But  goodly  Odysseus  was  left  behind  in  the  hall,  and  by  him
sat  Arete  and  godlike  Alcinous ;  and  the  maids  cleared  away
the  furniture  of  the  feast ;  and  white-armed  Arete  first  spake
among  them.  For  she  knew  the  mande  and  the  doublet,
when  she  saw  the  goodly  raiment  that  she  herself  had
wrought  with  the  women  her  handmaids.  So  she  uttered
her  voice  and  spake  to  him  winged  words  :

*  Sir,  I  am  bold  to  ask  thee  first  of  this.  Who  art  thou
of  the  sons  of  men,  and  whence?  Who  gave  thee  this
raiment  ?  Didst  thou  not  say  indeed  that  thou  camest  hither
wandering  over  the  deep?*

Then  Odysseus  of  many  counsels  answered  her,  and  said :
*  'Tis  hard,  O  queen,  to  tell  my  griefs  from  end  to  end,  for
that  the  gods  of  heaven  have  given  me  griefs  in  plenty.  But
this  will  I  declare  to  thee,  whereof  thou  dost  question  and
inquire.  There  is  an  isle,  Ogygia,  that  lies  far  off  in  the
sea;  there  dwells  the  daughter  of  Adas,  crafty  Calypso,  of  the
braided  tresses,  an  awful  goddess,  nor  is  any  either  of  gods
or  mortals  conversant  with  her.  Howbeit,  some  god  brought
me  to  her  hearth,  wretched  man  that  I  am,  all  alone,  for  that


ODYSSEY  VII,  249-281.  Ill

Zeus  with  white  bolt  crushed  my  swift  ship  and  cleft  it  in  the
midst  of  the  wine-dark  deep.  There  all  the  rest  of  my  good
company  was  lost,  but  I  clung  with  fast  embrace  about  the
keel  of  the  curved  ship,  and  so  was  I  borne  for  nine
whole  days.  And  on  the  tenth  dark  night  the  gods  brought
me  nigh  the  isle  Ogygia,  where  Calypso  of  the  braided
tresses  dwells,  an  awful  goddess.  She  took  me  in,  and  with
all  care  she  cherished  me  and  gave  me  sustenance,  and  said
that  she  would  make  me  to  know  not  death  nor  age  for  all
my  days ;  but  never  did  she  win  my  heart  within  me.
