i^y copies of this edition are printed 
 for advance subscribers only 
 
 Copyright, igo4 
 By Nathan Haskell Dole 
 
 klEMKY MOR&t. 
 
 o t t-i'^i&f** 
 
THE ROMANCE OF 
 NAUSICAA 
 
 \ I -. f %? %r yj 
 

 INTRODUCTION 
 
 No other poem in all the literature of 
 the world excels or equals the Odyssey in 
 variety of interest. Its hero is the type 
 of the gallant adventurer, and his jour- 
 neyings take him into the Fairylands 
 that delight children of a larger growth. 
 Odysseus was the King of Ithaca, and 
 Ithaca was a tiny island west of Greece. 
 He was the most distant of the feudal 
 princes that fought with Agamemnon 
 for the purpose of winning back from 
 Paris of Troy, Helen, the runaway 
 wife of Agamemnon's brother Mene- 
 laus. After the ten years' war, which 
 is described in the Iliad, Odysseus sets 
 sail for his rugged kingdom. Just as he 
 is about doubling Cape Malena, from 
 which a short run would have brought him 
 
home to Penelope and his ten-year-old 
 son Telemachus, a violent storm drives 
 him far away to the land of the Lotus- 
 eaters. Escaping from the perils of 
 sweet forgetfulness, he and his ships 
 reach the abode of the Cyclops, a race 
 of fierce shepherd-giants. Captured by 
 Polyphemus and confined in a cave, 
 Odysseus blinds the cannibal and escapes 
 by " a punning device." Poseidon, the god 
 of the sea, avenges the injury done to his 
 son's single eye : Odysseus has in conse- 
 quence long years of exile before him. 
 
 He goes to the land of ^olus, who 
 gives him a bag filled with all the winds 
 save that one that would speed him to 
 Ithaca in ten days. But when they are 
 already in sight of home, the inquisitive 
 sailors open the fatal bag, and back they 
 are blown to the kingdom of the winds. 
 In Lamos they again fall into the hands 
 of cannibals, and only Odysseus with one 
 ship escapes to the island of Circe, where 
 the beautiful enchantress transforms the 
 crew into swine. Hermes comes to 
 their aid. They are redeemed by the 
 herb moly, and after a year spent in 
 vi 
 
Circe's company they take their leave. 
 By Circe's advice Odysseus makes a 
 descent to Hades in order to learn their 
 home way from the ghost of Teiresias. 
 
 The Theban prophet commands them 
 not to injure the sacred cattle of the Sun 
 which were pastured in Sicily. If they 
 should, Odysseus would arrive in Ithaca 
 " in evil plight, with loss of all his crew, 
 on board a stranger's ship, to find sorrow 
 in his house." On their way they man- 
 age to escape the Sirens, they sail safely 
 between the Clashing Rocks and avoid 
 the perils of Scylla. But in Tinacria, 
 the Island of the Sun, the sailors are 
 impelled by famine to kill and eat some 
 of the sacred kine. Shipwreck ensues, 
 and only Odysseus is saved. He takes 
 refuge on the island of the beautiful 
 Calypso. The goddess retains him eight 
 years as her lover, but at last her immor- 
 tal, changless beauty palls on him and 
 he longs for change. Under compul- 
 sion of the gods. Calypso suffers him to 
 build a raft and depart. 
 
 A storm casts him on the coast of the 
 blameless Phaeacians, and here begins 
 vii 
 
the episode which is perhaps the most 
 charmingly romantic of any of the sto- 
 ries of antiquity. The awakening of 
 love in the heart of the lovely maiden 
 Nausicaa is most delicately depicted. 
 
 This splendid, and fascinating passage 
 here presented, has been selected from 
 the prose translation of Samuel H. 
 Butcher and Andrew Lang. Although 
 the final adventures of Odysseus, and his 
 revenge on the suitors who had been for 
 years wasting his substance, insult- 
 ing his son and persecuting his wife, are 
 also extremely interesting, the romance 
 of his stay among the hospitable Phae- 
 acians is complete in itself. One cannot 
 help wondering if, after the first novelty 
 of being at home again had worn off" and 
 he had made the discovery that Penelope 
 had become fonder of the luxury of 
 mourning for him than glad to have 
 her reason for mourning removed, so 
 much had it become second nature, it 
 may not have been possible that Odys- 
 seus may have yearned for the fair young 
 Nausicaa and have yielded to that rest- 
 less spirit which has been in all times 
 viii 
 
characteristic of the sailor. Tennyson 
 puts into his mouth these words : 
 
 **It little profits that an idle king. 
 
 By this still hearth, among these barren crags. 
 
 Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole 
 
 Unequal laws unto a savage race 
 
 That hoard and sleep and feed and know not 
 
 me. 
 I cannot rest from travel : I will drink 
 Life to the lees : all times I have enjoyed 
 Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those 
 That loved me and alone ; on shore and 
 
 when 
 Thro' scudding drifts the rainy Hyades 
 Vext the dim seas." 
 
 So he leaves his sceptre to Telema- 
 chus and calls his comrades : 
 
 *• Come, my friends, 
 *Tis not too late to seek a newer world. 
 Push off, and sitting well in order, smite 
 The sounding furrows ; for my purpose holds 
 To sail beyond the sunset and the baths 
 Of all the western stars until I die. ' ' 
 
 Tennyson did not hint that this new 
 voyage was to revisit the Phaeacians but 
 ix 
 
does it not fill the imagination, and can 
 we not picture to ourselves the joy which 
 Nausicaa, grown from girlhood to fuller 
 womanhood by the very sorrow which 
 had consumed her heart, would feel to 
 see the mighty hero once again ? 
 
 N. H. D. 
 
THE ROMANCE OF 
 NAUSICAA 
 
 I. 
 
 THE GODS IN COUNCIL 
 
 Now the Dawn arose from her couch, 
 from the side of the lordly Tithonus, to 
 bear light to the immortals and to mor- 
 tal men. And lo, the gods were gather- 
 
Ing to session, and among them Zeus, 
 that thunders on high, whose might is 
 above all. And Athene told them the 
 tale of the many woes of Odysseus, re- 
 calling them to mind ; for near her heart 
 was he that then abode in the dwelling 
 of the nymph : 
 
 " Father Zeus, and all ye other blessed 
 gods that live for ever, henceforth let not 
 any sceptred king be kind and gentle 
 with all his heart, nor minded to do 
 righteously, but let him alway be a hard 
 man and work unrighteousness, for be- 
 hold, there is none that remembereth 
 divine Odysseus of the people whose 
 lord he was, and was gentle as a fa- 
 ther. Howbeit, as for him he lieth 
 in an island suffering strong pains, in 
 the halls of the nymph Calypso, who 
 holdeth him perforce ; so he may not 
 reach his own country, for he hath 
 no ships by him with oars, and no 
 companions to send him on his way 
 over the broad back of the sea. And 
 now, again, they are set on slaying 
 his beloved son on his homeward way, 
 for he is gone to fair Pylos and to 
 2 
 
goodly Lacedaemon, to seek tidings of 
 his father." 
 
 And Zeus, gatherer of the clouds, 
 answered and spake unto her : " My 
 child, what word hath escaped the door 
 of thy lips ? Nay, didst thou not thy- 
 self plan this device, that Odysseus may 
 assuredly take vengeance on those men at 
 his coming? As for Telemachus, do 
 thou guide him by thine art, as well 
 thou mayest, that so he may come to 
 his own country all unharmed, and the 
 wooers may return in their ship with 
 their labour all in vain." 
 
 Therewith he spake to Hermes, his 
 dear son : " Hermes, forasmuch as even 
 in all else thou art our herald, tell unto 
 the nymph of the braided tresses my un- 
 erring counsel, even the return of the 
 patient Odysseus, how he is to come to 
 his home, with no furtherance of gods 
 or of mortal men. Nay, he shall sail on 
 a well-bound raft, in sore distress, and on 
 the twentieth day arrive at fertile Scheria, 
 even at the land of the Phaeacians, who 
 are near of kin to the gods. And they 
 shall give him all worship heartily as to 
 
 3 
 
a god, and send him on his way in a 
 ship to his own dear country, with 
 gifts of bronze and gold, and raiment 
 in plenty, much store, such as never 
 would Odysseus have won for himself 
 out of Troy, yea, though he had re- 
 turned unhurt with the share of the 
 spoil that fell to him. On such wise 
 is he fated to see his friends, and come 
 to his high-roofed home and his own 
 country." 
 
 So spake he, nor heedless was the mes- 
 senger, the slayer of Argos. Straight- 
 way he bound beneath his feet his lovely 
 golden sandals, that wax not old, that 
 bare him alike over the wet sea and over 
 the limitless land, swift as the breath of 
 the wind. And he took the wand where- 
 with he lulls the eyes of whomso he will, 
 while others again he even wakes from 
 out of sleep. With this rod in his hand 
 flew the strong slayer of Argos. Above 
 Pieria he passed and leapt from the upper 
 air into the deep. Then he sped along 
 the wave like the cormorant, that cha- 
 seth the fishes through the perilous gulfs 
 of the unharvested sea, and wetted his 
 4 
 
thick plumage in the brine. Such like 
 did Hermes ride upon the press of the 
 waves. 
 
 But when he had now reached that 
 far-ofF isle, he went forth from the sea 
 of violet blue to get him up into the land, 
 till he came to a great cave, wherein 
 dwelt the nymph of the braided tresses : 
 and he found her within. And on the 
 hearth there was a great fire burning, 
 and from afar through the isle was 
 smelt the fragrance of cleft cedar blazing, 
 and of sandal wood. And the nymph 
 within was singing with a sweet voice 
 as she fared to and fro before the loom, 
 and wove with a shuttle of gold. And 
 round about the cave there was a wood 
 blossoming, alder and poplar and sweet- 
 smelling cypress. And therein roosted 
 birds long of wing, owls and falcons and 
 chattering sea-crows, which have their 
 business in the waters. And lo, there 
 about the hollow cave trailed a gadding 
 garden vine, all rich with clusters. And 
 fountains four set orderly were running 
 with clear water, hard by one another, 
 turned each to his own course. And all 
 
 5 
 
around soft meadows bloomed of violets 
 and parsley, yea, even a deathless god 
 who came thither might wonder at the 
 sight and be glad at heart. 
 
II. 
 
 HERMES AND CALYPSO 
 
 There the messenger, the slayer of 
 Argos, stood and wondered. Now when 
 he had gazed at all with wonder, anon 
 he went into the wide cave ; nor did 
 Calypso, that fair goddess, fail to know 
 him, when she saw him face to face ; 
 for the gods use not to be strange one 
 to another, the immortals, not though 
 
 7 
 
one have his habitation far away. But 
 he found not Odysseus, the great-hearted, 
 within the cave, who sat weeping on the 
 shore even as aforetime, straining his soul 
 with tears and groans and griefs, and as 
 he wept he looked wistfully over the un- 
 harvested deep. And Calypso, that fair 
 goddess, questioned Hermes, when she 
 had made him sit on a bright shining seat : 
 
 " Wherefore, I pray thee, Hermes, of 
 the golden wand, hast thou come hither, 
 worshipful and welcome, whereas as of 
 old thou wert not wont to visit me ? 
 Tell me all thy thought ; my heart is 
 set on fulfilling it, if fulfil it I may, and 
 if it hath been fulfilled in the counsel of 
 fate. But now follow me further, that 
 I may set before thee the entertainment 
 of strangers." 
 
 Therewith the goddess spread a table 
 with ambrosia and set it by him, and 
 mixed the ruddy nectar. So the mes- 
 senger, the slayer of Argos, did eat and 
 drink. Now after he had supped and 
 comforted his soul with food, at the 
 last he answered, and spake to her on 
 this wise : 
 
 8 
 
*' Thou makest question of me on my 
 coming, a goddess of a god, and I will 
 tell thee this my saying truly, at thy 
 command. 'T was Zeus that bade me 
 come hither, by no will of mine ; nay, 
 who of his free will would speed over 
 such a wondrous space of brine, whereby 
 is no city of mortals that do sacrifice to 
 the gods, and offer choice hecatombs ? 
 But surely it is in no wise possible for 
 another god to go beyond or to make 
 void the purpose of Zeus, lord of the 
 aegis. He saith that thou hast with 
 thee a man most wretched beyond his 
 fellows, beyond those men that round 
 the burg of Priam for nine years fought, 
 and in the tenth year sacked the city and 
 departed homeward. Yet on the way 
 they sinned against Athene, and she 
 raised upon them an evil blast and long 
 waves of the sea. Then all the rest of 
 his good company was lost, but it came 
 to pass that the wind bare and the wave 
 brought him hither. And now Zeus 
 biddeth thee send him hence with what 
 speed thou mayest, for it is not ordained 
 that he die away from his friends, but 
 9 
 
rather it is his fate to look on them even 
 yet, and to come to his high-roofed 
 home and his own country." 
 
 So spake he, and Calypso, that fair 
 goddess, shuddered and uttered her 
 voice, and spake unto him winged words : 
 " Hard are ye gods and jealous exceed- 
 ing, who ever grudge goddesses openly 
 to mate with men, if any make a mortal 
 her dear bed-fellow. Even so when 
 rosy-fingered Dawn took Orion for her 
 lover, ye gods that live at ease were 
 jealous thereof, till chaste Artemis, of 
 the golden throne, slew him in Ortygia 
 with the visitation of her gentle shafts. 
 So too when fair-tressed Demeter yielded 
 to her love, and lay with lasion in the 
 thrice-ploughed fallow field, Zeus was 
 not long without tidings thereof, and 
 cast at him with his white bolt and slew 
 him. So again ye gods now grudge that 
 a mortal man should dwell with me. 
 Him I saved as he went all alone be- 
 striding the keel of a bark, for that 
 Zeus had crushed and cleft his swift 
 ship with a white bolt in the midst of 
 the wine-dark deep. There all the rest 
 lO 
 
of his good company was lost, but it 
 came to pass that the wind bare and 
 the wave brought him hither. And him 
 have I loved and cherished, and I said 
 that I would make him to know not 
 death and age for ever. 
 
 " Yet forasmuch as it is in no wise 
 possible for another god to go beyond, 
 or make void the purpose of Zeus, lord 
 of the aegis, let him away over the 
 unharvested seas, if the summons and 
 the bidding be of Zeus. But I will give 
 him no despatch, not I, for I have no 
 ships by me with oars, nor company to 
 bear him on his way over the broad 
 back of the sea. Yet will I be forward 
 to put this in his mind, and will hide 
 nought, that all unharmed he may come 
 to his own country." 
 
 Then the messenger, the slayer of 
 Argos, answered her : " Yea, speed him 
 now upon his path and have regard unto 
 the wrath of Zeus, lest haply he be an- 
 gered and bear hard on thee hereafter." 
 
 Therewith the great slayer of Argos 
 departed, but the lady nymph went on 
 her way to the great-hearted Odysseus, 
 II 
 
when she had heard the message of 
 Zeus. And there she found him sitting 
 on the shore, and his eyes were never 
 dry of tears, and his sweet life was ebb- 
 ing away as he mourned for his return ; 
 for the nymph no more found favour 
 in his sight. Howsoever by night he 
 would sleep by her, as needs he must, 
 in the hollow caves, unwilling lover by 
 a willing lady. And in the day-time 
 he would sit on the rocks and on the 
 beach, straining his soul with tears, and 
 groans, and griefs, and through his tears 
 he would look wistfully over the un- 
 harvested deep. So standing near him 
 that fair goddess spake to him : 
 
 " Hapless man, sorrow no more I 
 pray thee in this isle, nor let thy good 
 life waste away, for even now will I 
 send thee hence with all my heart. 
 Nay, arise and cut long beams, and 
 fashion a wide raft with the axe, and 
 lay deckings high thereupon, that it may 
 bear thee over the misty deep. And I 
 will place therein bread and water, and 
 red wine to thy heart's desire, to keep 
 hunger far away. And I will put rai- 
 12 
 
mjent upon thee, and send a fair gale in 
 thy wake, that so thou mayest come all 
 unharmed to thine own country, if in- 
 deed it be the good pleasure of the gods 
 who hold wide heaven, who are stronger 
 than I am both to will and to do." 
 
 So she spake, and the steadfast goodly 
 Odysseus shuddered, and uttering his 
 voice spake to her winged words : 
 " Herein, goddess, thou hast plainly 
 some other thought, and in no wise my 
 furtherance, for that thou biddest me 
 to cross in a raft the great gulf of the 
 sea so dread and difficult, which not 
 even the swift gallant ships pass over 
 rejoicing in the breeze of Zeus. Nor 
 would I go aboard a raft to displeasure 
 thee, unless thou wilt deign, O goddess, 
 to swear a great oath not to plan any 
 hidden guile to mine own hurt." 
 
 So spake he, and Calypso, the fair 
 goddess, smiled and caressed him with 
 her hand, and spake and hailed him : 
 
 " Knavish thou art, and no weakling 
 
 in wit, thou that hast conceived and 
 
 spoken such a word. Let earth be now 
 
 witness hereto, and the wide heaven 
 
 13 
 
above, and that falling water of the Styx, 
 the greatest oath and the most terrible 
 to the blessed gods, that I will not plan 
 any hidden guile to thine own hurt. 
 Nay, but my thoughts are such, and 
 such will be my counsel, as I would 
 devise for myself, if ever so sore a need 
 came over me. For I too have a right- 
 eous mind, and my heart within me is 
 not of iron, but pitiful even as thine." 
 
 Therewith the fair goddess led the 
 way quickly, and he followed hard in 
 the steps of the goddess. And they 
 reached the hollow cave, the goddess 
 and the man ; so he sat him down upon 
 the chair whence Hermes had arisen, 
 and the nymph placed by him all man- 
 ner of food to eat and drink, such as is 
 meat for men. As for her she sat over 
 against divine Odysseus, and the hand- 
 maids placed by her ambrosia and nectar. 
 So they put forth their hands upon the 
 good cheer set before them. But after 
 they had taken their fill of meat and 
 drink. Calypso, the fair goddess, spake 
 first and said : 
 
 " Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, 
 14 
 
Odysseus of many devices, so it is in- 
 deed thy wish to get thee home to thine 
 own dear country even in this hour ? 
 Good fortune go with thee even so ! 
 Yet didst thou know in thine heart what 
 a measure of suffering thou art ordained 
 to fulfil, or ever thou reach thine own 
 country, here, even here, thou wouldst 
 abide with me and keep this house, and 
 wouldst never taste of death, though 
 thou longest to see thy wife, for whom 
 thou hast ever a desire day by day. 
 Not in sooth that I avow me to be less 
 noble than she in form or fashion, for it 
 is in no wise meet that mortal women 
 should match them with immortals, in 
 shape and comeliness." 
 
 And Odysseus of many counsels 
 answered, and spake unto her : " Be 
 not wroth with me hereat, goddess and 
 queen. Myself I know it well, how 
 wise Penelope is meaner to look upon 
 than thou, in comeliness and stature. 
 But she is mortal and thou knowest 
 not age nor death. Yet even so, I 
 wish and long day by day to fare home- 
 ward and see the day of my returning. 
 
 15 
 
Yea, and if some god shall wreck me in 
 the wine-dark deep, even so I will en- 
 dure, with a heart within me patient of 
 affliction. For already have I suffered 
 full much, and much have I toiled in 
 perils of waves and war; let this be 
 added to the tale of those.*' 
 
 So spake he, and the sun sank and 
 darkness came on. Then they twain 
 went into the chamber of the hollow 
 rock, and had their delight of love, abid- 
 ing each by other. 
 
 l6 
 
III. 
 
 THE DEPARTURE OF ODYSSEUS 
 
 As soon as early Dawn shone forth, 
 the rosy-fingered, anon Odysseus put 
 on him a mantle and doublet, and the 
 nymph clad her in a great shining robe, 
 light of woof and gracious, and about 
 her waist she cast a fair golden girdle, 
 and a veil withal upon her head. Then 
 she considered of the sending of Odys- 
 17 
 
seus, the great-hearted. She gave him a 
 great axe, fitted to his grasp, an axe of 
 bronze double-edged, and with a goodly 
 handle of olive wood fastened well. 
 Next she gave him a polished adze, 
 and she led the way to the border of the 
 isle where tall trees grew, alder and pop- 
 lar, and pine that reacheth unto heaven, 
 seasoned long since and sere, that 
 might lightly float for him. 
 
 Now after she had shown him where 
 the tall trees grew. Calypso, the fair 
 goddess, departed homeward. And he 
 set to cutting timber, and his work went 
 busily. Twenty trees in all he felled, 
 and then trimmed them with the axe of 
 bronze, and deftly smoothed them, and 
 over them made straight the line. 
 Meanwhile Calypso, the fair goddess, 
 brought him augers, so he bored each 
 piece and jointed them together, and 
 then made all fast with trenails and 
 dowels. 
 
 Wide as is the floor of a broad ship 
 
 of burden, which some man well skilled 
 
 in carpentry may trace him out, of such 
 
 beam did Odysseus fashion his broad 
 
 i8 
 
raft. And thereat he wrought, and set 
 up the deckings, fitting them to the close- 
 set uprights, and finished them ofF with 
 long gunwales, and therein he set a mast, 
 and a yard-arm fitted thereto, and more- 
 over he made him a rudder to guide the 
 craft. And he fenced it with wattled 
 osier withies from stem to stern, to be 
 a bulwark against the wave, and piled 
 up wood to back them. Meanwhile 
 Calypso, the fair goddess, brought him 
 web of cloth to make him sails ; and 
 these too he fashioned very skilfully. 
 And he made fast therein braces and 
 halyards and sheets, and at last he 
 pushed the raft with levers down to 
 the fair salt sea. 
 
 It was the fourth day when he had 
 accomplished all. And, lo, on the fifth, 
 the fair Calypso sent him on his way 
 from the island, when she had bathed 
 him and clad him in fragrant attire. 
 Moreover, the goddess placed on board 
 the ship two skins, one of dark wine, 
 and another, a great one, of water, and 
 corn too in a wallet, and she set therein 
 a store of dainties to his heart's desire, 
 19 
 
and sent forth a warm and gentle wind 
 to blow. And goodly Odysseus rejoiced 
 as he set his sails to the breeze. 
 
 So he sate and cunningly guided the 
 craft with the helm, nor did sleep fall 
 upon his eyelids, as he viewed the Pleiads 
 and Bootes, that setteth late, and the 
 Bear, which they likewise call the Wain, 
 which turneth ever in one place, and 
 keepeth watch upon Orion, and alone 
 hath no part in the baths of Ocean. 
 This star. Calypso, the fair goddess, 
 bade him to keep ever on the left as 
 he traversed the deep. Ten days and 
 seven he sailed traversing the deep, 
 and on the eighteenth day appeared 
 the shadowy hills of the land of the 
 Phaeacians, at the point where it lay 
 nearest to him ; and it showed like a 
 shield in the misty deep. 
 
 Now the lord, the shaker of the earth, 
 on his way from the Ethiopians espied 
 him afar off from the mountains of the 
 Solymi : even thence he saw Odysseus 
 as he sailed over the deep ; and he was 
 yet more angered in spirit, and shaking 
 his head he communed with his own 
 20 
 
heart. " Lo now, it must be that the 
 gods at the last have changed their pur- 
 pose concerning Odysseus, while I was 
 away among the Ethiopians. And now 
 he is nigh to the Phaeacian land, where 
 it is ordained that he escape the great 
 issues of the woe which hath come 
 upon him. But methinks that even yet 
 I will drive him far enough in the path 
 of suffering." 
 
 With that he gathered the clouds and 
 troubled the waters of the deep, grasp- 
 ing his trident in his hands ; and he 
 roused all storms of all manner of 
 winds, and shrouded in clouds the land 
 and sea : and down sped night from 
 heaven. The East Wind and the South 
 Wind clashed, and the stormy West, 
 and the North, that is born in the 
 bright air, rolling onward a great wave. 
 Then were the knees of Odysseus loos- 
 ened and his heart melted, and heavily 
 he spake to his own great spirit : 
 
 " Oh, wretched man that I am ! what 
 
 is to befal me at the last ? I fear that 
 
 indeed the goddess spake all things truly, 
 
 who said that I should fill up the meas- 
 
 21 
 
ure of sorrow on the deep, or ever I 
 came to mine own country ; and lo, all 
 these things have an end. In such wise 
 doth Zeus crown the wide heaven with 
 clouds, and hath troubled the deep, and 
 the blasts rush on of all the winds ; yea, 
 now is utter doom assured me. Thrice 
 blessed those Danaans, yea, four times 
 blessed, who perished on a time in wide 
 Troy-land, doing a pleasure to the sons 
 of Atreus ! Would to God that I too 
 had died, and met my fate on that day 
 when the press of Trojans cast their 
 bronze-shod spears upon me, fighting 
 for the body of the son of Peleus ! So 
 should I have gotten my dues of burial, 
 and the Achaeans would have spread my 
 fame ; but now it is my fate to be over- 
 taken by a pitiful death." 
 
