Speaker 1: The twelfth Book of the Odyssees of Homer. This is
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Recording by Phil Schamp. The Twelfth Book of the Odyssees
of Homer, translated by George Chapman. The argument he shows
from Hell, his safe retreat to the Isle Eea, Circe's seat,
and how he escape the sirens calls with the erring
rocks and waters falls, that Scylla and charybdis break the
Sun's stolen herds, and his sad wreck both of Ulysses
ship and men, his own head, scaping scarce the pain.
Another argument mew the rocks that aired the sirens call
the Sun's stolen herd the soldier's fall. Our ship now
passed the straits of the ocean flore Blood. She plowed
the broad seas billows and made good the Isle of Eea,
where the palace stands of the early riser with the
rosy hands, Act of Aurora, where she loves to dance,
and where the Sun doth his prime beams advance. When
here arrived we drew her up to land and trod
ourselves the re saluted sand found on the shore. Fit
resting for the night, slept and expected the celestial light.
Soon as the white and red mixed fingered dame had
gilt the mountains with her saffron flame, I sent my
men to Circe's house before to fetch the seized alpiner
to the shore. Straight swelled the high banks with felled
heaps of trees, and full of tears. We did do
exoquies to our dead friend, whose course consumed with fire
and honored arms, whose sepulcher entire, and over that a
column raised his oar curiously carved to his desire. Before
upon the top of all his tomb we fixed of
all rights fit his funeral pile was mixed. Nor was
our safe assent from hell concealed from Circe's knowledge, nor
so soon revealed. But she was with us, with her
bread and food and ruddy wine wrought by her sacred
brood of woods and fountains. In the midst she stood
and thus saluted us, unhappy men, that have informed with
all your senses Ben in Pluto's dismal mansion, you shall
die twice now where others that mortality in her fair
arms holds, shall but once decease, but eat and drink
out all conceit of these. And this day dedicate to
food and wine, the following night to sleep, when next
shall shine the cheerful morning. You shall prove the seas
your way, and every act ye must address my knowledge
of their order, shall design lest with your own bad counsels.
Ye incline events as against ye, and sustain by sea
and shore the woeful ends that reign in wilful actions.
Thus did she advise, and for the time our fortunes
were so wise to follow wise directions. All that day
we sat and feasted. When his lower way the sun
had entered, and the even the high my friends slept
on their gables. She and I, led by her fair
hand to place a part by her well sorted, did
too sleep convert our timid powers. When all things fate
let fall in our affair, She asked, I told her all,
to which she answered, these things thus took end. And
now to those that I inform attend, which you, remembering
God himself shall be the blessed author of your memory.
First to the sirens, ye shall come that taint the
minds of all men whom they can acquaint with their attractions.
Whosoever shall, for want of knowledge, moved but hear the
of any siren, he will so despise both wife and
children for their sorceries, that never Home turns his affection stream,
nor they take joy in him, nor he in them.
The sirens will so soften with their song, shrill and
insensual appetite, so strong his loose affections, that he gives
them heed and then observe. They sit amidst a mead,
and round about it runs a hedge or wall of
dead men's bones, Their withered skins in all hung all
along upon it. And these men were such as they
had fawned into their fin and then their skins hung
on their hedge of bones. Sail by them, therefore, thy
companions beforehand, causing to stop every ear with sweet soft wax,
so close that none may hear a note of all
their charmings. Yet may you, if you affect it open ear,
allow to try their motion. But presume not so to
trust your judgment when your senses go so loose about you.
But give straight command to all your men to bind
you foot in hand sure to the mast, that you
may safe approve how strong an instigation to their love
their rapting tunes are. If so much they move, that
spite of all your reason, your will stands to be enfranchised,
both of feet and hands. Charge all your men before
to slight your charge, and rest so far from fearing
to enlarge, that much more sure they bind you. When
your friends have outsailed these. The danger that transcends rests
not in any council to prevent, unless your own mind
finds the tract and bent of that way that avoids it.
