August 5, 2025 • 27 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Book five. And now as Dawn rose from her couch,
besides Tithness, harbinger of light alike to mortals and immortals,
the gods met in council, and with them Jove, the
Lord of Thunder, who is their king. Thereon, Minerva began
to tell them of the many sufferings of Ulysses, for
(00:23):
she pitied him away there in the house of a
nymph Calypso. Father Jove said she, and all you other
gods that live in everlasting bliss, I hope there may
never be such a thing as a kind and well
disposed ruler any more, nor one who will govern equitably.
(00:44):
I hope they will all be henceforth cruel and unjust,
for there is not one of his subjects but has
forgotten Ulysses, who ruled them as though he were their father.
There he is lying in great pain in an island
where dwells the nymph Calypso, who will not let him go.
(01:06):
And he cannot get back to his own country, for
he can find neither ships nor sailors to take him
over the sea. Furthermore, wicked people are now trying to
murder his only son, Telemachus, who is coming home from
Pelis and Lacedaemon, where he has been to sea, if
he can get further news of his father. What, my dear,
(01:30):
are you talking about, replied her father. Did you not
send him there yourself because you thought it would help
Ulysses to get home and punish the suitors. Besides, you
are perfectly able to protect Telemachus and to see him
safely home again, while the suitors have to come hurry
(01:50):
scurrying back without having killed him. When he had thus spoken,
he said to his son Mercury, Mercury, you are our messenger.
Go therefore and tell Calypso we have decreed that poor
Ulysses is to return home. He is to be convoyed
neither by gods nor men, But after a perilous voyage
(02:13):
of twenty days upon a raft, he is to reach
fertile Shuria, the land of the Phaeacians, who are near
of kin to the gods, and will honor him as
though he were one of ourselves. They will send him
in a ship to his own country, and will give
him more bronze and gold and raiment than he would
have brought back from Troy if he had had all
(02:36):
his prize money. And had got home without disaster. This
is how we have settled that he shall return to
his country and his friends. Thus he spoke, and mercury
guide and guardian slayer of Argus did as he was told. Forthwith,
he bound on his glittering golden sandals, with which he
(02:58):
could fly like the wind, and over land and sea.
He took the wand with which he seals men's eyes
in sleep, or wakes them just as he pleases, and
flew holding it in his hand, over Piria. Then he
swooped down through the firmament, till he reached the level
of the sea, whose waves he skimmed, like a cormorant
(03:21):
that flies, fishing every hole in corner of the ocean
and drenching its thick plumage in the spray. He flew
and flew over many a weary wave. But when at
last he got to the island, which was his journey's end,
he left the sea and went on by land till
he came to the cave where the nymph Calypso lived.
(03:43):
He found her at home. There was a large fire
burning on the hearth, and one could smell from far
the fragrant reek of burning cedar and sandalwood. As for herself,
she was busy at her loom, shooting her golden shuttle
through the warp and singing beautifully. Round her cave there
was a thick wood of alder poplar and sweet smelling
(04:05):
cypress trees, wherein all kinds of great birds had built
their nests, owls, hawks and chattering sea crows that occupy
their business in the waters. A vine loaded with grapes
was trained and grew luxuriantly. About the mouth of the cave.
There were also four running rills of water, and channels
cut pretty close together, and turned hither and thither so
(04:29):
as to irrigate the beds of violets and luscious herbage
over which they flowed. Even a god could not help
being charmed with such a lovely spot. So Mercury stood
still and looked at it. But when he had admired
it sufficiently, he went inside the cave. Calypso knew him
at once, for the gods all know each other, no
(04:50):
matter how far they lived from one another. But Ulysses
was not within. He was on the sea shore as usual,
looking out upon the barren ocean, with tears in his eyes.
Groaning and breaking his heart for sorrow. Calypso gave Mercury
a seat and said, why have you come to see me?
Mercury honored and ever welcome, for you do not visit
(05:13):
me often. Say what you want, I will do it
for you at once, if I can, and if it
can be done at all. But come inside and let
me set refreshment before you. As she spoke, she drew
a table loaded with ambrosia beside him and mixed him
some red nectar. So Mercury ate and drank till he
(05:33):
had had enough, and then said, we are speaking God
and Goddess to one another. And you ask me why
I have come here, and I will tell you truly
as you would have me do. Jove sent me. It
was no doing of mine. Who could possibly want to
come all this way over the sea, where there are
no cities full of people to offer me sacrifices or choice? Hecatombs. Nevertheless,
(05:57):
I had to come, for none of us other gods
can cross Jove nor transgress his orders. He says that
you have here the most ill starred of all those
who bought nine years before the city of king Briam
and sailed home in the tenth year, after having sacked it.
On their way home, they sinned against Minerva, who raised
(06:17):
both wind and waves against them, so that all his
brave companions perished, and he alone was carried hither by
wind and tide. Jove says that you are to let
this man go at once, for it is decreed that
he shall not perish here far from his own people,
but shall return to his house and country and see
(06:38):
his friends again. Calypso trembled with rage when she heard this.
You gods, she exclaimed, ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
You are always jealous and hate seeing a goddess take
a fancy to a mortal man and live with him
in open matrimony. So when rosy fingered Dawn made love
to Orion, you precious gods, were all view furious till
(07:00):
Diana went and killed him in Ortijah. So again when
Cyries fell in love with Asian and yielded to him
in a thrice plowed fallow field, Jove came to hear
of it before so long, and kill Daisian with his thunderbolts.
