenedos, we offered sacrifice to the gods,

160eager for home. But Zeus had not yet planned our return—

hard god, who once again stirred up bitter strife.

Some turned their curved ships around

with lord Odysseus, skilled in counsel and rich in stratagems,

to favor Agamemnon, son of Atreus.

165But I fled with the close-packed ships that followed me,

for I understood that a divine power was devising evil.

The warlike son of Tydeus fled too and roused his companions.

Only later did fair-haired Menelaus come after us;

he caught us on Lesbos, debating the long voyage:

170whether to sail seaward of rugged Chios,

toward the island of Psyria, keeping Chios itself on our left,

or landward of Chios, past windy Mimas.

We asked the god to show us a sign. He showed one

and ordered us to cut across the open sea toward Euboea,

175so we might escape the danger as quickly as possible.

A shrill following wind sprang up. The ships sped swiftly

over the fish-filled ways and came down to Geraestus

in the night. There we laid many bulls' thighbones

before Poseidon after crossing that vast reach of sea.

180It was the fourth day when the companions of Diomedes,

the horse-taming son of Tydeus, brought their balanced ships

to rest at Argos. But I held on for Pylos, and the wind never failed

from the moment the god first sent it blowing.

184ὣς ἦλθον, φίλε τέκνον, ἀπευθής, οὐδέ τι οἶδα

185κείνων, οἵ τʼ ἐσάωθεν Ἀχαιῶν οἵ τʼ ἀπόλοντο.

ὅσσα δʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι καθήμενος ἡμετέροισι

πεύθομαι, ἣ θέμις ἐστί, δαήσεαι, οὐδέ σε κεύσω.

εὖ μὲν Μυρμιδόνας φάσʼ ἐλθέμεν ἐγχεσιμώρους,

οὓς ἄγʼ Ἀχιλλῆος μεγαθύμου φαίδιμος υἱός,

190εὖ δὲ Φιλοκτήτην, Ποιάντιον ἀγλαὸν υἱόν.

πάντας δʼ Ἰδομενεὺς Κρήτην εἰσήγαγʼ ἑταίρους,

οἳ φύγον ἐκ πολέμου, πόντος δέ οἱ οὔ τινʼ ἀπηύρα.

Ἀτρεΐδην δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀκούετε, νόσφιν ἐόντες,

ὥς τʼ ἦλθʼ, ὥς τʼ Αἴγισθος ἐμήσατο λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον.

195ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι κεῖνος μὲν ἐπισμυγερῶς ἀπέτισεν·

ὡς ἀγαθὸν καὶ παῖδα καταφθιμένοιο λιπέσθαι

ἀνδρός, ἐπεὶ καὶ κεῖνος ἐτίσατο πατροφονῆα,

Αἴγισθον δολόμητιν, ὅ οἱ πατέρα κλυτὸν ἔκτα.

καὶ σὺ φίλος, μάλα γάρ σʼ ὁρόω καλόν τε μέγαν τε,

200ἄλκιμος ἔσσʼ, ἵνα τίς σε καὶ ὀψιγόνων ἐὺ εἴπῃ.

184So, dear child, I came home without news. I know nothing

185of the Achaeans who were saved or those who perished.

But whatever I have heard while sitting in my halls,

as is proper, you shall learn; I will conceal nothing.

They say the spear-fighting Myrmidons returned safely,

led by the splendid son of great-hearted Achilles;

190and Philoctetes returned safely, the glorious son of Poeas.

Idomeneus brought all his companions back to Crete,

all who escaped the war; the sea robbed him of no one.

Even from far away you have heard of Agamemnon,

how he returned and how Aegisthus planned his grievous death.

195Yet that man paid for it most bitterly.

How good it is when a man who dies leaves a son behind,

for Orestes took vengeance on his father's killer,

Aegisthus of the devious mind, who killed his renowned father.

You too, dear child—I see how tall and handsome you are—

200be brave, so that generations still to come may speak well of you.”

201τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη, μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν,

καὶ λίην κεῖνος μὲν ἐτίσατο, καί οἱ Ἀχαιοὶ

οἴσουσι κλέος εὐρὺ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι·

205αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοσσήνδε θεοὶ δύναμιν περιθεῖεν,

τίσασθαι μνηστῆρας ὑπερβασίης ἀλεγεινῆς,

οἵ τέ μοι ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται.

ἀλλʼ οὔ μοι τοιοῦτον ἐπέκλωσαν θεοὶ ὄλβον,

πατρί τʼ ἐμῷ καὶ ἐμοί· νῦν δὲ χρὴ τετλάμεν ἔμπης.

210τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεὶ δὴ ταῦτά μʼ ἀνέμνησας καὶ ἔειπες,

φασὶ μνηστῆρας σῆς μητέρος εἵνεκα πολλοὺς

ἐν μεγάροις ἀέκητι σέθεν κακὰ μηχανάασθαι·

εἰπέ μοι, ἠὲ ἑκὼν ὑποδάμνασαι, ἦ σέ γε λαοὶ

215ἐχθαίρουσʼ ἀνὰ δῆμον, ἐπισπόμενοι θεοῦ ὀμφῇ.

τίς δʼ οἶδʼ εἴ κέ ποτέ σφι βίας ἀποτίσεται ἐλθών,

ἢ ὅ γε μοῦνος ἐὼν ἢ καὶ σύμπαντες Ἀχαιοί;

εἰ γάρ σʼ ὣς ἐθέλοι φιλέειν γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,

ὡς τότʼ Ὀδυσσῆος περικήδετο κυδαλίμοιο

220δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχομεν ἄλγεʼ Ἀχαιοί—

οὐ γάρ πω ἴδον ὧδε θεοὺς ἀναφανδὰ φιλεῦντας,

ὡς κείνῳ ἀναφανδὰ παρίστατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη—

εἴ σʼ οὕτως ἐθέλοι φιλέειν κήδοιτό τε θυμῷ,

τῶ κέν τις κείνων γε καὶ ἐκλελάθοιτο γάμοιο.

