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So Menelaus travelled to Egypt, and on his arrival sailed up the
river as far as Memphis, and related all that had happened. He met
with the utmost hospitality, received Helen back unharmed, and
recovered all his treasures. After this friendly treatment Menelaus,
they said, behaved most unjustly towards the Egyptians; for as it
happened that at the time when he wanted to take his departure, he was
detained by the wind being contrary, and as he found this obstruction
continue, he had recourse to a most wicked expedient. He seized,
they said, two children of the people of the country, and offered them
up in sacrifice. When this became known, the indignation of the
people was stirred, and they went in pursuit of Menelaus, who,
however, escaped with his ships to Libya, after which the Egyptians
could not say whither he went. The rest they knew full well, partly
by the inquiries which they had made, and partly from the circumstances
having taken place in their own land, and therefore not admitting of doubt.
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