indly and kept us at his dwelling for a month. Now
when the time came for us to leave, AEolus did not try to hold us on the
island. And to me, when I was going down to the ships, he gave a bag
made from the hide of an ox, and in that bag were all the winds that
blow. He made the mouth of the bag fast with a silver thong, so that no
wind that might drive us from our course could escape. Then he sent the
West Wind to blow on our sails that we might reach our own land as
quickly as a ship might go.'

'For nine days we sailed with the West Wind driving us, and on the tenth
day we came in sight of Ithaka, our own land. We saw its coast and the
beacon fires upon the coast and the people tending the fires. Then I
thought that the curse of the Cyclops was vain and could bring no harm
to us. Sleep that I had kept from me for long I let weigh me down, and I
no longer kept watch.'

'Then even as I slept, the misfortune that I had watched against fell
upon me. For now my men spoke together and said, "There is our native
land, and we come back to it after ten years' struggles and toils, with
empty hands. Different it is with our lord, Odysseus. He brings gold and
silver from Priam's treasure-chamber in Troy. And AEolus too has given
him a treasure in an ox-hide bag. But let us take something out of that
bag while he sleeps."'

'So they spoke, and they unloosed the mouth of the bag, and behold! all
the winds that were tied in it burst out. Then the winds drove our ship
towards the high seas and away from our land. What became of the other
ships I know not. I awoke and I found that we were being driven here and
there by the winds. I did not know whether I should spring into the sea
and so end all my troubles, or whether I should endure this terrible
misfortune. I muffled my head in my cloak and lay on the deck of my
ship.'

'The winds brought us back again to the floating Island. We landed and I
went to the dwelling of the Lord of the Winds. I sat by the pillars of
his threshold and he came out and spoke to me. "How now, Odysseus?" said
he. "How is it thou hast returned so soon? Did I not give thee a fair
wind to take thee to thine own country, and did I not tie up all the
winds that might be contrary to thee?"'

'"My evil companions," I said, "have been my bane. They have undone all
the good that thou didst for me, O King of the Winds. They opened the
bag and let all the winds fly out. And now help me, O Lord AEolus, once
again