Odysseus, the Hero of Ithaca Part 8

"Hardly had we escaped from the Sirens when we beheld a black fog and towering waves and heard a frightful noise. My men were so scared that the oars fell from their hands and the s.h.i.+p stood still. I hastened from one end of the boat to the other, speaking cheerful words to each rower. 'My dear friends,' I said, 'have no fear. This is not the first time we have encountered danger. We have been saved from the hands of the Cyclops through our own valor and clever devices, and we are not going to break down now. Listen, and I will tell you what is to be done. Keep your seats and ply your oars with all your might; but thou, O helmsman, steer thy s.h.i.+p clear of that fog and the whirling waves.' Thus I spoke, and they willingly obeyed my words.

"Yet I said nothing to them about Skylla, lest they should lose heart and hide in the bottom of the s.h.i.+p. Thus we pa.s.sed in between the two cliffs, the one of which harbored Skylla and the other Charybdis, who, with a terrible noise, swallowed the brine of the sea and belched it out again with a roar like the mingling of fire and water.

"But I forgot the command of Circe to fly from these monsters without fighting. I put on my s.h.i.+ning armor and took a spear in each hand, and went on deck, and stood in warlike att.i.tude ready to attack Skylla if she should raise a hand to seize one of my men. I looked for a long time, but I could not see her.

"We sailed on, the uproar increasing. My men grew white with fear.

The salt waters whirled so that we could look into a deep watery pit and see the blue sand. The rocks were hidden by a thick mist. Suddenly Skylla thrust forth a mighty hand and s.n.a.t.c.hed six of my brave men, as a fisherman pulls out fish with a hook. I saw their hands outstretched toward me as they were lifted up into the air, and I heard their cries for help. Woe is me! This sight will haunt me as long as I have life."

CHAPTER XXV ODYSSEUS ON THE ISLAND OF HELIOS

"When we had escaped from the terrible Skylla and Charybdis, we came to the island of Helios, the island of the Sun, and heard from afar the lowing of the cattle and the bleating of the sheep. Then I remembered the words of Tiresias and Circe, and I advised my companions not to land there at all, but to go right on, lest we suffer some new disaster.

"My crew would not listen to me. They commanded me to land on the isle. I then made them take an oath not even to look at any of the cattle. We prepared our evening meal, and when it was over we talked of our dear companions whom Skylla had devoured, and we mourned over them until we fell asleep.

"We remained a whole month on this island, on account of unfavorable winds. We found the roomy grot where the nymphs danced, and the seats where they sat--the nymphs who tended the flocks of Helios.

"As long as we had a plenty of bread and wine my comrades were satisfied and spared the cattle. But when our store of food was exhausted they roamed all over the island to see what they could get to appease their hunger. They snared birds and caught fish with hooks, and lived on them or anything else that came to hand. But they grew poor and lean with hunger and nearly starved. I went off alone into the island, where I had found a quiet nook, and sent up prayers to the G.o.ds to show us the way out of our difficulties. There I fell asleep.

"While I slumbered, Eurylochos called my men together, and said: 'All kinds of death are bad enough, my brave friends, but death by starvation is the worst. Let us kill the best of these cattle and offer sacrifices to the G.o.ds, and then eat and live. If we ever get to Ithaca we will make rest.i.tution, for we will build altars to the Sun and place costly gifts upon his shrine. But if it is his will to destroy us in his anger, then let us die amid the billows of the deep, for that is better than to die by famine.'

"Thus spoke Eurylochos, and the others lent a willing ear. They seized the best of the cattle at once, and slaughtered them, and prepared a hearty meal. They offered up pet.i.tions to the G.o.ds, standing round their victims with young oak-leaves in their hands. Then they covered the thighs with caul, and laid slices of fat over these, and poured on water and roasted it until it was consumed. All the rest was cut into smaller portions and scorched on iron p.r.o.ngs.

"At this moment I awoke and hurried down to the s.h.i.+p, and with horror found the dreadful meal prepared. One of the nymphs, immortal shepherdess, flew to the Sun to tell him that my men had slain his cattle. Helios was deeply angered, and spoke thus before the a.s.sembled G.o.ds: 'Father Zeus and all ye immortal G.o.ds, behold the comrades of Odysseus! They have slaughtered my heifers, which gladdened my heart as I went up to heaven and down to earth.

"'If they do not pay me well for this great wrong, I shall go down among the dead and give them light, but I will give no light to the living.' 's.h.i.+ne on, O Sun, in the bright sky,' said Zeus, 'for I will cut their s.h.i.+p to pieces with a thunder-bolt, as it tosses on a black sea.' I could only chide my comrades. I could not think of any sufficient redress, for the cattle were dead.

