done, give the cup to thy friend that he may do likewise."

Then Athene took the cup and prayed to Poseidon, saying: "Grant
renown to Nestor and his son, and reward the men of Pylos for this
great sacrifice. And grant that we may accomplish that for which
we have come hither."

And the son of Ulysses prayed in like manner.

When they had eaten and drunk their fill, Nestor said: "Strangers,
who are ye? Sail ye over the seas for trade, or as pirates that
wander at hazard of their lives?"

To him Telemachus made reply, Athene putting courage into his
heart: "We come from Ithaca, and our errand concerns ourselves. I
seek for tidings of my father, who in old time fought by thy side,
and sacked the city of Troy. Of all the others who did battle with
the men of Troy, we have heard, whether they have returned, or
where they died; but even the death of this man remains untold.
Therefore am I come hither to thee; perchance thou mayest be
willing to tell me of him, whether thou sawest his death with
thine own eyes, or hast heard it from another. Speak me no soft
words for pity's sake, but tell me plainly what thou hast seen."

Nestor made answer: "Thou bringest to my mind all that we endured,
warring round Priam's mighty town. There the best of us were
slain. Valiant Ajax [Footnote: A'-jax.] lies there, and there
Achilles [Footnote: A-chil'-les], and there Patroclus [Footnote:
Pa-tro'-clus], and there my own dear son. Who could tell the tale
of all that we endured? Truly, no one, not though thou shouldst