 Even as he spake, the great wave 
 smote down upon him, driving on in 
 terrible wise, that the raft reeled again. 
 And far therefrom he fell, and lost 
 the helm from his hand ; and the fierce 
 blast of the jostling winds came and 
 brake his mast in the midst, and sail 
 and yard-arm fell afar into the deep. 
 22 
 
Long time the water kept him under, 
 nor could he speedily rise from beneath 
 the rush of the mighty wave : for the 
 garments hung heavy which fair Ca- 
 lypso gave him. But late and at length 
 he came up, and spat forth from his 
 mouth the bitter salt water, which ran 
 down in streams from his head. Yet 
 even so forgat he not his raft, for all 
 his wretched plight, but made a spring 
 after it in the waves, and clutched it to 
 him, and sat in the midst thereof, avoid- 
 ing the issues of death ; and the great 
 wave swept it hither and thither along 
 the stream. And as the North Wind 
 in the harvest tide sweeps the thistle- 
 down along the plain, and close the 
 tufts cling each to other, even so the 
 winds bare the raft hither and thither 
 along the main. Now the South would 
 toss it to the North to carry, and now 
 again the East would yield it to the 
 West to chase. 
 
 But the daughter of Cadmus marked 
 him, Ino of the fair ankles, Leucothea, 
 who in time past was a maiden of mor- 
 tal speech, but now in the depths of 
 23 
 
the salt sea she had gotten her share of 
 worship from the gods. She took pity 
 on Odysseus in his wandering and trav- 
 ail, and she rose, like a sea-gull on the 
 wing, from the depth of the mere, and 
 sat upon the well-bound raft and spake 
 saying : 
 
 " Hapless one, wherefore was Posei- 
 don, shaker of the earth, so wondrous 
 wroth with thee, seeing that he soweth 
 for thee the seeds of many evils ? Yet 
 shall he not make a full end of thee, for 
 all his desire. But do even as I tell thee, 
 and methinks thou art not witless. Cast 
 ofF these garments, and leave the raft to 
 drift before the winds, but do thou swim 
 with thine hands and strive to win a foot- 
 ing on the coast of the Phaeacians, where 
 it is decreed that thou escape. Here, 
 take this veil imperishable and wind it 
 about thy breast ; so is there no fear 
 that thou suffer aught or perish. But 
 when thou hast laid hold of the mainland 
 with thy hands, loose it from off thee 
 and cast it into the wine-dark deep far 
 from the land, and thyself turn away." 
 
 With that the goddess gave the veil, 
 24 
 
and for her part dived back into the heav- 
 ing deep, like a sea-gull : and the dark 
 vv^ave closed over her. But the steadfast 
 goodly Odysseus pondered, and heavily 
 he spake to his own brave spirit : 
 
 " Ah, woe is me ! Can it be that 
 some one of the immortals is weaving a 
 new snare for me, that she bids m<. quit 
 my raft ? Nay verily, I will not yet obey, 
 for I had sight of the shore yet a long 
 way off, where she told me that I might 
 escape. I am resolved what I will 
 do; — and methinks on this wise it is 
 best. As long as the timbers abide in 
 the dowels, so long will I endure stead- 
 fast in affliction, but as soon as the wave 
 hath shattered my raft asunder, I will 
 swim, for meanwhile no better counsel 
 may be." 
 
 While yet he pondered these things in 
 his heart and soul, Poseidon, shaker of 
 the earth, stirred against him a great 
 wave, terrible and grievous, and vaulted 
 from the crest, and therewith smote him. 
 And as when a great tempestuous wind 
 tosseth a heap of parched husks, and 
 scatters them this way and that, even so 
 25 
 
did the wave scatter the Jong beams of 
 the raft. But Odysseus bestrode a single 
 beam, as one rideth on a courser, and stript 
 him of the garments which fair Calypso 
 gave him. And presently he wound the 
 veil beneath his breast, and fell prone 
 into the sea, outstretching his hands as 
 one eager to swim. And the lord, the 
 shaker of the earth, saw him and shook 
 his head, and communed with his own 
 soul. " Even so, after all thy suffer- 
 ings, go wandering over the deep, till 
 thou shalt come among a people, the 
 fosterlings of Zeus. Yet for all that I 
 deem not that thou shalt think thyself 
 too lightly afflicted." Therewith he 
 lashed his steeds of the flowing manes, 
 and came to ^Egae, where is his lordly 
 home. 
 
 26 
 
IV. 
 
 THE ESCAPE OF ODYSSEUS 
 
 But Athene, daughter of Zeus, turned 
 to new thoughts. Behold, she bound 
 up the courses of the other winds, and 
 charged them all to cease and be still ; 
 but she roused the swift North and brake 
 the waves before him, that so Odysseus, 
 of the seed of Zeus, might mingle with 
 27 
 
the Phaeacians, lovers of the oar, avoid- 
 ing death and the fates. 
 
 So for two nights and two days he 
 was wandering in the swell of the sea, 
 and much his heart boded of death. 
 But when at last the fair-tressed Dawn 
 brought the full light of the third day, 
 thereafter the breeze fell, and lo, there 
 was a breathless calm, and with a quick 
 glance ahead, (he being upborne on a 
 great wave,) he saw land very near. 
 And even as when most welcome to his 
 children is the sight of a father's life, 
 who lies in sickness and strong pains 
 long wasting away, some angry god 
 assailing him j and to their delight the 
 gods have loosed him from his trouble ; 
 so welcome to Odysseus showed land 
 and wood ; and he swam onward being 
 eager to set foot on the strand. But 
 when he was within earshot of the shore, 
 and heard now the thunder of the sea 
 against the reefs — for the great wave 
 crashed against the dry land belching in 
 terrible wise, and all was covered with 
 foam of the sea, — for there were no 
 harbours for ships nor shelters, but jut- 
 28 
 
ting headlands and reefs and cliffs ; then 
 at last the knees of Odysseus were 
 loosened and his heart melted, and in 
 heaviness he spake to his own brave 
 spirit : 
 
 " Ah me ! now that beyond all hope 
 Zeus hath given me sight of land, and 
 withal I have cloven my way through 
 this gulf of the sea, here there is no place 
 to land on from out of the gray water. 
 For without are sharp crags, and round 
 the-n the wave roars surging, and sheer 
 the smooth rock rises, and the sea is 
 deep thereby, so that in no wise may I 
 find firm foothold and escape my bane, 
 for as I fain would go ashore, the great 
 wave may haply snatch and dash me on 
 the jagged rock — and a wretched en- 
 deavour that would be. But if I swim 
 yet farther along the coast to find, if I 
 may, spits that take the waves aslant and 
 havens of the sea, I fear lest the storm- 
 winds catch me again and bear me over 
 the teeming deep, making heavy moan ; 
 or else some god may even send forth 
 against me a monster from out of the 
 shore water : and many such pastureth 
 29 
 
the renowned Amphitrite. For I know 
 how wroth against me hath been the 
 great Shaker of the Earth." 
 
 Whilst yet he pondered these things 
 in his heart and mind, a great wave bore 
 him to the rugged shore. There would 
 he have been stript of his skin and all 
 his bones been broken, but that the god- 
 dess, gray-eyed Athene, put a thought 
 into his heart. He rushed in, and with 
 both his hands clutched the rock, 
 whereto he clung till the great wave 
 went by. 
 
 So he escaped that peril, but again 
 with backward wash it leapt on him 
 and smote him and cast him forth into 
 the deep. And as when the cuttlefish 
 is dragged forth from his chamber, the 
 many pebbles clinging to his suckers, 
 even so was the skin stript from his 
 strong hand against the rocks, and the 
 great wave closed over him. There of 
 a truth would luckless Odysseus have 
 perished beyond that which was or- 
 dained, had not gray-eyed Athene given 
 him sure counsel. He rose from the 
 line of the breakers that belch upon the 
 30 
 
shore, and swam outside, ever looking 
 landwards, to find, if he might, spits that 
 take the waves aslant, and havens of the 
 sea. But when he came in his swimming 
 over against the mouth of a fair-flowing 
 river, whereby the place seemed best in 
 his eyes, smooth of rocks, and withal 
 there was a covert from the wind, 
 Odysseus felt the river running, and 
 prayed to him in his heart : 
 
 " Hear me, O king, whosoever thou 
 art ; unto thee am I come, as to one 
 to whom prayer is made, while I flee the 
 rebukes of Poseidon from the deep. 
 Yea, reverend even to the deathless gods 
 is that man who comes as a wanderer, 
 even as I now have come to thy stream 
 and to thy knees after much travail. Nay 
 pity me, O king ; for I avow myself 
 thy suppliant." 
 
 So spake he, and the god straightway 
 stayed his stream and withheld his 
 waves and made the water smooth 
 before him, and brought him safely 
 to the mouths of the river. And his 
 knees bowed and his stout hands fell, 
 for his heart was broken by the brine. 
 31 
 
And his flesh was all swollen and a great 
 stream of sea water gushed up through 
 his mouth and nostrils. So he lay 
 without breath or speech, swooning, 
 such terrible weariness came upon him. 
 But when now his breath returned and 
 his spirit came to him again, he loosed 
 from off him the veil of the goddess, and 
 let it fall into the salt flowing river. 
 And the great wave bare it back down 
 the stream, and lightly Ino caught it in 
 her hands. Then Odysseus turned from 
 the river, and fell back in the reeds, and 
 kissed earth, the grain-giver, and heavily 
 he spake unto his own brave spirit : 
 
 " Ah, woe is me ! what is to betide 
 me ? what shall happen unto me at 
 the last ? If I watch in the river bed 
 all through the careful night, I fear 
 that the bitter frost and the fresh dew 
 may overcome me, as I breathe forth 
 my life for faintness, for the river breeze 
 blows cold betimes in the morning. 
 But if I climb the hill-side up to the 
 shady wood, and there take rest in the 
 thickets, though perchance the cold and 
 weariness leave hold of me, and sweet 
 32 
 
sleep may come over me, I fear lest 
 of wild beasts I become the spoil and 
 prey." 
 
 So as he thought thereon this seemed 
 to him the better way. He went up to 
 the wood, and found it nigh the water 
 in a place of wide prospect. So he 
 crept beneath twin bushes that grew 
 from one stem, both olive trees, one 
 of them wild olive. Through these the 
 force of the wet winds blew never, 
 neither did the bright sun light on it 
 with his rays, nor could the rain pierce 
 through, so close were they twined 
 either to other; and thereunder crept 
 Odysseus, and anon he heaped together 
 with his hands a broad couch ; for of 
 fallen leaves there was great plenty, 
 enough to cover two or three men in 
 winter time, however hard the weather. 
 And the steadfast goodly Odysseus be- 
 held it and rejoiced, and he laid him in 
 the midst thereof and flung over him 
 the fallen leaves. And as when a man 
 hath hidden away a brand in the black 
 embers at an upland farm, one that 
 hath no neighbours nigh, and so saveth 
 33 
 
the seed of fire, that he may not have 
 to seek a light otherwhere, even so did 
 Odysseus cover him with the leaves. 
 And Athene shed sleep upon his eyes, 
 that so it might soon release him from 
 his weary travail, overshadowing his 
 eyelids. 
 
 34 
 
V. 
 
 THE PRINCESS NAUSICAA 
 
 So there he lay asleep, the steadfast 
 goodly Odysseus, fordone with toil and 
 drowsiness. Meanwhile Athene went 
 to the land and the city of the Phaea- 
 cians, who of old, upon a time, dwelt 
 in spacious Hypereia; near the Cy- 
 clopes they dwelt, men exceeding proud, 
 who harried them continually, being 
 35 
 
mightier than they. Thence the godlike 
 Nausithous made them depart, and he 
 carried them away, and planted them 
 in Scheria, far off from men that live 
 by bread. And he drew a wall around 
 the town, and builded houses and made 
 temples for the gods and meted out the 
 fields. Howbeit ere this had he been 
 stricken by fate, and had gone down to 
 the house of Hades, and now Alcinous 
 was reigning, with wisdom granted by 
 the gods. To his house went the god- 
 dess, gray-eyed Athene, devising a re- 
 turn for the great-hearted Odysseus. 
 She betook her to the rich-wrought 
 bower, wherein was sleeping a maiden 
 like to the gods in form and comeliness, 
 Nausicaa, the daughter of Alcinous, high 
 of heart. Beside her on either hand of 
 the pillars of the door were two hand- 
 maids, dowered with beauty from the 
 Graces, and the shining doors were shut. 
 But the goddess, fleet as the breath 
 of the wind, swept towards the couch 
 of the maiden, and stood above her head, 
 and spake to her in the semblance of 
 the daughter of a famous seafarer, Dy- 
 36 
 
mas, a girl of like age with Nausicaa, 
 who had found grace in her sight. In 
 her shape the gray-eyed Athene spake 
 to the princess, saying : 
 
 " Nausicaa, how hath thy mother so 
 heedless a maiden to her daughter ? 
 Lo, thou hast shining raiment that lies 
 by thee uncared for, and thy marriage- 
 day is near at hand, when thou thy- 
 self must needs go beautifully clad, and 
 have garments to give to them who 
 shall lead thee to the house of the 
 bridegroom ! And, behold, these are 
 the things whence a good report goes 
 abroad among men, wherein a father 
 and lady mother take delight. But 
 come, let us arise and go a-washing 
 with the breaking of the day, and I 
 will follow with thee to be thy mate in 
 the toil, that without delay thou mayest 
 get thee ready, since truly thou art not 
 long to be a maiden. Lo, already they 
 are wooing thee, the noblest youths of 
 all of the Phaeacians, among that peo- 
 ple whence thou thyself dost draw thy 
 lineage. So come, beseech thy noble 
 father betimes in the morning to fur- 
 37 
 
nish thee with mules and a wain to 
 carry the men's raiment, and the robes, 
 and the shining coverlets. Yea and for 
 thyself it is seemlier far to go thus than 
 on foot, for the places where we must 
 wash are a great way off the town." 
 
 So spake the gray-eyed Athene, and 
 departed to Olympus, where, as they 
 say, is the seat of the gods that stand- 
 eth fast for ever. Not by winds is it 
 shaken, nor ever wet with rain, nor 
 doth the snow come nigh thereto, but 
 most clear air is spread about it cloud- 
 less, and the white light floats over it. 
 Therein the blessed gods are glad for 
 all their days, and thither Athene went 
 when she had shown forth all to the 
 maiden. 
 
 Anon came the throned Dawn, and 
 awakened Nausicaa of the fair robes, 
 who straightway marvelled on the dream, 
 and went through the halls to tell her 
 parents, her father dear and her mother. 
 And she found them within, her mother 
 sitting by the hearth with the women 
 her handmaids, spinning yarn of sea- 
 purple stain, but her father she met as 
 38 
 
he was going forth to the renowned 
 kings in their council, whither the noble 
 Phaeacians called him. Standing close 
 by her dear father she spake, saying : 
 
 " Father, dear, couldst thou not lend 
 me a high wagon with strong wheels, 
 that I may take the goodly raiment to 
 the river to wash, so much as I have 
 lying soiled ? Yea and it is seemly that 
 thou thyself, when thou art with the 
 princes in council, shouldest have fresh 
 raiment to wear. Also, there are five 
 dear sons of thine in the halls, two 
 married, but three are lusty bachelors, 
 and these are always eager for new- 
 washen garments wherein to go to the 
 dances ; for all these things have I 
 taken thought." 
 
 This she said, because she was 
 ashamed to speak of glad marriage to 
 her father ; but he saw all and an- 
 swered, saying : 
 
 " Neither the mules nor aught else 
 do I grudge thee, my child. Go thy 
 ways, and the thralls shall get thee 
 ready a high wagon with good wheels, 
 and fitted with an upper frame." 
 
 39 
 
Therewith he called to his men, and 
 they gave ear, and without the palace 
 they made ready the smooth-running 
 mule-wain, and led the mules beneath 
 the yoke, and harnessed them under 
 the car, while the maiden brought forth 
 from her bower the shining raiment. 
 ThisiShe stored in the polished car, and 
 her mother filled a basket with all man- 
 ner of food to the heart's desire, dainties 
 too she set therein, and she poured wine 
 into a goat-skin bottle, while Nausicaa 
 climbed into the wain. And her mother 
 gave her soft olive oil also in a golden 
 cruse, that she and her maidens might 
 anoint themselves after the bath. Then 
 Nausicaa took the whip and the shining 
 reins, and touched the mules to start 
 them ; then there was a clatter of hoofs, 
 and on they strained without flagging, 
 with their load of the raiment and the 
 maiden. Not alone did she go, for her 
 attendants followed with her. 
 
 Now when they were come to the 
 
 beautiful stream of the river, where 
 
 truly were the unfailing cisterns, and 
 
 bright water welled up free from be- 
 
 40 
 
neath, and flowed past, enough to wash 
 the foulest garments clean, there the 
 girls unharnessed the mules from un- 
 der the chariot, and turning them loose 
 they drove them along the banks of 
 the eddying river to graze on the honey- 
 sweet clover. Then they took the gar- 
 ments from the wain, in their hands, 
 and bore them to the black water, and 
 briskly trod them down in the trenches, 
 in busy rivalry. Now when they had 
 washed and cleansed all the stains, they 
 spread all out in order along the shore 
 of the deep, even where the sea, in 
 beating on the coast, washed the peb- 
 bles clean. Then having bathed and 
 anointed them well with olive oil, they 
 took their mid-day meal on the river's 
 banks, waiting till the clothes should 
 dry in the brightness of the sun. 
 
 Anon, when they were satisfied with 
 food, the maidens and the princess, they 
 fell to playing at ball, casting away their 
 tires, and among them Nausicaa of the 
 white arms began the song. And even 
 as Artemis, the archer, moveth down the 
 mountain, either along the ridges of 
 41 
 
lofty Taygetus or Erymanthus, taking 
 her pastime in the chase of boars and 
 swift deer, and with her the wild wood- 
 nymphs disport them, the daughters of 
 Zeus, lord of the aegis, and Leto is glad 
 at heart, while high over all she rears 
 her head and brows, and easily may she 
 be known, — but all are fair j even so 
 the girl unwed outshone her maiden 
 company. 
 
 42 
 
 t 
 
VI. 
 
 ODYSSEUS AS A SUPPLIANT 
 
 But when now she was about going 
 homewards, after yoking the mules 
 and folding up the goodly raiment, 
 then gray-eyed Athene turned to other 
 thoughts, that so Odysseus might awake, 
 and see the lovely maiden, who should 
 be his guide to the city of the Phaeacian 
 men. So then the princess threw the 
 43 
 
ball at one of her company; she missed 
 the girl, and cast the ball into the deep 
 eddying current, whereat they all raised 
 a piercing cry. Then the goodly Odys- 
 seus awoke and sat up, pondering in 
 his heart and spirit : 
 
 " Woe is me ! to what men's land 
 am I come now ? say, are they fro- 
 ward, and wild, and unjust, or are they 
 hospitable, and of God-fearing mind ? 
 How shrill a cry of maidens rings round 
 me, of the nymphs that hold the steep 
 hill-tops, and the river-springs, and the 
 grassy water meadows ! It must be, me- 
 thinks, that I am near men of human 
 speech. Go to, I myself will make trial 
 and see." 
 
 Therewith the goodly Odysseus crept 
 out from under the coppice, having 
 broken with his strong hand a leafy 
 bough from the thick wood, to hold 
 athwart his body, that it might hide 
 his nakedness withal. And forth he 
 sallied like a lion mountain-bred, trust- 
 ing in his strength, who fares out blown 
 and rained upon, with flaming eyes ; 
 amid the kine he goes or amid the 
 44 
 
sheep or in the track of the wild deer; 
 yea, his belly bids him go even to the 
 good homestead to make assay upon 
 the flocks. Even so Odysseus was fain 
 to draw nigh to the fair-tressed maid- 
 ens, all naked as he was, such need 
 had come upon him. 
 
 But he was terrible in their eyes, being 
 marred with the salt sea foam, and they 
 fled cowering here and there about the 
 jutting spits of shore. And the daughter 
 of Alcinous alone stood firm, for Athene 
 gave her courage of heart, and took 
 all trembling from her limbs. So she 
 halted and stood over against him, and 
 Odysseus considered whether he should 
 clasp the knees of the lovely maiden, 
 and so make his prayer, or should stand 
 as he was, apart, and beseech her with 
 smooth words, if haply she might show 
 him the town, and give him raiment. 
 And as he thought within himself, it 
 seemed better to stand apart, and be- 
 seech her with smooth words, lest the 
 maiden should be angered with him if 
 he touched her knees : so straightway 
 he spake a sweet and cunning word : 
 45 
 
" I supplicate thee, O queen, whether 
 thou art a goddess or a mortal ! If in- 
 deed thou art a goddess of them that 
 keep the wide heaven ; to Artemis, 
 then, the daughter of great Zeus, I 
 mainly liken thee, for beauty and stat- 
 ure and shapeliness. But if thou art 
 one of the daughters of men who dwell 
 on earth, thrice blessed are thy father 
 and thy lady mother, and thrice blessed 
 thy brethren. Surely their souls ever 
 glow with gladness for thy sake, each 
 time they see thee entering the dance, 
 so fair a flower of maidens. But he is 
 of heart the most blessed beyond all 
 other who shall prevail with gifts of 
 wooing, and lead thee to his home. 
 Never have mine eyes beheld such an 
 one among mortals, neither man nor 
 woman ; great awe comes upon me as 
 I look on thee. 
 
 " Yet in Delos once I saw as goodly 
 a thing : a young sapling of a palm-tree 
 springing by the altar of Apollo. For 
 thither too I went, and much people 
 with me, on that path where my sore 
 troubles were to be. Yea, and when I 
 46 
 
looked thereupon, long time I marvelled 
 in spirit, — for never grew there yet so 
 goodly a shoot from ground, — even in 
 such wise as I wonder at thee, lady, and 
 am astonied and do greatly fear to touch 
 thy knees, though grievous sorrow is 
 upon me. Yesterday, on the twentieth 
 day, I escaped from the wine-dark deep, 
 but all that time continually the wave 
 bare me, and the vehement winds drave, 
 from the isle Ogygia. And now some 
 god has cast me on this shore, that here 
 too, methinks, some evil may betide me ; 
 for I trow not that trouble will cease; 
 the gods ere that time will yet bring 
 many a thing to pass. 
 
 " But, queen, have pity on me, for 
 after many trials and sore to thee first 
 of all am I come, and of the other folk, 
 who hold this city and land, I know no 
 man. Nay show me the town, give me 
 an old garment to cast about me, if thou 
 hadst, when thou camest here, any wrap 
 for the linen. And may the gods grant 
 thee all thy heart's desire : a husband 
 and a home, and a mind at one with his 
 may they give — a good gift, for there 
 47 
 
is nothing mightier and nobler than 
 when man and wife are of one heart 
 and mind in a house, a grief to their 
 foes, and to their friends great joy, but 
 their own hearts know it best." 
 
 Then Nausicaa of the white arms 
 answered him, and said : " Stranger, for- 
 asmuch as thou seemest no evil man 
 nor foolish — and it is Olympian Zeus 
 himself that giveth weal to men, to the 
 good and to the evil, to each one as he 
 will, and this thy lot doubtless is of 
 him, and so thou must in anywise en- 
 dure it : — and now, since thou hast 
 come to our city and our land, thou 
 shalt not lack raiment, nor aught else 
 that is the due of a hapless suppliant, 
 when he has met them who can be- 
 friend him. And I will show thee the 
 town, and name the name of the people. 
 The Phaeacians hold this city and land, 
 and I am the daughter of Alcinous, 
 great of heart, on whom all the might 
 and force of the Phaeacians depend." 
 
 Thus she spake, and called to her 
 maidens of the fair tresses : " Halt, my 
 maidens, whither flee ye at the sight of 
 48 
 
a man ? Ye surely do not take him for 
 an enemy ? That mortal breathes not, 
 and never will be born, who shall come 
 with war to the land of the Phaeacians, 
 for they are very dear to the gods. Far 
 apart we live in the wash of the waves, 
 the outermost of men, and no other 
 mortals are conversant with us. Nay, 
 but this man is some helpless one come 
 hither in his wanderings, whom now 
 we must kindly entreat, for all strangers 
 and beggars are from Zeus, and a little 
 gift is dear. So, my maidens, give the 
 stranger meat and drink, and bathe him 
 in the river, where withal is a shelter 
 from the winds." 
 
