book three

• telemachus and crew arrive at pylos and find the people sacrificing bulls to poseidon
• athene urges telemachus to speak to mentor but he is nervous to do so, as he has no experience making speeches, but she assures him a god is on his side
• nestor's sons welcome them warmly
• pleased at peisistratus' manners, athene offers a prayer to poseidon
• telemachus speaks up and tells nestor why they are here - to ask about odysseus' unfortunate end
• nestor says that telemachus closely resembles odysseus
• nestor tells the story of the argument between agammemnon and menelaus, which led to them taking different men and leavinng troy at different times
• menelaus' party (nestor and odysseus) set out but arguments ensued once more and odysseus' squadron turned back to troy, so nestor knows nothing of odysseus' journey home]
• nestor references agamemnon and clytemenestra, telling telemachus to be as brave as orestes
• nestor asks about the situation in ithaca and what telemachus is doing about it, and wishes athene could help him
• telemachus refuses to speak on it any longer
• telemachus asks about what really happened to agamemnon and how menelaus could have let him die
• nestor calls clytemenestra "fond lover, willing lady"
• nestor explains that menelaus was busy at sunium burying his helmsman and then led to egypt by winds
• aegisthus reigned for seven years after killing agamemnon until orestes killed him
• nestor urges telemachus to not leave his house unguarded for too long but to visit menelaus
• athene prompts another sacrifice to poseidon and the gods
• nestor stops them from returning to the ship, urging them to sleep in the palace but athene says she will return to the ship
• athene turns into a vulture and shocks nestor, who prays to her and offers libations and sacrifices in a big ritual
• nestor says telemachus will never be a "coward" or "weakling" with athene on his side
• nestor's daughter bathes telemachus, and they give him two horses and a chariot and he leaves