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The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury; Now First Collected and Edited by Sir William Molesworth, Bart., (London: Bohn, 1839-45). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Author: Homer
Translator: Thomas Hobbes
Editor: Sir William Molesworth

Part of: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes, 11 vols.

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LIB. III.

Nestor entertains him at Pyle, and tells him how the Greeks departed from Troy; and sends him for further information to Sparta.

Up from the sea the sun leapt to the sky,
To hold the light up before Gods and men;
Telemachus, with all his company,
Unto the town of Pyle arrived then.
5Then Nestor had a sacrifice in hand

To Neptune, and upon the sea-side stood,
And with him store of people on the sand.
Black bulls he eighty-one had to him vow’d:
Nine seats there were, five hundred to each seat,
10And to the same nine bulls appointed were;

The entrails, broil’d upon the coals they eat,
The thighs to Neptune burnt to ashes were.
The ship then came within the port to land,
And disembark’d, upon the shore they staid;
15With furled sails the ship did by them stand.

Then Pallas to Telemachus thus said:
Telemachus, by no means bashful be;
For wherefore did you undertake this task,
But of your father to hear certainty?
20To Nestor then directly go, and ask

If of Ulysses anything he know.
He’ll tell you truly. He’s too wise to lie.
Mentor, said he, I’m young, and know not how
With one so old to answer and reply.
25Telemachus, said Pallas, do not fear,

You’ll somewhat prompted be by your own breast
(You never by the Gods neglected were),
The God that loves you will supply the rest.
Then up to Nestor they directly went,
30And Pallas foremost. All about him there

They found upon the sacrifice intent.
His sons and lords, to hasten the good cheer,
Some broaching, and some roasting were of meat,
And presently about the strangers come,
35And with their hands salute them, and entreat

To sit. And then Pisistratus went to’em,
Saluted them, and took them both by th’ hands,
And for them (since there was no empty seat)
Laid sheepskins, with the wool upon the sands;
40And of the entrails gave them part to eat,

And to her hand held up a cup of wine.
To Neptune, said he, offer up your vow,
For he expressly is the pow’r divine,
That we to worship be assembled now.
45And having drunk, give it to this man’s hand,

That he may also give the Gods their due;
For all men of the Gods in need do stand,
And I thought fit to give it first to you,
’Cause you are th’ elder, th’ other young as I.
50Then Pallas from his hand receiv’d the cup,

And pleased was to see his equity,
And then to Neptune sent her prayers up.
Neptune, said she, have to my prayer regard;
First Nestor and his sons with honour bless,
55And of his people th’ hecatomb reward,

And give Telemachus and me success.
Thus prayed she, and gave for what she prayed,
And to Telemachus then gave the cup,
And he to Neptune the same prayer said.
60The meat being ready now and taken up,

And into messes cut, themselves they feast,
And when of hunger extinct was the force,
Then to his guests Nestor his speech address’d:
Friends, said he, now we time have to discourse,
65Tell me, Who are you? whence d’ye cross the main?

Is it for traffic? Or d’ye pleasure take,
As pirates walk at sea, to and again,
Others to spoil to set your lives at stake?
To this, Telemachus with confidence
70(Which into him the Goddess did inspire,

The better to obtain intelligence,
And reputation to himself acquire)
Answer’d: O Nestor Nelëiades,
The glory of the Greeks, we hither came
75From Ithaca on no state-business,

But of my father to seek news from Fame,
Unbless’d Ulysses, who at Ilium
Together with you fought before the town.
Of th’ other chiefs we hear what is become,
80But where Ulysses died is still unknown,

Whether at land he slain were by the foe,
Or by the sea devoured he hath been;
But at your knees we hither come to know,
What you since then have heard of him or seen,
85Wand’ring about, born to calamity.

Let no respect, or pity mitigate
Your story, howsoever sad it be.
Nothing but naked truth to me relate.
And I beseech you, for my father’s sake,
90If he before the town of Troy did well

Perform the service he did undertake,
That nothing but the very truth you tell.
O friend, said Nestor, since you bring again
To memory our miseries at Troy,
95Under Achilles first by sea, what pain

We suffer’d then; and after, when we lay
And fought before King Priam’s royal seat,
What we endured, what great men we lost;
The doughty Ajax, and Achilles great,
100That were the chief of all the Argive host;

The valiant Patroclus, and my son
Antilochus, both valiant in fight,
And if an enemy were put to run
Before him, he could hardly ’scape by flight.
105But numberless were our sad chances there;

No mortal man can count them one by one,
And if you five or six years should stay here,
You’d weary be of asking, and be gone.
Nine years we plots contriv’d to take the town,
110Which Jove made prosperous with much ado.

