“Nine days we held our way, both day and night; And now appeared in sight our native fields On the tenth night, where on the shore we saw Men kindling fires. Meantime a pleasant sleep Had overcome my weary limbs, for long Had I been guiding with incessant toil The rudder, nor would trust it to the hand Of any other, such was my desire To reach our country by the shortest way. Then talked my crew among themselves, and said That I had brought with me from Aeolus, The large-souled son of Hippotas, rich gifts Of gold and silver. Standing side by side And looking at each other, thus they said:—
“ ‘How wonderfully is our chief revered And loved by all men, wander where he will Into what realm soever! From the coast Of Troy he sailed with many precious things, His share of spoil, while we, who with him went And with him came, are empty-handed yet; And now hath Aeolus, to show how much He prizes him, bestowed the treasures here. Come, let us see them; let us know how much Of gold and silver is concealed in this.’
“Thus speaking to each other, they obeyed The evil counsel. They untied the sack, And straight the winds rushed forth and seized the ship, And swept the crews, lamenting bitterly, Far from their country out upon the deep; And then I woke, and in my noble mind Bethought me whether I should drop at once Into the deep and perish, or remain And silently endure and keep my place Among the living. I remained, endured, And covered with my mantle lay within My galley, while the furious whirlwind bore Back to the Aeolian isle our groaning crews.
“We landed on the coast, and to our barques Brought water. Then my men prepared a meal Beside the fleet; and having tasted food And wine, I took a herald and a friend, And, hastening to the sumptuous palace-halls Of Aeolus, I found him with his wife And children banqueting. We sat us down Upon the threshold at the palace-doors, And they were all astonished, and inquired:—