Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/80

44 the hero Telemachus and the illustrious son of Nestor, stood in the vestibule of the house: but excellent Eteoneus, the trusty servant of glorious Menelaus, coming forward, saw them; and he hastened through the house to announce them to glorious Menelaus; and standing near him spoke winged words:

"There are some strangers here, O Menelaus, nourished of Jupiter, two men, and they are like unto the race of mighty Jove. But say, whether we shall loose their swift horses, or send them to go to some one else, who may receive them kindly."

Auburn-haired Menelaus very indignant addressed him: "Formerly indeed thou wast not foolish, O Eteoneus, son of Böetheus, but now, like a child, thou speakest foolish things. We indeed having consumed many hospitable gifts from other men came here; [to see] if Jupiter even hereafter shall allow us to cease from toil; but loose the horses of the strangers, and bring them in immediately to be feasted."

Thus he spoke; and he hastened from the palace, and exhorted his other trusty servants to follow him. But they loosed the horses sweating under the yoke; and bound them to the horses' manger: and they set oats near them, and mixed white barley with them: and they tilted the chariot against the shining walls, and led them into the divine house: but they, beholding, marvelled at the house of the Jove-nurtured king. For there was a splendour like as of the sun and the moon, through the lofty-roofed house of glorious Menelaus. But when, beholding with their eyes, they were satisfied, going into the well-polished baths they washed themselves. When therefore the maid-servants had washed them, and anointed them with oil, and had also thrown woollen cloaks and garments around them, they set them on thrones near Menelaus, the son of Atreus. And a handmaid bringing water in a beautiful golden ewer, poured it over a silver cauldron, to wash in: and she spread a polished table near at hand. And the venerable housekeeper brought bread and set it near them, serving up many dainties, gratifying them as well as she could out of the provisions that were at hand. And the waiter lifting up dishes of all kinds of flesh placed them near; and