door and felt the back of each as it went by, nor thought to try what might be underneath. Last of all went the great ram. And the Cyclops knew him as he passed, and said: 666 "How is this, thou who art leader of the flock? 5 Thou art not wont thus to lag behind. Thou hast always been the first to run to the pastures and streams in the morning, and the first to come back to the fold when evening fell; and now thou art last of all. Perhaps thou art troubled about thy master's eye, which 10 some wretch - No Man they call him - has destroyed, having first mastered me with wine. I would that thou couldest speak, and tell me where he is lurking. Of a truth, I would dash out his brains upon the ground.' 15 "So speaking, he let the ram pass out of the cave. But when we were now out of reach of the giant, I loosed my hold of the ram, and then unbound my comrades. And we hastened to our ship, not forgetting to drive the sheep before us, and often looking 20 back till we came to the seashore. Right glad were those who had abode by the ship to see us. Nor did they lament for those that had died, though we were fain to do so, for I forbade, fearing lest the noise of their weeping should betray to the giant where we were. 25 Then we all climbed into the ship, and sitting well in order on the benches smote the sea strongly with our oars, that we might the sooner get away from the accursed land. And when we had rowed a hundred yards or so, so that a man's voice could yet be heard by one who stood upon the shore, I stood up in the 5 ship and shouted: "He was no coward, O Cyclops, whose comrades thou didst so foully slay in thy den. Justly art thou punished, monster, who devoured thy guests in thy dwelling. May the gods make thee suffer yet worse 10 things than these!' "Then the Cyclops in his wrath broke off the top of a great hill a mighty rock, and hurled it where he had heard the voice. Right in front of the ship's bow it fell, and a great wave rose as it sank, and washed 15 the ship back to the shore. But I seized a long pole with both hands, and pushed the ship from the land, and bade my comrades ply their oars, nodding with my head, for I would not speak, lest the Cyclops should know where we were. Then they rowed with all their 20 might and main. "And when we had gotten twice as far as before, I made as if I would speak again; but my comrades sought to hinder me, saying: 'Nay, my lord, anger not the giant any more. Surely we thought before 25 we were lost, when he threw the great rock, and washed our ship back to the shore. And if he hear thee now, he may crush our ship and us.' "But I would not be persuaded, but stood up and said: 'Hear, Cyclops! If any man ask who blinded thee, say that it was the warrior Ulysses, son of Laertes, dwelling in Ithaca.' "And the Cyclops answered with a groan: 'Of a5 truth the old oracles are fulfilled; for long ago there came to this land a prophet, and dwelt among us even to old age. This man foretold to me that one Ulysses would rob me of my sight. But I looked for a great man and a strong, who should subdue me by force, 10 and now a weakling has done the deed, having cheated me with wine. But come thou hither, Ulysses, and I will be a host indeed to thee. Or, at least, may Poseidon give thee such a voyage to thy home as I would wish thee to have. For Poseidon is my sire, 15 and he may heal me of my grievous wound.' "And I said, 'Would to heaven I could send thee down to the abode of the dead, where thou wouldst be past all healing, even from Poseidon himself.' "Then the Cyclops lifted up his hands to Poseidon 20 and prayed: 'Hear me, Poseidon, if I am indeed thy son and thou my father. May this Ulysses never reach his home! Or, if the Fates have ordered that he should reach it, may he come alone, all his comrades lost, and find sore trouble in his house!' "And as he ended, he hurled another mighty rock, which almost lighted on the rudder's end, yet missed 25 it as by a hair's breadth. And the wave that it raised was so great that it bore us to the other shore. "So we came to the island of the wild goats, where we found our comrades, who indeed had waited long 5 for us in sore fear lest we had perished. Then I divided amongst my company all the sheep which we had taken from the Cyclops. And all, with one consent, gave me for my share the great ram which had carried me out of the cave, and I sacrificed it to Zeus. And all that 10 day we feasted right merrily on the flesh of sheep and on sweet wine, and when the night was come, we lay down upon the shore and slept." ALFRED J. CHURCH: The Story of the Odyssey. HELPS TO STUDY Ulysses, one of the wisest and bravest of the Greeks who besieged Troy, had many marvelous adventures on his voyage home. These are related in the Odyssey, of which there are many English translations: An excellent one in prose is by Butcher and Lang. 2. What are I. 1. Describe the island of the Cyclopes. Nymphs? 3. What service did they render Ulysses? 4. What preparation did Ulysses make for his visit to the Cyclops? Describe the cave. 5. Describe the Cyclops. 6. Why did Ulysses deceive him about the ship? Who was Poseidon? 7. Why did not Ulysses kill the sleeping giant? 8. What trait does this show? 9. What giant did Hercules encounter? 10. Of what other giants have you ever heard? II. 1. What preparation did Ulysses make for the giant's return? 2. What use did he make of the wine he had brought with him? 3. What gift did the Cyclops promise Ulysses? 4. What conversation took place between Polyphemus and the other Cyclopes? 5. How did Ulysses and his companions escape from the cave? 6. Find as many instances as you can of the craftiness of Ulysses. Cyclops (sy'klops), Phæacians (fē-a'shanz), Ismarus (Is-mä'rus), Polyphemus (pol-i-fē'mus), Laertes (la-er'tez), Ithaca (ith'a-kä), Cyclopes, Sy'klō-pez (plural of Cyclops). For Study with the Glossary. I. sundry, hospitality. II. fathom, wont, temper, steel, accursed, oracles, abode, sire. The next two selections from Virgil's poem, the Eneid, complete the story of the Trojan war and start Æneas on his long voyage which rivaled that of Ulysses in dangers and adventures. In the end Æneas came to Italy and founded there the city of Rome, destined to become the mistress of the world. The great Roman empire passed away long ago, and the imperial city is a mass of ruins; but its literature is still living, and the memory of its great men. Alas! the lofty city! and alas ! The trebly hundred triumphs! and the day And Livy's pictured page!-but these shall be Alas for Earth, for never shall we see That brightness in her eye she bore when Rome was free! LORD BYRON. |
