Dawn , out of her bed from beside noble Tithonus,
began to rouse herself, so that she might carry light to the undying gods and to mortals.
The gods started to take their seats in their places, and among them then was
Zeus, thunderer on high, and whose power is the greatest.
To them Athena began narrating the many troubles of Odysseus,
bringing these things to mind- for he was a concern to her, because he was in the house of the woman:
“Father Zeus and the other blessed gods, who exist forever,
let not anyone still be mild and kind with an eager mind,
the staff-holding king, and not knowing righteous things in his heart,
but may he always be harsh, and also may he perform evil things,
because not one has until now thought of god-like Odysseus
of the people for whom he was lord; he was kind like a father.
But yet that man lies on an island, suffering powerful sorrows
in the great rooms of the nymph Calypso, she who by force
holds him back: and still he is not able to return to his own ancestral land,
for there are no ships equipped with oars nor comrades with him
who might escort him home over the wide surface of the sea.
Again now they have done everything in their power to kill his beloved child,
as he returns home: now that man went after what people had heard of his father,
into most holy Pylos and into heavenly Lacedaemon.”
And answering her, Zeus the cloud-summoner spoke:
“My own child, what a speech of yours escaped from the fence of your teeth-
for did you not in truth to begin with plan this scheme yourself,
that surely Odysseus will exact vengeance on those people after arriving?
But you, get Telemachus home in your clever way, for you are able,
so that he, quite unhurt, may reach his own ancestral land,
and the suitors may depart back again in their ship.”
And then, facing Hermes, his beloved son, he began speaking:
“Hermes, of course since you for your part are a also messenger in other things,
say to the beautiful-haired nymph this authoritative decision:
the home-coming of Odysseus, he whose heart has endured much, so that he may return home
through the guidance both not of the gods and not of mortal humans;
instead that man, after all, suffering hardships, on a boat with many fastenings
may reach fertile Scheria on the twentieth day,
into the land of the Phaeacians, who are born closely-connected to the gods,
and who would show him respect to the highest degree in their heart, as they would a god,
and they will send him in a ship into the beloved ancestral land
having given him bronze and gold as well as clothing in heaps,
many things, as many as Odysseus would not have carried out for himself from Troy ever,
even if he had come without suffering, having collected his share out of the war-spoils.
For thus is his fate, both to see those who are dear and to return
into his high-ceilinged home, and into his own ancestral land.”
So he spoke, the messenger, the slayer of Argus, and he did not disobey.
At once then he bound under his feet his beautiful sandals,
the kind that are suited to a god, gold, those which used to bear him over both the water
and over the boundless land alongside the blasts of wind.
And he took hold of his wand, with which he also enchants the eyes of men,
of whomever he wishes, and also wakes again those who are sleeping.
Holding this between his hands, the powerful slayer of Argus began to fly,
and, having mounted Pieria, out of the sky he plunged towards the sea.
Then he swept over a wave like a skimmer bird,
which, while down along the fearsome swells of the barren sea,
hunting fish, wets its dense wings in the salt-sea;
like this Hermes rode upon the many waves.
But when at last he arrived at the island that was far away,
there, after stepping out of the deep-blue sea, towards the mainland
he made his way until he came upon the great cave, in which the beautiful-haired nymph
was living: and he found her being within.
On one side a great fire was burning in the hearth, while in the distance the smell
of both split cedar and juniper had spread its fragrance up through the island
as they blazed. And she, singing with a beautiful voice inside,
walking back and forth before the loom, was weaving with a golden pin-beater.
And a forest had grown up all around the cave, flourishing:
both alder and poplar as well as sweet-smelling cypress.
And there long-winged birds would nest:
owls and falcons and sharp-tongued crows
of the sea; to them, the affairs of the sea are their business.
And this had stretched itself right there, all around the hollow cave,
the youthful garden-vine, and it had already bloomed with grape-bunches.
Springs, four in a row, continuously bubbled with white water
next to one another, having turned themselves in one way, then another.
All around soft meadows of violets and parsley
were blooming; and there and then even an immortal, having approached,
would gaze in wonder, having seen it, and would be delighted in his heart.
