So I spoke, and my words they quickly heeded.  But Scylla I did not name,—­that hopeless horror,—­for fear through fright my men might cease to row, and huddle all together in the hold.  I disregarded too the hard behest of Circe, when she had said I must by no means arm.  Putting on my glittering armor and taking in my hands my two long spears, I went upon the ship’s fore-deck, for thence I looked for the first sight of Scylla of the rocks, who brought my men disaster.  Nowhere could I descry her; I tried my eyes with searching up and down the dusky cliff.

So up the strait we sailed in sadness; for here lay Scylla, and there divine Charybdis fearfully sucked the salt sea-water down.  Whenever she belched it forth, like a kettle in fierce flame all would foam swirling up, and overhead spray fell upon the tops of both the crags.  But when she gulped the salt sea-water down, then all within seemed in a whirl; the rock around roared fearfully, and down below the bottom showed, dark with the sand.  Pale terror seized my men; on her we looked and feared to die.

And now it was that Scylla snatched from the hollow ship six of my comrades who were best in skill and strength.  Turning my eyes toward my swift ship to seek my men, I saw their feet and hands already in the air as they were carried up.  They screamed aloud and called my name for the last time, in agony of heart.  As when a fisher, on a jutting rock, with long rod throws a bait to lure the little fishes, casting into the deep the horn of stall-fed ox; then, catching a fish, flings it ashore writhing,—­even so were these drawn writhing up the rocks.  There at her door she ate them, loudly shrieking and stretching forth their hands in mortal pangs toward me.  That was the saddest sight my eyes have ever seen, in all my toils, searching the ocean pathways.

ULYSSES IN ITHACA

ULYSSES LANDS ON THE SHORE OF ITHACA

By F. S. Marvin, R. J. C. Mayor, and F. M. Stowell

[For ten years Ulysses was driven hither and thither over the water, seeking for his homeland, Ithaca.  At length he was shipwrecked on the shores of Phoeacia.  The king, Alcinous, entertained him most hospitably, and Ulysses related to him the story of his wanderings.]

When Ulysses had finished his story, there was silence in the hall till Alcinous said, “Ulysses, now that you have come to my house after all these troubles, you shall return without more wandering to your home.”  And then he bade the princes go home for the night and meet again in the morning to bring their gifts.