s: was angry with him and killed him because he challenged him as


s: an archer. I can throw a dart farther than any one else can


s: shoot an arrow. Running is the only point in respect of which I


s: am afraid some of the Phaeacians might beat me, for I have been


s: brought down very low at sea; my provisions ran short, and


s: They all held their peace except King Alcinous, who began, "Sir,


s: we have had much pleasure in hearing all that you have told us,


s: from which I understand that you are willing to show your


s: prowess, as having been displeased with some insolent remarks


s: that have been made to you by one of our athletes, and which


s: could never have been uttered by any one who knows how to talk


s: with propriety. I hope you will apprehend my meaning, and will


s: explain to any one of your chief men who may be dining with


s: yourself and your family when you get home, that we have an


s: hereditary aptitude for accomplishments of all kinds. We are not


s: particularly remarkable for our boxing, nor yet as wrestlers,


s: but we are singularly fleet of foot and are excellent sailors.


s: We are extremely fond of good dinners, music, and dancing; we


s: also like frequent changes of linen, warm baths, and good beds,


s: so now, please, some of you who are the best dancers set about


s: dancing, that our guest on his return home may be able to tell


s: his friends how much we surpass all other nations as sailors,


s: runners, dancers, and minstrels. Demodocus has left his lyre at


s: my house, so run some one or other of you and fetch it for him."


s: On this a servant hurried off to bring the lyre from the king's


s: house, and the nine men who had been chosen as stewards stood


s: forward. It was their business to manage everything connected


s: with the sports, so they made the ground smooth and marked a


s: wide space for the dancers.  Presently the servant came back


s: with Demodocus's lyre, and he took his place in the midst of


s: them, whereon the best young dancers in the town began to foot


s: and trip it so nimbly that Ulysses was delighted with the merry


s: Meanwhile the bard began to sing the loves of Mars and Venus,


s: and how they first began their intrigue in the house of Vulcan.


s: Mars made Venus many presents, and defiled King Vulcan's


s: marriage bed, so the sun, who saw what they were about, told


s: Vulcan. Vulcan was very angry when he heard such dreadful news,


s: so he went to his smithy brooding mischief, got his great anvil


s: into its place, and began to forge some chains which none could


s: either unloose or break, so that they might stay there in that


s: place. {69} When he had finished his snare he went into his


s: bedroom and festooned the bed-posts all over with chains like


s: cobwebs; he also let many hang down from the great beam of the


s: ceiling. Not even a god could see them so fine and subtle were


s: they. As soon as he had spread the chains all over the bed, he


s: made as though he were setting out for the fair state of Lemnos,


s: which of all places in the world was the one he was most fond


s: of. But Mars kept no blind look out, and as soon as he saw him


s: start, hurried off to his house, burning with love for Venus.


s: Now Venus was just come in from a visit to her father Jove, and


s: was about sitting down when Mars came inside the house, and said


s: as he took her hand in his own, "Let us go to the couch of


s: Vulcan: he is not at home, but is gone off to Lemnos among the


s: She was nothing loth, so they went to the couch to take their


s: rest, whereon they were caught in the toils which cunning Vulcan


s: had spread for them, and could neither get up nor stir hand or


s: foot, but found too late that they were in a trap. Then Vulcan


s: came up to them, for he had turned back before reaching Lemnos,


s: when his scout the sun told him what was going on. He was in a


s: furious passion, and stood in the vestibule making a dreadful


s: "Father Jove," he cried, "and all you other blessed gods who


s: live for ever, come here and see the ridiculous and disgraceful


s: sight that I will show you. Jove's daughter Venus is always


s: dishonouring me because I am lame. She is in love with Mars, who


s: is handsome and clean built, whereas I am a cripple--but my


s: parents are to blame for that, not I; they ought never to have


s: begotten me. Come and see the pair together asleep on my bed. It


s: makes me furious to look at them. They are very fond of one


s: another, but I do not think they will lie there longer than they


s: can help, nor do I think that they will sleep much; there,


s: however, they shall stay till her father has repaid me the sum I


s: gave him for his baggage of a daughter, who is fair but not


s: On this the gods gathered to the house of Vulcan.


s: Earth-encircling Neptune came, and Mercury the bringer of luck,


s: and King Apollo, but the goddesses staid at home all of them for


s: shame. Then the givers of all good things stood in the doorway,


s: and the blessed gods roared with inextinguishable laughter, as


s: they saw how cunning Vulcan had been, whereon one would turn


s: "Ill deeds do not prosper, and the weak confound the strong. See


s: how limping Vulcan, lame as he is, has caught Mars who is the


s: fleetest god in heaven; and now Mars will be cast in heavy


s: Thus did they converse, but King Apollo said to Mercury,


s: "Messenger Mercury, giver of good things, you would not care how


s: strong the chains were, would you, if you could sleep with


s: "King Apollo," answered Mercury, "I only wish I might get the


s: chance, though there were three times as many chains--and you


s: might look on, all of you, gods and goddesses, but I would sleep


s: The immortal gods burst out laughing as they heard him, but


s: Neptune took it all seriously, and kept on imploring Vulcan to


s: set Mars free again. "Let him go," he cried, "and I will


s: undertake, as you require, that he shall pay you all the damages


s: that are held reasonable among the immortal gods."


s: "Do not," replied Vulcan, "ask me to do this; a bad man's bond


s: is bad security; what remedy could I enforce against you if Mars


s: should go away and leave his debts behind him along with his


s: "Vulcan," said Neptune, "if Mars goes away without paying his


s: damages, I will pay you myself." So Vulcan answered, "In this


s: Thereon he loosed the bonds that bound them, and as soon as they


s: were free they scampered off, Mars to Thrace and laughter-loving


s: Venus to Cyprus and to Paphos, where is her grove and her altar


s: fragrant with burnt offerings.  Here the Graces bathed her, and


s: anointed her with oil of ambrosia such as the immortal gods make


s: use of, and they clothed her in raiment of the most enchanting


s: Thus sang the bard, and both Ulysses and the seafaring


s: Phaeacians were charmed as they heard him.


s: Then Alcinous told Laodamas and Halius to dance alone, for there


s: was no one to compete with them. So they took a red ball which


s: Polybus had made for them, and one of them bent himself


s: backwards and threw it up towards the clouds, while the other


s: jumped from off the ground and caught it with ease before it


s: came down again. When they had done throwing the ball straight


s: up into the air they began to dance, and at the same time kept


s: on throwing it backwards and forwards to one another, while all


s: the young men in the ring applauded and made a great stamping


s: "King Alcinous, you said your people were the nimblest dancers


s: in the world, and indeed they have proved themselves to be so. I


s: The king was delighted at this, and exclaimed to the Phaeacians,


s: "Aldermen and town councillors, our guest seems to be a person


s: of singular judgement; let us give him such proof of our


s: hospitality as he may reasonably expect.  There are twelve chief


s: men among you, and counting myself there are thirteen;


s: contribute, each of you, a clean cloak, a shirt, and a talent of


s: fine gold; let us give him all this in a lump down at once, so


s: that when he gets his supper he may do so with a light heart. As


s: for Euryalus he will have to make a formal apology and a present


s: Thus did he speak. The others all of them applauded his saying,


s: and sent their servants to fetch the presents.  Then Euryalus


s: said, "King Alcinous, I will give the stranger all the


s: satisfaction you require. He shall have my sword, which is of


s: bronze, all but the hilt, which is of silver. I will also give


s: him the scabbard of newly sawn ivory into which it fits. It will


s: As he spoke he placed the sword in the hands of Ulysses and


s: said, "Good luck to you, father stranger; if anything has been


s: said amiss may the winds blow it away with them, and may heaven


s: grant you a safe return, for I understand you have been long


s: away from home, and have gone through much hardship."


s: To which Ulysses answered, "Good luck to you too my friend, and


s: may the gods grant you every happiness. I hope you will not miss


s: the sword you have given me along with your apology."


s: With these words he girded the sword about his shoulders and


s: towards sundown the presents began to make their appearance, as


s: the servants of the donors kept bringing them to the house of


s: King Alcinous; here his sons received them, and placed them


s: under their mother's charge. Then Alcinous led the way to the


s: house and bade his guests take their seats.


s: "Wife," said he, turning to Queen Arete, "Go, fetch the best


s: chest we have, and put a clean cloak and shirt in it.  Also, set


s: a copper on the fire and heat some water; our guest will take a


s: warm bath; see also to the careful packing of the presents that


s: the noble Phaeacians have made him; he will thus better enjoy


s: both his supper and the singing that will follow. I shall myself


s: give him this golden goblet--which is of exquisite


s: workmanship--that he may be reminded of me for the rest of his


s: life whenever he makes a drink offering to Jove, or to any of


s: Then Arete told her maids to set a large tripod upon the fire as


s: fast as they could, whereon they set a tripod full of bath water


s: on to a clear fire; they threw on sticks to make it blaze, and


s: the water became hot as the flame played about the belly of the


s: tripod. {71} Meanwhile Arete brought a magnificent chest from


s: her own room, and inside it she packed all the beautiful


s: presents of gold and raiment which the Phaeacians had brought.


s: Lastly she added a cloak and a good shirt from Alcinous, and


s: "See to the lid yourself, and have the whole bound round at


s: once, for fear any one should rob you by the way when you are


s: When Ulysses heard this he put the lid on the chest and made it


s: fast with a bond that Circe had taught him. He had done so


s: before an upper servant told him to come to the bath and wash


s: himself. He was very glad of a warm bath, for he had had no one


s: to wait upon him ever since he left the house of Calypso, who as


s: long as he remained with her had taken as good care of him as


s: though he had been a god.  When the servants had done washing


s: and anointing him with oil, and had given him a clean cloak and


s: shirt, he left the bath room and joined the guests who were


s: sitting over their wine. Lovely Nausicaa stood by one of the


s: bearing-posts supporting the roof of the cloister, and admired


s: him as she saw him pass. "Farewell stranger," said she, "do not


s: forget me when you are safe at home again, for it is to me first


s: that you owe a ransom for having saved your life."


s: And Ulysses said, "Nausicaa, daughter of great Alcinous, may


s: Jove the mighty husband of Juno, grant that I may reach my home;


s: so shall I bless you as my guardian angel all my days, for it


s: When he had said this, he seated himself beside Alcinous.