"And here happened a wonder which amazed my comrades. The skins of the dead animals crawled over the ground, and the flesh lowed as they had done when alive. Nevertheless, my companions continued to kill and eat the best oxen in the herds for six days, when a favorable wind sprang up, and we went on board and set sail once more.

"After we had lost sight of land, and nothing was before us but sky and sea, a sudden darkness shrouded the heavens, and there arose a violent storm. The vessel was hurled hither and thither by the towering billows; the hurricane tore the sails and dashed the mast against the pilot's head, crus.h.i.+ng the bones, and he was cast headlong into the sea.

"Then Zeus sent a thunder-bolt into the s.h.i.+p, and broke it nearly in two. The boat was filled with a sulphurous smoke, and my comrades were shaken off into the sea and drowned. They floated round me, but I moved about in the s.h.i.+p until the bottom and the sides had broken away from each other and the mast had snapped off at its base. I took the mast, which had a thong of bull's-hide round it, and tied it to the keel. I took my seat upon this frail craft, and the storm whirled me about.

"After awhile the west wind ceased, and the south wind began to blow, which was still worse for me, since it took me back to dread Charybdis.

All night long I was tossed on the waves, and at dawn I drew near to Charybdis. As the monster was swallowing the salt brine, I caught hold of the fig-tree and clung to it like a bat till she should throw up my poor raft. I waited long, but at last the timbers were thrown out of the whirlpool, and I dropped down upon them, and sat on them and rowed with my hands. I floated about on the waters for nine long days, and on the tenth I came to Calypso's island. She welcomed me, and detained me seven years, as I have already told thee, O Arete, and why should I repeat a tale already narrated?"

CHAPTER XXVI THE DEPARTURE OF ODYSSEUS FROM THE ISLAND OF SCHERIA

All the guests had listened with deep attention to the recital of Odysseus; all were greatly interested, and when he ended they did not stir or speak a word. Alkinoos was the first to break the silence, and he said: "Renowned Odysseus, since thou hast come to our country, I hope that thy sufferings are at an end and that thou wilt reach thy native land safely and soon." Then the King turned to his guests and addressed them: "Phaeacians, let us each present one more gift, a large tripod and a vase, to the hero who has come among us."

The Phaeacians received his words approvingly, and each went at once to his home to sleep. But when morning came they all sent their gifts to the s.h.i.+p, where they were packed carefully under the benches by the King himself, and the guests returned to the palace, where a banquet was spread for them.

Alkinoos sacrificed an ox to Zeus, and they sat down at the table.

The enjoyment ran high, and the old poet, Demodokos, sang sweet songs.

They feasted all day, and when the sun was near its setting Odysseus said: "King Alkinoos, let us pour out the last libation and offer up the last prayer, for all things have come to pa.s.s that my soul desired. May the G.o.ds bless thy gifts. May I find my home, my wife and child, and friends. I pray the G.o.ds to grant thee all that is good, and may no evil ever befall thy land. Be pleased to send me hence, and fare thee well."

Thus he spoke, right glad that the day was done and eager to set sail.

The people approved his timely words, and seizing their goblets they poured out wine on to the ground, an offering to the G.o.ds, and they wished G.o.dspeed to their guest. Odysseus arose and placed a goblet in the hands of the Queen, addressing her thus: "Farewell, O Queen, I wish thee a long and happy life, a peaceful old age down to the grave, from which no one may escape; rejoice in the possession of thy home, thy people, thy children, and the King, thy husband."

So spoke Odysseus, and left the hall. The King sent a herald to show him the way to the port where the s.h.i.+p was waiting for him. At the same time Arete also sent down some maids, who carried a new cloak and tunic, a well-wrought coffer full of gifts, and an abundance of food for the journey.

These things the crew took from their hands and stowed away in the hold of the vessel. They spread a nice bed for him on the deck, where he might sleep quietly. When every thing was ready, Odysseus embarked, and the sailors slipped the cables and took their seats at the oars.

Odysseus fell into a deep, sweet slumber, but the s.h.i.+p flew forward faster than a bird could fly, making rapid headway toward the island of Ithaca.

CHAPTER XXVII ODYSSEUS ARRIVES AT ITHACA

When the morning star arose the s.h.i.+p reached Ithaca. It entered a harbor called Phorkys, where there was a grotto sacred to the nymphs, and it was shaded at the entrance by an olive-tree. Stone vases stood around in the grotto, and there bees had stored up honey. The nymphs spun their fine thread from stone spindles there, and wove their sea-purple robes. Springs of cool water flowed through the grotto, and there was an entrance for mortals and one which was kept holy for the G.o.ds.

