Myths of Greece and Rome Part 21

[Sidenote: The Lotus-eaters.]

A hurricane soon arose. The flying clouds blotted the stars from view. The vessels, with broken masts and torn sails, were driven far out of their course, and, after ten days, reached the land of the Lotophagi or Lotus-eaters,--a people whose sole food consisted of lotus fruit and blossoms.

Three of Ulysses' best men were sent ash.o.r.e to reconnoiter: but they had not gone very far before they met the natives, seated under their favorite trees, banqueting on their sweet food. These received the strangers hospitably, and made them partake of the lotus blossoms; but no sooner had the three men done so, than all recollection of their waiting companions or distant homes pa.s.sed from their minds, while a dreamy, lethargic sensation stole over them, and made them long to recline there and feast forever.

"Whoever tasted once of that sweet food Wished not to see his native country more, Nor give his friends the knowledge of his fate. And then my messengers desired to dwell Among the Lotus-eaters, and to feed Upon the lotus, never to return."

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

Ulysses impatiently watched for their return; then, seeing they did not appear, feared some evil had befallen them, and set out, with a few well-armed men, to go in search of them. Instead of finding them in chains, as he fully expected, he soon perceived them feasting among the Lotus-eaters. Their eyes had lost all animation, and rested upon him in a vague, dreamy way, which aroused his suspicions. At the same moment some of the Lotus-eaters advanced to invite him and his troop to join in their feast.

"Branches they bore of that enchanted stem, Laden with flower and fruit, whereof they gave To each, but whoso did receive of them, And taste, to him the gushing of the wave Far, far away did seem to mourn and rave On alien sh.o.r.es; and if his fellow spake, His voice was thin, as voices from the grave; And deep asleep he seem'd, yet all awake, And music in his ears his beating heart did make."

Tennyson.

In peremptory tones Ulysses quickly forbade his men to taste of the magic food, directed them to seize and bind their unwilling comrades, and forcibly take them back to their ships. There the magic effect of the lotus food soon wore away, and the men rowed steadily westward, until they came to the Island of Sicily, then inhabited by the Cyclopes, a rude race of one-eyed giants.

"A single ball of sight was fix'd In their mid-forehead: hence the Cyclops' name: For that one circular eye was broad infix'd In the mid-forehead:--strength was theirs, and force, And craft of curious toil."

Hesiod (Elton's tr.).

The main part of the fleet was stationed at another island not far distant, but Ulysses and twelve companions landed in Sicily in search of food. The prospect was promising, for on the plains and hillsides great flocks of sheep cropped the tender gra.s.s; and Ulysses and his followers soon came to a great cave filled with rich stores of milk and cheese. This was the abode of Polyphemus, son of Neptune, the largest and fiercest among the gigantic Cyclopean race. The Greeks' first impulse was to help themselves, since no one was there to say them nay; but they finally decided to await the master's home-coming, and courteously ask his a.s.sistance. They had moored their vessel under an overhanging cliff, where no one would be likely to find it, and had therefore no fear lest their means of escape should be cut off.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TRIUMPH OF GALATEA.--Raphael.]

[Sidenote: Polyphemus and Galatea.]

Polyphemus, the ugly giant in whose cave they were waiting, had once seen the charming sea nymph Galatea riding in her pearl-sh.e.l.l chariot drawn by bounding dolphins. Her unsurpa.s.sed loveliness made a vivid impression upon him, and he was soon deeply in love with her. He neglected his flocks, shunned his companions, and spent all his time near the seash.o.r.e, watching for her, and bitterly cursing his fate, which prevented his seeking her in her native element, for the G.o.ds had cursed the race of Cyclops with an unconquerable aversion to water. He --"lov'd Not in the little present-making style, With baskets of new fruit and pots of roses, But with consuming pa.s.sion. Many a time Would his flocks go home by themselves at eve, Leaving him wasting by the dark seash.o.r.e, And sunrise would behold him wasting still."

Theocritus (Hunt's tr.).

To induce Galatea to leave the salt sea waves and linger by his side on the white sandy beach, Polyphemus constantly made the most extravagant promises; but the dainty nymph merely laughed at all his professions, and strolled on the sh.o.r.e only when he was sound asleep. Although she made fun of his love, she was not so obdurate to the suit of Acis, a very fascinating young shepherd, who had no need to call her repeatedly; for she always yielded to his first appeal, joyfully joined him, and sat beside him under the shade of some great rock, listening to his tender wooing.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ACIS AND GALATEA (Evening).--Claude Lorraine. (St. Petersburg.)]

