"Proteus rose tall, his silvery pelt gleaming in the afternoon sun. 'I cannot tell you,' he said, 'so that you can adequately understand why you remain here. No doubt people hence will say that it was because of the deities. Truly the answer lays within yourselves: who you are, what you expect, what thoughts you have and how they affect the quantum universe.

"'The best way to get the flow of your energies into vibrational alignment with the time-space constructs around you, would be to find a potent water source that frequently interacts with human thought-forms and perform some metaphorical ritual. In this way you may return to surroundings that represent peace and comfort,'

"'What does that mean?' I asked.

"Proteus stopped and thought a moment, then replied, 'Go forth to the Nile in its flood time and make sacrifices to the deities. Then Zeus will smile upon you and you shall find a swift return over the winedark sea.'

"'Oh, now that makes more sense,' I said, though my heart sank at the thought of having to travel so far back to where we had begun. 'We shall do as you command. But can you tell me as well what happened to those Akhaians Nestor and I left behind in Troy? Have any made it home yet, have others been lost at sea? What news of my comrades have you?'

"'Now that's a much easier question to relate in your terms,' said Proteus. 'Sadly, it is a grievous question for many have died on their homeward journeys and two high officers were lost: one is still alive though castaway and the other was killed at the moment of his homecoming.

"'Your brother, Agamemnon, was buffeted by bad weather. So much so that his ship was carried first to Malea where he and his crew had a short respite before returning to seas that once more were stirred to turmoil. They were at last blown to the land's end of Argos where Thyestes once ruled and now his son, Aigisthos, was strangely missing. Staying a while in Argos they were able to wait out the worst of the weather, then hurry home, smooth sailing the whole way.

"'What Agamemnon did not know, though, was that Aigisthos had taken over his domain and all within it while he was away. When Agamemnon made it to his own shores he could barely see due to the hot tears welling in his eyes. Yet while he was kissing the sands of home, he was being watched. Aigisthos had paid a lookout two bars of gold to be aware of when your brother returned, so that he might be forewarned and make his dire plans. He hid a score of well armed men in one room and in the next he prepared a welcoming feast. Joyously he appeared to greet the returning hero, drew him into that apparently festive banquet, then called forth the assasins and killed Agamemnon along with all of his crew.'

"I stopped Proteus then in his speech with my wailing. I had lost my brother and I could do nothing to stop such treachery. I thought my heart would break. I threw myself to the ground in my grief and clutched and beat the sand with my fists.

"Said Proteus, 'Come now, you have more you need to hear. I am sorry, but you know you may still be able to catch Aigisthos in Argos, but very probably Agamemnon's son, Orestes, will be wreaking vengeance before you return. All of this is less dramatic than you think, if you understand the universal system of conservation of consciousness. Please, let me continue.'

"I managed to recover myself so as not to waste this opportunity, but I knew that I would need time to grieve my brother's death. 'I now know of Agamemenon, but what of the other lost general? Who is it that has been castaway? Even if it should pain me more, I wish to hear.'"