him. But when he was now immediately about to come to the lofty mountain of the Maleans, then at length, the storm snatching him away bore him along, mourning greatly, through the fishy sea, to the extreme part of the country, where Thyestes before dwelt in his house, but then Ægisthus, son of Thyestes, dwelt there. But when his return from thence at length appeared safe, and the gods turned the wind back, and they came home, he indeed rejoicing stept on his paternal land, and touching his country kissed it; and many warm tears were shed by him, as he gladly beheld his land.22 The spy indeed saw him from a place of look-out, whom craftycounselling Ægisthus having led, had seated there; and he promised him two talents of gold as a reward. And he watched for a year, lest coming he [Agamemnon] should escape him, and be mindful of doughty valour. And he hastened to tell it at the house of the shepherd of the people; and Ægisthus immediately planned a deceitful stratagem. Having chosen out of the people twenty of the most excellent men, he set them in ambush, and elsewhere he ordered a banquet to be prepared. But he himself went to invite Agamemnon, the shepherd of the people, with horses and chariots, meditating disgraceful deeds. Entertaining him at a banquet he led him unawares to death, and slew him, as if any one has slain an ox at its manger. Nor was any one left of the companions of the son of Atreus, who had followed him, nor any one of those of Ægisthus; but they were [all] slain in the palace.'

"Thus he spoke; but my heart was broken: and sitting on the sands I wept; nor did my heart desire to live any longer and behold the light of the sun. But when I was satiated with weeping, and rolling myself [on the ground], then the unerring old man of the sea addressed me. 'No longer, O son of Atreus, weep thus for a long time without ceasing, since we shall not find any profit from it; but try as quickly as possible, by what means thou mayest now reach thy paternal land. For thou wilt either find him 23 alive; or Orestes being before-hand has slain him; but thou wilt be present at the burial feast.' "Thus he spoke. But my heart and noble mind was again delighted in my breast, although I was sorrowful; and ad

22 Perhaps Eschylus conceived the beautiful speech of the herald (Agam. 516, sqq.) from this passage.

23 Ægisthus.

dressing him I spoke winged words. 'These indeed I know; but do thou name the third man, who is still detained alive in the wide sea, or dead; for I wish although grieving to hear].'

"Thus I spoke; but he answering again addressed me: 'The son of Laertes, who inhabits dwellings in Ithaca: him I saw in an island, shedding the moist tear, in the palace of the nymph Calypso, who detains him by necessity; nor is he able to come to his paternal land: for he has not ships fitted with oars, and companions who may conduct him over the wide back of the sea. But for thee, O noble Menelaus, it is not decreed by the gods to die, and meet with thy fate in horse-pasturing Argos; but the immortals will send you to the Elysian plain, and the boundaries of the earth, (where is auburn-haired Rhadamanthus, there of a truth is the most easy life for men. There is nor snow, nor long winter, nor ever a shower, but ever does the ocean send forth the gently blowing breezes of the west wind, to refresh men ;) because you possess Helen, and are the son-in-law of Jove.'

"Thus having spoken, he plunged beneath the billowy sea. But I went to my ships together with my godlike companions; and my heart was troubled much as I went. But when we came to our ship and to the sea, and prepared supper, and ambrosial night came on, then we slept on the shore of the sea. But when the mother of dawn, rosy-fingered morning, appeared, first of all we drew our ships into the divine sea, and placed the masts and sails in the equal ships; and they embarking sat on the benches, and sitting in order smote the hoary wave with their oars. And I brought the ships back to the waters of Egypt, to the river filled by Jove, and I offered up perfect hecatombs. But when I had appeased the anger of the gods who exist for ever, I built a tomb for Agamemnon, that his renown 24 might be inextinguishable. Having performed these things, I returned; for the immortals, who sent me quickly to my dear country, gave me a prosperous gale. But come now, remain in my palace until the eleventh or twelfth day; and then I will send thee [away] well, and will give thee splendid presents, three horses and a well-polished chariot; but furthermore I will give thee a beautiful cup, that 24 "That my fame"!! is the version of the old translator, according to his usual taste and judgment.

thou mayest make libations to the immortal gods, mindful of me all thy days."

But him prudent Telemachus answered in turn: "O son of Atreus, do not now detain me here a long time. For indeed I could endure to sit with thee for a year, nor would a regret for home and for my parents possess me; for I am very much delighted at hearing thy words and discourse. But now my companions in divine Pylos are wearied; and thou art detaining me here for a long time. But let the present, whatever thou wouldst have given me, be some furniture: for I will not take horses to Ithaca, but will leave them here as an ornament for thee; for thou rulest over the wide plain, in which there is abundance of lotus, and cypress, and wheat, and rye, and wide-springing white barley. But in Ithaca there are neither wide courses, nor is there any meadow: it is fit for feeding goats, although 25 it is more pleasant [to me] than [a land] that pastures horses. For there is not any of the islands, which are shut up by the sea, fit for driving horses, or that has good meadows; and above all Ithaca."