And now you are angry with me too, because I
have a man here. I found the poor creature sitting
(07:23):
all alone astride of a keel. For Jove had struck
his ship with lightning and sunk it in mid ocean,
so that all his crew were drowned, while he himself
was driven by wind and waves on to my island.
I got fond of him and cherished him, and had
set my heart on making him immortal, so that he
(07:44):
should never grow old all his days. Still, I cannot
cross Jove nor bring his counsels to nothing. Therefore, if
he insists upon it, let the man go beyond the
seas again. But I cannot send him anywhere myself, for
I have neither ships nor men who can take him. Nevertheless,
I will readily give him such advice in all good
(08:05):
faith as will be likely to bring him safely to
his own country. Then send him away, said Mercury, or
Jove will be angry with you and punish you on this.
He took his leave, and Calypso went out to look
for Ulysses, for she had heard Jove's message. She found
him sitting upon the beach, with his eyes ever filled
with tears and dying of sheer homesickness. For yet got
(08:29):
tired of Calypso and though he was forced to sleep
with her in the cave by night, it was she,
not he that would have it. So as for the daytime,
he spent it on the rocks and on the sea shore, weeping,
crying aloud for his despair, and always looking out upon
the sea. Calypso then went close up to him and said,
(08:50):
my poor fellow, you shall not stay here grieving and
fretting your life out any longer. I am going to
send you away of my own free will. So go
cut some beams of wood and make yourself a large
raft with an upper deck, that it may carry you
safely over the sea. I will put bread, wine, and
(09:10):
water on board to save you from starving. I will
also give you clothes, and will send you a fair
wind to take you home. If the gods in heaven
so will it. For they know more about these things
and can settle them better than I can. Ulysses shuddered
as he heard her. Now, goddess, he answered, there is
something behind all this. You cannot be really meaning to
(09:33):
help me home when you bid me do such a
dreadful thing as put to sea on a raft. Not
even a well found ship with a fair wind could
venture on such a distant voyage. Nothing that you can
say or do shall make me go on board a
raft unless you first solemnly swear that you mean me
no mischief. Calypso smiled at this and caressed him with
(09:57):
her hand. You know a great deal, said she, But
you are quite wrong. Here may Heaven above and earth
below be my witnesses with the waters of the river Styx.
And this is the most solemn oath which a blessed
God can take. That I mean you no sort of harm,
and am only advising you to do exactly what I
(10:17):
should do myself in your place. I am dealing with
you quite straightforwardly. My heart is not made of iron,
and I am very sorry for you. When she had
thus spoken, she led the way rapidly before him, and
Ulysses followed in her steps. So the pair goddess and
man went on and on till they came to Calypso's cave,
(10:40):
where Ulysses took the seat that Mercury had just left.
Calypso set meat and drink before him of the food
that mortals eat. But her maids brought ambrosia and nectar
for herself, and they laid their hands on the good
things that were before them, when they had satisfied themselves
with meat and drink. Calypso spoke, saying, Ulysses, nobles and
(11:05):
of laerties, So you would start home to your own
land at once. Good luck go with you. But if
you could only know how it suffering is in store
for you before you get back to your own country,
you would stay where you are, keep house along with me,
and let me make you a mortal. No matter how
anxious you may be to see this wife of yours,
(11:28):
of whom you are thinking all the time, day after day.
Yet I flatter myself that I am no whit less
tall or well looking than she is. For it is
not to be expected that a mortal woman should compare
in beauty with an immortal goddess. Replied Ulysses, do not
be angry with me about this. I am quite aware
(11:48):
that my wife Penelope is nothing like so tall or
so beautiful as yourself. She is only a woman, whereas
you are an immortal. Nevertheless, I want to get home,
and can think of nothing else. If some guard wrecks
me when I am on the sea, I will bear
it and make the best of it. I have had
infinite trouble both by land and sea already, so let
(12:11):
this go with the rest. Presently, the sun set and
it became dark. Were on the very tired into the
inner part of the cave, and went to bed. When
the child of morning, rosy fingered dawn appeared. Ulysses put
on his shirt and cloak, while the goddess wore a
dress of a light goosam of fabric, very fine and graceful,
with a beautiful golden girdle about her waist and a
(12:33):
veil to cover her head. She at once set herself
to think how she could speed Ulysses on his way.
So she gave him a great bronze axe that suited
his hands. It was sharpened on both sides, and at
a beautiful olive wood adle fitted firmly on to it.
He also gave him a sharp ad, and then led
the way to the far end of the island, where
(12:54):
the largest trees grow alder, poplar and vine that reached
the sky, very dry and well seasoned, so as to
sell light for him in the water. Then, when she
had shown him where the best trees grow, calypso went home,
leaving him to cut them which he soon finished doing.
He cut down twenty trees in all, and adds them smooth,
(13:17):
squaring them by rule in good workmanlike fashion. Meanwhile, Calypso
came back with some august so he bore holes with
them and fitted the timbers together with bolts and rivets.