There he stood, and he began to gaze in wonder, the messenger and slayer of Argus.
Nevertheless after he had at length gazed at all these things in his own heart,
he then went immediately into the wide cave. And indeed she did not
fail to recognize him, having seen him face-to-face, Calypso, goddess among goddesses:
for the gods are not unknown to one another,
the immortals, not even if someone inhabits a far-away house.
But he did not find great-spirited Odysseus inside,
as instead that man was crying, sitting on the shore in the very place where he had before:
through tears and through groans and through pains he was shattering his heart.
He would constantly spend his time looking out over the barren sea, pouring forth tears.
She began to question Hermes, Calypso, goddess among goddesses,
having seated him on a shining, glittering seat:
“Why to me, Hermes of the golden wand, have you come-
you who are both worthy of respect and dear? On the one hand certainly in the past you have not been accustomed to come on account of anything.
Give voice to what ever you have in mind: my heart orders me to fulfill it-
if I am in fact able to fulfill it, and if it is fulfillable.
But follow me further, so that I might place hospitable things beside you.”
Then, having spoken in this way, the goddess put a table beside him
having filled it with ambrosia, and she mixed the dark nectar.
He for his part began to drink and he began to eat, the messenger and slayer of Argus;
then, after he ate his meal and restored his heart through the food,
at that time at last he spoke to her through words, answering:
“You, a goddess, ask me, a god, about my arrival? All right, to you I, you can be sure,
will truthfully give this message, since you urge me to.
Zeus was the one who had ordered me, really, to come to this place even though I did not want to.
Who, willingly , would wish to run across so much briney water—
beyond description? And there is not any city of mortals nearby, they who for the gods
perform sacrifices and desired hecatombs.
But after all, it is not at all possible that the design of aegis-holding Zeus
another god should both not to slip past nor to disappoint.
He says that a man is here with you, the most miserable out of the others
of those men who kept fighting all about the city of Priam
for nine years, but in the tenth, having plundered the city, went
home. But as it happened they got themselves in trouble with Athena on their homeward journey-
against them she stirred up both an evil wind and big waves.
There on the one hand all the other men died, his good comrades,
but that one the driving wind and the waves both brought near to this place.
He was the one who had commanded you to send away that one now as quickly as possible-
for it is not his fate to die here, far away from . his friends.
Instead still his fate is both to see his friends and to return
into his high-roofed home and into his own ancestral land.”
So he spoke, and Calypso shuddered, goddess among goddesses,
and, having spoken winged words, she began to address him:
“Cruel are you, gods, jealous above all others,
and you who are begrudge to goddesses to lie in bed beside mortal men
as a public affair, if anyone makes for herself a dear husband.
So indeed when rosy-fingered Dawn took for herself Orion —
during that time, the gods, living in ease, begrudged her-
until in Ortygia, pure, golden-throned Artemis
with her gentle arrows, approaching, killed him.
And so with Iasion when beautiful-haired Demeter,
having yielded to her heart, was joined in love and in bed
soil ploughed three times; and he was not kept in ignorance of this for a long time,
Zeus— he killed him, striking with a bright lightning-bolt.
And again so now— to me you gods all begrudge a mortal man to be present.
As for him, first of all I was the one who rescued him having arrived wrapped around the ship’s keel,
alone, since with a bright lightning-bolt his swift ship
Zeus, having squeezed , broke into pieces in the wine-colored mid sea.
There on the one hand all the other good comrades died,
but on the other that one the driving wind and the waves both brought near to this place.
As for him, again, I was the one who both was showing affection to, and kept giving care, and I kept promising
to make him immortal and unaging for all days.
But after all, as you say it is not possible that the design of aegis-holding Zeus
another god should both not slip past nor disappoint.
Fine— let him go, if that one pushes and orders him,
onto the barren sea. But I, for my part you can be sure, will not send him anywhere,
for there are no ships equipped with oars with me, and no comrades
who might get him home over the wide back of the sea.
All that being said, in good faith I will share advice with him, and I will not hide anything,
so that he, quite unhurt, may arrive at his own ancestral land.”
