non's death. Where
was Menelaus when that foul deed was done? And how did AEgisthus
contrive to slay a man mightier far than himself?"

"Thou askest well," replied Nestor. "Menelaus was far away, or we
should have another tale to tell. And had the return of Menelaus not
been delayed, vengeance would have been forestalled by many years.
Yea, the dogs would have eaten the flesh of that vile churl, and not a
tear would have been shed for him. But this is how it fell out: while
we were toiling and warring at Troy, AEgisthus sat close to the ear of
Clytaemnestra, Agamemnon's wife, and poured sweet poison into her mind.
For a long while she refused to hearken to his base proposals, for she
was of a good understanding, and moreover there was ever at her side a
minstrel, into whose care Agamemnon had given her when he went to
Troy. But AEgisthus seized upon the minstrel, and left him on a desert
island to be devoured by carrion birds. Then Clytaemnestra yielded to
his suit, and he brought her to his own house.

"But as to thy question concerning Menelaus, he left Troy in my
company, as I told thee, and we sailed together as far as Sunium.
There Menelaus lost his steersman, who was visited by Apollo with
sudden death, as he sat by the helm; so he remained there to bury his
comrade. But his misfortunes were not yet over; for when he reached
the steep headland at Malea a violent storm arose, and parted his
fleet. Some of his ships ran into Crete for shelter, while he himself
was carried away to Egypt, where he remained many days, and gathered
store of wealth.

"Now thou understandest why AEgisthus was able to work his will on
Agamemnon, and why he escaped vengeance so long. For seven years he
sat on the throne of golden Mycenae, and grievously oppressed the
people. But in the eighth year came Orestes, and cut him off in the
fulness of his sin; and on that very day Menelaus came to him, loaded
with the treasures of Egypt.

"Far and long had he wandered; but so do not thou, my child. Leave not
thy house unguarded, while so many foes are gathered against thee,
lest when thou return thou find thyself stripped of all. But to
Menelaus I would have thee go; him thou must by all means consult; for
who knows what he may have learnt on that wondrous voyage? Vast is the
space of water over which he has travelled, not to be measured in one
year by a bird in her speediest flight. If thou wilt, thou canst go to
Sparta in thy ship, or if th