ULYSSES DECLARES HIMSELF AND BEGINS HIS STORY—-THE CICONS, LOTOPHAGI, AND CYCLOPES.
And Ulysses answered, “King Alcinous, it is a good thing to a with such a voice as this man has. There is nothing or more than when a whole people make together, with the guests to listen, while the table is with and meats, and the cup-bearer and his cup for every man. This is as a as a man can see. Now, however, since you are to ask the of my sorrows, and my own sad memories in respect of them, I do not know how to begin, yet how to continue and my tale, for the hand of has been upon me.
“Firstly, then, I will tell you my name that you too may know it, and one day, if I this time of sorrow, may my guests though I live so away from all of you. I am Ulysses son of Laertes, among for all manner of subtlety, so that my to heaven. I live in Ithaca, where there is a high called Neritum, with forests; and not from it there is a group of very near to one another—Dulichium, Same, and the of Zacynthus. It on the horizon, all up in the sea the sunset, while the others away from it dawn.75 It is a island, but it men, and my know none that they love to look upon. The Calypso me with her in her cave, and wanted me to her, as did also the Aeaean Circe; but they neither of them me, for there is nothing to a man than his own country and his parents, and a home he may have in a country, if it be from father or mother, he not about it. Now, however, I will tell you of the many which by Jove’s will I met with on my return from Troy.
“When I had set sail the wind took me to Ismarus, which is the city of the Cicons. There I the town and put the people to the sword. We took their and also much booty, which we us, so that none might have to complain. I then said that we had make off at once, but my men very would not me, so they there much and killing great numbers of sheep and on the sea shore. Meanwhile the Cicons out for help to other Cicons who inland. These were more in number, and stronger, and they were more in the art of war, for they fight, either from or on as the occasion served; in the morning, therefore, they came as thick as and in summer, and the hand of was against us, so that we were hard pressed. They set the in near the ships, and the their bronze-shod at one another.76 So long as the day and it was still morning, we our own against them, though they were more in number than we; but as the sun down, the time when men their oxen, the Cicons got the of us, and we a dozen men from every ship we had; so we got away with those that were left.
“Thence we with in our hearts, but to have death though we had our comrades, did we till we had thrice each one of the who had by the hands of the Cicons. Then Jove the North wind against us till it a hurricane, so that land and sky were in thick clouds, and night out of the heavens. We let the ships the gale, but the of the wind our to tatters, so we took them for of shipwreck, and our the land. There we two days and two nights much from and of mind, but on the of the third day we again our masts, set sail, and took our places, the wind and direct our ship. I should have got home at that time had not the North wind and the been against me as I was Cape Malea, and set me off my hard by the of Cythera.
“I was by for a space of nine days upon the sea, but on the tenth day we the land of the Lotus-eaters, who live on a food that comes from a of flower. Here we to take in fresh water, and our got their mid-day on the near the ships. When they had and I sent two of my company to see what manner of men the people of the place might be, and they had a third man under them. They started at once, and about among the Lotus-eaters, who did them no hurt, but gave them to eat of the lotus, which was so that those who ate of it left off about home, and did not want to go and say what had to them, but were for and lotus77 with the Lotus-eaters without of their return; nevertheless, though they I them to the ships and them fast under the benches. Then I told the to go on at once, any of them should taste of the and off wanting to home, so they took their places and the sea with their oars.
“We hence, always in much distress, till we came to the land of the and Cyclopes. Now the Cyclopes neither plant plough, but trust in providence, and live on such wheat, barley, and as wild without any of tillage, and their wild them as the sun and the rain may them. They have no laws of the people, but live in on the of high mountains; each is lord and master in his family, and they take no account of their neighbours.
“Now off their there a and not close to the land of the Cyclopes, but still not far. It is over-run with wild goats, that there in great numbers and are by of man; for sportsmen—who as a will so much in or among precipices—do not go there, yet again is it or down, but it a and from year to year, and has no thing upon it but only goats. For the Cyclopes have no ships, yet who make ships for them; they cannot therefore go from city to city, or sail over the sea to one another’s country as people who have ships can do; if they had had these they would have the island,78 for it is a very good one, and would in season. There are that in some places come right to the sea shore, well and full of grass; would do there excellently; there is level land for ploughing, and it would always at time, for the is deep. There is a good where no are wanted, yet anchors, need a ship be moored, but all one has to do is to beach one’s and there till the wind for out to sea again. At the of the there is a of clear water out of a cave, and there are all it.
