Page 135 - the-odyssey

desses, but I would sleep with her if I could.’
The immortal gods burst out laughing as they heard
him, but Neptune took it all seriously, and kept on implor-
ing Vulcan to set Mars free again. ‘Let him go,’ he cried,
‘and I will undertake, as you require, that he shall pay you
all the damages that are held reasonable among the immor-
tal gods.’
‘Do not,’ replied Vulcan, ‘ask me to do this; a bad man’s
bond is bad security; what remedy could I enforce against
you if Mars should go away and leave his debts behind him
along with his chains?’
‘Vulcan,’ said Neptune, ‘if Mars goes away without pay-
ing his damages, I will pay you myself.’ So Vulcan answered,
‘In this case I cannot and must not refuse you.’
Thereon he loosed the bonds that bound them, and as
soon as they were free they scampered off, Mars to Thrace
and laughter-loving Venus to Cyprus and to Paphos, where
is her grove and her altar fragrant with burnt offerings.
Here the Graces bathed her, and anointed her with oil of
ambrosia such as the immortal gods make use of, and they
clothed her in raiment of the most enchanting beauty.
Thus sang the bard, and both Ulysses and the seafaring
Phaeacians were charmed as they heard him.
Then Alcinous told Laodamas and Halius to dance alone,
for there was no one to compete with them. So they took a
red ball which Polybus had made for them, and one of them
bent himself backwards and threw it up towards the clouds,
while the other jumped from off the ground and caught it
with ease before it came down again. When they had done

1 The Odyssey