To her in return the messenger and slayer of Argus spoke:
“In just this way- now send him back, and watch yourself against the wrath of Zeus,
lest he, having developed a grudge against you in any way, may be harsh afterwards.”
Having spoken in this way, the mighty slayer of Argus then left.
That woman, the revered nymph, towards great-spirited Odysseus
made her way, after she listened to the message of Zeus.
She found tbat man sitting on the shore: and his two eyes were not ever
dry from his tears, and sweet life kept dripping away
from him, mourning his return home, since the nymph was not still pleasing
But in fact, on one hand, night after night he again and again he would lie and indeed by compulsion
in the hollow caves — he, not willing, beside a woman who was willing;
on the other hand day after day, sitting on the rocks and beaches,
through tears, and through groans, and through pains, shattering his heart.
He would constantly spend his time looking out over the barren sea, pouring out tears.
Coming to a stop nearby, she began to talk to him, goddess among goddesses:
“Ill-fated one, do not grieve here with me still, and let your life not
waste away: for now, entirely in good faith, I will send you on your way.
But come— having cut long beams with the bronze ax, join together
a wide boat, and then fix for yourself deck-beams on it,
so that it may carry you high up over the misty sea.
On the other hand, as for me, prepared food and water and red wine
I will place within in suitable amounts, which might keep away hunger for you;
and I will dress you in clothing, and for you from behind I will send a helpful wind,
so that you quite unhurt might arrive at your own ancestral land,
if indeed the gods may be willing — those who hold the wide heavens,
those ones are more powerful than me both in planning and in accomplishing.”
So she spoke, but he shuddered, much-suffering godlike Odysseus,
and, having spoken winged words, he addressed her:
“For your part, you, goddess, certainly are planning something else right now and not sending me on my way in any way,
you who command me to cross over the great abyss of the sea on a boat,
both fearsome and difficult: and over this the well-balanced swift-travelling ships also do not
cross over, taking delight in the helpful wind of Zeus.
And I, for my part, would not set foot on a boat against the will of you,
if you at least would not be prevailed upon, goddess, to swear for me a great oath,
not to plan any other evil suffering for me myself.”
So he spoke, and she broke out into a smile, Calypso, goddess among goddesses.
She both stroked him with her hand, and began speaking with authority; she called out to him familiarly:
“You really are a wicked man for sure, and you knowing things that are not useless,
since you decided to perform a speech like this.
Now let the earth know this thing, and the wide heavens from above,
and the rushing-down water of the Styx, which is both the greatest
and the most fearsome oath that exists for the blessed gods—
that I will not plan any other evil misery for you yourself.
But certainly I have these things in mind, and I will call attention to them, just as that which
I might plan for me certainly, for my own self, when so great a need may come to me.
In fact my mind, you may be sure[], is honest, and not for me myself
is the heart in my chest iron, but filled with pity.”
Having spoken in this way, then she, goddess among goddesses, led the way
swiftly; he then began to walk after the footsteps of the goddess.
They arrived at the hollow cave— the goddess and then also the man-
and there he for his part sat down upon the seat from which had just stood up
Hermes, and the nymph began to place beside him every kind of food,
to eat and to drink— the sort that mortal men eat.
She herself began to sit opposite god-like Odysseus,
and beside her, servant-women placed ambrosia and nectar.
They began to lay their hands on the prepared food set before them.
Then, after they enjoyed the food and drink,
between them Calypso first began the serious discussion, goddess among goddesses:
“Zeus-born son of Laertes, much-inventive Odysseus,
in this way, really, homeward into your beloved ancestral land—
right here and now do you wish to go? But as for you— good luck to you for that matter all the same.
If only to start with you were to know in your gut however many troubles it is to your fate
to fill up, until arriving in your ancestral land;
then, staying in this spot right here, you would watch over this very house along with me,
and you would be immortal, even though longing to see
your wife, she for whom you always long each and every day.
I for my part certainly claim with confidence to be not inferior to that woman anyway,
neither in form and not in stature, since it is also not at all fitting
that mortal women should compete with immortal women in form and in appearance.”
