bravest of the Argives were lying in wait to bring death and
destruction upon the Trojans。 At that moment you came up to us； some
god who wished well to the Trojans must have set you on to it and
you had Deiphobus with you。 Three times did you go all round our
hiding place and pat it； you called our chiefs each by his own name；
and mimicked all our wives …Diomed； Ulysses； and I from our seats
inside heard what a noise you made。 Diomed and I could not make up our
minds whether to spring out then and there； or to answer you from
inside； but Ulysses held us all in check； so we sat quite still； all
except Anticlus； who was beginning to answer you； when Ulysses clapped
his two brawny hands over his mouth； and kept them there。 It was
this that saved us all； for he muzzled Anticlus till Minerva took
you away again。〃
〃How sad；〃 exclaimed Telemachus； 〃that all this was of no avail to
save him； nor yet his own iron courage。 But now； sir； be pleased to
send us all to bed； that we may lie down and enjoy the blessed boon of
sleep。〃
On this Helen told the maid servants to set beds in the room that
was in the gatehouse； and to make them with good red rugs； and
spread coverlets on the top of them with woollen cloaks for the guests
to wear。 So the maids went out； carrying a torch； and made the beds；
to which a man…servant presently conducted the strangers。 Thus；
then； did Telemachus and Pisistratus sleep there in the forecourt；
while the son of Atreus lay in an inner room with lovely Helen by
his side。
When the child of morning； rosy…fingered Dawn； appeared； Menelaus
rose and dressed himself。 He bound his sandals on to his comely
feet； girded his sword about his shoulders； and left his room
looking like an immortal god。 Then； taking a seat near Telemachus he
said：
〃And what； Telemachus； has led you to take this long sea voyage to
Lacedaemon？ Are you on public or private business？ Tell me all about
it。〃
〃I have come； sir replied Telemachus； 〃to see if you can tell me
anything about my father。 I am being eaten out of house and home； my
fair estate is being wasted； and my house is full of miscreants who
keep killing great numbers of my sheep and oxen； on the pretence of
paying their addresses to my mother。 Therefore； I am suppliant at your
knees if haply you may tell me about my father's melancholy end；
whether you saw it with your own eyes； or heard it from some other
traveller； for he was a man born to trouble。 Do not soften things
out of any pity for myself； but tell me in all plainness exactly
what you saw。 If my brave father Ulysses ever did you loyal service
either by word or deed； when you Achaeans were harassed by the
Trojans； bear it in mind now as in my favour and tell me truly all。〃
Menelaus on hearing this was very much shocked。 〃So；〃 he
exclaimed； 〃these cowards would usurp a brave man's bed？ A hind
might as well lay her new born young in the lair of a lion； and then
go off to feed in the forest or in some grassy dell： the lion when
he comes back to his lair will make short work with the pair of
them… and so will Ulysses with these suitors。 By father Jove； Minerva；
and Apollo； if Ulysses is still the man that he was when he wrestled
with Philomeleides in Lesbos； and threw him so heavily that all the
Achaeans cheered him… if he is still such and were to come near
these suitors； they would have a short shrift and a sorry wedding。
As regards your questions； however； I will not prevaricate nor deceive
you； but will tell you without concealment all that the old man of the
sea told me。
〃I was trying to come on here； but the gods detained me in Egypt；
for my hecatombs had not given them full satisfaction； and the gods
are very strict about having their dues。 Now off Egypt； about as far
as a ship can sail in a day with a good stiff breeze behind her； there
is an island called Pharos… it has a good harbour from which vessels
can get out into open sea when they have taken in water… and the
gods becalmed me twenty days without so much as a breath of fair
wind to help me forward。 We should have run clean out of provisions
and my men would have starved； if a goddess had not taken pity upon me
and saved me in the person of Idothea； daughter to Proteus； the old
man of the sea； for she had taken a great fancy to me。
〃She came to me one day when I was by myself； as I often was； for
the men used to go with their barbed hooks； all over the island in the
hope of catching a fish or two to save them from the pangs of
hunger。 'Stranger；' said she； 'it seems to me that you like starving