I can say that in your course there lies a
twofold way, the right of which your own taut present
wit and grace Divine must prompt in general. Yet let
this inform you. Near these sirens shore move two steep
rocks at whose feet lie and roar the black sea's
cruel billows. The blessed gods call them the rovers their
abhorred abodes. No bird can pass know not the doves,
whose fears sire Jove so loves that they are said
to bear ambrosia to him. Can their rapine escape? But
one of them falls ever to the rape of those
sly rocks. Yet jove. Another still adds to the rest
that so may ever fill the sacred number. Never ship
could shun the nimble peril wing there, but did run
with all her bulk and bodies of her men to
utter ruin. For the seas retain not only their outrageous
easture there, but fierce assistance of particular fear and supernatural mischief.
They expire, and those are whirlwinds of devouring fire whisking about.
Still the argive ship alone, which bore the care of
all men, got her gone come from Arita. Yet perhaps
even she had racked at those rocks, if the deity
that lies by Joe side had not lent her hand
to their transmission, Since the man that manned in chief
that voyage, She and Chief did love. Of these two
spiteful rocks. The one doth shove against the height of
heaven her pointed brow. A black cloud binds it round
and never show lends to the sharp point. Not the
clear blue sky lets ever view it, not the summer's eye,
nor fervent autumns. None that death could end, could ever
scale it, or if up descend though twenty hands and feet,
he had for hold of polished ice like glibness, doth
unfold the rock so round whose midst a gloomy cell
shrouds so far westward that it sees to hell. From this,
keep you as far as from his bow, an able
young man can his shaft bestow. For here the wolling
scilla shrouds her face that breathes a voice at all
parts no more base than are a newly kittened kittling's
cries her self a man yet of boundless size, whose
sight would nothing please immortal's eyes, no nor the eyes
of any god. If he whom naught should fright, fell
foul on her, and she, her full shape showed twelve
foul feet bare about her ugly bulk, six huge long
necks look out of her rank shoulders. Every neck doth
let a ghastly head out, every head three set thick,
thrust together of abhorred teeth, and every tooth struck with
a sable death. She lurks in midst of all her den,
and streaks from out a ghastly whirlpool, all her necks
where gloating round her rock to fish she falls, and
up rush dolphins, dog fish, some whil's waiales if got
within her when a rapine feeds forever groaning, aphatrite breeds
about her whirlpool an unmeasured store. No seaman ever boasted
touch of shore that there touched with his ship, But
still she fed on him and his a man, for
every head spoiling his ship. Of you shall then descry
the other humbler rock that moves so nigh your dart
may meet the distance it receives. A huge wild fig
tree curled with ample leaves, beneath whose shade divine Charybdis sits,
supping the black deeps thrice a day her pitch, she
drinking all dry, and thrice a day again all up,
she belches baneful to sustain. When she is drinking, dare
not near her draft, for not the force of Neptune,
if once caught, can force your freedom. Therefore, in your
strife to escape, Charybdis labor all for life to row
near Scylla. For she will but have for her six heads,
six men, and better save the rest than all make
offerings to the wave. This need she told me of
my loss, when I desire to know if that necessity,
when I had escape Charybdis's outrages, my powers might not revenge,
though not redress. She answered, Oh, unhappy art thou yet
inflamed with war and thirst to drink thy sweat, Not
to the gods give up both arms, and will she deathless? Is?
And that immortal, ill, grave, harsh, outrageous, not to be subdued.
That men must suffer till they be renewed, nor lives
there any virtue that can fly the vicious outrage of
their cruelty. Shouldst thou put arms on and approach the rock?
I fear six more must expiate the shock. Six heads,
six men ask still hoist sail and fly, And in
thy flight aloud on crates cry great Scylla's mother, who
exposed to light the bane of men, And she will
do such right to thy observance that she down will
tread her daughter's rage, nor let her show ahead. From thenceforth,
then forever past her, thou shalt ascend the island triangular,
where many oxen of the sun are fed, and fatted
flocks of oxen fifty head in every herd feed, and
their herds are seven. And of his fat flocks is
their number even increase they yield, not, for they never die.
