Chapter III

A camp by the seashore just before sunrise. The ground rises at the back and Right, rough with shrubbery and rocks. A galley of antique build has been drawn upon the sand crosswise at the Left and there are glimpses of the sea on this side. The mast has been unstepped and a few long oars lean against the side of the vessel. There are other signs of a recent disembarcation. Articles of nautical and warlike use lie on the ground or hang upon bushes and rocks; wine-jars, cups, plates, etc. have been deposited. The forms of a numerous company of men are seen sleeping on the ground, wrapped in their blankets, here and there near the ship.—In the foreground at the Right centre a fire of small sticks is beginning to burn under tripod and kettle. THERON, the cook, is seen seated on the ground near the fire, washing strips of meat for roasting. From the low branch of a tree near him hangs the well stripped carcass of a deer, the hide and the head bearing large antlers in full view near by. ELPENOR, the cook’s helper, is at work trying to make the fire burn.

THERON

Scratch together another stick or two of wood, youngster.

[_Enter GLAUCUS at Right with a jar of water which he sets down near THERON._]

That will do for water, Glauc. Take a hand now and help the lad
blow the fire a bit.

GLAUCUS

So I will, though I be a trifle blown myself, tramping up and
down to that spring.

THERON

That’s where the commander pinked the deer yesterday, eh?

GLAUCUS

Ay, ay; the old man hasn’t forgotten how to let slip an arrow
since we became water-dogs, for certain.

THERON

’Twas a crack piece of venison he fetched in and no mistake!
There’s a strip or two left for breakfast; but I reckon we’ll
have to make a soup of the hide for dinner—that is if other
game doesn’t turn up. [_He lays pieces of meat spitted over the
coals._]

GLAUCUS

The soup’ll do them. They took solid meat enough aboard
yesterday to last for a week’s voyage.

ELPENOR

When I saw them eating, it made me think of father feeding the
hogs up in Cephallenia.

GLAUCUS

They’re grunting yet. Just hear the beggars snore! And we
turned in before sunset too.

THERON

The Pramnian’s responsible for that: we tapped four jars. It’s
the same as keeled over that beastly hulk of a Cyclops.

ELPENOR

The commander took a mighty round swig himself; I saw him.

GLAUCUS

Trust him for keeping his head level. Besides, he can carry
more of the rosy than any three of us.

THERON

Pass over those barley spats, boy—ah! you’ve got them too wet,
you monkey.—Say, Glauc, how would you like to see such a thing
as a woman again, eh? [_THERON grins and nudges GLAUCUS’ knee
with his elbow._]

GLAUCUS

Well, you’re right; it is a long time since.

ELPENOR

Wasn’t that a woman you saw at the last landing-place?—there
where they smashed all the ships we had but this one.

THERON

What!—the giant’s daughter? Bless you, boy, that was a waddling
mountain, not a woman!

GLAUCUS

You might throw your arms round her waist twice, Elpy, and
never touch the tips of your fingers.

THERON

By the powers, she _was_ a hogshead to tackle; ha, ha!

GLAUCUS

If there be female inhabitants of this prickly country, it’s to
be hoped they’re not built after that pattern. But everything
here wears horns, so far. [_He taps the antlers of the stag._]

THERON

Well, we’re nigh about ready. Set those plates round in just
a little order. Call ’em up, Elp! Take my knife here and
hammer on that shield hanging by the tree. The sun’ll be on us
shortly. One more jar of water, Glaucus. [_Exit GLAUCUS._]

ELPENOR

[_Pounding on the metallic shield_] Ding, dong! Cling, clang!
Breakfast! Get up! Get up! Breakfast! Ding, dong! Cling, clang!

[_The men rise one after another from their beds on the ground and adjust their garments, which look stained and weather-worn. GLAUCUS re-enters and pours water into several basins for the men to wash their hands. They gradually find seats on the ground near the fire and begin to eat, the cook and his assistant serving them informally. The conversation begins while they are dressing and getting ready, before they sit._]

PHORBAS

[_Looking around him suspiciously_] I wonder on which side the
sun rises in this blessed country.

PHILEMON

On the east side, maybe; leastwise it ought to come up opposite
to where it went down yesterday.

PHORBAS

Well, who remembers where that was? Split me if I do!

GLAUCUS

Avast there! the sun’ll peep over in a jiffy—by the spring
yonder. [_He turns his thumb backward to the Right._]

PHORBAS

All the same we don’t any of us know where we are.

THERON

We’re supposed to be at the breakfast table now, lads. Fall to
if you’ve got any appetite left over from yesterday!

XENIAS

We’ve got more appetite left over than you have chops, cook.

THERON

Ay, every chop’s a sparerib this morning—except a few choice
cuts here for the commander and the mate. They’re done now.

[_He takes the meat from the fire into a platter._]

Here, young man; take ’em over to him round the other side of
the ship.

ELPENOR

[_As he goes out_] We’re going to have soup for dinner. [_He
disappears behind the vessel._]

PHILEMON

Look here, Theron; did you put the charcoal in these barley
cakes before baking or after?