201Discerning Telemachus answered him face to face:

“Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans,

he indeed took vengeance, and the Achaeans will carry

his wide renown so that generations to come may hear it.

205If only the gods would clothe me in strength as great

to punish the suitors for their grievous transgression,

for in their outrage they plot reckless deeds against me.

But the gods spun no such good fortune

for my father and me. Now I must endure it all the same.”

210Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him:

“Dear child, since you have reminded me of this and spoken of it,

they say that many suitors, because of your mother,

plot evil in your halls against your will.

Tell me: do you submit willingly, or do the people

215throughout the district hate you, following a god's prophetic voice?

Who knows whether Odysseus may someday return and repay their violence,

whether he comes alone or all the Achaeans come together?

If bright-eyed Athena should choose to love you

as she then cared for glorious Odysseus

220in the Trojan land, where we Achaeans suffered pain—

I have never seen the gods love a man so openly

as Pallas Athena openly stood beside him—

if she should choose to love you so and care for you in her heart,

then more than one suitor would altogether forget about marriage.”

225τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

ὦ γέρον, οὔ πω τοῦτο ἔπος τελέεσθαι ὀίω·

λίην γὰρ μέγα εἶπες· ἄγη μʼ ἔχει. οὐκ ἂν ἐμοί γε

ἐλπομένῳ τὰ γένοιτʼ, οὐδʼ εἰ θεοὶ ὣς ἐθέλοιεν.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

230Τηλέμαχε, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων.

ῥεῖα θεός γʼ ἐθέλων καὶ τηλόθεν ἄνδρα σαώσαι.

βουλοίμην δʼ ἂν ἐγώ γε καὶ ἄλγεα πολλὰ μογήσας

οἴκαδέ τʼ ἐλθέμεναι καὶ νόστιμον ἦμαρ ἰδέσθαι,

ἢ ἐλθὼν ἀπολέσθαι ἐφέστιος, ὡς Ἀγαμέμνων

235ὤλεθʼ ὑπʼ Αἰγίσθοιο δόλῳ καὶ ἧς ἀλόχοιο.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι θάνατον μὲν ὁμοίιον οὐδὲ θεοί περ

καὶ φίλῳ ἀνδρὶ δύνανται ἀλαλκέμεν, ὁππότε κεν δὴ

μοῖρʼ ὀλοὴ καθέλῃσι τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο.

τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

240Μέντορ, μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα κηδόμενοί περ·

κείνῳ δʼ οὐκέτι νόστος ἐτήτυμος, ἀλλά οἱ ἤδη

φράσσαντʼ ἀθάνατοι θάνατον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν.

νῦν δʼ ἐθέλω ἔπος ἄλλο μεταλλῆσαι καὶ ἐρέσθαι

Νέστορʼ, ἐπεὶ περὶ οἶδε δίκας ἠδὲ φρόνιν ἄλλων·

245τρὶς γὰρ δή μίν φασιν ἀνάξασθαι γένεʼ ἀνδρῶν·

ὥς τέ μοι ἀθάνατος ἰνδάλλεται εἰσοράασθαι.

ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη, σὺ δʼ ἀληθὲς ἐνίσπες·

πῶς ἔθανʼ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων;

ποῦ Μενέλαος ἔην; τίνα δʼ αὐτῷ μήσατʼ ὄλεθρον

250Αἴγισθος δολόμητις, ἐπεὶ κτάνε πολλὸν ἀρείω;

ἦ οὐκ Ἄργεος ἦεν Ἀχαιικοῦ, ἀλλά πῃ ἄλλῃ

πλάζετʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους, ὁ δὲ θαρσήσας κατέπεφνε;

225Discerning Telemachus answered him face to face:

“Old man, I do not think this word will come to pass.

What you have said is too great; wonder takes me. I cannot expect

such things to happen to me, not even if the gods should wish it.”

The goddess, bright-eyed Athena, answered him:

230“Telemachus, what a word escaped the barrier of your teeth!

A god, if willing, can easily save a man even from far away.

I myself would rather suffer many hardships

and still come home and see the day of my return

than reach home only to die at my own hearth, as Agamemnon

235died through the plot of Aegisthus and his own wife.

Yet when the common fate of death comes, not even the gods

can ward it from a man they love, once

the deadly portion of remorseless death has struck him down.”

Discerning Telemachus answered her face to face:

240“Mentor, let us speak no more of this, though it grieves us.

No true return remains for him; the immortals

have already devised his death and black fate.

Now I wish to question Nestor about another matter,

since he surpasses others in knowledge of justice and judgment.

245They say he has ruled through three generations of men;

to my eyes he looks like an immortal.

Nestor, son of Neleus, tell me the truth:

how did wide-ruling Agamemnon, son of Atreus, die?

Where was Menelaus? What destruction did Aegisthus

250of the devious mind devise for him, when he killed a far better man?

Was Menelaus away from Achaean Argos, wandering

somewhere among other peoples, so Aegisthus dared the murder?”

253τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, τέκνον, ἀληθέα πάντʼ ἀγορεύσω.

255ἦ τοι μὲν τάδε καὐτὸς ὀίεαι, ὥς κεν ἐτύχθη,

εἰ ζωόν γʼ Αἴγισθον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἔτετμεν

Ἀτρεΐδης Τροίηθεν ἰών, ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

τῶ κέ οἱ οὐδὲ θανόντι χυτὴν ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἔχευαν,

ἀλλʼ ἄρα τόν γε κύνες τε καὶ οἰωνοὶ κατέδαψαν

260κείμενον ἐν πεδίῳ ἑκὰς ἄστεος, οὐδέ κέ τίς μιν

κλαῦσεν Ἀχαιιάδων· μάλα γὰρ μέγα μήσατο ἔργον.

ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ κεῖθι πολέας τελέοντες ἀέθλους

ἥμεθʼ· ὁ δʼ εὔκηλος μυχῷ Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο

πόλλʼ Ἀγαμεμνονέην ἄλοχον θέλγεσκʼ ἐπέεσσιν.

265ἡ δʼ ἦ τοι τὸ πρὶν μὲν ἀναίνετο ἔργον ἀεικὲς

δῖα Κλυταιμνήστρη· φρεσὶ γὰρ κέχρητʼ ἀγαθῇσι·

πὰρ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔην καὶ ἀοιδὸς ἀνήρ, ᾧ πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλεν

Ἀτρεΐδης Τροίηνδε κιὼν εἴρυσθαι ἄκοιτιν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή μιν μοῖρα θεῶν ἐπέδησε δαμῆναι,

270δὴ τότε τὸν μὲν ἀοιδὸν ἄγων ἐς νῆσον ἐρήμην

κάλλιπεν οἰωνοῖσιν ἕλωρ καὶ κύρμα γενέσθαι,

τὴν δʼ ἐθέλων ἐθέλουσαν ἀνήγαγεν ὅνδε δόμονδε.

πολλὰ δὲ μηρίʼ ἔκηε θεῶν ἱεροῖς ἐπὶ βωμοῖς,

πολλὰ δʼ ἀγάλματʼ ἀνῆψεν, ὑφάσματά τε χρυσόν τε,

275ἐκτελέσας μέγα ἔργον, ὃ οὔ ποτε ἔλπετο θυμῷ.

253Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him:

“Child, I will tell you the whole truth.

255You can imagine for yourself how matters would have turned out

if fair-haired Menelaus, son of Atreus, returning from Troy,

had found Aegisthus alive within the halls.

No mound of earth would have been heaped over his corpse;

dogs and birds would have torn him apart

260as he lay in the plain far from the city, and no Achaean woman

would have mourned him, for the deed he planned was monstrous.

While we remained there completing our many trials,

he lived at ease in a remote corner of horse-pasturing Argos,

repeatedly beguiling Agamemnon's wife with words.

265At first divine Clytemnestra refused

the shameful deed, for her judgment was sound.

A singer was also beside her, a man whom Agamemnon,

when he left for Troy, strictly charged to guard his wife.

But when the gods' portion bound her to be overcome,

270Aegisthus took the singer to a deserted island

and left him there to become spoil and prey for birds.

Then, willing himself, he led the willing woman to his house.

He burned many thighbones on the gods' sacred altars

and hung up many offerings—woven cloth and gold—

275after accomplishing the great deed he had never hoped in his heart to achieve.

276ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ ἅμα πλέομεν Τροίηθεν ἰόντες,

Ἀτρεΐδης καὶ ἐγώ, φίλα εἰδότες ἀλλήλοισιν·

ἀλλʼ ὅτε Σούνιον ἱρὸν ἀφικόμεθʼ, ἄκρον Ἀθηνέων,

ἔνθα κυβερνήτην Μενελάου Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων

280οἷς ἀγανοῖς βελέεσσιν ἐποιχόμενος κατέπεφνε,

πηδάλιον μετὰ χερσὶ θεούσης νηὸς ἔχοντα,

Φρόντιν Ὀνητορίδην, ὃς ἐκαίνυτο φῦλʼ ἀνθρώπων

νῆα κυβερνῆσαι, ὁπότε σπέρχοιεν ἄελλαι.

ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθα κατέσχετʼ, ἐπειγόμενός περ ὁδοῖο,

285ὄφρʼ ἕταρον θάπτοι καὶ ἐπὶ κτέρεα κτερίσειεν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ καὶ κεῖνος ἰὼν ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον

ἐν νηυσὶ γλαφυρῇσι Μαλειάων ὄρος αἰπὺ

ἷξε θέων, τότε δὴ στυγερὴν ὁδὸν εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς

ἐφράσατο, λιγέων δʼ ἀνέμων ἐπʼ ἀυτμένα χεῦε,

290κύματά τε τροφέοντο 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 ἠεροειδέι πόντῳ·

295ἔνθα Νότος μέγα κῦμα ποτὶ σκαιὸν ῥίον ὠθεῖ,

ἐς Φαιστόν, μικρὸς δὲ λίθος μέγα κῦμʼ ἀποέργει.

αἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἔνθʼ ἦλθον, σπουδῇ δʼ ἤλυξαν ὄλεθρον

ἄνδρες, ἀτὰρ νῆάς γε ποτὶ σπιλάδεσσιν ἔαξαν

κύματʼ· ἀτὰρ τὰς πέντε νέας κυανοπρῳρείους

300Αἰγύπτῳ ἐπέλασσε φέρων ἄνεμός τε καὶ ὕδωρ.

276Menelaus, son of Atreus, and I were sailing together from Troy,

bound to one another in friendship.

But when we reached holy Sunium, the headland of Athens,

Phoebus Apollo came upon Menelaus' helmsman

280and struck him dead with his gentle shafts

as he held the steering oar in his hands while the ship sped on—

Phrontis, son of Onetor, who surpassed all humankind

at steering a ship whenever storms blew hard.

So Menelaus stayed there, urgent though his journey was,

285until he could bury his companion and offer funeral gifts.

But when he too set out over the wine-dark sea

in his hollow ships and came swiftly to steep Malea,

far-seeing Zeus devised a hateful course for him.

He poured down blasts of shrilling winds,

290and monstrous waves rose, equal to mountains.

