Page 95 - the-odyssey

mere mortal, but had been since raised to the rank of a ma-
rine 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 fu-
riously 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 Phaeacian
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 know what to think. ‘Alas,’ he said
to himself in his dismay, ‘this is only some one or other of
the gods who is luring me to ruin by advising me to quit
my raft. At any rate I will not do so at present, for the land
where she said I should be quit of all troubles seemed to be
still a good way off. I know what I will do—I am sure it will
be best—no matter what happens I will stick to the raft as
long as her timbers hold together, but when the sea breaks
her up I will swim for it; I do not see how I can do any bet-
ter than this.’
While he was thus in two minds, Neptune sent a terri-
ble great wave that seemed to rear itself above his head till
it broke right over the raft, which then went to pieces as

The Odyssey