There every shepherdess a deity. Fairfethusa and Lampettia, the lovely
nymphs are that their guardians be, who, to the daylight's
lofty going flame, had gracious birthright from the heavenly Dame
still young Na'ira, who brought forth and bred far off,
dismiss them to see duly fed their father's herds and
flocks in sicily, these herds and flocks, if to the deity,
ye leave as sacred things untouched, and on go with
all fit care of your home alone, though through some
sufferance you yet safe shall land in wished Ithaca. But
if impious hand you lay on those herds to their hurts,
I then presage sure ruin to thy ship and men.
If thou escapest thyself extending home thy longed fore landing,
thou shalt loaded come with store of losses more exceeding late,
and not consorted with a saved mate. This said the
golden throned Aurora. Rose, she her way went, and I
did mine dispose up to my ship weighed anchor and away.
When Reverend Circe helped us to convey our vessel safe
by making well inclined. A seaman's true companion a fore
wind with which she filled our sails, when fitting all
our arms close by us, I did sadly fall to
grave relation what concerned in fate my friends to know?
And told him that the state of our affair success,
which Circe had presage to me alone, must yet be
made to one, nor only two known, but to all,
that since their lives and deaths were left to fall
in their elections, they might life elect and give what
would preserve it fit effect. I first informed them that
we were to fly the heavenly singing sirens harmony and
flower adorned meadows, and that I had charged to hear
their song, but fettered fast in bands unfavored to the
erected mast. From whence, if I should pray or use
command to be enlarged, they should, with much more band
contain my strugglings. This I simply told to each particular,
Nor would withhold what most enjoin'd mine own affections, stay,
that theirs the rather might be taught to obey. In
mean time, flew our ships, and straight we fetched the
siren's isle. A spleenless wind so stretched her wings to
waft us, and so urged our keel. But having reached
this isle, we could not feel the least grasp of it.
It was stricken dead, and all the sea in prostrate
slumber spread the sirens devil charmed all up. Then flew
my friends to work, struck sail together, drew and under hatches,
stowed them, sat and plied the polish'd oars, and did
in curls divide the white head waters. My part then
came on a mighty waxen cake. I set upon, chopped
it in fragments with my sword, and wrought with strong
hand every piece till all were soft. The great power
of the sun in such a beam as then flew
burning from his diadem, till liquefaction helped us orderly. I
stopp'd their ears, and they as fair did ply My
feet and hands with cords, and to the mast with
other hausers made me soundly fast. Then took they seat,
and forth our passage struck the foamy sea beneath their labor, shook,
rode on in reach of an erected voice. The sirens
soon took note without our noise, to those sweet accents
that made charm so strong. And these learned numbers made
the soun Iron's song come here thou worthy of a
world of praise, that dust so high the Grecian glory
rays ulysses stay thy ship, and that song here that
none passed ever, but it bent his ear, but left
him ravished and instructed more by us than any ever
heard before. For we know all things whatsoever were in
wide Troy labor'd, whatsoever there the Grecians and the Trojans,
both sustained by those high issues that the gods ordain'd,
And whatsoever all the earth can show to inform a
knowledge of dessert. We know this. They gave accent in
the sweetest strain that ever opened an enamored vein, when
my constrained heart needs would have mine ear yet more
delighted forced way forth than here, to which end I
commanded with all signs stern looks could make. For not
a joint of mine had power to stir my friends
to rise and give my limbs free way. They freely
strive to drive their ship still on, when far from
will to loose, Urylicus and Pyrimides rose to wrap me
surer and oppressed me more with many a hawser than
had use before. When rowing on without the reach of sound,
my friends unstopped their ears and me unbound, and that
ile quite we quitted, But again fresh fears employed us.
I beheld a mane of mighty billows, and a smoke ascend,
a horrid murmur, hearing every friend astonished, sat from every hand.
His oar fell quite forsaken with the dismal roar. Were
all things there made echoes stone still stood our ship itself,
because the ghastly flood took all men's motions from her
in their own. I through the ship went laboring up
and down my friend's recover'd spirits. One by one. I
gave good words, and said that well were known these
ills to them before I told them all, and that
these could not prove more capital than those the cyclops
blocked us up. In Yet my virtue wit and heavenly
helped counsel set their freedoms open. I could not believe,
but they remember'd it, and wished them give my equal
care and means now equal trust. The strength they had
for stirring up they must rouse and extend to try.