Ulysses had for plotting the renown,
For none compar’d himself your father to:
If it be true you are Ulysses’ son,
And I confess, hearing you speak your mind,
115And steadfastly your person looking on,

Much respect for you in myself I find.
While we together were at Troy, we never
In council or assembly disagreed,
But what was for the Argives’ good, we ever
120Endeavour’d what we could to get decreed.

But when of Troy we had destroy’d the town,
And back unto our ships again were come,
Then Jove upon the Greeks began to frown,
Intending to them ill returning home,
125For few there were amongst them just or wise,

But on themselves they drew down their own fate,
Which made the Goddess Pallas to devise
To set the two Atrides at debate.
Then of the people they a meeting call
130At almost sunset, and the people came

(Having their heads with wine disorder’d all)
Th’ Atrides told them why they call’d the same,
Where Menelaus votes to cross the seas,
And each man to his country to repass.
135But this advice his brother did not please,

To stay there yet awhile his counsel was,
And first a hecatomb to sacrifice,
The Goddess Pallas’ anger to appease.
But Agamemnon therein was not wise,
140Men cannot change the will o’ th’ Gods with ease.

While they contending were with words unmeet,
One part arose, resolv’d to stay all night,
And in the morn to go aboard the fleet,
And each one tow’rds his home to take his flight.
145And shipp’d our captive women, and our prey,

One half we were, and came to Tenedus;
The other half with Agamemnon stay.
And Pallas then again divided us;
And one part back to Agamemnon went,
150But I, with all my own ships, homeward fled,

Knowing that Jove to the Greeks evil meant;
So did the son of Tideus, Diomed.
At Lesbos to us Menelaus came,
Where we, which way to go, consulting staid,
155Chius within, or else without the same,

And for direction to the Gods we pray’d.
O’er the wide sea t’ Eubœa they bid sail,
That we in safety be the sooner might;
And sent us therewithal a lusty gale,
160Which brought us to Gerestus when ’twas night,

And there to Neptune we burnt many thighs.
On the fourth day the ships of Diomed
To Argos came. The same wind staid i’ th’ skies
Till I at Pyle was safe delivered.
165So came I home, sweet child, and cannot tell

Which of the Greeks came safe home, and which not.
But what has since been told me I know well,
And so far as is reason, you shall know’t.
The Myrmidons, they say, came safely home,
170Conducted by stout Neoptolemus.

And Philoctetes very well did come
Unto his father’s house, Pallantius.
Idomeneus to Crete brought all his men
That were not slain at Ilium in fight.
175How Agamemnon, when come home again,

Was butchered, I need not to recite;
Nor how he came, nor of Ægistus’ plot,
Nor yet how bitterly he smarted for’t.
’Tis good, you see, to have a son begot,
180That can revenge his father in that sort.

And you, my friend, that tall are and well made,
Be valiant, and get ’mongst men good fame.
Telemachus then answered, and said:
O Nestor, but my case is not the same.
185Sharp the revenge was of Atrides’ son,

And far and wide will matter be for songs,
But from the Gods such power I have none,
To be revenged of the suitors’ wrongs.
O friend, said Nestor, since I have been told
190That many who your mother seek to marry,

Without your leave, do with your house make bold,
And spending of your substance daily tarry,
Is it because you are therewith content?
Or are you forc’d to bear such injury
195Because your people are against you bent,

Provok’d thereto by some divinity?
But who knows but at last they may be paid
For all the injuries which they have done,
And insolence, by the Achæans’ aid,
200Or peradventure by yourself alone?

For if of you Pallas as careful were,
As carefully she did your father guide
At Troy (a God to man ne’er did appear
So plainly as she there stood by his side.)
205If Pallas were so kind to you, you’d see

The suitors quickly would forget to woo.
Then said Telemachus, ’Twill never be,
Although the Gods should give consent thereto.
Telemachus, said Pallas, what a word
210Have you let fall? A man may be with ease,

Though far off, to his native soil restor’d
By any of the Gods, if so he please.
And I at home would rather lose my life
Fighting than sitting, as Atrides died,
215Slain by Ægistus and his own bad wife,

Basely by them in whom he did confide.
And yet the Gods unable are to save
A man from death, although he be a friend,
Whose end the cruel Fates determin’d have.
220Then said Telemachus, Let’s make an end

Of this discourse. Ulysses’ latest day
Determin’d by the Gods already is,
And I to Nestor somewhat else will say;
For three men’s ages do but equal his.
225O Nestor, I would fain informed be

How Agamemnon was of life depriv’d.
And Menelaus, where meanwhile was he?
And how Ægistus had the plot contriv’d.
Was it that Menelaus too long stay’d,
230Ægistus ventur’d on a better wight?