s: Supper was then served, and the wine was mixed for drinking. A


s: servant led in the favourite bard Demodocus, and set him in the


s: midst of the company, near one of the bearing-posts supporting


s: the cloister, that he might lean against it. Then Ulysses cut


s: off a piece of roast pork with plenty of fat (for there was


s: abundance left on the joint) and said to a servant, "Take this


s: piece of pork over to Demodocus and tell him to eat it; for all


s: the pain his lays may cause me I will salute him none the less;


s: bards are honoured and respected throughout the world, for the


s: muse teaches them their songs and loves them."


s: The servant carried the pork in his fingers over to Demodocus,


s: who took it and was very much pleased. They then laid their


s: hands on the good things that were before them, and as soon as


s: they had had to eat and drink, Ulysses said to Demodocus,


s: "Demodocus, there is no one in the world whom I admire more than


s: I do you. You must have studied under the Muse, Jove's daughter,


s: and under Apollo, so accurately do you sing the return of the


s: Achaeans with all their sufferings and adventures. If you were


s: not there yourself, you must have heard it all from some one who


s: was. Now, however, change your song and tell us of the wooden


s: horse which Epeus made with the assistance of Minerva, and which


s: Ulysses got by stratagem into the fort of Troy after freighting


s: it with the men who afterwards sacked the city. If you will sing


s: this tale aright I will tell all the world how magnificently


s: The bard inspired of heaven took up the story at the point where


s: some of the Argives set fire to their tents and sailed away


s: while others, hidden within the horse, {73} were waiting with


s: Ulysses in the Trojan place of assembly. For the Trojans


s: themselves had drawn the horse into their fortress, and it stood


s: there while they sat in council round it, and were in three


s: minds as to what they should do. Some were for breaking it up


s: then and there; others would have it dragged to the top of the


s: rock on which the fortress stood, and then thrown down the


s: precipice; while yet others were for letting it remain as an


s: offering and propitiation for the gods. And this was how they


s: settled it in the end, for the city was doomed when it took in


s: that horse, within which were all the bravest of the Argives


s: waiting to bring death and destruction on the Trojans. Anon he


s: sang how the sons of the Achaeans issued from the horse, and


s: sacked the town, breaking out from their ambuscade. He sang how


s: they overran the city hither and thither and ravaged it, and how


s: Ulysses went raging like Mars along with Menelaus to the house


s: of Deiphobus. It was there that the fight raged most furiously,


s: nevertheless by Minerva's help he was victorious.


s: All this he told, but Ulysses was overcome as he heard him, and


s: his cheeks were wet with tears. He wept as a woman weeps when


s: she throws herself on the body of her husband who has fallen


s: before his own city and people, fighting bravely in defence of


s: his home and children. She screams aloud and flings her arms


s: about him as he lies gasping for breath and dying, but her


s: enemies beat her from behind about the back and shoulders, and


s: carry her off into slavery, to a life of labour and sorrow, and


s: the beauty fades from her cheeks--even so piteously did Ulysses


s: weep, but none of those present perceived his tears except


s: Alcinous, who was sitting near him, and could hear the sobs and


s: sighs that he was heaving. The king, therefore, at once rose and


s: "Aldermen and town councillors of the Phaeacians, let Demodocus


s: cease his song, for there are those present who do not seem to


s: like it. From the moment that we had done supper and Demodocus


s: began to sing, our guest has been all the time groaning and


s: lamenting. He is evidently in great trouble, so let the bard


s: leave off, that we may all enjoy ourselves, hosts and guest


s: alike. This will be much more as it should be, for all these


s: festivities, with the escort and the presents that we are making


s: with so much good will are wholly in his honour, and any one


s: with even a moderate amount of right feeling knows that he ought


s: to treat a guest and a suppliant as though he were his own


s: "Therefore, Sir, do you on your part affect no more concealment


s: nor reserve in the matter about which I shall ask you; it will


s: be more polite in you to give me a plain answer; tell me the


s: name by which your father and mother over yonder used to call


s: you, and by which you were known among your neighbours and


s: fellow-citizens. There is no one, neither rich nor poor, who is


s: absolutely without any name whatever, for people's fathers and


s: mothers give them names as soon as they are born. Tell me also


s: your country, nation, and city, that our ships may shape their


s: purpose accordingly and take you there. For the Phaeacians have


s: no pilots; their vessels have no rudders as those of other


s: nations have, but the ships themselves understand what it is


s: that we are thinking about and want; they know all the cities


s: and countries in the whole world, and can traverse the sea just


s: as well even when it is covered with mist and cloud, so that


s: there is no danger of being wrecked or coming to any harm. Still


s: I do remember hearing my father say that Neptune was angry with


s: us for being too easy-going in the matter of giving people


s: escorts. He said that one of these days he should wreck a ship


s: of ours as it was returning from having escorted some one, {74}


s: and bury our city under a high mountain. This is what my father


s: used to say, but whether the god will carry out his threat or no


s: is a matter which he will decide for himself.


s: "And now, tell me and tell me true. Where have you been


s: wandering, and in what countries have you travelled? Tell us of


s: the peoples themselves, and of their cities--who were hostile,


s: savage and uncivilised, and who, on the other hand, hospitable


s: and humane. Tell us also why you are made so unhappy on hearing


s: about the return of the Argive Danaans from Troy. The gods


s: arranged all this, and sent them their misfortunes in order that


s: future generations might have something to sing about. Did you


s: lose some brave kinsman of your wife's when you were before


s: Troy? a son-in-law or father-in-law--which are the nearest


s: relations a man has outside his own flesh and blood? or was it


s: some brave and kindly-natured comrade--for a good friend is as


s: And Ulysses answered, "King Alcinous, it is a good thing to hear


s: a bard with such a divine voice as this man has.  There is


s: nothing better or more delightful than when a whole people make


s: merry together, with the guests sitting orderly to listen, while


s: the table is loaded with bread and meats, and the cup-bearer


s: draws wine and fills his cup for every man. This is indeed as


s: fair a sight as a man can see. Now, however, since you are


s: inclined to ask the story of my sorrows, and rekindle my own sad


s: memories in respect of them, I do not know how to begin, nor yet


s: how to continue and conclude my tale, for the hand of heaven has


s: "Firstly, then, I will tell you my name that you too may know


s: it, and one day, if I outlive this time of sorrow, may become my


s: guests though I live so far away from all of you. I am Ulysses


s: son of Laertes, renowned among mankind for all manner of


s: subtlety, so that my fame ascends to heaven. I live in Ithaca,


s: where there is a high mountain called Neritum, covered with


s: forests; and not far from it there is a group of islands very


s: near to one another--Dulichium, Same, and the wooded island of


s: Zacynthus. It lies squat on the horizon, all highest up in the


s: sea towards the sunset, while the others lie away from it


s: towards dawn. {75} It is a rugged island, but it breeds brave


s: men, and my eyes know none that they better love to look upon.


s: The goddess Calypso kept me with her in her cave, and wanted me


s: to marry her, as did also the cunning Aeaean goddess Circe; but


s: they could neither of them persuade me, for there is nothing


s: dearer to a man than his own country and his parents, and


s: however splendid a home he may have in a foreign country, if it


s: be far from father or mother, he does not care about it. Now,


s: however, I will tell you of the many hazardous adventures which


s: by Jove's will I met with on my return from Troy.


s: "When I had set sail thence the wind took me first to Ismarus,


s: which is the city of the Cicons. There I sacked the town and put


s: the people to the sword. We took their wives and also much


s: booty, which we divided equitably amongst us, so that none might


s: have reason to complain. I then said that we had better make off


s: at once, but my men very foolishly would not obey me, so they


s: staid there drinking much wine and killing great numbers of


s: sheep and oxen on the sea shore. Meanwhile the Cicons cried out


s: for help to other Cicons who lived inland. These were more in


s: number, and stronger, and they were more skilled in the art of


s: war, for they could fight, either from chariots or on foot as


s: the occasion served; in the morning, therefore, they came as


s: thick as leaves and bloom in summer, and the hand of heaven was


s: against us, so that we were hard pressed. They set the battle in


s: array near the ships, and the hosts aimed their bronze-shod


s: spears at one another. {76} So long as the day waxed and it was


s: still morning, we held our own against them, though they were


s: more in number than we; but as the sun went down, towards the


s: time when men loose their oxen, the Cicons got the better of us,


s: and we lost half a dozen men from every ship we had; so we got


s: "Thence we sailed onward with sorrow in our hearts, but glad to


s: have escaped death though we had lost our comrades, nor did we


s: leave till we had thrice invoked each one of the poor fellows


s: who had perished by the hands of the Cicons. Then Jove raised


s: the North wind against us till it blew a hurricane, so that land


s: and sky were hidden in thick clouds, and night sprang forth out


s: of the heavens. We let the ships run before the gale, but the


s: force of the wind tore our sails to tatters, so we took them


s: down for fear of shipwreck, and rowed our hardest towards the


s: land. There we lay two days and two nights suffering much alike


s: from toil and distress of mind, but on the morning of the third


s: day we again raised our masts, set sail, and took our places,


s: letting the wind and steersmen direct our ship. I should have


s: got home at that time unharmed had not the North wind and the


s: currents been against me as I was doubling Cape Malea, and set


s: me off my course hard by the island of Cythera.


s: "I was driven thence by foul winds for a space of nine days upon


s: the sea, but on the tenth day we reached the land of the


s: Lotus-eaters, who live on a food that comes from a kind of


s: flower. Here we landed to take in fresh water, and our crews got


s: their mid-day meal on the shore near the ships.  When they had


s: eaten and drunk I sent two of my company to see what manner of


s: men the people of the place might be, and they had a third man


s: under them. They started at once, and went about among the


s: Lotus-eaters, who did them no hurt, but gave them to eat of the


s: lotus, which was so delicious that those who ate of it left off


s: caring about home, and did not even want to go back and say what


s: had happened to them, but were for staying and munching lotus


s: {77} with the Lotus-eaters without thinking further of their


s: return; nevertheless, though they wept bitterly I forced them


s: back to the ships and made them fast under the benches. Then I


s: told the rest to go on board at once, lest any of them should


s: taste of the lotus and leave off wanting to get home, so they


s: took their places and smote the grey sea with their oars.


s: "We sailed hence, always in much distress, till we came to the


s: land of the lawless and inhuman Cyclopes. Now the Cyclopes


s: neither plant nor plough, but trust in providence, and live on


s: such wheat, barley, and grapes as grow wild without any kind of


s: tillage, and their wild grapes yield them wine as the sun and


s: the rain may grow them. They have no laws nor assemblies of the


s: people, but live in caves on the tops of high mountains; each is


s: lord and master in his family, and they take no account of their


s: "Now off their harbour there lies a wooded and fertile island


s: not quite close to the land of the Cyclopes, but still not far.


