in turn, And gave to each her young. When he had thus Performed his household tasks, he seized again Two of our number for his evening meal. Then drew I near, and bearing in my hand A wooden cup of dark red wine I said:—
“ ‘Take this, O Cyclops, after thy repast Of human flesh, and drink, that thou mayst know What liquor was concealed within our ship. I brought it as an offering to thee, For I had hope that thou wouldst pity us, And send us home. Yet are thy cruelties Beyond all limit. Wicked as thou art, Hereafter who, of all the human race, Will dare approach thee, guilty of such wrong?’
“As thus I spake, he took the cup and drank. The luscious wine delighted mightily His palate, and he asked a second draught.
“ ‘Give me to drink again, and generously, And tell thy name, that I may make a gift Such as becomes a host. The fertile land In which the Cyclops dwell yields wine, ’tis true, And the large grapes are nursed by rains from Jove, But nectar and ambrosia are in this.’