"Therefore, my dear young friend, I returned without hearing
anything about the others. I know neither who got home safely
nor who were lost but, as in duty bound, I will give you without
reserve the reports that have reached me since I have been here
in my own house. They say the Myrmidons returned home safely
under Achilles' son Neoptolemus; so also did the valiant son of
Poias, Philoctetes. Idomeneus, again, lost no men at sea, and
all his followers who escaped death in the field got safe home
with him to Crete. No matter how far out of the world you live,
you will have heard of Agamemnon and the bad end he came to at
the hands of Aegisthus--and a fearful reckoning did Aegisthus
presently pay. See what a good thing it is for a man to leave a
son behind him to do as Orestes did, who killed false Aegisthus
the murderer of his noble father. You too, then--for you are a
tall smart-looking fellow--show your mettle and make yourself a
name in story."

"Nestor son of Neleus," answered Telemachus, "honour to the
Achaean name, the Achaeans applaud Orestes and his name will
live through all time for he has avenged his father nobly. Would
that heaven might grant me to do like vengeance on the insolence
of the wicked suitors, who are ill treating me and plotting my
ruin; but the gods have no such happiness in store for me and
for my father, so we must bear it as best we may."

"My friend," said Nestor, "now that you remind me, I remember to
have heard that your mother has many suitors, who are ill
disposed towards you and are making havoc of your estate. Do you
submit to this tamely, or are public feeling and the voice of