 So she spake, but they had halted 
 and called each to the other, and they 
 brought Odysseus to the sheltered place, 
 and made him sit down, as Nausicaa 
 bade them, the daughter of Alcinous, 
 high of heart. Beside him they laid a 
 mantle, and a doublet for raiment, and 
 gave him soft olive oil in the golden 
 cruse, and bade him wash in the streams 
 of the river. Then goodly Odysseus 
 spake among the maidens, saying : 
 49 
 
" I pray you stand thus apart, while 
 I myself wash the brine from my 
 shoulders, and anoint me with olive oil, 
 for truly oil is long a stranger to my 
 skin. But in your sight I will not bathe, 
 for I am ashamed to make me naked 
 in the company of fair-tressed maidens." 
 
 Then they went apart and told all to 
 their lady. But with the river water the 
 goodly Odysseus washed from his skin 
 the salt scurf that covered his back and 
 broad shoulders, and from his head he 
 wiped the crusted brine of the barren 
 sea. But when he had washed his whole 
 body, and anointed him with olive oil, 
 and had clad himself in the raiment that 
 the unwedded maiden gave him, then 
 Athene, the daughter of Zeus, made 
 him greater and more mighty to behold, 
 and from his head caused deep curling 
 locks to flow, like the hyacinth flower. 
 And as when some skilful man over- 
 lays gold upon silver — one that He- 
 phaestus and Pallas Athene have taught 
 all manner of craft, and full of grace 
 is his handiwork — even so did Athene 
 shed grace about his head and shoulders. 
 50 
 
Then to the shore of the sea went 
 Odysseus apart, and sat down, glowing 
 in beauty and grace, and the princess 
 marvelled at him, and spake among her 
 fair-tressed maidens, saying : 
 
 " Listen, my white-armed maidens, 
 and I will say somewhat. Not without 
 the will of all the gods who hold Olym- 
 pus hath this man come among the god- 
 like Phaeacians. Erewhile he seemed to 
 me uncomely, but now he is like the gods 
 that keep the wide heaven. Would that 
 such an one might be called my hus- 
 band, dwelling here, and that it might 
 please him here to abide ! But come, 
 my maidens, give the stranger meat and 
 drink." 
 
 Thus she spake, and they gave ready 
 ear and hearkened, and set beside Odys- 
 seus meat and drink, and the steadfast 
 goodly Odysseus did eat and drink 
 eagerly, for it was long since he had 
 tasted food. 
 
 Now Nausicaa of the white arms had 
 another thought. She folded the rai- 
 ment and stored it in the goodly wain, 
 and yoked the mules strong of hoof, 
 
 SI 
 
and herself climbed into the car. Then 
 she called on Odysseus, and spake and 
 hailed him : 
 
 " Up now, stranger, and rouse thee 
 to go to the city, that I may convey 
 thee to the house of my wise father, 
 where, I promise thee, thou shalt get 
 knowledge of all the noblest of the 
 Phzeacians. But do thou even as I tell 
 thee, and thou seemest a discreet man 
 enough. As long as we are passing 
 along the fields and farms of men, do 
 thou fare quickly with the maidens be- 
 hind the mules and the chariot, and I 
 will lead the way. But when we set 
 foot within the city, — whereby goes a 
 high wall with towers, and there is a 
 fair haven on either side of the town, 
 and narrow is the entrance, and curved 
 ships are drawn up on either hand of 
 the mole, for all the folk have stations 
 for their vessels, each man one for him- 
 self. And there is the place of assem- 
 bly about the goodly temple of Poseidon, 
 furnished with heavy stones, deep bed- 
 ded in the earth. There men look to 
 the gear of the black ships, hawsers and 
 52 
 
sails, and there they fine down the oars. 
 For the Phasacians care not for bow nor 
 quiver, but for masts, and oars of ships, 
 and gallant barques, wherein rejoicing 
 they cross the gray sea. Their ungra- 
 cious speech it is that I would avoid, 
 lest some man afterward rebuke me, 
 and there are but too many insolent folk 
 among the people. 
 
 " And some one of the baser sort 
 might meet me and say : ' Who is 
 this that goes with Nausicaa, this tall 
 and goodly stranger ? Where found she 
 him ? Her husband he will be, her very 
 own. Either she has taken in some 
 shipwrecked wanderer of strange men, 
 — for no men dwell near us ; or some 
 god has come in answer to her instant 
 prayer; from heaven has he descended, 
 and will have her to wife for ever more. 
 Better so, if herself she has ranged 
 abroad and found a lord from a strange 
 land, for verily she holds in no regard 
 the Phaeacians here in this country, the 
 many men and nobles who are her 
 wooers.' 
 
 " So will they speak, and this would 
 53 
 
turn to my reproach. Yea, and I my- 
 self would think it blame of another 
 maiden who did such things in despite 
 of her friends, her father and mother 
 being still alive, and was conversant 
 with men before the day of open wed- 
 lock. But, stranger, heed well what I 
 say, that as soon as may be thou may- 
 est gain at my father's hands an escort 
 and a safe return. Thou shalt find a 
 fair grove of Athene, a poplar grove 
 near the road, and a spring wells forth 
 therein, and a meadow lies all around. 
 There is my father's demesne, and his 
 fruitful close, within the sound of a 
 man's shout from the city. Sit thee 
 down there and wait until such time 
 as we may have come into the city, and 
 reached the house of my father. 
 
 " But when thou deemest that we are 
 got to the palace, then go up to the city 
 of the Phaeacians, and ask for the house 
 of my father Alcinous, high of heart. 
 It is easily known, and a young child 
 could be thy guide, for nowise like it 
 are builded the houses of the Phaeacians, 
 so goodly is the palace of the hero Al- 
 54 
 
cinous. But when thou art within the 
 shadow of the halls and the court, pass 
 quickly through the great chamber, till 
 thou comest to my mother, who sits at 
 the hearth in the light of the fire, weav- 
 ing yarn of sea-purple stain, a wonder 
 to behold. Her chair is leaned against 
 a pillar, and her maidens sit behind 
 her. And there my father's throne leans 
 close to hers, wherein he sits and drinks 
 his wine, like an immortal. Pass thou 
 by him, and cast thy hands about my 
 mother's knees, that thou mayest see 
 quickly and with joy the day of thy 
 returning, even if thou art from a very 
 far country. If but her heart be kindly 
 disposed toward thee, then is there hope 
 that thou shalt see thy friends, and come 
 to thy well-builded house, and to thine 
 own country." 
 
 55 
 
VII. 
 
 ODYSSEUS FARES TO THE 
 CITY 
 
 She spake, and smote the mules with 
 the shining whip, and quickly they left 
 behind them the streams of the river. 
 And well they trotted and well they 
 paced, and she took heed to drive in 
 such wise that the maidens and Odys- 
 seus might follow on foot, and cun- 
 56 
 
ningly she plied the lash. Then the 
 sun set, and they came to the famous 
 grove, the sacred place of Athene j so 
 there the goodly Odysseus sat him 
 down. Then straightway he prayed to 
 the daughter of mighty Zeus : 
 
 " Listen to me, child of Zeus, lord of 
 the aegis, unwearied maiden; hear me 
 even now, since before thou heard- 
 est not when I was smitten on the 
 sea, when the renowned Earth-shaker 
 smote me. Grant me to come to the 
 Phaeacians as one dear, and worthy of 
 pity." 
 
 So he spake in prayer, and Pallas 
 Athene heard him; but she did not yet 
 appear to him face to face, for she had 
 regard unto her father's brother, who 
 furiously raged against the godlike Odys- 
 seus, till he should come to his own 
 country. 
 
 So he prayed there, the steadfast 
 goodly Odysseus, while the two strong 
 mules bare the princess to the town. 
 And when she had now come to the 
 famous palace of her father, she halted 
 at the gateway, and round her gathered 
 57 
 
her brothers, men like to the immortals, 
 and they loosed the mules from under 
 the car, and carried the raiment within. 
 But the maiden betook her to her cham- 
 ber; and an aged dame from Aperaea 
 kindled the fire for her, Eurymedusa, 
 the handmaid of the chamber, whom 
 the curved ships upon a time had brought 
 from Aperaea ; and men chose her as a 
 prize for Alcinous, seeing that he bare 
 rule over all the Phaeacians, and the 
 people hearkened to him as to a god. 
 She waited on the white-armed Nau- 
 sicaa in the palace halls ; she was wont 
 to kindle the fire and prepare the supper 
 in the inner chamber. 
 
 At that same hour Odysseus roused 
 him to go to the city, and Athene shed 
 a deep mist about Odysseus for the 
 favour that she bare him, lest any of the 
 Phaeacians, high of heart, should meet 
 him and mock him in sharp speech, and 
 ask him who he was. But when he was 
 now about to enter the pleasant city, 
 then the goddess, gray-eyed Athene, 
 met him, in the fashion of a young 
 maiden carrying a pitcher, and she stood 
 58 
 
over against him, and goodly Odysseus 
 inquired of her : 
 
 " My child, couldst thou not lead me 
 to the palace of the lord Alcinous, who 
 bears sway among this people ? Lo, I 
 am come here, a stranger travel-worn 
 from afar, from a distant land ; where- 
 fore of the folk who possess this city 
 and country I know not any man." 
 
 Then the goddess, gray-eyed Athene, 
 answered him saying : " Yea now, 
 father and stranger, I will show thee the 
 house that thou bidst me declare, for it 
 lies near the palace of my noble father; 
 behold, be silent as thou goest, and I 
 will lead the way. And look on no 
 man, nor question any. For these men 
 do not gladly sufFer strangers, nor lov- 
 ingly entreat whoso cometh from a 
 strange land. They trust to the speed 
 of their swift ships, wherewith they cross 
 the great gulf, for the Earth-shaker hath 
 vouchsafed them this power. Their 
 ships are swift as the flight of a bird, or 
 as a thought." 
 
 Therewith Pallas Athene led the way 
 swiftly, and he followed hard in the 
 59 
 
footsteps of the goddess. And it came 
 to pass that the Phaeacians, mariners re- 
 nowned, marked him not as he went 
 down the city through their midst, for 
 the fair-tressed Athene suffered it not, 
 that awful goddess, who shed a won- 
 drous mist about him, for the favour 
 that she bare him in her heart. And 
 Odysseus marvelled at the havens and 
 the gallant ships, yea and the places of 
 assembly of the heroes, and the long 
 high walls crowned with palisades, a 
 marvel to behold. But when they had 
 now come to the famous palace of the 
 king, the goddess, gray-eyed Athene, 
 spake first and said : 
 
 " Lo, here, father and stranger, is 
 the house that thou wouldst have me 
 show thee : and thou shalt find kings at 
 the feast, the fosterlings of Zeus ; enter 
 then, and fear not in thine heart, for the 
 dauntless man is the best in every ad- 
 venture, even though he come from a 
 strange land. Thou shalt find the queen 
 first in the halls : Arete is the name 
 whereby men call her, and she came 
 even of those that begat the king Alci- 
 60 
 
nous. First Nausithous was son of 
 Poseidon, the Earth-shaker, and of Peri- 
 boea, the comeliest of women, youngest 
 daughter of great-hearted Eurymedon, 
 who once was king among the haughty 
 Giants. Howbeit, he destroyed his in- 
 fatuate people, and was himself des- 
 troyed ; but Poseidon lay with Periboea 
 and begat a son, proud Nausithous, who 
 sometime was prince among the Phaea- 
 cians ; and Nausithous begat Rhexenor 
 and Alcinous. 
 
 " While Rhexenor had as yet no son, 
 Apollo of the silver bow smote him, 
 a groom new wed, leaving in his halls 
 one only child Arete ; and Alcinous 
 took her to wife, and honoured her as 
 no other woman in the world is hon- 
 oured, of all that now-a-days keep house 
 under the hand of their lords. Thus 
 she hath, and hath ever had, all wor- 
 ship heartily from her dear children and 
 from her lord Alcinous and from all the 
 folk, who look on her as on a goddess, 
 and greet her with reverend speech, 
 when she goes about the town. Yea, for 
 she too hath no lack of understanding. 
 6i 
 
To whomso she shows favour, even if 
 they be men, she ends their feuds. If 
 but her heart be kindly disposed to thee, 
 then is there good hope that thou mayest 
 see thy friends, and come to thy high- 
 roofed home and thine own country." 
 
 Therewith gray-eyed Athene departed 
 over the un harvested seas, and left 
 pleasant Scheria, and came to Marathon 
 and wide-wayed Athens, and entered 
 the good house of Erechtheus. Mean- 
 while Odysseus went to the famous 
 palace of Alcinous, and his heart was 
 full of many thoughts as he stood there 
 or ever he had reached the threshold of 
 bronze. For there was a gleam as it 
 were of sun or moon through the high- 
 roofed hall of great-hearted Alcinous. 
 
VIII. 
 
 THE PALACE OF ALCINOUS 
 
 Brazen were the walls which ran this 
 way and that from the threshold to the 
 inmost chamber, and round them was 
 a frieze of blue, and golden were the 
 doors that closed in the good house. 
 Silver were the door-posts that were set 
 on the brazen threshold, and silver the 
 63 
 
lintel thereupon, and the hook of the door 
 was of gold. And on either side stood 
 golden hounds and silver, which He- 
 phaestus wrought by his cunning, to 
 guard the palace of great-hearted Alci- 
 nous, being free from death and age 
 all their days. And within were seats 
 arrayed against the wall this way and 
 that, from the threshold even to the inmost 
 chamber, and thereon were spread light 
 coverings finely woven, the handiwork 
 of women. 
 
 There the Phasacian chieftains were 
 wont to sit eating and drinking, for 
 they had continual store. Yea, and 
 there were youths fashioned in gold, 
 standing on firm-set bases, with flam- 
 ing torches in their hands, giving light 
 through the night to the feasters in 
 the palace. And he had fifty hand- 
 maids in the house, and some grind the 
 yellow grain on the millstone, and others 
 weave webs and turn the yarn as they 
 sit, restless as the leaves of the tall pop- 
 lar-tree : and the soft olive oil drops ofF 
 that linen, so closely is it woven. For 
 as the Phaeacian men are skilled beyond 
 64 
 
all others in driving a swift ship upon 
 the deep, even so are the women the 
 most cunning at the loom, for Athene 
 hath given them notable wisdom in all 
 fair handiwork and cunning wit. 
 
 And without the courtyard hard by 
 the door is a great garden, of four 
 ploughgates, and a hedge runs round 
 on either side. And there grow tall 
 trees blossoming, pear-trees and pome- 
 granates, and apple-trees with bright 
 fruit, and sweet figs, and olives in their 
 bloom. The fruit of these trees never 
 perisheth neither faileth, winter nor 
 summer, enduring through all the year. 
 Evermore the West Wind blowing 
 brings some fruits to birth and ripens 
 others. Pear upon pear waxes old, and 
 apple on apple, yea and cluster ripens 
 upon cluster of the grape, and fig upon 
 
 fig. 
 
 There too hath he a fruitful vineyard 
 
 planted, whereof the one part is being 
 dried by the heat, a sunny plot on level 
 ground, while other grapes men are 
 gathering, and yet others they are tread- 
 ing in the wine-press. In the foremost 
 65 
 
row are unripe grapes that cast the blos- 
 som, and others there be that are grow- 
 ing black to vintaging. There too, 
 skirting the furthest line, are all manner 
 of garden beds, planted trimly, that are 
 perpetually fresh, and therein are two 
 fountains of water, whereof one scatters 
 his streams all about the garden, and 
 the other runs over against it beneath 
 the threshold of the courtyard, and 
 issues by the lofty house, and thence 
 did the townsfolk draw water. These 
 were the splendid gifts of the gods in 
 the palace of Alcinous. 
 
 There the steadfast goodly Odysseus 
 stood and gazed. But when he had 
 gazed at all and wondered, he passed 
 quickly over the threshold within the 
 house. And he found the captains and 
 the counsellors of the Phaeacians pour- 
 ing forth wine to the keen-sighted god, 
 the slayer of Argos ; for to him they 
 poured the last cup when they were 
 minded to take rest. Now the steadfast 
 goodly Odysseus went through the house, 
 clad in a thick mist, which Athene shed 
 around him, till he came to Arete and 
 66 
 
the king Alcinous. And Odysseus cast 
 his hands about the knees of Arete, and 
 then it was that the wondrous mist 
 melted from ofF him, and a silence fell 
 on them that were within the house at 
 the sight of him, and they marvelled as 
 they beheld him. Then Odysseus began 
 his prayer : 
 
 " Arete, daughter of god-like Rhexe- 
 nor, after many toils am I come to thy 
 husband and to thy knees and to these 
 guests, and may the gods vouchsafe them 
 a happy life, and may each one leave to 
 his children after him his substance in 
 his halls and whatever dues of honour 
 the people have rendered unto him. 
 But speed, I pray you, my parting, that 
 I may come the more quickly to mine 
 own country, for already too long do I 
 suffer affliction far from my friends." 
 
 Therewith he sat him down by the 
 hearth in the ashes at the fire, and be- 
 hold, a dead silence fell on all. And at 
 the last the ancient lord Echeneus spake 
 among them, an elder of the Phaeacians, 
 excellent in speech and skilled in much 
 wisdom of old time. With good will 
 ^7 
 
he made harangue and spake among 
 them : 
 
 " Alcinous, this truly is not the more 
 seemly way, nor is it fitting that the 
 stranger should sit upon the ground in 
 the ashes by the hearth, while these men 
 refrain them, waiting thy word. Nay 
 come, bid the stranger arise, and set him 
 on a chair inlaid with silver, and com- 
 mand the henchmen to mix the wine, 
 that we may pour forth likewise before 
 Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, who 
 attendeth upon reverend suppliants. 
 And let the housewife give supper to 
 the stranger out of such stores as be 
 within." 
 
 Now when the mighty king Alcinous 
 heard this saying, he took Odysseus, the 
 wise and crafty, by the hand, and raised 
 him from the hearth, and set him on a 
 shining chair, whence he bade his son 
 give place, valiant Laodamas, who sat 
 next him and was his dearest. And a 
 handmaid bare water for the hands in a 
 goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth 
 over a silver basin to wash withal, and 
 drew to his side a polished table. And 
 68 
 
a grave dame bare wheaten bread and 
 set it by him and laid upon the board 
 many dainties, giving freely of such 
 things as she had by her. So the stead- 
 fast goodly Odysseus did eat and drink ; 
 and then the mighty Alcinous spake unto 
 the henchman : 
 
 '' Pontonous, mix the bowl and serve 
 out the wine to all in the hall, that we 
 may pour forth likewise before Zeus, 
 whose joy is in the thunder, who at- 
 tendeth upon reverend suppliants." 
 
 So spake he, and Pontonous mixed 
 the honey-hearted wine, and served it 
 out to all, when he had poured for liba- 
 tion into each cup in turn. But when 
 they had poured forth and had drunken 
 to their hearts' content, Alcinous made 
 harangue and spake among them : 
 
 " Hear me, ye captains and counsellors 
 of the Phaeacians, that I may speak as 
 my spirit bids me. Now that the feast 
 is over, go ye home and lie down to 
 rest ; and in the morning we will call 
 yet more elders together, and entertain 
 the stranger in the halls and do fair sac- 
 rifice to the gods, and thereafter we will 
 69 
 
likewise bethink us of the convoy, that 
 so without pain or grief yonder stranger 
 may by our convoy reach his own coun- 
 try speedily and with joy, even though 
 he be from very far away. So shall he 
 suffer no hurt or harm in mid passage, 
 ere he set foot on his own land ; but 
 thereafter he shall endure such things as 
 Fate and the stern spinning women drew 
 off the spindles for him at his birth when 
 his mother bare him. But if he is some 
 deathless god come down from heaven, 
 then do the gods herein imagine some 
 new device against us. For always 
 heretofore the gods appear manifest 
 amongst us, whensoever we offer glo- 
 rious hecatombs, and they feast by our 
 side, sitting at the same board ; yea, and 
 even if a wayfarer going all alone has 
 met with them, they use no disguise, 
 since we are near of kin to them, even 
 as are the Cyclopes and the wild tribes 
 of the Giants." 
 
 And Odysseus of many counsels 
 answered him, saying : " Alcinous, that 
 thought be far from thee ! for I bear no 
 likeness either in form or fashion to the 
 
deathless gods, who keep wide heaven, 
 but to men that die. Whomsoever ye 
 know of human kind the heaviest laden 
 with sorrow, to them might I liken 
 myself in my griefs. Yea, and I might 
 tell of yet other woes, even the long tale 
 of toil that by the gods' will I endured. 
 But as for me, suffer me to sup, afflicted 
 as I am ; for nought is there more 
 shameless than a ravening belly, which 
 biddeth a man perforce be mindful of 
 him, though one be worn and sorrowful 
 in spirit, even as I have sorrow of 
 heart ; yet evermore he biddeth me eat 
 and drink and maketh me utterly to for- 
 get all my sufferings, and commandeth 
 me to take my fill. But do ye bestir 
 you at the breaking of the day, that so 
 ye may set me, hapless as I am, upon 
 my country's soil, albeit after much 
 suffering. Ah, and may life leave me 
 when I have had sight of mine own 
 possessions, my thralls, and my dwelling 
 that is great and high ! " 
 
 So spake he, and they all assented 
 thereto, and bade send the stranger on 
 his way, for that he had spoken aright. 
 71 
 
Now when they had poured forth and 
 had drunken to their hearts' content, 
 they went each one to his house to lay 
 them to rest. But goodly Odysseus 
 was left behind in the hall, and by him 
 sat Arete and godlike Alcinous ; and the 
 maids cleared away the furniture of the 
 feast j and white-armed Arete first spake 
 among them. For she knew the mantle 
 and the doublet, when she saw the 
 goodly raiment that she herself had 
 wrought with the women her hand- 
 maids. So she uttered her voice and 
 spake to him winged words : 
 
 " Sir, I am bold to ask thee first of 
 this. Who art thou of the sons of 
 men, and whence ? Who gave thee 
 this raiment ? Didst thou not say in- 
 deed that thou earnest hither wandering 
 over the deep ? " 
 
IX. 
 
 THE STORY OF ODYSSEUS 
 
 Then Odysseus of many counsels 
 answered her, and said : " 'T is hard, O 
 queen, to tell my griefs from end to end, 
 for that the gods of heaven have given 
 me griefs in plenty. But this vi^ill I de- 
 clare to thee, whereof thou dost question 
 and inquire. There is an isle, Ogygia, 
 73 
 
that lies far off in the sea ; there dwells 
 the daughter of Atlas, crafty Calypso, 
 of the braided tresses, an awful goddess, 
 nor is any either of gods or mortals con- 
 versant with her. Howbeit, some god 
 brought me to her hearth, wretched man 
 that I am, all alone, for that Zeus with 
 white bolt crushed my swift ship and 
 cleft it in the midst of the wine-dark 
 deep. There all the rest of my good 
 company was lost, but I clung with fast 
 embrace about the keel of the curved 
 ship, and so was I borne for nine whole 
 days. 
 
 " And on the tenth dark night the 
 gods brought me nigh the isle Ogygia, 
 where Calypso of the braided tresses 
 dwells, an awful goddess. She took me 
 in, and with all care she cherished me 
 and gave me sustenance, and said that 
 she would make me to know not death 
 nor age for all my days ; but never did 
 she win my heart within me. There I 
 abode for seven years continually, and 
 watered with my tears the imperishable 
 raiment that Calypso gave me. 
 
 " But when the eighth year came 
 74 
 
round in his course, then at last she 
 urged and bade me to be gone, by rea- 
 son of a message from Zeus, or it 
 may be that her own mind was turned. 
 So she sent me forth on a well-bound 
 raft, and gave me plenteous store, 
 bread and sweet wine, and she clad 
 me in imperishable raiment, and sent 
 forth a warm and gentle wind to 
 blow. 
 
 " For ten days and seven I sailed, 
 traversing the deep, and on the eight- 
 eenth day the shadowy hills of your 
 land showed in sight, and my heart was 
 glad, — wretched that I was — for surely 
 I was still to be the mate of much sor- 
 row. For Poseidon, shaker of the earth, 
 stirred up the same, who roused against 
 me the winds and stopped my way, 
 and made a wondrous sea to swell, 
 nor did the wave suffer me to be borne 
 upon my raft, as I made ceaseless 
 moan. 
 
