Page:Homer. The Odyssey (IA homerodyssey00collrich).pdf/95

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THE VISIT TO THE SHADES.
"The Thracian sighed, as looming through the mistThe stone came whirling back. 'Fool,' said the ghost,'Then mine, at worst, is everlasting hope.'Again uprose the stone."

Ulysses confesses that he did not see all he might have seen; for, when the pale ghosts in their ten thousands crowded round him with wild cries, the hero lost courage, fled back to his ship, and bade his comrades loose their cables, and put out at once to sea.

They passed the island where the twin sisters, the Sirens, lay couched in flowers, luring all passing mariners to their destruction by the fascination of their song. Forewarned by Circe, the chief had stopped the ears of all his crew with melted wax, and had made them bind him to the mast, giving them strict charge on no account to release him, however he might entreat or threaten—for he himself, true to his passion for adventure, would fain listen to these dangerous enchantresses. So, as they drifted close along the shore, the Sirens lifted their voices and sang as follows—every word of Mr Worsley's translation is Homer's, except the single phrase in brackets:—

"Hither, Odysseus, great Achaian name, Turn thy swift keel, and listen to our lay; Since never pilgrim to these regions came In black ship [on the azure waves astray],  But heard our sweet voice ere he sailed away, And in his joy passed on, with ampler mind. We know what labours were in ancient day Wrought in wide Troia, as the gods assigned;We know from land to land all toils of all mankind."

But the deaf crew rowed on, and not until the sound of

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