“Here we entered, but so dark was the night that some god must have us in, for there was nothing to be seen. A thick all our ships;79 the moon was a of clouds so that no one have the if he had looked for it, were there any breakers to tell us we were close in we ourselves upon the land itself; when, however, we had the ships, we took the sails, and upon the beach till daybreak.
“When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, we the and all over it, while the Jove’s the wild that we might some meat for our dinner. On this we our and and from the ships, and ourselves into three to shoot the goats. Heaven sent us excellent sport; I had twelve ships with me, and each ship got nine goats, while my own ship had ten; thus through the day to the going of the sun we ate and our fill, and we had of left, for each one of us had taken many full when we the city of the Cicons, and this had not yet out. While we were we our the land of the Cyclopes, which was hard by, and saw the of their fires. We almost we their voices and the of their sheep and goats, but when the sun and it came on dark, we upon the beach, and next I called a council.
“‘Stay here, my fellows,’ said I, ‘all the of you, while I go with my ship and these people myself: I want to see if they are savages, or a and race.’
“I on board, my men to do so also and the hawsers; so they took their places and the sea with their oars. When we got to the land, which was not far, there, on the of a near the sea, we saw a great with laurels. It was a station for a great many sheep and goats, and there was a large yard, with a high it of into the ground and of trees and oak. This was the of a who was then away from home his flocks. He would have nothing to do with other people, but the life of an outlaw. He was a creature, not like a being at all, but some that out against the sky on the top of a high mountain.
“I told my men to the ship ashore, and where they were, all but the twelve best among them, who were to go along with myself. I also took a of sweet black which had been me by Maron, son of Euanthes, who was of Apollo the god of Ismarus, and the of the temple. When we were the city we him, and his life, as also his wife and child; so he me some presents of great value—seven of gold, and a bowl of silver, with twelve of sweet wine, unblended, and of the most flavour. Not a man in the house about it, but only himself, his wife, and one housekeeper: when he it he mixed twenty parts of water to one of wine, and yet the from the mixing-bowl was so that it was to from drinking. I a large skin with this wine, and took a full of with me, for my mind me that I might have to with some who would be of great strength, and would respect neither right law.
“We soon his cave, but he was out shepherding, so we and took stock of all that we see. His cheese-racks were with cheeses, and he had more and than his hold. They were in flocks; there were the hoggets, then the of the and the very ones80 all from one another; as for his dairy, all the vessels, bowls, and milk into which he milked, were with whey. When they saw all this, my men me to let them some cheeses, and make off with them to the ship; they would then return, drive the and kids, put them on and sail away with them. It would have been if we had done so but I would not to them, for I wanted to see the owner himself, in the that he might give me a present. When, however, we saw him my men him to with.
“We a fire, offered some of the in sacrifice, ate others of them, and then sat waiting till the Cyclops should come in with his sheep. When he came, he in with him a of to light the fire for his supper, and this he with such a noise on to the of his that we ourselves for at the end of the cavern. Meanwhile he all the inside, as well as the she-goats that he was going to milk, the males, and he-goats, in the yards. Then he rolled a to the mouth of the cave—so that two and twenty four-wheeled would not be to it from its place against the doorway. When he had so done he sat and his and goats, all in course, and then let each of them have her own young. He the milk and set it in strainers, but the other he into that he might drink it for his supper. When he had got through with all his work, he the fire, and then of us, he said:
“‘Strangers, who are you? Where do sail from? Are you traders, or do you sail the sea as rovers, with your hands against every man, and every man’s hand against you?’
“We were out of our by his loud voice and form, but I managed to say, ‘We are Achaeans on our way home from Troy, but by the will of Jove, and of weather, we have been out of our course. We are the people of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, who has the whole world, by so great a city and killing so many people. We therefore pray you to us some hospitality, and otherwise make us such presents as visitors may expect. May your the of heaven, for we are your suppliants, and Jove takes all travellers under his protection, for he is the of all and in distress.’
“To this he gave me but a answer, ‘Stranger,’ said he, ‘you are a fool, or else you know nothing of this country. Talk to me, indeed, about the gods or their anger? We Cyclopes do not about Jove or any of your gods, for we are so much than they. I shall not either or your out of any for Jove, unless I am in the for doing so. And now tell me where you your ship fast when you came on shore. Was it the point, or is she off the land?’
“He said this to me out, but I was too to be in that way, so I answered with a lie; ‘Neptune,’ said I, ‘sent my ship on to the at the end of your country, and it. We were on to them from the open sea, but I and those who are with me the of death.’
