ODYSSEUS CONSTRUCTS A RAFT AND LEAVES THE ISLAND
At daybreak the goddess gave Odysseus a large axe and a sharp adze,
and led him to the heights of the island, where the largest trees
grew. He went to work at once and cut down twenty trees, which he
hewed into proper shape, and then tied them together with ropes which
he himself made of bark.
In this way he built a raft which was very large and strong enough
to stand the onset of the waves. He wove a railing of willow and fitted
it around the sides of the raft, to protect himself against the dashing
waves; and he raised a strong mast with sails shaped to it, and tightly
bound by cords and ropes. He filled the crevices of the raft with
wax and pitch and attached a rudder.
At the end of the fourth day his work was all done, and his little
ship was ready to be launched. On the fifth day the beautiful goddess
prepared the hero a bath and gave him new garments fragrant with
perfumes. She went down to the boat with him and put on board a skin
of dark-red wine, a larger one full of water, and a bag of dainty
food. Then she bade Odysseus a kind farewell, and sent a gentle and
friendly wind to waft him over the waves.
Odysseus was wild with joy at the thought that he was really on his
way home once more. He spread his sails to catch the breeze and took
his seat at the helm, steering the vessel with great skill. He did
not dare to take any sleep, for he had to watch the sky and stars
constantly and use them as guides on his course. He sailed along in
this way seventeen days. On the eighteenth he spied land in the
distance. It was the land of the Phæacians, lying like a dark spot
off in the sea.
Then Poseidon, who was returning from Ethiopia, saw him, and his wrath
grew hot against the hero. He raised up his head and said to himself:
"Alas! the gods have strangely changed their minds about Odysseus
during my absence in Africa. Behold! in a little while he will be
in the land of the Phæacians, where he will find an end to his troubles.
Nevertheless, it is in my power to chastise him."
Speaking thus, Poseidon called the clouds together, and seizing his
trident he stirred up the sea; then he set loose all the winds until
there was a general hurricane, and he wrapped heaven and earth in
the thick darkness of night.
The mighty waves dashed over the raft, and Odysseus sank on his knees
and trembled. With a deep groan he said: "Ah me, unhappy! Am I to
bear more disasters? I fear that the warning of the goddess was too
true, and that I shall be for a long time cast about on the waves
before I reach home. With what dark clouds Zeus has shrouded the sky!
The storm grows wild. What terrible waves are these! Helplessly I
must perish. Happy the Greeks who fell before Troy, fighting for their
country! Would that I, too, had met death the day when the Trojans
hurled their spears at me as they strove to take the body of Achilles.
If I had died then, the Greeks would have buried me with great honors.
Now I shall die an inglorious death."
As he spoke a huge wave struck the raft with such terrible force that
it whirled it around and overturned it. The helm was wrung from his
hand and he fell into the angry breakers. The mast was snapped in
two and the ropes and sails flew off into the sea.
Odysseus was under water a long time, striving in vain to come to
the surface. Finally he rose, spitting the bitter brine out of his
mouth. Although he was in such a desperate plight, his mind was on
the raft. Battling bravely with the waves he reached it, and springing
on board sat down in the middle of it. Thus he escaped death.
The angry waves tossed him hither and thither as the wind scatters
the leaves over a field. Then Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, saw him
and took pity on him. She took the form of a bird, and, perching on
his raft, she said to him: "O, luckless man! why is Poseidon so angry
with thee? Fear nothing, however; he cannot take thy life. Obey me
and thou shalt not suffer much longer. Lay aside thy clothes, leave
the raft to the mercy of the winds and waves, and swim to the land.
Take my veil and wind it about thy breast, and thou shalt not have
anything to fear. As soon as thou hast reached the land, take it off
and throw it back into the sea. Then hurry away inland."
Odysseus hesitated to follow Ino's advice, fearing some treachery.
But Poseidon sent a huge wave which struck him and scattered the raft
as if it were dry chaff. Then Odysseus at once got astride of the
swimming timber. He bound the veil around his breast and bravely
plunged into the boiling waters.
Poseidon saw him, and shaking his head he said: "I verily believe
thou wilt come out alive from the sea. But the sea has had thee long
enough, so that thou wilt know its power hereafter and fear it." Saying
this he lashed up his horses and drove off.