"Zeus forbid – and the other deathless gods as well –
that you resort to your ship and put my house behind
like a rank pauper’s without a stitch of clothing,
no piles of rugs, no blankets in his place
for host and guests to slumber soft in comfort.
Why, I’ve plenty of fine rugs and blankets here.
No, by god, the true son of my good friend Odysseus
won’t bed down on a ship’s deck, not while I’m alive
or my sons are left at home to host our guests,
whoever comes to our palace, newfound friends."
– Homer
The Odyssey, Book 3, lines 389-398. When Athena tells Nestor that she and Telemachus must be on their way, the king insists that they stay with him for the night. Like the good host, Nestor won’t hear tell of them sleeping on a ship but offers them warm and comfortable beds in his palace in Pylos. The king is a strong believer in showing generous hospitality to visiting guests, in keeping with ancient Greek tradition.