第3章

AtthistheWandererwasafraid，knowingthatanimmortalwasathand；

forthecomingsandgoingsofthegodswereattended，ashehadseen，bythiswonderfullightofunearthlyfire。Sohebowedhishead，andhidhisfaceashesatbythealtarintheholiestoftheholyshrine，andwithhisrighthandhegraspedthehornsofthealtar。Ashesatthere，perchancehewoke，andperchanceheslept。Howeveritwas，itseemedtohimthatsoontherecameamurmuringandawhisperingofthemyrtleleavesandlaurels，andasoundinthetopsofthepines，andthenhisfacewasfannedbyabreathmorecoldthanthewindthatwakesthedawn。AtthetouchofthisbreaththeWanderershuddered，andthehaironhisfleshstoodup，socoldwasthestrangewind。

Therewassilence；andheheardavoice，andheknewthatitwasthevoiceofnomortal，butofagoddess。Forthespeechofgoddesseswasnotstrangeinhisears；heknewtheclarioncryofAthene，theQueenofWisdomandofWar；andthewinningwordsofCirce，theDaughteroftheSun，andthesweetsongofCalypso’svoiceasshewovewithhergoldenshuttleattheloom。Butnowthewordscamesweeterthanthemoaningofdoves，moresoftthansleep。Socamethegoldenvoice，whetherhewokeorwhetherhedreamed。

“Odysseus，thouknowestmenot，noramIthylady，norhastthoueverbeenmyservant！Whereisshe，theQueenoftheAir，Athene，andwhycomest/thou/hereasasuppliantatthekneesofthedaughterofDione？“

Heanswerednothing，buthebowedhisheadindeepersorrow。

Thevoicespakeagain:

“Behold，thyhouseisdesolate；thyhearthiscold。Thewildharebreedsonthyhearthstone，andthenight-birdroostsbeneaththyroof-

tree。Thouhastneitherchildnorwifenornativeland，and/she/hathforsakenthee——thyLadyAthene。Manyatimedidstthousacrificetoherthethighsofkineandsheep，butdidstthouevergivesomuchasapairofdoveto/me/？Hathsheleftthee，astheDawnforsookTithonus，becausetherearenowthreadsofsilverinthedarknessofthyhair？Isthewisegoddessfickleasanymphofthewoodlandorthewells？Dothsheloveamanonlyforthebloomofhisyouth？Nay，I

knownot；butthisIknow，thatonthee，Odysseus，oldagewillsoonbehastening——oldagethatispitiless，andruinous，andweary，andweak——agethatcomethonallmen，andthatishatefultotheGods。

Therefore，Odysseus，ereyetitbetoolate，Iwouldboweventheetomywill，andholdtheeformythrall。ForIamshewhoconquersallthingsliving:Godsandbeastsandmen。AndhastthouthoughtthatthouonlyshaltescapeAphrodite？ThouthathastneverlovedasI

wouldhavemenlove；thouthathastneverobeyedmeforanhour，noreverknownthejoyandthesorrowthatareminetogive？ForthoudidstbutensurethecaressesofCirce，theDaughteroftheSun，andthouwertawearyinthearmsofCalypso，andtheSeaKing’sdaughtercamenevertoherlonging。Asforherwhoisdead，thydearwifePenelope，thoudidstloveherwithaloyalheart，butneverwithaheartoffire。Nay，shewasbutthycompanion，thyhousewife，andthemotherofthychild。Shewasmingledwithallthememoriesofthelandthoulovest，andsothougavestheralittlelove。Butsheisdead；

andthychildtooisnomore；andthyverycountryisastheashesofaforsakenhearthwhereoncewasacampofmen。Whathaveallthywarsandwanderingswonforthee，allthylabours，andalltheadventuresthouhastachieved？Forwhatdidstthouseekamongthelivingandthedead？Thousoughtestthatwhichallmenseek——thousoughtest/TheWorld’sDesire/。Theyfinditnot，norhastthoufoundit，Odysseus；

andthyfriendsaredead；thylandisdead；nothinglivesbutHope。

Butthelifethatliesbeforetheeisnew，withoutaremnantoftheolddays，exceptforthebitternessoflongingandremembrance。Outofthisnewlife，andtheunbornhours，wiltthounotgive，whatneverbeforethougavest，onehourtome，tobemyservant？“

Thevoice，asitseemed，grewsofterandcamenearer，tilltheWandererhearditwhisperinhisveryear，andwiththevoicecameadivinefragrance。Thebreathofherwhospokeseemedtotouchhisneck；theimmortaltressesoftheGoddessweremingledwiththedarkcurlsofhishair。

Thevoicespakeagain:

“Nay，Odysseus，didstthounotoncegivemeonelittlehour？Fearnot，forthoushaltnotseemeatthistime，butliftthyheadandlookonTheWorld’sDesire！“