Polyphemus once accidentally came upon them thus, ere they were aware of his proximity. For a moment he glared down upon them; then, seizing a huge rock, he vowed his rival Acis should not live to enjoy the love which was denied him, and hurled it down upon the unsuspecting lovers. Galatea, the G.o.ddess, being immortal, escaped unhurt; but poor Acis, her beloved, was crushed to death. The stream of blood from his mangled remains was changed by the G.o.ds into an exhaustless stream of limpid water, which ever hastened down to the sea to join Galatea.

[Sidenote: Polyphemus' cave.]

Ulysses and his companions, waiting in the cave, soon felt the ground shake beneath their feet, and saw the sheep throng into the cave and take their usual places; then behind them came the horrible apparition of Polyphemus, who picked up a huge rock and placed it before the opening of the cave, preventing all egress. Ulysses' companions had shrunk with fear into the darkest corners of the cave, whence they watched the giant milk his ewes, dispose of his cheeses, and make his evening meal. But the firelight soon revealed the intruders; and Polyphemus immediately demanded who they were, whence they came, and what they were seeking.

Ulysses, ever wily, replied that his name was No man, that he and his companions were shipwrecked mariners, and that they would fain receive his hospitality. In answer to this statement, the Cyclops stretched forth his huge hand and grasped two of the sailors, whom he proceeded to devour for dessert. Then, his frightful repast being ended, he lay down on the rushes and fell asleep, his loud snores reverberating like thunder through the great cave.

Ulysses silently crept to his side, sword in hand, and was about to kill him, when he suddenly recollected that neither he nor his men could move the rock at the cave's mouth, and that they would never be able to escape. He therefore resolved to have recourse to a stratagem.

When morning came, the giant rose, milked his flock, made his cheese, arranged the vessels, and then, without the least warning, again seized and devoured two of the Greeks. His brawny arm next pushed aside the rock, and he stood beside it with watchful eye, until all his herd had pa.s.sed out; then, replacing the stone to prevent the escape of his prisoners, he went off to the distant pasture ground.

During his absence, Ulysses and his men devised a cunning plan whereby they hoped to effect their escape, and made all their preparations to insure its complete success. A huge pine club which they found in the cave was duly pointed, hardened in the fire, and set aside for future use.

When the darkness began to fall over the earth, Polyphemus again rolled the stone away to admit his flocks, keeping careful guard upon the Greeks. The sheep all in, he replaced the rock, performed his usual evening duties, and then devoured two of Ulysses' crew.

[Sidenote: Ulysses blinds Polyphemus.]

When this part of the evening meal was over, Ulysses drew near and offered him a leather flask full of heady wine, which the giant took down at a gulp, little suspecting its effect. Very soon he sank into a deep drunken sleep; and then the men, at a sign from Ulysses, heated the point of the huge club and put out his sole eye, in spite of his frightful cries and execrations, which soon attracted the attention of the other Cyclopes.

They thronged without the cave, clamoring to know who was hurting him. "No man!" replied the Cyclops, howling with pain, "No man!" which answer convinced his would-be helpers that he needed no a.s.sistance, and made them disperse.

"'If no man does thee violence, and thou Art quite alone, reflect that none escape Diseases; they are sent by Jove.'"

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

[Sidenote: Ulysses' escape.]

Deserted by his companions, Polyphemus spent the night in agony; and, when the anxious lowing of his herd roused him at break of day, he fumblingly milked them, and prepared to let them go forth, as usual, in search of their morning meal. To avoid the Greeks escaping, he rolled the stone only partly aside, and allowed the sheep to pa.s.s out a few at a time, carefully running his hand over each broad back to make sure that none of the prisoners were mounted upon them.

Ulysses, in the mean while, having observed this maneuver, fastened his companions under the rams, reserving one for his own use, and watched them pa.s.s out one after the other undetected. Then, clinging to the wool of the largest ram, he too was slowly dragged out; while Polyphemus petted the ram, and inquired how he came to pa.s.s out last of all.

"'My favorite ram, how art thou now the last To leave the cave? It hath not been thy wont To let the sheep go first, but thou didst come Earliest to feed among the flowery gra.s.s, Walking with stately strides, and thou wert first At the fresh stream, and first at eve to seek The stable; now thou art the last of all. Grievest thou for thy master, who has lost His eye, put out by a deceitful wretch And his vile crew?'"

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

Ulysses, having thus escaped, sprang to his feet, set his companions free, rushed with them down to the seash.o.r.e, taking the choice animals on board, and then, when his men had rowed some distance, raised his voice and taunted Polyphemus, revealing at the same time his ident.i.ty.

