But as the sun was rising from the
fair sea into the firmament of heaven to shed light on mortals and
immortals, they reached Pylos the city of Neleus. Now the people of
Pylos were gathered on the sea shore to offer sacrifice of black
bulls to Poseidon lord of the Earthquake. There were nine guilds with
five hundred men in each, and there were nine bulls to each guild. As
they were eating the inward meats and burning the thigh bones [on
the embers] in the name of Poseidon, Telemakhos and his crew
arrived, furled their sails, brought their ship to anchor, and went
ashore.
Athena led the way and Telemakhos
followed her. Presently she said, "Telemakhos, you must not at all
feel aidôs or be nervous; you have taken this voyage to
try and find out where your father is buried and how he came by his
end; so go straight up to Nestor that we may see what he has got to
tell us. Beg of him to speak the truth, and he will tell no lies, for
he is an excellent person."
"But how, Mentor," replied
Telemakhos, "dare I go up to Nestor, and how am I to address him? I
have never yet been used to holding long conversations with people,
and feel aidôs about questioning one who is so much
older than myself."
"Some things, Telemakhos,"
answered Athena, "will be suggested to you by your own instinct, and
some daimôn will prompt you further; for I am assured
that the gods have been with you from the time of your birth until
now."
Homer. The Odyssey. Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original. Samuel Butler. Based on public domain edition, revised by Timothy Power and Gregory Nagy. A. C. Fifield, London. 1900 (?).
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