Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/232

196 of the king. But he said that he was gone to Dodona, that he might ask the counsel of the deity from the lofty-tressed oak of Jove, how he should return to the rich people of Ithaca, having now been a long time absent, whether openly or secretly. And he swore to me myself, making libations in his house, that the ship was launched, and that his companions were ready, who should at length escort him to his dear paternal land. But me he sent away first; for a ship of the Thesprotians happened to be going to wheat-abounding Dulichium. Then he ordered them to conduct me diligently to king Acastus: but an evil plan concerning me pleased them in their mind, that I might still be in woe in addition to calamity. But when the sea-traversing ship had sailed far away from the land, they immediately plotted for me the day of slavery. They took off my cloak and tunic, my garments, and then around me threw another sordid rag, and tunic, tattered, which even thou thyself beholdest with thine eyes. But in the evening they came to the tilled-lands of Western Ithaca; there indeed they bound me down in the well-benched ship, firmly, with a well-twisted cable; but they disembarking, hastily took a supper near the shore of the sea. But the gods themselves easily bent back my bond; and wrapping a rag around my head, I descended down the polished rudder, and made my breast approach the sea: then I rowed on with both my hands, swimming, and I was very quickly out of the way, at a distance from them. Then going up where there was a thicket of a flourishing wood, I lay crouching down; but they walked about groaning greatly: but it did not appear to them to be better to search further; therefore they embarked again in the hollow ship: but the gods themselves eaislyeasily [sic] concealed me; and leading me away, made me approach the abode of a skilful man; for still it is fated for me to live."

But him thou didst address in answer, O swineherd Eumæus: "Ah wretched one of strangers! thou hast excited my mind very much, relating each of these things, how much thou hast suffered, and how much thou hast wandered. But I do not think that these things are right, nor wilt thou persuade me, speaking about Ulysses; why is it fit that thou, being such a one, shouldst speak falsely, to no purpose? But I myself well know as to the return of my master, that