§15.145ἵππους τε ζεύγνυντʼ ἀνά θʼ ἅρματα ποικίλʼ ἔβαινον, §15.146ἐκ δʼ ἔλασαν προθύροιο καὶ αἰθούσης ἐριδούπου.
They yoked the horses and mounted the inlaid chariots, and drove out of the vestibule and the echoing portico.
§15.147τοὺς δὲ μετʼ Ἀτρεΐδης ἔκιε ξανθὸς Μενέλαος, §15.148οἶνον ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ μελίφρονα δεξιτερῆφι, §15.149ἐν δέπαϊ χρυσέῳ, ὄφρα λείψαντε κιοίτην.
And after them went fair-haired Menelaus, son of Atreus, holding in his right hand honey-hearted wine in a golden cup, that they might pour a libation before they went.
§15.150στῆ δʼ ἵππων προπάροιθε, δεδισκόμενος δὲ προσηύδα· §15.151χαίρετον, ὦ κούρω, καὶ Νέστορι ποιμένι λαῶν §15.152εἰπεῖν· ἦ γὰρ ἐμοί γε πατὴρ ὣς ἤπιος ἦεν, §15.153ἧος ἐνὶ Τροίῃ πολεμίζομεν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν. §15.154τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα· §15.155καὶ λίην κείνῳ γε, διοτρεφές, ὡς ἀγορεύεις, §15.156πάντα τάδʼ ἐλθόντες καταλέξομεν· αἲ γὰρ ἐγὼν ὣς §15.157νοστήσας Ἰθάκηνδε, κιχὼν Ὀδυσῆʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ, §15.158εἴποιμʼ ὡς παρὰ σεῖο τυχὼν φιλότητος ἁπάσης §15.159ἔρχομαι, αὐτὰρ ἄγω κειμήλια πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλά. §15.160ὣς ἄρα οἱ εἰπόντι ἐπέπτατο δεξιὸς ὄρνις, §15.161αἰετὸς ἀργὴν χῆνα φέρων ὀνύχεσσι πέλωρον, §15.162ἥμερον ἐξ αὐλῆς· οἱ δʼ ἰΰζοντες ἕποντο §15.163ἀνέρες ἠδὲ γυναῖκες· ὁ δέ σφισιν ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν §15.164δεξιὸς ἤϊξε πρόσθʼ ἵππων· οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες §15.165γήθησαν, καὶ πᾶσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θυμὸς ἰάνθη.
He stood before the horses, and pledging them he spoke: "Farewell, young men, and carry my greeting to Nestor, shepherd of the people; for surely he was gentle to me as a father while we sons of the Achaeans were warring in Troy." To him in turn wise Telemachus spoke in answer: "And surely to him, O nurtured of Zeus, even as you say, we will tell all these things when we arrive; and would that I myself, on returning to Ithaca, might find Odysseus in his house, so that I might tell him how I have come after meeting with all friendship at your hands, and bringing many noble treasures with me." Even as he spoke, a bird flew on their right, an eagle, bearing in its talons a great white goose, tame from the yard; and after it with shouting followed men and women; but the eagle, coming near them, dashed past on the right, in front of the horses; and they seeing it rejoiced, and the hearts of all were warmed within their breasts.
§15.166τοῖσι δὲ Νεστορίδης Πεισίστρατος ἤρχετο μύθων· §15.167φράζεο δή, Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, ὄρχαμε λαῶν, §15.168ἢ νῶϊν τόδʼ ἔφηνε θεὸς τέρας ἦε σοὶ αὐτῷ. §15.169ὣς φάτο, μερμήριξε δʼ ἀρηΐφιλος Μενέλαος, §15.170ὅππως οἱ κατὰ μοῖραν ὑποκρίναιτο νοήσας.
Then among them Pisistratus, son of Nestor, began to speak: "Consider now, Menelaus, nurtured of Zeus, leader of the people, whether god has shown this sign to us two, or to you yourself." So he spoke, and Menelaus, dear to Ares, pondered how he might understand it and answer him aright.
§15.171τὸν δʼ Ἑλένη τανύπεπλος ὑποφθαμένη φάτο μῦθον· §15.172κλῦτέ μευ· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ μαντεύσομαι, ὡς ἐνὶ θυμῷ §15.173ἀθάνατοι βάλλουσι καὶ ὡς τελέεσθαι ὀΐω.
But Helen of the long robe anticipated him and spoke: "Hear me, and I will prophesy as the immortals put it in my heart, and as I think it will be accomplished.
§15.174ὡς ὅδε χῆνʼ ἥρπαξʼ ἀτιταλλομένην ἐνὶ οἴκῳ §15.175ἐλθὼν ἐξ ὄρεος, ὅθι οἱ γενεή τε τόκος τε, §15.176ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς κακὰ πολλὰ παθὼν καὶ πόλλʼ ἐπαληθεὶς §15.177οἴκαδε νοστήσει καὶ τίσεται· ἠὲ καὶ ἤδη §15.178οἴκοι, ἀτὰρ μνηστῆρσι κακὸν πάντεσσι φυτεύει. §15.179τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα· §15.180οὕτω νῦν Ζεὺς θείη, ἐρίγδουπος πόσις Ἥρης· §15.181τῷ κέν τοι καὶ κεῖθι θεῷ ὣς εὐχετοῴμην. §15.182ἦ καὶ ἐφʼ ἵπποιϊν μάστιν βάλεν· οἱ δὲ μάλʼ ὦκα §15.183ἤϊξαν πεδίονδε διὰ πτόλιος μεμαῶτες.