“The me not one word of answer, but with a he up two of my men at once and them upon the ground as though they had been puppies. Their were upon the ground, and the earth was wet with their blood. Then he them from and upon them. He them up like a lion in the wilderness, flesh, bones, marrow, and entrails, without anything uneaten. As for us, we and up our hands to on such a sight, for we did not know what else to do; but when the Cyclops had his paunch, and had his of with a drink of milk, he himself full length upon the ground among his sheep, and to sleep. I was at to my sword, it, and drive it into his vitals, but I that if I did we should all be lost, for we should be able to shift the which the had put in of the door. So we and where we were till came.
“When the child of morning, rosy-fingered dawn, appeared, he again his fire, his and ewes, all rightly, and then let each have her own one; as soon as he had got through with all his work, he up two more of my men, and them for his morning’s meal. Presently, with the ease, he rolled the away from the door and out his sheep, but he at once put it again—as easily as though he were the on to a full of arrows. As soon as he had done so he shouted, and ‘Shoo, shoo,’ after his sheep to drive them on to the mountain; so I was left to some way of taking my and myself with glory.
“In the end I it would be the best plan to do as follows: The Cyclops had a great which was near one of the sheep pens; it was of green wood, and he had cut it to use it for a staff as soon as it should be dry. It was so that we only it to the of a twenty-oared merchant of large burden, and able to out into open sea. I up to this and cut off about six of it; I then gave this piece to the men and told them to it off at one end, which they to do, and I it to a point myself, the end in the fire to make it harder. When I had done this I it under dung, which was about all over the cave, and told the men to which of them should along with myself to it and it into the monster’s while he was asleep. The upon the very four I should have chosen, and I myself five. In the the came from shepherding, and his into the cave—this time them all inside, and not any in the yards; I some must have taken him, or a god must have him to do so. As soon as he had put the to its place against the door, he sat down, his and his all rightly, and then let each have her own one; when he had got through with all this work, he up two more of my men, and his supper off them. So I up to him with an ivy-wood bowl of black in my hands:
“‘Look here, Cyclops,’ said I, you have been a great of man’s flesh, so take this and drink some wine, that you may see what of we had on my ship. I was it to you as a drink-offering, in the that you would take upon me and me on my way home, all you do is to go on and most intolerably. You ought to be of yourself; how can you people to come see you any more if you them in this way?’
“He then took the cup and drank. He was so with the taste of the that he me for another bowl full. ‘Be so kind,’ he said, ‘as to give me some more, and tell me your name at once. I want to make you a present that you will be to have. We have in this country, for our and the sun them, but this drinks like Nectar and Ambrosia all in one.’
“I then gave him some more; three times did I the bowl for him, and three times did he it without or heed; then, when I saw that the had got into his head, I said to him as plausibly as I could: ‘Cyclops, you ask my name and I will tell it you; give me, therefore, the present you promised me; my name is Noman; this is what my father and mother and my friends have always called me.’
“But the said, ‘Then I will eat all Noman’s Noman himself, and will keep Noman for the last. This is the present that I will make him.’
“As he spoke he reeled, and on the ground. His great and a sleep took upon him. Presently he sick, and up and the of on which he had been gorging, for he was very drunk. Then I the of into the to it, and my men any of them should turn faint-hearted. When the wood, green though it was, was about to blaze, I it out of the fire with heat, and my men me, for had their with courage. We the end of the into the monster’s eye, and upon it with all my weight I it and as though I were a in a ship’s with an auger, which two men with a wheel and can keep on as long as they choose. Even thus did we the red into his eye, till the blood all over it as we it and round, so that the steam from the his and eyebrows, and the of the in the fire. As a an or into cold water to it—for it is this that to the iron—and it makes a great as he so, thus did the Cyclops’ the of wood, and his the ring again. We ran away in a fright, but he the all with from his eye, and it from him in a of and pain, as he did so to the other Cyclopes who on the near him; so they from all his when they him crying, and asked what was the with him.
“‘What you, Polyphemus,’ said they, ‘that you make such a noise, the of the night, and us from being able to sleep? Surely no man is off your sheep? Surely no man is trying to kill you either by or by force?’
“But Polyphemus to them from the cave, ‘Noman is killing me by fraud; no man is killing me by force.’
“‘Then,’ said they, ‘if no man is you, you must be ill; when Jove makes people ill, there is no help for it, and you had pray to your father Neptune.’
