roteus.

119. And Menelaos having come to Egypt and having sailed up to Memphis,
told the truth of these matters, and not only found great entertainment,
but also received Helen unhurt, and all his own wealth besides. Then
however, after he had been thus dealt with, Menelaos showed himself
ungrateful to the Egyptians; for when he set forth to sail away,
contrary winds detained him, and as this condition of things lasted
long, he devised an impious deed; for he took two children of natives
and made sacrifice of them. After this, when it was known that he had
done so, he became abhorred, and being pursued he escaped and got away
in his ships to Libya; but whither he went besides after this, the
Egyptians were not able to tell. Of these things they said that they
found out part by inquiries, and the rest, namely that which happened in
their own land, they related from sure and certain knowledge.

120. Thus the priests of the Egyptians told me; and I myself also agree
with the story which was told of Helen, adding this consideration,
namely that if Helen had been in Ilion she would have been given up to
the Hellenes, whether Alexander consented or no; for Priam assuredly was
not so mad, nor yet the others of his house, that they were desirous to
run risk of ruin for themselves and their children and their city, in
order that Alexander might have Helen as his wife: and even supposing
that during the first part of the time they had been so inclined, yet
when many others of the Trojans besides were losing their lives as
often as they fought with the Hellenes, and of the sons of Priam himself
always two or three or even more were slain when a battle took place (if
one may trust at all to the Epic poets),--when, I say, things were coming
thus to pass, I consider that even if Priam himself had had Helen as his
wife, he would have given her back to the Achaians, if at least by so
doing he might be freed from the evils which oppressed him. Nor even
was the kingdom coming to Alexander next, so that when Priam was old the
government was in his hands; but Hector, who was both older and more of
a man than he, would have received it after the death of Priam; and
him it behoved not to allow his brother to go on with his wrong-doing,
considering that great evils were coming to pass on his account both to
himself privately and in general to the other Trojans. In truth however
they lacked the power to give Helen back; and the Hellenes did n