 " Thus the storm winds shattered 
 the raft, but as for me I cleft my way 
 through the gulf yonder, till the wind 
 bare and the water brought me nigh 
 
 75 
 
your coast. Then as I strove to land 
 upon the shore, the wave had over- 
 whelmed me, dashing me against the 
 great rocks and a desolate place, but 
 at length I gave way and swam back, 
 till I came to the river, where the place 
 seemed best in mine eyes, smooth of 
 rocks, and withal there was a shelter 
 from the wind. And as I came out I 
 sank down, gathering to me my spirit, 
 and immortal night came on. 
 
 " Then I gat me forth and away from 
 the heaven-fed river, and laid me to sleep 
 in the bushes and strewed leaves about 
 me, and the god shed over me infinite 
 sleep. There among the leaves I slept, 
 stricken at heart, all the night long, even 
 till the morning and mid-day. And the 
 sun sank when sweet sleep let me free. 
 And I was aware of the company of thy 
 daughter disporting them upon the sand, 
 and there was she in the midst of them 
 like unto the goddesses. To her I made 
 my supplication, and she showed no lack 
 of a good understanding, behaving so as 
 thou couldst not hope for in chancing 
 upon one so young ; for the younger 
 
 ^6 
 
folk lack wisdom always. She gave me 
 bread enough and red wine, and let 
 wash me in the river and bestowed on 
 me these garments. Herein, albeit in 
 sore distress, have I told thee all the 
 truth." 
 
 And Alcinous answered again, and 
 spake saying : " Sir, surely this was no 
 right thought of my daughter, in that 
 she brought thee not to our house with 
 the women her handmaids, though thou 
 didst first entreat her grace." 
 
 And Odysseus of many counsels 
 answered, and said unto him : " My 
 lord, chide not, I pray thee, for this the 
 blameless maiden. For indeed she bade 
 me follow with her company, but I 
 would not for fear and very shame, 
 lest perchance thine heart might be 
 clouded at the sight ; for a jealous race 
 upon the earth are we, the tribes of 
 men." 
 
 And Alcinous answered yet again, and 
 spake saying : " Sir, my heart within me 
 is not of such temper as to have been 
 wroth without a cause : due measure in 
 all things is best. Would to father 
 17 
 
Zeus, and Athene, and Apollo, would 
 that so goodly a man as thou art, and 
 like-minded with me, thou wouldst wed 
 my daughter, and be called my son, here 
 abiding : so would I give thee house and 
 wealth, if thou wouldst stay of thine own 
 will : but against thy will shall none of 
 the Phaeacians keep thee : never be this 
 well-pleasing in the eyes of Zeus ! 
 And now I ordain an escort for thee on 
 a certain day, that thou mayst surely 
 know, and that day the morrow. Then 
 shalt thou lay thee down overcome by 
 sleep, and they the while shall smite the 
 calm waters, till thou come to thy country 
 and thy house, and whatsoever place is 
 dear to thee, even though it be much 
 farther than Euboea, which certain of our 
 men say is the farthest of lands, they 
 who saw it, when they carried Rhada- 
 manthus of the fair hair, to visit Tityos, 
 son of Gaia. Even thither they went, 
 and accomplished the journey on the 
 self-same day and won home again, and 
 were not weary. And now shalt thou 
 know for thyself how far my ships are 
 the best, and how my young men excel 
 78 
 
at tossing the salt water with the oar- 
 blade." 
 
 So spake he, and the steadfast goodly 
 Odysseus rejoiced ; and then he uttered 
 a word in prayer, and called aloud to 
 Zeus : " Father Zeus, oh that Alcinous 
 may fulfil all that he hath said, so may 
 his fame never be quenched upon the 
 earth, the grain-giver, and I should come 
 to mine own land ! " 
 
 Thus they spake one to the other. 
 And white-armed Arete bade her hand- 
 maids set out bedsteads beneath the 
 gallery, and cast fair purple blankets 
 over them, and spread coverlets above, 
 and thereon lay thick mantles to be a 
 clothing over all. So they went from 
 the hall with torch in hand. But when 
 they had busied them and spread the 
 good bedstead, they stood by Odysseus 
 and called unto him, saying : 
 
 *' Up now, stranger, and get thee to 
 sleep, thy bed is made." 
 
 So spake they, and it seemed to him 
 that rest was wondrous good. So he 
 slept there, the steadfast goodly Odys- 
 seus, on the jointed bedstead, beneath 
 
 79 
 
the echoing gallery. But Alcinous laid 
 him down in the innermost chamber of 
 the high house, and by him the lady his 
 wife arrayed bedstead and bedding. 
 
 80 
 
X. 
 
 THE GAMES OF THE PHJEA- 
 
 CIANS 
 
 Now when early Dawn shone forth, 
 the rosy-fingered, then the mighty king 
 Alcinous gat him up from his bed ; and 
 Odysseus, of the seed of Zeus, likewise 
 uprose, the waster of cities. And the 
 mighty king Alcinous led the way to 
 8i 
 
the assembly place of the Phaeacians, 
 which they had stablished hard by the 
 ships. So when they had come thither, 
 and sat them down on the polished 
 stones close by each other, Pallas Athene 
 went on her way through the town, in 
 the semblance of the herald of wise 
 Alcinous, devising a return for the 
 great-hearted Odysseus. Then standing 
 by each man she spake, saying : 
 
 " Hither now get ye to the assembly, 
 ye captains and counsellors of the Phaea- 
 cians, that ye may learn concerning the 
 stranger, who hath lately come to the 
 palace of wise Alcinous, in his wander- 
 ings over the deep, and his form is like 
 the deathless gods." 
 
 Therewith she aroused the spirit and 
 desire of each one, and speedily the 
 meeting-places and seats were filled with 
 men that came to the gathering : yea, 
 and many an one marvelled at the sight 
 of the wise son of Laertes, for wondrous 
 was the grace Athene poured upon his 
 head and shoulders, and she made him 
 greater and more mighty to behold, that 
 he might win love and worship and hon- 
 82 
 
our among all the Phaeacians, and that he 
 might accomplish many feats, wherein 
 the Phaeacians made trial of Odysseus. 
 Now when they were gathered and come 
 together, Alcinous made harangue and 
 spake among them : 
 
 "Hearken, ye captains and counsellors 
 of the Phaeacians, and I will say that 
 which my spirit within me bids me utter. 
 This stranger, I know not who he is, 
 hath come to my house in his wander- 
 ing, whether from the men of the 
 dawning or the westward, and he presses 
 for a convoy, and prays that it be assured 
 to him. So let us, as in time past, speed 
 on the convoy. For never, nay never, 
 doth any man who cometh to my house, 
 abide here long in sorrow for want of 
 help upon his way. Nay, come let us 
 draw down a black ship to the fair salt 
 sea, for her first voyage, and let them 
 choose fifty and two noble youths 
 throughout the township, who have 
 been proved heretofore the best. And 
 when ye have made fast the oars upon 
 the benches, step all ashore, and there- 
 after come to our house, and quickly fall 
 83 
 
to feasting ; and I will make good pro- 
 vision for all. To the noble youths I 
 give this commandment ; but ye others, 
 sceptred kings, come to my fair dwell- 
 ing, that we may entertain the stranger 
 in the halls, and let no man make excuse. 
 Moreover, bid hither the divine minstrel, 
 Demodocus, for the god hath given 
 minstrelsy to him as to none other, to 
 make men glad in what way soever his 
 spirit stirs him to sing." 
 
 He spake and led the way, and the 
 sceptred kings accompanied him, while 
 the henchman went for the divine min- 
 strel. And chosen youths, fifty and 
 two, departed at his command, to the 
 shore of the unharvested sea. But after 
 they had gone down to the ship and to 
 the sea, first of all they drew the ship 
 down to the deep water, and placed the 
 mast and sails in the black ship, and 
 fixed the oars in the leathern loops, all 
 orderly, and spread forth the white sails. 
 And they moored her high out in the 
 shore water, and thereafter went on 
 their way to the great palace of the wise 
 Alcinous. 
 
 84 
 
Now the galleries and the courts and 
 the rooms were thronged with men that 
 came to the gathering, for there were 
 many, young and old. Then Alcinous 
 sacrificed twelve sheep among them, and 
 eight boars with flashing tusks, and two 
 oxen with trailing feet. These they 
 flayed and made ready, and dressed a 
 goodly feast. 
 
 Then the henchman drew near, lead- 
 ing with him the beloved minstrel, 
 whom the muse loved dearly, and she 
 gave him both good and evil ; of his 
 sight she reft him, but granted him sweet 
 song. Then Pontonous, the henchman, 
 set for him a high chair inlaid with sil- 
 ver, in the midst of the guests, leaning 
 it against the tall pillar, and he hung 
 the loud lyre on a pin, close above his 
 head, and showed him how to lay his 
 hands on it. And close by him he 
 placed a basket, and a fair table, and a 
 goblet of wine by his side, to drink 
 when his spirit bade him. So they 
 stretched forth their hands upon the 
 good cheer spread before them. But 
 after they had put from them the desire 
 
 85 
 
of meat and drink, the Muse stirred the 
 minstrel to sing the songs of famous 
 men, even that lay whereof the fame had 
 then reached the wide heaven, namely, 
 the quarrel between Odysseus and 
 Achilles, son of Peleus : how once on a 
 time they contended in fierce words at 
 a rich festival of the gods, but Aga- 
 memnon, king of men, was inly glad when 
 the noblest of Achaeans fell at variance. 
 For so Phoebus Apollo in his soothsay- 
 ing had told him that it must be, in 
 goodly Pytho, what time he crossed the 
 threshold of stone, to seek to the oracle. 
 For in those days the first wave of woe 
 was rolling on Trojans and Danaans 
 through the counsel of great Zeus. 
 
 This song it was that the famous 
 minstrel sang; but Odysseus caught his 
 great purple cloak with his stalwart 
 hands, and drew it down over his head, 
 and hid his comely face, for he was 
 ashamed to shed tears beneath his brows 
 in presence of the Phsacians. Yea, 
 and oft as the divine minstrel paused in 
 his song, Odysseus would wipe away the 
 tears, and draw the cloak from off his 
 86 
 
head, and take the two-handled goblet and 
 pour forth before the gods. But when- 
 soever he began again, and the chiefs of 
 the Phaeacians stirred him to sing, in 
 delight at the lay, again would Odysseus 
 cover up his head and make moan. 
 Now none of all the company marked 
 him weeping, but Alcinous alone noted 
 it and was ware thereof as he sat by 
 him and heard him groaning heavily. 
 And presently he spake among the 
 Phaeacians, masters of the oar : 
 
 '' Hearken, ye captains and counsel- 
 lors of the Phaeacians, now have our 
 souls been satisfied with the good feast, 
 and with the lyre, which is the mate of 
 the rich banquet. Let us go forth anon, 
 and make trial of divers games, that the 
 stranger may tell his friends, when home 
 he returneth, how greatly we excel all 
 men in boxing, and wrestling, and leap- 
 ing, and speed of foot." 
 
 He spake, and led the way, and they 
 went with him. And the henchman 
 hung the loud lyre on the pin, and took 
 the hand of Demodocus, and led him 
 forth from the hall, and guided him by 
 87 
 
the same way, whereby those others, 
 the chiefs of the Phaeacians, had gone 
 to gaze upon the games. So they went 
 on their way to the place of assembly, 
 and with them a great company innu- 
 merable ; and many a noble youth stood 
 up to play. There rose Acroneus, and 
 Ocyalus, and Elatreus, and Nauteus, 
 and Prymneus, and Anchialus, and Eret- 
 meus, and Ponteus, and Proreus, Thoon, 
 and Anabesineus, and Amphialus, son of 
 Polyneus, son of Tekton, and likewise 
 Euryalus, the peer of murderous Ares, 
 the son of Naubolus, who in face and 
 form was the goodliest of all the Phaea- 
 cians next to noble Laodamas. 
 
 And there stood up the three sons of 
 noble Alcinous, Laodamas, and Halius, 
 and godlike Clytoneus. And behold, 
 these all first tried the issue in the foot 
 race. From the very start they strained 
 at utmost speed : and all together they 
 flew forward swiftly, raising the dust 
 along the plain. And noble Clytoneus 
 was far the swiftest of them all in run- 
 ning, and by the length of the furrow 
 that mules cleave in a fallow field, so 
 88 
 
far did he shoot to the front, and came to 
 the crowd by the lists, while those others 
 were left behind. Then they made trial 
 of strong wrestling, and here in turn 
 Euryalus excelled all the best. And in 
 leaping Amphialus was far the foremost, 
 and Elatreus in weight-throwing, and 
 in boxing Laodamas, the good son of 
 Alcinous. Now when they had all taken 
 their pleasure in the games, Laodamas, 
 son of Alcinous, spake among them : 
 
 " Come, my friends, let us ask the 
 stranger whether he is skilled or prac- 
 tised in any sport. Ill-fashioned, at 
 least, he is not in his thighs and sinewy 
 legs and hands withal, and his stalwart 
 neck and mighty strength : yea and he 
 lacks not youth, but is crushed by many 
 troubles. For I tell thee there is nought 
 else worse than the sea to confound a 
 man, how hardy soever he may be." 
 
 And Euryalus in turn made answer, 
 and said : " Laodamas, verily thou hast 
 spoken this word in season. Go now 
 thyself and challenge him, and declare 
 thy saying." 
 
 Now when the good son of Alcinous 
 89 
 
heard this, he went and stood in the 
 midst, and spake unto Odysseus : " Come, 
 do thou too, father and stranger, try thy 
 skill in the sports, if haply thou art 
 practised in any j and thou art like to 
 have knowledge of games, for there is 
 no greater glory for a man while yet he 
 lives, than that which he achieves by 
 hand and foot. Come, then, make es- 
 say, and cast away care from thy soul : 
 thy journey shall not now be long delayed ; 
 lo, thy ship is even now drawn down to 
 the sea, and the men of thy company are 
 ready." 
 
 And Odysseus of many counsels 
 answered him, saying : " Laodamas, 
 wherefore do ye mock me, requiring 
 this thing of me ? Sorrow is far nearer 
 my heart than sports, for much have I 
 endured and laboured sorely in time 
 past, and now I sit in this your gather- 
 ing, craving my return, and making my 
 prayer to the king and all the people," 
 
 And Euryalus answered, and rebuked 
 
 him to his face : " No truly, stranger, 
 
 nor do I think thee at all like one that 
 
 is skilled in games, whereof there are 
 
 90 
 
many among men, rather art thou such 
 an one as comes and goes in a benched 
 ship, a master of sailors that are mer- 
 chantmen, one with a memory for his 
 freight, or that hath the charge of a cargo 
 homeward bound, and of greedily gotten 
 gains ; thou seemest not a man of thy 
 hands." 
 
 Then Odysseus of many counsels 
 looked fiercely on him and said : " Stran- 
 ger, thou hast not spoken well ; thou 
 art like a man presumptuous. So true 
 it is that the gods do not give every 
 gracious gift to all, neither shapeliness, 
 nor wisdom, nor skilled speech. For 
 one man is feebler than another in pres- 
 ence, yet the god crowns his words with 
 beauty, and men behold him and rejoice, 
 and his speech runs surely on his way 
 with a sweet modesty, and he shines 
 forth among the gathering of his people, 
 and as he passes through the town men 
 gaze on him as a god. Another again 
 is like the deathless gods for beauty, but 
 his words have no crown of grace about 
 them ; even as thou art in comeliness 
 pre-eminent, nor could a god himself 
 
 91 
 
fashion thee for the better, but in wit 
 thou art a weakling. Yea, thou hast 
 stirred my spirit in my breast by speak- 
 ing thus amiss. I am not all unversed 
 in sports, as thy words go, but methinks 
 I was among the foremost while as yet I 
 trusted in my youth and my hands, but 
 now am I holden in misery and pains : 
 for I have endured much in passing 
 through the wars of men and the griev- 
 ous waves of the sea. Yet even so, for 
 all my affliction, I will essay the games, 
 for thy word hath bitten to the quick, 
 and thou hast roused me with thy say- 
 ing." 
 
 92 
 
XL 
 
 ODYSSEUS SHOWS HIS 
 PROWESS 
 
 He spake, and clad even as he was in 
 his mantle leaped to his feet, and caught 
 up a weight larger than the rest, a huge 
 weight heavier far than those wherewith 
 the Phaeacians contended in casting. 
 With one whirl he sent it from his stout 
 93 
 
hand, and the stone flew hurtling : and 
 the Phaeacians, of the long oars, those 
 mariners renowned, crouched to earth be- 
 neath the rushing of the stone. Beyond all 
 the marks it flew, so lightly it sped from 
 his hand, and Athene in the fashion of 
 a man marked the place, and spake and 
 hailed him : 
 
 " Yea, even a blind man, stranger, 
 might discern that token if he groped for 
 it, for it is in no wise lost among the 
 throng of the others, but is far the first ; 
 for this bout then take heart : not one 
 of the Phaeacians shall attain thereunto 
 or overpass it." 
 
 So spake she ; and the steadfast goodly 
 Odysseus rejoiced and was glad, for that 
 he saw a true friend in the lists. Then 
 with a lighter heart he spake amid the 
 Phaeacians : 
 
 " Now reach ye this throw, young 
 men, if ye may ; and soon, methinks, 
 will I cast another after it, as far or yet 
 farther. And whomsoever of the rest 
 his heart and spirit stir thereto, hither 
 let him come and try the issue with me, 
 in boxing or in wrestling or even in the 
 94 
 
foot race, I care not which, for ye have 
 greatly angered me : let any of all the 
 Phaeacians come save Laodamas alone, 
 for he is mine host : who would strive 
 with one that entreated him kindly ? 
 Witless and worthless is the man, whoso 
 challengeth his host that receiveth him 
 in a strange land, he doth but maim his 
 own estate. But for the rest, I refuse 
 none and hold none lightly, but I fain 
 would know and prove them face to 
 face. For I am no weakling in all 
 sports, even in the feats of men. I 
 know well how to handle the polished 
 bow, and ever the first would I be to 
 shoot and smite my man in the press of 
 foes, even though many of my company 
 stood by, and were aiming at the enemy. 
 " Alone Philoctetes in the Trojan land 
 surpassed me with the bow in our 
 Achaean archery. But I avow myself 
 far more excellent than all besides, of 
 the mortals that are now upon the earth 
 and live by bread. Yet with the men 
 of old time I would not match me, 
 neither with Heracles nor with Eurytus 
 of Oechalia, who contended even with 
 
 95 
 
the deathless gods for the prize of 
 archery. Wherefore the great Eurytus 
 perished all too soon, nor did old age 
 come on him in his halls, for Apollo 
 slew him in his wrath, seeing that he 
 challenged him to shoot a match. And 
 with the spear I can throw further than 
 any other man can shoot an arrow. 
 Only I doubt that in the foot race some 
 of the Phaeacians may outstrip me, for I 
 have been shamefully broken in many 
 waters, seeing that there was no con- 
 tinual sustenance on board ; wherefore 
 my knees are loosened." 
 
 So spake he and all kept silence ; and 
 Alcinous alone answered him, saying : 
 
 " Stranger, forasmuch as these thy 
 words are not ill-taken in our gathering, 
 but thou wouldest fain show forth the 
 valour which keeps thee company, being 
 angry that yonder man stood by thee in 
 the lists, and taunted thee, in such sort 
 as no mortal would speak lightly of 
 thine excellence, who had knowledge 
 of sound words ; nay now, mark my 
 speech ; so shalt thou have somewhat to 
 tell another hero, when with thy wife 
 96 
 
and children thou suppest in thy halls, 
 and recallest our prowess, what deeds 
 Zeus bestoweth even upon us from our 
 fathers' days even until now. For we 
 are no perfect boxers, nor wrestlers, but 
 speedy runners, and the best of seamen ; 
 and dear to us ever is the banquet, and 
 the harp, and the dance, and changes 
 of raiment, and the warm bath, and love, 
 and sleep. Lo, now arise, ye dancers 
 of the Phaeacians, the best in the land, 
 and make sport, that so the stranger may 
 tell his friends, when he returneth home, 
 how far we surpass all men besides in 
 seamanship, and speed of foot, and in 
 the dance and song. And let one go 
 quickly, and fetch for Demodocus the 
 loud lyre which is lying somewhere in 
 our halls." 
 
 So spake Alcinous the godlike, and 
 the henchman rose to bear the hollow 
 lyre from the king's palace. Then stood 
 up nine chosen men in all, the judges of 
 the people, who were wont to order all 
 things in the lists aright. So they lev- 
 elled the place for the dance, and made 
 a fair ring and a wide. And the hench- 
 97 
 
man drew near bearing the loud lyre to 
 Demodocus, who gat him into the midst, 
 and round him stood boys in their first 
 bloom, skilled in the dance, and they 
 smote the good floor with their feet. 
 And Odysseus gazed at the twinklings 
 of the feet, and marvelled in spirit. 
 
 Now as the minstrel touched the lyre, 
 he lifted up his voice in sweet song, and 
 he sang of the love of Ares and Aphro- 
 dite, of the fair crown, how at the first 
 they lay together in the house of He- 
 phaestus privily : and Ares gave her 
 many gifts, and dishonoured the mar- 
 riage bed of the lord Hephaestus. And 
 anon there came to him one to report 
 the thing, even Helios, that had seen 
 them at their pastime. 
 
 Now when Hephaestus heard the bit- 
 ter tidings, he went his way to the forge, 
 devising evil in the deep of his heart, 
 and set the great anvil on the stithy, 
 and wrought fetters that none might 
 snap or loosen, that the lovers might 
 there unmoveably remain. Now when 
 he had forged the crafty net in his anger 
 against Ares, he went on his way to 
 98 
 
the chamber where his marriage bed was 
 set out, and strewed his snares all about 
 the posts of the bed, and many too 
 were hung aloft from the main beam, 
 subtle as spiders' webs, so that none 
 might see them, even of the blessed 
 gods : so cunningly were they forged. 
 
 Now after he had done winding 
 the snare about the bed, he made as 
 though he would go to Lemnos, that 
 stablished castle, and this was far the 
 dearest of all lands in his sight. But 
 Ares of the golden rein kept no blind 
 watch, what time he saw Hephaestus, 
 the famed craftsman, depart afar. So he 
 went on his way to the house of re- 
 nowned Hephaestus, eager for the love 
 of crowned Cytherea. Now she was 
 but newly come from her sire, the 
 mighty Cronion, and as it chanced had 
 sat her down ; and Ares entered the 
 house, and clasped her hand, and spake, 
 and hailed her : 
 
 " Come, my beloved, let us to bed, 
 and take our pleasure of love, for He- 
 phaestus is no longer among his own 
 people ; methinks he is already gone to 
 
 99 
 
Lemnos, to the Sintians, men of savage 
 speech." 
 
 So spake he, and a glad thing it seemed 
 to her to lie with him. So they twain 
 went to the couch, and laid them to 
 sleep, and around them clung the cun- 
 ning bonds of skilled Hephaestus, so that 
 they could not move nor raise a limb. 
 Then at the last they knew it, when 
 there was no way to flee. Now 
 the famous god of the strong arms 
 drew near to them, having turned him 
 back ere he reached the land of Lemnos. 
 For Helios kept watch, and told him 
 all. So heavy at heart he went his way 
 to his house, and stood at the entering 
 in of the gate, and wild rage gat hold 
 of him, and he cried terribly, and shouted 
 to all the gods : 
 
 " Father Zeus, and ye other blessed 
 gods, that live for ever, come hither, 
 that ye may see a mirthful thing and a 
 cruel, for that Aphrodite, daughter of 
 Zeus, ever dishonours me by reason 
 of my lameness, and sets her heart on 
 Ares the destroyer, because he is fair 
 and straight of limb, but as for me, feeble 
 lOO 
 
was I born. Howbeit, there is none to 
 blame but my father and mother, — 
 would they had never begotten me ! 
 But now shall ye see where these have 
 gone up into my bed, and sleep together 
 in love ; and I am troubled at the sight. 
 Yet, methinks, they will not care to lie 
 thus even for a little while longer, de- 
 spite their great love. Soon will they 
 have no desire to sleep together, but the 
 snare and the bond shall hold them, till 
 her sire give back to me the gifts of 
 wooing, one and all, those that I be- 
 stowed upon him for the hand of his 
 shameless girl j for that his daughter is 
 fair, but without discretion." 
 