in this way… at any rate it does not greatly trouble you； for you
stick here day after day； without even trying to get away though
your men are dying by inches。'
〃'Let me tell you；' said I； 'whichever of the goddesses you may
happen to be； that I am not staying here of my own accord； but must
have offended the gods that live in heaven。 Tell me； therefore； for
the gods know everything。 which of the immortals it is that is
hindering me in this way； and tell me also how I may sail the sea so
as to reach my home。'
〃'Stranger；' replied she； 'I will make it all quite clear to you。
There is an old immortal who lives under the sea hereabouts and
whose name is Proteus。 He is an Egyptian； and people say he is my
father； he is Neptune's head man and knows every inch of ground all
over the bottom of the sea。 If you can snare him and hold him tight；
he will tell you about your voyage； what courses you are to take；
and how you are to sail the sea so as to reach your home。 He will also
tell you； if you so will； all that has been going on at your house
both good and bad； while you have been away on your long and dangerous
journey。'
〃'Can you show me；' said I； 'some stratagem by means of which I
may catch this old god without his suspecting it and finding me out？
For a god is not easily caught… not by a mortal man。'
〃'Stranger；' said she； 'I will make it all quite clear to you。 About
the time when the sun shall have reached mid heaven； the old man of
the sea comes up from under the waves； heralded by the West wind
that furs the water over his head。 As soon as he has come up he lies
down； and goes to sleep in a great sea cave； where the seals…
Halosydne's chickens as they call them… come up also from the grey
sea； and go to sleep in shoals all round him； and a very strong and
fish…like smell do they bring with them。 Early to…morrow morning I
will take you to this place and will lay you in ambush。 Pick out；
therefore； the three best men you have in your fleet； and I will
tell you all the tricks that the old man will play you。
〃'First he will look over all his seals； and count them； then；
when he has seen them and tallied them on his five fingers； he will go
to sleep among them； as a shepherd among his sheep。 The moment you see
that he is asleep seize him； put forth all your strength and hold
him fast； for he will do his very utmost to get away from you。 He will
turn himself into every kind of creature that goes upon the earth； and
will become also both fire and water； but you must hold him fast and
grip him tighter and tighter； till he begins to talk to you and
comes back to what he was when you saw him go to sleep； then you may
slacken your hold and let him go； and you can ask him which of the
gods it is that is angry with you； and what you must do to reach
your home over the seas。'
〃Having so said she dived under the waves； whereon I turned back
to the place where my ships were ranged upon the shore； and my heart
was clouded with care as I went along。 When I reached my ship we got
supper ready； for night was falling； and camped down upon the beach。
〃When the child of morning； rosy…fingered Dawn； appeared； I took the
three men on whose prowess of all kinds I could most rely； and went
along by the sea…side； praying heartily to heaven。 Meanwhile the
goddess fetched me up four seal skins from the bottom of the sea；
all of them just skinned； for she meant playing a trick upon her
father。 Then she dug four pits for us to lie in； and sat down to
wait till we should come up。 When we were close to her； she made us
lie down in the pits one after the other； and threw a seal skin over
each of us。 Our ambuscade would have been intolerable； for the
stench of the fishy seals was most distressing… who would go to bed
with a sea monster if he could help it？…but here； too； the goddess
helped us； and thought of something that gave us great relief； for she
put some ambrosia under each man's nostrils； which was so fragrant
that it killed the smell of the seals。
〃We waited the whole morning and made the best of it； watching the
seals come up in hundreds to bask upon the sea shore； till at noon the
old man of the sea came up too； and when he had found his fat seals he
went over them and counted them。 We were among the first he counted；
and he never suspected any guile； but laid himself down to sleep as
soon as he had done counting。 Then we rushed upon him with a shout and
seized him； on which he began at once with his old tricks； and changed
himself first into a lion with a great mane； then all of a sudden he
became a dragon； a leopard； a wild boar； the