12 THE CALL OF THE SEA 



washed robe, and garment, and another she sent 

 with him to carry a heavy coffer : and another 

 carried both bread and red wine. But when they 

 came to the ship and the sea, his illustrious con- 

 ductors immediately receiving the things, placed 

 them in the hollow ship, all the drink and meat : 

 and then they strewed a rug and linen for Ulysses, 

 on the deck of the hollow ship, that he might sleep 

 without waking, at the stern ; but he himself em- 

 barked and laid down in silence ; and each of 

 them sat on the benches in order ; and they loosed 

 the cable from the perforated stone ; there they, 

 reclining, threw up the sea with the oar, and sweet 

 sleep fell upon his eyelids, unwakeful, most plea- 

 sant, the nearest like death. But it, like as four- 

 yoked male horses in the plain, all incited together 

 by the blows of the scourge, lifting themselves 

 on high, swiftly pass over the way ; so its prow 

 indeed lifted itself up, and the mighty purple 

 billow of the much-rolling sea rushed behind. 

 And very safely it ran, steadily ; nor could a 

 falcon-hawk, swiftest of birds, have followed it 

 close. So it, running swiftly, cut the waves of 

 the sea, bearing a man who possessed counsels 

 equal to the gods : who before had suffered very 

 many griefs in his mind, both wars of men, and 

 passing the terrible waves : then indeed he slept 

 fearlessly, forgetting whatever things he had 

 suffered. 



