Page 249 - the-odyssey

Then she went back to Olympus; but Telemachus stirred
Pisistratus with his heel to rouse him, and said, ‘Wake up
Pisistratus, and yoke the horses to the chariot, for we must
set off home.’ {129}
But Pisistratus said, ‘No matter what hurry we are in
we cannot drive in the dark. It will be morning soon; wait
till Menelaus has brought his presents and put them in the
chariot for us; and let him say good bye to us in the usual
way. So long as he lives a guest should never forget a host
who has shown him kindness.’
As he spoke day began to break, and Menelaus, who had
already risen, leaving Helen in bed, came towards them.
When Telemachus saw him he put on his shirt as fast as he
could, threw a great cloak over his shoulders, and went out
to meet him. ‘Menelaus,’ said he, ‘let me go back now to my
own country, for I want to get home.’
And Menelaus answered, ‘Telemachus, if you insist on
going I will not detain you. I do not like to see a host either
too fond of his guest or too rude to him. Moderation is best
in all things, and not letting a man go when he wants to do
so is as bad as telling him to go if he would like to stay. One
should treat a guest well as long as he is in the house and
speed him when he wants to leave it. Wait, then, till I can get
your beautiful presents into your chariot, and till you have
yourself seen them. I will tell the women to prepare a suf-
ficient dinner for you of what there may be in the house; it
will be at once more proper and cheaper for you to get your
dinner before setting out on such a long journey. If, more-
over, you have a fancy for making a tour in Hellas or in the

The Odyssey