He made the raft as broad as a skilled shipwright
makes the beam of a large vessel, and he filed
a deck on top of the ribs, and ran a
gun wall all around it. He also made a mast
(13:40):
of yard arm and a rudder to steer with. He
fenced the raft all round with wicker hurdles as a
protection against the waves. And then he threw on a
quantity of wood. By and by Calypso brought him some
linen to make the sails, and he made these too, excellently,
making them fast with braces and sheets. Whist of all,
(14:00):
with the help of levers, he drew the raft down
into the water. In four days he had completed the
whole work, and on the fifth Calypso sent him from
the island, after washing him and giving him some clean clothes.
She gave him a goat skin full of black wine,
and another larger one of water. She also gave him
a wallet full of provisions, and found him much could meet. Moreover,
(14:24):
she made the wind fair and warm for him, and
gladly did Ulysses spread his sail before it. While he
sat and guided the raft skillfully by means of the rudder.
He never closed his eyes, but kept them fixed on
the Pleiades, on late setting boots, and on the bear,
which men also called the wain, and which turns round
and round where it is facing Orion, and alone, never
(14:47):
dipping into the stream of Oceanus, for Calypso had told
him to keep this to his left. Days seven and
ten did he sail over the sea, And on the
eighteenth the dim outlines of the mountains on the nearest
part of the Phaeacian coast appeared, rising like a shield
on the horizon. But King Neptune, who was returning from
(15:09):
the Ethiopians, caught sight of Ulysses a long way off
from the mountains of the Solome. He could see him
sailing upon the sea, and it made him very angry.
So he wagged his head and muttered to himself, saying, Heavens,
so the gods have been changing their minds about Ulysses
while I was away in Ethiopia. And now he is
(15:29):
close to the land of the Phaeacians, where it is
decreed that he shall escape from the calamities that have
befallen him. Still he shall have plenty of hardship. Yet
before he has done with it, thereon he gathered his
clouds together, grasped his trident, stirred it round in the sea,
and roused the rage of every wind that blows, till earth, sea,
(15:52):
and sky were hidden in cloud, and nights sprang forth
out of the heavens. Winds from east to south, north
and west fell upon him, all at the same time,
and a tremendous sea got up, so that ulysses heart
began to fail him. Alas he said to himself in
his dismay, whatever will become of me, I am afraid.
(16:15):
Calypso was right when she said I should have trouble
by sea before I got back home. It is all
coming true. How black is Jove making heaven with his
clouds in what a sea? The winds are raising from
every quarter at once. I am now safe to perish.
Blest and thrice blest were those Danans who fell before
(16:37):
Troy and the cause of the sons of Atreus would
that had been killed on the day when the Trojans
were pressing me so sorely about the dead body of Achilles,
For then I should have had due burial, and the
Achians would have honored my name. But now it seems
that I shall come to a most pitiable end. As
he spoke, a sea broke over him, with such to
(16:59):
rest the fury that the raft reeled again, and he
was carried overboard a long way off. He let go
the helm and the forcesaraka and was so great that
it broke the mast half way up, and both sail
and yard went over into the sea. For a long time,
Ulysses was under water, and it was all he could
(17:20):
do to rise to the surface again, for the closed
calypso had given him weighed him down. But at last
he got his head above water and spat out the
bitter brine that was running down his face in streams.
In spite of all this, however, he did not lose
sight of his raft, but swam as fast as he
could towards it, got hold of it, and climbed on
(17:42):
board again so as to escape drowning. The sea took
the raft and tossed it about. As autumn winds whirled
thistle down round and round upon a road. It was
as though the south, north, east, and west winds were
all playing battledoor and shuttlecock with it at once. When
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he was in this flight, Ino, daughter of Cadmus, also
called Leucathia, saw him. She had formerly been a mere mortal,
but had been since raised to the rank of a
marine goddess. Seeing in what great distress Ulysses now was,
she had compassion upon him, and, rising like a sea
gull from the waves, took her seat upon the raft.
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My poor good man, said she. Why is Neptune so
furiously angry with you? He is giving you a great
deal of trouble, But for all his bluster he will
not kill you. You seem to be a sensible person.
Do then, as I bid you, strip leave your raft
to drive before the wind, and swim to the Phaeacian coast,
(18:48):
where better luck awaits you. And here, take my veil
and put it round your chest. It is enchanted, and
you can come to no harm so long as you
wear it. As soon as you touch land, take it off,
throw it back as far as you can into the
sea and then go away again. With these words, she
(19:09):
took off her veil and gave it to him. Then
she dived down again like a sea gull, and vanished
beneath the dark blue waters. But Ulysses did not know
what to think. Alas he said to himself in his dismay,
this is only some one or other of the gods
who is luring me to ruin by advising me to
(19:31):
quit my raft at any rate. I will not do
so at present. For the land where she said I
should be quit of all troubles seemed to be still
a good way off. I know what I will do.
I am sure it will be best no matter what happens.
I will stick to the raft as long as her
(19:52):
timbers hold together. But when the sea breaks her up,
I will swim for it. I do not see how
I can do any better than this. While he was
thus in two minds, Neptune sent a terrible great wave
that seemed to rear itself above his head till it
broke right over the raft, which then went to pieces,
as though it were a heap of dry chaff tossed
(20:13):
about by a whirlwind. Ulysses got astride of one blank
and rode upon it as if he were on horseback.
He then took off the clothes Calypso had given him,
bound Ino's veil under his arms, and plunged into the sea,
meaning to swim on shore. King Neptune watched him as
he did so, and wagged his head, muttering to himself
(20:35):
and saying, there, now swim up and down as you
best can. Will you fall in with the well to
do people. I do not think you will be able
to say that I have let you off too lightly.