s: It is over-run with wild goats, that breed there in great


s: numbers and are never disturbed by foot of man; for


s: sportsmen--who as a rule will suffer so much hardship in forest


s: or among mountain precipices--do not go there, nor yet again is


s: it ever ploughed or fed down, but it lies a wilderness untilled


s: and unsown from year to year, and has no living thing upon it


s: but only goats. For the Cyclopes have no ships, nor yet


s: shipwrights who could make ships for them; they cannot therefore


s: go from city to city, or sail over the sea to one another's


s: country as people who have ships can do; if they had had these


s: they would have colonised the island, {78} for it is a very good


s: one, and would yield everything in due season. There are meadows


s: that in some places come right down to the sea shore, well


s: watered and full of luscious grass; grapes would do there


s: excellently; there is level land for ploughing, and it would


s: always yield heavily at harvest time, for the soil is deep.


s: There is a good harbour where no cables are wanted, nor yet


s: anchors, nor need a ship be moored, but all one has to do is to


s: beach one's vessel and stay there till the wind becomes fair for


s: putting out to sea again. At the head of the harbour there is a


s: spring of clear water coming out of a cave, and there are


s: "Here we entered, but so dark was the night that some god must


s: have brought us in, for there was nothing whatever to be seen. A


s: thick mist hung all round our ships; {79} the moon was hidden


s: behind a mass of clouds so that no one could have seen the


s: island if he had looked for it, nor were there any breakers to


s: tell us we were close in shore before we found ourselves upon


s: the land itself; when, however, we had beached the ships, we


s: took down the sails, went ashore and camped upon the beach till


s: "When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, we


s: admired the island and wandered all over it, while the nymphs


s: Jove's daughters roused the wild goats that we might get some


s: meat for our dinner. On this we fetched our spears and bows and


s: arrows from the ships, and dividing ourselves into three bands


s: began to shoot the goats. Heaven sent us excellent sport; I had


s: twelve ships with me, and each ship got nine goats, while my own


s: ship had ten; thus through the livelong day to the going down of


s: the sun we ate and drank our fill, and we had plenty of wine


s: left, for each one of us had taken many jars full when we sacked


s: the city of the Cicons, and this had not yet run out. While we


s: were feasting we kept turning our eyes towards the land of the


s: Cyclopes, which was hard by, and saw the smoke of their stubble


s: fires. We could almost fancy we heard their voices and the


s: bleating of their sheep and goats, but when the sun went down


s: and it came on dark, we camped down upon the beach, and next


s: "'Stay here, my brave fellows,' said I, 'all the rest of you,


s: while I go with my ship and exploit these people myself: I want


s: to see if they are uncivilised savages, or a hospitable and


s: "I went on board, bidding my men to do so also and loose the


s: hawsers; so they took their places and smote the grey sea with


s: their oars. When we got to the land, which was not far, there,


s: on the face of a cliff near the sea, we saw a great cave


s: overhung with laurels. It was a station for a great many sheep


s: and goats, and outside there was a large yard, with a high wall


s: round it made of stones built into the ground and of trees both


s: pine and oak. This was the abode of a huge monster who was then


s: away from home shepherding his flocks. He would have nothing to


s: do with other people, but led the life of an outlaw. He was a


s: horrid creature, not like a human being at all, but resembling


s: rather some crag that stands out boldly against the sky on the


s: "I told my men to draw the ship ashore, and stay where they


s: were, all but the twelve best among them, who were to go along


s: with myself. I also took a goatskin of sweet black wine which


s: had been given me by Maron, son of Euanthes, who was priest of


s: Apollo the patron god of Ismarus, and lived within the wooded


s: precincts of the temple. When we were sacking the city we


s: respected him, and spared his life, as also his wife and child;


s: so he made me some presents of great value--seven talents of


s: fine gold, and a bowl of silver, with twelve jars of sweet wine,


s: unblended, and of the most exquisite flavour. Not a man nor maid


s: in the house knew about it, but only himself, his wife, and one


s: housekeeper: when he drank it he mixed twenty parts of water to


s: one of wine, and yet the fragrance from the mixing-bowl was so


s: exquisite that it was impossible to refrain from drinking. I


s: filled a large skin with this wine, and took a wallet full of


s: provisions with me, for my mind misgave me that I might have to


s: deal with some savage who would be of great strength, and would


s: "We soon reached his cave, but he was out shepherding, so we


s: went inside and took stock of all that we could see.  His


s: cheese-racks were loaded with cheeses, and he had more lambs and


s: kids than his pens could hold. They were kept in separate


s: flocks; first there were the hoggets, then the oldest of the


s: younger lambs and lastly the very young ones {80} all kept apart


s: from one another; as for his dairy, all the vessels, bowls, and


s: milk pails into which he milked, were swimming with whey. When


s: they saw all this, my men begged me to let them first steal some


s: cheeses, and make off with them to the ship; they would then


s: return, drive down the lambs and kids, put them on board and


s: sail away with them.  It would have been indeed better if we had


s: done so but I would not listen to them, for I wanted to see the


s: owner himself, in the hope that he might give me a present.


s: When, however, we saw him my poor men found him ill to deal


s: "We lit a fire, offered some of the cheeses in sacrifice, ate


s: others of them, and then sat waiting till the Cyclops should


s: come in with his sheep. When he came, he brought in with him a


s: huge load of dry firewood to light the fire for his supper, and


s: this he flung with such a noise on to the floor of his cave that


s: we hid ourselves for fear at the far end of the cavern.


s: Meanwhile he drove all the ewes inside, as well as the she-goats


s: that he was going to milk, leaving the males, both rams and


s: he-goats, outside in the yards. Then he rolled a huge stone to


s: the mouth of the cave--so huge that two and twenty strong


s: four-wheeled waggons would not be enough to draw it from its


s: place against the doorway. When he had so done he sat down and


s: milked his ewes and goats, all in due course, and then let each


s: of them have her own young. He curdled half the milk and set it


s: aside in wicker strainers, but the other half he poured into


s: bowls that he might drink it for his supper. When he had got


s: through with all his work, he lit the fire, and then caught


s: "'Strangers, who are you? Where do sail from? Are you traders,


s: or do you sail the sea as rovers, with your hands against every


s: "We were frightened out of our senses by his loud voice and


s: monstrous form, but I managed to say, 'We are Achaeans on our


s: way home from Troy, but by the will of Jove, and stress of


s: weather, we have been driven far out of our course. We are the


s: people of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, who has won infinite renown


s: throughout the whole world, by sacking so great a city and


s: killing so many people. We therefore humbly pray you to show us


s: some hospitality, and otherwise make us such presents as


s: visitors may reasonably expect. May your excellency fear the


s: wrath of heaven, for we are your suppliants, and Jove takes all


s: respectable travellers under his protection, for he is the


s: avenger of all suppliants and foreigners in distress.'


s: "To this he gave me but a pitiless answer, 'Stranger,' said he,


s: 'you are a fool, or else you know nothing of this country. Talk


s: to me, indeed, about fearing the gods or shunning their anger?


s: We Cyclopes do not care about Jove or any of your blessed gods,


s: for we are ever so much stronger than they. I shall not spare


s: either yourself or your companions out of any regard for Jove,


s: unless I am in the humour for doing so. And now tell me where


s: you made your ship fast when you came on shore. Was it round the


s: point, or is she lying straight off the land?'


s: "He said this to draw me out, but I was too cunning to be caught


s: in that way, so I answered with a lie; 'Neptune,' said I, 'sent


s: my ship on to the rocks at the far end of your country, and


s: wrecked it. We were driven on to them from the open sea, but I


s: and those who are with me escaped the jaws of death.'


s: "The cruel wretch vouchsafed me not one word of answer, but with


s: a sudden clutch he gripped up two of my men at once and dashed


s: them down upon the ground as though they had been puppies. Their


s: brains were shed upon the ground, and the earth was wet with


s: their blood. Then he tore them limb from limb and supped upon


s: them. He gobbled them up like a lion in the wilderness, flesh,


s: bones, marrow, and entrails, without leaving anything uneaten.


s: As for us, we wept and lifted up our hands to heaven on seeing


s: such a horrid sight, for we did not know what else to do; but


s: when the Cyclops had filled his huge paunch, and had washed down


s: his meal of human flesh with a drink of neat milk, he stretched


s: himself full length upon the ground among his sheep, and went to


s: sleep. I was at first inclined to seize my sword, draw it, and


s: drive it into his vitals, but I reflected that if I did we


s: should all certainly be lost, for we should never be able to


s: shift the stone which the monster had put in front of the door.


s: So we stayed sobbing and sighing where we were till morning


s: "When the child of morning, rosy-fingered dawn, appeared, he


s: again lit his fire, milked his goats and ewes, all quite


s: rightly, and then let each have her own young one; as soon as he


s: had got through with all his work, he clutched up two more of my


s: men, and began eating them for his morning's meal. Presently,


s: with the utmost ease, he rolled the stone away from the door and


s: drove out his sheep, but he at once put it back again--as easily


s: as though he were merely clapping the lid on to a quiver full of


s: arrows. As soon as he had done so he shouted, and cried 'Shoo,


s: shoo,' after his sheep to drive them on to the mountain; so I


s: was left to scheme some way of taking my revenge and covering


s: "In the end I deemed it would be the best plan to do as follows:


s: The Cyclops had a great club which was lying near one of the


s: sheep pens; it was of green olive wood, and he had cut it


s: intending to use it for a staff as soon as it should be dry. It


s: was so huge that we could only compare it to the mast of a


s: twenty-oared merchant vessel of large burden, and able to


s: venture out into open sea. I went up to this club and cut off


s: about six feet of it; I then gave this piece to the men and told


s: them to fine it evenly off at one end, which they proceeded to


s: do, and lastly I brought it to a point myself, charring the end


s: in the fire to make it harder. When I had done this I hid it


s: under dung, which was lying about all over the cave, and told


s: the men to cast lots which of them should venture along with


s: myself to lift it and bore it into the monster's eye while he


s: was asleep. The lot fell upon the very four whom I should have


s: chosen, and I myself made five. In the evening the wretch came


s: back from shepherding, and drove his flocks into the cave--this


s: time driving them all inside, and not leaving any in the yards;


s: I suppose some fancy must have taken him, or a god must have


s: prompted him to do so. As soon as he had put the stone back to


s: its place against the door, he sat down, milked his ewes and his


s: goats all quite rightly, and then let each have her own young


s: one; when he had got through with all this work, he gripped up


s: two more of my men, and made his supper off them. So I went up


s: to him with an ivy-wood bowl of black wine in my hands:


s: "'Look here, Cyclops,' said I, you have been eating a great deal


s: of man's flesh, so take this and drink some wine, that you may


s: see what kind of liquor we had on board my ship. I was bringing


s: it to you as a drink-offering, in the hope that you would take


s: compassion upon me and further me on my way home, whereas all


s: you do is to go on ramping and raving most intolerably. You


s: ought to be ashamed of yourself; how can you expect people to


s: come see you any more if you treat them in this way?'