I’ll tell you all the truth, then Nestor said,
And yet what you yourself have guess’d is right.
For why, if Menelaus coming home
Ægistus in the house alive had found,
235He never had at Argos had a tomb,

But eaten been by dogs above the ground,
And fowls of prey. Nor had he had the pity
Of the Argive women, nor lamented been,
But lain had i’ th’ fields far from the city.
240For why, a viler act was never seen.

For when at Troy we ended had the strife,
Long time it was before we came away;
Then siege laid he to Agamemnon’s wife,
And secretly hidden in Argos lay,
245And she at first refus’d, and counsel took

Of a learn’d man, whom Agamemnon left
Going to Troy his wife to overlook,
But soon Ægistus him of life bereft;
For in a desert island he him kill’d,
250And left him for a booty to the kites.

And then unto Ægistus she did yield,
And richly were perform’d the wedding rites.
Then on the altars many thighs they burn,
And with them rich men’s baubles, and gold stuff,
255For why, for so unhop’d-for a good turn,

They thought they could not thank the Gods enough.
Now coming Menelaus was and I,
And were as far come as to Sunium,
When Phrontis, his good steersman, chanc’d to die,
260The best that in a storm ere ship brought home,

And hindrance of his coming this was some
To bury him. But when he put to sea,
And was with all his ships in safety come
Under the windy mountain of Malea,
265Then an ill passage for them Jove provided;

The wind then whistled, and the water danced,
And into two parts was the fleet divided;
And one part to the coast of Crete advanced,
Where Cydons dwell, near Jardan river’s mouth.
270There in the sea standeth a stone upright,

That breaks the water when it rolls from south,
So that it comes to Phæstus without might;
And there the men came in and sav’d their lives,
But all the ships upon the rock were split.
275The other part the wind to Egypt drives

With Menelaus. Five ships were in it.
Whilst Menelaus did in Egypt stay,
And visit princes and their gifts receiv’d;
Ægistus made the Argives him obey,
280And Agamemnon of his life bereav’d;

And sev’n years in Mycene reigned he.
But then Orestes came, whom they not knew,
From Athens to them unexpectedly,
And there the slayer of his father slew,
285And feasted th’ Argives at the funeral

Of him and her. That very day did come
King Menelaus, his ships laden all,
From Egypt, with his costly presents home.
And you, my friend, take heed you do not stay
290Too long abroad, leaving your goods among

So many knaves that waste them ev’ry day,
And will consume them utterly ere long;
But go to Menelaus, who came last,
And wand’ring has among much people been.
295A bird could hardly so much sea have pass’d

In a year’s time, as wand’ring he has seen.
Therefore to Sparta go with ship and crew,
Or if by land, my coach is ready for ye.
Also my son shall go along with you,
300And ask of Menelaus all his story.

He’s wise. Besides the truth he’ll nothing say.
This said, the sun was down, and dark the sky.
Nestor, said Pallas, you before us lay
That to which we have nothing to reply.
305Now slit the tongues, and let wine temper’d be,

That we may offer to th’ immortals all;
The light is gone, and need of sleep have we.
So Pallas said, and they to offering fall.
The waiters then brought water for their hands,
310And young men to them all brought temper’d wine.

The tongues lay on the fire, each one upstands
And offers wine unto the powers divine.
And when the offering was at an end,
Telemachus and Pallas were about
315To go aboard, and there the night to spend.

But Nestor on the other side cried out,
The Gods forbid that you should lie aboard,
As if I were a man so rude or poor
As not good bedding for a friend t’ afford.
320Since then I have of rugs and bedding store,

And many sons alive with me at home,
That able are my friends to entertain,
And ’tis Ulysses’ son that’s to me come,
Surely this night he shall with me remain.
325O Nestor, then said Pallas, that is right,

And at your house to lodge for him ’tis best.
But at the ship I needs must lie this night,
His purpose to make known to all the rest.
Amongst them there no old man is but I,
330The company t’ encourage that expect

Telemachus. Not with authority,
But my advice they’ll follow for respect.
The next day with the Caucons I must be,
About an old and not a little debt.
335And then that he may Menelaus see,

With strong swift horses on his way him set.
This said, the Goddess Pallas went away,
In likeness of an eagle to the skies.
The people star’d, and knew not what to say,
340And Nestor wond’ring saw it with his eyes,

And took Telemachus by th’ hand, and said,
A good man you will be, Telemachus,
And valiant, that are by a God convoy’d;
And this same God that guided you to us,
345Is none but Pallas, daughter of great Jove,

That did at Troy your father always guide.
Let me and mine, O Goddess, have your love,
And amongst men a noble fame and wide;
A heifer on your altar shall be laid
350That ne’er bare yoke, a yearling from the field;