On this he lashed his horses and drove to a
gear where his palace is. But Minerva resolved to help Ulysses.
(20:55):
So she bound the ways of all the winds except one,
and made them lie quite still. But she roused a
good stiff breeze from the north that should lay the
waters till Ulysses reached the land of the Phaeacians, where
he would be safe. Thereon, he floated about for two
nights and two days in the water, with a heavy
swell on the sea and death staring him in the face.
(21:18):
But when the third day broke, the wind fell, and
there was a dead calm, without so much as a
breath of air stirring. As he rose on the swell.
He looked eagerly ahead and could see land quite near. Then,
as children rejoice when their dear father begins to get
better after having for a long time borne sore affliction
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sent him by some angry spirit, but the gods deliver
him from evil. So was Ulysses thankful when he again
saw land and trees, and swam on with all his strength,
that he might once more set foot upon dry ground. When, however,
he got within ear shot, he began to hear the
surf thundering up against the rock, for the swell still
(22:01):
broke against them with a terrific roar. Everything was enveloped
in spray. There were no harbors where a ship might ride,
nor shelter of any kind, but only headlands, low lying rocks,
and mountain top ulysses art now began to fail him,
and he said despairingly to himself, alas Jove has let
(22:22):
me see land, after swimming so far that I had
given up all hope. But I can find no landing place.
For the coast is rocky and surf beaten. The rocks
are smooth and rise sheer from the sea with deep
water close under them, so that I cannot climb out
for want of foot old. I am afraid some great
wave will lift me off my legs and dash me
(22:44):
against the rocks as I leave the water, which would
give me a sorry landing. If, on the other hand,
I swam further in search of some shelving beach or harbor,
a hurricane may carry me out to sea again sorely
against my will, or Heaven may sent some great monster
of the deep to attack me. For amphotrite breeds many
(23:06):
such and I know that Neptune is very angry with me.
While he was thus in two mines, a wave caught
him and took him with such force against the rocks
that he would have been smashed and torn to pieces
if Minerva had not shown him what to do. He
caught hold of the rock with both hands and clung
to it, groaning with pain, till the wave retired. So
(23:28):
he was saved that time. But presently the wave came
on again and carried him back with it far into
the sea, tearing his hands. As the suckers of Apolybus
are torn when some one plucks it from its bed,
and the stones come up along with it. Even so
did the rocks tear the skin from his strong hands,
and then the wave drew him deep down under the water. Here,
(23:51):
a poor Ulysses would have certainly perished, even in spite
of his own destiny, if Minerva had not helped him
to keep his wits about him. He swam seaward again,
beyond reach of the surf that was beating against the land,
and at the same time he kept looking towards the
shore to see if he could find some haven or
a spit that should take the waves. Aslant by and by,
(24:14):
as he swam on, he came to the mouth of
a river, and here he thought would be the best place,
for there were no rocks, and it afforded shelter from
the wind. He felt that there was a current, so
he prayed inwardly and said, hear me, O, king, whoever
you may be, and saved me from the anger of
the sea. God Neptune, for I approach you prayerfully. Any
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One who has lost his way has at all times
a claim even upon the gods. Wherefore, in my distress
I draw near to your stream and cling to the
knees of your river bed. Have mercy upon me, O King,
for I declare myself your suppliant. Then the god stayed
his stream and stilled the waves, making all calm before him,
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and bringing him safely into the mouth of the river.
Here at last, ulysses, knees and strong hands fail to him,
for the sea had completely broken him. His body was
all swollen, and his mouth and nostrils ran down like
a river of sea water, so that he could neither
breathe nor speak, and lay swooning with sheer exhaustion. Presently,
(25:22):
when he got his breath and came to himself again,
he took off a scarf that Ino had given him
and threw it back into the salt stream of the river,
where Anino received it into her hands from the wave
that bore it towards her. Then he left the river,
laid himself down among the rushes, and kissed the bounteous
earth alas he cried to himself in his dismay, whatever
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will become of me? And how is it all to end?
If I stay here upon the river bed through the
long watches of the night. I am so exhausted that
the bitter cold and damp may make an end of me.
For towards sunrise, there will be a keen wind blowing
from off the river. If, on the other hand, I
climbed the hillside, find shelter in the woods and sleep
(26:08):
in some thicket, I may escape the cold and have
a good night's rest. But some savage beast may take
advantage of me and devour me. In the end, he
deemed it best to take to the wood, and he
found one upon some high ground not far from the water.
There he crept beneath two shoots of olive that grew
from a single stalk, the one an ungrafted sucker, while
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the other had been grafted. No wind, however, squally, could
spreak through the cover they afforded, nor could the sun's
rays pierce them, nor the rain get through them. So
closely did they grow into one another. Ulysses crept under
these and began to make himself a bed to lie on,
For there was a great litter of dead leaves lying about,
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enough to make a covering for two or three men,
even in hard winter weather. He was glad enough to
see this, so he laid himself down and heaped the
leaves all round him. Then, as one who lives alone
in the country far from any neighbor hides a brand
as fire seed in the ashes to save himself from
having to get a light elsewhere. Even so did Ulysses
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cover himself up with leaves, and Minerva shed a sweet
sleep upon his eyes, closed his eyelids, and made him
lose all memories of his sorrows. End of Book five.