s: "He then took the cup and drank. He was so delighted with the


s: taste of the wine that he begged me for another bowl full. 'Be


s: so kind,' he said, 'as to give me some more, and tell me your


s: name at once. I want to make you a present that you will be glad


s: to have. We have wine even in this country, for our soil grows


s: grapes and the sun ripens them, but this drinks like Nectar and


s: "I then gave him some more; three times did I fill the bowl for


s: him, and three times did he drain it without thought or heed;


s: then, when I saw that the wine had got into his head, I said to


s: him as plausibly as I could: 'Cyclops, you ask my name and I


s: will tell it you; give me, therefore, the present you promised


s: me; my name is Noman; this is what my father and mother and my


s: "But the cruel wretch said, 'Then I will eat all Noman's


s: comrades before Noman himself, and will keep Noman for the last.


s: This is the present that I will make him.'


s: "As he spoke he reeled, and fell sprawling face upwards on the


s: ground. His great neck hung heavily backwards and a deep sleep


s: took hold upon him. Presently he turned sick, and threw up both


s: wine and the gobbets of human flesh on which he had been


s: gorging, for he was very drunk. Then I thrust the beam of wood


s: far into the embers to heat it, and encouraged my men lest any


s: of them should turn faint-hearted. When the wood, green though


s: it was, was about to blaze, I drew it out of the fire glowing


s: with heat, and my men gathered round me, for heaven had filled


s: their hearts with courage. We drove the sharp end of the beam


s: into the monster's eye, and bearing upon it with all my weight I


s: kept turning it round and round as though I were boring a hole


s: in a ship's plank with an auger, which two men with a wheel and


s: strap can keep on turning as long as they choose. Even thus did


s: we bore the red hot beam into his eye, till the boiling blood


s: bubbled all over it as we worked it round and round, so that the


s: steam from the burning eyeball scalded his eyelids and eyebrows,


s: and the roots of the eye sputtered in the fire. As a blacksmith


s: plunges an axe or hatchet into cold water to temper it--for it


s: is this that gives strength to the iron--and it makes a great


s: hiss as he does so, even thus did the Cyclops' eye hiss round


s: the beam of olive wood, and his hideous yells made the cave ring


s: again. We ran away in a fright, but he plucked the beam all


s: besmirched with gore from his eye, and hurled it from him in a


s: frenzy of rage and pain, shouting as he did so to the other


s: Cyclopes who lived on the bleak headlands near him; so they


s: gathered from all quarters round his cave when they heard him


s: crying, and asked what was the matter with him.


s: "'What ails you, Polyphemus,' said they, 'that you make such a


s: noise, breaking the stillness of the night, and preventing us


s: from being able to sleep? Surely no man is carrying off your


s: sheep? Surely no man is trying to kill you either by fraud or by


s: "But Polyphemus shouted to them from inside the cave, 'Noman is


s: killing me by fraud; no man is killing me by force.'


s: "'Then,' said they, 'if no man is attacking you, you must be


s: ill; when Jove makes people ill, there is no help for it, and


s: you had better pray to your father Neptune.'


s: "Then they went away, and I laughed inwardly at the success of


s: my clever stratagem, but the Cyclops, groaning and in an agony


s: of pain, felt about with his hands till he found the stone and


s: took it from the door; then he sat in the doorway and stretched


s: his hands in front of it to catch anyone going out with the


s: sheep, for he thought I might be foolish enough to attempt this.


s: "As for myself I kept on puzzling to think how I could best save


s: my own life and those of my companions; I schemed and schemed,


s: as one who knows that his life depends upon it, for the danger


s: was very great. In the end I deemed that this plan would be the


s: best; the male sheep were well grown, and carried a heavy black


s: fleece, so I bound them noiselessly in threes together, with


s: some of the withies on which the wicked monster used to sleep.


s: There was to be a man under the middle sheep, and the two on


s: either side were to cover him, so that there were three sheep to


s: each man. As for myself there was a ram finer than any of the


s: others, so I caught hold of him by the back, esconced myself in


s: the thick wool under his belly, and hung on patiently to his


s: fleece, face upwards, keeping a firm hold on it all the time.


s: "Thus, then, did we wait in great fear of mind till morning


s: came, but when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn,


s: appeared, the male sheep hurried out to feed, while the ewes


s: remained bleating about the pens waiting to be milked, for their


s: udders were full to bursting; but their master in spite of all


s: his pain felt the backs of all the sheep as they stood upright,


s: without being sharp enough to find out that the men were


s: underneath their bellies. As the ram was going out, last of all,


s: heavy with its fleece and with the weight of my crafty self,


s: "'My good ram, what is it that makes you the last to leave my


s: cave this morning? You are not wont to let the ewes go before


s: you, but lead the mob with a run whether to flowery mead or


s: bubbling fountain, and are the first to come home again at


s: night; but now you lag last of all. Is it because you know your


s: master has lost his eye, and are sorry because that wicked Noman


s: and his horrid crew has got him down in his drink and blinded


s: him? But I will have his life yet. If you could understand and


s: talk, you would tell me where the wretch is hiding, and I would


s: dash his brains upon the ground till they flew all over the


s: cave. I should thus have some satisfaction for the harm this


s: "As he spoke he drove the ram outside, but when we were a little


s: way out from the cave and yards, I first got from under the


s: ram's belly, and then freed my comrades; as for the sheep, which


s: were very fat, by constantly heading them in the right direction


s: we managed to drive them down to the ship. The crew rejoiced


s: greatly at seeing those of us who had escaped death, but wept


s: for the others whom the Cyclops had killed. However, I made


s: signs to them by nodding and frowning that they were to hush


s: their crying, and told them to get all the sheep on board at


s: once and put out to sea; so they went aboard, took their places,


s: and smote the grey sea with their oars. Then, when I had got as


s: far out as my voice would reach, I began to jeer at the Cyclops.


s: "'Cyclops,' said I, 'you should have taken better measure of


s: your man before eating up his comrades in your cave.  You


s: wretch, eat up your visitors in your own house? You might have


s: known that your sin would find you out, and now Jove and the


s: "He got more and more furious as he heard me, so he tore the top


s: from off a high mountain, and flung it just in front of my ship


s: so that it was within a little of hitting the end of the rudder.


s: {81} The sea quaked as the rock fell into it, and the wash of


s: the wave it raised carried us back towards the mainland, and


s: forced us towards the shore.  But I snatched up a long pole and


s: kept the ship off, making signs to my men by nodding my head,


s: that they must row for their lives, whereon they laid out with a


s: will.  When we had got twice as far as we were before, I was for


s: jeering at the Cyclops again, but the men begged and prayed of


s: "'Do not,' they exclaimed, 'be mad enough to provoke this savage


s: creature further; he has thrown one rock at us already which


s: drove us back again to the mainland, and we made sure it had


s: been the death of us; if he had then heard any further sound of


s: voices he would have pounded our heads and our ship's timbers


s: into a jelly with the rugged rocks he would have heaved at us,


s: "But I would not listen to them, and shouted out to him in my


s: rage, 'Cyclops, if any one asks you who it was that put your eye


s: out and spoiled your beauty, say it was the valiant warrior


s: Ulysses, son of Laertes, who lives in Ithaca.'


s: "On this he groaned, and cried out, 'Alas, alas, then the old


s: prophecy about me is coming true. There was a prophet here, at


s: one time, a man both brave and of great stature, Telemus son of


s: Eurymus, who was an excellent seer, and did all the prophesying


s: for the Cyclopes till he grew old; he told me that all this


s: would happen to me some day, and said I should lose my sight by


s: the hand of Ulysses. I have been all along expecting some one of


s: imposing presence and superhuman strength, whereas he turns out


s: to be a little insignificant weakling, who has managed to blind


s: my eye by taking advantage of me in my drink; come here, then,


s: Ulysses, that I may make you presents to show my hospitality,


s: and urge Neptune to help you forward on your journey--for


s: Neptune and I are father and son. He, if he so will, shall heal


s: me, which no one else neither god nor man can do.'


s: "Then I said, 'I wish I could be as sure of killing you outright


s: and sending you down to the house of Hades, as I am that it will


s: take more than Neptune to cure that eye of yours.'


s: "On this he lifted up his hands to the firmament of heaven and


s: prayed, saying, 'Hear me, great Neptune; if I am indeed your own


s: true begotten son, grant that Ulysses may never reach his home


s: alive; or if he must get back to his friends at last, let him do


s: so late and in sore plight after losing all his men [let him


s: reach his home in another man's ship and find trouble in his


s: "Thus did he pray, and Neptune heard his prayer. Then he picked


s: up a rock much larger than the first, swung it aloft and hurled


s: it with prodigious force. It fell just short of the ship, but


s: was within a little of hitting the end of the rudder. The sea


s: quaked as the rock fell into it, and the wash of the wave it


s: raised drove us onwards on our way towards the shore of the


s: "When at last we got to the island where we had left the rest of


s: our ships, we found our comrades lamenting us, and anxiously


s: awaiting our return. We ran our vessel upon the sands and got


s: out of her on to the sea shore; we also landed the Cyclops'


s: sheep, and divided them equitably amongst us so that none might


s: have reason to complain. As for the ram, my companions agreed


s: that I should have it as an extra share; so I sacrificed it on


s: the sea shore, and burned its thigh bones to Jove, who is the


s: lord of all.  But he heeded not my sacrifice, and only thought


s: how he might destroy both my ships and my comrades.