ThentheWandererliftedhishead，andhesaw，asitwereinapictureorinamirrorofbronze，thevisionofagirl。Shewasmorethanmortaltall，andthoughstillinthefirstflowerofyouth，andalmostachildinyears，sheseemedfairasagoddess，andsobeautifulthatAphroditeherselfmayperchancehaveenviedthisloveliness。Shewasslimandgraciousasayoungshootofapalmtree，andhereyeswerefearlessandinnocentasachild’s。Onherheadsheboreashiningurnofbronze，asifshewerebringingwaterfromthewells，andbehindherwasthefoliageofaplanetree。ThentheWandererknewher，andsawheronceagainashehadseenher，wheninhisboyhoodhehadjourneyedtotheCourtofherfather，KingTyndareus。For，asheenteredSparta，andcamedownthehillTaygetus，andashischariotwheelsflashedthroughthefordofEurotas，hehadmetherthereonherwayfromtheriver。There，inhisyouth，hiseyeshadgazedonthelovelinessofHelen，andhishearthadbeenfilledwiththedesireofthefairestofwomen，andlikealltheprincesofAchaiahehadsoughtherhandinmarriage。ButHelenwasgiventoanotherman，toMenelaus，Atreus’sson，ofanevilhouse，thatthekneesofmanymightbeloosenedindeath，andthattheremightbeasongintheearsofmeninaftertime。

AshebeheldthevisionofyoungHelen，theWanderertoogrewyoungagain。Butashegazedwiththeeyesandlovedwiththefirstloveofaboy，shemeltedlikeamist，andoutofthemistcameanothervision。Hesawhimself，disguisedasabeggar，beatenandbruised，yetseatedinalonghallbrightwithgold，whileawomanbathedhisfeet，andanointedhisheadwithoil。Andthefaceofthewomanwasthefaceofthemaiden，andevenmorebeautiful，butsadwithgriefandwithanancientshame。ThenherememberedhowoncehehadstolenintoTroytownfromthecampoftheAch？ans，andhowhehadcreptinabeggar’sragswithinthehouseofPriamtospyupontheTrojans，andhowHelen，thefairestofwomen，hadbathedhim，andanointedhimwithoil，andsufferedhimtogoinpeace，allforthememoryofthelovethatwasbetweenthemofold。Ashegazed，thatpicturefadedandmeltedinthemist，andagainhebowedhishead，andkneeledbythegoldenaltaroftheGoddess，crying:

“WherebeneaththesunlightdwellsthegoldenHelen？“Fornowhehadonlyonedesire:tolookonHelenagainbeforehedied。

ThenthevoiceoftheGoddessseemedtowhisperinhisear:

“DidInotsaytruth，Odysseus？Wastnotthoumyservantforonehour，anddidnotLovesavetheeinthecityoftheTrojansonthatnightwhenevenWisdomwasofnoavail？“

Heanswered:“Yea，OQueen！“

“Beholdthen，“saidthevoice，“Iwouldagainhavemercyandbekindtothee，forifIaidtheenotthouhastnomorelifeleftamongmen。

Home，andkindred，andnativelandthouhastnone；and，butforme，thoumustdevourthineownheartandbelonelytillthoudiest。

ThereforeIbreatheintothyheartasweetforgetfulnessofeverysorrow，andIbreatheloveintotheeforherwhowasthyfirstloveinthebeginningofthydays。

“ForHelenislivingyetupontheearth。AndIwillsendtheeonthequestofHelen，andthoushaltagaintakejoyinwarandwandering。

Thoushaltfindherinastrangeland，amongastrangepeople，inastrifeofgodsandmen；andthewisestandbravestofmanshallsleepatlastinthearmsofthefairestofwomen。Butlearnthis，Odysseus；

thoumustsetthyheartonnootherwoman，butonlyonHelen。

“AndIgivetheeasigntoknowherbyinalandofmagic，andamongwomenthatdealinsorceries。

“/OnthebreastofHelenajewelshines，agreatstar-stone，thegiftIgaveheronherwedding-nightwhenshewasbridetoMenelaus。Fromthatstonefallreddropslikeblood，andtheydriponhervestment，andtherevanish，anddonotstainit。/

“BytheStarofLoveshaltthouknowher；bythestarshaltthousweartoher；andifthouknowestnottheportentoftheBleedingStar，orifthoubreakestthatoath，neverinthislife，Odysseus，shaltthouwinthegoldenHelen！Andthineowndeathshallcomefromthewater——

theswiftestdeath——thatthesayingofthedeadprophetmaybefulfilled。YetfirstshaltthoulieinthearmsofthegoldenHelen。“

TheWandereranswered:

“Queen，howmaythisbe，forIamaloneonaseagirtisle，andIhavenoshipandnocompanionstospeedmeoverthegreatgulfofthesea？“

Thenthevoiceanswered:

“Fearnot！thegodscanbringtopassevengreaterthingsthanthese。

Gofrommyhouse，andliedowntosleepinmyholyground，withinthenoiseofthewashofthewaves。Theresleep，andtakethyrest！Thystrengthshallcomebacktothee，andbeforethesettingofthenewsunthoushaltbesailingonthepathtoTheWorld’sDesire。Butfirstdrinkfromthechaliceonmyaltar。Faretheewell！“

Thevoicediedintosilence，likethedyingofmusic。TheWandererawokeandliftedhishead，butthelighthadfaded，andthetemplewasgreyinthefirstwakingofthedawn。Yetthere，onthealtarwherenocuphadbeen，stoodadeepchaliceofgold，fullofredwinetothebrim。ThistheWandererliftedanddrained——adraughtofNepenthe，themagiccupthatputstroubleoutofmind。Ashedrank，awaveofsweethopewentoverhisheart，andburiedfarbelowitthesorrowofremembrance，andthetroubleofthepast，andthelongingdesireforlovesthatwerenomore。

Withalightstephewentforthlikeayoungerman，takingthetwospearsinhishand，andthebowuponhisback，andhelaydownbeneathagreatrockthatlookedtowardthedeep，andthereheslept。