When the s.h.i.+p touched the beach the sailors disembarked and carried the sleeping Odysseus on a rug on to the sh.o.r.e and laid him down.

They brought his presents also from under the s.h.i.+p's benches and laid them under the olive-tree, a short distance from the road, for fear that some evil-minded person would take them before Odysseus woke up.

Then the crew sailed homeward, but Poseidon saw them and was angry because his purpose to cause Odysseus endless suffering had been thwarted. He at once complained to Zeus that the Phaeacians had restored Odysseus to his native land, with gifts finer and more valuable than anything he could have brought from Troy. Zeus listened to his complaint and gave him authority to destroy the Phaeacian boat and its crew. Poseidon promptly repaired to the island of Scheria, and when the s.h.i.+p came in sight of the town he transformed it into a towering rock, that it might hide the island from mariners and the Phaeacians would no longer be tempted to escort strangers to their homes.

The s.h.i.+p had gone, and it was broad daylight when Odysseus awoke.

He did not recognize his own country, he had been away from it for such a long time, and besides that, Athena had spread a dense fog over it. His first thought was that the Phaeacians had deceived him and left him on an unknown sh.o.r.e. He began to accuse them of treachery, and prayed to Zeus to punish them. He looked around and found that his gifts had been carefully placed, so he knew that he had not been robbed. He counted his gifts and examined them.

There were tripods and vases of gold and bra.s.s and beautiful hand-woven garments. He paced up and down the sh.o.r.e and wept and wailed aloud. Then Athena appeared to him disguised as a shepherd lad.

When Odysseus saw her, he hastened to her and said: "Hail, fair youth!

I am a stranger and find myself for the first time in this place.

I entreat thee to tell me the name of this country, and what kind of people inhabit it." The G.o.ddess answered him: "Truly, stranger, thou must come from a far-off land that thou dost not know Ithaca, which is known from the rising to the setting of the sun.

"It is indeed a stony island but it is not barren, nor is it a good place for raising horses. It is rich in grain and grapes. It has an abundance of dew and rain, and most delicious wine is made here.

Nowhere can be found handsomer goats or finer cattle. Every kind of tree grows in its forests, and its springs are never dry. The fame of Ithaca has reached even as far as Troy itself which, I am told, lies far from h.e.l.las."

Odysseus was overjoyed to find that he was in his own country. But he did not venture to tell his name to the shepherd, nor whence he came. Instead of that he told a long story that he came from Crete, which he had been obliged to leave because he had killed the King's son, who had robbed him.

Athena smiled and, a.s.suming the form of a beautiful woman, took him by the hand and said: "Thou crafty man, why dost thou tell such lies?

Dost thou not know Athena, daughter of Zeus, who has protected thee everywhere and saved thee from all danger? I have just come again to a.s.sist thee in hiding thy treasures and to tell thee what thou must encounter in thine own palace. But thou must not repeat anything which I tell thee, nor make thyself known to any man or woman. And thou must bear many indignities in silence until the right time comes, for there are many violent men in thy halls."

Odysseus's heart was filled with joy. He knelt down and kissed the soil of his native land. "Tell me, is it true," he said, "that I am in my own beloved Ithaca? I pray thee, G.o.ddess, do not jest with me."

"Thy native land! Such ever is thy thought," answered the G.o.ddess.

"Any other man would have hastened with all speed to his wife and home. But thou must wait and come not at once into the presence of Penelope. She sits within thy palace, weeping night and day because thou dost not come. Hide thy gifts here in this grotto, and I will tell thee what to do next."

With a glad heart Odysseus saluted the nymphs of the cave and spring: "Hail to you, nymphs of my native land, daughters of Zeus! I thought I should never see you again. I shall bring you rich gifts in days to come, if it please Athena to keep me from harm." After he had carried the presents into the grotto and carefully hidden them, he sat down with the G.o.ddess among the gnarled roots of the olive-tree, and they laid plots to destroy Penelope's impudent suitors. Athena told him about the trouble they had caused her; how they had established themselves in her own home, trying to win her for a wife. For three years the n.o.ble Penelope had kept these arrogant men in suspense, deluded with empty hopes, while she waited for her husband's return.

When Odysseus heard these words he was greatly disturbed, and said: "Woe is me! I might have been slain in my own home but for these timely words. Now I am forearmed. Stand by me, I pray, in my great need, and give me strength to meet my enemies. If thou art my helper, I can resist, single-handed, three hundred foes."