The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice/The Odyssey/Book 3

by Homer

BOOK III.

 

ARGUMENT.

On reaching Pylos with Minerva, Telemachus finds the Pylians sacrificing bulls to Neptune. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Telemachus states the object of his voyage, and Nestor in reply relates what had happened to himself, and the circumstances of their sailing from Troy; but having no tidings of Ulysses, he advises him to go to Menelaus. Minerva departs, having discovered who she is; upon which Nestor offers sacrifice to her; and then sends Telemachus with his son Pisistratus in a chariot to Sparta. They arrive at Pheræ in the evening, and are entertained by Diocles.

But the sun, having left the very beauteous sea,^[1] rose upwards into the brazen heaven,^[2] that it might shine to the immortals and to mortal men over the bounteous earth. And they came to Pylos, the well-built citadel of Neleus: now they^[3] were offering sacrifices on the shore of the sea, all-black bulls to the azure-haired Shaker of the earth.^[4] There were nine seats and five hundred sat in each, and they allotted nine bulls to each. Then they tasted^[5] the entrails, and burnt the thighs for the god. But they came ashore straight, and having lifted up the sails of the equal^[6] ship furled [them], and moored it; and they themselves disembarked. Telemachus then disembarked from the ship: but Minerva led the way: the blue-eyed goddess Minerva first addressed him:

"Telemachus, no longer hast thou need of modesty, not even a little; for on that account hast thou sailed over the sea, that thou mayest inquire about thy father, where the earth conceals him, and what fate he has drawn on himself. But come now, go straight to horse-taming Nestor; let us see^[7] what counsel he has concealed in his breast. But beseech him to tell thee what is true: but he will not speak a falsehood; for he is very prudent."

Prudent Telemachus then addressed her in turn: "Mentor, how shall I approach, how shall I salute him? I am not at all experienced in prudent discourse; besides there is diffidence^[8] for a young man to question an older."

But him the blue-eyed goddess Minerva again addressed: "Telemachus, thou wilt thyself perceive some things in thine own mind, and the deity^[9] will suggest others: for I do not think that thou wast born or nourished against the will of the gods."

Thus having spoken, Pallas Minerva quickly led the way. And he went immediately after the steps of the deity; and they came to the assembly and seats of the Pylians. There sat Nestor with his sons; and around were his companions preparing the feast, roasting flesh, and fixing other things on spits. They then, when they saw the strangers, all came together, and in salutation took them by the hand, and bade them sit down. Pisistratus, son of Nestor, first coming near, took the hand of both, and placed them near the banquet, on soft fleeces, on the sand of the sea, near his brother Thrasymedes and his father. And then he gave them parts of the entrails, and poured wine into a golden cup; and stretching out the right hand,^[10] called upon Pallas Minerva, the daughter of Ægis-bearing Jove:

"Pray now, O stranger, to king Neptune; for at his feast have ye met coming here. But when ye have made libations and have prayed, as is the custom,^[11] then to him also give the cup of sweet wine to make a libation; since I think that he also prays to the immortals; for all men have need of the gods: but he is younger [than thou], and of equal age with myself:^[12] therefore I will give the golden cup first to thee."

Thus having spoken, he placed the cup of sweet wine in her hands; and Minerva was pleased on account of the prudent just man, because he gave the golden cup to her first. And she straightway prayed much to king Neptune.

"Hear, thou earth-containing Neptune, nor envy us beseeching thee to accomplish these works. To Nestor first and to his sons give glory; but afterwards to others grant a grateful recompence, to all the Pylians, for their illustrious hecatomb: and grant besides that Telemachus and I may return, having performed [the things] on account of which we came hither with a swift black ship."