Book five. And now as Dawn rose from her couch,
besides Tithness, harbinger of light alike to mortals and immortals,
the gods met in council, and with them Jove, the
Lord of Thunder, who is their king. Thereon, Minerva began
to tell them of the many sufferings of Ulysses, for
(00:23):
she pitied him away there in the house of a
nymph Calypso. Father Jove said she, and all you other
gods that live in everlasting bliss, I hope there may
never be such a thing as a kind and well
disposed ruler any more, nor one who will govern equitably.
(00:44):
I hope they will all be henceforth cruel and unjust,
for there is not one of his subjects but has
forgotten Ulysses, who ruled them as though he were their father.
There he is lying in great pain in an island
where dwells the nymph Calypso, who will not let him go.
(01:06):
And he cannot get back to his own country, for
he can find neither ships nor sailors to take him
over the sea. Furthermore, wicked people are now trying to
murder his only son, Telemachus, who is coming home from
Pelis and Lacedaemon, where he has been to sea, if
he can get further news of his father. What, my dear,
(01:30):
are you talking about, replied her father. Did you not
send him there yourself because you thought it would help
Ulysses to get home and punish the suitors. Besides, you
are perfectly able to protect Telemachus and to see him
safely home again, while the suitors have to come hurry
(01:50):
scurrying back without having killed him. When he had thus spoken,
he said to his son Mercury, Mercury, you are our messenger.
Go therefore and tell Calypso we have decreed that poor
Ulysses is to return home. He is to be convoyed
neither by gods nor men, But after a perilous voyage
(02:13):
of twenty days upon a raft, he is to reach
fertile Shuria, the land of the Phaeacians, who are near
of kin to the gods, and will honor him as
though he were one of ourselves. They will send him
in a ship to his own country, and will give
him more bronze and gold and raiment than he would
have brought back from Troy if he had had all
(02:36):
his prize money. And had got home without disaster. This
is how we have settled that he shall return to
his country and his friends. Thus he spoke, and mercury
guide and guardian slayer of Argus did as he was told. Forthwith,
he bound on his glittering golden sandals, with which he
(02:58):
could fly like the wind, and over land and sea.
He took the wand with which he seals men's eyes
in sleep, or wakes them just as he pleases, and
flew holding it in his hand, over Piria. Then he
swooped down through the firmament, till he reached the level
of the sea, whose waves he skimmed, like a cormorant
(03:21):
that flies, fishing every hole in corner of the ocean
and drenching its thick plumage in the spray. He flew
and flew over many a weary wave. But when at
last he got to the island, which was his journey's end,
he left the sea and went on by land till
he came to the cave where the nymph Calypso lived.
(03:43):
He found her at home. There was a large fire
burning on the hearth, and one could smell from far
the fragrant reek of burning cedar and sandalwood. As for herself,
she was busy at her loom, shooting her golden shuttle
through the warp and singing beautifully. Round her cave there
was a thick wood of alder poplar and sweet smelling
(04:05):
cypress trees, wherein all kinds of great birds had built
their nests, owls, hawks and chattering sea crows that occupy
their business in the waters. A vine loaded with grapes
was trained and grew luxuriantly. About the mouth of the cave.
There were also four running rills of water, and channels
cut pretty close together, and turned hither and thither so
(04:29):
as to irrigate the beds of violets and luscious herbage
over which they flowed. Even a god could not help
being charmed with such a lovely spot. So Mercury stood
still and looked at it. But when he had admired
it sufficiently, he went inside the cave. Calypso knew him
at once, for the gods all know each other, no
(04:50):
matter how far they lived from one another. But Ulysses
was not within. He was on the sea shore as usual,
looking out upon the barren ocean, with tears in his eyes.
Groaning and breaking his heart for sorrow. Calypso gave Mercury
a seat and said, why have you come to see me?
Mercury honored and ever welcome, for you do not visit
(05:13):
me often. Say what you want, I will do it
for you at once, if I can, and if it
can be done at all. But come inside and let
me set refreshment before you. As she spoke, she drew
a table loaded with ambrosia beside him and mixed him
some red nectar. So Mercury ate and drank till he
(05:33):
had had enough, and then said, we are speaking God
and Goddess to one another. And you ask me why
I have come here, and I will tell you truly
as you would have me do. Jove sent me. It
was no doing of mine. Who could possibly want to
come all this way over the sea, where there are
no cities full of people to offer me sacrifices or choice? Hecatombs. Nevertheless,
(05:57):
I had to come, for none of us other gods
can cross Jove nor transgress his orders. He says that
you have here the most ill starred of all those
who bought nine years before the city of king Briam
and sailed home in the tenth year, after having sacked it.
On their way home, they sinned against Minerva, who raised
(06:17):
both wind and waves against them, so that all his
brave companions perished, and he alone was carried hither by
wind and tide. Jove says that you are to let
this man go at once, for it is decreed that
he shall not perish here far from his own people,
but shall return to his house and country and see
(06:38):
his friends again. Calypso trembled with rage when she heard this.
You gods, she exclaimed, ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
You are always jealous and hate seeing a goddess take
a fancy to a mortal man and live with him
in open matrimony. So when rosy fingered Dawn made love
to Orion, you precious gods, were all view furious till
(07:00):
Diana went and killed him in Ortijah. So again when
Cyries fell in love with Asian and yielded to him
in a thrice plowed fallow field, Jove came to hear
of it before so long, and kill Daisian with his thunderbolts.
