When they came to the place where Nestor was seated with his sons, they found them busy preparing the feast which followed the sacrifice.  As soon as those of Nestor’s company saw the strangers they came forward in a body to greet them, and made them sit down in places of honour, where soft fleeces were heaped up on the level sand.  A youth, about the same age as Telemachus, placed a goblet of gold in Mentor’s hand, and gave him that portion of the flesh which was set apart as an offering to the gods.  “Welcome, friend,” he said, after pledging him from the cup.  “Put up thy prayer with us to the lord Poseidon, for it is to his feast that ye have come.  And when thou hast prayed, give the cup to thy young companion, who has been bred, methinks, as I have, to deeds of piety.”

Mentor first asked a blessing on their hosts, and then prayed for a prosperous issue to their own adventure.  After him Telemachus uttered his prayer in similar words, and then they all sat down to meat.  When they had finished, Nestor looked earnestly at them, and asked them who they were, and what was the purpose of their journey.  “Are ye merchants,” he said, “or bold buccaneers, who roam the seas, a peril to others, and ever in peril themselves?”

Telemachus, cheered by good fare, and encouraged by the kind manner of Nestor, answered confidently, and explained the nature of his errand.  “Concerning all the other Greeks,” he added, “we know at least the manner of their death; but even this poor comfort is denied to the wife and son of Odysseus.  Therefore, if thou hast aught to tell, I beseech thee by thy friendship with my father, let me know all, and soften not the tale, out of kindness or pity to me.”

“Ah! my friend,” answered Nestor.  “What woeful memories thou hast awakened by thy words!—­perils by land and perils by water, long years of siege and battle, sleepless nights and toilsome days.  Ill-fated land of Troy! the grave of Grecian chivalry!  There lies heroic Ajax, there lies Achilles, and Patroclus, sage in counsel, and there lies Antilochus, my own dear son, fleet of foot and strong of hand.  And art thou indeed the son of Odysseus, whom none could match in craft and strategy?  But why do I ask?  When thou speakest, I seem to hear the very tones of his voice.  He was my friend, one with me in mind and heart, and during all the time of the siege we took counsel together for the weal of Greece.  But when the war was over disasters came thick and fast upon the host.  And first, division arose between the two sons of Atreus; Agamemnon wished to abide in Troy until sacrifice had been offered to appease the anger of Athene, but Menelaus advised immediate departure.  The party of Menelaus, of whom I was one, launched their ships and sailed to Tenedos; there Odysseus, who had set sail with us, put back to the mainland of Asia, wishing to do a favour to Agamemnon.  But I, and Diomede with me, set forth at once, and, crossing the sea