There Zeus split the fleet and drove some ships toward Crete,

where the Cydonians lived around the streams of the Iardanus.

At Gortyn's far edge there is a smooth, sheer rock

running into the mist-dark sea.

295There the South Wind drives a great wave toward the left-hand headland,

toward Phaestus, and a small rock holds back the great wave.

Those ships came there. The men barely escaped destruction,

but the waves smashed the vessels against the reefs.

The other five dark-prowed ships

300were driven to Egypt by the force of wind and water.

301ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθα πολὺν βίοτον καὶ χρυσὸν ἀγείρων

ἠλᾶτο ξὺν νηυσὶ κατʼ ἀλλοθρόους ἀνθρώπους·

τόφρα δὲ ταῦτʼ Αἴγισθος ἐμήσατο οἴκοθι λυγρά.

305ἑπτάετες δʼ ἤνασσε πολυχρύσοιο Μυκήνης,

κτείνας Ἀτρεΐδην, δέδμητο δὲ λαὸς ὑπʼ αὐτῷ.

τῷ δέ οἱ ὀγδοάτῳ κακὸν ἤλυθε δῖος Ὀρέστης

ἂψ ἀπʼ Ἀθηνάων, κατὰ δʼ ἔκτανε πατροφονῆα,

Αἴγισθον δολόμητιν, ὅ οἱ πατέρα κλυτὸν ἔκτα.

ἦ τοι ὁ τὸν κτείνας δαίνυ τάφον Ἀργείοισιν

310μητρός τε στυγερῆς καὶ ἀνάλκιδος Αἰγίσθοιο·

αὐτῆμαρ δέ οἱ ἦλθε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος

πολλὰ κτήματʼ ἄγων, ὅσα οἱ νέες ἄχθος ἄειραν.

καὶ σύ, φίλος, μὴ δηθὰ δόμων ἄπο τῆλʼ ἀλάλησο,

κτήματά τε προλιπὼν ἄνδρας τʼ ἐν σοῖσι δόμοισιν

315οὕτω ὑπερφιάλους, μή τοι κατὰ πάντα φάγωσιν

κτήματα δασσάμενοι, σὺ δὲ τηϋσίην ὁδὸν ἔλθῃς.

ἀλλʼ ἐς μὲν Μενέλαον ἐγὼ κέλομαι καὶ ἄνωγα

ἐλθεῖν· κεῖνος γὰρ νέον ἄλλοθεν εἰλήλουθεν,

ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅθεν οὐκ ἔλποιτό γε θυμῷ

320ἐλθέμεν, ὅν τινα πρῶτον ἀποσφήλωσιν ἄελλαι

ἐς πέλαγος μέγα τοῖον, ὅθεν τέ περ οὐδʼ οἰωνοὶ

αὐτόετες οἰχνεῦσιν, ἐπεὶ μέγα τε δεινόν τε.

ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν σὺν νηί τε σῇ καὶ σοῖς ἑτάροισιν·

εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις πεζός, πάρα τοι δίφρος τε καὶ ἵπποι,

325πὰρ δέ τοι υἷες ἐμοί, οἵ τοι πομπῆες ἔσονται

ἐς Λακεδαίμονα δῖαν, ὅθι ξανθὸς Μενέλαος.

λίσσεσθαι δέ μιν αὐτός, ἵνα νημερτὲς ἐνίσπῃ·

ψεῦδος δʼ οὐκ ἐρέει· μάλα γὰρ πεπνυμένος ἐστίν.

301So there he gathered great wealth and gold,

wandering with his ships among peoples of foreign speech.

Meanwhile Aegisthus devised these horrors at home.

305For seven years he ruled over Mycenae, rich in gold,

after killing the son of Atreus; the people were subdued beneath him.

But in the eighth year godlike Orestes returned as his ruin,

back from Athens, and killed his father's murderer,

Aegisthus of the devious mind, who killed his renowned father.

After killing him, Orestes gave the Argives a funeral feast

310for his hateful mother and cowardly Aegisthus.

That very day Menelaus, skilled in the war cry, arrived,

bringing all the wealth his ships could bear as cargo.

And you, dear child, do not wander long far from your house,

leaving your possessions and men within your halls

315so overbearing that they may devour everything,

divide your property, and make your journey useless.

But I urge and command you to go

to Menelaus, for he has only lately returned from abroad,

from peoples no man could expect in his heart

320to return from, once storms had first blown him off course

into so vast a sea—a place from which not even birds

make the journey in a year, so immense and dreadful is it.

Go now with your ship and your companions.

Or if you prefer to travel by land, a chariot and horses are here,

325and my sons are here to serve as your escorts

to divine Lacedaemon, where fair-haired Menelaus lives.

Entreat him yourself to tell you the unerring truth.

He will not speak falsely; he is deeply discerning.”

329ὣς ἔφατʼ, ἠέλιος δʼ ἄρʼ ἔδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθε.

330τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

ὦ γέρον, ἦ τοι ταῦτα κατὰ μοῖραν κατέλεξας·

ἀλλʼ ἄγε τάμνετε μὲν γλώσσας, κεράασθε δὲ οἶνον,

ὄφρα Ποσειδάωνι καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισιν

σπείσαντες κοίτοιο μεδώμεθα· τοῖο γὰρ ὥρη.

335ἤδη γὰρ φάος οἴχεθʼ ὑπὸ ζόφον, οὐδὲ ἔοικεν·

δηθὰ θεῶν ἐν δαιτὶ θαασσέμεν, ἀλλὰ νέεσθαι.

ἦ ῥα Διὸς θυγάτηρ, οἱ δʼ ἔκλυον αὐδησάσης.