s: "Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun we


s: feasted our fill on meat and drink, but when the sun went down


s: and it came on dark, we camped upon the beach.  When the child


s: of morning rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, I bade my men on board


s: and loose the hawsers. Then they took their places and smote the


s: grey sea with their oars; so we sailed on with sorrow in our


s: hearts, but glad to have escaped death though we had lost our


s: "Thence we went on to the Aeolian island where lives Aeolus son


s: of Hippotas, dear to the immortal gods. It is an island that


s: floats (as it were) upon the sea, {83} iron bound with a wall


s: that girds it. Now, Aeolus has six daughters and six lusty sons,


s: so he made the sons marry the daughters, and they all live with


s: their dear father and mother, feasting and enjoying every


s: conceivable kind of luxury. All day long the atmosphere of the


s: house is loaded with the savour of roasting meats till it groans


s: again, yard and all; but by night they sleep on their well made


s: bedsteads, each with his own wife between the blankets.  These


s: were the people among whom we had now come.


s: "Aeolus entertained me for a whole month asking me questions all


s: the time about Troy, the Argive fleet, and the return of the


s: Achaeans. I told him exactly how everything had happened, and


s: when I said I must go, and asked him to further me on my way, he


s: made no sort of difficulty, but set about doing so at once.


s: Moreover, he flayed me a prime ox-hide to hold the ways of the


s: roaring winds, which he shut up in the hide as in a sack--for


s: Jove had made him captain over the winds, and he could stir or


s: still each one of them according to his own pleasure. He put the


s: sack in the ship and bound the mouth so tightly with a silver


s: thread that not even a breath of a side-wind could blow from any


s: quarter. The West wind which was fair for us did he alone let


s: blow as it chose; but it all came to nothing, for we were lost


s: "Nine days and nine nights did we sail, and on the tenth day our


s: native land showed on the horizon. We got so close in that we


s: could see the stubble fires burning, and I, being then dead


s: beat, fell into a light sleep, for I had never let the rudder


s: out of my own hands, that we might get home the faster. On this


s: the men fell to talking among themselves, and said I was


s: bringing back gold and silver in the sack that Aeolus had given


s: me. 'Bless my heart,' would one turn to his neighbour, saying,


s: 'how this man gets honoured and makes friends to whatever city


s: or country he may go. See what fine prizes he is taking home


s: from Troy, while we, who have travelled just as far as he has,


s: come back with hands as empty as we set out with--and now Aeolus


s: has given him ever so much more. Quick--let us see what it all


s: is, and how much gold and silver there is in the sack he gave


s: "Thus they talked and evil counsels prevailed. They loosed the


s: sack, whereupon the wind flew howling forth and raised a storm


s: that carried us weeping out to sea and away from our own


s: country. Then I awoke, and knew not whether to throw myself into


s: the sea or to live on and make the best of it; but I bore it,


s: covered myself up, and lay down in the ship, while the men


s: lamented bitterly as the fierce winds bore our fleet back to the


s: "When we reached it we went ashore to take in water, and dined


s: hard by the ships. Immediately after dinner I took a herald and


s: one of my men and went straight to the house of Aeolus, where I


s: found him feasting with his wife and family; so we sat down as


s: suppliants on the threshold.  They were astounded when they saw


s: us and said, 'Ulysses, what brings you here? What god has been


s: ill-treating you?  We took great pains to further you on your


s: way home to Ithaca, or wherever it was that you wanted to go


s: "Thus did they speak, but I answered sorrowfully, 'My men have


s: undone me; they, and cruel sleep, have ruined me. My friends,


s: mend me this mischief, for you can if you will.'


s: "I spoke as movingly as I could, but they said nothing, till


s: their father answered, 'Vilest of mankind, get you gone at once


s: out of the island; him whom heaven hates will I in no wise help.


s: Be off, for you come here as one abhorred of heaven.' And with


s: these words he sent me sorrowing from his door.


s: "Thence we sailed sadly on till the men were worn out with long


s: and fruitless rowing, for there was no longer any wind to help


s: them. Six days, night and day did we toil, and on the seventh


s: day we reached the rocky stronghold of Lamus--Telepylus, the


s: city of the Laestrygonians, where the shepherd who is driving in


s: his sheep and goats [to be milked] salutes him who is driving


s: out his flock [to feed] and this last answers the salute. In


s: that country a man who could do without sleep might earn double


s: wages, one as a herdsman of cattle, and another as a shepherd,


s: for they work much the same by night as they do by day. {84}


s: "When we reached the harbour we found it land-locked under steep


s: cliffs, with a narrow entrance between two headlands. My


s: captains took all their ships inside, and made them fast close


s: to one another, for there was never so much as a breath of wind


s: inside, but it was always dead calm. I kept my own ship outside,


s: and moored it to a rock at the very end of the point; then I


s: climbed a high rock to reconnoitre, but could see no sign


s: neither of man nor cattle, only some smoke rising from the


s: ground. So I sent two of my company with an attendant to find


s: out what sort of people the inhabitants were.


s: "The men when they got on shore followed a level road by which


s: the people draw their firewood from the mountains into the town,


s: till presently they met a young woman who had come outside to


s: fetch water, and who was daughter to a Laestrygonian named


s: Antiphates. She was going to the fountain Artacia from which the


s: people bring in their water, and when my men had come close up


s: to her, they asked her who the king of that country might be,


s: and over what kind of people he ruled; so she directed them to


s: her father's house, but when they got there they found his wife


s: to be a giantess as huge as a mountain, and they were horrified


s: "She at once called her husband Antiphates from the place of


s: assembly, and forthwith he set about killing my men. He snatched


s: up one of them, and began to make his dinner off him then and


s: there, whereon the other two ran back to the ships as fast as


s: ever they could. But Antiphates raised a hue-and-cry after them,


s: and thousands of sturdy Laestrygonians sprang up from every


s: quarter--ogres, not men. They threw vast rocks at us from the


s: cliffs as though they had been mere stones, and I heard the


s: horrid sound of the ships crunching up against one another, and


s: the death cries of my men, as the Laestrygonians speared them


s: like fishes and took them home to eat them. While they were thus


s: killing my men within the harbour I drew my sword, cut the cable


s: of my own ship, and told my men to row with all their might if


s: they too would not fare like the rest; so they laid out for


s: their lives, and we were thankful enough when we got into open


s: water out of reach of the rocks they hurled at us. As for the


s: "Thence we sailed sadly on, glad to have escaped death, though


s: we had lost our comrades, and came to the Aeaean island, where


s: Circe lives--a great and cunning goddess who is own sister to


s: the magician Aeetes--for they are both children of the sun by


s: Perse, who is daughter to Oceanus.  We brought our ship into a


s: safe harbour without a word, for some god guided us thither, and


s: having landed we lay there for two days and two nights, worn out


s: in body and mind.  When the morning of the third day came I took


s: my spear and my sword, and went away from the ship to


s: reconnoitre, and see if I could discover signs of human


s: handiwork, or hear the sound of voices. Climbing to the top of a


s: high look-out I espied the smoke of Circe's house rising upwards


s: amid a dense forest of trees, and when I saw this I doubted


s: whether, having seen the smoke, I would not go on at once and


s: find out more, but in the end I deemed it best to go back to the


s: ship, give the men their dinners, and send some of them instead


s: "When I had nearly got back to the ship some god took pity upon


s: my solitude, and sent a fine antlered stag right into the middle


s: of my path. He was coming down his pasture in the forest to


s: drink of the river, for the heat of the sun drove him, and as he


s: passed I struck him in the middle of the back; the bronze point


s: of the spear went clean through him, and he lay groaning in the


s: dust until the life went out of him. Then I set my foot upon


s: him, drew my spear from the wound, and laid it down; I also


s: gathered rough grass and rushes and twisted them into a fathom


s: or so of good stout rope, with which I bound the four feet of


s: the noble creature together; having so done I hung him round my


s: neck and walked back to the ship leaning upon my spear, for the


s: stag was much too big for me to be able to carry him on my


s: shoulder, steadying him with one hand. As I threw him down in


s: front of the ship, I called the men and spoke cheeringly man by


s: man to each of them. 'Look here my friends,' said I, 'we are not


s: going to die so much before our time after all, and at any rate


s: we will not starve so long as we have got something to eat and


s: drink on board.' On this they uncovered their heads upon the sea


s: shore and admired the stag, for he was indeed a splendid fellow.


s: Then, when they had feasted their eyes upon him sufficiently,


s: they washed their hands and began to cook him for dinner.


s: "Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun we


s: stayed there eating and drinking our fill, but when the sun went


s: down and it came on dark, we camped upon the sea shore. When the


s: child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, I called a


s: council and said, 'My friends, we are in very great


s: difficulties; listen therefore to me. We have no idea where the


s: sun either sets or rises, {85} so that we do not even know East


s: from West. I see no way out of it; nevertheless, we must try and


s: find one. We are certainly on an island, for I went as high as I


s: could this morning, and saw the sea reaching all round it to the


s: horizon; it lies low, but towards the middle I saw smoke rising


s: "Their hearts sank as they heard me, for they remembered how


s: they had been treated by the Laestrygonian Antiphates, and by


s: the savage ogre Polyphemus. They wept bitterly in their dismay,


s: but there was nothing to be got by crying, so I divided them


s: into two companies and set a captain over each; I gave one


s: company to Eurylochus, while I took command of the other myself.


s: Then we cast lots in a helmet, and the lot fell upon Eurylochus;


s: so he set out with his twenty-two men, and they wept, as also


s: "When they reached Circe's house they found it built of cut


s: stones, on a site that could be seen from far, in the middle of


s: the forest. There were wild mountain wolves and lions prowling


s: all round it--poor bewitched creatures whom she had tamed by her


s: enchantments and drugged into subjection. They did not attack my


s: men, but wagged their great tails, fawned upon them, and rubbed


s: their noses lovingly against them. {86} As hounds crowd round


s: their master when they see him coming from dinner--for they know


s: he will bring them something--even so did these wolves and lions


s: with their great claws fawn upon my men, but the men were


s: terribly frightened at seeing such strange creatures.  Presently


s: they reached the gates of the goddess's house, and as they stood


s: there they could hear Circe within, singing most beautifully as


s: she worked at her loom, making a web so fine, so soft, and of


s: such dazzling colours as no one but a goddess could weave. On


s: this Polites, whom I valued and trusted more than any other of


s: my men, said, 'There is some one inside working at a loom and


s: singing most beautifully; the whole place resounds with it, let


s: us call her and see whether she is woman or goddess.'


s: "They called her and she came down, unfastened the door, and


s: bade them enter. They, thinking no evil, followed her, all


s: except Eurylochus, who suspected mischief and staid outside.