"'Ha! Cyclops! those whom in thy rocky cave Thou, in thy brutal fury, hast devoured, Were friends of one not unexpert in war; Amply have thy own guilty deeds returned Upon thee. Cruel one! who didst not fear To eat the strangers sheltered by thy roof, Jove and the other G.o.ds avenge them thus!

Cyclops, if any man of mortal birth Note thine unseemly blindness, and inquire The occasion, tell him that Laertes' son, Ulysses, the destroyer of walled towns, Whose home is Ithaca, put out thine eye.'"

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

With a cry of rage, Polyphemus then ran down to the sh.o.r.e, tore up some huge rocks, which he hurled in the direction whence the taunting voice came, and in his rage almost destroyed the Greeks; for one piece of rock fell very near their vessel, and they were forced to redouble their efforts to row out of reach and prevent disaster.

[Sidenote: Gift of AEolus.]

The Greeks now sailed on until they reached the AEolian Islands, where dwelt AEolus, king and father of the winds. He had heard of Ulysses' prowess, received him kindly, and at parting gave him a leather bag containing all the contrary winds, which Ulysses was thus at liberty to retain imprisoned until he had safely reached home (p. 214).

Day and night Ulysses' barks now bounded over the blue waves. On the ninth evening the sh.o.r.es of Ithaca were discerned by the eager eyes on board, and all made their preparations for landing early the next morning. For the first time since he had left the AEolian sh.o.r.es, Ulysses now indulged in sleep; and while he was lost in oblivion his sailors opened the leather bag, intending to rob their master of a portion of his treasure, for they imagined that AEolus had given him much gold.

The bag was no sooner opened, than the contrary winds, weary and cramped with their uncomfortable position, sprang out with a rush and a roar, and in a few moments stirred up a terrible storm, which tore the ships from their anchors, and soon drove them far out to sea.

After untold suffering, the Greeks landed again upon the AEolian Isle, and Ulysses sought the king, to beseech his aid once more; but this time the G.o.d received him coldly, and bade him depart, as his cruelty to Polyphemus had awakened the G.o.ds' wrath.

"'Hence with thee! Leave our island instantly, Vilest of living men! It may not be That I receive or aid as he departs One who is hated by the blessed G.o.ds,-- And thou art hated by the G.o.ds. Away!'"

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

[Sidenote: The Laestrygonians.]

Sorrowfully now the Greeks embarked; but, instead of being hurried along by favorable winds, they were obliged to row against wind and waves, and only after many days came to the land of the Laestrygonians, where fresh losses awaited them. These people were cannibals, who were in the habit of slaying all the strangers who visited their sh.o.r.es, to satisfy their horrible appet.i.tes. When they saw the vessels enter their harbor, they sunk some of them by casting huge rocks at them from their tall cliffs, and speared and devoured the unfortunate crews.

Ulysses, ever cautious, had lingered without the harbor; and when, from afar, he saw his companions' horrible fate, he bade his men strike the waves with their "sounding oars" and escape.

[Sidenote: Circe, the enchantress.]

The Greeks went on again until they came to AEaea, an island inhabited by the golden-haired enchantress Circe, sister of AEetes, and aunt of Medea. Here Ulysses' crew was divided into two parties, one of which, led by Eurylochus, set out to explore the island, while the other, headed by Ulysses, remained to guard the ships. Through a dense forest, peopled with strangely gentle wild beasts, Eurylochus led his force, until they came in sight of the beautiful palace home of Circe. From afar they could hear her sweet voice raised in song, as she wove a beautiful web for her own adornment: so they pressed eagerly on, and entered the palace hall, Eurylochus alone lingering on the porch, fearing lest some fraud might suddenly be revealed.

Circe received her self-invited guests most graciously, seated them on tapestry-covered couches, and bade her numerous handmaidens speedily set before them all manner of good cheer,--an order which was immediately carried out. The men feasted greedily, for they had fasted for many days, and Circe watched them with ill-concealed disgust. Suddenly she started from her seat, waved her wand over their heads, and bade them a.s.sume the form of swine (which obscene animals their gluttony suggested), and hie them to their sties.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CIRCE AND THE FRIENDS OF ULYSSES.--Riviere.]

"Then instantly She touched them with a wand, and shut them up In sties, transformed to swine in head and voice, Bristles and shape, though still the human mind Remained to them. Thus sorrowing they were driven Into their cells, where Circe flung to them Acorns of oak and ilex, and the fruit Of cornel, such as nourish wallowing swine."