Thus he spoke; but Menelaus strenuous in the din of battle smiled, and stroken him down by the hand, and spoke and addressed him: "Thou art of a good race, my son, such words dost thou say. Wherefore I will change these things for you; for I am able. But of presents, whatever effects lie in my house, I will give thee that which is most beautiful and most valuable. I will give thee a wrought cup; and it is all silver, but the lips are worked with gold. It is the work of Vulcan; but the hero Phædimus, king of the Sidonians, gave it, when his house covered me being about to return from thence; but I wish to give this to thee."

Thus they indeed spoke such things to one another; but the banqueters had gone to the dwelling of the divine king; and they led forth sheep, and brought heartening wine; and their wives with beautiful fillets brought bread for them. Thus they were arranging about supper in the palace.

But the suitors before the palace of Ulysses were delighted

25 The explanation of this passage is due to Loewe, who alone has seen that rai is equivalent to quamvis, the sense being, "Ithaca sana non est locus equis pascendis bene inserviens, quamvis sit longe gratior mihi quam terra equos pascens, sc. tanquam terra quæ me genuit, quæ me aluit."

with quoits and hurling small javelins on a worked pavement, where before they practised their insolence. But Antinous and godlike Eurymachus, chiefs of the suitors, had sat down, for they were by far the best in virtue. To them Noemon, son of Phronius, coming near, inquiring of Antinous with words addressed them: "Do we then know any thing in our minds, or not, O Antinous, when Telemachus returns from sandy Pylos? He has gone having taken my ship; but I have need of it, to pass over to wide-wayed Elis, where I have twelve mares, and under them untamed mules patient in toil: some one of which I would by driving subdue."

Thus he spoke; but they were astonished in their mind; for they did not suppose that he was gone to Nelean Pylos, but was present some where there in the country, or amongst the sheep, or with the swineherd.

Antinous, the son of Eupithes, immediately addressed him: "Tell me unerringly, where did he go, and what youths chosen from Ithaca followed him? Are they his own hired men and servants? And could he accomplish this? And tell me this truly, that I may know well, whether did he take away thy black ship by force against thy will, or didst thou give it him willingly, when he kindly addressed thee with words?"

But him Noemon, the son of Phronius, addressed in turn : "I gave it him willingly. What would another do, when such a man, having cares in his mind, should beg him? It would be difficult indeed to deny a gift. But those youths follow him, who excel amongst us in the people: and I perceived Mentor, or some god, (but he was in all respects like him,) embarking as captain. But I marvel at this. I saw divine Mentor here yesterday in the morning; but at that time he embarked in the ship to Pylos." Thus having spoken, he went to the house of his father. But the noble mind of both 26 of these was astonished: and the suitors sat together, and ceased their games. But Antinous, son of Eupithes, grieving, spoke amongst them; for his darkened thoughts were very much filled with rage, and his eyes were like unto shining fire.

"O gods! a great work indeed has been most daringly performed, this voyage of Telemachus; we said that it would not be accomplished by him. Against the will of so many of us, a young boy has gone away at random, having drawn out 26 Antinous and Eurymachus.

a ship, and having chosen out the best amongst the people. He will begin to be even a further evil; but may Jupiter destroy his might, before he begets harm for us. But come,

give me a swift ship and twenty companions, that I may lie in ambush for him, and watch him as he is returning, in the strait of Ithaca and rugged Samos; so that to his sorrow he may sail for the sake of his father.'

Thus he spoke; and they all praised and urged him [to go]: immediately then rising they went into the house of Ulysses; nor was Penelope long without hearing their words, which the suitors meditated deeply in their minds. For the herald Medon told it her, who heard their counsels, being outside the hall; but they had planned their counsel secretly. He was hastening through the house to tell it to Penelope; but as he was crossing the threshold Penelope addressed him.

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"O herald, why have the illustrious suitors sent thee forward? Is it that thou mayest tell the handmaidens of divine Ulysses to cease from their employments, and prepare a feast for them? Would that, not wooing me, nor keeping company any where else, they would now sup here for the last and most extreme time. Ye who, assembled together, consume much livelihood, the possession of prudent Telemachus, have ye not before heard from your fathers, when ye were children, what a man was Ulysses amongst your parents, neither treating any one unjustly, nor speaking aught amongst the people, which is the custom of divine kings; in that one may hate some mortals, and may love others. But he never

at all treated a man unjustly: but your mind and disgraceful deeds are apparent, nor is there any gratitude afterwards for benefits."

Medon, acquainted with prudent things, addressed her in turn: "I would indeed, O queen, this may be the worst evil, but the suitors are planning another much greater, and more grievous, which may not the son of Saturn accomplish: they desire to kill Telemachus with the sharp brass, as he is returning home; but he has gone for news of his father to sacred Pylos, and to divine Lacedæmon."

Thus he spoke; and her knees and heart were loosed; and speechlessness seized her for a long time: and her eyes were filled with tears, and her full voice was checked. But at length answering him with words she addressed him: "O