might speak and act—for thou art born Of such a father, and thy words are wise— And easy is it to discern the son Of one on whom Saturnius has bestowed Both at the birth-hour and in wedded life His blessing; as he gives to Nestor now A calm old age that lapses pleasantly, Within his palace-halls, from day to day, And sons wise-minded, mighty with the spear— Then let us lay aside this sudden grief That has o’ertaken us, and only think Of banqueting. Let water now be poured Upon our hands; there will be time enough Tomorrow for discourse; Telemachus And I will then engage in mutual talk.”
He spake, Asphalion, who with diligent heed Served the great Menelaus, on their hands Poured water, and they shared the meats that lay Upon the board. But Helen, Jove-born dame, Had other thoughts, and with the wine they drank Mingled a drug, an antidote to grief And anger, bringing quick forgetfulness Of all life’s evils. Whoso drinks, when once It is infused and in the cup, that day Shall never wet his cheeks with tears, although His father and his mother lie in death, Nor though his brother or beloved son Fall butchered by the sword before his eyes. Such sovereign drugs she had, that child of Jove, Given her by Polydamna, wife of Thon, A dame of Egypt, where the bounteous soil Brings forth abundantly its potent herbs, Of healing some and some of bane, and where Dwell the physicians who excel in skill All other men, for they are of the race Of Paeon. Now when Helen in the cups Had placed the drug, and bidden them to pour The wine upon it, thus she spake again:—
“Atrides Menelaus, reared by Jove, And ye the sons of heroes!—Jupiter The sovereign, gives, at pleasure, good and ill To one or to another, for his power Is infinite—now sitting in these halls, Feast and enjoy free converse. I will speak What suits the occasion. I could not relate, I could not even name, the many toils Borne by Ulysses, stout of heart. I speak Only of what that valiant warrior did And suffered once in Troy, where ye of Greece Endured such hardships. He had given himself Unseemly stripes, and o’er his shoulders flung Vile garments like a slave’s, and