emachus rose next morning he found his host already afoot,
giving orders to his sons to prepare the sacrifice to Athene. One was
sent to fetch the heifer, another to summon the goldsmith, and a third
to bring up the crew of Telemachus' ship, while the rest busied
themselves in raising the altar and making all ready for the
sacrifice.

Presently the heifer was driven lowing into the courtyard, and the
goldsmith followed with the instruments of his art. Nestor gave him
gold, and the smith beat it into thin leaf with his hammer, and laid
it skilfully over the horns of the heifer. A handmaid brought pure
water, and barley-meal in a basket, while one of Nestor's sons stood
ready with an axe, and another held a bowl to catch the blood. Then
Nestor dipped his hands in the water, took barley-meal from the basket
and sprinkled it on the head of the beast, and cutting a tuft of hair
from the forehead cast it into the fire. The prayer was spoken, and
all due rites being ended he who held the axe smote the heifer on the
head, just behind the horns. The women raised the sacrificial cry as
the heifer dropped to the ground; and next they whose office it was
lifted up the victim's head, and Pisistratus cut the throat. When the
last quiver of life was over they flayed the carcass, cut strips of
flesh from the thighs, and enveloping them in fat, burnt them on the
altar. The gods had now their share of the feast; the rest was cut
into slices, and broiled over the live embers.

While the meal was preparing, Telemachus enjoyed the refreshment of a
bath; and Polycaste, the youngest of Nestor's daughters, waited on
him; for such was the patriarchal simplicity of those days. When he
had bathed, and finished his morning meal, the chariot was brought
out, and a strong pair of horses led under the yoke. And the
house-dame came with a basket, loaded with wine and delicate viands,
and placed it behind the seat. Telemachus took his place by the side
of Pisistratus, who was to drive the horses; the last farewells were
spoken, Pisistratus cracked his whip, and away they went under the
echoing gateway, and on through the streets of Pylos.

[Illustration: Telemachus departing from Nestor]

That night they slept at the house of a friend, and early next day
they continued their journey. The way grew steep and difficult, great
masses of mountains rose near at hand, and at length they entered a
wide valley, covered with waving fields of corn. By sunset