“I could still see the giant feeling of his bloody forehead, and could not resist calling again, although my men begged me to desist. ‘Listen once more, Cyclops. If thou art asked who hath so shamefully blinded thee, know that it was Ulysses, son of Laertes!’
“‘Cursed guest!’ sputtered the furious Cyclops. ‘Thus hath the prophecy been fulfilled! I have heard thy name and have always feared a great giant of superhuman powers. And now that it should be such a midget—such a tiny weakling who has outwitted me! Woe is me! But listen, Ulysses,’ he called directly afterward; ‘come back and let us make peace. I will entertain thee royally and pray Poseidon, my father, that he grant thee safe conduct. He will certainly restore my eye; then all shall be forgiven thee.’
“‘Ha!’ I shouted back. ‘Would that I could but send thee so certainly to Hades that neither Poseidon nor any god could replace thine eye!’ And now I heard him praying loudly to his father to send misfortunes on my head. Alas, the god heard him only too well.
“In the meanwhile we kept on rowing, but were still in danger, for suddenly another rock came flying and splashed like the first one into the sea close to our boat. At last after hard rowing we reached our little island and divided our booty with our companions. Our friends had given us up for lost and had been sitting on the shore day and night, mourning for us. They gave me the big goat, which had carried me out of the cave, for my share. I immediately sacrificed him to Jupiter, and we ate and drank joyfully together. When the sun sank into the sea we laid down on the beach to sleep.
“When we had recovered from our fright and had refreshed ourselves with food and drink, we launched our boats and put out to sea. We travelled until we reached an island of peculiar formation. It floated about on the water and was surrounded by a wall of brass. It was the famous isle where lives Æolus, the king of the winds. The gods have given him charge over all the winds, that he may cause them to blow or to cease at his will.
“I was hospitably received and delightfully entertained there for a whole month. In the palace lived the king’s six sons with their beautiful wives. I had to tell them all about Troy and all that had happened to me in my unfortunate journey. And when I begged for safe conduct, Æolus gave me a present which would have made me supremely happy had it not been for the foolishness of my companions. He confined all the winds in a leather bag, binding it securely with a silver rope. Thus I was fitted out so that I might make use of the winds should the vengeful Poseidon again lead me from my course. I laid the bag in the bottom of the ship without saying anything to my companions of its contents, and we sailed away with a gentle wind from Æolus’ isle and crossed almost the whole Mediterranean without accident, sailing nine days and nights, when suddenly on the tenth evening the shores of my native island loomed out of the darkness. Yes, it was really old Ithaca! I saw the watch-fires, the end of my wanderings had come. And now, weary as I was, sweet sleep overcame me, for I had labored at the mast day and night in order to reach home safely and quickly.
“While I slept my companions began to talk of our return, to recall all that they had undergone, and to complain that they were returning poor, in spite of it all. They looked at me enviously, at my rich booty from Troy, and the number of my guest gifts. ‘Everywhere that he goes,’ they said, ‘he is honored and receives gifts, but we get nothing. What can he have hidden in that bag? Æolus has certainly given him a costly present of gold or silver.’
“Curiosity incited them to examine the bag, which the king had bound up so tightly for good reasons. They had scarcely loosened the cord when a furious east wind broke loose, which drove us backward in the direction we had just come. We wretched ones, who had hoped to land on Ithaca in a few hours, found ourselves once more on Æolus’ isle. We were exhausted on landing, and after taking the food and drink I set out, with one of my men and the herald, for Æolus’ palace. There I found the family assembled at table, and all were astonished at my reappearance. I told them my story and begged for help once more. But the king cried in a terrible voice: ‘Unhappy one, fly from my house. Far be it from me to shelter a man who is thus pursued by the anger of the gods.’
“Sorrowfully I rejoined my companions and with heavy hearts we put out on the treacherous sea. We rowed continuously for six days, and at last on the seventh we saw the coast of the Læstrygones. We found a sheltered harbor where we made fast our ships. Then I mounted a hill to see if I could discover traces of people. In the distance I saw smoke rising and sent two of my men with a herald to explore the country. They entered a wood where they found wagon tracks that led to a town, and there they met a maiden, the buxom daughter of the king, Antiphates, just going to the well to draw water. She answered their inquiries by pointing out her father’s lofty dwelling. But when they entered the great palace they were terrified to behold the queen, a giantess, tall as a tree, who at once called her husband, an uncouth barbarian of gigantic stature. Without a word, like the Cyclops he seized one of them for his evening meal. The other two fled in horror to the ships. We saw them running, and soon a crowd of giants, summoned by the king’s roars, started in pursuit. While we were trying to loose the ships tremendous stones began to hurtle through the air upon us, dashing men and ships in pieces. I had tied my ship behind a cliff where it was safe from the stones. I quickly cut the ropes, called to my remaining companions, and we rowed away as fast as we could. With horror we saw the Læstrygones spearing our poor comrades to carry them home to their cruel meal.
“The current now carried us to the island of Ææa. We stole into a sheltering bay and rested for two days and nights, weak from hunger and overwork. But on the third day when rosy-fingered Eos began to paint the sky, I seized lance and sword and climbed to the top of the rock. The gods took pity on me and sent a great stag with branching antlers across my path. Like lightning I planted my spear in its side, and the animal sank in the dust with a cry. Bracing my foot against its side I drew out my spear, bound its feet together, threw the animal over my shoulder and, staggering under the unwonted burden, returned with it to the ship.