“Then they away, and I laughed at the success of my stratagem, but the Cyclops, and in an of pain, about with his hands till he the and took it from the door; then he sat in the and his hands in of it to catch anyone going out with the sheep, for he I might be to attempt this.
“As for myself I on to think how I best save my own life and those of my companions; I and schemed, as one who that his life upon it, for the was very great. In the end I that this plan would be the best; the male sheep were well grown, and a black fleece, so I them in together, with some of the on which the used to sleep. There was to be a man under the middle sheep, and the two on either were to him, so that there were three sheep to each man. As for myself there was a than any of the others, so I of him by the back, myself in the thick under his belly, and on to his fleece, upwards, a on it all the time.
“Thus, then, did we wait in great of mind till came, but when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, the male sheep out to feed, while the about the waiting to be milked, for their were full to bursting; but their master in of all his pain the of all the sheep as they upright, without being to out that the men were their bellies. As the was going out, last of all, with its and with the weight of my self, Polyphemus of it and said:
“‘My good ram, what is it that makes you the last to my this morning? You are not to let the go you, but lead the with a to or fountain, and are the to come home again at night; but now you last of all. Is it you know your master has his eye, and are sorry that Noman and his has got him in his drink and him? But I will have his life yet. If you and talk, you would tell me where the is hiding, and I would his upon the ground till they all over the cave. I should thus have some for the this no-good Noman has done me.’
“As he spoke he the outside, but when we were a little way out from the and yards, I got from under the ram’s belly, and then my comrades; as for the sheep, which were very fat, by them in the right direction we managed to drive them to the ship. The at those of us who had death, but for the others the Cyclops had killed. However, I to them by and that they were to their crying, and told them to all the sheep on at once and put out to sea; so they aboard, took their places, and the sea with their oars. Then, when I had got as out as my voice would reach, I to at the Cyclops.
“‘Cyclops,’ said I, ‘you should have taken measure of your man up his in your cave. You wretch, eat up your visitors in your own house? You might have that your would you out, and now Jove and the other gods have you.’
“He got more and more as he me, so he the top from off a high mountain, and it just in of my ship so that it was a little of the end of the rudder.81 The sea as the into it, and the wash of the it us the mainland, and us the shore. But I up a long and the ship off, making to my men by my head, that they must for their lives, they out with a will. When we had got twice as as we were before, I was for at the Cyclops again, but the men and prayed of me to my tongue.
“‘Do not,’ they exclaimed, ‘be to this further; he has one at us already which us again to the mainland, and we sure it had been the death of us; if he had then any of voices he would have our and our ship’s into a jelly with the he would have at us, for he can them a long way.’
“But I would not to them, and out to him in my rage, ‘Cyclops, if any one you who it was that put your out and your beauty, say it was the Ulysses, son of Laertes, who in Ithaca.’
“On this he groaned, and out, ‘Alas, alas, then the old about me is true. There was a here, at one time, a man and of great stature, Telemus son of Eurymus, who was an excellent seer, and did all the for the Cyclopes till he old; he told me that all this would to me some day, and said I should my by the hand of Ulysses. I have been all along some one of presence and strength, he out to be a little weakling, who has managed to my by taking of me in my drink; come here, then, Ulysses, that I may make you presents to my hospitality, and Neptune to help you on your journey—for Neptune and I are father and son. He, if he so will, shall me, which no one else neither god man can do.’
“Then I said, ‘I wish I be as sure of killing you and sending you to the house of Hades, as I am that it will take more than Neptune to that of yours.’
“On this he up his hands to the of and prayed, saying, ‘Hear me, great Neptune; if I am your own true son, that Ulysses may his home alive; or if he must to his friends at last, let him do so late and in after all his men [let him his home in another man’s ship and trouble in his house.’82
“Thus did he pray, and Neptune his prayer. Then he up a much larger than the first, it and it with force. It just of the ship, but was a little of the end of the rudder. The sea as the into it, and the wash of the it us on our way the of the island.
“When at last we got to the where we had left the of our ships, we our us, and our return. We ran our upon the and got out of her on to the sea shore; we also the Cyclops’ sheep, and them us so that none might have to complain. As for the ram, my that I should have it as an share; so I it on the sea shore, and its to Jove, who is the lord of all. But he not my sacrifice, and only how he might my ships and my comrades.
“Thus through the day to the going of the sun we our on meat and drink, but when the sun and it came on dark, we upon the beach. When the child of rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, I my men on and the hawsers. Then they took their places and the sea with their oars; so we on with in our hearts, but to have death though we had our comrades.