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

Eurylochus, meanwhile, vainly awaited their return, and finally resolved to go back alone to the ships and report what had happened. Sword in hand, Ulysses then set out alone to rescue his comrades; but he had not gone far before he met a youth,--Mercury in disguise,--who warned him not to approach any nearer Circe, and told him of his companions' transformation.

[Sidenote: Ulysses and Circe.]

As Ulysses would not be dissuaded from his purpose, Mercury gave him some moly, an herb warranted to preserve him from Circe's magic spells, and sundry important directions, which were all duly listened to and observed.

Pressing onward, Ulysses reached the palace, entered the banquet room, drank Circe's mixture, which was rendered ineffective by the moly's power, and, when she waved her wand over his head and bade him join his fellows, drew his sword and rushed upon her, threatening to take her life if she did not immediately restore his friends to their human forms, and promise to do them no further harm.

Circe, terrified at the threat, agreed to comply with all his demands; and in a few moments Ulysses was again surrounded by his companions, who were touchingly grateful for their rescue. Circe now prepared a second feast, and entertained them all so well, that Ulysses lingered there for one whole year.

"And there from day to day We lingered a full year, and banqueted n.o.bly on plenteous meats and delicate wines."

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

[Sidenote: Ulysses visits Cimmeria.]

At the end of that time, Ulysses' companions began to long for their own homes, and prevailed upon their chief to leave the fair enchantress Circe. At first she was loath to let him go; but, seeing that her efforts to detain him longer would be of no avail, she bade him seek the Cimmerian sh.o.r.es, and there consult the seer Tiresias. This land, which lay on the confines of Pluto's dark realm, was inhabited by shadows, the spirits of the dead, condemned to sojourn there a while ere they were admitted into Hades.

Ulysses embarked, and, according to Circe's directions, let his vessel drift along until its prow grated on a pebbly beach, where he landed. Then, walking straight before him, he came to a spot whence he could hear the roar of the Phlegethon as it joined the Acheron, and here he dug a trench with his sword.

The trench finished, he killed two black victims, furnished by Circe, and made their blood flow into the trench. Immediately all the spirits crowded about him, eager to drink the fresh blood; but Ulysses, with drawn sword, forced them back, until at last Tiresias, the blind seer, approached.

He was allowed to stoop down and drink; and, as soon as he had done so, he recovered the power of human speech, and warned Ulysses of the many trials still awaiting him. Then, his prophecy concluded, he vanished; but Ulysses lingered a little longer to allow his mother to drink some blood, and explain how she came to be here in the spirit land.

Many others came and conversed with him; but at last he was forced to depart, and return to AEaea, where he lingered to perform the funeral rites for Elpenor,--one of his followers, a youth who had fallen asleep on one of the palace turrets, and by an inadvertent movement had fallen to the ground, where he had been found dead.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SIREN. (Acropolis Museum, Athens.)]

[Sidenote: The Sirens.]

These obsequies over, the Greeks, favored by a fresh wind, left Circe's isle, and sailed along until they drew near the rocky ledge where the Sirens had their abode. These maidens were wont to sit on the rocks and sing entrancing songs, which allured the mariners until they turned aside from their course, and their vessels were dashed to pieces on the rocks.

According to Circe's advice, Ulysses bade his men bind him fast to the mast, disregard his cries and gestures of command, and keep on their course until the dangerous rocks were lost to view; but, before he allowed them to execute these orders, he stopped their ears with melted wax, so they could not hear a sound, for he alone could hear the Sirens' song and live.

The men then bound him hand and foot to the mast, returned to their oars, and rowed steadily on. Soon the Sirens' melody fell upon Ulysses' charmed ears; but, although he commanded and implored his men to set him free and alter their course, they kept steadily on until no sound of the magic song could reach them, when they once more set their leader free.

[Sidenote: Charybdis and Scylla.]

Now, although this danger had been safely pa.s.sed, Ulysses was troubled in spirit, for he knew he would soon be obliged to steer his course between two dread monsters, Charybdis and Scylla, who lay so close together, that, while striving to avoid one, it was almost impossible not to fall an easy prey to the other.

Charybdis' den lay under a rock crowned with a single wild fig tree; and three times daily she ingulfed the surrounding waters, drawing even large galleys into her capacious jaws.

As for Scylla, she too dwelt in a cave, whence her six ugly heads protruded to devour any prey that came within reach.

"No mariner can boast That he has pa.s.sed by Scylla with a crew Unharmed; she s.n.a.t.c.hes from the deck, and bears Away in each grim mouth, a living man."

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

This selfsame Scylla, once a lovely maiden, had won the heart of the sea G.o.d Glaucus (p. 303), but coquettishly tormented him until he implored Circe to give him some love potion strong enough to compel her love.

