lO THE CALL OF THE SEA 



The Voyage of Ulysses <::> <:> 



(From the Odyssey ; trans.) 



"DUT when we had now left the island, nor did 



any other land appear, but the heaven and the 



sea, then the son of Saturn reared an azure cloud 



above the hollow ship ; and the sea became dark 



beneath it. But it ran for no very long time ; for 



immediately came the clamouring West wind, 



rushing with a mighty tempest : and the storm of 



the wind broke both the cables of the mast ; and 



the mast fell backwards, and all the tackle was 



thrown in confusion into the hold ; and he struck 



the head of the helmsman backward in the ship, 



and broke all the bones of his head together ; and 



he fell like unto a diver from the deck, and his 



noble mind left his bones ; and Jove thundered 



together, and hurled a thunderbolt upon the ship : 



and it was entirely whirled round, stricken with the 



thunderbolt of Jove, and it was filled with sulphur; 



and my companions fell from the ship. And they, 



like unto gulls, were borne on the waves around 



the black ship ; for the deity took away their 



return. But I kept going about through the ship, 



until the storm loosed the sides from the keel; and 



the wave Ijore it along naked. And it broke out 



the mast at the keel: but a thong was thrown upon 



it, made from the skin of an ox. With this I 



bound both together, the keel and the mast : and, 