Answering her, Odysseus of many counsels spoke:
“Revered goddess, do not be angry with me because of this thing: even I myself know
all these things entirely, because Penelope, who is outstanding in understanding, compared to you
is inferior to see face-to-face with respect to appearance and with respect to height:
for she, on the one hand, is mortal, while on the other hand you yourself are immortal and unaging.
But even so, I wish and even long each and every day
both to go back home and to see for myself my day of return.
If any of the gods again should strike on the wine-colored sea,
I will endure, having a heart that endures in my chest-
for already I have suffered so very many things, and I have struggled through many things
in the waves and in warfare: let also this take its place among those.”
So he spoke, and the sun sank and dusk came over;
having gone in the farthest corner of the hollow cave, the two
began to enjoy themselves in love, remaining beside each other.
When early rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,
at once he on the one hand put on both a cloak and a tunic, Odysseus,
while she herself put on a great shining mantle, the nymph,
delicate and graceful, and around her waist she tossed on herself a belt,
beautiful and golden, and a veil on top of her head.
Then she began to plan her contribution to the journey for great-spirited Odysseus-
she gave to him a great ax, closely fitted in the palms of his hands,
made of bronze, sharpened on both sides. Looking more closely, on the ax itself
was a handle, very beautiful, made of olive-wood, well fastened.
And she gave to him afterwards a carpenter’s ax of polished metal; and she began to lead the way
over the edge of the island, where the trees had grown tall,
both alder and black poplar, and also fir, were as high as the heavens-
dry for a long time, well-seasoned. These would float lightly for him.
As for her, after she revealed the place where the trees had grown tall,
she on the one hand walked towards her house, Calypso, goddess among goddesses,
while he began to cut for himself planks. His work was accomplished quickly.
And twenty he cut down in total, and then he axed them with bronze,
and he smoothed them skillfully, and also straightened them upon a level line.
During that time she brought chisels, Calypso, goddess among goddesses,:
he chiseled holes into them all and joined them to each other,
and with wooden pegs and fastenings he hammered together that boat.
As great as any man might round off the base of a ship-
a wide cargo vessel-- well knowing the practices of carpentry,
so great Odysseus built for himself the wide boat upon this.
Having raised the deck-platform, having fitting them to the close-set ribs,
he continued building, and then he began finishing by means of the long gunwale planks.
Then he began building a mast and yard-arm, fastened onto it.
Besides, then also he built for himself a rudder, so that he could steer.
He fortified it thoroughly with willow wicker-work,
to be a defense from the swell; he heaped up for himself much brush.
During that time, she brought textiles, Calypso, divine of goddesses,
to make for himself sails; those things too he crafted for himself skillfully.
The sails’ upper braces and the cables and the sails’ feet he tied in on the ship itself,
and with levers he then hauled down this into the divine sea.
It was the fourth day when all things had been completed by him;
then on the fifth she had him begin his journey from the island, divine Calypso,
having put around him sweet-smelling clothes and having bathed him.
Inside the goddess placed for him a leather container- of dark wine,
this one- and another large one of water, and also food in
a leather sack: inside she was packing many strength-giving cooked meats for him.
She sent forth a favorable wind, both gentle and warm.
Rejoicing, god-like Odysseus opened wide his sails to the wind.
He then began to steer himself with the rudder with practiced skill,
sitting. And sleep did not ever fall upon his eyelids,
looking towards the Pleiades, and after a long time the sinking Bootes,
and the Great Bear, which also they call by another name, the wagon,
and it both circles around herself in that spot and also watches Orion.
It alone is without of the cleansing waters of Oceanus;
Regarding this constellation, in fact, Calypso, goddess among goddesses, had ordered him
to pass over the sea while keeping it on the left side of his hand.
And, first, for seven and ten days he kept sailing, passing over the sea,
but then on the eighteenth day shadowy mountains appeared
of the land of Phaeacian , where it was nearest to him:
it became visible just like a skin on the misty sea.