Thus then she prayed; and she herself accomplished all things, but she gave the beautiful round cup^[13] to Telemachus. In the same manner prayed the dear son of Ulysses. And when they had roasted the upper^[14] flesh and had taken it off, having distributed the shares, they made a glorious feast. But when they had removed the desire of drinking and eating, to them the Gerenian knight Nestor began discourse:

"Now then it is more proper to ask and inquire of the strangers, who they are, since they are satisfied with food. O strangers, who are ye? from whence do ye sail over the moist ways?^[15] Do ye wander on account of some business or at random, as pirates over the sea? who wander exposing their lives, bearing ills to strangers?"

Prudent Telemachus in turn answered him, taking confidence; for Minerva herself had infused confidence into his mind, that he might inquire of him concerning his absent father, [and that he might obtain great glory amongst men.]^[16]

"O Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Grecians, thou askest from whence we are; and I will tell thee. We have come from Ithaca, [situate] under Neïus, and this is a private, not a public business, which I mention. I come [to inquire] after the wide renown of my father, if I should any where hear of him, godlike, patient Ulysses: whom they say, some time ago, fighting together with thee, sacked the city of the Trojans. For all the others, as many as made war with the Trojans, we have heard of, [as to] where each perished in sad destruction: but his death the son of Saturn has made unheard of. For no one can tell clearly where he has perished: whether he has been subdued on the continent by hostile men, or whether in the sea amongst the waves of Amphitrite.^[17] Wherefore I now come to [beseech thee by] thy knees, if thou art willing to tell of his mournful death, if thou hast any where beheld it with thine eyes, or hast heard the tale of any one else wandering: for his mother brought him forth exceedingly calamitous. Nor by any means reverencing me soothe me, nor pitying me, but tell me plainly, as thou hast happened to witness it;^[18] I beseech thee, if ever my father, the good Ulysses, has performed any word or deed for thee, having promised it, amongst the people of the Trojans, where you Greeks suffered ills, be mindful of these things now, and tell me truly."

