Hungry and weary as we are, wouldst thou have us turn away from this
fair isle, where we could prepare a comfortable meal, and take
refreshing sleep? Shall we add the horrors of night to the horrors of
the sea, and confront the demons of storm that haunt the caverns of
darkness? Nay, suffer us to abide here to-night, and to-morrow we will
hoist sail again."
Odysseus saw by the looks of his men that it would be useless to
strain his authority, and so he gave way, though with sore reluctance,
only exacting a solemn oath from the whole company that they would
keep their hands off the cattle of Helios. When each in turn had taken
the oath they landed on the shore of a sheltered bay, and encamped by
a fair spring of fresh water.
During the night it began to blow hard, and early next morning, as the
weather was still stormy and the wind contrary, they hauled up their
galley and bestowed her in a roomy cave, beyond the reach of wind and
water. Odysseus repeated his warnings, and the crew then dispersed, to
while away the time until the weather should mend.
For a whole month they had nothing but contrary gales from the south
and east, and long before that time had run out they had come to the
end of their store of provisions. For some time they contrived to live
on the fish which they caught by angling from the rocks, though this
was but poor fare for the robust appetites of those heroic days.
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