If Jove had laid his powers in theirs up and
would add his aid to escape even that death in particular.
Then I told our pilot that past other men, he
most must bear firm spirits, since he sway'd the continent
that all our spirits conveyed in his whole guide of her.
He saw there boil the fiery whirlpools that to all
our spoil enclos'd a rock without which he must steer
or all our ruins stood. Concluded there all heard me
and obeyed, and little knew that shunning that rock, six
of them sh should rue the rack another head, for
I conceal'd the heavy wounds that would never be heal'd
to be by Sellah opened for their fear would then
have robbed all of all care to steer or stir
an oar, and made them hide beneath when they and
all had died in idle death. But then even I
forgot to shun the harm. Cercy forewarned, who willed I
should not arm nor show myself to Sellah. Lest in
vain I ventur'd life, yet could not I contain, but
armed at all parts, and two lances took up to
the fore deck went And thence did look that rocky
Sellah would have first appeared and taken my life with
the friends I feared from thence yet no place could
afford her sight. Though through the dark rock mine eye
through her light and ransacked always. I then took a
strait that gave myself and some few more receipt TwixT
Sella and Charibdis. Whence we saw how horridly Cribda's throat
did the brackish sea up, which when all aboard, she
spit out again. Never Caldron sawed with so much fervor,
fed with all the store that could enrage it. All
the rock did roar with troubled waters. Round about the
tops of all the steep crags flew the foamy drops.
But when her draft the sea and earth dissundered, the
troubled bottoms turn'd up, and she thundered far under shore
the swartz sands naked lay whose whole stern sight the
startled blood did fray from all our faces. And while
we on her our eyes bestowed thus to our ruin's fear.
Six friends had cellas snatched out of our keel, in
whom most lost did force and virtue feel When looking
to my ship and lending eye to see my friend's estates,
their heels turned high and hands cast up. I might
discern and hear their calls to me for help, when
now they were to try me in their last extremities,
and as an angler medicine for surprise of little fish
sits pouring from the rocks from out the crooked horn
of a fold bred ox, and then with his long angle,
hoists them high up to the air, then slightly hurls
them by, when helpless, sprawling on the land they lie
so easily. Scylla, to her rock had wrapped my woeful friends,
and so unhelped and trapped, struggling they lay beneath her
violent rape, who, in their tortures, desperate of escape, shriek
as she tore, and up their hands to me still
through for sweet life, I did never see, in all
my sufferance, ransacking the seas a spectacle so full of miseries. Thus,
having fled these rocks, these cruel dames, Scylla Charybdis, where
the king of Flames hath offerings burned to him, our
ship put in the island that from all the earth
doth wind the epithet faultless, where the broad of head,
the famous oxen for the sun are fed with many
fat flocks of that high gone God set in my
ship mine ear reach'd where we rode the bellowing of
Oxen and the bleat of fleecy sheep, that in my
memory seat put up the forms that late had been
impress'd by dread ee E and circi and the best
of souls and prophets, the blind, theban seir, the wise Tyresius,
who was grave decreer of my return's whole means, of
which this one in chief he urg'd that I should
always shun the island of the man delighting sun. When
sat at heart for our late loss, I prayed my
friends to hear fit counsel, though dismay'd with all ill fortunes,
which was given to me by Circees, and Tyresius's prophecy,
that I should fly the isle where was adored the
comfort of the world, for ils abhorde were ambush'd for
us there, and therefore willed they should put off and
leave the isle. This kill'd their tender spirits, and Eurylicus
a speech that vexed me uttered answering thus cruel ulysses.
Since thy nerves abound in strength, the more spent, and
no toils confound thy able limbs as all beat out
of steel, Thou ablest us too, as unapt to feel
the teeth of labor and the spoil of sleep, and
therefore still wet waste us in the deep, Nor let
us land to eat. But madly now in Knight put
forth and leave firm land to strew the sea with errors,
all the rabid flight of winds, that ruined ships are
bred in night. Who is it that can keep off
cruel death if suddenly should rush out the angry breath
of notice, or the eager spirited west that cuff ships dead?