But to him the Gerenian knight Nestor made answer: "O friend, since thou hast put me in mind of the toil, which we sons of the Grecians, irresistible in might, suffered amongst that people, both whatever things [we endured] with ships wandering over the darkling sea after booty, wheresoever Achilles led us, and whatever, when we fought about the great city of king Priam, where afterwards were slain as many as were the bravest: there lies warlike Ajax, and there Achilles, and there Patroclus, a counsellor equal to the gods, and there my dear son, both brave and blameless, Antilochus, exceeding swift in running, and a warrior: and many other evils besides these we suffered. Who, indeed, of mortal men could relate them all? Not even if waiting five or even six years, thou shouldst inquire what ills the divine Grecians suffered there. Sooner indeed wouldst thou sorrowing arrive at thy paternal land: for nine years we planned^[19] evil things, attacking them around with all kinds of stratagems; and the son of Saturn with difficulty brought them to an end. There no one wished to be equal in counsel to him, since divine Ulysses, thy sire, surpassed very much in all kinds of deceit; if in truth thou art his son; astonishment possesses me as I behold thee; for indeed thy discourse is like, nor would you say that a younger man speaks so like. Whilst, then, I and divine Ulysses were there, we never spoke at variance in the assembly or in the council, but having one mind, we considered in our thoughts and prudent reflection, by what means the best possible things might be done by the Grecians. But when we had thoroughly destroyed the lofty city of Priam, and had gone away in the ships, and the deity had dispersed the Grecians; then indeed Jove devised in his mind a sad return for the Greeks; for they were by no means all prudent or just: wherefore many of them drew on themselves an evil fate, from the pernicious wrath of the blue-eyed goddess, born of a mighty sire, who set contention between both the sons of Atreus. But they having called all the Grecians to an assembly in vain, but not according to what was right, at the setting sun, (for the sons of the Grecians came heavy with wine,) related the cause, on account of which they assembled the people. There Menelaus commanded all the Grecians to be mindful of a return over the wide back of the sea. But it was not altogether pleasing to Agamemnon; for he wished to detain the people, and to offer sacred hecatombs, that he might appease the dreadful wrath of Minerva, foolish man, nor knew he at all that he would not persuade her; for the intention of the gods who exist for ever is not soon turned. Thus they stood answering one another with bitter words; but the well-greaved Greeks leaped up with vast clamour; for the counsel pleased them in a divided manner. During the night we rested, meditating in our mind pernicious things to one another; for Jove was preparing further bane of evil. But in the morning we drew our ships into the boundless sea, and stowed our goods in them, and our deep-bosomed women: but half the people were detained, remaining there with Agamemnon, the son of Atreus, the shepherd of the people; but half of us having embarked weighed anchor. And these sailed very quickly; for a god smoothed^[20] the whale-like^[21] sea. And arriving at Tenedos we offered sacrifices to the gods, longing for home;^[22] but Jupiter did not yet design our return, severe indeed, who excited evil contention again a second time. The others with the prudent crafty king Ulysses embarked on the ships, rowed on both sides, having turned back again, gratifying^[23] Agamemnon, the son of Atreus. But I, with the collected ships which followed me, fled, since I knew that the deity meditated evil things. And the warlike son of Tydeus fled, and incited his companions. But auburn-haired Menelaus came late to us, and found us in Lesbos planning a long voyage, whether we should sail about rough Chios, to the island Psyria, keeping it on our left, or below Chios, near windy Mimas.^[24] We besought the god to show us a sign; and he showed us one, and commanded us to cut the middle of the sea to Eubœa, that we might escape away from evil as quickly as possible. But a shrill wind sprang up and blew; and the shires ran very swiftly through the fishy way; and during the night were carried to Geræstus; and we offered many thighs of bulls to Neptune, having measured the mighty sea. It was the fourth day when the companions of horse-subduing Diomede, the son of Tydeus, stopped their equal ships in Argos: but I kept towards Pylos; nor did the wind ever drop, after the god first sent it forth to blow. Thus I arrived, my dear child, without any knowledge, nor have I learnt any thing of them, who of the Greeks were saved and who perished. But whatever things I have heard whilst sitting in my palace, as far as is right, thou shalt know, nor will I conceal them from thee. They say that the spear-living^[25] Myrmidons returned well, whom the glorious son of magnanimous Achilles led; and Philoctetes [returned] well, the famous son of Pæas; and Idomeneus led all his companions to Crete, who had escaped from the war, and the sea took away no one from him; but you yourselves, although at a distance, hear of the son of Atreus, both how he came, and how Ægisthus devised sad death for him. But he indeed very miserably paid the forfeit: so good a thing is it that a son of a murdered man should be left, since he avenged himself upon the murderer of his father, crafty Ægisthus, who slew his illustrious sire. And do thou, my friend, for I see that thou art noble and great, be brave, that any one even of posterity may speak well of thee."

But him prudent Telemachus addressed in turn: "O Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Grecians, he did indeed revenge him greatly, and the Greeks will bring to him renown far and wide, and for those who shall be hereafter to learn. Would that the gods would give me so much power to be revenged on the suitors for their troublesome overbearing, who insulting me devise impious things. But the gods have not destined such happiness for my father and me; and now it is necessary to endure it.

But him the Gerenian knight Nestor then answered: "O friend, since thou hast put me in mind of, and hast spoken these things, they say that many suitors on account of thy mother devise evil things in thy palace, against thy will; tell me, whether art thou overcome willingly, or do the people hate thee publicly, following the voice^[26] of God? But who knows whether he himself shall some time or other come, and revenge their violence, being alone, or even all the Greeks together? For if blue-eyed Minerva was so willing to love thee, as she then took exceeding care of glorious Ulysses amongst the people of the Trojans, where we Grecians suffered griefs; (for I have never seen gods so openly loving, as Pallas Minerva openly stood by him;) if she was thus willing to love thee, and would care [for thee] in her mind, then forsooth some one of them would be forgetful of marriage."

But him prudent Telemachus answered in turn: "Old man, I do not at all think that this word will be brought to pass; for thou hast spoken an exceeding great thing; astonishment possesses me; these things would not happen to me if I hoped them, nor if the gods should so be willing."

