Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/176

140 other man sustained these drugs, whoever shall have drunk them, and they shall have first passed his lips: [but thou hast some mind in thy breast which cannot be charmed.] Art thou Ulysses with many turns, whom the golden-wanded Argicide always told me would come, as he was returning from Troy in a swift black ship? But come now, place thy sword in the sheath, and then we will ascend my bed, that being mixed in the bed and in love, we may trust in one another.'

"Thus she spoke, but I answering addressed her: 'O Circe, how dost thou command me to be mild to thee, who hast made my companions swine in thy palace? But detaining me here, planning deceit dost thou command me to go to thy chamber, and to ascend thy bed, that thou mayest make me naked, weak, and unmanly? I would not be willing to ascend thy bed unless thou wouldst endure, O goddess, to swear a great oath to me, that thou wilt not devise any other evil harm against me.'

"Thus I spoke; and she immediately swore, as I commanded: but when she had sworn and confirmed the oath, then I ascended the beautiful bed of Circe.

"And four handmaidens, who are her servants in the house, were busy in the palace. But they indeed were sprung from the fountains and from the groves, and from the sacred rivers, which flow forth into the sea. One of them threw beautiful blankets up on the thrones, purple above, but under she put beautiful linen: another extended silver tables before the thrones, and set upon them golden dishes: a third mixed sweet honeyed wine in a silver bowl, and distributed golden cups: but the fourth carried water, and lighted a great fire under a large tripod; and the water was warmed. But when the water boiled in the shining brass, having put me in a bath, she washed me from the large tripod, pouring [water] pleasantly over my head and shoulders, until she took away from my limbs mind-destroying labour; but when she had both washed me and anointed me with rich oil, she threw a beautiful cloak and garment around me, and leading me in, seated me on a silver-studded throne, beautiful, variegated; and a footstool was under my feet. [But a handmaiden bringing water in a beautiful golden ewer, poured it over a silver cauldron, to wash in: and she spread a polished table near. But the venerable housekeeper bringing food placed it