The Daily Odyssey: June 26
“Now from the rocks the rapid vessel flies,
And the hoarse din like distant thunder dies;
To Sol’s bright isle our voyage we pursue,
And now the glittering mountains rise to view.
There, sacred to the radiant god of day,
Graze the fair herds, the flocks promiscuous stray:
Then suddenly was heard along the main
To low the ox, to bleat the woolly train.
Straight to my anxious thoughts the sound convey’d
The words of Circe and the Theban shade;
Warn’d by their awful voice these shores to shun,
With cautious fears oppress’d I thus begun:
“‘O friends! O ever exercised in care!
Hear Heaven’s commands, and reverence what ye hear!
To fly these shores the prescient Theban shade
And Circe warn! Oh be their voice obey’d;
Some mighty woe relentless Heaven forebodes:
Fly these dire regions, and revere the gods!’
“While yet I spoke, a sudden sorrow ran
Through every breast, and spread from man to man,
Till wrathful thus Eurylochus began:
“‘O cruel thou! some Fury sure has steel’d
That stubborn soul, by toil untaught to yield!
From sleep debarr’d, we sink from woes to woes:
And cruel, enviest thou a short repose?
Still must we restless rove, new seas explore,
The sun descending, and so near the shore?
And lo! the night begins her gloomy reign,
And doubles all the terrors of the main:
Oft in the dead of night loud winds arise,
Lash the wild surge, and bluster in the skies.
Oh, should the fierce south-west his rage display,
And toss with rising storms the watery way,
Though gods descend from heaven’s aërial plain
To lend us aid, the gods descend in vain.
Then while the night displays her awful shade,
Sweet time of slumber! be the night obey’d!
Haste ye to land! and when the morning ray
Sheds her bright beam, pursue the destined way.’
A sudden joy in every bosom rose:
So will’d some demon, minister of woes!
“To whom with grief: ‘O swift to be undone!
Constrain’d I act what wisdom bids me shun.
But yonder herbs and yonder flocks forbear;
Attest the heavens, and call the gods to hear:
Content, an innocent repast display,
By Circe given, and fly the dangerous prey.’