《奥德修记》-31

are shabby."And Eumaeus answered, "Old man, you have told us an excellent story,and have said nothing so far but what is quite satisfactory; for thepresent, therefore, you shall want neither clothing nor anythingelse that a stranger in distress may reasonably expect, butto-morrow morning you have to shake your own old rags about yourbody again, for we have not many spare cloaks nor shirts up here,but every man has only one. When Ulysses' son comes home again he willgive you both cloak and shirt, and send you wherever you may want togo."With this he got up and made a bed for Ulysses by throwing somegoatskins and sheepskins on the ground in front of the fire. HereUlysses lay down, and Eumaeus covered him over with a great heavycloak that he kept for a change in case of extraordinarily badweather.Thus did Ulysses sleep, and the young men slept beside him. Butthe swineherd did not like sleeping away from his pigs, so he gotready to go and Ulysses was glad to see that he looked after hisproperty during his master's absence. First he slung his sword overhis brawny shoulders and put on a thick cloak to keep out the wind. Healso took the skin of a large and well fed goat, and a javelin in caseof attack from men or dogs. Thus equipped he went to his rest wherethe pigs were camping under an overhanging rock that gave them shelterfrom the North wind.BOOK XV.BUT Minerva went to the fair city of Lacedaemon to tell Ulysses' sonthat he was to return at once. She found him and Pisistratussleeping in the forecourt of Menelaus's house; Pisistratus was fastasleep, but Telemachus could get no rest all night for thinking of hisunhappy father, so Minerva went close up to him and said:"Telemachus, you should not remain so far away from home any longer,nor leave your property with such dangerous people in your house; theywill eat up everything you have among them, and you will have beenon a fool's errand. Ask Menelaus to send you home at once if youwish to find your excellent mother still there when you get back.Her father and brothers are already urging her to marry Eurymachus,who has given her more than any of the others, and has been greatlyincreasing his wedding presents. I hope nothing valuable may have beentaken from the house in spite of you, but you know what women are-they always want to do the best they can for the man who marries them,and never give another thought to the children of their first husband,nor to their father either when he is dead and done with. Go home,therefore, and put everything in charge of the most respectablewoman servant that you have, until it shall please heaven to sendyou a wife of your own. Let me tell you also of another matter whichyou had better attend to. The chief men among the suitors are lying inwait for you in the Strait between Ithaca and Samos, and they meanto kill you before you can reach home. I do not much think they willsucceed; it is more likely that some of those who are now eating upyour property will find a grave themselves. Sail night and day, andkeep your ship well away from the islands; the god who watches overyou and protects you will send you a fair wind. As soon as you getto Ithaca send your ship and men on to the town, but yourself gostraight to the swineherd who has charge your pigs; he is welldisposed towards you, stay with him, therefore, for the night, andthen send him to Penelope to tell her that you have got back safe fromPylos."Then she went back to Olympus; but Telemachus stirred Pisistratuswith his heel to rouse him, and said, "Wake up Pisistratus, and yokethe horses to the chariot, for we must set off home."But Pisistratus said, "No matter what hurry we are in we cannotdrive in the dark. It will be morning soon; wait till Menelaus hasbrought his presents and put them in the chariot for us; and let himsay good-bye to us in the usual way. So long as he lives a guestshould never forget a host who has shown him kindness."As he spoke day began to break, and Menelaus, who had already risen,leaving Helen in bed, came towards them. When Telemachus saw him heput on his shirt as fast as he could, threw a great cloak over hisshoulders, and went out to meet him. "Menelaus," said he, "let me goback now to my own country, for I want to get home."And Menelaus answered, "Telemachus, if you insist on going I willnot detain you. not like to see a host either too fond of his guest ortoo rude to him. Moderation is best in all things, and not letting aman go when he wants to do so is as bad as telling him to go if hewould like to stay. One should treat a guest well as long as he isin the house and speed him when he wants to leave it. Wait, then, tillI can get your beautiful presents into your chariot, and till you haveyourself seen them. I will tell the women to prepare a sufficientdinner for you of what there may be in the house; it will be at oncemore proper and cheaper for you to get your dinner before settingout on such a long journey. If, moreover, you have a fancy formaking a tour in Hellas or in the Peloponnese, I will yoke myhorses, and will conduct you myself through all our principalcities. No one will send us away empty handed; every one will giveus something- a bronze tripod, a couple of mules, or a gold cup.""Menelaus," replied Telemachus, "I want to go home at once, for whenI came away I left my property without protection, and fear that whilelooking for my father I shall come to ruin myself, or find thatsomething valuable has been stolen during my absence."When Menelaus heard this he immediately told his wife and servantsto prepare a sufficient dinner from what there might be in thehouse. At this moment Eteoneus joined him, for he lived close by andhad just got up; so Menelaus told him to light the fire and cooksome meat, which he at once did. Then Menelaus went down into hisfragrant store room, not alone, but Helen went too, withMegapenthes. When he reached the place where the treasures of hishouse were kept, he selected a double cup, and told