But him the blue-eyed goddess Minerva in turn addressed: "Telemachus, what word has escaped thy lips? God, if willing, could easily save a man even from a distance. But I should rather wish, having suffered many griefs, to come home and behold the day of my return, than coming to perish at my own hearth, as Agamemnon perished by the stratagem of Ægisthus and his own wife.^[27] But indeed not even the gods are able to ward off death, which is common to all,^[28] even from a beloved man; whenever the pernicious Fate of long-slumbering death seizes him."

But her^[29] prudent Telemachus answered in turn: "Mentor, let us no longer talk of these things although grieving. For him there is no more a sure return, but already the immortals have decreed death and black Fate for him. But now I wish to inquire and ask something else of Nestor; since he above others is acquainted with justice and prudence; for they say that he has thrice ruled over generations of men; so that to me he seems like unto the immortals to behold. O Nestor, son of Neleus, do thou tell me the truth, how did wide-ruling Agamemnon, the son of Atreus, die? Where was Menelaus? What destruction did crafty Ægisthus contrive for him? since he slew one much his better. Was he^[30] not in Achæan Argos? or was he wandering some where else amongst men; and did he, having taken courage, slay him?"

Then the Gerenian knight Nestor answered him: "I will indeed then tell thee all things true, my son; for thou thyself dost suspect this, as it in truth happened. If auburn-haired Menelaus, son of Atreus, coming from Troy had found Ægisthus alive in the palace; he would not have poured^[31] upon him when dead the crumbled earth, but certainly dogs and birds would have eaten him lying on the plain far from Argos; nor would any one of the Grecian women have mourned him; for he devised a very heinous^[32] deed. For we sat there accomplishing many labours; but he at leisure in the recess of horse-pasturing Argos soothed the wife of Agamemnon very much with words; the divine Clytemnestra herself indeed before refused^[33] the disgraceful deed, for she possessed a good understanding: for there was with her a man, a bard, to whom the son of Atreus, when he set out to Troy, gave earnest charge to preserve his wife. But when the Fate of the gods bound her that she should be subdued, then leading the bard to a desert island, he^[34] left him to become a spoil and prey for birds; but he willing led her willing^[35] to his own home. And he burnt many thighs on the sacred altars of the gods, and suspended many ornaments and tapestry, and gold, after he had accomplished the heinous deed, which he had never expected in his mind. Now we indeed setting out from Troy sailed together, the son of Atreus and myself, having a friendly disposition towards one another: but when we came to sacred Sunium, the promontory of Athens, there Phœbus Apollo,^[36] coming against him with his soft darts, slew the pilot of Menelaus, while holding in his hands the rudder of the ship as it went along, Phrontis, son of Onetor, who surpassed the tribes of men in steering a ship, when tempests pressed upon it. Thus he, although hastening on his voyage, was detained here, that he might bury his companion, and perform the funeral rites. But when he also, going over the dark sea in his hollow ships, came running to the lofty mountain of the Maleans, then far-beholding Jove decreed a hateful journey for him, and poured upon him the blast of the shrill winds, and the mighty swollen waves, equal to mountains; there having divided the fleet, he made part approach Crete, where the Cydonians dwelt, about the streams of Jardanus. But there is a certain smooth lofty rock in the sea, at the extremity of Gortys, in the shadowy main. There the south wind thrusts the great wave to the dangerous^[37] promontory to Phœstus; but a small rock wards off a mighty wave. The ships then came here, and the men with great care avoided death, but the waves broke the ships against the crags; but the wind and wave bearing five azure-prowed ships, made them approach to Egypt. Thus far he, collecting much property and gold, wandered with his ships to men of a different language. But in the mean time Ægisthus devised these sad things at home, having slain the son of Atreus; and the people were subdued under him. For seven years then he reigned over Mycene rich in gold; but in the eighth year divine Orestes came back from Athens, an evil for him, and slew the murderer of his father, crafty Ægisthus, who slew his illustrious father. He then having slain him gave a funeral banquet^[38] to the Argives for his hateful mother and unwarlike Ægisthus:^[39] but on the same day Menelaus strenuous in battle came to him, bringing many possessions, whatever his ships carried as their burden.

