every side, And the bold shores run out to form its mouth— A narrow entrance. There the other crews Stationed their barques, and moored them close beside Each other, in that hill-encircled port. No billow, even the smallest, rises there; The water glimmers with perpetual calm. I only kept my dark-hulled ship without, And bound its cable to a jutting rock.
“I climbed a rugged headland, and looked forth. No marks of tilth appeared, the work of men Or oxen, only smokes that from below Rose in the air. And then I sent forth scouts To learn what race of men who live by bread Inhabited the land. Two chosen men I sent, a herald made the third; and these Went inland by a level path, on which The wains brought fuel from the woody heights Into the city. On their way they met, Before the town, a damsel with an ewer— The stately daughter of Antiphates, The Laestrigonian, who was coming down To where Artacia’s smoothly flowing fount Gave water for the city. They drew near And spake, and asked her who was sovereign there, And who his people. Straight she pointed out A lofty pile in which her father dwelt. They entered that proud palace, and beheld, Tall as a mountain peak, the monarch’s wife, And shuddered at the sight. With eager haste She called her husband, King Antiphates, From council. With a murderous intent He came, and, seizing one of my poor friends, Devoured him, while the other two betook Themselves to sudden flight and reached the ships. And then he raised a fearful yell that rang Through all the city. The strong Laestrigons Rushed forth by thousands from all sides, more like To giants than to common men. They hurled Stones of enormous weight from cliffs above, And cries of those who perished and the crash Of shattered galleys rose. They speared our friends Like fishes for their horrid feasts, and thus Bore them away. While those within the port Were slaughtered, drawing my good sword I cut The hawsers fastened to my ship’s blue prow, And cheered my men, and bade them fling themselves Upon the oars, that so we might escape Our threatened fate. They heard, and plied their oars Like men who rowed for life. The galley shot Forth from these beetling rocks into the sea Full gladly; all the others perished there.