The Odyssey of Homer - Homer

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him thus bespake. Telemachus! already at their oars Sit all thy fellow-voyagers, and wait 520 Thy coming; linger not, but haste away. This said, Minerva led him thence, whom he With nimble steps follow’d, and on the shore Arrived, found all his mariners prepared, Whom thus the princely voyager address’d. Haste, my companions! bring we down the stores Already sorted and set forth; but nought My mother knows, or any of her train Of this design, one matron sole except. He spake, and led them; they, obedient, brought 530 All down, and, as Ulysses’ son enjoin’d, Within the gallant bark the charge bestow’d. Then, led by Pallas, went the prince on board, Where down they sat, the Goddess in the stern, And at her side Telemachus. The crew Cast loose the hawsers, and embarking, fill’d The benches. Blue-eyed Pallas from the West Call’d forth propitious breezes; fresh they curled The sable Deep, and, sounding, swept the waves. He loud-exhorting them, his people bade 540 Hand, brisk, the tackle; they, obedient, reared The pine-tree mast, which in its socket deep They lodg’d, then strain’d the cordage, and with thongs Well-twisted, drew the shining sail aloft. A land-breeze fill’d the canvas, and the flood Roar’d as she went against the steady bark That ran with even course her liquid way. The rigging, thus, of all the galley set, Their beakers crowning high with wine, they hail’d The ever-living Gods, but above all 550 Minerva, daughter azure-eyed of Jove. Thus, all night long the galley, and till dawn Had brighten’d into day, cleaved swift the flood.

       Table of Contents

       Table of Contents

      Telemachus arriving at Pylus, enquires of Nestor concerning Ulysses. Nestor relates to him all that he knows or has heard of the Greecians since their departure from the siege of Troy, but not being able to give him any satisfactory account of Ulysses, refers him to Menelaus. At evening Minerva quits Telemachus, but discovers herself in going. Nestor sacrifices to the Goddess, and the solemnity ended, Telemachus sets forth for Sparta in one of Nestor’s chariots, and accompanied by Nestor’s son, Pisistratus.

      The sun, emerging from the lucid waves,

       Ascended now the brazen vault with light

       For the inhabitants of earth and heav’n,

       When in their bark at Pylus they arrived,

       City of Neleus. On the shore they found

       The people sacrificing; bulls they slew

       Black without spot, to Neptune azure-hair’d.

       On ranges nine of seats they sat; each range

       Received five hundred, and to each they made

       Allotment equal of nine sable bulls. 10

       The feast was now begun; these eating sat

       The entrails, those stood off’ring to the God

       The thighs, his portion, when the Ithacans

       Push’d right ashore, and, furling close the sails,

       And making fast their moorings, disembark’d.

       Forth came Telemachus, by Pallas led,

       Whom thus the Goddess azure-eyed address’d.

       Telemachus! there is no longer room

       For bashful fear, since thou hast cross’d the flood

       With purpose to enquire what land conceals 20

       Thy father, and what fate hath follow’d him.

       Advance at once to the equestrian Chief

       Nestor, within whose bosom lies, perhaps,

       Advice well worthy of thy search; entreat

       Himself, that he will tell thee only truth,

       Who will not lye, for he is passing wise.

       To whom Telemachus discrete replied.

       Ah Mentor! how can I advance, how greet

       A Chief like him, unpractis’d as I am

       In manag’d phrase? Shame bids the youth beware 30

       How he accosts the man of many years.

       But him the Goddess answer’d azure-eyed,

       Telemachus! Thou wilt, in part, thyself

       Fit speech devise, and heav’n will give the rest;

       For thou wast neither born, nor hast been train’d

       To manhood, under unpropitious Pow’rs.

       So saying, Minerva led him thence, whom he

       With nimble steps attending, soon arrived

       Among the multitude. There Nestor sat,

       And Nestor’s sons, while, busily the feast 40

       Tending, his num’rous followers roasted, some,

       The viands, some, transfix’d them with the spits.

       They seeing guests arrived, together all

       Advanced, and, grasping courteously their hands,

       Invited them to sit; but first, the son

       Of Nestor, young Pisistratus, approach’d,

       Who, fast’ning on the hands of both, beside

       The banquet placed them, where the beach was spread

       With fleeces, and where Thrasymedes sat

       His brother, and the hoary Chief his Sire. 50

       To each a portion of the inner parts

       He gave, then fill’d a golden cup with wine,

       Which, tasted first, he to the daughter bore

       Of Jove the Thund’rer, and her thus bespake.

       Oh guest! the King of Ocean now adore!

       For ye have chanced on Neptune’s festival;

       And, when thou hast, thyself, libation made

       Duly, and pray’r, deliver to thy friend

       The gen’rous juice, that he may also make

       Libation; for he, doubtless, seeks, in prayer 60

       The Immortals, of whose favour all have need.

       But, since he younger is, and with myself

       Coeval, first I give the cup to thee.

       He ceas’d, and to her hand consign’d the cup,

       Which Pallas gladly from a youth received

       So just and wise, who to herself had first

       The golden cup presented, and in pray’r

       Fervent the Sov’reign of the Seas adored.

       Hear, earth-encircler Neptune! O vouchsafe

       To us thy suppliants the desired effect 70

       Of this our voyage; glory, first, bestow

       On Nestor and his offspring both, then grant

       To all the Pylians such a gracious boon

       As shall requite their noble off’ring well.

       Grant also to Telemachus and me

       To voyage hence, possess’d of what we sought

       When hither in our sable bark we came.

       So Pallas pray’d, and

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