Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/165

504—544. the sacker of cities, the son of Laertes, who possesses a house in Ithaca, blinded thee.'

"Thus I spoke; but he wailing answered me in discourse: 'Alas, surely the oracles spoken of old are come upon me. There was a certain prophet here, a good and great man, Telemus Eurymedes, who excelled in prophesying, and he grew old prophesying amongst the Cyclops. He told me that all these things would hereafter be accomplished, that I should be deprived of my sight by the hands of Ulysses. But I have been still expecting that some large and beautiful man would come here, clad in mighty strength. But now, one who is little, worth nothing, and weak, has bereft me of my sight, after he had subdued me with wine. But come hither, Ulysses, that I may give thee hospitable presents, and may urge illustrious Neptune to give thee an escort; for I am his son, and he professes to be my father: but he, if he shall be willing, will cure me, nor any other either of the blessed gods or mortal men.'

"Thus he spoke; but I answering addressed him: 'I wish indeed I could send thee within the house of Pluto, having deprived thee of thy soul and life; so not even Neptune will cure thine eye.'

"Thus I spoke; but he immediately prayed to King Neptune, stretching forth his hands to the starry heaven: 'Hear me, O earth-containing, azure-haired Neptune, if I am truly thine, and thou dost profess to be my sire, grant that Ulysses, the sacker of cities, [the son of Laertes, who possesses a house in Ithaca,] may not reach home. But if it is a destiny for him to behold his friends, and to come to his well-built house, and his own paternal land, may he come late to his cost, having lost all his companions, on a foreign ship, and may he find calamities in his home.'

"Thus he spoke praying; and he of azure hair heard him. But he immediately raising a much larger stone, sent it whirling it round; and he exerted enormous strength. And he hurled it behind the dark-prowed ship, and it wanted little to reach the extreme part of the rudder; and the sea was disturbed by the descending rock. But it the wave bore forward, and made it approach so as to reach the continent. But when at length we reached the island where the other well-benched ships remained together, and our companions