Which now the butleress had leave t’ employ, Who therefore pierc’d it, and did give it vent. Of this the old duke did a cup present To ev’ry guest; made his Maid many a pray’r That wears the shield fring’d with his nurse’s hair, And gave her sacrifice. With this rich wine And food suffic’d, sleep all eyes did decline, And all for home went; but his court alone Telemachus, divine Ulysses’ son, Must make his lodging, or not please his heart. A bed, all chequer’d with elaborate art, Within a portico that rung like brass, He brought his guest to; and his bedfere was Pisistratus, the martial guide of men, That liv’d, of all his sons, unwed till then. Himself lay in a by-room, far above, His bed made by his barren wife, his love. The rosy-finger’d Morn no sooner shone, But up he rose, took air, and sat upon A seat of white and goodly polish’d stone, That such a gloss as richest ointments wore, Before his high gates; where the counsellor That match’d the Gods (his father) us’d to sit, Who now, by fate forc’d, stoop’d as low as it. And here sat Nestor, holding in his hand A sceptre; and about him round did stand, As early up, his sons’ troop; Perseus, The god-like Thrasymed, and Aretus, Echephron, Stratius, and sixth and last Pisistratus, and by him (half embrac’d Still as they came) divine Telemachus; To these spake Nestor, old Gerenius: “Haste, lovéd sons, and do me a desire, That, first of all the Gods, I may aspire To Pallas’ favour, who vouchsaf’d to me At Neptune’s feast her sight so openly. Let one to field go, and an ox with speed Cause hither brought, which let the herdsman lead; Another to my dear guest’s vessel go, And all his soldiers bring, save only two; A third the smith that works in gold command (Laertius) to attend, and lend his hand, To plate the both horns round about with gold; The rest remain here close. But first, see told The maids within, that they prepare a feast, Set seats through all the court, see straight addrest The purest water, and get fuel fell’d.” This said, not one but in the service held Officious hand. The ox came led from field; The soldiers troop’d from ship; the smith he came, And those tools brought that serv’d the actual frame His art conceiv’d, brought anvil, hammers brought, Fair tongs, and all, with which the gold was wrought. Minerva likewise came, to set the crown On that kind sacrifice, and make ’t her own. Then th’ old knight Nestor gave the smith the gold, With which he straight did both the horns infold, And trimm’d the off’ring so, the Goddess joy’d. About which thus were Nestor’s sons employ’d: Divine Echephron, and fair Stratius, Held both the horns. The water odorous, In which they wash’d, what to the rites was vow’d, Aretus, in a caldron all bestrow’d With herbs and flowers, serv’d in from th’ holy room Where all were drest, and whence the rites must come. And after him a hallow’d virgin came, That brought the barley-cake, and blew the flame. The axe, with which the ox should both be fell’d