And when we now had passed the spot, and heard

No more the melody the Sirens sang,

My comrades hastened from their ears to take

The wax, and loosed the cords and set me free. =
“ As soon as we had left the isle, I saw

Mist and a mountain billow, and I heard


Book XII. 261


The thunder of the waters. From the hands
Of my affrighted comrades flew the oars,
The deep was all in uproar ; but the ship Ms
Stopped there, for all the rowers ceased their task.
I went through all the ship exhorting them
With cheerful words, man after man, and said : —

“Reflect, my friends, that we are not untried
In evil fortunes, nor in sadder plight -
Are we than when within his spacious cave
The brutal Cyclops held us prisoners ;
Yet through my valor we escaped, and through
My counsels and devices, and I think
That ye will live to bear this day's events 25
In memory like those. Now let us act.
Do all as I advise ; go to your seats
Upon the benches, smiting with your oars
These mighty waves, and haply Jove will grant
That we escape the death which threatens us. «ὦ
Thee, helmsman, I adjure, — and heed my words,
Since to thy hands alone is given in charge
Our gallant vessel's rudder, —steer thou hence
From mist and tumbling waves, and well observe
The rock, lest where it juts into the sea as
Thou heed it not, and bring us all to wreck.’

“1 spake, and quickly all obeyed my words.