Just as this eagle came from the mountain where is his birth and breed, and snatched up the goose that was reared in the house, so shall Odysseus, after suffering many evils and wandering far, return home and take vengeance; or indeed even now he is at home, and is sowing seeds of evil for all the suitors." To her in turn wise Telemachus spoke in answer: "May Zeus so grant it now, the loud-thundering husband of Hera; then would I even there pray to you as to a god." He spoke, and touched the horses with the whip; and very swiftly they dashed through the city toward the plain, eager.
§15.184οἱ δὲ πανημέριοι σεῖον ζυγὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχοντες.
And all day long they shook the yoke, holding it on either side.
§15.185δύσετό τʼ ἠέλιος σκιόωντό τε πᾶσαι ἀγυιαί· §15.186ἐς Φηρὰς δʼ ἵκοντο Διοκλῆος ποτὶ δῶμα, §15.187υἱέος Ὀρτιλόχοιο, τὸν Ἀλφειὸς τέκε παῖδα.
The sun set, and all the ways grew dark; and they came to Pherae, to the house of Diocles, the son of Ortilochus, whom Alpheus begot.
§15.188ἔνθα δὲ νύκτʼ ἄεσαν ὁ δὲ τοῖς πὰρ ξείνια θῆκεν.
There they spent the night, and he gave them guest-gifts.
§15.189ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς, §15.190ἵππους τε ζεύγνυντʼ ἀνά θʼ ἅρματα ποικίλʼ ἔβαινον, §15.191ἐκ δʼ ἔλασαν προθύροιο καὶ αἰθούσης ἐριδούπου·
But when early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, they yoked the horses and mounted the inlaid chariots, and drove out of the vestibule and the echoing portico.
§15.192μάστιξεν δʼ ἐλάαν, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἄκοντε πετέσθην.
He whipped them to go, and the two flew not unwillingly.
§15.193αἶψα δʼ ἔπειθʼ ἵκοντο Πύλου αἰπὺ πτολίεθρον· §15.194καὶ τότε Τηλέμαχος προσεφώνεε Νέστορος υἱόν· §15.195Νεστορίδη, πῶς κέν μοι ὑποσχόμενος τελέσειας §15.196μῦθον ἐμόν;
And soon they came to the steep citadel of Pylos; and then Telemachus spoke to the son of Nestor: "Son of Nestor, how might you promise and fulfill my request?
ξεῖνοι δὲ διαμπερὲς εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι §15.197ἐκ πατέρων φιλότητος, ἀτὰρ καὶ ὁμήλικές εἰμεν· §15.198ἥδε δʼ ὁδὸς καὶ μᾶλλον ὁμοφροσύνῃσιν ἐνήσει.
We claim to be guest-friends forever through the friendship of our fathers, and we are of like age; and this journey will bring us into even closer agreement.
§15.199μή με παρὲξ ἄγε νῆα, διοτρεφές, ἀλλὰ λίπʼ αὐτοῦ, §15.200μή μʼ ὁ γέρων ἀέκοντα κατάσχῃ ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ §15.201ἱέμενος φιλέειν· ἐμὲ δὲ χρεὼ θᾶσσον ἱκέσθαι. §15.202ὣς φάτο, Νεστορίδης δʼ ἄρʼ ἑῷ συμφράσσατο θυμῷ, §15.203ὅππως οἱ κατὰ μοῖραν ὑποσχόμενος τελέσειεν.
Do not lead me past my ship, O nurtured of Zeus, but leave me there, lest the old man should hold me in his house against my will in his eagerness to show friendship; but I must make haste." So he spoke, and the son of Nestor pondered in his heart, how he might promise and fulfill it aright.
§15.204ὧδε δέ οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι· §15.205στρέψʼ ἵππους ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης, §15.206νηῒ δʼ ἐνὶ πρύμνῃ ἐξαίνυτο κάλλιμα δῶρα, §15.207ἐσθῆτα χρυσόν τε, τά οἱ Μενέλαος ἔδωκε· §15.208καί μιν ἐποτρύνων ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §15.209σπουδῇ νῦν ἀνάβαινε κέλευέ τε πάντας ἑταίρους, §15.210πρὶν ἐμὲ οἴκαδʼ ἱκέσθαι ἀπαγγεῖλαί τε γέροντι.
And as he pondered, this seemed to him to be the better way: he turned the horses toward the swift ship and the shore of the sea, and took out and placed in the stern of the ship the beautiful gifts, the clothing and gold, which Menelaus had given him; and urging him on he spoke winged words to him: "Go on board now with speed, and command all your comrades, before I reach home and bring the news to the old man.
§15.211εὖ γὰρ ἐγὼ τόδε οἶδα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν· §15.212οἷος κείνου θυμὸς ὑπέρβιος, οὔ σε μεθήσει, §15.213ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς καλέων δεῦρʼ εἴσεται, οὐδέ ἕ φημι §15.214ἂψ ἰέναι κενεόν· μάλα γὰρ κεχολώσεται ἔμπης.
For well I know this in my mind and in my heart: so overbearing is his spirit, he will not let you go, but will himself come here to call you, nor do I think he will return empty-handed; for surely he will be very angry in any case."