Page:The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer (IA iliadodysseyofho02home).pdf/310

302 Return'd from safe conveyance of her freight; So shall they waft such wand'rers home no more, And she shall hide their city, to a rock Transform'd of mountainous o'ershadowing size. Him, then, Jove answer'd, gath'rer of the clouds. Perform it, O my brother, and the deed Thus done, shall best be done—What time the people Shall from the city her approach descry, Fix her to stone transform'd, but still in shape A gallant bark, near to the coast, that all May wonder, seeing her transform'd to stone Of size to hide their city from the view. These words once heard, the Shaker of the shores Instant to Scheria, maritime abode Of the Phæacians, went. Arrived, he watch'd. And now the flying bark full near approach'd, When Neptune, meeting her, with out-spread palm Depress'd her at a stroke, and she became Deep-rooted stone. Then Neptune went his way. Phæacia's ship-ennobled sons meantime Conferring stood, and thus, in accents wing'd, Th' amazed spectator to his fellow spake. Ah! who hath sudden check'd the vessel's course Homeward? this moment she was all in view. Thus they, unconscious of the cause, to whom Alcinoüs, instructing them, replied. Ye Gods! a prophecy now strikes my mind With force, my father's. He was wont to say—