 So spake he ; and lo, the gods gathered 
 together to the house of the brazen floor. 
 Poseidon came, the girdler of the earth, 
 and Hermes came, the bringer of luck, 
 and prince Apollo came, the archer. But 
 the lady goddesses abode each within her 
 house for shame. So the gods, the 
 givers of good things, stood in the porch : 
 and laughter unquenchable arose among 
 the blessed gods, as they beheld the 
 sleight of cunning Hephaestus. And 
 lOI 
 
thus would one speak, looking to his 
 neighbour : 
 
 " 111 deed, ill speed ! The slow 
 catcheth the swift ! Lo, how Hephaes- 
 tus, slow as he is, hath overtaken Ares, 
 albeit he is the swiftest of the gods that 
 hold Olympus, by his craft hath he 
 taken him despite his lameness ; where- 
 fore surely Ares oweth the fine of the 
 adulterer." 
 
 Thus they spake one to the other. 
 But the lord Apollo, son of Zeus, spake 
 to Hermes : 
 
 " Hermes, son of Zeus, messenger 
 and giver of good things, wouldst thou 
 be fain, ay, pressed by strong bonds 
 though it might be, to lie on the couch 
 by golden Aphrodite ? " 
 
 Then the messenger, the slayer of 
 Argos, answered him : " I would that 
 this might be, Apollo, my prince of 
 archery ! So might thrice as many bonds 
 innumerable encompass me about, and 
 all ye gods be looking on and all the 
 goddesses, yet would I lie by golden 
 Aphrodite." 
 
 So spake he, and laughter rose among 
 I02 
 
the deathless gods. Howbeit Poseidon 
 laughed not, but was instant with He- 
 phaestus, the renowned artificer, to loose 
 the bonds of Ares : and he uttered his 
 voice, and spake to him winged words : 
 
 " Loose him, I pray thee, and I 
 promise even as thou biddest me, that 
 he shall himself pay all fair forfeit in the 
 presence of the deathless gods." 
 
 Then the famous god of the strong 
 arms answered him : " Require not 
 this of me, Poseidon, girdler of the earth. 
 Evil are evil folk's pledges to hold. 
 How could I keep thee bound among the 
 deathless gods, if Ares were to depart, 
 avoiding the debt and the bond ? " 
 
 Then Poseidon answered him, shaker 
 of the earth : " Hephaestus, even if Ares 
 avoid the debt and flee away, I myself 
 will pay thee all." 
 
 Then the famous god of the strong 
 arms answered him : " It may not be 
 that I should say thee nay, neither is it 
 meet." 
 
 Therewith the mighty Hephaestus 
 loosed the bonds, and the twain, when 
 they were freed from that strong bond, 
 103 
 
sprang up straightway, and departed, he 
 to Thrace, but laughter-loving Aphrodite 
 went to Paphos of Cyprus, where is her 
 precinct and fragrant altar. There the 
 Graces bathed and anointed her with 
 oil imperishable, such as is laid upon the 
 everlasting gods. And they clad her in 
 lovely raiment, a wonder to see. 
 
 This was the song the famous min- 
 strel sang ; and Odysseus listened and 
 was glad at heart, and likewise did the 
 Phasacians, of the long oars, those 
 mariners renowned. 
 
 
 
 104 
 
XII. 
 
 THE GIFTS OF ODYSSEUS 
 
 Then Alcinous bade Halius and 
 Laodamas dance alone, for none ever 
 contended with them. So when they had 
 taken in their hands the goodly ball of 
 purple hue, that cunning Polybus had 
 wrought for them, the one would bend 
 backwards, and throw it towards the 
 105 
 
shadowy clouds ; and the other would 
 leap upward from the earth, and catch it 
 lightly in his turn, before his feet touched 
 the ground. Now after they had made 
 trial of throwing the ball straight up, 
 the twain set to dance upon the boun- 
 teous earth, tossing the ball from hand 
 to hand, and the other youths stood by 
 the lists and beat time, and a great din 
 uprose. 
 
 Then it was that goodly Odysseus 
 spake unto Alcinous ; " My lord Alcin- 
 ous, most notable among all the people, 
 thou didst boast thy dancers to be the 
 best in the world, and lo, thy words are 
 fulfilled ; I wonder as I look on them." 
 
 So spake he, and the mighty king 
 Alcinous rejoiced and spake at once 
 among the Phaeacians, masters of the 
 oar : 
 
 " Hearken ye, captains and counsel- 
 lors of the Phaeacians, this stranger 
 seems to me a wise man enough. Come 
 then, let us give him a stranger's gift, as 
 is meet. Behold, there are twelve glo- 
 rious princes who rule among this people 
 and bear sway, and I myself am the 
 1 06 
 
thirteenth. Now each man among you 
 bring a fresh robe and a doublet, and a 
 talent of fine gold, and let us speedily 
 carry all these gifts together, that the 
 stranger may take them in his hands, 
 and go to supper with a glad heart. As 
 for Euryalus let him yield amends to the 
 man himself with soft speech and with 
 a gift, for his was no gentle saying." 
 
 So spake he, and they all assented 
 thereto, and would have it so. And 
 each one sent forth his henchman to 
 fetch his gift, and Euryalus answered 
 the king and spake, saying : 
 
 " My lord Alcinous, most notable 
 among all the people, I will make atone- 
 ment to thy guest according to thy 
 word. I will give him a hanger all 
 of bronze, with a silver hilt thereto, and 
 a sheath of fresh-sawn ivory covers it 
 about, and it shall be to him a thing of 
 price." 
 
 Therewith he put into his hands the 
 hanger dight with silver, and uttering 
 his voice spake to him winged words : 
 *' Hail, stranger and father ; and if aught 
 grievous hath been spoken, may the 
 107 
 
storm-winds soon snatch and bear it 
 away. But may the gods grant thee to 
 see thy wife and to come to thine own 
 country, for all too long hast thou en- 
 dured affliction away from thy friends." 
 
 And Odysseus of many counsels 
 answered him saying : " Thou too, my 
 friend, all hail ; and may the gods 
 vouchsafe thee happiness, and mayst 
 thou never miss this sword which thou 
 hast given me, thou that with soft speech 
 hast yielded me amends." 
 
 He spake and hung about his shoul- 
 ders the silver-studded sword. And the 
 sun sank, and the noble gifts were 
 brought him. Then the proud hench- 
 men bare them to the palace of Alcinous, 
 and the sons of noble Alcinous took 
 the fair gifts, and set them by their 
 reverend mother. And the mighty king 
 Alcinous led the way, and they came in 
 and sat them down on the high seats. 
 And the mighty Alcinous spake unto 
 Arete : 
 
 " Bring me hither, my lady, a choice 
 coffer, the best thou hast, and thyself 
 place therein a fresh robe and a doublet, 
 1 08 
 
and heat for our guest a cauldron on the 
 fire, and warm water, that after the 
 bath the stranger may see all the gifts 
 duly arrayed which the noble Phaeacians 
 bare hither, and that he may have joy in 
 the feast, and in hearing the song of 
 the minstrelsy. Also I will give him a 
 beautiful golden chalice of mine own, 
 that he may be mindful of me all the 
 days of his life when he poureth the 
 drink-offering to Zeus and to the other 
 gods." 
 
 So spake he, and Arete bade her 
 handmaids to set a great cauldron on 
 the fire with what speed they might. 
 And they set the cauldron for the filling 
 of the bath on the blazing fire, and 
 poured water therein, and took fagots 
 and kindled them beneath. So the fire 
 began to circle round the belly of the 
 cauldron, and the water waxed hot. 
 Meanwhile Arete brought forth for her 
 guest the beautiful coffer from the 
 treasure chamber, and bestowed fair 
 gifts therein, raiment and gold, which 
 the Phaeacians gave him. And with 
 her own hands she placed therein a robe 
 109 
 
and goodly doublet, and uttering her 
 voice spake to him winged words : 
 
 " Do thou now look to the lid, and 
 quickly tie the knot, lest any man spoil 
 thy goods by the way, when presently 
 thou fallest on sweet sleep travelling in 
 thy black ship." 
 
 Now when the steadfast goodly Odys- 
 seus heard this saying, forthwith he 
 fixed on the lid, and quickly tied the curi- 
 ous knot, which the lady Circe on a time 
 had taught him. Then straightway the 
 housewife bade him go to the bath and 
 bathe him ; and he saw the warm water 
 and was glad, for he was not wont to be 
 so cared for, from the day that he left 
 the house of fair-tressed Calypso, but 
 all that while he had comfort continually 
 as a god. 
 
 Now after the maids had bathed him 
 and anointed him with olive oil, and 
 had cast a fair mantle and a doublet 
 upon him, he stept forth from the bath, 
 and went to be with the chiefs at their 
 wine. And Nausicaa, dowered with 
 beauty by the gods, stood by the door- 
 post of the well-builded hall, and mar- 
 IIO 
 
veiled at Odysseus, beholding him 
 before her eyes, and she uttered her voice 
 and spake to him winged words : 
 
 " Farewell, stranger, and even in thine 
 own country bethink thee of me upon a 
 time, for that to me first thou owest the 
 ransom of life." 
 
 And Odysseus of many counsels an- 
 swered her saying : " Nausicaa, daughter 
 of great-hearted Alcinous, yea, may 
 Zeus, the thunderer, the lord of Here, 
 grant me to reach my home and see the 
 day of my returning ; so would I, even 
 there, do thee worship as to a god, all 
 my days for evermore, for thou, lady, 
 hast given me my life." 
 
 He spake and sat him in the high 
 seat by king Alcinous. And now they 
 were serving out the portions and mix- 
 ing the wine. Then the henchman 
 drew nigh leading the sweet minstrel, 
 Demodocus, that was had in honour of 
 the people. So he set him in the midst 
 of the feasters, and made him lean 
 against a tall column. Then to the 
 henchman spake Odysseus of many 
 counsels, for he had cut off a portion of 
 II I 
 
the chine of the white-toothed boar, 
 whereon yet more was left, with rich 
 fat on either side : 
 
 " Lo, henchman, take this mess, and 
 hand it to Demodocus, that he may eat, 
 and I will bid him hail, despite my 
 sorrow. For minstrels from all men on 
 earth get their meed of honour and 
 worship ; inasmuch as the Muse teach- 
 eth them the paths of song, and loveth 
 the tribe of minstrels." 
 
 Thus he spake, and the henchman 
 bare the mess, and set it upon the knees 
 of the lord Demodocus, and he took it, 
 and was glad at heart. Then they 
 stretched forth their hands upon the 
 good cheer set before them. Now 
 after they had put from them the desire 
 of meat and drink, then Odysseus of 
 many counsels spake to Demodocus, 
 saying : 
 
 " Demodocus, I praise thee far above 
 all mortal men, whether it be the Muse, 
 the daughter of Zeus, that taught thee, 
 or even Apollo, for right duly dost thou 
 chant the faring of the Achaeans, even 
 all that they wrought and suffered, and 
 112 
 
all their travail, as if, methinks, thou 
 hadst been present, or heard the tale from 
 another. Come now, change thy strain, 
 and sing of the fashioning of the horse 
 of wood, which Epeius made by the aid 
 of Athene, even the guileful thing, that 
 goodly Odysseus led up into the citadel, 
 when he had laden it with the men who 
 wasted Ilios. If thou wilt indeed re- 
 hearse me this aright, so will I be thy 
 witness among all men, how the god of 
 his grace hath given thee the gift of 
 wondrous song." 
 
 So spake he, and the minstrel, being 
 stirred by the god, began and showed 
 forth his minstrelsy. . . . But the heart 
 of Odysseus melted, and the tear wet his 
 cheeks beneath the eyelids. And as a 
 woman throws herself wailing about her 
 dear lord, who hath fallen before his city 
 and the host, warding from his town and 
 his children the pitiless day ; and she 
 beholds him dying and drawing difficult 
 breath, and embracing his body wails 
 aloud, while the foemen behind smite 
 her with spears on back and shoulders 
 and lead her up into bondage, to bear 
 113 
 
labour and trouble, and with the most 
 pitiful grief her cheeks are wasted ; even 
 so pitifully fell the tears beneath the 
 brows of Odysseus. Now none of all 
 the company marked him weeping ; but 
 Alcinous alone noted it, and was ware 
 thereof, as he sat nigh him and heard 
 him groaning heavily. And presently 
 he spake among the Phaeacians, masters 
 of the oar : 
 
 " Hearken, ye captains and counsellors 
 of the Phaeacians, and now let Demo- 
 docus hold his hand from the loud lyre, 
 for this song of his is nowise pleasing 
 alike to all. From the time that we 
 began to sup, and that the divine min- 
 strel was moved to sing, ever since hath 
 yonder stranger never ceased from woe- 
 ful lamentation : sore grief, methinks, 
 hath encompassed his heart. Nay, but 
 let the minstrel cease, that we may all 
 alike make merry, hosts and guest, since 
 it is far meeter so. For all these things 
 are ready for the sake of the honourable 
 stranger, even the convoy and the loving 
 gifts which we give him out of our love. 
 
 " In a brother's place stand the 
 114 
 
stranger and the suppliant, to him whose 
 wits have even a little range. Where- 
 fore do thou too hide not now with 
 crafty purpose aught whereof I ask thee ; 
 it were more meet for thee to tell it out. 
 Say, what is the name whereby they 
 called thee at home, even thy father and 
 thy mother, and others thy townsmen 
 and the dwellers round about ? For there 
 is none of all mankind nameless, neither 
 the mean man nor yet the noble, from 
 the first hour of his birth, but parents 
 bestow a name on every man so soon as 
 he is born. 
 
 " Tell me too of thy land, thy town- 
 ship, and thy city, that our ships may 
 conceive of their course to bring thee 
 thither. For the Phaeacians have no 
 pilots nor any rudders after the manner 
 of other ships, but their barques them- 
 selves understand the thoughts and in- 
 tents of men j they know the cities and 
 fat fields of every people, and most 
 swiftly they traverse the gulf of the salt 
 sea, shrouded in mist and cloud, and 
 never do they go in fear of wreck or 
 ruin. Howbeit I heard upon a time 
 
 115 
 
this word thus spoken by my father 
 Nausithous, who was wont to say that 
 Poseidon was jealous of us for that we 
 give safe escort to all men. He said 
 that the god would some day smite a 
 well-wrought ship of the Phaeacians as 
 she came home from a convoy over the 
 misty deep, and would overshadow our 
 city with a great mountain. Thus that 
 ancient one would speak, and thus the 
 god may bring it about, or leave it un- 
 done, according to the good pleasure of 
 his will. But come now, declare me this 
 and plainly tell it all ; whither wast thou 
 borne wandering, and to what shores of 
 men thou camest ; tell me of the people 
 and of their fair-lying cities, of those 
 whoso are hard and wild and unjust, and 
 of those likewise who are hospitable and 
 of a god-fearing mind. Declare, too, 
 wherefore thou dost weep and mourn in 
 spirit at the tale of the faring of the 
 Argive Danaans and the lay of Ilios. 
 
 " All this the gods have fashioned, and 
 
 have woven the skein of death for men, 
 
 that there might be a song in the ears 
 
 even of the folk of aftertime. Hadst 
 
 ii6 
 
thou even a kinsman by marriage that 
 fell before Ilios, a true man, a daughter's 
 husband or wife's father, such as are 
 nearest us after those of our own stock 
 and blood ? Or else, may be, some 
 loving friend, a good man and true ; for 
 a friend with an understanding heart is 
 no whit worse than a brother." 
 
 117 
 
XIII. 
 
 THE STORY OF ODYSSEUS 
 
 And Odysseus of many counsels 
 answered him saying : " King Alcinous, 
 most notable of all the people, verily it 
 is a good thing to list to a minstrel such 
 as this one, like to the gods in voice. 
 Nay, as for me, I say that there is no 
 more gracious or perfect delight than 
 when a whole people makes merry, and 
 ii8 
 
the men sit orderly at feast in the halls 
 and listen to the singer, and the tables 
 by them are laden with bread and flesh, 
 and a wine-bearer drawing the wine 
 serves it round and pours it into the 
 cups. This seems to me well-nigh the 
 fairest thing in the world. But now thy 
 heart was inclined to ask of my grievous 
 troubles, that I may mourn for more 
 exceeding sorrow. What then shall I 
 tell of first, what last, for the gods of 
 heaven have given me woes in plenty ? 
 
 " Now, first, will I tell my name, that 
 ye too may know it, and that I, when I 
 have escaped the pitiless day, may yet 
 be your host, though my home is in a 
 far country. 
 
 " I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, 
 who am in men's minds for all man- 
 ner of wiles, and my fame reaches unto 
 heaven. And I dwell in clear-seen 
 Ithaca, wherein is a mountain Neriton, 
 with trembling forest leaves, standing 
 manifest to view, and many islands lie 
 around, very near one to the other, 
 Dulichium and Same, and wooded Za- 
 cynthus. Now Ithaca lies low, farthest 
 119 
 
up the sea-line toward the darkness, but 
 those others face the dawning and the sun : 
 a rugged isle, but a good nurse of noble 
 youths ; and for myself I can see nought 
 beside sweeter than a man's own country. 
 
 " Verily Calypso, the fair goddess, 
 would fain have kept me with her in 
 her hollow caves, longing to have me 
 for her lord ; and likewise too, guileful 
 Circe of Aia, would have stayed me in 
 her halls, longing to have me for her 
 lord. But never did they prevail upon my 
 heart within my breast. So surely is 
 there nought sweeter than a man's own 
 country and his parents, even though he 
 dwell far off in a rich home, in a strange 
 land, away from them that begat him. 
 But come, let me tell thee too of the 
 troubles of my journeying, which Zeus 
 lay on me as I came from Troy. 
 
 "The wind that bare me from Ilios 
 brought me nigh to the Cicones, even to 
 Ismarus, whereupon I sacked their city 
 and slew the people. . . . 
 
 " Thence for nine whole days was I 
 borne by ruinous winds over the teeming 
 deep ; but on the tenth day we set foot 
 120 
 
on the land of the lotus-eaters, who eat 
 a flowery food. So we stepped ashore 
 and drew water, and straightway my 
 company took their midday meal by the 
 swift ships. Now when we had tasted 
 meat and drink I sent forth certain of 
 my company to go and make search 
 what manner of men they were who here 
 live upon the earth by bread, and I 
 chose out two of my fellows, and sent 
 a third with them as herald. Then 
 straightway they went and mixed with 
 the men of the lotus-eaters, and so it 
 was that the lotus-eaters devised not 
 death for our fellows, but gave them of 
 the lotus to taste. Now whosoever of 
 them did eat the honey-sweet fruit of the 
 lotus, had no more wish to bring tidings 
 nor to come back, but there he chose to 
 abide with the lotus-eating men, ever 
 feeding on the lotus, and forgetful of his 
 homeward way. Therefore I led them 
 back to the ships weeping, and sore 
 against their will, and dragged them be- 
 neath the benches, and bound them in 
 the hollow barques. But I commanded 
 the rest of my well-loved company to 
 121 
 
make speed and go on board the swift 
 ships, lest haply any should eat of the 
 lotus and be forgetful of returning. 
 Right soon they embarked and sat upon 
 the benches, and sitting orderly they 
 smote the gray sea water with their oars. 
 " Thence we sailed onward stricken 
 at heart. And we came to the land of 
 the Cyclopes, a froward and a lawless 
 folk, who, trusting to the deathless gods, 
 plant not aught with their hands, neither 
 plough : but, behold, all these things 
 spring for them in plenty, unsown and 
 untilled, wheat, and barley, and vines, 
 which bear great clusters of the juice of 
 the grape, and the rain of Zeus gives 
 them increase. These have neither 
 gatherings for council nor oracles of law, 
 but they dwell in hollow caves on the 
 crests of the high hills, and each one 
 utters the law to his children and his 
 wives, and they reck not one of an- 
 other. . . . Thither we sailed, and some 
 good god guided us through the night, 
 for it was dark and there was no light 
 to see, a mist lying deep about the 
 ships, nor did the moon show her light 
 122 
 
from heaven, but was shut in with 
 clouds. No man then beheld that island, 
 neither saw we the long waves rolling to 
 the beach, till we had run our decked 
 ships ashore. And when our ships were 
 beached, we took down all their sails, and 
 ourselves too stept forth upon the strand 
 of the sea, and there we fell into sound 
 sleep and waited for the bright Dawn. 
 
 " So soon as early Dawn shone forth, 
 the rosy-fingered, in wonder at the island 
 we roamed over the length thereof: and 
 the Nymphs, the daughters of Zeus, lord 
 of the aegis, started the wild goats of the 
 hills, that my company might have where- 
 with to sup. Anon we took to us our 
 curved bows from out the ships and long 
 spears, and arrayed in three bands we 
 began shooting at the goats ; and the god 
 soon gave us game in plenty. Now 
 twelve ships bare me company, and to 
 each ship fell nine goats for a portion, 
 but for me alone they set ten apart. 
 
 " Thus we sat there the livelong day 
 
 until the going down of the sun, feasting 
 
 on abundant flesh and on sweet wine. 
 
 For the red wine was not yet spent from 
 
 123 
 
out the ships, but somewhat was yet 
 therein, for we had each one drawn off 
 large store thereof in jars, when we took 
 the sacred citadel of the Cicones. And 
 we looked across to the land of the Cy- 
 clopes who dwell nigh, and to the smoke, 
 and to the voice of the men, and of the 
 sheep and of the goats. And when the 
 sun had sunk and darkness had come on, 
 then we laid us to rest upon the sea- 
 beach. So soon as early Dawn shone 
 forth, the rosy-fingered, then I called a 
 gathering of my men, and spake among 
 them all : 
 
 '' ' Abide here all the rest of you, my 
 dear companions ; but I will go with 
 mine own ship and my ship's company, 
 and make proof of these men, what 
 manner of folk they are, whether froward, 
 and wild, and unjust, or hospitable and 
 of god-fearing mind.' " 
 
 124 
 
XIV. 
 
 THE ADVENTURE WITH 
 POLYPHEMUS 
 
 " So I spake, and I climbed the ship's 
 side, and bade my company themselves 
 to mount, and to loose the hawsers. So 
 they soon embarked and sat upon the 
 benches, and sitting orderly smote the 
 gray sea water with their oars. Now 
 when we had come to the land that lies 
 125 
 
hard by, we saw a cave on the border 
 near to the sea, lofty and roofed over 
 with laurels, and there many flocks of 
 sheep and goats were used to rest. And 
 about it a high outer court was built 
 with stones, deep bedded, and with tall 
 pines and oaks with their high crown of 
 leaves. And a man was wont to sleep 
 therein, of monstrous size, who shep- 
 herded his flocks alone and afar, and was 
 not conversant with others, but dwelt 
 apart in lawlessness of mind. Yea, for 
 he was a monstrous thing and fashioned 
 marvellously, nor was he like to any 
 man that lives by bread, but like a 
 wooded peak of the towering hills, which 
 stands out apart and alone from others. 
 
 "Then I commanded the rest of my 
 well-loved company to tarry there by the 
 ship, and to guard the ship, but I chose 
 out twelve men, the best of my company, 
 and sallied forth. Now I had with me 
 a goat-skin of the dark wine and sweet, 
 which Maron, son of Euanthes, had 
 given me, the priest of Apollo, the god 
 that watched over Ismarus. . . . 
 
 " With this wine I filled a great skin, 
 126 
 
and bare it with me, and corn too I put 
 in a wallet, for my lordly spirit straight- 
 way had a boding that a man would 
 come to me, a strange man, clothed in 
 mighty strength, one that knew not 
 judgment and justice. 
 
 " Soon we came to the cave, but we 
 found him not within ; he was shepherd- 
 ing his fat flocks in the pastures. So we 
 went into the cave, and gazed on all that 
 was therein. The baskets were well 
 laden with cheeses, and the folds were 
 thronged with lambs and kids ; each 
 kind was penned by itself, the firstlings 
 apart, and the summer lambs apart, apart 
 too the younglings of the flock. Now 
 all the vessels swam with whey, the 
 milk-pails and the bowls, the well- 
 wrought vessels whereinto he milked. 
 
 " My company then spake and be- 
 sought me first of all to take of the 
 cheeses and to return, and afterwards to 
 make haste and drive off the kids and 
 lambs to the swift ships from out the 
 pens, and to sail over the salt sea water. 
 Howbeit I hearkened not (and far better 
 would it have been), but waited to see 
 127 
 
the giant himself, and whether he would 
 give me gifts as a stranger's due. Yet 
 was not his coming to be with joy to my 
 company. 
 