s: When she had got them into her house, she set them upon benches


s: and seats and mixed them a mess with cheese, honey, meal, and


s: Pramnian wine, but she drugged it with wicked poisons to make


s: them forget their homes, and when they had drunk she turned them


s: into pigs by a stroke of her wand, and shut them up in her


s: pig-styes. They were like pigs--head, hair, and all, and they


s: grunted just as pigs do; but their senses were the same as


s: "Thus then were they shut up squealing, and Circe threw them


s: some acorns and beech masts such as pigs eat, but Eurylochus


s: hurried back to tell me about the sad fate of our comrades. He


s: was so overcome with dismay that though he tried to speak he


s: could find no words to do so; his eyes filled with tears and he


s: could only sob and sigh, till at last we forced his story out of


s: him, and he told us what had happened to the others.


s: "'We went,' said he, 'as you told us, through the forest, and in


s: the middle of it there was a fine house built with cut stones in


s: a place that could be seen from far. There we found a woman, or


s: else she was a goddess, working at her loom and singing sweetly;


s: so the men shouted to her and called her, whereon she at once


s: came down, opened the door, and invited us in. The others did


s: not suspect any mischief so they followed her into the house,


s: but I staid where I was, for I thought there might be some


s: treachery.  From that moment I saw them no more, for not one of


s: them ever came out, though I sat a long time watching for them.'


s: "Then I took my sword of bronze and slung it over my shoulders;


s: I also took my bow, and told Eurylochus to come back with me and


s: shew me the way. But he laid hold of me with both his hands and


s: spoke piteously, saying, 'Sir, do not force me to go with you,


s: but let me stay here, for I know you will not bring one of them


s: back with you, nor even return alive yourself; let us rather see


s: if we cannot escape at any rate with the few that are left us,


s: "'Stay where you are, then,' answered I, 'eating and drinking at


s: the ship, but I must go, for I am most urgently bound to do so.'


s: "With this I left the ship and went up inland. When I got


s: through the charmed grove, and was near the great house of the


s: enchantress Circe, I met Mercury with his golden wand, disguised


s: as a young man in the hey-day of his youth and beauty with the


s: down just coming upon his face. He came up to me and took my


s: hand within his own, saying, 'My poor unhappy man, whither are


s: you going over this mountain top, alone and without knowing the


s: way? Your men are shut up in Circe's pigstyes, like so many wild


s: boars in their lairs.  You surely do not fancy that you can set


s: them free? I can tell you that you will never get back and will


s: have to stay there with the rest of them. But never mind, I will


s: protect you and get you out of your difficulty. Take this herb,


s: which is one of great virtue, and keep it about you when you go


s: to Circe's house, it will be a talisman to you against every


s: "'And I will tell you of all the wicked witchcraft that Circe


s: will try to practice upon you. She will mix a mess for you to


s: drink, and she will drug the meal with which she makes it, but


s: she will not be able to charm you, for the virtue of the herb


s: that I shall give you will prevent her spells from working. I


s: will tell you all about it.  When Circe strikes you with her


s: wand, draw your sword and spring upon her as though you were


s: going to kill her. She will then be frightened, and will desire


s: you to go to bed with her; on this you must not point blank


s: refuse her, for you want her to set your companions free, and to


s: take good care also of yourself, but you must make her swear


s: solemnly by all the blessed gods that she will plot no further


s: mischief against you, or else when she has got you naked she


s: will unman you and make you fit for nothing.'


s: "As he spoke he pulled the herb out of the ground and shewed me


s: what it was like. The root was black, while the flower was as


s: white as milk; the gods call it Moly, and mortal men cannot


s: uproot it, but the gods can do whatever they like.


s: "Then Mercury went back to high Olympus passing over the wooded


s: island; but I fared onward to the house of Circe, and my heart


s: was clouded with care as I walked along. When I got to the gates


s: I stood there and called the goddess, and as soon as she heard


s: me she came down, opened the door, and asked me to come in; so I


s: followed her--much troubled in my mind. She set me on a richly


s: decorated seat inlaid with silver, there was a footstool also


s: under my feet, and she mixed a mess in a golden goblet for me to


s: drink; but she drugged it, for she meant me mischief. When she


s: had given it me, and I had drunk it without its charming me, she


s: struck me with her wand.  'There now,' she cried, 'be off to the


s: pigstye, and make your lair with the rest of them.'


s: "But I rushed at her with my sword drawn as though I would kill


s: her, whereon she fell with a loud scream, clasped my knees, and


s: spoke piteously, saying, 'Who and whence are you? from what


s: place and people have you come? How can it be that my drugs have


s: no power to charm you? Never yet was any man able to stand so


s: much as a taste of the herb I gave you; you must be spell-proof;


s: surely you can be none other than the bold hero Ulysses, who


s: Mercury always said would come here some day with his ship while


s: on his way home from Troy; so be it then; sheathe your sword and


s: let us go to bed, that we may make friends and learn to trust


s: "And I answered, 'Circe, how can you expect me to be friendly


s: with you when you have just been turning all my men into pigs?


s: And now that you have got me here myself, you mean me mischief


s: when you ask me to go to bed with you, and will unman me and


s: make me fit for nothing. I shall certainly not consent to go to


s: bed with you unless you will first take your solemn oath to plot


s: "So she swore at once as I had told her, and when she had


s: completed her oath then I went to bed with her.


s: "Meanwhile her four servants, who are her housemaids, set about


s: their work. They are the children of the groves and fountains,


s: and of the holy waters that run down into the sea. One of them


s: spread a fair purple cloth over a seat, and laid a carpet


s: underneath it. Another brought tables of silver up to the seats,


s: and set them with baskets of gold.  A third mixed some sweet


s: wine with water in a silver bowl and put golden cups upon the


s: tables, while the fourth brought in water and set it to boil in


s: a large cauldron over a good fire which she had lighted. When


s: the water in the cauldron was boiling, {87} she poured cold into


s: it till it was just as I liked it, and then she set me in a bath


s: and began washing me from the cauldron about the head and


s: shoulders, to take the tire and stiffness out of my limbs.  As


s: soon as she had done washing me and anointing me with oil, she


s: arrayed me in a good cloak and shirt and led me to a richly


s: decorated seat inlaid with silver; there was a footstool also


s: under my feet. A maid servant then brought me water in a


s: beautiful golden ewer and poured it into a silver basin for me


s: to wash my hands, and she drew a clean table beside me; an upper


s: servant brought me bread and offered me many things of what


s: there was in the house, and then Circe bade me eat, but I would


s: not, and sat without heeding what was before me, still moody and


s: "When Circe saw me sitting there without eating, and in great


s: grief, she came to me and said, 'Ulysses, why do you sit like


s: refusing both meat and drink? Is it that you are still


s: suspicious? You ought not to be, for I have already sworn


s: "And I said, 'Circe, no man with any sense of what is right can


s: think of either eating or drinking in your house until you have


s: set his friends free and let him see them. If you want me to eat


s: and drink, you must free my men and bring them to me that I may


s: "When I had said this she went straight through the court with


s: her wand in her hand and opened the pigstye doors. My men came


s: out like so many prime hogs and stood looking at her, but she


s: went about among them and anointed each with a second drug,


s: whereon the bristles that the bad drug had given them fell off,


s: and they became men again, younger than they were before, and


s: much taller and better looking.  They knew me at once, seized me


s: each of them by the hand, and wept for joy till the whole house


s: was filled with the sound of their halloa-ballooing, and Circe


s: herself was so sorry for them that she came up to me and said,


s: 'Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, go back at once to the sea where


s: you have left your ship, and first draw it on to the land.


s: Then, hide all your ship's gear and property in some cave, and


s: "I agreed to this, so I went back to the sea shore, and found


s: the men at the ship weeping and wailing most piteously. When


s: they saw me the silly blubbering fellows began frisking round me


s: as calves break out and gambol round their mothers, when they


s: see them coming home to be milked after they have been feeding


s: all day, and the homestead resounds with their lowing. They


s: seemed as glad to see me as though they had got back to their


s: own rugged Ithaca, where they had been born and bred. 'Sir,'


s: said the affectionate creatures, 'we are as glad to see you back


s: as though we had got safe home to Ithaca; but tell us all about


s: "I spoke comfortingly to them and said, 'We must draw our ship


s: on to the land, and hide the ship's gear with all our property


s: in some cave; then come with me all of you as fast as you can to


s: Circe's house, where you will find your comrades eating and


s: drinking in the midst of great abundance.'


s: "On this the men would have come with me at once, but Eurylochus


s: tried to hold them back and said, 'Alas, poor wretches that we


s: are, what will become of us? Rush not on your ruin by going to


s: the house of Circe, who will turn us all into pigs or wolves or


s: lions, and we shall have to keep guard over her house. Remember


s: how the Cyclops treated us when our comrades went inside his


s: cave, and Ulysses with them. It was all through his sheer folly


s: "When I heard him I was in two minds whether or no to draw the


s: keen blade that hung by my sturdy thigh and cut his head off in


s: spite of his being a near relation of my own; but the men


s: interceded for him and said, 'Sir, if it may so be, let this


s: fellow stay here and mind the ship, but take the rest of us with


s: "On this we all went inland, and Eurylochus was not left behind


s: after all, but came on too, for he was frightened by the severe


s: "Meanwhile Circe had been seeing that the men who had been left


s: behind were washed and anointed with olive oil; she had also


s: given them woollen cloaks and shirts, and when we came we found


s: them all comfortably at dinner in her house.  As soon as the men


s: saw each other face to face and knew one another, they wept for


s: joy and cried aloud till the whole palace rang again. Thereon


s: Circe came up to me and said, 'Ulysses, noble son of Laertes,


s: tell your men to leave off crying; I know how much you have all


s: of you suffered at sea, and how ill you have fared among cruel


s: savages on the mainland, but that is over now, so stay here, and


s: eat and drink till you are once more as strong and hearty as you


s: were when you left Ithaca; for at present you are weakened both


s: in body and mind; you keep all the time thinking of the


s: hardships you have suffered during your travels, so that you


s: "Thus did she speak and we assented. We stayed with Circe for a


s: whole twelvemonth feasting upon an untold quantity both of meat


s: and wine. But when the year had passed in the waning of moons


s: and the long days had come round, my men called me apart and


s: said, 'Sir, it is time you began to think about going home, if


s: so be you are to be spared to see your house and native country


s: "Thus did they speak and I assented. Thereon through the


s: livelong day to the going down of the sun we feasted our fill on


s: meat and wine, but when the sun went down and it came on dark


s: the men laid themselves down to sleep in the covered cloisters.


