either perished at their hands, or were engulfed by the
waves.

In order that his crew should not hear the song of the Sirens, Odysseus had
filled their ears with melted wax; but the hero himself so dearly loved
adventure that he could not resist the temptation of braving this new
danger. By his own desire, therefore, he was lashed to the mast, and his
comrades had strict orders on no account to release him until they were out
of sight of the island, no matter how he might implore them to set him
free.

As they neared the fatal shore they beheld the Sirens seated side by side
on the verdant slopes of their island; and as their sweet and alluring
strains fell upon his ear the hero became so powerfully affected by them,
that, forgetful of all danger, he entreated his comrades to release him;
but the sailors, obedient to their orders, refused to unbind him until the
enchanted island had disappeared from view. The danger past, the hero
gratefully acknowledged the firmness of his followers, which had been the
means of saving his life. {316}

THE ISLAND OF HELIOS.--They now approached the terrible dangers of Scylla
and Charybdis, between which Circe had desired them to pass. As Odysseus
steered the vessel beneath the great rock, Scylla swooped down and seized
six of his crew from the deck, and the cries of her wretched victims long
rang in his ears. At length they reached the island of Trinacria (Sicily),
whereon the sun-god pastured his flocks and herds, and Odysseus, calling to
mind the warning of Tiresias to avoid this sacred island, would fain have
steered the vessel past and left the country unexplored. But his crew
became mutinous, and insisted on landing. Odysseus was therefore obliged to
yield, but before allowing them to set foot on shore he made them take an
oath not to touch the sacred herds of Helios, and to be ready to sail again
on the following morning.

It happened, unfortunately, however, that stress of weather compelled them
to remain a whole month at Trinacria, and the store of wine and food given
to them by Circe at parting being completely exhausted, they were obliged
to subsist on what fish and birds the island afforded. Frequently there was
not sufficient to satisfy their hunger, and one evening when Odysseus, worn
out with anxiety and fatigue, had fallen asleep, Eurylochus persuaded the
hungry men to break their vows and kill some of the sacred oxen.

Dreadful was the anger of Helios, who caused t