 " Then we kindled a fire, and made 
 burnt-ofFering, and ourselves likewise 
 took of the cheeses, and did eat, and sat 
 waiting for him within till he came 
 back, shepherding his flocks. And he 
 bore a grievous weight of dry wood, 
 against supper time. This log he cast 
 down with a din inside the cave, and in 
 fear we fled to the secret place of the 
 rock. As for him, he drave his fat 
 flocks into the wide cavern, even all that 
 he was wont to milk ; but the males both 
 of the sheep and of the goats he left 
 without in the deep yard. Thereafter 
 he lifted a huge doorstone and weighty, 
 and set it in the mouth of the cave, such 
 an one as two and twenty good four- 
 wheeled wains could not raise from the 
 ground, so mighty a sheer rock did he 
 set against the doorway. Then he sat 
 down and milked the ewes and bleating 
 goats all orderly, and beneath each ewe 
 he placed her young. And anon he 
 128 
 
curdled one half of the white milk, 
 and massed it together, and stored it in 
 wicker-baskets, and the other half he let 
 stand in pails, that he might have it to 
 take and drink against supper time. 
 Now when he had done all his work 
 busily, then he kindled the fire anew, and 
 espied us, and made question : 
 
 " ' Strangers, who are ye ? Whence 
 sail ye over the wet ways ? On some 
 trading enterprise or at adventure do ye 
 rove, even as sea-robbers over the brine, 
 for at hazard of their own lives they 
 wander, bringing bale to alien men.' 
 
 *' So spake he, but as for us our heart 
 within us was broken for terror of the 
 deep voice and his own monstrous shape ; 
 yet despite all I answered and spake 
 unto him, saying : 
 
 " ' Lo, we are Achaeans, driven wan- 
 dering from Troy, by all manner of 
 winds over the great gulf of the sea ; 
 seeking our homes we fare, but another 
 path have we come, by other ways : even 
 such, methinks, was the will and the 
 counsel of Zeus. And we avow us to 
 be the men of Agamemnon, son of 
 129 
 
Atreus, whose fame is even now the 
 mightiest under heaven, so great a city 
 did he sack, and destroyed many people ; 
 but as for us we have lighted here, and 
 come to these thy knees, if perchance thou 
 wilt give us a stranger's gift, or make 
 any present, as is the due of strangers. 
 Nay, lord, have regard to the gods, for we 
 are thy suppliants; and Zeus is the 
 avenger of suppliants and sojourners, 
 Zeus, the god of the stranger, who 
 fareth in the company of reverend stran- 
 gers.' 
 
 " So I spake, and anon he answered 
 out of his pitiless heart : ' Thou art wit- 
 less, my stranger, or thou hast come 
 from afar, who biddest me either to fear 
 or shun the gods. For the Cyclopes pay 
 no heed to Zeus, lord of the aegis, nor 
 to the blessed gods, for verily we are bet- 
 ter men than they. Nor would I, to 
 shun the enmity of Zeus, spare either 
 thee or thy company, unless my spirit 
 bade me. But tell me where thou didst 
 stay thy well-wrought ship on thy com- 
 ing ? Was it perchance at the far end of 
 the island, or hard by, that I may know .'' ' 
 130 
 
"So he spake tempting me, but he 
 cheated me not, who knew full much, 
 and I answered him again with words 
 of guile : 
 
 " ' As for my ship, Poseidon, the 
 shaker of the earth, brake it to pieces, 
 for he cast it upon the rocks at the 
 border of your country, and brought it 
 nigh the headland, and a wind bare it 
 thither from the sea. But I with these 
 my men escaped from utter doom.' 
 
 " So I spake, and out of his pitiless 
 heart he answered me not a word, but 
 sprang up, and laid his hands upon my 
 fellows, and clutching two together dashed 
 them, as they had been whelps, to the 
 earth, and the brain flowed forth upon 
 the ground, and the earth was wet. Then 
 cut he them up piecemeal, and made 
 ready his supper. So he ate even as a 
 mountain-bred lion, and ceased not, 
 devouring entrails and flesh and bones 
 with their marrow. And we wept and 
 raised our hands to Zeus, beholding the 
 cruel deeds ; and we were at our wits' 
 end. And after the Cyclops had filled 
 his huge maw with human flesh and the 
 131 
 
milk he drank thereafter, he lay within 
 the cave, stretched out among his sheep. 
 
 *' So I took counsel in my great heart, 
 whether I should draw near, and pluck 
 my sharp sword from my thigh, and 
 stab him in the breast, where the midriff 
 holds the liver, feeling for the place with 
 my hand. But my second thought with- 
 held me, for so should we too have 
 perished even there with utter doom. 
 For we should not have prevailed to 
 roll away with our hands from the lofty 
 door the heavy stone which he set there. 
 So for that time we made moan, awaiting 
 the bright Dawn. 
 
 " Now when early Dawn shone forth, 
 the rosy-fingered, again he kindled the 
 fire and milked his goodly flocks all 
 orderly, and beneath each ewe set her 
 lamb. Anon when he had done all his 
 work busily, again he seized yet other 
 two men and made ready his mid-day 
 meal. And after the meal, lightly he 
 moved away the great door-stone, and 
 drave his fat flocks forth from the cave, 
 and afterwards he set it in his place again, 
 as one might set the lid on a quiver. 
 132 
 
Then with a loud whoop, the Cyclops 
 turned his fat flocks towards the hills j 
 but I was left devising evil in the deep 
 of my heart, if in any wise I might 
 avenge me, and Athene grant me renown. 
 
 " And this was the counsel that showed 
 best in my sight. There lay by a sheep- 
 fold a great club of the Cyclops, a club 
 of olive wood, yet green, which he had cut 
 to carry with him when it should be 
 seasoned. Now when we saw it we 
 likened it in size to the mast of a black 
 ship of twenty oars, a wide merchant 
 vessel that traverses the great sea gulf, 
 so huge it was to view in bulk and length. 
 
 " I stood thereby and cut off from it a 
 portion as it were a fathom's length, and 
 set it by my fellows, and bade them fine 
 it down, and they made it even, while 
 I stood by and sharpened it to a point, 
 and straightway I took it and hardened 
 it in the bright fire. Then I laid it well 
 away, and hid it beneath the dung, which 
 was scattered in great heaps in the 
 depths of the cave. And I bade my 
 company cast lots among them, which 
 of them should risk the adventure with 
 133 
 
me, and lift the bar and turn it about in 
 his eye, when sweet sleep came upon 
 him. And the lot fell upon those four 
 whom I myself would have been fain to 
 choose, and I appointed myself to be the 
 fifth among them. In the evening he 
 came shepherding his flocks of goodly 
 fleece, and presently he drave his fat 
 flocks into the cave each and all, nor left 
 he any without in the deep court-yard, 
 whether through some foreboding, or 
 perchance that the god so bade him do. 
 Thereafter he lifted the huge door-stone 
 and set it in the mouth of the cave, and 
 sitting down he milked the ewes and 
 bleating goats, all orderly, and beneath 
 each ewe he placed her young. Now 
 when he had done all his work busily, 
 again he seized yet other two and made 
 ready his supper. Then I stood by the 
 Cyclops and spake to him, holding in 
 my hands an ivy bowl of the dark wine : 
 " ' Cyclops, take and drink wine after 
 thy feast of man's meat, that thou 
 mayest know what manner of drink this 
 was that our ship held. And lo, I was 
 bringing it thee as a drink offering, if 
 
 134 
 
haply thou mayest take pity and send me 
 on my way home, but thy mad rage is 
 past all sufferance. O hard of heart, 
 how many another of the many men there 
 be come ever to thee again, seeing that 
 thy deeds have been lawless ? ' 
 
 *' So I spake, and he took the cup and 
 drank it off, and found great delight in 
 drinking the sweet draught, and asked 
 me for it yet a second time : 
 
 " ' Give it me again of thy grace, and 
 tell me thy name straightway, that I may 
 give thee a stranger's gift, wherein thou 
 mayest be glad. Yea for the earth, the 
 grain-giver, bears for the Cyclopes the 
 mighty clusters of the juice of the grape, 
 and the rain of Zeus gives them increase, 
 but this is a rill of very nectar and 
 ambrosia.' 
 
 *' So he spake, and again I handed 
 him the dark wine. Thrice I bare and 
 gave it him, and thrice in his folly he 
 drank it to the lees. Now when the 
 wine had got about the wits of the Cy- 
 clops, then did I speak to him with 
 soft words : 
 
 " ' Cyclops, thou askest me my re- 
 135 
 
nowned name, and I will declare it unto 
 thee, and do thou grant me a stranger's 
 gift, as thou didst promise. Noman is 
 my name, and Noman they call me, my 
 father and my mother and all my fel- 
 lows.' 
 
 "So I spake, and straightway he an- 
 swered me out of his pitiless heart : 
 
 " ' Noman will I eat last in the number 
 of his fellows, and the others before him : 
 that shall be thy gift.' 
 
 " Therewith he sank backwards and 
 fell with face upturned, and there he lay 
 with his great neck bent round, and sleep, 
 that conquers all men, overcame him. 
 And the wine and the fragments of 
 men's flesh issued forth from his mouth, 
 and he vomited, being heavy with wine. 
 
 " Then I thrust in that stake under the 
 deep ashes, until it should grow hot, and 
 I spake to my companions comfortable 
 words, lest any should hang back from 
 me in fear. But when that bar of olive 
 wood was just about to catch fire in the 
 flame, green though it was, and began 
 to glow terribly, even then I came nigh, 
 and drew it from the coals, and my 
 136 
 
fellows gathered about me, and some 
 god breathed great courage into us. For 
 their part they seized the bar of olive 
 wood, that was sharpened at the point, 
 and thrust it into his eye, while I from 
 my place aloft turned it about, as when 
 a man bores a ship's beam with a drill 
 while his fellows below spin it with a 
 strap, which they hold at either end, and 
 the auger runs round continually. Even 
 so did we seize the fiery-pointed brand 
 and whirled it round in his eye, and the 
 blood flowed about the heated bar. And 
 the breath of the flame singed his eyelids 
 and brows all about, as the ball of the 
 eye burnt away, and the roots thereof 
 crackled in the flame. And as when a 
 smith dips an axe or adze in chill water 
 with a great hissing, when he would 
 temper it — for hereby anon comes the 
 strength of iron — even so did his eye 
 hiss round the stake of olive. And he 
 raised a great and terrible cry, that the 
 rock rang around, and we fled away in 
 fear, while he plucked forth from his 
 eye the brand bedabbled in much blood. 
 Then maddened with pain he cast it from 
 
 137 
 
him with his hands, and called with a 
 loud voice on the Cyclopes, who dwelt 
 about him in the caves along the windy 
 heights. And they heard the cry and 
 flocked together from every side, and 
 gathering round the cave asked him 
 what ailed him : 
 
 " ' What hath so distressed thee, 
 Polyphemus, that thou criest thus aloud 
 through the immortal night, and makest 
 us sleepless ? Surely no mortal driveth 
 ofF thy flocks against thy will : surely 
 none slayeth thyself by force or craft ? * 
 
 " And the strong Polyphemus spake 
 to them again from out the cave : * My 
 friends, Noman is slaying me by guile, 
 nor at all by force.' 
 
 " And they answered and spake winged 
 words : ' If then no man is violently 
 handling thee in thy solitude, it can in 
 no wise be that thou shouldest escape 
 the sickness sent by mighty Zeus. Nay, 
 pray thou to thy father, the lord 
 Poseidon.' 
 
 " On this wise they spake and de- 
 parted ; and my heart within me laughed 
 to see how my name and cunning coun- 
 138 
 
sel had beguiled them. But the Cyclops, 
 groaning and travailing in pain, groped 
 with his hands, and lifted away the stone 
 from the door of the cave, and himself 
 sat in the entry, vi'ith arms outstretched 
 to catch, if he might, any one that was 
 going forth with his sheep, so witless, 
 methinks, did he hope to find me. But 
 I advised me how all might be for the 
 very best, if perchance I might find a 
 way of escape from death for my com- 
 panions and myself, and I wove all 
 manner of craft and counsel, as a man 
 will for his life, seeing that great mis- 
 chief was nigh. And this was the coun- 
 sel that showed best in my sight. The 
 rams of the flock were well nurtured 
 and thick of fleece, great and goodly, 
 with wool dark as the violet. Quietly 
 I lashed them together with twisted 
 withies, whereon the Cyclops slept, that 
 lawless monster. Three together I 
 took : now the middle one of the three 
 would bear each a man, but the other 
 twain went on either side, saving my 
 fellows. Thus every three sheep bare 
 their man. But as for me I laid hold 
 139 
 
of the back of a young ram who was 
 far the best and the goodliest of all the 
 flock, and curled beneath his shaggy 
 belly there I lay, and so clung face up- 
 ward, grasping the wondrous fleece with 
 a steadfast heart. So for that time mak- 
 ing moan we awaited the bright Dawn. 
 
 " So soon as early Dawn shone forth, 
 the rosy-fingered, then did the rams of 
 the flock hasten forth to pasture, but the 
 ewes bleated unmilked about the pens, 
 for their udders were swollen to burst- 
 ing. Then their lord, sore stricken with 
 pain, felt along the backs of all the sheep 
 as they stood up before him, and guessed 
 not in his folly how that my men were 
 bound beneath the breasts of his thick- 
 fleeced flocks. Last of all the sheep 
 came forth the ram, cumbered with his 
 wool, and the weight of me and my cun- 
 ning. And the strong Polyphemus laid 
 his hands on him and spake to him, 
 saying : 
 
 " ' Dear ram, wherefore, I pray thee, 
 
 art thou the last of all the flocks to go 
 
 forth from the cave, who of old wast 
 
 not wont to lag behind the sheep, but 
 
 140 
 
wert ever the foremost to pluck the ten- 
 der blossom of the pasture, faring with 
 long strides, and wert still the first to 
 come to the streams of the rivers, and 
 first didst long to return to the home- 
 stead in the evening. But now art thou 
 the very last. Surely thou art sorrowing 
 for the eye of thy lord, which an evil 
 man blinded, with his accursed fellows, 
 when he had subdued my wits with wine, 
 even Noman, who I say hath not yet 
 escaped destruction. Ah, if thou couldst 
 feel as I, and be endued with speech, to 
 tell me where he shifts about to shun 
 my wrath ; then should he be smitten, 
 and his brains be dashed against the floor 
 here and there about the cave, and my 
 heart be lightened of the sorrows which 
 Noman, nothing worth, hath brought 
 me!' 
 
 " Therewith he sent the ram forth 
 from him, and when we had gone but a 
 little way from the cave and from the 
 yard, first I loosed myself from under 
 the ram and then I set my fellows free. 
 And swiftly we drave on those stiff- 
 shanked sheep, so rich in fat, and often 
 141 
 
turned to look about, till we came to 
 the ship. And a glad sight to our fel- 
 lows were we that had fled from death, 
 but the others they would have bemoaned 
 with tears ; howbeit I suffered it not, but 
 with frowning brows forbade each man 
 to weep. Rather I bade them to cast on 
 board the many sheep with goodly fleece, 
 and to sail over the salt sea water. So 
 they embarked forthwith, and sate upon 
 the benches, and sitting orderly smote the 
 gray sea water with their oars. But 
 when I had not gone so far, but that a 
 man's shout might be heard, then I spoke 
 unto the Cyclops taunting him : 
 
 " ' Cyclops, so thou wert not to eat 
 the company of a weakling by main 
 might in thy hollow cave ! Thine evil 
 deeds were very sure to find thee out, 
 thou cruel man, who hadst no shame to 
 eat thy guests within thy gates, where- 
 fore Zeus hath requited thee, and the 
 other gods.' 
 
 " So I spake, and he was yet the more 
 
 angered at heart, and he brake off the 
 
 peak of a great hill and threw it at us, 
 
 and it fell in front of the dark-prowed 
 
 142 
 
ship. And the sea heaved beneath the 
 fall of the rock, and the backward flow 
 of the wave bare the ship quickly to the 
 dry land, with the wash from the deep 
 sea, and drave it to the shore. Then I 
 caught up a long pole in my hands, and 
 thrust the ship from off the land, and 
 roused my company, and with a motion 
 of the head bade them dash in with their 
 oars, that so we might escape our evil 
 plight. So they bent to their oars and 
 rowed on. But when we had now made 
 twice the distance over the brine, I 
 would fain have spoken to the Cyclops, 
 but my company stayed me on every 
 side with soft words, saying : 
 
 " ' Foolhardy that thou art, why 
 wouldst thou rouse a wild man to wrath, 
 who even now hath cast so mighty a 
 throw towards the deep and brought our 
 ship back to land, yea and we thought 
 that we had perished even there ? If he 
 had heard any of us utter sound or speech 
 he would have crushed our heads and 
 our ship timbers with a cast of a rugged 
 stone, so mightily he hurls.' 
 
 " So spake they, but they prevailed 
 143 
 
not on my lordly spirit, and I answered 
 him again from out an angry heart : 
 
 " ' Cyclops, if any one of mortal men 
 shall ask thee of the unsightly blinding 
 of thine eye, say that it was Odysseus 
 that blinded it, the waster of cities, son 
 of Laertes, whose dwelling is in Ithaca.' " 
 
 144 
 
XV. 
 
 THE LAND OF THE WINDS 
 
 *' Then we came to the isle Aeolian, 
 where dwelt Aeolus, son of Hippotas, 
 dear to the deathless gods, in a floating 
 island, and all about it is a wall of bronze 
 unbroken, and the clifF runs up sheer 
 from the sea. His twelve children too 
 abide there in his halls, six daughters 
 and six lusty sons ; and, behold, he gave 
 145 
 
his daughters to his sons to wife. And 
 they feast evermore by their dear father 
 and their kind mother, and dainties in- 
 numerable lie ready to their hands. And 
 the house is full of the savour of feast- 
 ing, and the noise thereof rings round, 
 yea, in the courtyard, by day, and in the 
 night they sleep each one by his chaste 
 wife in coverlets and on jointed bed- 
 steads. 
 
 " So then we came to their city and 
 their goodly dwelling, and the king en- 
 treated me kindly for a whole month, 
 and sought out each thing, Ilios and the 
 ships of the Argives, and the return of 
 the Achaeans. So I told him all the tale 
 in order duly. But when I in turn took 
 the word and asked of my journey, and 
 bade him send me on my way, he too 
 denied me not, but furnished an escort. 
 He gave me a wallet, made of the hide 
 of an ox of nine seasons old, which he 
 let flay, and therein he bound the ways 
 of all the noisy winds ; for him the son 
 of Cronos made keeper of the winds, 
 either to lull or to rouse what blasts he 
 will. And he made it fast in the hold 
 146 
 
of the ship with a shining silver thong, 
 that not the faintest breath might escape. 
 Then he sent forth the blast of the 
 West Wind to blow for me, to bear our 
 ships and ourselves upon our way ; but 
 this he was never to bring to pass, for 
 we were undone through our own heed- 
 lessness. 
 
 " For nine whole days we sailed by 
 night and day continually, and now on 
 the tenth day my native land came in 
 sight, and already we were so near that 
 we beheld the folk tending the beacon 
 fires. Then over me there came sweet 
 slumber in my weariness, for all the 
 time I was holding the sheet, nor gave 
 it to any of my company, that so we 
 might come quicker to our own coun- 
 try. Meanwhile my company held con- 
 verse together, and said that I was 
 bringing home for myself gold and silver, 
 gifts from Aeolus the high-hearted son 
 of Hippotas. And thus would they 
 speak looking each man to his neigh- 
 bour : 
 
 " * Lo now, how beloved he is and 
 highly esteemed among all men, to the 
 147 
 
city and land of whomsoever he may 
 come. Many are the goodly treasures 
 he taketh with him out of the spoil from 
 Troy, while we who have fulfilled like 
 journeying with him return homeward 
 bringing with us but empty hands. And 
 now Aeolus hath given unto him these 
 things freely in his love. Nay come, 
 let us quickly see what they are, even 
 what wealth of gold and silver is in the 
 wallet.' 
 
 "So they spake, and the evil counsel 
 of my company prevailed. They loosed 
 the wallet, and all the winds brake 
 forth. And the violent blast seized my 
 men, and bare them towards the high 
 seas weeping, away from their own 
 country ; but as for me, I awoke and 
 communed with my great heart, whether 
 I should cast myself from the ship and 
 perish in the deep, or endure in silence 
 and abide yet among the living. How- 
 beit I hardened my heart to endure, and 
 muffling my head I lay still in the ship. 
 But the vessels were driven by the evil 
 storm-wind back to the isle Aeolian, and 
 my company made moan. 
 148 
 
'' There we stepped ashore and drew 
 water, and my company presently took 
 their midday meal by the swift ships. 
 Now when we had tasted bread and 
 wine, I took with me a herald and one 
 of my company, and went to the 
 famous dwelling of Aeolus : and I found 
 him feasting with his wife and children. 
 So we went in and sat by the pillars of 
 the door on the threshold, and they all 
 marvelled and asked us : 
 
 " ' How hast thou come hither, 
 Odysseus ? What evil god assailed 
 thee ? Surely we sent thee on thy way 
 with all diligence, that thou mightest get 
 thee to thine own country and thy home, 
 and whithersoever thou wouldest.' 
 
 " Even so they said, but I spake among 
 them heavy at heart : ' My evil company 
 hath been my bane, and sleep thereto 
 remorseless. Come, my friends, do ye 
 heal the harm, for yours is the power.' 
 
 " So I spake, beseeching them in soft 
 words, but they held their peace. And 
 the father answered, saying : ' Get thee 
 forth from the island straightway, thou 
 that art the most reprobate of living 
 149 
 
men. Far be it from me to help or to 
 further that man whom the blessed gods 
 abhor ! Get thee forth, for lo, thy com- 
 ing marks thee hated by the deathless 
 gods.' " 
 
 150 
 
XVI. 
 
 THE ISLAND OF CIRCE 
 
 *' And we came to the isle Aeaean, 
 where dwelt Circe of the braided tresses, 
 an awful goddess of mortal speech, 
 own sister to the wizard Aetes. Both 
 were begotten of Helios, who gives light 
 to all men, and their mother was Perse, 
 daughter of Oceanus. There on the 
 shore we put in with our ship into the 
 151 
 
sheltering haven silently, and some god 
 was our guide. Then we stept ashore, 
 and for two days and two nights lay 
 there, consuming our own hearts for 
 weariness and pain. . . . 
 
 " Then I numbered my goodly-greaved 
 company in two bands, and appointed a 
 leader for each, and I myself took the 
 command of the one part, and godlike 
 Eurylochus of the other. And anon we 
 shook the lots in a brazen-fitted helmet, 
 and out leapt the lot of proud Eurylochus. 
 So he went on his way, and with him 
 two and twenty of my fellowship all 
 weeping; and we were left behind mak- 
 ing lament. In the forest glades they 
 found the halls of Circe builded, of 
 polished stone, in a place with wide 
 prospect. And all around the palace 
 mountain-bred wolves and lions were 
 roaming, whom she herself had bewitched 
 with evil drugs that she gave them. Yet 
 the beasts did not set on my men, but 
 lo, they ramped about them and fawned 
 on them, wagging their long tails. And 
 as when dogs fawn about their lord when 
 he comes from the feast, for he always 
 152 
 
brings them the fragments that soothe 
 their mood, even so the strong-clawed 
 wolves and the lions fawned around 
 them ; but they were affrighted when 
 they saw the strange and terrible crea- 
 tures. So they stood at the outer gate 
 of the fair-tressed goddess, and within 
 they heard Circe singing in a sweet 
 voice, as she fared to and fro before the 
 great web imperishable, such as is the 
 handiwork of goddesses, fine of woof and 
 full of grace and splendour. Then 
 Polites, a leader of men, the dearest to 
 me and the trustiest of all my company, 
 first spake to them : 
 
 " ' Friends, forasmuch as there is one 
 within that fares to and fro before a 
 mighty web singing a sweet song, so 
 that all the floor of the hall makes echo, 
 a goddess she is or a woman ; come 
 quickly and cry aloud to her.' 
 
 " He spake the word and they cried 
 aloud and called to her. And straight- 
 way she came forth and opened the 
 shining doors and bade them in, and all 
 went with her in their heedlessness. But 
 Eurylochus tarried behind, for he guessed 
 153 
 
that there was some treason. So she led 
 them in and set them upon chairs and 
 high seats, and made them a mess of 
 cheese and barley-meal and yellow honey 
 with Pramnian wine, and mixed harmful 
 drugs with the food to make them utterly 
 forget their own country. Now when 
 she had given them the cup and they 
 had drunk it off, presently she smote 
 them with a wand, and in the styes of 
 the swine she penned them. So they 
 had the head and voice, the bristles and 
 the shape of swine, but their mind abode 
 even as of old. Thus were they penned 
 there weeping, and Circe flung them 
 acorns and mast and fruit of the cornel 
 tree to eat, whereon wallowing swine do 
 always batten. 
 