But that man the ruling Earth-shaker, coming back from the Ethiopians,
saw from far away, out of the mountains of the Solymi, for he became visible to him,
sailing over the sea. And he became even more greatly angered in his heart,
having shaken his head, he addressed a speech to his own spirit :
“Are you kidding me? Surely the gods greatly changed their plans in a different direction
regarding Odysseus, while I was among the Ethiopians.
And now he is near the land of the Phaeacians; there his lot
is to escape the great fated share of suffering which comes upon him.
All the same I state my intention in fact still to drive him towards his fill of hardship.”
Having spoken thus, he began to bring together clouds, and he stirred up the sea
after seizing his trident with his hands: he began to rouse all the gusts
of every kind of wind, and with the clouds he covered over
the land and the sea at once. And night had come down from heaven.
At once both the East Wind and South Wind came crashing down, and the stormy West Wind,
and also the North Wind, born from ether, rolling a great wave.
Then the knees of Odysseus and his dear heart gave out,
and, agitated, he spoke to his great-spirited heart:
“Oh me, for my part I am filled with fear. What now would finally happen to me?
I fear that all the things the goddess said are correct:
she stated that on the sea, before I return to the land that belonged to my fathers,
I will have my fill of suffering. And now all these things are being fulfilled.
With such clouds he encircles the wide heavens,
Zeus. And he stirred the sea; and they pile on, the gusts
of winds of all kinds. Now steep death is certain for me.
Three times blessed the Danaans, even four times, who were lost then
in wide Troy, bringing happiness to the sons of Atreus.
So I, for my part, ought to have died and to have met my fate
on that day when at me the greatest number cast bronze-covered spears,
the Trojans, around the son of Peleus after dying.
In that case I would have had my share of funeral gifts, and the Achaeans would be advancing my own fame;
but it had been fated to be taken now by miserable death.”
Then, having spoken thus , a great wave drove him down from above,
overwhelming in a way that struck him with fear, and it shook the boat around.
As for him, far away from the boat he fell, and the rudder
he threw forward out of his hands; it shattered his mast in the middle,
the fearsome storm that had come from the winds, mixing with one another,
and far away the sail and yard-arm fell in the sea.
And it placed him underwater for a long time, and he was not able
at first to get up very much from under the surge of the great wave:
for the clothes were heavy , those which divine Calypso provided to him.
After a long time he rose up, and he spat out saltwater from his mouth-
the bitter saltwater, which was gurgling from his head in great amounts.
Nevertheless not even soὣς], was he forgetful of the boat, although being exhausted.
Instead, lunging after it in the waves, he seized onto it for himself;
he sat down in its middle, avoiding the fulfillment of death.
A great wave repeatedly carried along this boat down the current, this way and that way.
And as when in late summer the North Wind may carry along thistles
over a plain, and they cling together close beside one another,
so did the winds keep carrying the boat over the sea, this way and that way:
sometimes, on one hand, the South Wind kept tossing it over to the North Wind to be carried-
other times, on the other hand, again the East Wind would again and again yield to the West Wind to come after it.
But she saw him, the daughter of Cadmus, beautiful-ankled Ino,
Leukothea (the white goddess), she who was previously a mortal who used human speech,
but now in the seas of brine she had received a position of rank from the gods.
That woman took pity on wandering Odysseus, possessing sufferings.
Like a seagull in flight she lifted herself out of the sea,
and she began to sit on the boat with many fastenings, and she spoke a message:
“Ill-fated one, why to this extent violently has Poseidon the Earthshaker
gotten himself into a fury, that for you he causes to emerge many evil things?
Indeed he will not destroy you, although much boiling with passion.
Instead, act much in this way. You seem to me not to be stupid:
having taken off those clothes, leave the boat to be carried by the winds-
instead, swimming with your hands, grasp your homecoming,
the land of the Phaeacians, where your fate is to escape.
But here, drape this headscarf beneath your chest,
the kind that immortals wear: and for you there is no fear to suffer anything and not to die.
However, when you take hold of the mainland with your hands,
having loosened it from yourself cast it back again into the wine-colored sea,
very far away from the mainland, and as for you yourself, turn yourself far away.”
Having spoken in this way, the goddess then gave the headscarf
and she herself sank back into the swelling sea
like a seagull. And a dark wave concealed her.
