Page 252 - the-odyssey

court, and Menelaus came after them with a golden goblet
of wine in his right hand that they might make a drink-of-
fering before they set out. He stood in front of the horses
and pledged them, saying, ‘Farewell to both of you; see that
you tell Nestor how I have treated you, for he was as kind to
me as any father could be while we Achaeans were fighting
before Troy.’
‘We will be sure, sir,’ answered Telemachus, ‘to tell him
everything as soon as we see him. I wish I were as certain
of finding Ulysses returned when I get back to Ithaca, that
I might tell him of the very great kindness you have shown
me and of the many beautiful presents I am taking with
me.’
As he was thus speaking a bird flew on his right hand—
an eagle with a great white goose in its talons which it had
carried off from the farm yard—and all the men and wom-
en were running after it and shouting. It came quite close
up to them and flew away on their right hands in front
of the horses. When they saw it they were glad, and their
hearts took comfort within them, whereon Pisistratus said,
‘Tell me, Menelaus, has heaven sent this omen for us or for
you?’
Menelaus was thinking what would be the most proper
answer for him to make, but Helen was too quick for him
and said, ‘I will read this matter as heaven has put it in my
heart, and as I doubt not that it will come to pass. The eagle
came from the mountain where it was bred and has its nest,
and in like manner Ulysses, after having travelled far and
suffered much, will return to take his revenge—if indeed he

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