stood near him, having a garment in her hands, and spoke and said:
"I also give thee this gift, dear child, a memorial of the hands of Helen, against the time of thy most desirable marriage, for thy wife to wear: but in the mean time let it lie in thy palace near thy dear mother; and mayest thou rejoicing reach thy well-built house, and thy paternal land."
Thus having spoken, she placed it in his hands; but he received it rejoicing. And the hero Pisistratus having received them, placed them in the basket,[1] and regarded all things in his mind. But auburn-haired Menelaus led them to the house; and they then sat down on the benches and thrones. And the handmaiden bringing water in a beautiful golden ewer, poured it over a silver cauldron to wash in; and near them she spread a polished table. And the venerable housekeeper bringing food, set it near them [putting many dainties on it, gratifying them as well as she could from the things at hand]. And near [them] the son of Boëthus divided the meat, and distributed the shares, and the son of glorious Menelaus poured out wine: and they stretched out their hands to the food that was lying ready before them. But when they had taken away the desire of drinking and eating, then Telemachus and the illustrious son of Nestor yoked the horses, and mounted the variegated chariot: and they drove out of the vestibule and resounding portico. And auburn-haired Menelaus, son of Atreus, went after them, having sweet wine in his right hand, in a golden cup, that they might go, having made a libation. And he stood before the horses; and pledging them, he spoke:
"Farewell, O youths, and bid Nestor the shepherd of the people [hail], for to me he was mild as a father, as long as we sons of the Grecians waged war in Troy."
But him prudent Telemachus answered in turn: "And by all means, O thou nurtured of Jove, as thou desirest, when we arrive we will relate all these things to him; so may I, having returned, reaching Ithaca, tell Ulysses in his house how I come, having met with all kindness from thee, and I bring many and excellent treasures."
