my stay For twenty days, and never in that time Blew favoring winds across the waters, such As bear the galley over the great deep. Now would our stores of food have been consumed, Now would the courage of my men have died, Had not a goddess pitied me, and come To my relief, by name Eidothea, born To the great Proteus, Ancient of the Deep. For she was moved by my distress, and came To me while I was wandering alone, Apart from all the rest. They through the isle Roamed everywhere from place to place, and, pinched With hunger, threw the hook for fish. She came, And, standing near, accosted me and said:—
“ ‘Stranger, thou art an idiot, or at least Of careless mood, or else art willingly Neglectful, and art pleased with suffering, That thou dost linger in this isle so long And find no means to leave it, while the hearts Of thy companions faint with the delay.’
“She spake, and I replied: ‘Whoe’er thou art, goddess, let me say, not willingly I linger here. I surely must have sinned Against the immortal dwellers of high heaven; But tell me—for the gods know all things—who Of all the immortals holds me windbound here, Hindering my voyage; tell me also how To reach my home across the fishy deep.’
“I ended, and the glorious goddess said In answer: ‘Stranger, I will truly speak; The deathless Ancient of the Deep, whose words Are ever true, Egyptian Proteus, oft Here makes his haunt. To him are fully known— For he is Neptune’s subject—all the depths Of the great ocean. It is said I owe To him my birth. If him thou canst insnare And seize, he will disclose to thee thy way And all its distances, and tell thee how To reach thy home across the fishy deep; And further will reveal, if so he choose, O foster-child of Jove, whate’er of good Or ill has in thy palace come to pass, While thou wert wandering long and wearily.’
“So said the goddess, and I spake again:— ‘Explain by what device to snare and hold The aged deity, lest he foreknow Or else suspect our purpose and escape. ’Twere hard for mortals to constrain a god.’