Ulysses, a famous Greek hero, took a prominent part in the long siege of Troy. After the fall of the city, he set out with his followers on his homeward voyage to Ithaca, an island of which he was king; but being driven out of his course by northerly winds, he was compelled to touch at the country of the Lotus-eaters, who are supposed to have lived on the north coast of Africa. Some of his comrades were so delighted with the lotus fruit that they wished to remain in the country, but Ulysses compelled them to embark again and continued his voyage. He next came to the island of Sicily, and fell into the hands of the giant Polyphémus, one of the Cyclópes. After several of his comrades had been killed by this monster, Ulysses made his escape by stratagem and reached the country of the winds. Here he received the help of Aeolus, king of the winds, and having set sail again, arrived within sight of Ithaca; but owing to the folly of his companions, the winds became suddenly adverse and he was again driven back. He then touched at an island which was the home of Circe, a powerful enchantress, who exercised her charms on his companions and turned them into swine. By the help of the god Mercury, Ulysses not only escaped this fate himself, but also forced Circe to restore her victims to human shape. After staying a year with Circe, he again set out and eventually reached his home.
81. HOMEWARD BOUND
Urbem Tróiam á Graecís decem annós obsessam esse satis cónstat; dé hóc enim belló Homérus, máximus poétárum Graecórum, Íliadem opus nótissimum scrípsit. Tróiá tandem per ínsidiás captá, Graecí longó belló fessí domum redíre mátúrávérunt. Omnibus rébus igitur ad profectiónem parátís návís dédúxérunt, et tempestátem idóneam nactí mágnó cum gaudió solvérunt. Erat inter prímós Graecórum Ulixés quídam, vir summae virtútis ac prúdentiae, quem dícunt nónnúllí dolum istum excógitásse quó Tróiam captam esse cónstat. Híc régnum ínsulae Ithacae obtinuerat, et pauló antequam cum reliquís Graecís ad bellum profectus est, puellam fórmósissimam, nómine Pénelopén, in mátrimónium dúxerat. Nunc igitur cum iam decem annós quasi in exsilió cónsúmpsisset, mágná cupiditáte patriae et uxóris videndae árdébat.
82. THE LOTUS-EATERS
Postquam tamen pauca mília passuum á lítore Tróiae progressí sunt, tanta tempestás subitó coorta est ut núlla návium cursum tenére posset, sed aliae aliás in partís disicerentur. Návis autem quá ipse Ulixés vehébátur ví tempestátis ad merídiem déláta decimó dié ad lítus Libyae appulsa est. Ancorís iactís Ulixés cónstituit nónnúllós é sociís in terram expónere, quí aquam ad návem referrent et quális esset nátúra éius regiónis cógnóscerent. Hí igitur é náví égressí imperáta facere parábant. Dum tamen fontem quaerunt, quibusdam ex incolís obviam factí ab iís hospitió acceptí sunt. Accidit autem ut máior pars víctús eórum hominum in míró quódam frúctú quem lótum appellábant cónsisteret. Quam cum Graecí gustássent, patriae et sociórum statim oblítí cónfírmávérunt sé semper in eá terrá mánsúrós, ut dulcí illó cibó in perpetuum véscerentur.
83. THE RESCUE
Ulixés cum ab hórá septimá ad vesperum exspectásset, veritus né socií suí in perículó versárentur, nónnúllós é reliquís mísit, ut quae causa esset morae cógnóscerent. Hí igitur in terram exposití ad vícum quí nón longé aberat sé contulérunt; quó cum vénissent, sociós suós quasi vínó ébriós repperérunt. Tum ubi causam veniendí docuérunt, iís persuádére cónábantur ut sécum ad návem redírent. Illí tamen resistere ac manú sé défendere coepérunt, saepe clámitantés sé numquam ex eó locó abitúrós. Quae cum ita essent, núntií ré ínfectá ad Ulixem rediérunt. Hís rébus cógnitís ipse cum omnibus quí in náví relictí erant ad locum vénit; et sociós suós frústrá hortátus ut suá sponte redírent, manibus eórum post terga vinctís invítós ad návem reportávit. Tum ancorís sublátís quam celerrimé é portú solvit.
84. THE ONE-EYED GIANT
Postquam eá tótá nocte rémís contendérunt, postrídié ad terram ígnótam návem appulérunt. Tum, quod nátúram éius regiónis ígnórábat, ipse Ulixés cum duodecim é sociís in terram égressus loca explóráre cónstituit. Paulum á lítore prógressí ad spéluncam ingentem pervénérunt, quam habitárí sénsérunt; éius enim introitum et nátúrá locí et manú múnítum esse animadvertérunt. Mox, etsí intellegébant sé nón sine perículó id factúrós, spéluncam intrávérunt; quod cum fécissent, mágnam cópiam lactis in vásís ingentibus conditam invénérunt. Dum tamen mírantur quis in eá séde habitáret, sonitum terribilem audívérunt, et oculís ad portam tortís mónstrum horribile vídérunt, húmáná quidem specié et figúrá, sed ingentí mágnitúdine corporis. Cum autem animadvertissent mónstrum únum oculum tantum habére in mediá fronte positum, intelléxérunt hunc esse únum é Cyclópibus, dé quibus fámam iam accéperant.