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will become also both fire and water； but you must hold him fast and
grip him tighter and tighter； till he begins to talk to you and
comes back to what he was when you saw him go to sleep； then you may
slacken your hold and let him go； and you can ask him which of the
gods it is that is angry with you； and what you must do to reach
your home over the seas。'
〃Having so said she dived under the waves； whereon I turned back
to the place where my ships were ranged upon the shore； and my heart
was clouded with care as I went along。 When I reached my ship we got
supper ready； for night was falling； and camped down upon the beach。
〃When the child of morning； rosy…fingered Dawn； appeared； I took the
three men on whose prowess of all kinds I could most rely； and went
along by the sea…side； praying heartily to heaven。 Meanwhile the
goddess fetched me up four seal skins from the bottom of the sea；
all of them just skinned； for she meant playing a trick upon her
father。 Then she dug four pits for us to lie in； and sat down to
wait till we should come up。 When we were close to her； she made us
lie down in the pits one after the other； and threw a seal skin over
each of us。 Our ambuscade would have been intolerable； for the
stench of the fishy seals was most distressing… who would go to bed
with a sea monster if he could help it？…but here； too； the goddess
helped us； and thought of something that gave us great relief； for she
put some ambrosia under each man's nostrils； which was so fragrant
that it killed the smell of the seals。
〃We waited the whole morning and made the best of it； watching the
seals come up in hundreds to bask upon the sea shore； till at noon the
old man of the sea came up too； and when he had found his fat seals he
went over them and counted them。 We were among the first he counted；
and he never suspected any guile； but laid himself down to sleep as
soon as he had done counting。 Then we rushed upon him with a shout and
seized him； on which he began at once with his old tricks； and changed
himself first into a lion with a great mane； then all of a sudden he
became a dragon； a leopard； a wild boar； the next moment he was
running water； and then again directly he was a tree； but we stuck
to him and never lost hold； till at last the cunning old creature
became distressed； and said； Which of the gods was it； Son of
Atreus； that hatched this plot with you for snaring me and seizing
me against my will？ What do you want？'
〃'You know that yourself； old man；' I answered； 'you will gain
nothing by trying to put me off。 It is because I have been kept so
long in this island； and see no sign of my being able to get away。 I
am losing all heart； tell me； then； for you gods know everything；
which of the immortals it is that is hindering me； and tell me also
how I may sail the sea so as to reach my home？'
〃Then；' he said； 'if you would finish your voyage and get home
quickly； you must offer sacrifices to Jove and to the rest of the gods
before embarking； for it is decreed that you shall not get back to
your friends； and to your own house； till you have returned to the
heaven fed stream of Egypt； and offered holy hecatombs to the immortal
gods that reign in heaven。 When you have done this they will let you
finish your voyage。'
〃I was broken hearted when I heard that I must go back all that long
and terrible voyage to Egypt； nevertheless； I answered； 'I will do
all； old man； that you have laid upon me； but now tell me； and tell me
true； whether all the Achaeans whom Nestor and I left behind us when
we set sail from Troy have got home safely； or whether any one of them
came to a bad end either on board his own ship or among his friends
when the days of his fighting were done。'
〃'Son of Atreus；' he answered； 'why ask me？ You had better not
know what I can tell you； for your eyes will surely fill when you have
heard my story。 Many of those about whom you ask are dead and gone；
but many still remain； and only two of the chief men among the
Achaeans perished during their return home。 As for what happened on
the field of battle… you were there yourself。 A third Achaean leader
is still at sea； alive； but hindered from returning。 Ajax was wrecked；
for Neptune drove him on to the great rocks of Gyrae； nevertheless； he
let him get safe out of the water； and in spite of all Minerva's
hatred he would have escaped death； if he had not ruined himself by
boasting。 He said the gods could not drown him even though they had
tried to do so； and when Neptune heard this large talk； he seized
his trident in his two brawny hands； and split the rock of Gyrae in
two pieces。 The base remained where it was； but the part on which Ajax
was sitting fell headlong into the sea and carried Ajax with it； so he
drank salt water and was drowned。
〃'Your brother and his ships escaped； for Juno protected him； but
when he was just about to reach the high promontory of Malea； he was
caught by a heavy gale which carried him out to sea again sorely
against his will； and drove him to the foreland where Thyestes used to
dwell； but where Aegisthus was then living。 By and by； however； it
seemed as though he was to return safely after all； for the gods
backed the wind into its old quarter and they reached home； whereon
Agamemnon kissed his native soil； and shed tears of joy at finding
himself in his own country。
〃'Now there was a watchman whom Aegisthus kept always on the
watch； and to whom he had promised two talents of gold。 This man had
been looking out for a whole year to make sure that Agamemnon did
not give him the slip and prepare war； when； therefore； this man saw
Agamemnon go by； he went and told Aegisthus who at once began to lay a
plot for him。 He picked twenty of his bravest warriors and placed them
in ambuscade on one side the cloister； while on the opposite side he
prepared a banquet。 Then he sent his chariots and horsemen to
Agamemnon； and invited him to the feast； but he meant foul play。 He
got him there； all unsuspicious of the doom that was awaiting him； and
killed him when the banquet was over as though he were butchering an
ox in the shambles； not one of Agamemnon's followers was left alive；
nor yet one of Aegisthus'； but they were all killed there in the
cloisters。'
〃Thus spoke Proteus； and I was broken hearted as I heard him。 I
sat down upon the sands and wept； I felt as though I could no longer
bear to live nor look upon the light of the sun。 Presently； when I had
had my fill of weeping and writhing upon the ground； the old man of
the sea said； 'Son of Atreus； do not waste any more time in crying
so bitterly； it can do no manner of good； find your way home as fast
as ever you can； for Aegisthus be still alive； and even though Orestes
has beforehand with you in kilting him； you may yet come in for his
funeral。'
〃On this I took comfort in spite of all my sorrow； and said； 'I
know； then； about these two； tell me； therefore； about the third man
of whom you spoke； is he still alive； but at sea； and unable to get
home？ or is he dead？ Tell me； no matter how much it may grieve me。'
〃'The third man；' he answered； 'is Ulysses who dwells in Ithaca。 I
can see him in an island sorrowing bitterly in the house of the
nymph Calypso； who is keeping him prisoner； and he cannot reach his
home for he has no ships nor sailors to take him over the sea。 As
for your own end； Menelaus； you shall not die in Argos； but the gods
will take you to the Elysian plain； which is at the ends of the world。
There fair…haired Rhadamanthus reigns； and men lead an easier life
than any where else in the world； for in Elysium there falls not rain；
nor hail； nor snow； but Oceanus breathes ever with a West wind that
sings softly from the sea； and gives fresh life to all men。 This
will happen to you because you have married Helen； and are Jove's
son…in…law。'
〃As he spoke he dived under the waves； whereon I turned back to
the ships with my companions； and my heart was clouded with care as
I went along。 When we reached the ships we got supper ready； for night
was falling； and camped down upon the beach。 When the child of
morning； rosy…fingered Dawn appeared； we drew our