And do the gods their best serve black Knight still
with shore, meet sleep and ease, and offer to the
morning for the seas. This all the rest approved, and
then knew I passed all doubt the devil did apply
his slaughterous works, nor would they be withheld. I was
but one, nor yielded, but compell'd, but all that might
contain them, I essayed a sacred oath on all their powers.
I laid that if with herds or any richest flocks
we chanced to encounter neither sheep nor ox, we once
should touch, nor for that constant ill that follows folly scorn,
ad vice, and kill, but quiet sit us down, and
take such food as the immortal Circe had bestow'd. They
swore all this in all severest sort. And then we
anchored in the winding port, near a fresh river where
the long foreshore. They all flew out to took in
Vidtel's store, and, being full thought of their friends, and
wept their loss by scyllah, weeping till they slept. In
night's third part, when stars began to stoop, the cloud
assembler put a tempestop a boisterous spirit. He gave it,
drave out all his flocks of clouds, and let such
darkness fall that earth and seas, for fear to hide,
were driven. For with his clouds he thrust out night
from heaven. At morn we drew our ships into a
cave in which the nymphs that Phoebus cattle, grave, fair
dancing rooms had, and their seats of state. I urged
my friends then, that to shun their fate, they would
observe their oath and take the food our ship afforded.
Nor attempt the blood of those fair herds and flocks,
because they were the dreadful gods that all could see
and hear. They stood observant, and in that good mine
had we been gone, but so adverse the wind stood
to our passage, that we could not go for one
whole month. Perpetually did blow, impetuous notice, not a breath's repair.
But his inuuses ruled in all the air, as long
yet as their ruddy wine and bread stood out amongst them,
so long, not ahead of all those oxen fell in
any strife amongst those students for the gut and life.
But when their victuals failed, they fell to pray. Necessity
compelled them then to stray in rape of fish and fowl,
whatever came in reach of hand or hook, the belly's
flame afflicted to it. I then fell to prayer, and
making too a close retreat repair free from both friends
and winds, I washed my hands, and all the gods
besought that held commands in liberal heaven to yield some
mean to stay their desperate hunger and set up the
way of our return. Restrained the gods, instead of giving
what I prayed for power of deed, A deedless sleep
did on my lids, distill for mean to work upon
my friends there fill for whiles I slept there, waked
no mean to curb their headstrong wants, which he that
did disturb my rule in chief at all times, and
was chief to all the rest in counsel to their
grief knew, and of my present absence, took his fit advantage,
and their iron struck at highest heat. For feeling their
desire in his own entrails to allay the fire that
famine blew in them. He thus gave way to that affection.
Hear what I say, though words will stanch no hunger.
Every death to us, poor wretches that draw temporal breath,
you know, is hateful, but all know to die. The
death of famine is a misery past all death loathsome.
Let us therefore take the chief of this fair herd,
and offerings make to all the deathless that in broad
heaven live, and in particular vow if we arrive in
natural Ithaca to straight erect a temple to the haughty
in aspect, rich and magnificent, and all within decat with
relics many and divine. If yet he stands incensed since
we have slain his high browed herd, and therefore will
sustain desire to rack our ship, he is but one
and all the other gods that we atone with our
divine rights, will their suffrage give to our design'd return
and let us live? If not, and all take part.
I rather crave to serve with one sole death the
yawning wave, than in a desert isle, lie and stirve,
and with one pined life many deaths observe. All cried
he counsels nobly, and all speed made to the resolute,
driving for the feed of those coal black, fair, broad browed,
sun loved beaves had placed close by our ships. They
took the leaves of sense most eminent about their fall,
stood round and to the states celestial made solemn bows,
but other rites their ship could not afford them. They
did therefore strip the curl'd head oak of fresh young
leaves to make supply of service for their barley cake.
