ast with thee a man most
wretched beyond his fellows, beyond those men that round the city of
Priam for nine years fought, and in the tenth year sacked the city and
departed homeward. Yet on the way they sinned against Athene, and she
raised upon them an evil blast and long waves of the sea. Then all the
rest of his good company was lost, but it came to pass that the wind
bare and the wave brought him hither. And now Zeus biddeth thee send him
hence with what speed thou mayest, for it is not ordained that he die
away from his friends, but rather it is his fate to look on them even
yet, and to come to his high-roofed home and his own country.'

[Illustration: CALYPSO TAKES PITY ON ULYSSES.]

So spake he, and Calypso, that fair Goddess, shuddered and spake unto
him: 'Hard are ye Gods and jealous exceeding, who ever grudge Goddesses
openly to mate with men. Him I saved as he went all alone bestriding the
keel of a bark, for that Zeus had crushed and cleft his swift ship
with a white bolt in the midst of the wine-dark deep. There all the rest
of his good company was lost, but it came to pass that the wind bare and
the wave brought him hither. And him have I loved and cherished, and I
said that I would make him to know not death and age for ever. But I
will give him no despatch, not I, for I have no ships by me with oars,
nor company to bear him on his way over the broad back of the sea. Yet
will I be forward to put this in his mind, and will hide nought, that
all unharmed he may come to his own country.'

Then the messenger, the slayer of Argos, answered her: 'Yea, speed him
now upon his path and have regard unto the wrath of Zeus, lest haply he
be angered and bear hard on thee hereafter.'

Therewith the great slayer of Argos departed, but the lady nymph went on
her way to the great-hearted Ulysses, when she had heard the message of
Zeus. And there she found him sitting on the shore, and his eyes were
never dry of tears, and his sweet life was ebbing away as he mourned for
his return. In the daytime he would sit on the rocks and on the beach,
straining his soul with tears, and groans, and griefs, and through his
tears he would look wistfully over the unharvested deep. So, standing
near him, that fair goddess spake to him:

'Hapless man, sorrow no more I pray thee in this isle, nor let thy good
life waste away, for even now will I send thee hence with all my heart.
Nay, arise and cut long beams, and fashion a wide raft w