τοῖσι δὲ κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν,

κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο,

340νώμησαν δʼ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσι·

γλώσσας δʼ ἐν πυρὶ βάλλον, ἀνιστάμενοι δʼ ἐπέλειβον.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σπεῖσάν τʼ ἔπιον θʼ, ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,

δὴ τότʼ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Τηλέμαχος θεοειδὴς

ἄμφω ἱέσθην κοίλην ἐπὶ νῆα νέεσθαι.

345Νέστωρ δʼ αὖ κατέρυκε καθαπτόμενος ἐπέεσσιν·

Ζεὺς τό γʼ ἀλεξήσειε καὶ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι,

ὡς ὑμεῖς παρʼ ἐμεῖο θοὴν ἐπὶ νῆα κίοιτε

ὥς τέ τευ ἦ παρὰ πάμπαν ἀνείμονος ἠδὲ πενιχροῦ,

ᾧ οὔ τι χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα πόλλʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,

350οὔτʼ αὐτῷ μαλακῶς οὔτε ξείνοισιν ἐνεύδειν.

αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ πάρα μὲν χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα καλά.

οὔ θην δὴ τοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱὸς

νηὸς ἐπʼ ἰκριόφιν καταλέξεται, ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγώ γε

ζώω, ἔπειτα δὲ παῖδες ἐνὶ μεγάροισι λίπωνται,

355ξείνους ξεινίζειν, ὅς τίς κʼ ἐμὰ δώμαθʼ ἵκηται.

329So he spoke. The sun went down and darkness came on.

330The goddess, bright-eyed Athena, addressed them:

“Old man, you have told all this as was fitting.

Come now, cut out the tongues and mix the wine,

so that after pouring libations to Poseidon and the other immortals

we may think of bed, for it is time.

335The light has already gone beneath the darkness; it is not fitting

to sit long at a feast of the gods, but time to return.”

So spoke the daughter of Zeus, and they obeyed her voice.

Heralds poured water over their hands,

and young men filled the mixing bowls to the brim with drink

340and served everyone, after drawing first offerings into the cups.

They threw the tongues into the fire and rose to pour libations.

When they had poured and drunk as much as their hearts desired,

Athena and godlike Telemachus

both wished to return to the hollow ship.

345But Nestor held them back and pressed them with his words:

“May Zeus and all the other immortal gods forbid

that you should leave me for your swift ship

as if from some man altogether unclothed and poor,

who has no abundance of cloaks and blankets in his house,

350no soft bedding for himself or for his guests.

I have cloaks here and fine blankets.

Surely the dear son of this man Odysseus

will not lie down on a ship's deck as long as I

am alive, and afterward as long as sons remain in my halls

355to welcome any stranger who reaches my house.”

356τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

εὖ δὴ ταῦτά γʼ ἔφησθα, γέρον φίλε· σοὶ δὲ ἔοικεν

Τηλέμαχον πείθεσθαι, ἐπεὶ πολὺ κάλλιον οὕτως.

ἀλλʼ οὗτος μὲν νῦν σοὶ ἅμʼ ἕψεται, ὄφρα κεν εὕδῃ

360σοῖσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν

εἶμʼ, ἵνα θαρσύνω θʼ ἑτάρους εἴπω τε ἕκαστα.

οἶος γὰρ μετὰ τοῖσι γεραίτερος εὔχομαι εἶναι·

οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι φιλότητι νεώτεροι ἄνδρες ἕπονται,

πάντες ὁμηλικίη μεγαθύμου Τηλεμάχοιο.

365ἔνθα κε λεξαίμην κοίλῃ παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ

νῦν· ἀτὰρ ἠῶθεν μετὰ Καύκωνας μεγαθύμους

εἶμʼ ἔνθα χρεῖός μοι ὀφέλλεται, οὔ τι νέον γε

οὐδʼ ὀλίγον. σὺ δὲ τοῦτον, ἐπεὶ τεὸν ἵκετο δῶμα,

πέμψον σὺν δίφρῳ τε καὶ υἱέι· δὸς δέ οἱ ἵππους,

370οἵ τοι ἐλαφρότατοι θείειν καὶ κάρτος ἄριστοι.

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασʼ ἀπέβη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη

φήνῃ εἰδομένη· θάμβος δʼ ἕλε πάντας ἰδόντας.

θαύμαζεν δʼ ὁ γεραιός, ὅπως ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖς·

Τηλεμάχου δʼ ἕλε χεῖρα, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

375ὦ φίλος, οὔ σε ἔολπα κακὸν καὶ ἄναλκιν ἔσεσθαι,

εἰ δή τοι νέῳ ὧδε θεοὶ πομπῆες ἕπονται.

οὐ μὲν γάρ τις ὅδʼ ἄλλος Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἐχόντων,

ἀλλὰ Διὸς θυγάτηρ, κυδίστη Τριτογένεια,

ἥ τοι καὶ πατέρʼ ἐσθλὸν ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἐτίμα.

380ἀλλὰ ἄνασσʼ ἵληθι, δίδωθι δέ μοι κλέος ἐσθλόν,

αὐτῷ καὶ παίδεσσι καὶ αἰδοίῃ παρακοίτι·

σοὶ δʼ αὖ ἐγὼ ῥέξω βοῦν ἦνιν εὐρυμέτωπον

ἀδμήτην, ἣν οὔ πω ὑπὸ ζυγὸν ἤγαγεν ἀνήρ·

τήν τοι ἐγὼ ῥέξω χρυσὸν κέρασιν περιχεύας.

356The goddess, bright-eyed Athena, answered him:

“You have spoken well, dear old man, and it is fitting

for Telemachus to obey you, since this is much the better way.

He will go with you now and sleep

360within your halls. But I will return to the black ship

to hearten our companions and tell them every detail.

Among them I alone claim to be the elder;

the others who follow in friendship are younger men,

all the same age as great-hearted Telemachus.