"And do not thou, my friend, wander long at a distance from home, leaving thy possessions and men so overbearing in thine house; lest they should consume all, dividing your possessions, and you should have come a vain journey. But I advise and exhort thee to go to Menelaus; for he has lately come from elsewhere, from those people; from whence that man could not hope in his mind to come, whomsoever first the storms had driven out of his course^[40] to so vast a sea; from whence not even birds can come in the same year, since it is vast and terrible. But go now with thy ship and thy companions; or, if thou dost prefer it on land, there is a chariot and horses ready for thee, and my sons are ready, who will be thy conductors to divine Lacedæmon, where auburn-haired Menelaus dwells. And beseech him, that he may tell thee true: but he will not speak a falsehood; for he is very prudent."

Thus he spoke: but the sun set, and darkness came on; and the blue-eyed goddess Minerva addressed them:

"Old man, of a truth thou hast spoken these things rightly; but come, cut^[41] indeed the tongues, and mix the wine, that having made libations to Neptune and the other immortals, we may think of our bed; for [this is] the hour for it. For now the light is gone under the gloom; nor is it right to sit long at a feast of the gods, but to return."

The daughter of Jove spoke, and they heard her addressing [them]. And the heralds poured water upon their hands, and the youths crowned the bowls of wine; and they distributed to all, beginning with the cups; and they threw the tongues in the fire, and standing up poured out a libation. But when they had made a libation, and had drunk as much as their mind wished, then indeed Minerva and godlike Telemachus both desired to go to their hollow ship; but Nestor hindered them, chiding them with words:

"May Jove hinder this, and the other immortal gods,^[42] that ye should go from me to your swift ship, as from one who is altogether without a garment, or poor, who has neither cloaks or many blankets in his house, nor wherein for himself or his guests to sleep softly. But I indeed have cloaks and beautiful blankets. The dear son of this man Ulysses shall by no means lie down on the deck of a ship, whilst I am alive; but afterwards may my sons be left in my palace to entertain the guests, whoever may come to my house."

The blue-eyed goddess Minerva addressed him in turn: "Thou hast spoken these things well, O dear old man; but it is fit for thee to persuade Telemachus, since thus it is much better. But he will now follow in company with you, that he may sleep in your palace; but I am going to my black ship, that I may cheer on my companions, and order every thing; for I alone boast myself to be older amongst them, but the others younger men follow on account of friendship, all of an equal age with high-minded Telemachus. There I may now rest in the hollow, black ship; but at dawn I am going to the magnanimous Cauconians, where a debt is owed me, not by any means recent, or little; but do you, since he has come to thy house, send him, with a chariot and your son: and give him horses, which are the fleetest to run, and most excellent in strength."

Having thus spoken, blue-eyed Minerva departed likened unto an eagle; and astonishment seized all who beheld; and the old man wondered, when he saw her with his eyes; and he laid hold of the hand of Telemachus, and spoke, and said:

"O friend, I do not expect that thou wilt be a coward and unwarlike, since the gods thus accompany thee, who art young, as thy conductors. For this was no one else of those who possess the Olympian houses, than the daughter of Jove, most glorious Minerva,^[43] who honoured also your excellent sire amongst the Grecians. But, O queen, be propitious and grant me good renown, for myself, and my children, and my venerable wife; but to thee I will sacrifice a cow of one year old, of a wide forehead, untamed, which man has not yet led under the yoke. Her I will sacrifice to thee, having poured gold round her horns."