Meanwhile, for his part that man, much-suffering, godlike Odysseus, pondered.
Agitated, he then spoke to his own great-spirited heart:
“Oh me, I, for my part, fear that one of the immortals is weaving a trap for me again,
when she orders me to get away from the boat.
Instead I will most definitely not follow her directions yet, since far out I, for my part, saw with my eyes
land, where she claimed to be a chance of escape for me.
Instead I will most definitely take action in this way, this seems to be best for me.
However long as the beams should remain joined together in their joints,
so long I will remain right here, and I will endure, suffering pains.
But then when a wave should smash my boat apart,
I will swim, since it really is not possible to plan out ahead of time anything better.”
While that man was turning these things over through his mind and also through his heart,
Poseidon the Earth-shaker sent surging in his direction a great wave,
both fearsome and harsh, arching over the boat. It drove Odysseus himself.
Like a stormy wind might rattle a pile of dried husks-
these it scatters, some in one direction, and some in another-
just so it scattered the long beams of the boat. As for him, Odysseus,
he began to move wrapped-around one beam like driving a race-horse,
and he started to take off the clothes, those which divine Calypso handed to him.
Immediately he draped the headscarf below his chest,
and he himself fell down face-first in the sea, having spread out his two hands,
doing everything in his power to swim. The ruling Earth-shaker saw.
After shaking his head, he deliberatedwith his own heart:
“Like this now, having suffered many evils, wander down through the sea,
up to that point you may have dealings with people cared for by Zeus.
But even so I do not expect you to be dissatisfied with this hardship.”
Then, having spoken in this way, he whipped his beautiful-maned horses,
and he came into Aegae, where his famous homes are.
But for her part, Athena, the daughter of Zeus, had in her mind other things.
In fact she tied down the paths of the other winds,
and she commanded all of them together to stop what they were doing, and to put themselves at rest:
she stirred up in opposition the quick North Wind, and in front she broke the waves down,
so that he might have dealings with the oar-loving Phaeacians-
Zeus-born Odysseus, having escaped death and also fate.
There through two nights and two days he was constantly buffeted by the strong swell,
and many times his heart kept anticipating his destruction.
But when beautiful-haired Dawn brought to pass the third day,
at that point afterwards the wind stopped itself, and a calm,
windless, began: and so he saw in front of him land nearby,
having looked forward very quickly , and having been lifted up from under a great wave.
And as when the hoped-for life of a father might appear to his children,
he who lies in sickness, suffering harsh pains,
wasting away for a long time, a hateful spirit had been having its way with him.
But then indeed the gods free him, hoped for, from the evil-
even so hoped-for to Odysseus both the land and the forest came into sight.
And he kept swimming, scrambling to step upon the mainland with his feet.
Yet when he was distant as far as a man can make himself heard by shouting,
then he heard the crash of the sea against the rocks,
for the great wave kept roaring against the coast of the mainland,
spewing fearsomely, and all things had been cloaked by the foam of the sea.
For there were no secure harbors of ships, and not any places of shelter;
instead there were jutting coasts, as well as rocks and cliffs.
And then the knees and beloved heart of Odysseus gave way,
and he, agitated, spoke to his own great-spirited heart:
“Oh me, as soon as he gave me the ability to see land that was beyond hope,
Zeus, and I, after cutting through this gulf, came to the other side -
no way out of the gray sea outwards in any way was apparent.
For outside there are sharp cliffs, and on both sides a surf,
rushing, wails, and a smooth rock rose up.
The sea is deep near the shore; it is not at all possible
to stand on both feet and to escape from this hardship-
I fear that in some way it would throw me, while making my way out, against the hard rock,
the great wave, having seized me. And my attempt will be unsuccessful.
But if I were to swim alongside still farther, somewhere I would find
both shelving beaches and inlets from the sea-
but I fear that a storm, having snatched me up once again,
may carry me, groaning deeply, over the fish-filled sea.
Or even that a god might send against me some great beast of the sea
out of the deep: renowned Amphitrite nourishes many of this sort.