365I will lie down there tonight beside the hollow black ship,

then at dawn go among the great-hearted Cauconians.

A debt is owed to me there, neither recent

nor small. Since this man has reached your house,

send him with a chariot and one of your sons; give him horses

370that are your lightest runners and strongest of all.”

So bright-eyed Athena spoke and departed,

taking the form of a lammergeier. Wonder seized all who saw.

The old man marveled at what his eyes had witnessed.

He took Telemachus by the hand and addressed him by name:

375“Dear child, I do not think you will prove base or weak

if, young as you are, the gods attend you as guides.

This was no other of those who hold the homes of Olympus,

but Zeus's daughter, most glorious Tritogeneia,

who also honored your noble father among the Argives.

380Lady, be gracious: grant honorable renown

to me, my sons, and my honored wife.

In return I will sacrifice to you a broad-browed yearling cow,

unbroken, which no man has yet brought beneath the yoke.

I will sacrifice her to you after pouring gold over her horns.”

385ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

τοῖσιν δʼ ἡγεμόνευε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,

υἱάσι καὶ γαμβροῖσιν, ἑὰ πρὸς δώματα καλά.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δώμαθʼ ἵκοντο ἀγακλυτὰ τοῖο ἄνακτος,

ἑξείης ἕζοντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε·

390τοῖς δʼ ὁ γέρων ἐλθοῦσιν ἀνὰ κρητῆρα κέρασσεν

οἴνου ἡδυπότοιο, τὸν ἑνδεκάτῳ ἐνιαυτῷ

ὤιξεν ταμίη καὶ ἀπὸ κρήδεμνον ἔλυσε·

τοῦ ὁ γέρων κρητῆρα κεράσσατο, πολλὰ δʼ Ἀθήνῃ

εὔχετʼ ἀποσπένδων, κούρῃ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.

395αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σπεῖσάν τʼ ἔπιον θʼ, ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,

οἱ μὲν κακκείοντες ἔβαν οἶκόνδε ἕκαστος,

τὸν δʼ αὐτοῦ κοίμησε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,

Τηλέμαχον, φίλον υἱὸν Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,

τρητοῖς ἐν λεχέεσσιν ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ ἐριδούπῳ,

400πὰρʼ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐυμμελίην Πεισίστρατον, ὄρχαμον ἀνδρῶν,

ὅς οἱ ἔτʼ ἠίθεος παίδων ἦν ἐν μεγάροισιν·

αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτε καθεῦδε μυχῷ δόμου ὑψηλοῖο,

τῷ δʼ ἄλοχος δέσποινα λέχος πόρσυνε καὶ εὐνήν.

385So he prayed, and Pallas Athena heard him.

The Gerenian horseman Nestor led them—

his sons and sons-in-law—to his fine house.

When they reached the splendid halls of that lord,

they sat down in order on chairs and thrones.

390For those who had come, the old man mixed a bowl

of sweet-drinking wine. It was in its eleventh year

when the woman steward opened it and broke the seal.

The old man mixed a bowl from this wine and prayed long

to Athena, pouring libations to the daughter of Zeus who bears the aegis.

395When they had poured and drunk as much as their hearts desired,

the others went each to his own house to sleep.

But the Gerenian horseman Nestor settled Telemachus there,

the dear son of godlike Odysseus,

on a corded bed beneath the echoing portico.

400Beside him lay Peisistratus, skilled with the spear, a leader of men,

who was still the only unmarried son in the halls.

Nestor himself slept in the innermost part of the high house,

where his lady wife prepared his bed and bedding.

404ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

405ὤρνυτʼ ἄρʼ ἐξ εὐνῆφι Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,

ἐκ δʼ ἐλθὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετʼ ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι λίθοισιν,

οἵ οἱ ἔσαν προπάροιθε θυράων ὑψηλάων,

λευκοί, ἀποστίλβοντες ἀλείφατος· οἷς ἔπι μὲν πρὶν

Νηλεὺς ἵζεσκεν, θεόφιν μήστωρ ἀτάλαντος·

410ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἤδη κηρὶ δαμεὶς Ἄϊδόσδε βεβήκει,

Νέστωρ αὖ τότʼ ἐφῖζε Γερήνιος, οὖρος Ἀχαιῶν,

σκῆπτρον ἔχων. περὶ δʼ υἷες ἀολλέες ἠγερέθοντο

ἐκ θαλάμων ἐλθόντες, Ἐχέφρων τε Στρατίος τε

Περσεύς τʼ Ἄρητός τε καὶ ἀντίθεος Θρασυμήδης.

415τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειθʼ ἕκτος Πεισίστρατος ἤλυθεν ἥρως,

πὰρ δʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχον θεοείκελον εἷσαν ἄγοντες.

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

καρπαλίμως μοι, τέκνα φίλα, κρηήνατʼ ἐέλδωρ,

ὄφρʼ ἦ τοι πρώτιστα θεῶν ἱλάσσομʼ Ἀθήνην,

420ἥ μοι ἐναργὴς ἦλθε θεοῦ ἐς δαῖτα θάλειαν.

404When early-born Dawn appeared, rosy-fingered,

405the Gerenian horseman Nestor rose from his bed.

He went outside and sat on the polished stones

that stood before his high doors,

white stones, gleaming with oil. On these in earlier days

Neleus had sat, a counselor equal to the gods.

410But he had already been overcome by death and gone to Hades;

now Gerenian Nestor, bulwark of the Achaeans, sat there

holding the scepter. His sons gathered in a close group around him,

coming from their rooms: Echephron and Stratius,

Perseus, Aretus, and godlike Thrasymedes.

415After them came the hero Peisistratus, the sixth,

and they brought godlike Telemachus and seated him beside them.

