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 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
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 mage 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 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 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； 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； noble son of Laertes； so you would start home to your
own land at once？ Good luck go with you； but if you could only know
how much 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 immortal； no matter how anxious you may be to see this
wife of yours； of whom you are thinking all the time day after day；
yet I flatter myself that at 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 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 god 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 this go with the rest。〃
Presently the sun set and it became dark； whereon the pair retired
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
gossamer fabric； very fine and graceful； with a beautiful golden
girdle about her waist and a 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 had a beautiful olive…wood handle fitted firmly on to it。
She also gave him a sharp adze； and then led the way to the far end of
the island where the largest trees grew… alder； poplar and pine；
that reached the sky… very dry and well seasoned； so as to sail
light for him in the water。 Then； when she had shown him where the
best trees grew； Calypso went home； leaving him to cut them； which
he soon finished doing。 He cut down twenty trees in all and adzed them
smooth； squaring them by rule in good workmanlike fashion。 Meanwhile
Calypso came back with some augers； so he bored 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 gunwale all round it。 He
also made a mast with a 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。 Last of
all； 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 in much good meat。 Moreover； 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 skilfully by means of
the rudder。 He never closed his eyes； but kept them fixed on the
Pleiads； on late…setting Bootes； and on the Bear… which men also
call the wain； and which turns round and round where it is； facing
Orion； and alone never 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 the Ethiopians； caught
sight of Ulysses a long way off； from the mountains of the Solymi。
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 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； and sky were hidden in cloud； and night
sprang forth out of the heavens。 Winds from East； 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； 〃what ever will become of me？ I am afraid
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； and what a sea the winds are raising from
every quarter at once。 I am now safe to perish。 Blest and thrice blest
were those Danaans who fell before Troy in 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 Achaeans would have honoured 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 terrific fury that the
raft reeled again； and he was carried overboard a long way off。 He let
go the helm； and the force of the hurricane 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 do to
rise to the surface again； for the clothes 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 board
again so as to escape drowning。 The sea took the raft and tossed it
about as Autumn winds whirl thistledown round and round upon a road。
It was as though the South； North； East； and West winds were all
playing battledore and shuttlecock with it at once。
When he was in this plight； Ino daughter of Cadmus； also called
Leucothea； 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。
〃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 Phaecian coast 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 took off her veil and gave it him。 Then
she dived down again like a sea…gull and vanished beneath the dark
blue waters。
But Ulysses did not