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."