Amid such talk as this, with many a brave story "of moving accidents
by flood and field," and many a pithy saw from the white-haired
Nestor, who had lived so long and seen so much, the hours glided
swiftly by, and the red sun was stooping to the horizon when Mentor
rose from his seat and said: "We must be going; the hour of rest is at
hand, and to-morrow we have far to go."
"Tarry yet a little," said Nestor, "and eat a morsel and drink a cup
with us. And after that, if ye are fain to sleep, ye shall have fit
lodging in my house. Heaven forbid that I should suffer such guests as
you to sleep on the cold deck, covered with dew, as if I were some
needy wretch, with never a blanket to spare for a friend. May the gods
preserve me from such a reproach!"
"Thou sayest well," answered Mentor, "and Telemachus shall be thy
guest to-night. But for me, I pray thee have me excused. My place is
on the ship, that I may give an eye to the crew, for I am the only man
of experience among them. And to-morrow I must go to Elis, to recover
a debt of long standing due to me there. I leave Telemachus to thy
care, that thou mayest cherish him and speed him on his way."
As he said these words, while all eyes were fixed upon him, the
speaker vanished from sight, and in his stead a great sea-eagle rose
into the air, and sped westwards towards the setting sun. Long they
sat speechless and amazed, and Nestor was the first to break the
silence. "Great things are in store for thee, my son," said he to
Telemachus, "since thou keepest such company thus early in life. This
was none other than Jove's mighty daughter, Athene, who honoured thy
father so highly among the Greeks. Be gracious to us, our queen, and
let thy blessing rest on me and on my house! and I will offer to thee
a yearling heifer, that hath never felt the yoke. To thee will I
sacrifice her, when I have made gilt her horns with gold."
Then Nestor led the way to his house, and Telemachus sat down with him
and his sons in the hall. And they filled a bowl with wine eleven
years old, exceeding choice, which was reserved for honoured guests.
And after they had finished the bowl, and offered prayer to Athene,
they parted for the night. For Telemachus a bed was prepared in the
portico, and close by him slept Pisistratus, the youngest of Nestor's
sons.
When Telemachus rose next morning he found his host already afoot,
giving orders to his sons to prepare the sacrifice to Athene. One was
sent to fetch the heifer, another to summon the goldsmith, and a third
to bring up the crew of Telemachus' ship, while the rest busied
themselves in raising the altar and making all ready for the
sacrifice.
Presently the heifer was driven lowing into the courtyard, and the
goldsmith followed with the instruments of his art. Nestor gave him
gold, and the smith beat it into thin leaf with his hammer, and laid
it skilfully over the horns of the heifer. A handmaid brought pure
water, and barley-meal in a basket, while one of Nestor's sons stood
ready with an axe, and another held a bowl to catch the blood. Then
Nestor dipped his hands in the water, took barley-meal from the basket
and sprinkled it on the head of the beast, and cutting a tuft of hair
from the forehead cast it into the fire. The prayer was spoken, and
all due rites being ended he who held the axe smote the heifer on the
head, just behind the horns. The women raised the sacrificial cry as
the heifer dropped to the ground; and next they whose office it was
lifted up the victim's head, and Pisistratus cut the throat. When the
last quiver of life was over they flayed the carcass, cut strips of
flesh from the thighs, and enveloping them in fat, burnt them on the
altar. The gods had now their share of the feast; the rest was cut
into slices, and broiled over the live embers.
While the meal was preparing, Telemachus enjoyed the refreshment of a
bath; and Polycaste, the youngest of Nestor's daughters, waited on
him; for such was the patriarchal simplicity of those days. When he
had bathed, and finished his morning meal, the chariot was brought
out, and a strong pair of horses led under the yoke. And the
house-dame came with a basket, loaded with wine and delicate viands,
and placed it behind the seat. Telemachus took his place by the side
of Pisistratus, who was to drive the horses; the last farewells were
spoken, Pisistratus cracked his whip, and away they went under the
echoing gateway, and on through the streets of Pylos.
[Illustration: Telemachus departing from Nestor]
That night they slept at the house of a friend, and early next day
they continued their journey. The way grew steep and difficult, great
masses of mountains rose near at hand, and at length they entered a
wide valley, covered with waving fields of corn. By sunset they
reached the end of their journey, and drew up before the stately
portals of King Menelaus.