Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/210

174 and it was entirely whirled round, stricken with the thunderbolt of Jove, and it was filled with sulphur; and my companions fell from the ship. And they, like unto gulls, were borne on the waves around the black ship; for the deity took away their return. But I kept going about through the ship, until the storm loosed the sides from the keel; and the wave bore it along naked. And it broke out the mast at the keel: but a thong was thrown upon it, made from the skin of an ox. With this I bound both together, the keel and the mast: and sitting upon them I was borne by the destructive winds.

"Then indeed the West wind ceased raging with a storm, and quickly the South wind came on, bringing grief to my mind, that I should again measure my way to destructive Charybdis. I was borne along during the whole night; and together with the rising sun I came to the rock of Scylla, and terrible Charybdis. She gulped up the briny water of the sea; but I, raised on high to the lofty fig-tree, held clinging to it, as a bat, nor could I any where either fix myself firmly with my feet, or ascend: for the roots were far off, and the branches were wide apart, and both long and vast, and they overshadowed Charybdis. But I held without ceasing, until she vomited out again the mast and keel; and it came late to me wishing for it: as late as a man has risen from the forum to go to supper, adjudging many contests of disputing youths, so late these planks appeared from Charybdis. And I put down my feet, and my hands over them, to be carried along, and I fell with a noise in the middle on the long planks, and sitting upon them, I rowed with my hands. Nor did the father of men and of gods permit Scylla to behold me any more; for I could not have escaped bitter destruction. From thence I was borne along nine days; but in the tenth night the gods drove me to the island Ogygia; where fair-haired Calypso dwelt, an awful goddess, possessing human speech, who received me kindly, and took care of me. Why should I recount these things to thee? for I have already related them yesterday in thine house, to thee and thy illustrious wife; but it is hateful to me to recount again things that have been told full plainly."