Greek Texts & Translations

The sun was setting; they came to the hollow Lacedaemon (κητεσσαν), and drove their chariot to the palace of Menelaus. ^note Here we must understand the city; and if we do not, the poet says, that they journeyed from Lacedaemon to Lacedaemon. It is otherwise improbable that the palace of Menelaus should not be at Sparta; and if it was not there, that Telemachus should say, for I am going to Sparta, and to Pylus, ^note
Od. ii. 359. for this seems to agree with the epithets applied to the country, ^note unless indeed any one should allow this to be a poetical licence; for, if Messenia was a part of Laconia, it would be a contradiction that Messene should not be placed together with Laconia, or with Pylus, (which was under the command of Nestor,) nor by itself in the Catalogue of Ships, as though it had no part in the expedition.