of Zeus; for there was a gleam as it were of sun or moon through the lofty palace of renowned Menelaus.  But after they had gazed their fill, they went to the polished baths and bathed them.  Now when the maidens had bathed them and anointed them with olive oil, and cast about them thick cloaks and doublets, they sat on chairs by Menelaus, son of Atreus.  And a handmaid bare water for the hands in a goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth over a silver basin to wash withal; and to their side she drew a polished table, and a grave dame bare food and set it by them, and laid upon the board many dainties, giving freely of such things as she had by her, and a carver lifted and placed by them platters of divers kinds of flesh, and nigh them he set golden bowls.  So Menelaus of the fair hair greeted the twain and spake: 

’Taste ye food and be glad, and thereafter when ye have supped, we will ask what men ye are; for the blood of your parents is not lost in you, but ye are of the line of men that are sceptred kings, the fosterlings of Zeus; for no churls could beget sons like you.’

So spake he, and took and set before them the fat ox-chine roasted, which they had given him as his own mess by way of honour.  And they stretched forth their hands upon the good cheer set before them.  Now when they had put from them the desire of meat and drink Telemachus spake to the son of Nestor, holding his head close to him, that those others might not hear: 

’Son of Nestor, delight of my heart, mark the flashing of bronze through the echoing halls, and the flashing of gold and of amber and of silver and of ivory.  Such like, methinks, is the court of Olympian Zeus within, for the world of things that are here; wonder comes over me as I look thereon.’

And as he spake Menelaus of the fair hair was ware of him, and uttering his voice spake to them winged words: 

’Children dear, of a truth no one of mortal men may contend with Zeus, for his mansions and his treasures are everlasting:  but of men there may be who will vie with me in treasure, or there may be none.  Yea, for after many a woe and wanderings manifold, I brought my wealth home in ships, and in the eighth year came hither.  I roamed over Cyprus and Phoenicia and Egypt, and reached the Aethiopians and Sidonians and Erembi and Libya, where lambs are horned from the birth.  For there the ewes yean thrice within the full circle of a year; there neither lord nor shepherd lacketh aught of cheese or flesh or of sweet milk, but ever the flocks yield store of milk continual.  While I was yet roaming in those lands, gathering much livelihood, meantime another slew my brother privily, at unawares, by the guile of his accursed wife.  Thus, look you, I have no joy of my lordship among these my possessions:  and ye are like to have heard hereof from your fathers, whosoever they be, for I have suffered much and let a house go to ruin that was stablished fair, and had