Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/114

78 trary to his fate, had not blue-eyed Minerva given him prudence; coming up from out of the wave, where it vomits out against the shore, he swam beyond, looking to the land, if he could any where find sloping shores, and ports of the sea. But when he came swimming to the mouth of a beautiful flowing river, where it seemed to him to be the best place, smooth from rocks, and there was a shelter from the wind; he knew that it was flowing forward, and he prayed in his mind:

"Hear me, O King, whoever thou art; for unto thee who art much wished for I come, flying from the threats of Neptune, from the sea. He indeed is revered even by the immortal gods, whoever of men comes wandering, as I now do, to thy stream, and come to thy knees, having suffered many things. But take pity, O King: I profess to be thy suppliant."

Thus he spoke; but he immediately stopped his stream, and restrained the wave; and made a calm before him; and preserved him to the mouth of the river; but he bent both his knees, and his sturdy hands; for his heart was overcome by the sea. But he was swollen over all his body, and the sea came forth in quantities through his mouth and his nostrils: and he lay breathless and speechless, with his strength wasted, and terrible fatigue came upon him. But when he recovered his breath, and his mind was collected in his breast, then he loosed from him the scarf of the goddess; and he cast it into the river flowing into the sea, and a great wave carried it back through the stream; and Ino immediately received it in her dear hands; but he going away from the river reclined amongst the bulrush, and kissed the bounteous earth; and mourning spake unto his strong-hearted mind:

"Alas for me, what shall I suffer? What will at length become of me? If I shall watch through the severe night in a river, [I fear,] lest the evil rime, and the prolific dew together, overcome my worn-out mind, on account of my weakness; for the breeze blows chill from a river in the morning. But if I should go up to the hill and shady