And now you are angry with me too, because I
have a man here. I found the poor creature sitting
(07:23):
all alone astride of a keel. For Jove had struck
his ship with lightning and sunk it in mid ocean,
so that all his crew were drowned, while he himself
was driven by wind and waves on to my island.
I got fond of him and cherished him, and had
set my heart on making him immortal, so that he
(07:44):
should never grow old all his days. Still, I cannot
cross Jove nor bring his counsels to nothing. Therefore, if
he insists upon it, let the man go beyond the
seas again. But I cannot send him anywhere myself, for
I have neither ships nor men who can take him. Nevertheless,
I will readily give him such advice in all good
(08:05):
faith as will be likely to bring him safely to
his own country. Then send him away, said Mercury, or
Jove will be angry with you and punish you on this.
He took his leave, and Calypso went out to look
for Ulysses, for she had heard Jove's message. She found
him sitting upon the beach, with his eyes ever filled
with tears and dying of sheer homesickness. For yet got
(08:29):
tired of Calypso and though he was forced to sleep
with her in the cave by night, it was she,
not he that would have it. So as for the daytime,
he spent it on the rocks and on the sea shore, weeping,
crying aloud for his despair, and always looking out upon
the sea. Calypso then went close up to him and said,
(08:50):
my poor fellow, you shall not stay here grieving and
fretting your life out any longer. I am going to
send you away of my own free will. So go
cut some beams of wood and make yourself a large
raft with an upper deck, that it may carry you
safely over the sea. I will put bread, wine, and
(09:10):
water on board to save you from starving. I will
also give you clothes, and will send you a fair
wind to take you home. If the gods in heaven
so will it. For they know more about these things
and can settle them better than I can. Ulysses shuddered
as he heard her. Now, goddess, he answered, there is
something behind all this. You cannot be really meaning to
(09:33):
help me home when you bid me do such a
dreadful thing as put to sea on a raft. Not
even a well found ship with a fair wind could
venture on such a distant voyage. Nothing that you can
say or do shall make me go on board a
raft unless you first solemnly swear that you mean me
no mischief. Calypso smiled at this and caressed him with
(09:57):
her hand. You know a great deal, said she, But
you are quite wrong. Here may Heaven above and earth
below be my witnesses with the waters of the river Styx.
And this is the most solemn oath which a blessed
God can take. That I mean you no sort of harm,
and am only advising you to do exactly what I
(10:17):
should do myself in your place. I am dealing with
you quite straightforwardly. My heart is not made of iron,
and I am very sorry for you. When she had
thus spoken, she led the way rapidly before him, and
Ulysses followed in her steps. So the pair goddess and
man went on and on till they came to Calypso's cave,
(10:40):
where Ulysses took the seat that Mercury had just left.
Calypso set meat and drink before him of the food
that mortals eat. But her maids brought ambrosia and nectar
for herself, and they laid their hands on the good
things that were before them, when they had satisfied themselves
with meat and drink. Calypso spoke, saying, Ulysses, nobles and
(11:05):
of laerties, So you would start home to your own
land at once. Good luck go with you. But if
you could only know how it suffering is in store
for you before you get back to your own country,
you would stay where you are, keep house along with me,
and let me make you a mortal. No matter how
anxious you may be to see this wife of yours,
(11:28):
of whom you are thinking all the time, day after day.
Yet I flatter myself that I am no whit less
tall or well looking than she is. For it is
not to be expected that a mortal woman should compare
in beauty with an immortal goddess. Replied Ulysses, do not
be angry with me about this. I am quite aware
(11:48):
that my wife Penelope is nothing like so tall or
so beautiful as yourself. She is only a woman, whereas
you are an immortal. Nevertheless, I want to get home,
and can think of nothing else. If some guard wrecks
me when I am on the sea, I will bear
it and make the best of it. I have had
infinite trouble both by land and sea already, so let
(12:11):
this go with the rest. Presently, the sun set and
it became dark. Were on the very tired into the
inner part of the cave, and went to bed. When
the child of morning, rosy fingered dawn appeared. Ulysses put
on his shirt and cloak, while the goddess wore a
dress of a light goosam of fabric, very fine and graceful,
with a beautiful golden girdle about her waist and a
(12:33):
veil to cover her head. She at once set herself
to think how she could speed Ulysses on his way.
So she gave him a great bronze axe that suited
his hands. It was sharpened on both sides, and at
a beautiful olive wood adle fitted firmly on to it.
He also gave him a sharp ad, and then led
the way to the far end of the island, where
(12:54):
the largest trees grow alder, poplar and vine that reached
the sky, very dry and well seasoned, so as to
sell light for him in the water. Then, when she
had shown him where the best trees grow, calypso went home,
leaving him to cut them which he soon finished doing.
He cut down twenty trees in all, and adds them smooth,
(13:17):
squaring them by rule in good workmanlike fashion. Meanwhile, Calypso
came back with some august so he bore holes with
them and fitted the timbers together with bolts and rivets.
He made the raft as broad as a skilled shipwright
makes the beam of a large vessel, and he filed
a deck on top of the ribs, and ran a
gun wall all around it. He also made a mast
(13:40):
of yard arm and a rudder to steer with. He
fenced the raft all round with wicker hurdles as a
protection against the waves. And then he threw on a
quantity of wood. By and by Calypso brought him some
linen to make the sails, and he made these too, excellently,
making them fast with braces and sheets. Whist of all,
(14:00):
with the help of levers, he drew the raft down
into the water. In four days he had completed the
whole work, and on the fifth Calypso sent him from
the island, after washing him and giving him some clean clothes.