 " Now Eurylochus came back to the 
 swift black ship to bring tidings of his 
 fellows, and of their unseemly doom. 
 Not a word could he utter, for all his 
 desire, so deeply smitten was he to the 
 heart with grief, and his eyes were filled 
 with tears and his soul was fain of 
 lamentation. But when we all had pressed 
 him with our questions in amazement, 
 154 
 
even then he told the fate of the remnant 
 of our company. 
 
 " *■ We went, as thou didst command, 
 through the coppice, noble Odysseus : 
 we found within the forest glades the 
 fair halls, builded of polished stone, in 
 a place with wide prospect. And there 
 was one that fared before a mighty web 
 and sang a clear song, a goddess she was 
 or a woman, and they cried aloud and 
 called to her. And straightway she 
 came forth, and opened the shining doors 
 and bade them in, and they all went with 
 her in their heedlessness. But I tarried 
 behind, for I guessed that there was some 
 treason. Then they vanished away one 
 and all, nor did any of them appear again, 
 though I sat long time watching.' 
 
 " So spake he, whereon I cast about 
 my shoulder my silver-studded sword, a 
 great blade of bronze, and slung my bow 
 about me and bade him lead me again 
 by the way that he came. But he caught 
 me with both hands, and by my knees 
 he besought me, and bewailing him spake 
 to me winged words : 
 
 '' ' Lead me not thither against my 
 
 155 
 
will, oh fosterling of Zeus, but leave me 
 here ! For well I know thou shalt thy- 
 self return no more, nor bring any one 
 of all thy fellowship ; nay, let us flee 
 the swifter with those that be here, for 
 even yet may we escape the evil day.* 
 
 " On this wise he spake, but I an- 
 swered him, saying : * Eurylochus, abide 
 for thy part here in this place, eating 
 and drinking by the black hollow ship : 
 but I will go forth, for a strong constraint 
 is laid on me.* 
 
 " With that I went up from the ship 
 and the sea-shore. But lo, when in my 
 faring through the sacred glades I was 
 now drawing near to the great hall of 
 the enchantress Circe, then did Hermes, 
 of the golden wand, meet me as I ap- 
 proached the house, in the likeness of a 
 young man with the first down on his 
 lip, the time when youth is most gracious. 
 So he clasped my hand and spake and 
 hailed me : 
 
 "'Ah, hapless man, whither away again, 
 
 all alone through the wolds, thou that 
 
 knowest not this country ? And thy 
 
 company yonder in the hall of Circe are 
 
 156 
 
penned in the guise of swine, in their deep 
 lairs abiding. Is it in hope to free them 
 that thou art come hither? Nay, me- 
 thinks, thou thyself shalt never return 
 but remain there with the others. Come 
 then, I will redeem thee from thy distress, 
 and bring deliverance. Lo, take this 
 herb of virtue, and go to the dwelling of 
 Circe, that it may keep from thy head 
 the evil day. And I will tell thee all 
 the magic sleight of Circe. She will 
 mix thee a potion and cast drugs into the 
 mess i but not even so shall she be able 
 to enchant thee ; so helpful is this 
 charmed herb that I shall give thee, and 
 I will tell thee all. When it shall be 
 that Circe smites thee with her long 
 wand, even then draw thou thy sharp 
 sword from thy thigh, and spring on her, 
 as one eager to slay her. And she will 
 shrink away and be instant with thee to 
 lie with her. Thenceforth disdain not 
 thou the bed of the goddess, that she 
 may deliver thy company and kindly 
 entertain thee. But command her to 
 swear a mighty oath by the blessed gods, 
 that she will plan nought else of mischief 
 157 
 
to thine own hurt, lest she make thee a 
 dastard and unmanned, when she hath 
 thee naked.' 
 
 " Therewith the slayer of Argos gave 
 me the plant that he had plucked from 
 the ground, and he showed me the 
 growth thereof. It was black at the 
 root, but the flower was like to milk. 
 Moly the gods call it, but it is hard for 
 mortal men to dig; howbeit with the 
 gods all things are possible. 
 
 " Then Hermes departed toward high 
 Olympus, up through the woodland isle, 
 but as for me I held on my way to the 
 house of Circe, and my heart was darkly 
 troubled as I went. So I halted in 
 the portals of the fair-tressed goddess ; 
 there I stood and called aloud and the 
 goddess heard my voice, who presently 
 came forth and opened the shining doors 
 and bade me in, and I went with her 
 heavy at heart. So she led me in and 
 set me on a chair with studs of 
 silver, a goodly carven chair, and beneath 
 was a footstool for the feet. And she 
 made me a potion in a golden cup, that 
 I might drink, and she also put a charm 
 158 
 
therein, in the evil counsel of her heart. 
 Now when she had given it and I had 
 drunk it off and was not bewitched, 
 she smote me with her wand and spake 
 and hailed me : 
 
 " ' Go thy way now to the stye, couch 
 thee there with the rest of thy com- 
 pany.' 
 
 " So spake she, but I drew my sharp 
 sword fro-m my thigh and sprang upon 
 Circe, as one eager to slay her. But 
 with a great cry she slipped under, and 
 clasped my knees, and bewailing herself 
 spake to me winged words : 
 
 " t Who art thou of the sons of men, 
 and whence ? Where is thy city ? 
 Where are they that begat thee ? I 
 marvel to see how thou hast drunk of 
 this charm, and wast nowise subdued. 
 Nay, for there lives no man else that 
 is proof against this charm, whoso hath 
 drunk thereof, and once it hath passed 
 his lips. But thou hast, methinks, a mind 
 within thee that may not be enchanted. 
 Verily thou art Odysseus, ready at need, 
 who he of the golden wand, the slayer 
 of Argos, full often told me was to come 
 
hither, on his way from Troy with his 
 swift black ship. Nay come, put thy 
 sword into the sheath, and thereafter let 
 us up go into my bed, that meeting in love 
 and sleep we may trust each the other.' 
 
 " So spake she, but I answered her, 
 saying : ^ Nay, Circe, how canst thou 
 bid me be gentle to thee, who hast 
 turned my company into swine within 
 thy halls, and holding me here with 
 guileful heart requirest me to pass within 
 thy chamber and go up into thy bed, 
 that so thou mayest make me a dastard 
 and unmanned when thou hast me 
 naked ? Nay, never will I consent to go 
 up into thy bed, except thou wilt deign, 
 goddess, to swear a mighty oath, that 
 thou wilt plan nought else of mischief 
 to mine own hurt.' 
 
 " So I spake, and she straightway 
 swore the oath not to harm me, as I 
 bade her. But when she had sworn and 
 had done that oath, then at last I went 
 up into the beautiful bed of Circe. 
 
 " Now all this while her handmaids 
 busied them in the halls, four maidens 
 that are her serving women in the house. 
 1 60 
 
They are born of the wells and of the 
 woods and of the holy rivers, that flow 
 forward into the salt sea. Of these 
 one cast upon the chairs goodly coverlets 
 of purple above, and spread a linen 
 cloth thereunder. And lo, another drew 
 up silver tables to the chairs, and 
 thereon set for them golden baskets. 
 And a third mixed sweet honey-hearted 
 wine in a silver bowl, and set out cups 
 of gold. And a fourth bare water, and 
 kindled a great fire beneath the mighty 
 cauldron. So the water waxed warm ; 
 but when it boiled in the bright brazen 
 vessel, she set me in a bath and bathed 
 me with water from out a great cauldron, 
 pouring it over head and shoulders, when 
 she had mixed it to a pleasant warmth, 
 till from my limbs she took away the 
 consuming weariness. Now after she 
 had bathed me and anointed me well 
 with olive oil, and cast about me a fair 
 mantle and a doublet, she led me irito 
 the halls and set me on a chair with 
 studs of silver, a goodly carven chair, 
 and beneath was a footstool for the feet. 
 And a handmaid bare water for the 
 i6i 
 
hands in a goodly ewer, and poured it 
 forth over a silver basin to vi^ash withal j 
 and to my side she drew a polished 
 table, and a grave dame bare wheaten 
 bread and set it by me, and laid on the 
 board many dainties, giving freely of such 
 things as she had by her. And she bade 
 me eat, but my soul found no pleasure 
 therein. I sat with other thoughts, and 
 my heart had a boding of ill. 
 
 " Now when Circe saw that I sat 
 thus, and that I put not forth my hands 
 to the meat, and that I was mightily 
 afflicted, she drew near to me and spake 
 to me winged words : 
 
 "'Wherefore thus, Odysseus, dost 
 thou sit there like a speechless man, 
 consuming thine own soul, and dost not 
 touch meat nor drink ? Dost thou indeed 
 deem there is some further guile ? Nay, 
 thou hast no cause to fear, for already 
 I have sworn thee a strong oath not to 
 harm thee.* 
 
 " So spake she, but I answered her, 
 
 saying : ' Oh, Circe, what righteous 
 
 man would have the heart to taste meat 
 
 and drink ere he had redeemed his com- 
 
 162 
 
pany, and beheld them face to face ? 
 But if in good faith thou biddest me eat 
 and drink, then let them go free, that 
 mine eyes may behold my dear com- 
 panions.' 
 
 "So I spake, and Circe passed out 
 through the hall with the wand in her 
 hand, and opened the doors of the stye, 
 and drave them forth in the shape of 
 swine of nine seasons old. There they 
 stood before her, and she went through 
 their midst, and anointed each one of 
 them with another charm. And lo, 
 from their limbs the bristles dropped 
 away, wherewith the venom had erewhile 
 clothed them, that lady Circe gave them. 
 And they became men again, younger 
 than before they were, and goodlier far 
 and taller to behold. And they all knew 
 me again and each one took my hands, 
 and wistful was the lament that sank 
 into their souls, and the roof rang won- 
 drously. And even the goddess herself 
 was moved with compassion. 
 
 *' So there we sat day by day for the 
 full circle of a year, feasting on abundant 
 flesh and sweet wine. But when now 
 163 
 
a year had gone, and the seasons re- 
 turned as the months waned, and the 
 long days came in their course, then did 
 my dear company call me forth, and 
 say : 
 
 " ' Good sir, now is it high time to 
 mind thee of thy native land, if it is 
 ordained that thou shalt be saved, and 
 come to thy lofty house and thine own 
 country.' 
 
 " So spake they and my lordly spirit 
 consented thereto. So for that time we 
 sat the livelong day till the going down 
 of the sun, feasting on abundant flesh 
 and sweet wine. But when the sun 
 sank and darkness came on, they laid 
 them to rest throughout the shadowy 
 halls. 
 
 *' But when I had gone up into the 
 fair bed of Circe, I besought her by her 
 knees, and the goddess heard my speech, 
 and uttering my voice I spake to her 
 winged words : ' Circe, fulfil for me the 
 promise which thou madest me to send 
 me on my homeward way. Now is my 
 spirit eager to be gone, and the spirit of 
 my company, that wear away my heart 
 164 
 
as they mourn around me, when haply 
 thou art gone from us.' 
 
 " So spake I, and the fair goddess 
 answered me anon : ' Son of Laertes, of 
 the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many 
 devices, tarry ye now no longer in my 
 house against your will ; but first must 
 ye perform another journey, and reach 
 the dwelling of Hades and of dread Per- 
 sephone to seek to the spirit of Theban 
 Teiresias, the blind soothsayer, whose wits 
 abide steadfast. To him Persephone 
 hath given judgment, even in death, that 
 he alone should have understanding ; but 
 the other souls sweep shadow-like around.' 
 
 " So spake she, and anon came the 
 golden throned Dawn. Then she put 
 on me a mantle and a doublet for raiment, 
 and the nymph clad herself in a great 
 shining robe, light of woof and gracious, 
 and about her waist she cast a fair 
 golden girdle, and put a veil upon her 
 head. But I passed through the halls 
 and roused my men with smooth words, 
 standing by each one in turn : 
 
 " ' Sleep ye now no more nor breathe 
 sweet slumber; but let us go on our 
 165 
 
way, for surely she hath shown me all, 
 the lady Circe.' 
 
 *' So spake I, and their lordly soul 
 consented thereto. Yet even thence I 
 led not my company safe away. There 
 was one, Elpenor, the youngest of us all, 
 not very valiant in war neither steadfast 
 in mind. He was lying apart from the 
 rest of my men on the housetop of Circe's 
 sacred dwelling, very fain of the cool air, 
 as one heavy with wine. Now when he 
 heard the noise of the voices and of the 
 feet of my fellows as they moved to and 
 fro, he leaped up of a sudden and minded 
 him not to descend again by the way 
 of the tall ladder, but fell right down 
 from the roof, and his neck was bro- 
 ken from the bones of the spine, and his 
 spirit went down to the house of Hades. 
 
 " Then I spake among my men as 
 they went on their way, saying : * Ye 
 deem now, I see, that ye are going to 
 your own dear country ; but Circe hath 
 showed us another way, even to the 
 dwelling of Hades and of dread Perseph- 
 one, to seek to the spirit of Theban 
 Teiresias.' 
 
 i66 
 
" Even so I spake, but their heart 
 within them was broken, and they sat 
 them down even where they were, and 
 made lament and tore their hair. How- 
 beit no help came of their weeping. 
 
 " But as we were now wending sorrow- 
 ful to the swift ship and the sea-banks, 
 shedding big tears, Circe meanwhile 
 had gone her ways and made fast a ram 
 and a black ewe by the dark ship, lightly 
 passing us by : who may behold a god 
 against his will, whether going to or 
 fro ? " 
 
 167 
 
XVII. 
 
 ODYSSEUS VISITS HADES 
 
 " Now when we had gone down to 
 the ship and to the sea, first of all we 
 drew the ship unto the fair salt water, 
 and placed the mast and sails in the 
 black ship, and took those sheep and put 
 them therein, and ourselves too climbed 
 on board, sorrowing, and shedding big 
 tears. And in the wake of our dark- 
 prowed ship she sent a favouring wind 
 l68 
 
that filled the sails, a kindly escort, — 
 even Circe of the braided tresses, a dread 
 goddess of human speech. And we set 
 in order all the gear throughout the ship 
 and sat us down ; and the wind and the 
 helmsman guided our barque. And all 
 day long her sails were stretched in her 
 seafaring ; and the sun sank and all the 
 ways were darkened. 
 
 " She came to the limits of the world, 
 to the deep flowing Oceanus. There is 
 the land and the city of the Cimmerians, 
 shrouded in mist and cloud, and never 
 does the shining sun look down on them 
 with his rays, neither when he climbs up 
 the starry heavens, nor when again he 
 turns earthward from the firmament, but 
 deadly night is outspread over miserable 
 mortals. Thither we came and ran the 
 ship ashore and took out the sheep ; but 
 for our part we held on our way along the 
 stream of Oceanus, till we came to the 
 place which Circe had declared to us. . . . 
 
 " But when I had besought the tribes 
 
 of the dead with vows and prayers, I 
 
 took the sheep and cut their throats over 
 
 the trench, and the dark blood flowed 
 
 169 
 
forth, and lo, the spirits of the dead that 
 be departed gathered them from out of 
 Erebus. Brides and youths unwed, and 
 old men of many and evil days, and 
 tender maidens with grief yet fresh at 
 heart ; and many there were, wounded 
 with bronze-shod spears, men slain in 
 fight with their bloody mail about them. 
 And these many ghosts flocked together 
 from every side about the trench with a 
 wondrous cry, and pale fear gat hold on 
 me. . . . 
 
 '' And first came the soul of Elpenor, 
 my companion, that had not yet been 
 buried beneath the wide-wayed earth j 
 for we left the corpse behind us in the 
 hall of Circe, unwept and unburied, see- 
 ing that another task was instant on us. 
 At the sight of him I wept and had 
 compassion on him, and uttering my 
 voice spake to him winged words : * El- 
 penor, how hast thou come beneath the 
 darkness and the shadow ? Thou hast 
 come fleeter on foot than I in my black 
 ship.' 
 
 " So spake I, and with a moan he 
 answered me, saying : ' Son of Laertes, 
 170 
 
of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many 
 devices, an evil doom of some god was 
 my bane and wine out of measure. 
 When I laid me down on the house-top 
 of Circe, I minded me not to descend 
 again by the way of the tall ladder, but 
 fell right down from the roof, and my 
 neck was broken off from the bones of 
 the spine, and my spirit went down 
 to the house of Hades. And now I pray 
 thee in the name of those whom we left, 
 who are no more with us, thy wife, and 
 thy sire who cherished thee when as yet 
 thou wert a little one, and Telemachus, 
 whom thou did leave in thy halls alone ; 
 forasmuch as I know that on thy way 
 hence from out the dwelling of Hades, 
 thou wilt stay thy well-wrought ship at 
 the isle Aeaean, even then, my lord, I 
 charge thee to think on me. Leave me 
 not unwept and unburied as thou goest 
 hence, nor turn thy back upon me, lest 
 haply I bring on thee the anger of the 
 gods. Nay, burn me there with mine 
 armour, all that is mine, and pile me 
 a barrow on the shore of the gray sea, 
 the grave of a luckless man, that even 
 171 
 
men unborn may hear my story. Fulfil 
 me this and plant upon the barrow mine 
 oar, wherewith I rowed in the days of 
 my life, while yet I was among my 
 fellows.' 
 
 " Even so he spake, and I answered 
 him saying : ' All this, luckless man, will 
 I perform for thee and do.' . . . 
 
 " Anon came the soul of Theban 
 Teiresias, with a golden sceptre in his 
 hand, and he knew me and spake unto 
 me : ' Son of Laertes, of the seed of 
 Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, what 
 seekest thou now^ wretched man, where- 
 fore hast thou left the sunlight and come 
 hither to behold the dead and a land 
 desolate of joy ? Nay, hold ofF from the 
 ditch and draw back thy sharp sword, 
 that I may drink of the blood and tell 
 thee sooth.* 
 
 '' So spake he and I put up my silver- 
 studded sword into the sheath, and when 
 he had drunk the dark blood, even then 
 did the noble seer speak unto me, saying : 
 ' Thou art asking of thy sweet return- 
 ing, great Odysseus, but that will the 
 god make hard for thee ; for methinks 
 172 
 
thou shalt not pass unheeded by the 
 Shaker of the Earth, who hath laid up 
 wrath in his heart against thee, for rage 
 at the blinding of his dear son. Yet 
 even so, through many troubles, ye may 
 come home, if thou wilt restrain thy 
 spirit and the spirit of thy men so soon 
 as thou shalt bring thy well-wrought 
 ship nigh to the isle Thrinacia, fleeing 
 the sea of violet blue, when ye find the 
 herds of Helios grazing and his brave 
 flocks, of Helios who overseeth all and 
 overheareth all things. If thou doest 
 these no hurt, being heedful of thy re- 
 turn, so may ye yet reach Ithaca, albeit 
 in evil case. But if thou hurtest them, 
 I foreshow ruin for thy ship and for thy 
 men, and even though thou shalt thyself 
 escape, late shalt thou return in evil 
 plight, with the loss of all thy company, 
 on board the ship of strangers, and thou 
 shalt find sorrows in thy house, even 
 proud men that devour thy living, while 
 they woo thy godlike wife and offer the 
 gifts of wooing. Yet I tell thee, on thy 
 coming thou shalt avenge their violence. 
 But when thou hast slain the wooers in 
 ^7Z 
 
thy halls, whether by guile, or openly 
 with the edge of the sword, thereafter go 
 thy way, taking with thee a shapen oar, 
 till thou shalt come to such men as 
 know not the sea, neither eat meat sa- 
 voured with salt ; yea, nor have they 
 knowledge of ships of purple cheek, nor 
 shapen oars which serve for wings to 
 ships. And I will give thee a most mani- 
 fest token, which cannot escape thee. 
 In the day when another wayfarer shall 
 meet thee and say that thou hast a win- 
 nowing fan on thy stout shoulder, even 
 then make fast thy shapen oar in the 
 earth and do goodly sacrifice to the lord 
 Poseidon, even with a ram and a bull 
 and a boar, the mate of swine, and depart 
 for home and offer holy hecatombs to 
 the deathless gods that keep the wide 
 heaven, to each in order due. And 
 from the sea shall thine own death come, 
 the gentlest death that may be, which 
 shall end thee foredone with smooth old 
 age, and the folk shall dwell happily 
 around thee. This that I say is sooth.' 
 " So spake he, and I answered him, 
 saying : ' Teiresias, all these threads, 
 174 
 
methinks, the gods themselves have 
 spun.'. . . 
 
 " Now when holy Persephone had 
 scattered this way and that the spirits of 
 the women folk, thereafter came the soul 
 of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, sorrow- 
 ing ; and round him others were gathered, 
 the ghosts of them who had died with 
 him in the house of Aegisthus and met 
 their doom. And he knew me straight- 
 way when he had drunk the dark blood, 
 yea, and he wept aloud, and shed big 
 tears as he stretched forth his hands in 
 his longing to reach me. But it might not 
 be, for he had now no steadfast strength 
 nor power at all in moving, such as was 
 aforetime in his supple limbs. 
 
 " At the sight of him I wept and was 
 moved with compassion, and uttering my 
 voice, spake to him winged words : 
 ' Most renowned son of Atreus, Aga- 
 memnon, king of men, say what doom 
 overcame thee of death that lays men at 
 their length ? Did Poseidon smite thee 
 in thy ships, raising the dolorous blast 
 of contrary winds, or did unfriendly men 
 do thee hurt upon the land, whilst thou 
 
 175 
 
wert cutting off their oxen and fair flocks 
 of sheep, or fighting to win a city and 
 the women thereof? ' 
 
 " So spake I, and straightway he 
 answered, and said unto me : *■ Son of 
 Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus 
 of many devices, it was not Poseidon 
 that smote me in my ships, and raised 
 the dolorous blast of contrary winds, nor 
 did unfriendly men do me hurt upon the 
 land, but Aegisthus it was that wrought 
 me death and doom and slew me, with 
 the aid of my accursed wife, as one slays 
 an ox at the stall, after he had bidden 
 me to his house, and entertained me at 
 a feast. Even so I died by a death 
 most pitiful, and round me my company 
 likewise were slain without ceasing, like 
 swine with glittering tusks which are 
 slaughtered in the house of a rich and 
 mighty man, whether at a wedding 
 banquet or a joint-feast or a rich clan- 
 drinking. Ere now hast thou been at 
 the slaying of many a man, killed in 
 single fight or in strong battle, yet thou 
 wouldst have sorrowed the most at this 
 sight, how we lay in the hall round the 
 176 
 
mixing-bowl and the laden boards, and 
 the floor all ran with blood. And most 
 pitiful of all that I heard was the voice 
 of the daughter of Priam, of Cassandra, 
 whom hard by me the crafty Clytem- 
 nestra slew. Then I strove to raise my 
 hands as I was dying upon the sword, 
 but to earth they fell. And that shame- 
 less one turned her back upon me, and 
 had not the heart to draw down my 
 eyelids with her fingers nor to close 
 my mouth. So surely is there nought 
 more terrible and shameless than a 
 women who imagines such evil in her 
 heart, even as she too planned a foul 
 deed, fashioning death for her wedded 
 lord. Verily I had thought to come 
 home most welcome to my children and 
 my thralls ; but she, out of the depth of 
 her evil knowledge, hath shed shame 
 on herself and on all womankind, which 
 shall be for ever, even on the upright.' 
 
 " Even so he spake, but I answered 
 him, saying : ' Lo now, in very sooth, 
 hath Zeus of the far-borne voice wreaked 
 wondrous hatred on the seed of Atreus 
 through the counsels of woman from of 
 177 
 
old. For Helen's sake so many of us per- 
 ished, and now Clytemnestra hath prac- 
 tised treason against thee, while yet thou 
 wast afar off.' 
 
 " Even so I spake, and anon he 
 answered me, saying : ' Wherefore do 
 thou too, never henceforth be soft even 
 to thy wife, neither show her all the 
 counsel that thou knowest, but a part 
 declare and let part be hid. Yet shalt 
 not thou, Odysseus, find death at the 
 hand of thy wife, for she is very discreet 
 and prudent in all her ways, the wise 
 Penelope, daughter of Icarius. Verily we 
 left her a bride new wed when we went 
 to the war, and a child was at her breast, 
 who now, methinks, sits in the ranks of 
 men, happy in his lot, for his dear father 
 shall behold him on his coming, and he 
 shall embrace his sire as is meet. But 
 as for my wife, she suffered me not so 
 much as to have my fill of gazing on my 
 son ; ere that she slew me, even her 
 lord. And yet another thing will I tell 
 thee, and do thou ponder it in thy heart. 
 Put thy ship to land in secret, and not 
 openly, on the shore of thy dear coun- 
 178 
 
try j for there is no more faith in 
 woman. But come, declare me this and 
 plainly tell it all, if haply ye hear of my 
 son as yet living, either, it may be, in 
 Orchomenus or in sandy Pylos, or per- 
 chance with Menelaus in wide Sparta, 
 for goodly Orestes hath not yet perished 
 on the earth.' 
 
