And now, when they had prayed, and flung the cakes, The large-souled Thrasymedes, Nestor’s son, Struck, where he stood, the blow; the bullock’s strength Gave way. At once the daughters of the king, And his sons’ wives, and queen Eurydicè— Nestor’s chaste wife, and daughter eldest born Of Clymenus, broke forth in shrilly cries. From the great earth the sons then lifted up And held the victim’s head. Peisistratus, The chief of squadrons, slew it. When the blood Had ceased to flow, and life had left its limbs, They quickly severed joint from joint; they hewed The thighs away, and duly covered them With caul, a double fold, on which they laid Raw strips of flesh. The aged monarch burned These over the cleft wood, and poured dark wine Upon them, while beside him stood the youths With five-pronged spits; and when the thighs were burned And entrails tasted, all the rest they carved Into small portions and transfixed with spits, And roasted, holding the sharp spits in hand. Meantime, fair Polycastè, youngest born Of Nestor’s daughters, gave Telemachus The bath; and after he had bathed she shed A rich oil over him, and in a cloak Of noble texture and a tunic robed The prince, who, like a god in presence, left The bath, and took his place where Nestor sat, The shepherd of the people. When the youths Had roasted well and from the spits withdrawn The flesh, they took their places at the feast. Then rose up chosen men, and poured the wine Into the cups of gold; and when at length The thirst and appetite were both allayed, The knight, Gerenian Nestor, thus began:—
“Rise now, my sons; join to the bright-haired steeds My car, and let Telemachus depart.”
He spake; they hearkened and obeyed, and straight Yoked the swift horses to the car. Then came The matron of the household, laying bread