The Odyssey Page 0,55

bids me take my fill. But do you hasten at the dawn of day to land unhappy me in my own country, much though I still must bear; and let life cease when once I have beheld my goods, my slaves, and my great high-roofed house.”

He spoke, and all approved and bade send forth the stranger, for rightly had he spoken. Then after they had poured and drunk as their hearts would, desiring rest, they each departed homeward. So in the hall was royal Odysseus left behind; Arete, too, and godlike Alcinouäs sat beside him, while servants cleared away the dishes of the meal. Then thus began white-armed Arete; for when she saw Odysseus she knew his robe and tunic to be the beautiful clothing which she herself had made—she and her waiting-women; and speaking in winged words, she said:

“Stranger, I will myself first ask you this: Who are you? Of what people? Who gave this clothing to you? Did you not say you came to us when lost at sea?”

Then wise Odysseus answered her and said: “Hard it were, Queen, fully to tell my woes, because the gods of heaven have given me many; still, what you ask and seek to know I will declare. Ogygia is an island lying far out at sea, where the daughter of Atlas dwells, crafty Calypso, a fair-haired, powerful goddess. Her no one visits, neither god nor mortal man; but hapless me some heavenly power brought to her hearth, and all alone, for Zeus with a gleaming bolt smote my swift ship and wrecked it in the middle of the wine-dark sea. There all the rest of my good comrades perished, but I myself caught in my arms the keel of my curved ship and drifted for nine days. Upon the tenth, in the dark night, gods brought me to the island of Ogygia, where dwells Calypso, the fair-haired, powerful goddess. Receiving me, she loved and cherished me, and often said that she would make me an immortal, young forever; but she never beguiled the heart within my breast. Here for seven years I lingered, and often with my tears bedewed the immortal robes Calypso gave. But when the eighth revolving year was come, she bade me, even urged me, to depart, whether through message sent from Zeus or that her own mind changed. Upon a strong-built raft she sent me forth, giving abundant food, bread and sweet wine; she clad me in immortal robes and sent along my course a fair and gentle breeze. For seventeen days I sailed across the sea; on the eighteenth there came in sight the dim heights of your coast, and I was glad at heart—ill-fated I, who yet must meet the sore distress which earth-shaking Poseidon sent on me. For he awoke the winds and barred my progress, stirred marvelously the waters, and the waves did not suffer me, despite my many groans, to ride my raft. This soon the tempest shattered, but I by swimming forced my way through the flood, till at your coast the wind and water brought me in. Here, as I tried to land, the waves upon the shore might well have overcome me, casting me on great rocks and on forbidding ground; but I turned back and swam until I reached a stream where the ground seemed most fit, all clear of stones and sheltered from the breeze. Gathering my strength, I staggered out, and the immortal night drew near. Off to a distance from the heaven-descended stream I walked, and fell asleep among the bushes, heaping the leaves around; and here God poured upon me a slumber without end. For lying among the leaves and sad at heart, I slept all night till morning, then till noon; the sun was going down as the sweet slumber left me. And now upon the shore I saw your daughter’s maids, playing a game, and she among them seemed a goddess. To her I made entreaty, and she did not lack sound judgment, such as you could not think that a young person meeting you would show; for usually the young are giddy. She gave me bread enough and sparkling wine, she bathed me in the river and gave to me these clothes. Thus, though in trouble, I have told you all the truth.”

Then answered him Alcinouäs and said: “Stranger, in this my child behaved not rightly, in that she did not bring you hither with her maids. Yet it was she