Thus he spoke praying: but Pallas Minerva heard him. But the Gerenian knight Nestor led them, his sons, and his sons-in-law to his beautiful palace. And when they came to the all-illustrious palace of the king, they sat in order on the couches and the thrones. And the old man mixed for them as they came a bowl of sweet wine, which the housekeeper opened in the eleventh year, and loosed the fastenings.^[44] Of this the old man mixed a bowl, and pouring forth a libation prayed much to Minerva, daughter of Ægis-bearing Jupiter.

But when they had made libations, and drank as much as their mind desired, some of them went to sleep, each to their own home; but the Gerenian knight Nestor made Telemachus, the dear son of divine Ulysses, sleep there in wrought^[45] beds under the echoing portico: and near him Pisistratus, skilled in the spear, chieftain of men, who of his sons was still unmarried in his palace: but himself again slept in the recess of his lofty house: and for him his wife the queen prepared a couch and bed.

But when the mother of dawn, rosy-fingered morning, appeared, the Gerenian knight Nestor arose from his bed. And coming out he sat down on the polished stones which were before his lofty gates, white, shining with oil, on which Neleus before used to sit, a counsellor equal to the gods. But he, already subdued by fate, had gone to Hades. But Gerenian Nestor, the guardian of the Grecians, then sat there, holding his sceptre; and around him his sons were assembled together, coming from their chambers, Echephron, and Stratius, and Perseus, and Aretus, and godlike Thrasymedes; and after them the sixth, the hero Pisistratus, came; and leading godlike Telemachus they seated him near him. And the Gerenian knight Nestor began an address to them.

"Quickly, my dear children, accomplish my desire: that I may supplicate Minerva first of the gods, who came manifest to me to a solemn feast of the god. But let one go to the plain for a heifer, that a herdsman may come with all haste, and bring a heifer. And let another go to the black ship of magnanimous Telemachus, and bring all his companions, but let him leave two only: and let another command the goldsmith Laerceus to come hither, that he may pour gold about the horns of the heifer. But do the rest of you remain here together, and bid the handmaidens within prepare a glorious feast in the palace, and place seats and wood around, and bring clear water."

Thus he spoke; and they all were busily occupied; a heifer then came from the plain: and the companions of magnanimous Telemachus came from the swift equal ship; and the smith came, having his brazen instruments in his hands, the implements of art, an anvil and hammer, and well-made tongs, with which he worked the gold; and Minerva came to partake of the sacred rites: and the old horseman Nestor gave the gold: but he then, having prepared it, poured it around the horns of the heifer, that the goddess might rejoice on beholding the ornament. But Stratius and divine Echephron led the heifer by the horns: and Aretus came, bringing water from the chamber in a cauldron embossed with flowers; and in the other hand he held cakes in a basket. But Thrasymedes, persevering in the fight, stood near, holding in his hand a sharp axe, to strike the heifer. And Perseus held the vessel for catching the blood;^[46] and the old horseman Nestor began with [sprinkling] the water and the cakes: and having offered the first-fruits, he prayed much to Minerva, throwing the hairs of the head in the fire. But when they had prayed and thrown forth the cakes, straightway high-minded Thrasymedes, the son of Nestor, standing near struck the blow; and the hatchet cut the tendons of the neck, and loosed the strength of the heifer. But they shouted, the daughters and daughters-in-law, and Eurydice, the venerable wife of Nestor, the eldest of the daughters of Clymenus. They then raising it up from the spacious earth held it; but Pisistratus, chieftain of men, killed it. And when the black blood flowed from it, and life had left its bones, they quickly divided it; and soon cut off all the thighs, as was right, and covered them with fat, having doubled them; and put the raw parts upon them: and the old man roasted them on the faggots, and poured glowing wine over them; and near him the young men held in their hands five-pronged spits. But when the thighs were burnt, and they had tasted the entrails, they both cut up the other parts into bits, and fixed them on spits, and roasted them, holding in their hands the sharp spits. But meanwhile beautiful Polycaste, the youngest daughter of Nestor, the son of Neleus, washed Telemachus. But when she had washed him, and anointed him with rich oil,^[47] and had thrown a beautiful vest and garment around him, he went out of the bath like unto the immortals in person; and going near Nestor, the shepherd of the people, he sat down. But when they had roasted the upper parts and had separated them, they sat down and feasted; and the excellent men arose, pouring wine into the golden cups. But when they had taken away the desire of eating and drinking, the Gerenian knight Nestor began to address them:

"My sons, come, lead forth, and yoke under the chariot beautiful-haired horses for Telemachus, that he may perform his journey."