s: I, however, after I had got into bed with Circe, besought her by


s: her knees, and the goddess listened to what I had got to say.


s: 'Circe,' said I, 'please to keep the promise you made me about


s: furthering me on my homeward voyage. I want to get back and so


s: do my men, they are always pestering me with their complaints as


s: "And the goddess answered, 'Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, you


s: shall none of you stay here any longer if you do not want to,


s: but there is another journey which you have got to take before


s: you can sail homewards. You must go to the house of Hades and of


s: dread Proserpine to consult the ghost of the blind Theban


s: prophet Teiresias, whose reason is still unshaken. To him alone


s: has Proserpine left his understanding even in death, but the


s: "I was dismayed when I heard this. I sat up in bed and wept, and


s: would gladly have lived no longer to see the light of the sun,


s: but presently when I was tired of weeping and tossing myself


s: about, I said, 'And who shall guide me upon this voyage--for the


s: house of Hades is a port that no ship can reach.'


s: "'You will want no guide,' she answered; 'raise your mast, set


s: your white sails, sit quite still, and the North Wind will blow


s: you there of itself. When your ship has traversed the waters of


s: Oceanus, you will reach the fertile shore of Proserpine's


s: country with its groves of tall poplars and willows that shed


s: their fruit untimely; here beach your ship upon the shore of


s: Oceanus, and go straight on to the dark abode of Hades. You will


s: find it near the place where the rivers Pyriphlegethon and


s: Cocytus (which is a branch of the river Styx) flow into Acheron,


s: and you will see a rock near it, just where the two roaring


s: "'When you have reached this spot, as I now tell you, dig a


s: trench a cubit or so in length, breadth, and depth, and pour


s: into it as a drink-offering to all the dead, first, honey mixed


s: with milk, then wine, and in the third place water--sprinkling


s: white barley meal over the whole.  Moreover you must offer many


s: prayers to the poor feeble ghosts, and promise them that when


s: you get back to Ithaca you will sacrifice a barren heifer to


s: them, the best you have, and will load the pyre with good


s: things. More particularly you must promise that Teiresias shall


s: have a black sheep all to himself, the finest in all your


s: "'When you shall have thus besought the ghosts with your


s: prayers, offer them a ram and a black ewe, bending their heads


s: towards Erebus; but yourself turn away from them as though you


s: would make towards the river. On this, many dead men's ghosts


s: will come to you, and you must tell your men to skin the two


s: sheep that you have just killed, and offer them as a burnt


s: sacrifice with prayers to Hades and to Proserpine. Then draw


s: your sword and sit there, so as to prevent any other poor ghost


s: from coming near the spilt blood before Teiresias shall have


s: answered your questions.  The seer will presently come to you,


s: and will tell you about your voyage--what stages you are to


s: make, and how you are to sail the sea so as to reach your home.'


s: "It was day-break by the time she had done speaking, so she


s: dressed me in my shirt and cloak. As for herself she threw a


s: beautiful light gossamer fabric over her shoulders, fastening it


s: with a golden girdle round her waist, and she covered her head


s: with a mantle. Then I went about among the men everywhere all


s: over the house, and spoke kindly to each of them man by man:


s: 'You must not lie sleeping here any longer,' said I to them, 'we


s: must be going, for Circe has told me all about it.' And on this


s: "Even so, however, I did not get them away without misadventure.


s: We had with us a certain youth named Elpenor, not very


s: remarkable for sense or courage, who had got drunk and was lying


s: on the house-top away from the rest of the men, to sleep off his


s: liquor in the cool.  When he heard the noise of the men bustling


s: about, he jumped up on a sudden and forgot all about coming down


s: by the main staircase, so he tumbled right off the roof and


s: broke his neck, and his soul went down to the house of Hades.


s: "When I had got the men together I said to them, 'You think you


s: are about to start home again, but Circe has explained to me


s: that instead of this, we have got to go to the house of Hades


s: and Proserpine to consult the ghost of the Theban prophet


s: "The men were broken-hearted as they heard me, and threw


s: themselves on the ground groaning and tearing their hair, but


s: they did not mend matters by crying. When we reached the sea


s: shore, weeping and lamenting our fate, Circe brought the ram and


s: the ewe, and we made them fast hard by the ship. She passed


s: through the midst of us without our knowing it, for who can see


s: the comings and goings of a god, if the god does not wish to be


s: "Then, when we had got down to the sea shore we drew our ship


s: into the water and got her mast and sails into her; we also put


s: the sheep on board and took our places, weeping and in great


s: distress of mind. Circe, that great and cunning goddess, sent us


s: a fair wind that blew dead aft and staid steadily with us


s: keeping our sails all the time well filled; so we did whatever


s: wanted doing to the ship's gear and let her go as the wind and


s: helmsman headed her. All day long her sails were full as she


s: held her course over the sea, but when the sun went down and


s: darkness was over all the earth, we got into the deep waters of


s: the river Oceanus, where lie the land and city of the Cimmerians


s: who live enshrouded in mist and darkness which the rays of the


s: sun never pierce neither at his rising nor as he goes down again


s: out of the heavens, but the poor wretches live in one long


s: melancholy night. When we got there we beached the ship, took


s: the sheep out of her, and went along by the waters of Oceanus


s: till we came to the place of which Circe had told us.


s: "Here Perimedes and Eurylochus held the victims, while I drew my


s: sword and dug the trench a cubit each way. I made a


s: drink-offering to all the dead, first with honey and milk, then


s: with wine, and thirdly with water, and I sprinkled white barley


s: meal over the whole, praying earnestly to the poor feckless


s: ghosts, and promising them that when I got back to Ithaca I


s: would sacrifice a barren heifer for them, the best I had, and


s: would load the pyre with good things. I also particularly


s: promised that Teiresias should have a black sheep to himself,


s: the best in all my flocks. When I had prayed sufficiently to the


s: dead, I cut the throats of the two sheep and let the blood run


s: into the trench, whereon the ghosts came trooping up from


s: Erebus--brides, {89} young bachelors, old men worn out with


s: toil, maids who had been crossed in love, and brave men who had


s: been killed in battle, with their armour still smirched with


s: blood; they came from every quarter and flitted round the trench


s: with a strange kind of screaming sound that made me turn pale


s: with fear. When I saw them coming I told the men to be quick and


s: flay the carcasses of the two dead sheep and make burnt


s: offerings of them, and at the same time to repeat prayers to


s: Hades and to Proserpine; but I sat where I was with my sword


s: drawn and would not let the poor feckless ghosts come near the


s: blood till Teiresias should have answered my questions.


s: "The first ghost that came was that of my comrade Elpenor, for


s: he had not yet been laid beneath the earth. We had left his body


s: unwaked and unburied in Circe's house, for we had had too much


s: else to do. I was very sorry for him, and cried when I saw him:


s: 'Elpenor,' said I, 'how did you come down here into this gloom


s: and darkness? You have got here on foot quicker than I have with


s: "'Sir,' he answered with a groan, 'it was all bad luck, and my


s: own unspeakable drunkenness. I was lying asleep on the top of


s: Circe's house, and never thought of coming down again by the


s: great staircase but fell right off the roof and broke my neck,


s: so my soul came down to the house of Hades.  And now I beseech


s: you by all those whom you have left behind you, though they are


s: not here, by your wife, by the father who brought you up when


s: you were a child, and by Telemachus who is the one hope of your


s: house, do what I shall now ask you. I know that when you leave


s: this limbo you will again hold your ship for the Aeaean island.


s: Do not go thence leaving me unwaked and unburied behind you, or


s: I may bring heaven's anger upon you; but burn me with whatever


s: armour I have, build a barrow for me on the sea shore, that may


s: tell people in days to come what a poor unlucky fellow I was,


s: and plant over my grave the oar I used to row with when I was


s: yet alive and with my messmates.' And I said, 'My poor fellow, I


s: "Thus, then, did we sit and hold sad talk with one another, I on


s: the one side of the trench with my sword held over the blood,


s: and the ghost of my comrade saying all this to me from the other


s: side. Then came the ghost of my dead mother Anticlea, daughter


s: to Autolycus. I had left her alive when I set out for Troy and


s: was moved to tears when I saw her, but even so, for all my


s: sorrow I would not let her come near the blood till I had asked


s: "Then came also the ghost of Theban Teiresias, with his golden


s: sceptre in his hand. He knew me and said, 'Ulysses, noble son of


s: Laertes, why, poor man, have you left the light of day and come


s: down to visit the dead in this sad place? Stand back from the


s: trench and withdraw your sword that I may drink of the blood and


s: "So I drew back, and sheathed my sword, whereon when he had


s: drank of the blood he began with his prophecy.


s: "'You want to know,' said he, 'about your return home, but


s: heaven will make this hard for you. I do not think that you will


s: escape the eye of Neptune, who still nurses his bitter grudge


s: against you for having blinded his son.  Still, after much


s: suffering you may get home if you can restrain yourself and your


s: companions when your ship reaches the Thrinacian island, where


s: you will find the sheep and cattle belonging to the sun, who


s: sees and gives ear to everything. If you leave these flocks


s: unharmed and think of nothing but of getting home, you may yet


s: after much hardship reach Ithaca; but if you harm them, then I


s: forewarn you of the destruction both of your ship and of your


s: men. Even though you may yourself escape, you will return in bad


s: plight after losing all your men, [in another man's ship, and


s: you will find trouble in your house, which will be overrun by


s: high-handed people, who are devouring your substance under the


s: pretext of paying court and making presents to your wife.


s: "'When you get home you will take your revenge on these suitors;


s: and after you have killed them by force or fraud in your own


s: house, you must take a well made oar and carry it on and on,


s: till you come to a country where the people have never heard of


s: the sea and do not even mix salt with their food, nor do they


s: know anything about ships, and oars that are as the wings of a


s: ship. I will give you this certain token which cannot escape


s: your notice. A wayfarer will meet you and will say it must be a


s: winnowing shovel that you have got upon your shoulder; on this


s: you must fix the oar in the ground and sacrifice a ram, a bull,


s: and a boar to Neptune. {90} Then go home and offer hecatombs to


s: all the gods in heaven one after the other. As for yourself,


s: death shall come to you from the sea, and your life shall ebb


s: away very gently when you are full of years and peace of mind,


s: and your people shall bless you. All that I have said will come


s: "'This,' I answered, 'must be as it may please heaven, but tell


s: me and tell me and tell me true, I see my poor mother's ghost


s: close by us; she is sitting by the blood without saying a word,


s: and though I am her own son she does not remember me and speak


s: to me; tell me, Sir, how I can make her know me.'