 " Even so he spake, but I answered 
 him, saying : ' Son of Atreus, wherefore 
 dost thou ask me straitly of these things ? 
 Nay I know not at all, whether he be 
 alive or dead; it is ill to speak words 
 light as wind.' 
 
 "Thus we twain stood sorrowing, 
 holding sad discourse, while the big tears 
 fell fast ; and therewithal came the soul 
 of Achilles, son of Peleus, and of Patro- 
 clus and of noble Antilochus and of Aias, 
 who in face and form was goodliest of 
 all the Danaans, after the noble son 
 of Peleus. And the spirit of the son of 
 Aeacus, fleet of foot, knew me again, and 
 making lament spake to me winged 
 words : 
 
 "'Son of Laertes, of the seed of 
 Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, man 
 179 
 
overbold, what new deed and hardier 
 than this wilt thou devise in thy heart ? 
 How durst thou come down to the 
 house of Hades, where dwell the sense- 
 less dead, the phantoms of men out- 
 worn ? ' 
 
 " So he spake, but I answered him : 
 'Achilles, son of Peleus, mightiest far 
 of the Achaeans, I am come hither to 
 seek Teiresias, if he may tell me any 
 counsel, how I may come to rugged 
 Ithaca. For not yet have I come nigh 
 the Achaean land, nor set foot on mine 
 own soil, but am still in evil case ; while 
 as for thee, Achilles, none other than 
 thou wast heretofore the most blessed of 
 men, nor shall any be hereafter. For 
 of old, in the days of thy life, we Argives 
 gave thee one honour with the gods, and 
 now thou art a great prince here among 
 the dead. Wherefore let not thy death 
 be any grief to thee, Achilles.' 
 
 " Even so I spake, and he straightway 
 answered me, and said : ' Nay, speak not 
 comfortably to me of death, oh great Odys- 
 seus. Rather would I live on ground 
 as the hireling of another, with a land- 
 i8o 
 
less man who had no great livelihood, 
 than bear sway among all the dead that 
 be departed.' . . . 
 
 " There then I saw Minos, glorious 
 son of Zeus, wielding a golden sceptre, 
 giving sentence from his throne to the 
 dead, while they sat and stood around 
 the prince, asking his dooms through 
 the wide-gated house of Hades. 
 
 " And after him I marked the mighty 
 Orion driving the wild beasts together 
 over the mead of asphodel, the very 
 beasts that himself had slain on the lonely 
 hills, with a strong mace all of bronze 
 in his hands, that is ever unbroken. 
 
 " And I saw Tityos, son of renowned 
 Earth, lying on a levelled ground, and 
 he covered nine roods as he lay, and vul- 
 tures twain beset him one on either 
 side, and gnawed at his liver, piercing 
 even to the caul, but he drave them not 
 away with his hands. For he had dealt 
 violently with Leto, the famous bed- 
 fellow of Zeus, as she went up to Pytho 
 through the fair lawns of Panopeus. 
 
 " Moreover I beheld Tantalus in 
 grievous torment, standing in a mere 
 i8i 
 
and the water came nigh unto his chin. 
 And he stood straining as one athirst, 
 but he might not attain to the water to 
 drink of it. For often as that old 
 man stooped down in his eagerness to 
 drink, so often the water was swallowed 
 up and it vanished away, and the black 
 earth still showed at his feet, for some 
 god parched it evermore. And tall trees 
 flowering shed their fruit overhead, pears 
 and pomegranates and apple trees with 
 bright fruit, and sweet figs and olives in 
 their bloom, whereat when that old man 
 reached out his hands to clutch them, 
 the wind would toss them to the 
 shadowy clouds. 
 
 " Yea and I beheld Sisyphus in strong 
 torment, grasping a monstrous stone 
 with both his hands. He was pressing 
 thereat with hands and feet, and trying 
 to roll the stone upward toward the brow 
 of the hill. But oft as he was about to 
 hurl it over the top, the weight would 
 drive him back, so once again to the 
 plain rolled the stone, the shameless 
 thing. And he once more kept heaving 
 and straining, and the sweat the while 
 182 
 
was pouring down his limbs, and the 
 dust rose upwards from his head. 
 
 " And after him I descried the mighty 
 Heracles, his phantom, I say ; but as for 
 himself he hath joy at the banquet among 
 the deathless gods, and hath to wife Hebe 
 of the fair ankles, child of great Zeus, 
 and of Here of the golden sandals. And 
 all about him there was a clamour of 
 the dead, as it were fowls flying every 
 way in fear, and he like black Night, 
 with bow uncased, and shaft upon the 
 string, fiercely glancing around, like one 
 in the act to shoot. And about his breast 
 was an awful belt, a baldric of gold, 
 whereon wondrous things were wrought, 
 bears and wild boars and lions with 
 flashing eyes, and strife and battles and 
 slaughters and murders of men. Nay, 
 now that he hath fashioned this, never 
 another may he fashion, whoso stored in 
 his craft the device of that belt ! And 
 anon he knew me when his eyes beheld 
 me, and making lament he spake unto 
 me winged words : 
 
 " * Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, 
 Odysseus of many devices : ah ! wretched 
 
 183 
 
one, dost thou too lead such a life of 
 evil doom, as I endured beneath the rays 
 of the sun ? I was the son of Zeus 
 Cronion, yet had I trouble beyond 
 measure, for I was subdued unto a man 
 far worse than I. And he enjoined on 
 me hard adventures, yea and on a time 
 he sent me hither to bring back the 
 hound of hell ; for he devised no harder 
 task for me than this. I lifted the hound 
 and brought him forth from out of the 
 house of Hades ; and Hermes sped me 
 on my way and the gray-eyed Athene.' 
 
 " Therewith he departed again into the 
 house of Hades, but I abode there still, 
 if perchance some one of the hero folk 
 besides might come, who died in old 
 time. Yea and I should have seen 
 the men of old, whom I was fain to look 
 on, Theseus and Peirithous, renowned 
 children of the gods. But ere that 
 might be the myriad tribes of the dead 
 thronged up together with wondrous 
 clamour : and pale fear gat hold of me, 
 lest the high goddess Persephone should 
 send me the head of the Gorgon, that 
 dread monster, from out of Hades. 
 184 
 
"Straightway then I went to the 
 ship, and bade my men mount the vessel, 
 and loose the hawsers. So speedily they 
 went on board, and sat upon the 
 benches. And the wave of the flood 
 bore the barque down the stream of 
 Oceanus, we rowing first, and afterwards 
 the fair wind was our convoy. . . . 
 
 " Meanwhile our good ship quickly 
 came to the island of the Sirens twain, 
 for a gentle breeze sped her on her way. 
 Then straightway the wind ceased, and 
 lo, there was a windless calm, and some 
 god lulled the waves. Then my com- 
 pany rose up and drew in the ship's 
 sails, and stowed them in the hold of the 
 ship, while they sat at the oars and 
 whitened the water with their polished 
 pine blades. But I with my sharp 
 sword cleft in pieces a great circle of 
 wax, and with my strong hands kneaded 
 it. And soon the wax grew warm, for 
 that my great might constrained it, and 
 the beam of the lord Helios, son of Hy- 
 perion. And I anointed therewith the 
 ears of all my men in their order, and in 
 the ship they bound me hand and foot 
 185 
 
upright in the mast-stead, and from the 
 mast they fastened rope-ends and them- 
 selves sat down, and smote the gray sea 
 water with their oars. But when the ship 
 was within the sound of a man's shout 
 from the land, we fleeing swiftly on our 
 way, the Sirens espied the swift ship 
 speeding toward them, and they raised 
 their clear-toned song : 
 
 " ' Hither, come hither, renowned 
 Odysseus, great glory of the Achaeans, 
 here stay thy barque, that thou mayest 
 listen to the voice of us twain. For 
 none hath ever driven by this way in his 
 black ship, till he hath heard from our 
 lips the voice sweet as the honeycomb, 
 and hath had joy thereof and gone on his 
 way the wiser. For lo, we know all 
 things, all the travail that in wide Troy- 
 land the Argives and Trojans bare by 
 the gods' designs, yea, and we know all 
 that shall hereafter be upon the fruitful 
 earth.' 
 
 *' So spake they uttering a sweet 
 
 voice, and my heart was fain to listen, 
 
 and I bade my company unbind me, 
 
 nodding at them with a frown, but they 
 
 i86 
 
bent to their oars and rowed on. Then 
 straight uprose Perimedes and Eury- 
 lochus and bound me with more cords 
 and straitened me yet the more. Now 
 when we had driven past them, nor 
 heard we any longer the sound of the 
 Sirens or their song, forthwith my dear 
 company took away the wax wherewith 
 I had anointed their ears and loosened 
 me from my bonds. . . . 
 
 " Next we began to sail up the nar- 
 row strait lamenting. For on the one 
 hand lay Scylla, and on the other 
 mighty Charybdis in terrible wise 
 sucked down the salt sea water. As of- 
 ten as she belched it forth, like a cauldron 
 on a great fire she would seethe up 
 through all her troubled deeps, and over- 
 head the spray fell on the tops of either 
 clifF. But oft as she gulped down the 
 salt sea water, within she was all plain 
 to see through her troubled deeps, and 
 the rock around roared horribly and be- 
 neath the earth was manifest swart with 
 sand, and pale fear gat hold on my men. 
 
 " Toward her, then, we looked fearing 
 destruction ; but Scylla meanwhile caught 
 187 
 
from out my hollow ship six of my 
 company, the hardiest of their hands 
 and the chief in might. And looking 
 into the swift ship to find my men, even 
 then I marked their feet and hands as 
 they were lifted on high, and they cried 
 aloud in their agony, and called me by 
 my name for that last time of all. Even 
 as when a fisher on some headland lets 
 down with a long rod his baits for a 
 snare to the little fishes below, casting 
 into the deep the horn of an ox of the 
 homestead, and as he catches each flings 
 it writhing ashore, so writhing were they 
 borne upward to the clifF. And there 
 she devoured them shrieking in her gates, 
 they stretching forth their hands to me in 
 the dread death-struggle. And the most 
 pitiful thing was this that mine eyes 
 have seen of all my travail in searching 
 out the paths of the sea. 
 
 "Now when we had escaped the Rocks 
 and dread Charybdis and Scylla, there- 
 after we soon came to the fair island of 
 the god ; where were the goodly kine, 
 broad of brow, and the many brave flocks 
 of Helios Hyperion. Then while as yet I 
 i88 
 
was in my black ship upon the deep, I 
 heard the lowing of the cattle being 
 stalled and the bleating of the sheep, and 
 on my mind there fell the saying of the 
 blind seer, Theban Teiresias, and of 
 Circe of Aia, who charged me very 
 straitly to shun the isle of Helios, the 
 gladdener of the world. Then I spake out 
 among my company in sorrow of heart : 
 
 " ' Hear my words, my men, albeit in 
 evil plight, that I may declare unto you 
 the oracles of Teiresias and of Circe of 
 Aia, who very straitly charged me to 
 shun the isle of Helios, the gladdener 
 of the world. For there she said the 
 most dreadful mischief would befal us. 
 Nay, drive ye then the black ship beyond 
 and past that isle.' 
 
 " So spake I, and their heart was 
 broken within them. And Eurylochus 
 straightway answered me sadly, saying : 
 
 " *■ Hardy art thou, Odysseus, of might 
 beyond measure, and thy limbs are never 
 weary ; verily thou art fashioned all of 
 iron, that sufferest not thy fellows, fore- 
 done with toil and drowsiness, to set foot 
 on shore, where we might presently 
 189 
 
 / 
 
prepare us a good supper in this sea- 
 girt island. But even as we are thou 
 biddest us fare blindly through the sud- 
 den night, and from the isle go wandering 
 on the misty deep.' . . . 
 
 " Then swiftly to Helios Hyperion 
 came Lampetie of the long robes, with 
 the tidings that we had slain his kine. 
 And straight he spake with angry heart 
 amid the Immortals : 
 
 " ' Father Zeus, and all ye other 
 blessed gods that live for ever, take ven- 
 geance I pray you on the company of 
 Odysseus, son of Laertes, that have 
 insolently slain my cattle, wherein I was 
 wont to be glad as I went toward the 
 starry heaven, and when I again turned 
 earthward from the firmament. And if 
 they pay me not full atonement for the 
 cattle, I will go down to Hades and shine 
 among the dead.' 
 
 " And Zeus the cloud-gatherer an- 
 swered him, saying : ' Helios, do thou, I 
 say, shine on amidst the deathless gods, 
 and amid mortal men upon the earth, the 
 grain-giver. But as for me, I will soon 
 smite their swift ship with my white 
 190 
 
bolt, and cleave it in pieces in the midst 
 of the wine-dark deep.' 
 
 " This I heard from Calypso of the fair 
 hair; and she said that she herself had 
 heard it from Hermes the Messenger. 
 
 " But when I had come down to the 
 ship and to the sea, I went up to my 
 companions and rebuked them one by 
 one ; but we could find no remedy, the 
 cattle were dead and gone. And soon 
 thereafter the gods showed forth signs 
 and wonders to my company. The 
 skins were creeping, and the flesh bellow- 
 ing upon the spits, both the roast and 
 raw, and there was a sound as the voice 
 of kine. 
 
 " Then for six days my dear company 
 feasted on the best of the kine of Helios 
 which they had driven off. But when 
 Zeus, son of Cronos, had added the 
 seventh day thereto, thereafter the wind 
 ceased to blow with a rushing storm, and 
 at once we climbed the ship and launched 
 into the broad deep, when we had set up 
 the mast and hoisted the white sails. 
 
 " But now when we left that isle nor 
 any other land appeared, but sky and 
 191 
 
sea only, even then the son of Cronos 
 stayed a dark cloud above the hollow 
 ship, and beneath it the deep darkened. 
 And the ship ran on her way for no long 
 while, for of a sudden came the shrilling 
 West, with the rushing of a great tem- 
 pest, and the blast of wind snapped the 
 two forestays of the mast, and the mast 
 fell backward and all the gear dropped 
 into the bilge. And behold, on the hind 
 part of the ship the mast struck the head 
 of the pilot and brake all the bones of his 
 skull together, and like a diver he dropt 
 down from the deck, and his brave spirit 
 left his bones. In that same hour Zeus 
 thundered and cast his bolt upon the ship, 
 and she reeled all over being stricken by 
 the bolt of Zeus, and was filled with 
 sulphur, and lo, my company fell from 
 out the vessel. Like sea-gulls they were 
 borne round the black ship upon the bil- 
 lows, and the god reft them of returning. 
 " But I kept pacing through my ship, 
 till the surge loosened the sides from the 
 keel, and the wave swept her along stript 
 of her tackling, and brake her mast clean 
 off at the keel. Now the backstay fash- 
 192 
 
ioned of an oxhide had been flung thereon; 
 therewith I lashed together both keel and 
 mast, and sitting thereon I was borne by 
 the ruinous winds. 
 
 " Then verily the West Wind ceased 
 to blow with a rushing storm, and 
 swiftly withal the South Wind came, 
 bringing sorrow to my soul, that so I 
 might again measure back that space 
 of sea, the way to deadly Charybdis. All 
 the night was I borne, but with the 
 rising of the sun I came to the rock of 
 Scylla, and to dread Charybdis. Now 
 she had sucked down her salt sea water, 
 when I was swung up on high to the 
 tall fig-tree whereto I clung like a bat, 
 and could find no sure rest for my feet 
 nor place to stand, for the roots spread 
 far below and the branches hung aloft 
 out of reach, long and large, and over- 
 shadowed Charybdis. Steadfast I clung 
 till she should spew forth mast and keel 
 again ; and late they came to my desire. 
 At the hour when a man rises up from 
 the assembly and goes to supper, one 
 who judges the many quarrels of the 
 young men that seek to him for law, at 
 193 
 
that same hour those timbers came forth 
 to view from out Charybdis. And I let 
 myself drop down hands and feet, and 
 plunged heavily in the midst of the waters 
 beyond the long timbers, and sitting on 
 these I rowed hard with my hands. But 
 the father of gods and of men suffered me 
 no more to behold Scylla, else I should 
 never have escaped from utter doom. 
 
 " Thence for nine days was I borne, 
 and on the tenth night the gods brought 
 me nigh to the isle of Ogygia, where 
 dwells Calypso of the braided tresses, an 
 awful goddess of mortal speech, who 
 took me in and entreated me kindly. 
 But why rehearse all this tale ? For 
 even yesterday I told it to thee and to thy 
 noble wife in thy house ; and it liketh 
 me not twice to tell a plain-told tale." 
 
 194 
 
XVIII. 
 
 ODYSSEUS' FAREWELL TO 
 THE PHAEACIANS 
 
 So spake he, and dead silence fell on 
 all, and they were spell-bound throughout 
 the shadowy halls. Thereupon Alcinous 
 answered him, and spake, saying : 
 
 " Odysseus, now that thou hast come 
 to my high house with floor of bronze, 
 never, methinks, shalt thou be driven 
 I9S 
 
from thy way ere thou returnest, though 
 thou hast been sore afflicted. And for 
 each man among you, that in these halls 
 of mine drink evermore the dark wine 
 of the elders, and hearken to the min- 
 strel, this is my word and command. 
 Garments for the stranger are already 
 laid up in a polished coffer, with gold 
 curiously wrought, and all other such gifts 
 as the counsellors of the Phaeacians bare 
 hither. Come now, let us each of us 
 give him a great tripod and a cauldron, and 
 we in turn will gather goods among 
 the people and get us recompense ; for 
 it were hard that one man should give 
 without return." 
 
 So spake Alcinous, and the saying 
 pleased them well. Then they went 
 each one to his house to lay him down 
 to rest ; but so soon as early Dawn 
 shone forth, the rosy-fingered, they 
 hasted to the ship and bare the bronze, 
 the joy of men. And the mighty king 
 Alcinous himself went about the ship 
 and diligently bestowed the gifts beneath 
 the benches, that they might not hinder 
 any of the crew in their rowing, when 
 196 
 
they laboured at their oars. Then they 
 betook them to the house of Alcinous 
 and fell to feasting. And the mighty 
 king Alcinous sacrificed before them an 
 ox to Zeus, the son of Cronos, that 
 dwells in the dark clouds, who is lord of 
 all. And when they had burnt the 
 pieces of the thighs, they shared the 
 glorious feast and made merry, and 
 among them harped the divine minstrel 
 Demodocus, whom the people honoured. 
 
 But Odysseus would ever turn his head 
 toward the splendour of the sun, as one 
 fain to hasten his setting : for verily he 
 was most eager to return. And as when 
 a man longs for his supper, for whom all 
 day long two dark oxen drag through the 
 fallow field the jointed plough, yea and 
 welcome to such an one the sunlight 
 sinketh, that so he may get him to sup- 
 per, for his knees wax faint by the way, 
 even so welcome was the sinking of the 
 sunlight to Odysseus. Then straight he 
 spake among the Phaeacians, masters 
 of the oar, and to Alcinous in chief he 
 made known his word, saying : 
 
 " My lord Alcinous, most notable of 
 197 
 
all the people, pour ye a drink ofFering, 
 and send me safe upon my way, and as 
 for you, fare ye well. For now have 
 I all that my heart desired, an escort and 
 loving gifts. May the gods of heaven 
 give me good fortune with them, and 
 may I find my noble wife in my home 
 with my friends unharmed, while ye, for 
 your part, abide here and make glad your 
 wedded wives and children ; and may the 
 gods vouchsafe all manner of good, and 
 may no evil come nigh the people ! " 
 
 So spake he, and they all consented 
 thereto and bade send the stranger on 
 his way, in that he had spoken aright. 
 Then the mighty Alcinous spake to the 
 henchman : " Pontonous, mix the bowl 
 and serve out the wine to all in the hall, 
 that we may pray to Father Zeus, and 
 send the stranger on his way to his own 
 country." 
 
 So spake he, and Pontonous mixed the 
 honey-hearted wine, and served it to all 
 in turn. And they poured forth before 
 the blessed gods that keep wide heaven, 
 even there as they sat. Then goodly 
 Odysseus uprose, and placed in Arete's 
 198 
 
hand the two-handled cup, and uttering 
 his voice spake to her winged words : 
 
 *' Fare thee well, O queen, all the 
 days of thy life, till old age come and 
 death, that visit all mankind. But I go 
 homeward, and do thou in this thy house 
 rejoice in thy children and thy people and 
 Alcinous the king." 
 
 Therewith goodly Odysseus stept over 
 the threshold. And with him the mighty 
 Alcinous sent forth a henchman to 
 guide him to the swift ship and the sea- 
 banks. And Arete sent in his train 
 certain maidens of her household, one 
 bearing a fresh robe and a doublet, 
 and another she joined to them to carry 
 the strong coffer, and yet another bare 
 bread and red wine. Now when they 
 had come down to the ship and to the 
 sea, straightway the good men of the es- 
 cort took these things and laid them by 
 in the hollow ship, even all the meat and 
 drink. Then they strewed for Odysseus 
 a rug and a sheet of linen, on the decks 
 of the hollow ship in the hinder part 
 thereof, that he might sleep sound. 
 
 Then he too climbed aboard and 
 199 
 
laid him down in silence, while they 
 sat upon the benches, every man in or- 
 der, and unbound the hawser from the 
 pierced stone. So soon as they leant 
 backwards and tossed the sea water with 
 the oar blade, a deep sleep fell upon his 
 eyelids, a sound sleep, very sweet, and 
 next akin to death. And even as on a 
 plain a yoke of four stallions comes 
 springing all together beneath the lash, 
 leaping high and speedily accomplishing 
 the way, so leaped the stern of that ship, 
 and the dark wave of the sounding sea 
 rushed mightily in the wake, and she 
 ran ever surely on her way, nor could 
 a circling hawk keep pace with her, of 
 winged things the swiftest. Even thus 
 she lightly sped and cleft the waves of 
 the sea, bearing a man whose counsel 
 was as the counsel of the gods, one that 
 erewhile had suffered much sorrow of 
 heart, in passing through the wars 
 of men, and the grievous waves ; but 
 for that time he slept in peace, forgetful 
 of all that he had suffered. 
 
 So when the star came up, that is 
 brightest of all, and goes ever heralding 
 200 
 
the light of early Dawn, even then did 
 the sea-faring ship draw nigh the is- 
 land. There is in the land of Ithaca 
 a certain haven of Phorcys, the ancient 
 one of the sea, and thereby are two 
 headlands of sheer clifF, which slope to 
 the sea on the haven's side and break 
 the mighty wave that ill winds roll with- 
 out, but within, the decked ships ride 
 unmoored when once they have attained 
 to that landing place. Now at the har- 
 bour's head is a long-leaved olive tree, 
 and hard by is a pleasant cave and 
 shadowy, sacred to the nymphs, that 
 are called the Naiads. And therein 
 are mixing bowls and jars of stone, and 
 there moreover do bees hive. And there 
 are great looms of stone, whereon the 
 nymphs weave raiment of purple stain, a 
 marvel to behold, and therein are waters 
 welling evermore. Two gates there are 
 to the cave, the one set toward the North 
 Wind whereby men may go down, but the 
 portals toward the South pertain rather 
 to the gods, whereby men may not enter : 
 it is the way of the immortals. 
 
 Thither they, as having knowledge of 
 201 
 
that place, let drive their ship ; and now 
 the vessel in full course ran ashore, half 
 her keel's length high ; so well was she 
 sped by the hands of the oarsmen. Then 
 they alighted from the benched ship 
 upon the land, and first they lifted Odys- 
 seus from out the hollow ship, all as he 
 was in the sheet of linen and the bright 
 rug, and laid him yet heavy with slum- 
 ber on the sand. And they took forth 
 the goods which the lordly Phaeacians 
 had given him on his homeward way by 
 grace of the great hearted Athene. These 
 they set in a heap by the trunk of 
 the olive tree, a little aside from the 
 road, lest some wayfaring man, before 
 Odysseus awakened, should come and 
 spoil them. Then themselves departed 
 homeward again. 
 
 ^«^^ 
 
 ^^^^^7S^M{SSj^s^'=^^ 
 
 202 
 
U.C.BERKELEY LIBRARIES 
 
 CDSaflSDSBD