riage for her, and will prepare very large dowries, such as ought to accompany a dear child. But to thee I will suggest prudently, if thou wilt obey me. Having prepared a ship, whichsoever is the best, with twenty rowers, go and inquire about thy father long absent, if any one of mortals can tell thee of him, or thou shouldest hear a report[1] from Jove, which especially brings notice to mortals. First then come to Pylos and inquire of divine Nestor; thence to Sparta to auburn-haired Menelaus; for he came last of the Greeks who wear brazen breastplates. If thou shouldest hear that thy father is alive and will return,[2] then, although afflicted, thou mayest yet endure it for a year: but if thou shouldest hear that he is dead, and no longer exists, then returning to thy dear paternal land, erect aloft a monument for him, and perform very many funeral rites, whatsoever are becoming; and bestow upon thy mother a husband. But when thou shalt have concluded and done these things, then consider in thy breast and in thy mind, how thou mayest kill the suitors in thy palace, either by stratagem or openly. Nor oughtest thou by any means to follow childish pursuits, since thou art no longer of such an age. Dost thou not hear what glory the divine Orestes has obtained amongst all men, since he slew the crafty murderer Ægisthus, who slew his renowned father? And do thou, my friend, (for I see that thou art honourable and great,) be brave, that some one of posterity may speak well of thee also. But I will now go to my swift ship, and to my companions, who are in very low spirits through waiting for me. But be this thy care, and do thou regard my words."
But her the prudent Telemachus answered in turn: "Stranger, surely thou givest me this advice, being friendly disposed towards me, as a father to his son, and I will never forget it. But come, tarry now, although hastening on thy journey, that having washed thyself, and delighted thy kind heart, thou mayest go to thy ship, rejoicing in thy mind, having a present, precious [and] very beautiful, which will be
- ↑ It is a mistake to render ὄσσαν "an oracle," as is shown by Buttmann, Lexil. p. 446, sqq., who observes: "common fame has almost always an obscure origin, and spreads with such wonderful rapidity, that the ancients looked upon it as not proceeding from men, but as something divine; hence it is said to come ἐκ Διὸς, or is personified, as by Virgil, as a divine being and the messenger of Jove."
- ↑ Literally, "if you hear of your father's life and return."
