πδ′

Well, the big guy is back.

Just after lunch today, a large commotion broke out along the beach. -General Odysseus and his party had returned.

I was walking down to the beach when Polites broke out from the crowd and ran up to me. He was wearing an enormous bronze helmet with a bright red plume.

“We just kicked Milesian ass!” Polites shouted, brandishing a fancy broadsword.

Apparently, just this morning, on their way back from retrieving Neoptolemus, Odysseus’ crew happened upon a Milesian supply ship.

Odysseus decided to raid the Milesians, and according to Polites, the naval battle that followed was down-right hilarious.

Polites said the Milesian vessel was loaded, and although they were “rowing and like devils and screaming like girls”, Odysseus’ craft eased up next to them as if they were dead in the water.

Hardly containing himself, Polites then related that as Neoptolemus, Odysseus and Diomedes jumped into one side of the Milesian boat, her entire crew, save the captain and one old salt, jumped off the other.

I guess Neoptolemus killed the captain, but they spared the salt.

Polites said the vessel was loaded with arms and “enough wine to drown an army”. -That’s when his demeanor began to make a little more sense.

Not long after Polites had related this story, the crowd below us divided. Odysseus, Diomedes, and two other heavily armored men appeared, followed by the ship’s crew.

One of these two strangers was a youth, not more than 20 years old. Even in armor, his strength was obvious. In one hand, this man carried a sword. In the other, a human head. -I immediately knew this must be the son of Achilles.

The other armored figure was at least 70 years old. At first I thought it was Nestor, but I knew he had stayed back with us. Furthermore, this man's armor was ill-fitting, and there was hardly an inch of skin that didn’t have some sort of plate strapped to it.

Once the young man shoved this old soldier to the dirt, I knew his identity as well. -It was the old salt they had ‘spared’.

The old man was immediately pulled up, and forced to march along.

It wasn’t long before Odysseus had come upon us. As conspicuously as I could, I gave him my most formal salute and belted: “Welcome home General Odysseus. You have been missed.” I then bowed to Diomedes and Neoptolemus in turn.

Odysseus was pleased. He tossed me a flask of wine and beamed: “It’s good to be back, Captain Eurylochus. It’s good to be back.”

At that, Odysseus and his contingent continued up towards the encampment, followed by his crew and the host of onlookers.

As they passed, I saw that Agamemnon and his entourage were approaching on horseback. -I quickly headed for the beach before I might be called back.

When I got to the shore, I found Baius struggling to secure the Milesian vessel.

To Polites obvious dismay, I ordered him to retrieve Macar and a group of our Ithacans to begin unloading the cargo. -About twenty minutes later, Macar and the men showed up, but Polites was nowhere to be seen.

I spent most of the day securing and recording the spoils.

Later in the evening, I had Misenus tell Aegle that I wouldn’t be able to keep our plans.

He said that he tried, but there was a big party going on about Agamemnon’s camp, and in the chaos, he wasn’t able to find her.

Oh well, I am sure she understands that I’d be busy.

Elpenor and Epieus stopped by late in the evening. -They brought me dinner.

I don’t know what motivated them to do it, but I was pretty touched.

In gratitude, I gave Epieus a Milesian belt and Elpenor two bottles of wine. -Those items failed to make the registry.