And gilt shall be her horns. So Nestor pray’d.
And Pallas hearing, to his prayer did yield.
And Nestor to his house then led them all,
Both sons and sons-in-law, and being there,
355They sat on chairs and couches in the hall;

Then Nestor bids one fill the temperer
With wine that aged was eleven year,
From out a vessel first uncover’d then.
And when the wine and water mixed were,
360Then Nestor pray’d and offered. And when

The off’rings to the Goddess ended were,
The rest unto their lodgings went away.
Telemachus by Nestor stay’d was there,
And in a soft and costly bed he lay;
365And near unto him lay Pisistratus,

Who of the sons of Nestor was the last.
And Nestor in the inmost part of th’ house,
Where, by the queen his wife, his bed was plac’d.
Soon as Aurora did the day restore,
370The old knight Nestor rose up from his bed,

And sat upon the bench before the door,
Of marble white and smooth that glistened.
His father used to sit there before,
King Neleus, but that since he was dead,
375And that King Nestor now the sceptre bore,

There sat he now, and to him gathered
Were all his sons, Echephron, Stratius,
Perseus, Aretus, godlike Thrasymed,
Pisistratus. (Dead was Antilochus.)
380Along with them Telemachus they led.

Then to his children Nestor spake and said:
Do quickly, sons, what you shall from me hear.
A vow I made to Pallas must be paid,
Who did to me so visibly appear.
385Let one of you unto the pastures hie

And bid a herdsman bring a heifer home;
One to Telemachus his ship quickly,
And bid his mates, save two, all hither come;
Another bid the gilder hither come,
390To gild the sacred heifer’s horns with speed;

The rest stay here to look to things at home,
That all things may be ready that we need,
Seats, dry wood, and fair water. So said he,
Then busy were they all. The heifer came,
395And all Telemachus his company.

The gilder came, Laerces was his name,
And every tool that to his art belongs,
And necessary is, had in his hands;
His anvil, and his hammer, and his tongs.
400And Pallas also now amongst them stands.

Then fell the man to work on Nestor’s gold,
And so elaborate it was when done,
That it might please the Goddess to behold.
Then came in Stratius and Echephron,
405And by the horns they led the heifer in.

The basin and the ewer, and barley white,
Aretus brought; and with an axe full keen
Stood Thrasymed ready the beast to smite.
Then Nestor pray’d, and from the heifer’s head
410Cut off some hair, and into th’ fire it threw.

Then prayed the rest; and barley sprinkled
Upon the fire, and Thrasymed then slew
The heifer with his axe, and cut in twain
The tendons of the neck, and down she fell;
415And Nestor’s wife and daughters shout amain

To see the sacred act performed well.
Pisistratus then cuts the victim’s throat,
And up they held it to let out the blood
Into a pail which Perseus thither brought,
420And to that purpose ready with it stood.

The life together with the blood outflies.
Then from the body they the bowels draw,
And next cut off the shoulders and the thighs,
As is of sacrifice the ritual law;
425And them slit into two parts they display,

And cover them all over with sweet fat,
Shoulder on shoulder, thigh on thigh they lay,
And Nestor on the altar burneth that;
And with it on the fire black wine he poured.
430By him a spit was ready with five points.

The fire the thighs, the men th’ entrails devoured,
The rest divided was in smaller joints,
To roast on spits. Telemachus the while
Into the bath retired, and was there
435Well bathed, and anointed with sweet oil

By Polycaste, Nestor’s daughter dear,
And in a robe and coat clad gloriously,
And came, as if no mortal he had been,
Into the hall, and sat down Nestor by.
440The meat now ready straightway was brought in.

Then in the young men came to fill them wine.
When they with flesh and wine were satisfied,
Then to his sons said Nestor, Children mine,
The horses to the coach see quickly tied.
445Away they go, and to the coach they set

The horses swift; and in it bread and wine
A maid laid in, and with it choicest meat,
Which none but god-fed kings eat when they dine.
Up to the seat then went Telemachus
450(The seat was large and capable of two)

And after him went up Pisistratus,
And whip and reins he took his hands into.
Touch’d with the whip, the horses take the way,
And all the day long made their harness shake.
455The sun went down, dark were the streets. Then they

At Pheræ were. And there their rest they take.
There Diocles, Orsilochus his son,
Son of Alphæus them did entertain,
And with fair gifts presented them each one.
460But soon as morning did appear again,

Their horses to the coach again they tie,
And from the porch drive them into the way,
Touch’d with the whip again away they fly.
The sun now down, and ended was the day.

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LIB. III. - Homer, The English Works, vol. X (Iliad and Odyssey) [1839]

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Part of: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes, 11 vols.

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LIB. III.