And on the sacredly inflamed for wine poured purest water
all the parts divine, spitting and roasting all the rights
beside orderly using then did light divide my low and
upper lids. When my repair made near my ship, I
met the delicate heir, their roast exhal'd out Instantly, I
cried and said O Jove and all ye deified. Ye
have oppressed me with a cruel sleep, while ye conferred
on me a loss as deep as death descends to
to themselves alone, my rude men left ungovern'd, they have
done a deed so impious. I stand well assured that
ye will not forgive, though ye procur'd. Then flew Lampettia
with the ample robe up to her father with the
golden globe ambassadress, to inform him that my men had
slain his oxen hearten sense it. Then he cried, revenge me, father,
and the rest, both ever living and for ever blest ulysses,
impious men have drawn the blood of those my oxen.
That it did me good to look on walking all
my starry round, And when I trod earth all with
meadows crown'd without your full amends, I leave heaven quite
dis and all the dead adorning with my light. The
cloud herd answered Sun, thou shalt be ours and light
those mortals in that mine of flowers. My red hot
flash shall graze but on their ship and eat it
burning in the boiling deep. This by Calypso I was told,
and she inform'd it from the verdure mercury come to
our ship, I chid and told by name each man
how impiously he was to blame. But chiding got no peace,
and beaves were slain. When straight the gods forewent their
following pain with dire ostense. The hides the flesh had
lost crept all before them. As the flesh did roast,
it bellow'd like the oppositself alive. And yet my soldiers
did their dead beaves drive through all these prodigies and
daily feasts. Six days they anquieted and slew fresh beasts.
And when the seventh day, Jove reduced the wind that
all the month raged, and so in did bind our ship,
and us was turned and calmed, and we launched, put
up masts, sails hoised, and to sea the island left
so far that land nowhere, but only sea and sky
had power to appear. Jove fixed a cloud above our ship,
so black that all the sea had darkened. Yet from
rack she ran a good free time till from the
west came Zephyr, ruffling forth and put his breast out
in a singing tempest, so most vast it burst the
gables that made sure our mast. Our masts came tumbling down,
our cattle down, rushed to the pump, and by our
pilot's crown the main mast passed his fall, patched all
his skull and all this rack, but one flaw made
it full off from the stern. The sterensman diving, fell
from his sinews, flew his soul to hell. Together all
this time Jove's thundered chid and through and through the ship,
his lightning glid till it embraced her round. Her bulk
was filled with nasty sulfur, and her men were killed,
tumbled to sea like sea mews swum about, and there
the date of their return was out. I tossed from
side to side still till all broke. Her ribs were
with the storm, and she did choke with let in surges.
For the mass torn down, tore her up piecemeal, and
for me to drown, left little undissolved. But to the
mast there was a leather thong left, which I cast
about it and the keel, and so sat tossed with
baneful weather till the west had lost his stormy tyranny,
and then arose the south that bred me more abhorred woes.
For back again his blasts expelled me quite on ravenous Charybdis.
All that night I tottered up and down till light
and eye at Cellah's rock encountered and the nigh dreadful Charybdis.
As I drave on these, I saw Charybdis supping up
the seas, and had gone up together. If the tree
that bore the wild figs had not rescued me, to
which I leaped and left my keel, and high chambering
upon it, did as closely imply my breast about it
as a re ram mouse could, yet might my feet
on no stub fasten hold to ease my hands. The
roots were crept so low beneath the earth, and so
aloft did grow the far spread arms, that, though good
height I gat, I could not reach them to the
main bow flat. I therefore still must cling till up
again she belched my mast, and after that a mane
my keel came tumbling so at length it chanced to
me as to a judge that long advanced to judge
a sort of hot young fellow's jars at length time
freeze him from their civil wars. When glad he riseth
and to dinner goes So time at length released with
joy's my woes, And from Charybdus's mouth appeared my keel,
to which my hand now loosed, and now may heel
I altogether, with a huge noise, dropped just in her
midst fell where the mast was propped, and there rode
off with oars of my hands. God and Man's father
would not from her sands let Scylla see me, for
I then had died that bitter death that my poor
friends supplied. Nine days at sea, I hovered the tenth
night in the Ilogigia, where about the bright and right
renowned Calypso I was cast by power of deity, where
I lived, embraced with love and feasts. But why should
I relate those kind occurrens, I should iterate what I
impart to your chaste queen, and you so late imparted,
and for me to grow a talker over of my
tail again were passed my free contentment to sustain. End
of the twelfth book