ϙϛ′

Last night was nice.

However, I am not sure I will see Aegle again.

We set sail tomorrow.

Aegle is returning to Sparta with Melenaus’ fleet. -I think they are leaving tomorrow as well. Nonetheless, we shared a pleasant last evening together.

Uncharacteristically, Odysseus spent the entire day with us Ithacans. I am glad he did. Much needed to be done today and the General’s presence made the men easier to deal with.

Nonetheless, I feel like I spent the whole day just running from one place to the next. I swear I must have down to the beach and back up again more than a dozen times. -My calves are killing me.

Anyway, a couple of interesting things did occur on our last day here.

Most notably, just after lunch, about two thousand Achaeans, including about one-hundred of our own Ithacans, marched from north of the city and into camp. General Agapenor was apparently commanding them. According to Agapenor, these unaccounted for men had spent the last week chasing a large contingent of the Trojan army up the coast.

I’m not so sure about that story. Agapenor’s contingent returned with three carts loaded with spoils. -I didn’t see any armor or weapons in them.

Nonetheless, Agapenor presented one of these carts to Menelaus and Helen. That seemed to please Agamennon, and everyone more or less cheered their return.

Although we could have punished our truant Ithacans for desertion, Odysseus heartily welcomed them back. -Maybe it’s because they treated him with trunk of goods as well.

Macar wasn’t so thrilled about arranging for one-hundred more Ithacans, however.

The second thing of note was the return of Hermes’ helmet.

Actually, Macar recognized it amidst our spoils as he was doing a final inventory this afternoon. -I have no idea where it came from.

After Macar showed me the winged helm, I decided to strap it on a new goat and present it to Odysseus. We assembled a number of our Ithacans about for the presentation. The General was obviously pleased with the attention.

And, although he appreciated the gesture, Odysseus wasn’t as concerned with the wellbeing of the new Hermes. -In fact, after patting Hermes’ helm, he ceremoniously ordered Elpenor and Epeius to cook him for dinner.

As for the helmet, it went back in the boat.

Of course, Elpenor and Epeius made a delicious meal. In addition to the new Hermes, they cooked some miscellaneous livestock that wasn’t to be loaded, and a goose Polites liberated from the Minyans.

For his part, Odysseus ordered Macar to liberally tap into our stocks of wine. As a result, we Ithacans spent an agreeable final evening on the shores of Troy.

In fact, the men were in such good spirits, that not long after dinner, a sort of impromptu wrestling competition commenced. Epeius was the hands-down winner. -That is, until our men cajoled Odysseus into a match with their champion.

Epeius is wryly. However, Odysseus made quick work of him. -The men loved it.

Come to think of it, I don’t know what is going to become of Epeius and Elpenor. Epeius didn’t sail here with us. I think he’s from Phocis, but now I’m not actually sure. For some reason, I’ve always thought that he arrived with the Phocians. -His breathy lisp sounds a bit Phocian.

Anyway, I don’t now if Epeius has plans to sail back with us, or if he’s going to return to wherever he’s from. Not that Odysseus would mind if he comes along. -He did build the Wooden Horse after all.

Elpenor does have a wife and two kids in Ithaca, though.

It seems the rest of the Achaeans are fractioning into their individual camps just as ours has.

Diomedes and Nestor did stop by a short while ago. Diomedes and Odysseus laughed loudly and slapped each other on their back repeatedly. Nestor gave Odysseus a teary-eyed hug. After chatting for some time, Odysseus informed me that he was going to pay his respects to Agamemnon, and the three left together.

A few minutes ago, Calchas showed up.

Doing his best to appear aloof, he asked me to point him to our flagship. -He’s down there throwing some kind of lucky crap on it right now.

Mother of Zeus. -Tomorrow, we sail for home.