She gave him a goat skin full of black wine,
and another larger one of water. She also gave him
a wallet full of provisions, and found him much could meet. Moreover,
(14:24):
she made the wind fair and warm for him, and
gladly did Ulysses spread his sail before it. While he
sat and guided the raft skillfully by means of the rudder.
He never closed his eyes, but kept them fixed on
the Pleiades, on late setting boots, and on the bear,
which men also called the wain, and which turns round
and round where it is facing Orion, and alone, never
(14:47):
dipping into the stream of Oceanus, for Calypso had told
him to keep this to his left. Days seven and
ten did he sail over the sea, And on the
eighteenth the dim outlines of the mountains on the nearest
part of the Phaeacian coast appeared, rising like a shield
on the horizon. But King Neptune, who was returning from
(15:09):
the Ethiopians, caught sight of Ulysses a long way off
from the mountains of the Solome. He could see him
sailing upon the sea, and it made him very angry.
So he wagged his head and muttered to himself, saying, Heavens,
so the gods have been changing their minds about Ulysses
while I was away in Ethiopia. And now he is
(15:29):
close to the land of the Phaeacians, where it is
decreed that he shall escape from the calamities that have
befallen him. Still he shall have plenty of hardship. Yet
before he has done with it, thereon he gathered his
clouds together, grasped his trident, stirred it round in the sea,
and roused the rage of every wind that blows, till earth, sea,
(15:52):
and sky were hidden in cloud, and nights sprang forth
out of the heavens. Winds from east to south, north
and west fell upon him, all at the same time,
and a tremendous sea got up, so that ulysses heart
began to fail him. Alas he said to himself in
his dismay, whatever will become of me, I am afraid.
(16:15):
Calypso was right when she said I should have trouble
by sea before I got back home. It is all
coming true. How black is Jove making heaven with his
clouds in what a sea? The winds are raising from
every quarter at once. I am now safe to perish.
Blest and thrice blest were those Danans who fell before
(16:37):
Troy and the cause of the sons of Atreus would
that had been killed on the day when the Trojans
were pressing me so sorely about the dead body of Achilles,
For then I should have had due burial, and the
Achians would have honored my name. But now it seems
that I shall come to a most pitiable end. As
he spoke, a sea broke over him, with such to
(16:59):
rest the fury that the raft reeled again, and he
was carried overboard a long way off. He let go
the helm and the forcesaraka and was so great that
it broke the mast half way up, and both sail
and yard went over into the sea. For a long time,
Ulysses was under water, and it was all he could
(17:20):
do to rise to the surface again, for the closed
calypso had given him weighed him down. But at last
he got his head above water and spat out the
bitter brine that was running down his face in streams.
In spite of all this, however, he did not lose
sight of his raft, but swam as fast as he
could towards it, got hold of it, and climbed on
(17:42):
board again so as to escape drowning. The sea took
the raft and tossed it about. As autumn winds whirled
thistle down round and round upon a road. It was
as though the south, north, east, and west winds were
all playing battledoor and shuttlecock with it at once. When
(18:03):
he was in this flight, Ino, daughter of Cadmus, also
called Leucathia, saw him. She had formerly been a mere mortal,
but had been since raised to the rank of a
marine goddess. Seeing in what great distress Ulysses now was,
she had compassion upon him, and, rising like a sea
gull from the waves, took her seat upon the raft.
(18:26):
My poor good man, said she. Why is Neptune so
furiously angry with you? He is giving you a great
deal of trouble, But for all his bluster he will
not kill you. You seem to be a sensible person.
Do then, as I bid you, strip leave your raft
to drive before the wind, and swim to the Phaeacian coast,
(18:48):
where better luck awaits you. And here, take my veil
and put it round your chest. It is enchanted, and
you can come to no harm so long as you
wear it. As soon as you touch land, take it off,
throw it back as far as you can into the
sea and then go away again. With these words, she
(19:09):
took off her veil and gave it to him. Then
she dived down again like a sea gull, and vanished
beneath the dark blue waters. But Ulysses did not know
what to think. Alas he said to himself in his dismay,
this is only some one or other of the gods
who is luring me to ruin by advising me to
(19:31):
quit my raft at any rate. I will not do
so at present. For the land where she said I
should be quit of all troubles seemed to be still
a good way off. I know what I will do.
I am sure it will be best no matter what happens.
I will stick to the raft as long as her
(19:52):
timbers hold together. But when the sea breaks her up,
I will swim for it. I do not see how
I can do any better than this. While he was
thus in two minds, Neptune sent a terrible great wave
that seemed to rear itself above his head till it
broke right over the raft, which then went to pieces,
as though it were a heap of dry chaff tossed
(20:13):
about by a whirlwind. Ulysses got astride of one blank
and rode upon it as if he were on horseback.
He then took off the clothes Calypso had given him,
bound Ino's veil under his arms, and plunged into the sea,
meaning to swim on shore. King Neptune watched him as
he did so, and wagged his head, muttering to himself
(20:35):
and saying, there, now swim up and down as you
best can. Will you fall in with the well to
do people. I do not think you will be able
to say that I have let you off too lightly.