Thus he spoke: but they quickly heard and obeyed him; and they swiftly yoked the swift horses under the chariot; and the housekeeper placed in it bread and wine, and dainties, such as Jove-nourished kings eat. Telemachus then mounted the very beautiful chariot; and near him Pisistratus, the chieftain of men, son of Nestor, mounted the chariot, and took the reins in his hands, and scourged them that they might go on; and they twain flew not unwilling to the plain, and left the lofty citadel of Pylos. And all the day they shook the yoke holding it on both sides: and the sun set, and all the ways were overshadowed. And they came to Pheræ, to the house of Diocles, son of Orsilochus, whom Alpheus begot for his son. There they rested during the night; and he gave them hospitable gifts.

But when the mother of dawn, rosy-fingered morning, appeared, they yoked the horses and mounted the variegated chariots: [and drove out of the vestibule, and the resounding portico.]^[48] And he scourged them that they might go on; and they twain flew not unwilling: and they came to the wheat-producing plain; there then they finished their journey; for so quickly the swift horses ran. And the sun set, and all the ways were overshadowed.

---

1. On λίμνη put for θάλασσα or Ὠκεανὸς, see Loewe. Cf. Hesych. s. v. λίμνη and ποταμός, with Alberti's note, t. ii. p. 481. Strabo, v. p. 225, uses the compound λίμνοθάλαττα.
2. It was the old opinion that the heaven was solid, and framed of brass. Cf. Pind. Nem. vi. 5, ὁ δὲ χάλκεος ἀσφαλὲς αἐὶ ἕδος μένει οὐρανός (hence perhaps the brazen shoulders attributed to Atlas in Eur. Ion, i.). The phrase seems merely equivalent to στερεός.
3. The Pylians.
4. i. e. Neptune. Cf. Virg. Æn. iii. 119, whose verses have been compared with the present by Gellius, xiii. 25. Macrob. Sat. iii. 4.
5. πάσσομαι in the active form signifies to sprinkle, in the middle, to eat or taste.
6. Carrying equal weight on both sides.
7. Εἴδομεν is put for the infinitive.
8. αἰδὼς is rendered by Loewe, "sensus pudoris." Translate more freely, "there is a sense of diffidence in a young man addressing an elder."
9. Whatever Maximus Tyrius, Diss. xxvi., may say, we must remember that δαίμων only came to mean a guardian spirit in the writings found after the time of Homer. See Rudolf on Ocellus Lucan. iii. § 3, who has carefully discussed the subject, observing, "antiquissimis temporibus δαίμων nihil aliud erat, quam Deus."
10. The form of drinking a toast. Athenæus i. 11. ἐδεξιοῦντο, προπίνοντες ἑαυτοῖς, ταῖς δεξίαις. On the reduplicated form δειδισκόμενος, see Thiersch Gk. Gr. p. 495. Sandford's translation.
11. See Loewe.
12. Literally, there is equal age to him with myself.
13. But ἀμφικύπελλον (which is an adjective, always being found joined with another word) rather means a vessel which has a κύπελλον, or cup, at both ends. See Buttm. Lexil. p. 93, sq. A similar vessel is used to measure a penny or halfpenny-worth of hazel nuts in the streets of London.
14. So called in opposition to the viscera.
15. It must be remembered that piracy was not esteemed dishonourable in the heroic ages. See Thucyd. i. 5. The same feeling prevailed among the Lacedæmonians and the ancient Germans, (cf. Davis on Cæs. B. G. vi. 23,) the Danes (Steph. on Saxo Grammat. ii. p. 69). Compare Mallet's Northern Antiquities, ix. p. 173, sqq. ed. Bohn.
16. A doubtful verse.
17. The wife of Neptune, here put for the sea.
18. Literally, "as you have met the sight [of it]."
19. Literally, "sewed." Cf. xv. 379, 423.
20. Literally, "spread," "strewed out." Cf. Apoll. Rhod. i. 1154, ἐστόρεσεν δίνας. Theocrit. ζ. 57, στορεσεῦντι τὰ κύματα τὰν τε θάλασσαν. Quint. Calab. vi. 102, εὑρέα πόντον ὑποστορέησι γαλήνη. Cf. Virg. Ecl. ix. 57. Æn. v. 821.
21. The epithet μεγακήτεα merely denotes magnitude.
22. More literally perhaps, "having a homeward longing."
23. Literally, "bearing agreeable things to."
24. A mountain opposite the island Chios, so called from one of the giants.
25. ἐγχεσίμωροι, "quibus fatum et sors in armis est." Loewe.
26. i. e. obeying some oracle, πολλάκις γὰρ μεθίστασαν τοὺς βασιλεῖς, μαντείας ἐπιγινομένης. Eustath.
27. But construe ὠλ. ὑπ' Ἀιγ. καὶ ἧς ἀλ. δόλῳ, "et id quidem dolo malo."
28. So πόλεμος ὁμοίϊος, in which all run equal risk. Od. xviii. 264. Cf. Hor. Od. iv. 7, 23, sqq.
29. i. e. Minerva speaking as Mentor.
30. Menelaus.
31. See my note on ii. 222.
32. The word μέγα constantly signifies heinous, as here. So Pindar, Nemean x. vs. 120,
    μἑγα ἔρ-
    γον ἐμήσαντ' ὠκέως.Old Translator.
    
