nd try if Jove would not grant
them an escape even out of this peril. In particular he cheered up
the pilot who sat at the helm, and told him that he must shew more
firmness than other men, as he had more trust committed to him, and
had the sole management by his skill of the vessel in which all their
safeties were embarked. That a rock lay hid within those boiling
whirlpools which he saw, on the outside of which he must steer, if he
would avoid his own destruction, and the destruction of them all.

They heard him, and like men took to the oars; but little knew what
opposite danger, in shunning that rock, they must be thrown upon. For
Ulysses had concealed from them the wounds, never to be healed, which
Scylla was to open: their terror would else have robbed them all of
all care to steer, or move an oar, and have made them hide under the
hatches, for fear of seeing her, where he and they must have died an
idle death. But even then he forgot the precautions which Circe had
given him to prevent harm to his person; who had willed him not to
arm, or shew himself once to Scylla: but disdaining not to venture
life for his brave companions, he could not contain, but armed in all
points, and taking a lance in either hand, he went up to the fore
deck, and looked when Scylla would appear.

She did not shew herself as yet, and still the vessel steered closer
by her rock, as it sought to shun that other more dreaded: for they
saw how horribly Charybdis's black throat drew into her all the
whirling deep, which she disgorged again, that all about her boiled
like a kettle, and the rock roared with troubled waters; which when
she supped in again, all the bottom turned up, and disclosed far
under shore the swart sands naked, whose whole stern sight frayed the
startled blood from their faces, and made Ulysses turn his to view
the wonder of whirlpools. Which when Scylla saw, from out her black
den, she darted out her six long necks, and swoopt up as many of his
friends: whose cries Ulysses heard, and saw them too late, with their
heels turned up, and their hands thrown to him for succour, who had
been their help in all extremities, but could not deliver them now;
and he heard them shriek out, as she tore them, and to the last they
continued to throw their hands out to him for sweet life. In all his
sufferings he never had beheld a sight so full of miseries.

Escaped from Scylla and Charybdis, but with a diminished crew, Ulysses
and the