💡 This is a chapter from The Wanderings of Odysseus, by C. Witt & F. Younghusband ← Go there to read the full book free online; it is also available in paperback and Kindle editions.
Telemachus and Athena were now about to return to their ship, but Nestor said, “Zeus and the other gods forbid that I should let you go to your ship as if I were a poor man and had not coverings enough to provide a comfortable bed for my guests! While I live and have the power of entertaining strangers in my house, I cannot permit the beloved son of my brave Odysseus to sleep on board his ship.”
“Well hast thou spoken, thou noble old man,” replied Athena. “Telemachus shall do thy bidding and follow thee to thy house as thy guest. But I will go to the ship and see that everything is in order, for the crew are all young fellows; I am the one elderly man among them. There will I sleep, and early in the morning I will go on my way to the Caucones, where I have a debt that I must reclaim.”
With these words, Athena turned to depart, but suddenly they saw, instead of her, a sea eagle which flew up rapidly towards the heaven. All were filled with amazement, and Nestor grasped the hand of Telemachus, saying, “Beloved friend, thou hast a mighty future before thee, who even in thy youth art honored by the presence of the gods. This was no other than Athena, the daughter of Zeus, who ever protected thy father in the battle. Oh, be gracious to me also, great goddess, to me and to my sons, and to my honored wife! Tomorrow will I sacrifice to thee a cow that has never been yoked in the plow, and will deck her horns with gold.”
Then they all made their way to the city and retired to rest — Telemachus sleeping with Pisistratus, the youngest of the king’s sons, in the open porch in front of the palace.
The next morning, Nestor rose at dawn of day and seated himself on a shining stone bench in front of the house; presently his sons gathered around him, and lastly came Telemachus and Pisistratus. When they were all assembled, Nestor began to prepare for the sacrifice. One of the sons was sent to the herdsman who was to supply the cow, and another to the ship of Telemachus to invite his companions to the feast — all of them but two who had to remain in charge of the vessel. A third son went to summon the smith to come and cover the horns of the cow with gold, and a fourth directed the women servants of the house to bring wood and water into the courtyard for the sacrifice.
Before long, the cow was brought in by the herdsman; then came the companions of Odysseus, and lastly the smith arrived with his hammer, tongs, and anvil. Nestor gave him as much gold as was needed, and he fastened it around the horns. The cow was led into the middle of the courtyard, and beside her stood one of the king’s sons with a basin of water for washing and a dish of barley in his hands; another son held a sharp axe, which was to be used for felling the animal to the ground.
Then the venerable Nestor stepped forward. First washing his hands, he strewed some barley corns upon the cow’s head between her horns; and then, while a prayer was repeated, he cut off some of the hairs from her forehead and threw them into the sacrificial flame. At the same moment the cow sank to her knees under a mighty blow from the axe, and, when she had bled to death, they cut up the flesh in pieces. The thigh bones were first separated, surrounded with a double portion of fat, and laid in the flame for the goddess with some slices of the flesh, and Nestor also poured in wine over them from time to time.
After this, the heart, the liver, and the lungs of the animal were roasted before the fire on five-pronged forks by some youths who were standing by and passed around to be tasted by the guests. The regular feast did not begin as yet, but, when the greater part of the flesh had been roasted in a similar manner, all seated themselves at the tables; a portion of the flesh was placed before each guest, and the cups were filled with wine by the heralds who went around performing this duty.
When the feast was over, Nestor desired them to make ready the chariot for Telemachus and said that Pisistratus should go with him to Sparta. The house dame brought out bread, meat, and wine, and placed them in the chariot as provisions for the way, and then the two youths mounted the chariot. Pisistratus took the reins, and the horses started off at a quick pace. Before dark they had reached the house of a friend of Nestor’s, where they passed the night, continuing their journey the next day, until they found themselves at Sparta and approaching the palace of King Menelaus.