Seba.Health

The Odyssey 4.296–310

The Odyssey 4.296–310
But the maids went forth from the hall with torches in their hands and strewed the couch, and a herald led forth the guests. So they slept there in the fore-hall of the palace, the prince Telemachus and the glorious son of Nestor; but the son of Atreus slept in the inmost chamber of the lofty house, and beside him lay long-robed Helen, peerless among women. So soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, up from his bed arose Menelaus, good at the war-cry, and put on his clothing. About his shoulders he slung his sharp sword, and beneath his shining feet bound his fair sandals, and went forth from his chamber like unto a god to look upon. Then he sat down beside Telemachus, and spoke, and addressed him: “What need has brought thee hither, prince Telemachus, to goodly Lacedaemon over the broad back of the sea? Is it a public matter, or thine own? Tell me the truth of this.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργείη δʼ Ἑλένη δμῳῇσι κέλευσεν δέμνιʼ ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ θέμεναι καὶ ῥήγεα καλὰ πορφύρεʼ ἐμβαλέειν στορέσαι τʼ ἐφύπερθε τάπητας, χλαίνας τʼ ἐνθέμεναι οὔλας καθύπερθεν ἕσασθαι. αἱ δʼ ἴσαν ἐκ μεγάροιο δάος μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσαι, δέμνια δὲ στόρεσαν· ἐκ δὲ ξείνους ἄγε κῆρυξ. οἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἐν προδόμῳ δόμου αὐτόθι κοιμήσαντο, Τηλέμαχός θʼ ἥρως καὶ Νέστορος ἀγλαὸς υἱός· Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ καθεῦδε μυχῷ δόμου ὑψηλοῖο, πὰρ δʼ Ἑλένη τανύπεπλος ἐλέξατο, δῖα γυναικῶν. ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς, ὤρνυτʼ ἄρʼ ἐξ εὐνῆφι βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος εἵματα ἑσσάμενος, περὶ δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ θέτʼ ὤμῳ, ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα, βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο θεῷ ἐναλίγκιος ἄντην,
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