even so was the skin stript from his strong hand against the rocks, and the great wave closed over him.  There of a truth would luckless Odysseus have perished beyond that which was ordained, had not grey-eyed Athene given him sure counsel.  He rose from the line of the breakers that belch upon the shore, and swam outside, ever looking landwards, to find, if he might, spits that take the waves aslant, and havens of the sea.  But when he came in his swimming over against the mouth of a fair-flowing river, whereby the place seemed best in his eyes, smooth of rocks, and withal there was a covert from the wind, Odysseus felt the river running, and prayed to him in his heart: 

’Hear me, O king, whosoever thou art; unto thee am I come, as to one to whom prayer is made, while I flee the rebukes of Poseidon from the deep.  Yea, reverend even to the deathless gods is that man who comes as a wanderer, even as I now have come to thy stream and to thy knees after much travail.  Nay pity me, O king; for I avow myself thy suppliant.’

So spake he, and the god straightway stayed his stream and withheld his waves, and made the water smooth before him, and brought him safely to the mouths of the river.  And his knees bowed and his stout hands fell, for his heart was broken by the brine.  And his flesh was all swollen and a great stream of sea water gushed up through his mouth and nostrils.  So he lay without breath or speech, swooning, such terrible weariness came upon him.  But when now his breath returned and his spirit came to him again, he loosed from off him the veil of the goddess, and let it fall into the salt flowing river.  And the great wave bare it back down the stream, and lightly Ino caught it in her hands.  Then Odysseus turned from the river, and fell back in the reeds, and kissed earth, the grain-giver, and heavily he spake unto his own brave spirit: 

’Ah, woe is me!  What is to betide me?  What shall happen unto me at the last?  If I watch the river bed all through the careful night, I fear that the bitter frost and fresh dew may overcome me, as I breathe forth my life for faintness, for the river breeze blows cold betimes in the morning.  But if I climb the hill-side up to the shady wood, and there take rest in the thickets, though perchance the cold and weariness leave hold of me, and sweet sleep may come over me, I fear lest of wild beasts I become the spoil and prey.’

So as he thought thereon this seemed to him the better way.  He went up to the wood, and found it nigh the water in a place of wide prospect.  So he crept beneath twin bushes that grew from one stem, both olive trees, one of them wild olive.  Through these the force of the wet winds blew never, neither did the bright sun light on it with his rays, nor could the rain pierce through, so close were they twined either to other; and thereunder crept Odysseus and anon he heaped together with his hands a broad couch; for of fallen leaves there was great plenty, enough