s: "'That,' said he, 'I can soon do. Any ghost that you let taste


s: of the blood will talk with you like a reasonable being, but if


s: you do not let them have any blood they will go away again.'


s: "On this the ghost of Teiresias went back to the house of Hades,


s: for his prophecyings had now been spoken, but I sat still where


s: I was until my mother came up and tasted the blood. Then she


s: knew me at once and spoke fondly to me, saying, 'My son, how did


s: you come down to this abode of darkness while you are still


s: alive? It is a hard thing for the living to see these places,


s: for between us and them there are great and terrible waters, and


s: there is Oceanus, which no man can cross on foot, but he must


s: have a good ship to take him. Are you all this time trying to


s: find your way home from Troy, and have you never yet got back to


s: Ithaca nor seen your wife in your own house?'


s: "'Mother,' said I, 'I was forced to come here to consult the


s: ghost of the Theban prophet Teiresias. I have never yet been


s: near the Achaean land nor set foot on my native country, and I


s: have had nothing but one long series of misfortunes from the


s: very first day that I set out with Agamemnon for Ilius, the land


s: of noble steeds, to fight the Trojans. But tell me, and tell me


s: true, in what way did you die? Did you have a long illness, or


s: did heaven vouchsafe you a gentle easy passage to eternity? Tell


s: me also about my father, and the son whom I left behind me, is


s: my property still in their hands, or has some one else got hold


s: of it, who thinks that I shall not return to claim it? Tell me


s: again what my wife intends doing, and in what mind she is; does


s: she live with my son and guard my estate securely, or has she


s: made the best match she could and married again?'


s: "My mother answered, 'Your wife still remains in your house, but


s: she is in great distress of mind and spends her whole time in


s: tears both night and day. No one as yet has got possession of


s: your fine property, and Telemachus still holds your lands


s: undisturbed. He has to entertain largely, as of course he must,


s: considering his position as a magistrate, {92} and how every one


s: invites him; your father remains at his old place in the country


s: and never goes near the town. He has no comfortable bed nor


s: bedding; in the winter he sleeps on the floor in front of the


s: fire with the men and goes about all in rags, but in summer,


s: when the warm weather comes on again, he lies out in the


s: vineyard on a bed of vine leaves thrown any how upon the ground.


s: He grieves continually about your never having come home, and


s: suffers more and more as he grows older. As for my own end it


s: was in this wise: heaven did not take me swiftly and painlessly


s: in my own house, nor was I attacked by any illness such as those


s: that generally wear people out and kill them, but my longing to


s: know what you were doing and the force of my affection for


s: you--this it was that was the death of me.' {93}


s: "Then I tried to find some way of embracing my poor mother's


s: ghost. Thrice I sprang towards her and tried to clasp her in my


s: arms, but each time she flitted from my embrace as it were a


s: dream or phantom, and being touched to the quick I said to her,


s: 'Mother, why do you not stay still when I would embrace you? If


s: we could throw our arms around one another we might find sad


s: comfort in the sharing of our sorrows even in the house of


s: Hades; does Proserpine want to lay a still further load of grief


s: upon me by mocking me with a phantom only?'


s: "'My son,' she answered, 'most ill-fated of all mankind, it is


s: not Proserpine that is beguiling you, but all people are like


s: this when they are dead. The sinews no longer hold the flesh and


s: bones together; these perish in the fierceness of consuming fire


s: as soon as life has left the body, and the soul flits away as


s: though it were a dream.  Now, however, go back to the light of


s: day as soon as you can, and note all these things that you may


s: "Thus did we converse, and anon Proserpine sent up the ghosts of


s: the wives and daughters of all the most famous men. They


s: gathered in crowds about the blood, and I considered how I might


s: question them severally. In the end I deemed that it would be


s: best to draw the keen blade that hung by my sturdy thigh, and


s: keep them from all drinking the blood at once. So they came up


s: one after the other, and each one as I questioned her told me


s: "The first I saw was Tyro. She was daughter of Salmoneus and


s: wife of Cretheus the son of Aeolus. {94} She fell in love with


s: the river Enipeus who is much the most beautiful river in the


s: whole world. Once when she was taking a walk by his side as


s: usual, Neptune, disguised as her lover, lay with her at the


s: mouth of the river, and a huge blue wave arched itself like a


s: mountain over them to hide both woman and god, whereon he loosed


s: her virgin girdle and laid her in a deep slumber. When the god


s: had accomplished the deed of love, he took her hand in his own


s: and said, 'Tyro, rejoice in all good will; the embraces of the


s: gods are not fruitless, and you will have fine twins about this


s: time twelve months. Take great care of them. I am Neptune, so


s: now go home, but hold your tongue and do not tell any one.'


s: "Then he dived under the sea, and she in due course bore Pelias


s: and Neleus, who both of them served Jove with all their might.


s: Pelias was a great breeder of sheep and lived in Iolcus, but the


s: other lived in Pylos. The rest of her children were by Cretheus,


s: namely, Aeson, Pheres, and Amythaon, who was a mighty warrior


s: "Next to her I saw Antiope, daughter to Asopus, who could boast


s: of having slept in the arms of even Jove himself, and who bore


s: him two sons Amphion and Zethus. These founded Thebes with its


s: seven gates, and built a wall all round it; for strong though


s: they were they could not hold Thebes till they had walled it.


s: "Then I saw Alcmena, the wife of Amphitryon, who also bore to


s: Jove indomitable Hercules; and Megara who was daughter to great


s: King Creon, and married the redoubtable son of Amphitryon.


s: "I also saw fair Epicaste mother of king Oedipodes whose awful


s: lot it was to marry her own son without suspecting it. He


s: married her after having killed his father, but the gods


s: proclaimed the whole story to the world; whereon he remained


s: king of Thebes, in great grief for the spite the gods had borne


s: him; but Epicaste went to the house of the mighty jailor Hades,


s: having hanged herself for grief, and the avenging spirits


s: haunted him as for an outraged mother--to his ruing bitterly


s: "Then I saw Chloris, whom Neleus married for her beauty, having


s: given priceless presents for her. She was youngest daughter to


s: Amphion son of Iasus and king of Minyan Orchomenus, and was


s: Queen in Pylos. She bore Nestor, Chromius, and Periclymenus, and


s: she also bore that marvellously lovely woman Pero, who was wooed


s: by all the country round; but Neleus would only give her to him


s: who should raid the cattle of Iphicles from the grazing grounds


s: of Phylace, and this was a hard task. The only man who would


s: undertake to raid them was a certain excellent seer, {95} but


s: the will of heaven was against him, for the rangers of the


s: cattle caught him and put him in prison; nevertheless when a


s: full year had passed and the same season came round again,


s: Iphicles set him at liberty, after he had expounded all the


s: oracles of heaven. Thus, then, was the will of Jove


s: "And I saw Leda the wife of Tyndarus, who bore him two famous


s: sons, Castor breaker of horses, and Pollux the mighty boxer.


s: Both these heroes are lying under the earth, though they are


s: still alive, for by a special dispensation of Jove, they die and


s: come to life again, each one of them every other day throughout


s: all time, and they have the rank of gods.


s: "After her I saw Iphimedeia wife of Aloeus who boasted the


s: embrace of Neptune. She bore two sons Otus and Ephialtes, but


s: both were short lived. They were the finest children that were


s: ever born in this world, and the best looking, Orion only


s: excepted; for at nine years old they were nine fathoms high, and


s: measured nine cubits round the chest.  They threatened to make


s: war with the gods in Olympus, and tried to set Mount Ossa on the


s: top of Mount Olympus, and Mount Pelion on the top of Ossa, that


s: they might scale heaven itself, and they would have done it too


s: if they had been grown up, but Apollo, son of Leto, killed both


s: of them, before they had got so much as a sign of hair upon


s: "Then I saw Phaedra, and Procris, and fair Ariadne daughter of


s: the magician Minos, whom Theseus was carrying off from Crete to


s: Athens, but he did not enjoy her, for before he could do so


s: Diana killed her in the island of Dia on account of what Bacchus


s: "I also saw Maera and Clymene and hateful Eriphyle, who sold her


s: own husband for gold. But it would take me all night if I were


s: to name every single one of the wives and daughters of heroes


s: whom I saw, and it is time for me to go to bed, either on board


s: ship with my crew, or here. As for my escort, heaven and


s: Here he ended, and the guests sat all of them enthralled and


s: speechless throughout the covered cloister. Then Arete said to


s: "What do you think of this man, O Phaeacians? Is he not tall and


s: good looking, and is he not clever? True, he is my own guest,


s: but all of you share in the distinction. Do not be in a hurry to


s: is in such great need, for heaven has blessed all of you with


s: Then spoke the aged hero Echeneus who was one of the oldest men


s: among them, "My friends," said he, "what our august queen has


s: just said to us is both reasonable and to the purpose, therefore


s: be persuaded by it; but the decision whether in word or deed


s: "The thing shall be done," exclaimed Alcinous, "as surely as I


s: still live and reign over the Phaeacians. Our guest is indeed


s: very anxious to get home, still we must persuade him to remain


s: with us until to-morrow, by which time I shall be able to get


s: together the whole sum that I mean to give him. As regards his


s: escort it will be a matter for you all, and mine above all


s: And Ulysses answered, "King Alcinous, if you were to bid me to


s: stay here for a whole twelve months, and then speed me on my


s: way, loaded with your noble gifts, I should obey you gladly and


s: it would redound greatly to my advantage, for I should return


s: fuller-handed to my own people, and should thus be more


s: respected and beloved by all who see me when I get back to


s: "Ulysses," replied Alcinous, "not one of us who sees you has any


s: idea that you are a charlatan or a swindler. I know there are


s: many people going about who tell such plausible stories that it


s: is very hard to see through them, but there is a style about


s: your language which assures me of your good disposition.


s: Moreover you have told the story of your own misfortunes, and


s: those of the Argives, as though you were a practiced bard; but


s: tell me, and tell me true, whether you saw any of the mighty


s: heroes who went to Troy at the same time with yourself, and


s: perished there. The evenings are still at their longest, and it