On this he lashed his horses and drove to a
gear where his palace is. But Minerva resolved to help Ulysses.
(20:55):
So she bound the ways of all the winds except one,
and made them lie quite still. But she roused a
good stiff breeze from the north that should lay the
waters till Ulysses reached the land of the Phaeacians, where
he would be safe. Thereon, he floated about for two
nights and two days in the water, with a heavy
swell on the sea and death staring him in the face.
(21:18):
But when the third day broke, the wind fell, and
there was a dead calm, without so much as a
breath of air stirring. As he rose on the swell.
He looked eagerly ahead and could see land quite near. Then,
as children rejoice when their dear father begins to get
better after having for a long time borne sore affliction
(21:39):
sent him by some angry spirit, but the gods deliver
him from evil. So was Ulysses thankful when he again
saw land and trees, and swam on with all his strength,
that he might once more set foot upon dry ground. When, however,
he got within ear shot, he began to hear the
surf thundering up against the rock, for the swell still
(22:01):
broke against them with a terrific roar. Everything was enveloped
in spray. There were no harbors where a ship might ride,
nor shelter of any kind, but only headlands, low lying rocks,
and mountain top ulysses art now began to fail him,
and he said despairingly to himself, alas Jove has let
(22:22):
me see land, after swimming so far that I had
given up all hope. But I can find no landing place.
For the coast is rocky and surf beaten. The rocks
are smooth and rise sheer from the sea with deep
water close under them, so that I cannot climb out
for want of foot old. I am afraid some great
wave will lift me off my legs and dash me
(22:44):
against the rocks as I leave the water, which would
give me a sorry landing. If, on the other hand,
I swam further in search of some shelving beach or harbor,
a hurricane may carry me out to sea again sorely
against my will, or Heaven may sent some great monster
of the deep to attack me. For amphotrite breeds many
(23:06):
such and I know that Neptune is very angry with me.
While he was thus in two mines, a wave caught
him and took him with such force against the rocks
that he would have been smashed and torn to pieces
if Minerva had not shown him what to do. He
caught hold of the rock with both hands and clung
to it, groaning with pain, till the wave retired. So
(23:28):
he was saved that time. But presently the wave came
on again and carried him back with it far into
the sea, tearing his hands. As the suckers of Apolybus
are torn when some one plucks it from its bed,
and the stones come up along with it. Even so
did the rocks tear the skin from his strong hands,
and then the wave drew him deep down under the water. Here,
(23:51):
a poor Ulysses would have certainly perished, even in spite
of his own destiny, if Minerva had not helped him
to keep his wits about him. He swam seaward again,
beyond reach of the surf that was beating against the land,
and at the same time he kept looking towards the
shore to see if he could find some haven or
a spit that should take the waves. Aslant by and by,
(24:14):
as he swam on, he came to the mouth of
a river, and here he thought would be the best place,
for there were no rocks, and it afforded shelter from
the wind. He felt that there was a current, so
he prayed inwardly and said, hear me, O, king, whoever
you may be, and saved me from the anger of
the sea. God Neptune, for I approach you prayerfully. Any
(24:38):
One who has lost his way has at all times
a claim even upon the gods. Wherefore, in my distress
I draw near to your stream and cling to the
knees of your river bed. Have mercy upon me, O King,
for I declare myself your suppliant. Then the god stayed
his stream and stilled the waves, making all calm before him,
(25:00):
and bringing him safely into the mouth of the river.
Here at last, ulysses, knees and strong hands fail to him,
for the sea had completely broken him. His body was
all swollen, and his mouth and nostrils ran down like
a river of sea water, so that he could neither
breathe nor speak, and lay swooning with sheer exhaustion. Presently,
(25:22):
when he got his breath and came to himself again,
he took off a scarf that Ino had given him
and threw it back into the salt stream of the river,
where Anino received it into her hands from the wave
that bore it towards her. Then he left the river,
laid himself down among the rushes, and kissed the bounteous
earth alas he cried to himself in his dismay, whatever
(25:45):
will become of me? And how is it all to end?
If I stay here upon the river bed through the
long watches of the night. I am so exhausted that
the bitter cold and damp may make an end of me.
For towards sunrise, there will be a keen wind blowing
from off the river. If, on the other hand, I
climbed the hillside, find shelter in the woods and sleep
(26:08):
in some thicket, I may escape the cold and have
a good night's rest. But some savage beast may take
advantage of me and devour me. In the end, he
deemed it best to take to the wood, and he
found one upon some high ground not far from the water.
There he crept beneath two shoots of olive that grew
from a single stalk, the one an ungrafted sucker, while
(26:31):
the other had been grafted. No wind, however, squally, could
spreak through the cover they afforded, nor could the sun's
rays pierce them, nor the rain get through them. So
closely did they grow into one another. Ulysses crept under
these and began to make himself a bed to lie on,
For there was a great litter of dead leaves lying about,
(26:53):
enough to make a covering for two or three men,
even in hard winter weather. He was glad enough to
see this, so he laid himself down and heaped the
leaves all round him. Then, as one who lives alone
in the country far from any neighbor hides a brand
as fire seed in the ashes to save himself from
having to get a light elsewhere. Even so did Ulysses
(27:15):
cover himself up with leaves, and Minerva shed a sweet
sleep upon his eyes, closed his eyelids, and made him
lose all memories of his sorrows. End of Book five.
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