and there were many grievous shafts in it: presents, which a stranger meeting him in Lacedæmon gave him, Iphitus, son of Eurytus, like unto the immortals. But they met one another in Messene, in the house of warlike Orsilochus: Ulysses indeed came after a debt, which the whole people owed to him: for Messenian men had taken away from Ithaca three hundred sheep, and their shepherds, in many-benched ships. On account of these Ulysses came a long voyage, on a public mission,[1] being yet a boy: for his father and the other chiefs sent him on. But Iphitus [came] to seek the horses which he had lost, twelve mares, and under them hard-working mules, which soon became death and fate for him: since he came to the noble-minded son of Jove, the hero Hercules, skilled in mighty deeds; who slew him, although being his guest in his own house; wretched one, nor did he reverence the anger of the gods, nor the table, which he placed near him: but afterwards he also killed himself: and himself kept the solid-hoofed steeds in his palace. Asking for them he met Ulysses, and gave him a bow which mighty Eurytus before bore, but he, dying in his lofty house, left it to his son. But to him Ulysses gave a sharp sword and a strong spear, a beginning of kindly hospitality, nor did they know one another's table: for the son of Jove first slew Iphitus, son of Eurytus, like unto the immortals; he gave him the bow; but divine Ulysses did not take it, when going to the war on the black ships; but there it lay as a memorial of the kind stranger in the palace: and he carried it over his own land.
But when the divine one of women now reached the chamber, and came to the oaken threshold, which once an artificer polished skilfully, and made straight according to the rule, and in it fitted pillars, and upon it placed shining doors: immediately then she quickly loosed the thong of the ring, and put in the key, and struck back the bolts of the door, taking aim opposite to them: and they resounded, like as a bull pasturing in a meadow: so many beautiful doors stricken with the key resounded, and they were quickly opened to her. And she then went upon the lofty floor, where stood the chests, and in them lay perfumed garments. From thence stretching out, she took down the bow from the peg, with the bow-case
- ↑ ἐξεσία, ἡ δημοσια πρεσβεία, Eustathius, who compares ἔξεσις in Herodotus v. 40. Cf. Alberti on Hesych. i. p. 1286.
