Odyssey

"Bless my heart," replied Menelaos; "then I am receiving a visit from the son of a very dear friend, who suffered much hardship [ athlos ] for my sake. I had always hoped to entertain him with most marked distinction when heaven had granted us a safe return [ nostos ] from beyond the seas. I should have founded a city for him in Argos , and built him a house. I should have made him leave Ithaca with his goods, his son, and all his people, and should have sacked for them some one of the neighboring cities that are subject to me. We should thus have seen one another continually, and nothing but death could have interrupted so close and happy an intercourse. I suppose, however, that heaven grudged us such good fortune, for it has prevented the poor man from ever getting home at all."

OdysseyBook 4, Line 168Samuel ButlerEnglishVerse permalinkRead in Book 4

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