    
33. Cf. Buttm. Lexil. p. 118.
34. i. e. Ægisthus.
35. Probably imitated by Euripides, Iph. Aul. 75, ἐρῶν ἐρῶσαν ᾤχετ' ἐξανάρπασας. Ἑλένην.
36. Sudden deaths were attributed to the arrows of Apollo.
37. σκαιὸν, like the Latin "lævum," unlucky, fatal.
38. τάφος, περίδειπνον ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν οἰχομένων τιμῆ, Hesychius. Cf. Il. ψ. 29. Hesiod, ἐργ. 735. The Latins called it "silicernium."
39. The question whether Homer was acquainted with the legend of Orestes' persecution by the Erinnyes has been discussed by Muller, Eumenid. § 87, p. 204, note.
40. This is the full sense of ἀποσφήλωσιν, understanding ὁδοῦ. See Loewe.
41. It was customary at a feast, to cut off the tongues of the sacrifices and burn them, when it was time to retire to bed; meaning that conversation should cease; and that the company should now go to rest. See the Scholiast.
42. On this formula, Ζεὺς καὶ θεοὶ ἄλλοι, see my note on Æsch. Prom. p. 3, n. 3, ed. Bohn.
43. Τριτογένεια is an epithet of Minerva, most probably derived from the old Bœotian word τριτώ = caput, referring to the story of Minerva being sprung from the head of Jove.
44. Not "stoppers." See Loewe.
45. Cf. i. 440, παρὰ τρητοῖς λεχέεσσιν. Loewe thinks the simplest way of understanding this usage, is to take τερεῖν as freely used for the sculpture or frame, so that τρητὸν λέχος is the same as κλισίη δινωτὴ or εὔτυκτος.
46. ἀμνίον, τὸ τοῦ αἵματος δεκτικὸν ἀγγεῖον. Eust.
47. Heyne, on Hom. Il. x. 577, regards this as an old substantive, λὶψ, λιπὸς, used for an adjective.
48. A suspected verse.