declare me this and plainly tell it all; whither wast thou borne wandering, and to what shores of men thou camest; tell me of the people and of their fair-lying cities, of those whoso are hard and wild and unjust, and of those likewise who are hospitable and of a god-fearing mind.  Declare, too, wherefore thou dost weep and mourn in spirit at the tale of the faring of the Argive Danaans and the lay of Ilios.  All this the gods have fashioned, and have woven the skein of death for men, that there might be a song in the ears even of the folk of aftertime.  Hadst thou even a kinsman by marriage that fell before Ilios, a true man, a daughter’s husband or wife’s father, such as are nearest us after those of our own stock and blood?  Or else, may be, some loving friend, a good man and true; for a friend with an understanding heart is no whit worse than a brother.’

Book IX

  Odysseus relates, first, what befell him amongst the
  Cicones at Ismarus; secondly, amongst the Lotophagi;
  thirdly, how he was used by the Cyclops Polyphemus.

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying:  ’King Alcinous, most notable of all the people, verily it is a good thing to list to a minstrel such as this one, like to the gods in voice.  Nay, as for me, I say that there is no more gracious or perfect delight than when a whole people makes merry, and the men sit orderly at feast in the halls and listen to the singer, and the tables by them are laden with bread and flesh, and a wine-bearer drawing the wine serves it round and pours it into the cups.  This seems to me well-nigh the fairest thing in the world.  But now thy heart was inclined to ask of my grievous troubles, that I may mourn for more exceeding sorrow.  What then shall I tell of first, what last, for the gods of heaven have given me woes in plenty?  Now, first, will I tell my name, that ye too may know it, and that I, when I have escaped the pitiless day, may yet be your host, though my home is in a far country.  I am Odysseus, son of laertes, who am in men’s minds for all manner of wiles, and my fame reaches unto heaven.  And I dwell in clear-seen Ithaca, wherein is a mountain Neriton, with trembling forest leaves, standing manifest to view, and many islands lie around, very near one to the other, Dulichium and Same, and wooded Zacynthus.  Now Ithaca lies low, furthest up the sea-line toward the darkness, but those others face the dawning and the sun:  a rugged isle, but a good nurse of noble youths; and for myself I can see nought beside sweeter than a man’s own country.  Verily Calypso, the fair goddess, would fain have kept me with her in her hollow caves, longing to have me for her lord; and likewise too, guileful Circe of Aia, would have stayed me in her halls, longing to have me for her lord.  But never did they prevail upon my heart within my breast.  So surely is there nought sweeter than a man’s own country and his parents, even though he dwell far off in a rich home, in a strange land, away from them that begat him.  But come, let me tell thee too of the troubles of my journeying, which Zeus laid on me as I came from Troy.