I
So all night long the ship clave her way; and at sunrise they reached
the flat, sandy coast of Pylos. There they found a great multitude
assembled, keeping the feast of Poseidon with sacrifices of oxen. The
solemn rite was nearly ended when they brought their vessel to land.
"Courage, now," said Mentor to Telemachus, seeing the young lad
somewhat abashed by the presence of so large a company. "Remember whom
thou seekest, and lay thy modest scruples aside. Thou seest that
venerable man, still tall and erect, though he numbers more than a
hundred years. That is Nestor, son of Neleus, wisest of the Greeks, a
king and the friend and counsellor of kings. Go straight to him, and
tell him thy errand."
Seeing Telemachus, who was a homebred youth, still hanging back, in
dread of that august presence, Mentor renewed his friendly
remonstrances, "What, still tongue-tied?" he said, taking him by the
arm, and leading him forward. "Heaven mend thy wits, poor lad! Knowest
thou not that thou art a child of great hopes, and a favourite of
heaven?"
When they came to the place where Nestor was seated with his sons,
they found them busy preparing the feast which followed the sacrifice.
As soon as those of Nestor's company saw the strangers they came
forward in a body to greet them, and made them sit down in places of
honour, where soft fleeces were heaped up on the level sand. A youth,
about the same age as Telemachus, placed a goblet of gold in Mentor's
hand, and gave him that portion of the flesh which was set apart as an
offering to the gods. "Welcome, friend," he said, after pledging him
from the cup. "Put up thy prayer with us to the lord Poseidon, for it
is to his feast that ye have come. And when thou hast prayed, give the
cup to thy young companion, who has been bred, methinks, as I have, to
deeds of piety."
Mentor first asked a blessing on their hosts, and then prayed for a
prosperous issue to their own adventure. After him Telemachus uttered
his prayer in similar words, and then they all sat down to meat. When
they had finished, Nestor looked earnestly at them, and asked them who
they were, and what was the purpose of their journey. "Are ye
merchants," he said, "or bold buccaneers, who roam the seas, a peril
to others, and ever in peril themselves?"
Telemachus, cheered by good fare, and encouraged by the kind manner of
Nestor, answered confidently, and explained the nature of his errand.
"Concerning all the other Greeks," he added, "we know at least the
manner of their death; but even this poor comfort is denied to the
wife and son of Odysseus. Therefore, if thou hast aught to tell, I
beseech thee by thy friendship with my father, let me know all, and
soften not the tale, out of kindness or pity to me."
"Ah! my friend," answered Nestor. "What woeful memories thou hast
awakened by thy words!--perils by land and perils by water, long years
of siege and battle, sleepless nights and toilsome days. Ill-fated
land of Troy! the grave of Grecian chivalry! There lies heroic Ajax,
there lies Achilles, and Patroclus, sage in counsel, and there lies
Antilochus, my own dear son, fleet of foot and strong of hand. And art
thou indeed the son of Odysseus, whom none could match in craft and
strategy? But why do I ask? When thou speakest, I seem to hear the
very tones of his voice. He was my friend, one with me in mind and
heart, and during all the time of the siege we took counsel together
for the weal of Greece. But when the war was over disasters came thick
and fast upon the host. And first, division arose between the two sons
of Atreus; Agamemnon wished to abide in Troy until sacrifice had been
offered to appease the anger of Athene, but Menelaus advised immediate
departure. The party of Menelaus, of whom I was one, launched their
ships and sailed to Tenedos; there Odysseus, who had set sail with us,
put back to the mainland of Asia, wishing to do a favour to Agamemnon.
But I, and Diomede with me, set forth at once, and, crossing the sea
from Lesbos, came to Euboea; thence, after sacrifice to Poseidon, I
steered due south, and parting from Diomede at Argos continued my
voyage, and landed safe in Pylos. Thus it happened that I was not
witness of the good or evil fortunes of the other Greeks on their
voyage home, and know only by rumour how they fared. Of Agamemnon's
fate thou hast surely heard thyself, how he was murdered on his own
hearth by the treachery of Ægisthus, and how the murder was avenged by
Orestes. Happy the father who has such a son! And such, methinks, art
thou."
"Ay," answered Telemachus, when Nestor had finished his long story, "I
have heard of that glorious deed; and would to heaven that by the
might of my hands I might so take vengeance on the evil men who have
come to woo my mother, and who fill my house with injury and outrage."
"Ah! thou hast reminded me," said Nestor. "I heard of the shameful
wrong which thou hast suffered. But do not despair! Who knows but that
Odysseus will yet return, and make them drink the cup which they have
filled? It may well come to pass, if Athene continues to thy house the
favour which she showed thy father, plain for all eyes to see, in the
land of Troy."
"Nay, 'tis too much to hope," answered Telemachus with a sigh, "the
thing is too hard--even a god could hardly bring it to pass."
"Now out on thy faint heart!" cried Mentor, who hitherto had sat
silent. "Better for him that his homecoming should be long delayed
than that he should have died, like Agamemnon, fresh from his victory.
Heaven will guide him yet to his own door, though now he be at the
uttermost parts of the earth."
Telemachus shook his head as he answered: "No more of that, I pray
thee; it can never be." Then, addressing Nestor, he said: "I would
fain ask thee more concerning the manner of Agamemnon's death. Where
was Menelaus when that foul deed was done? And how did Ægisthus
contrive to slay a man mightier far than himself?"
"Thou askest well," replied Nestor. "Menelaus was far away, or we
should have another tale to tell. And had the return of Menelaus not
been delayed, vengeance would have been forestalled by many years.
Yea, the dogs would have eaten the flesh of that vile churl, and not a
tear would have been shed for him. But this is how it fell out: while
we were toiling and warring at Troy, Ægisthus sat close to the ear of
Clytæmnestra, Agamemnon's wife, and poured sweet poison into her mind.
For a long while she refused to hearken to his base proposals, for she
was of a good understanding, and moreover there was ever at her side a
minstrel, into whose care Agamemnon had given her when he went to
Troy. But Ægisthus seized upon the minstrel, and left him on a desert
island to be devoured by carrion birds. Then Clytæmnestra yielded to
his suit, and he brought her to his own house.
"But as to thy question concerning Menelaus, he left Troy in my
company, as I told thee, and we sailed together as far as Sunium.
There Menelaus lost his steersman, who was visited by Apollo with
sudden death, as he sat by the helm; so he remained there to bury his
comrade. But his misfortunes were not yet over; for when he reached
the steep headland at Malea a violent storm arose, and parted his
fleet. Some of his ships ran into Crete for shelter, while he himself
was carried away to Egypt, where he remained many days, and gathered
store of wealth.
"Now thou understandest why Ægisthus was able to work his will on
Agamemnon, and why he escaped vengeance so long. For seven years he
sat on the throne of golden Mycenæ, and grievously oppressed the
people. But in the eighth year came Orestes, and cut him off in the
fulness of his sin; and on that very day Menelaus came to him, loaded
with the treasures of Egypt.
"Far and long had he wandered; but so do not thou, my child. Leave not
thy house unguarded, while so many foes are gathered against thee,
lest when thou return thou find thyself stripped of all. But to
Menelaus I would have thee go; him thou must by all means consult; for
who knows what he may have learnt on that wondrous voyage? Vast is the
space of water over which he has travelled, not to be measured in one
year by a bird in her speediest flight. If thou wilt, thou canst go to
Sparta in thy ship, or if thou choose to go by land, my chariots and
my horses are thine for this service, and my sons shall guide you on
the way."