For I know how much the renowned Earth-shaker has been angered at me.”
As he kept turning over these things through his mind and through his heart,
meanwhile a great wave began to carry him toward the rocky coast.
There he would have had his skin stripped away and his bones smashed together,
if the goddess, silvery-eyed Athena, had not placed this into his thoughts:
and with a rush he took hold of the rock with both his hands.
He kept holding on to that rock, groaning, until the great wave passed by.
And at first he escaped this in this way, but then, surging back again,
it struck him rushing over, and dumped him far into the sea.
As when an octopus is being pulled from its den,
pebbles stick to its closely-packed suckers,
so from the bold hands of that one onto the rocks
pieces of skin were ripped off: and the great wave covered him.
There for sure miserable Odysseus would have been lost, outside the boundary of his fate,
if she had not given him presence of mind, silvery-eyed Athena.
Having emerged from the surf, which spews forth towards the mainland,
he began swimming along on the outside of the surf, looking out into the land in the hopes that somewhere he might find
both shelving beaches and inlets from the sea.
But when, down along the mouth of a beautifully-flowing river
he arrived, swimming, here indeed the land appeared best to him,
as it was smooth of rocks, and even a shelter from the wind besides.
He recognized the river was flowing out, and prayed according to his own heart:
“Listen, lord, whoever you are: I come to you, one addressed by many suppliants,
fleeing out of the sea the abuse of Poseidon.
On the one hand , worthy of decent treatment, even to the undying gods,
whoever of men arrives, wandering, just as I, for my part, now
come to both your current and your knees, having struggled through many things.
Just be merciful, lord: I formally claim to be your suppliant.”
He said this, and immediately that god put a stop to his current and held back the waves,
and he made for him a calm in front, and he saved that man
into the mouth of the river. That man then let his knees bend, both his knees
and his strong hands, for his dear heart had been overcome by the sea.
All his flesh was swollen, while much seawater kept gushing
up through both his mouth and nose. He, breathless and speechless,
was lying down with feeble strength, and brutal exhaustion was coming upon him.
But when he caught his breath, and his spirit was collected into his physical being,
then he untied the headscarf of the goddess from him
and released that thing into the river that flows into the sea;
and the great wave began to carry it back again down along the current, and quickly Ino then
received it in her dear hands. He, withdrawing out of the river,
lay down under the reeds, and he kissed the fertile soil.
Agitated, he then spoke to his great-spirited heart:
“Oh me, what may I suffer? Now what may befall me next?
If, on the one hand, I would keep watch in this riverbed throughout the night with its harsh troubles,
I fear that both the evil frost and fresh dew together
might be the end of me, having breathed out my spirit, as a result of my weakened condition-
a freezing breeze out of the river blows before dawn.
On the other hand, if, having gone up into the hillside and shady forest,
I should fall asleep in the dense bushes- assuming that they might allow me,
the cold and distress, and sweet sleep might come upon me,
I fear that I may become prey and a find for wild predators.”
So tn this way it seemed to be more profitable to him, as he pondered:
he went to go into the forest, which he found near the water
in a visible place. He then went under two bushes,
which had grown out of the same spot. Here, one one was of thorn wood, on the other side, one was of olive wood.
Certainly through these both not the damp force of gusting winds would blow,
and would the shining sun not ever strike with its beams,
and rain would not ever pass through: so dense
they had grown, tangled up with each other. Under these Odysseus
lowered himself. Immediately he piled up a bed for himself with his dear hands,
a wide one, for the heap of leaves was very much substantial,
as great as would be needed to protect either two or three men
in the winter season, and even if it might be especially severe.
Having seen this he rejoiced, the much-suffering godlike Odysseus,
and then in the middle he laid himself; and he piled over himself a heap of leaves.
Like when someone buries a piece of burning wood in dark ashes
at the borderland of the field, near to which there are no other neighbors,
preserving the seed of fire so that he would not need to get light from some other place,
in this way did Odysseus cover himself in leaves. Athena then
began to pour sleep upon his eyes, so that it, swiftly, might stop him
from laborious trouble, having covered over his dear eyelids.