Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/91

438—478. and having hollowed out beds in the sands of the sea, she sat waiting, but we came very near to her; and she laid us down in order, and threw a skin over each of us. There, however, the ambush was most grievous; for a most pernicious smell [from the skins] of sea-nourished calves afflicted us horribly: for who would sleep near a whale of the sea? But she preserved us and bethought her of a mighty remedy; she brought ambrosia and placed it under the nostrils of each, which breathed very pleasantly, and destroyed the smell of the whale. And we waited the whole morning with patient mind. And the sea-calves came together from the sea; they then lay in order near the shore of the sea. And the old man at mid-day came from the sea, and found the well-nourished sea-calves; and he went over all and counted their number. And he counted us first amongst the whales, nor did he at all suspect in his mind that it was a trick; and then he himself also lay down. But we immediately shouting rushed upon him; and threw our hands around him: nor did the old man forget his wily art. And first indeed he became a lion with noble mane, and then a dragon, and a leopard, and a great boar; and he became liquid water and a lofty-leaved tree. But we held him firmly with patient mind; and when at length the old man mourned, skilled in terrible tricks, then inquiring of me with words he addressed me; 'Who of the gods, thou son of Atreus, planned counsels for thee, that thou mightest take me against my will, having insnared me? of what hast thou need?' "Thus he spoke; but I addressed him in answer: 'Thou knowest, old man—why dost thou ask me these things, deceiving me? Since I am now detained a long time in the island, nor can I find any means of escape, and my heart wastes away within me. But do thou tell me, for the gods know all things, who of the immortals hinders me, and has bound me from my journey, and [tell me about] my return, how shall I go over the fishy sea.'

"Thus I spoke; but he answering again addressed me: 'But thou oughtest by all means to embark, having offered favourable sacrifices to Jupiter, and the other gods, that thou mayest come as quick as possible to thy country, sailing over the dark sea. For it is not the destiny for thee to behold thy friends and to come to thy well-built house and thy paternal land, before thou shalt return again to the water of