Interview of Telemachus with Nestor

Arrival of Telemachus, with Pallas in the shape of Mentor, at Pylos⁠—His interview with Nestor⁠—Nestor’s narrative of his return from Troy⁠—History of the death of Agamemnon and the revenge of Orestes⁠—Departure of Pallas to heaven⁠—Telemachus sent by Nestor with his son Peisistratus to Menelaus at Sparta.

Now from the fair broad bosom of the sea Into the brazen vault of heaven the sun Rose shining for the immortals and for men Upon the foodful earth. The voyagers Arrived at Pylos, nobly built, the town Of Neleus. There, upon the ocean-side, They found the people offering coal-black steers To dark-haired Neptune. On nine seats they sat, Five hundred on each seat; nine steers were slain For each five hundred there. While they performed The rite, and, tasting first the entrails, burned The thighs to ocean’s god, the Ithacans Touched land, and, lifting up the good ship’s sail, Furled it and moored the keel, and then stepped out Upon the shore. Forth from the galley came Telemachus, the goddess guiding him, And thus to him the blue-eyed Pallas said:⁠—

“Telemachus, there now is no excuse, Not even the least, for shamefaced backwardness. Thou hast come hither o’er the deep to ask For tidings of thy father⁠—what far land Conceals him, what the fate that he has met.