aters, and they sat trembling with
fear, as they sped on without a sail by the force of the strong south
wind. From the headland of Malea and the land of the Lakonians they
passed to Helos and to Taenaron where Helios dwells, in whom the sons
of men take delight, and where his cattle feed in the rich pastures.
There the sailors would have ended their wanderings; but they sought
in vain to land, for the ship would not obey its helm. Onward it went
along the coast of the Island of Pelops, for the mighty dolphin guided
it. So from Arene and Arguphea it came to the sandy Pylos, by Chalkis
and Dyme to the land of the Epeians, to Pherae and to Ithaka. There the
men saw spread out before them the waters which wash the shores of
Krisa; and the strong west wind came with its fierce breath, and drove
them off to the east and towards the sunrising until they came to
Krisa.

Then Phoebus Apollo came forth from the sea, like a star, and the
brightness of his glory reached up to the high heaven. Into his shrine
he hastened, and on the altar he kindled the undying fire, and his
bright arrows were hurled abroad, till all Krisa was filled with the
blaze of his lightnings, so that fear came upon all, and the cries of
the women rose shrill on the sultry air. Then, swift as a thought of
the heart, he hastened back to the ship; but his form was now the form
of a man in his beauty, and his golden locks flowed over his broad
shoulders. From the shore he called out to the men in the Cretan ship,
and said "Who are ye, strangers? and do ye come as thieves and
robbers, bringing terror and sorrow whithersoever ye may go? Why stay
ye thus, tarrying in your ships, and seek not to come out on the land?
Surely ye must know that all who sail on the wide sea rejoice when
their ship comes to the shore, that they may come forth and feast with
the people of the land?" So spake Phoebus Apollo; and the leader of
the Cretans took courage and said, "Stranger, sure I am that thou art
no mortal man, but one of the bright heroes or the undying gods.
Wherefore tell us now the name of this land and of the people who
dwell in it. Hither we never sought to come, for we were sailing from
the land of Minos to barter our wares at Pylos; but some one of the
gods hath brought us hither against our will."

Then spake the mighty Apollo, and said to them, "O, strangers, who
have dwelt in Knossos of the Cretan land, think not to return to your
ancient home, to your wives or