And I said, 'In truth Jove has hated the house of Atreus from first to last in the matter of their women's counsels. See how many of us fell for Helen's sake, and now it seems that Clytemnestra hatched mischief against you too during your absence.'

'Be sure, therefore,' continued Agamemnon, 'and not be too friendly even with your own wife. Do not tell her all that you know perfectly well yourself. Tell her a part only, and keep your own counsel about the rest. Not that your wife, Ulysses, is likely to murder you, for Penelope is a very admirable woman, and has an excellent nature. We left her a young bride with an infant at her breast when we set out for Troy. This child no doubt is now grown up happily to man's estate, and he and his father will have a joyful meeting and embrace one another as it is right they should do, whereas my wicked wife did not even allow me the happiness of looking upon my son, but killed me ere I could do so. Furthermore I say--and lay my saying to your heart--do not tell people when you are bringing your ship to Ithaca, but steal a march upon them, for after all this there is no trusting women. But now tell me, and tell me true, can you give me any news of my son Orestes? Is he in Orchomenus, or at Pylos, or is he at Sparta with Menelaus--for I presume that he is still living.'

ὣς ἔφατ΄͵ αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον· ὢ πόποι͵ ἦ μάλα δὴ γόνον Ἀτρέος εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς ἐκπάγλως ἤχθηρε γυναικείας διὰ βουλὰς ἐξ ἀρχῆς· Ἑλένης μὲν ἀπωλόμεθ΄ εἵνεκα πολλοί͵ σοὶ δὲ Κλυταιμνήστρη δόλον ἤρτυε τηλόθ΄ ἐόντι. 

ὣς ἐφάμην͵ ὁ δέ μ΄ αὐτίκ΄ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπε· τῶ νῦν μή ποτε καὶ σὺ γυναικί περ ἤπιος εἶναι μηδ΄ οἱ μῦθον ἅπαντα πιφαυσκέμεν͵ ὅν κ΄ ἐῢ εἰδῇς͵ ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν φάσθαι͵ τὸ δὲ καὶ κεκρυμμένον εἶναι. ἀλλ΄ οὐ σοί γ΄͵ Ὀδυσεῦ͵ φόνος ἔσσεται ἔκ γε γυναικός· λίην γὰρ πινυτή τε καὶ εὖ φρεσὶ μήδεα οἶδε κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο͵ περίφρων Πηνελόπεια. ἦ μέν μιν νύμφην γε νέην κατελείπομεν ἡμεῖς ἐρχόμενοι πόλεμόνδε· πάϊς δέ οἱ ἦν ἐπὶ μαζῷ νήπιος͵ ὅς που νῦν γε μετ΄ ἀνδρῶν ἵζει ἀριθμῷ͵ ὄλβιος· ἦ γὰρ τόν γε πατὴρ φίλος ὄψεται ἐλθών͵ καὶ κεῖνος πατέρα προσπτύξεται͵ ἣ θέμις ἐστίν. ἡ δ΄ ἐμὴ οὐδέ περ υἷος ἐνιπλησθῆναι ἄκοιτις ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἔασε· πάρος δέ με πέφνε καὶ αὐτόν. [ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω͵ σὺ δ΄ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσι· κρύβδην͵ μηδ΄ ἀναφανδά͵ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν νῆα κατισχέμεναι͵ ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι πιστὰ γυναιξίν.] ἀλλ΄ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον͵ εἴ που ἔτι ζώοντος ἀκούετε παιδὸς ἐμοῖο ἤ που ἐν Ὀρχομενῷ ἢ ἐν Πύλῳ ἠμαθόεντι ἤ που πὰρ Μενελάῳ ἐνὶ Σπάρτῃ εὐρείῃ· οὐ γάρ πω τέθνηκεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ δῖος Ὀρέστης.