his sonMegapenthes to bring also a silver mixing-bowl. Meanwhile Helen wentto the chest where she kept the lovely dresses which she had made withher own hands, and took out one that was largest and mostbeautifully enriched with embroidery; it glittered like a star, andlay at the very bottom of the chest. Then they all came back throughthe house again till they got to Telemachus, and Menelaus said,"Telemachus, may Jove, the mighty husband of Juno, bring you safelyhome according to your desire. I will now present you with thefinest and most precious piece of plate in all my house. It is amixing-bowl of pure silver, except the rim, which is inlaid with gold,and it is the work of Vulcan. Phaedimus king of the Sidonians mademe a present of it in the course of a visit that I paid him while Iwas on my return home. I should like to give it to you."With these words he placed the double cup in the hands ofTelemachus, while Megapenthes brought the beautiful mixing-bowl andset it before him. Hard by stood lovely Helen with the robe ready inher hand."I too, my son," said she, "have something for you as a keepsakefrom the hand of Helen; it is for your bride to wear upon herwedding day. Till then, get your dear mother to keep it for you;thus may you go back rejoicing to your own country and to your home."So saying she gave the robe over to him and he received it gladly.Then Pisistratus put the presents into the chariot, and admired themall as he did so. Presently Menelaus took Telemachus and Pisistratusinto the house, and they both of them sat down to table. A maidservant brought them water in a beautiful golden ewer, and poured itinto a silver basin for them to wash their hands, and she drew a cleantable beside them; an upper servant brought them bread and offeredthem many good things of what there was in the house. Eteoneuscarved the meat and gave them each their portions, while Megapenthespoured out the wine. Then they laid their hands upon the good thingsthat were before them, but as soon as they had had had enough to eatand drink Telemachus and Pisistratus yoked the horses, and tooktheir places in the chariot. They drove out through the innergateway and under the echoing gatehouse of the outer court, andMenelaus came after them with a golden goblet of wine in his righthand that they might make a drink-offering before they set out. Hestood in front of the horses and pledged them, saying, "Farewell toboth of you; see that you tell Nestor how I have treated you, for hewas as kind to me as any father could be while we Achaeans werefighting before Troy.""We will be sure, sir," answered Telemachus, "to tell him everythingas soon as we see him. I wish I were as certain of finding Ulyssesreturned when I get back to Ithaca, that I might tell him of thevery great kindness you have shown me and of the many beautifulpresents I am taking with me."As he was thus speaking a bird flew on his right hand- an eagle witha great white goose in its talons which it had carried off from thefarm yard- and all the men and women were running after it andshouting. It came quite close up to them and flew away on theirright hands in front of the horses. When they saw it they were glad,and their hearts took comfort within them, whereon Pisistratus said,"Tell me, Menelaus, has heaven sent this omen for us or for you?"Menelaus was thinking what would be the most proper answer for himto make, but Helen was too quick for him and said, "I will read thismatter as heaven has put it in my heart, and as I doubt not that itwill come to pass. The eagle came from the mountain where it wasbred and has its nest, and in like manner Ulysses, after havingtravelled far and suffered much, will return to take his revenge- ifindeed he is not back already and hatching mischief for the suitors.""May Jove so grant it," replied Telemachus; "if it should prove tobe so, I will make vows to you as though you were a god, even when Iam at home."As he spoke he lashed his horses and they started off at fullspeed through the town towards the open country. They swayed theyoke upon their necks and travelled the whole day long till the sunset and darkness was over all the land. Then they reached Pherae,where Diocles lived who was son of Ortilochus, the son of Alpheus.There they passed the night and were treated hospitably. When thechild of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, they again yoked theirhorses and their places in the chariot. They drove out through theinner gateway and under the echoing gatehouse of the outer court. ThenPisistratus lashed his horses on and they flew forward nothingloath; ere long they came to Pylos, and then Telemachus said:"Pisistratus, I hope you will promise to do what I am going to askyou. You know our fathers were old friends before us; moreover, we areboth of an age, and this journey has brought us together still moreclosely; do not, therefore, take me past my ship, but leave methere, for if I go to your father's house he will try to keep me inthe warmth of his good will towards me, and I must go home at once."Pisistratus thought how he should do as he was asked, and in the endhe deemed it best to turn his horses towards the ship, and putMenelaus's beautiful presents of gold and raiment in the stern ofthe vessel. Then he said, "Go on board at once and tell your men to doso also before I can reach home to tell my father. I know howobstinate he is, and am sure he will not let you go; he will come downhere to fetch you, and he will not go back without you. But he will bevery angry."With this he drove his goodly steeds back to the city of the Pyliansand soon reached his home, but Telemachus called the men togetherand gave his orders. "Now, my men," said he, "get everything inorder on board the ship, and let us set out home."Thus did he speak, and they went on board even as he had said. Butas Telemachus was thus busied, praying also and sacrificing to Minervain the ship's stern, there came to him a man from a distant country, a