“Thence we sailed on, grieved at heart, glad to have escaped from death, though we had lost our dear comrades nor did I let my curved ships pass on till we had called thrice on each of those hapless comrades of ours who died on the plain, cut down by the Cicones. But when the sun turned to the time for the unyoking of oxen, then the Cicones prevailed and routed the Achaeans, and six of my well-greaved comrades perished from each ship but the rest of us escaped death and fate. Now as long as it was morn and the sacred day was waxing, so long we held our ground and beat them off, though they were more than we. They set their battle in array and fought by the swift ships, and each side hurled at the other with bronze-tipped spears. So they came in the morning, as thick as leaves or flowers spring up in their season and then it was that an evil fate from Zeus beset us luckless men, that we might suffer woes full many. "Meanwhile the Cicones went and called to other Cicones who were their neighbors, at once more numerous and braver than they-men that dwelt inland and were skilled at fighting with their foes from chariots, and, if need were, on foot. But there much wine was drunk, and many sheep they slew by the shore, and sleek kine of shambling gait. Then verily I gave command that we should flee with swift foot, but the others in their great folly did not hearken. There I sacked the city and slew the men and from the city we took their wives and great store of treasure, and divided them among us, that so far as lay in me no man might go defrauded of an equal share. From Ilios the wind bore me and brought me to the Cicones, to Ismarus. "But come, let me tell thee also of my woeful home-coming, which Zeus laid upon me as I came from Troy. So true is it that naught is sweeter than a man's own land and his parents, even though it be in a rich house that he dwells afar in a foreign land away from his parents. Of a truth Calypso, the beautiful goddess, sought to keep me by her in her hollow caves, yearning that I should be her husband and in like manner Circe would fain have held me back in her halls, the guileful lady of Aeaea, yearning that I should be her husband but they could never persuade the heart within my breast. Ithaca itself lies close in to the mainland the furthest toward the gloom, but the others lie apart toward the Dawn and the sun-a rugged isle, but a good nurse of young men and for myself no other thing can I see sweeter than one's own land. But I dwell in clear-seen Ithaca, wherein is a mountain, Neriton, covered with waving forests, conspicuous from afar and round it lie many isles hard by one another, Dulichium, and Same, and wooded Zacynthus. "I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, who am known among men for all manner of wiles, and my fame reaches unto heaven. First now will I tell my name, that ye, too, may know it, and that I hereafter, when I have escaped from the pitiless day of doom, may be your host, though I dwell in a home that is afar. What, then, shall I tell thee first, what last? for woes full many have the heavenly gods given me. But thy heart is turned to ask of my grievous woes, that I may weep and groan the more. This seems to my mind the fairest thing there is. For myself I declare that there is no greater fulfillment of delight than when joy possesses a whole people, and banqueters in the halls listen to a minstrel as they sit in order due, and by them tables are laden with bread and meat, and the cup-bearer draws wine from the bowl and bears it round and pours it into the cups. Then Odysseus, of many wiles, answered him, and said: “Lord Alcinous, renowned above all men, verily this is a good thing, to listen to a minstrel such as this man is, like unto the gods in voice. Odysseus & Laertes THE ODYSSEY BOOK 9, TRANSLATED BY A. Odysseus' Tale: Aeolus, Laestrygones & Circe
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