The Gerenian horseman Nestor began to speak:

“Quickly, dear children, fulfill my desire,

so that first among the gods I may win Athena's favor,

420for she came to me in manifest form at the god's rich feast.

421ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ὁ μὲν πεδίονδʼ ἐπὶ βοῦν, ἴτω, ὄφρα τάχιστα

ἔλθῃσιν, ἐλάσῃ δὲ βοῶν ἐπιβουκόλος ἀνήρ·

εἷς δʼ ἐπὶ Τηλεμάχου μεγαθύμου νῆα μέλαιναν

πάντας ἰὼν ἑτάρους ἀγέτω, λιπέτω δὲ δύʼ οἴους·

425εἷς δʼ αὖ χρυσοχόον Λαέρκεα δεῦρο κελέσθω

ἐλθεῖν, ὄφρα βοὸς χρυσὸν κέρασιν περιχεύῃ.

οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι μένετʼ αὐτοῦ ἀολλέες, εἴπατε δʼ εἴσω

δμῳῇσιν κατὰ δώματʼ ἀγακλυτὰ δαῖτα πένεσθαι,

ἕδρας τε ξύλα τʼ ἀμφὶ καὶ ἀγλαὸν οἰσέμεν ὕδωρ.

430ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐποίπνυον. ἦλθε μὲν ἂρ βοῦς

ἐκ πεδίου, ἦλθον δὲ θοῆς παρὰ νηὸς ἐίσης

Τηλεμάχου ἕταροι μεγαλήτορος, ἦλθε δὲ χαλκεὺς

ὅπλʼ ἐν χερσὶν ἔχων χαλκήια, πείρατα τέχνης,

ἄκμονά τε σφῦραν τʼ ἐυποίητόν τε πυράγρην,

435οἷσίν τε χρυσὸν εἰργάζετο· ἦλθε δʼ Ἀθήνη

ἱρῶν ἀντιόωσα. γέρων δʼ ἱππηλάτα Νέστωρ

χρυσὸν ἔδωχʼ· ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα βοὸς κέρασιν περίχευεν

ἀσκήσας, ἵνʼ ἄγαλμα θεὰ κεχάροιτο ἰδοῦσα.

βοῦν δʼ ἀγέτην κεράων Στρατίος καὶ δῖος Ἐχέφρων.

440χέρνιβα δέ σφʼ Ἄρητος ἐν ἀνθεμόεντι λέβητι

ἤλυθεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο φέρων, ἑτέρῃ δʼ ἔχεν οὐλὰς

ἐν κανέῳ πέλεκυν δὲ μενεπτόλεμος Θρασυμήδης

ὀξὺν ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ παρίστατο βοῦν ἐπικόψων.

Περσεὺς δʼ ἀμνίον εἶχε· γέρων δʼ ἱππηλάτα Νέστωρ

445χέρνιβά τʼ οὐλοχύτας τε κατήρχετο, πολλὰ δʼ Ἀθήνῃ

εὔχετʼ ἀπαρχόμενος, κεφαλῆς τρίχας ἐν πυρὶ βάλλων.

421Come, let one of you go to the plain for the cow, so she may

come here quickly, driven by the herdsman who tends the cattle.

Let another go to great-hearted Telemachus' black ship

and bring all his companions, leaving only two behind.

425Let another command the goldsmith Laerces

to come here and pour gold around the cow's horns.

The rest of you remain here together. Tell the enslaved women

inside the splendid house to prepare the feast,

and bring seats, wood for the fire, and shining water.”

430So he spoke, and they all busied themselves. The cow came

from the plain, and from beside the swift balanced ship came

the companions of great-hearted Telemachus. The smith came too,

carrying in his hands his bronze tools, the instruments of his craft:

an anvil, a hammer, and well-made tongs,

435with which he worked the gold. Athena came

to receive the sacrifice. The old horseman Nestor

gave the gold, and the smith poured it around the cow's horns,

working it finely so the goddess would delight at the offering.

Stratius and godlike Echephron led the cow by the horns.

440Aretus came from the chamber carrying lustral water

in a flowered basin; in his other hand he held barley grains

in a basket. Thrasymedes, steadfast in battle, stood by

with a sharp axe in his hand, ready to strike the cow.

Perseus held the bowl. The old horseman Nestor

445began the rite with water and scattered barley, praying long

to Athena as he cut first hairs from the head and cast them into the fire.

447αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ εὔξαντο καὶ οὐλοχύτας προβάλοντο,

αὐτίκα Νέστορος υἱὸς ὑπέρθυμος Θρασυμήδης

ἤλασεν ἄγχι στάς· πέλεκυς δʼ ἀπέκοψε τένοντας

450αὐχενίους, λῦσεν δὲ βοὸς μένος. αἱ δʼ ὀλόλυξαν

θυγατέρες τε νυοί τε καὶ αἰδοίη παράκοιτις

Νέστορος, Εὐρυδίκη, πρέσβα Κλυμένοιο θυγατρῶν.

οἱ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἀνελόντες ἀπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης

ἔσχον· ἀτὰρ σφάξεν Πεισίστρατος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν.

455τῆς δʼ ἐπεὶ ἐκ μέλαν αἷμα ῥύη, λίπε δʼ ὀστέα θυμός,

αἶψʼ ἄρα μιν διέχευαν, ἄφαρ δʼ ἐκ μηρία τάμνον

πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, κατά τε κνίσῃ ἐκάλυψαν

δίπτυχα ποιήσαντες, ἐπʼ αὐτῶν δʼ ὠμοθέτησαν.

καῖε δʼ ἐπὶ σχίζῃς ὁ γέρων, ἐπὶ δʼ αἴθοπα οἶνον

460λεῖβε· νέοι δὲ παρʼ αὐτὸν ἔχον πεμπώβολα χερσίν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μῆρʼ ἐκάη καὶ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο,

μίστυλλόν τʼ ἄρα τἆλλα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειραν,

ὤπτων δʼ ἀκροπόρους ὀβελοὺς ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες.