Circe, who had long nursed a secret pa.s.sion for Glaucus, was angry at him, and jealous of her rival, and, instead of a love potion, prepared a loathsome drug, which she bade him pour into the water where Scylla was wont to bathe. Glaucus faithfully did as she commanded; but when Scylla plunged into the water, her body, and not her feelings, changed, and she became a loathsome monster, a terror to G.o.ds and men.

When in sight of the fig tree, Ulysses, cased in armor, stood on the prow to attack Scylla should she attempt to seize one of his crew. The sound of the rushing waters whirling around Charybdis made all on board tremble with fear, and the pilot steered nearer still to dread Scylla's den.

Suddenly a piercing cry was heard, as the monster seized six of the men and devoured them. The rest pa.s.sed on unharmed; but since then, in speaking of conflicting dangers, it has been customary to use the expression, "falling from Charybdis into Scylla."

[Sidenote: Cattle of the sun.]

Only too glad to effect an escape at any price, the Greeks again rowed on until they sighted Trinacria, the island of the sun, where Phaetusa and Lampetia watched over the sun G.o.d's sacred herds. The men wished to land here to rest; but Ulysses reminded them that Tiresias, the blind seer, had warned them to avoid it, lest by slaying any of the sacred animals they should incur divine wrath.

The men, however, worn out with the toil of many days' rowing, entreated so piteously to be allowed to rest, voluntarily pledging themselves to be content with their own provisions and not to slay a single animal, that Ulysses reluctantly yielded to their entreaties, and all went ash.o.r.e.

After they had duly rested, they were still detained by unfavorable winds, until all their provisions were exhausted, and the few birds and fishes they managed to secure no longer sufficed to still the pangs of hunger.

Led by Eurylochus, some of the men, during one of Ulysses' temporary absences, caught and slew some of the sun G.o.d's cattle. To the general amazement and terror, the meat lowed while roasting on the spit, and the empty skins moved and crawled as if alive. All these sounds and sights could not, however, deter the sailors, who were bound to have a good feast, which they kept up for seven days, ere Ulysses could make them leave the Trinacrian sh.o.r.es.

In the mean while, Lampetia had hastened to Apollo to apprise him of the crime committed by Ulysses' men. In anger he appeared before the a.s.sembled G.o.ds and demanded amends, threatening to withdraw the light of his countenance if he were not properly indemnified. Jupiter, to appease his hot anger, immediately promised that all the offenders should perish.

"'Still shine, O Sun! among the deathless G.o.ds And mortal men, upon the nourishing earth. Soon will I cleave, with a white thunderbolt, Their galley in the midst of the black sea!'"

Homer (Bryant's tr.).

This promise he immediately fulfilled by drowning all except Ulysses, who alone had not partaken of the sacred flesh, and who, after clinging to the rudder for nine long days, a plaything for the wind and waves, was washed ash.o.r.e on the Island of Ogygia, where the fair sea nymph Calypso had taken up her abode.

[Sidenote: Ulysses and Calypso.]

There he was kindly and most hospitably entertained during eight long years; but he could not depart, as he had no vessel or crew to bear him away. At last Minerva, who had always befriended him, prevailed upon Jupiter to allow him to return to Ithaca. Mercury was sent to Ogygia to bid Calypso furnish all things necessary for his comfort, and aid in the construction of a huge raft, whereon our hero found himself afloat after many years of reluctant lingering on the land.

All seemed well now; but Neptune suddenly became aware that his old enemy, the torturer of Polyphemus, was about to escape from his clutches. With one blow of his trident he stirred up one of those sudden tempests whose fury nothing can withstand, shattered Ulysses' raft, and buffeted him about on the waves, until the G.o.ddess Leucothea (p. 174), seeing his distress, helped him to reach the Phaeacian sh.o.r.e.

[Sidenote: Nausicaa and Ulysses.]

Too weary to think of aught but rest, Ulysses dragged himself into a neighboring wood, where he fell asleep on a bed of dry leaves. While he was thus resting, Minerva visited Nausicaa, daughter of Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians, in a dream, and bade her go down to the sh.o.r.e and wash her linen robes in readiness for her wedding day, which the G.o.ddess a.s.sured her was near at hand. Nausicaa obeyed, and drove with her maidens down to the sh.o.r.e, where, after their labors were duly finished, they all indulged in a game of ball, with the usual accompaniment of shrill cries and much laughter. Their cries awoke Ulysses, who came on the scene just in time to save their ball from the waves, and claimed Nausicaa's protection for a shipwrecked mariner.