her, filled with dressed yarn, and across it was laid a distaff
charged with wool of violet blue. So Helen sat her down in the
chair, and beneath was a footstool for the feet."

When the host and guests begin to weep the ready tears of the heroic
age over the sorrows of the past, and dread of the dim future, Helen
comforts them with a magical potion.

"Then Helen, daughter of Zeus, turned to new thoughts. Presently she
cast a drug into the wine whereof they drank, a drug to lull all pain
and anger, and bring forgetfulness of every sorrow. Whoso should
drink a draught thereof, when it is mingled in the bowl, on that day
he would let no tear fall down his cheeks, not though his mother and
his father died, not though men slew his brother or dear son with the
sword before his face, and his own eyes beheld it. Medicines of such
virtue and so helpful had the daughter of Zeus, which Polydamna, the
wife of Thon, had given her, a woman of Egypt, where Earth the grain-
giver yields herbs in greatest plenty, many that are healing in the
cup, and many baneful."

So Telemachus was kindly entertained by Helen and Menelaus, and when
he left them it was not without a gift.

"And Helen stood by the coffers wherein were her robes of curious
needlework which she herself had wrought. Then Helen, the fair lady,
lifted one and brought it out, the widest and most beautifully
embroidered of all, and it shone like a star, and lay far beneath the
rest."

Presently, we read, "Helen of the fair face came up with the robe in