τόφρα δὲ Τηλέμαχον λοῦσεν καλὴ Πολυκάστη,

465Νέστορος ὁπλοτάτη θυγάτηρ Νηληϊάδαο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ λοῦσέν τε καὶ ἔχρισεν λίπʼ ἐλαίῳ,

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν φᾶρος καλὸν βάλεν ἠδὲ χιτῶνα,

ἔκ ῥʼ ἀσαμίνθου βῆ δέμας ἀθανάτοισιν ὁμοῖος·

πὰρ δʼ ὅ γε Νέστορʼ ἰὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο, ποιμένα λαῶν.

447When they had prayed and thrown the barley grains forward,

Nestor's high-spirited son Thrasymedes

stepped close and struck. The axe cut through the tendons

450of the neck and loosed the cow's strength. The women raised the ritual cry—

Nestor's daughters, his sons' wives, and his honored wife,

Eurydice, eldest of Clymenus' daughters.

The men lifted the cow from the broad-wayed earth

and held her, while Peisistratus, leader of men, cut her throat.

455When the black blood had flowed out and the life left her bones,

they quickly opened her up and at once cut out the thighbones

in the proper way, wrapped them in fat

folded double, and laid raw meat upon them.

The old man burned them over split wood and poured

460the glowing wine; young men beside him held five-pronged forks.

When the thighbones were burned and they had tasted the entrails,

they cut up the rest and threaded the pieces on spits,

then roasted them, holding the pointed spits in their hands.

Meanwhile beautiful Polycaste bathed Telemachus,

465the youngest daughter of Nestor, son of Neleus.

When she had bathed him and rubbed him richly with oil,

she put a fine cloak and tunic around him.

He stepped from the bath with a body like the immortals

and went to sit beside Nestor, shepherd of the people.

470οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ ὤπτησαν κρέʼ ὑπέρτερα καὶ ἐρύσαντο,

δαίνυνθʼ ἑζόμενοι· ἐπὶ δʼ ἀνέρες ἐσθλοὶ ὄροντο

οἶνον οἰνοχοεῦντες ἐνὶ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσιν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

475παῖδες ἐμοί, ἄγε Τηλεμάχῳ καλλίτριχας ἵππους

ζεύξαθʼ ὑφʼ ἅρματʼ ἄγοντες, ἵνα πρήσσῃσιν ὁδοῖο.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο,

καρπαλίμως δʼ ἔζευξαν ὑφʼ ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους.

ἐν δὲ γυνὴ ταμίη σῖτον καὶ οἶνον ἔθηκεν

480ὄψα τε, οἷα ἔδουσι διοτρεφέες βασιλῆες.

470When they had roasted the outer meat and drawn it from the spits,

they sat and feasted. Worthy men attended them,

pouring wine into golden cups.

When they had put away their desire for food and drink,

the Gerenian horseman Nestor began to speak:

475“My sons, bring Telemachus the fine-maned horses

and yoke them beneath the chariot, so he may pursue his journey.”

So he spoke, and they listened closely and obeyed.

They quickly yoked the swift horses beneath the chariot.

The woman steward placed bread and wine inside,

480with delicacies of the kind Zeus-nurtured kings eat.

481ἂν δʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος περικαλλέα βήσετο δίφρον·

πὰρ δʼ ἄρα Νεστορίδης Πεισίστρατος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,

ἐς δίφρον τʼ ἀνέβαινε καὶ ἡνία λάζετο χερσί,

μάστιξεν δʼ ἐλάαν, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην

485ἐς πεδίον, λιπέτην δὲ Πύλου αἰπὺ πτολίεθρον.

οἱ δὲ πανημέριοι σεῖον ζυγὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχοντες.

δύσετό τʼ ἠέλιος σκιόωντό τε πᾶσαι ἀγυιαί,

ἐς Φηρὰς δʼ ἵκοντο Διοκλῆος ποτὶ δῶμα,

υἱέος Ὀρτιλόχοιο, τὸν Ἀλφειὸς τέκε παῖδα.

490ἔνθα δὲ νύκτʼ ἄεσαν, ὁ δὲ τοῖς πὰρ ξείνια θῆκεν.

481Telemachus climbed into the splendid chariot.

Peisistratus, Nestor's son and a leader of men,

mounted beside him and took the reins in his hands.

He flicked the whip to drive, and the pair flew willingly

485out onto the plain, leaving the steep-built city of Pylos.

All day long they shook the yoke they bore between them.

The sun went down and all the streets grew shadowed.

They reached Pherae and the house of Diocles,

son of Ortilochus, whom Alpheius fathered.

490There they spent the night, and he served them a guest-meal.

491ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

ἵππους τε ζεύγνυντʼ ἀνά θʼ ἅρματα ποικίλʼ ἔβαινον·

ἐκ δʼ ἔλασαν προθύροιο καὶ αἰθούσης ἐριδούπου·

μάστιξεν δʼ ἐλάαν, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην.

495ἷξον δʼ ἐς πεδίον πυρηφόρον, ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτα

ἦνον ὁδόν· τοῖον γὰρ ὑπέκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι.

δύσετό τʼ ἠέλιος σκιόωντό τε πᾶσαι ἀγυιαί.

491When early-born Dawn appeared, rosy-fingered,

they harnessed the horses and mounted the ornate chariot.

They drove out through the gateway and echoing portico.

Peisistratus flicked the whip to drive, and the pair flew willingly.

495They reached the wheat-bearing plain, and there

covered the road, so swiftly did the horses bear them onward.

The sun went down and all the streets grew shadowed.