GLAUCUS

Pooh, pooh! Never mind the grit, man; it’s an aid to digestion.
We’re lucky enough to have groats aboard, anyway.

PHORBAS

We’re lucky to be alive! By Apollo, how I shiver when I think
of that Æolian duffer and the cursed wind-bags he palmed off on
us!

XENIAS

’Twas worse than a hurricane on the wrong quarter when _they_
blew up—took us straight back to the old boy himself.

PHILEMON

He _was_ a windy humbug! You’d have thought, to hear him talk,
we’d be back home in Ithaca inside of twenty-four hours.

PHORBAS

And now we’re only _here_! Another cannibal island, I’ll bet my
pile! Ye gods! I wouldn’t go up ten rods from the shore for a
gold mine.

THERON

Well, the commander took a little walk yesterday and nobody ate
_him_ up. He didn’t make much of a report as to what he saw;
but I’ve a notion he’ll say something about it to-day.

GLAUCUS

Sh—here he comes now! Mind your taps, men!

[_Enter ULYSSES and EURYLOCHUS at the Left from behind the ship. The men finishing their meal salute without rising and arrange themselves comfortably and informally on the ground in a sort of circle looking toward ULYSSES in the centre. ELPENOR re-enters behind the two and sits down with the others. EURYLOCHUS also seats himself upon the ground at the right hand of ULYSSES. In appearance the mate is distinguished from the crew mainly by wearing fresher and less weather-beaten garments. ULYSSES wears a helmet and carries his sword and baldric in his hand. He throws the weapon upon the ground, and as he begins to speak takes off his helmet, holding it swinging by its strap in his left hand while he stands and speaks. The rays of the rising sun now strike over the bank behind him._]

ULYSSES

Good morrow, men! How sped the night?

SEVERAL VOICES

O, hearty, hearty!

EURYLOCHUS

They had a bout to sleep on, you remember, sir.

ULYSSES

That was high festival—too rare a hap!
’Twas sipping of the rest ye needed sore;
But now there’s toil in prospect.

PHILEMON

We thought you might tell us, sir, what the prospect showed
when you stepped out yesterday and got the deer.

PHORBAS

We’re hoping to sail away from here directly.

ULYSSES

Of sail and oar appears an end not yet,
Brave comrades,—ye sad fortune-favor’d few,
Poor relic of that once gallant troop which sat
High on three-hundred thwarts; when each proud keel,
Cleaving a homeward furrow, swept gaily past
Familiar beacons; and from known crag and scaur
Triumphal friendly greetings echoed loud,
That drop like honey in victorious ears.
Not long their cadence linger’d; but ye know
What flouts of whirlwind and black sulphurous cloud,
Wreck-witness’d warrants of Neptunian ire,
Whelm’d some with death and the scant remnant usher’d
Into these strange, uncanny, nameless seas.
And now from wave to wave your weary arms
Drive the lone pinnace, this frail shell of hope,
With mingled dread and homesick yearning freighted.

[_As ULYSSES pauses, some of the men, all of whom are looking to him intently, shake their heads or rock themselves to and fro, and faint groans are heard._]

But cheer, brave shipmates; cheer!
Not boundless stretch these watery wastes, but still
Shines somewhere a vine-clad slope and pebbly cove,
The fair home-harbor pictured in your dreams.

[_The men give utterance to loud sighs and groans._]

Somewhere it sparkles yet; but whether a ray
Of yonder climbing sun illumed its borders
Ere he warm’d us, or by the western rim
Of darkling eve our cherish’d haven lies,
We know not. In ourselves, thus mazed and wilder’d
By circular driftings and strange gruesome sights,
There springs no source of judgment, whence to draw
Some pilotage and index of true course.
Yet on these wild inhospitable shores
Beings we have encounter’d—and not all
Of baleful or ungracious mood—who hold
Rare store of guiding knowledge.—Should we not
Press with glad feet even now our native soil,
If ye, unhappy men, had spared to loose
The contrary winds great Æolus did tie down
To assure our safety?

[_The men manifest great perturbation; some gesticulating and shaking their heads; others rising to their knees and striking themselves. Mutterings and faint outcries escape them._]

EURYLOCHUS

[_Timidly; rising to his feet_]
You failed to tell them, sir, what was in the bags.

ULYSSES

[_Sternly_] I fail’d first to remember
What slender stock of prudence or just restraint
Your wits preserve. So, while I slept, ye wrought
Mischief beyond repair. It was thy watch,
Eurylochus; dost recall it?

EURYLOCHUS

Yes, sir, it was my company on duty then.

ULYSSES

Draw off thy men; let them assemble apart.

[_At a sign from EURYLOCHUS men to the number of one-half the crew arise and group themselves around him on the Right. The rest remain seated nearer ULYSSES. EURYLOCHUS’ company includes GLAUCUS, THERON, ELPENOR, and PHORBAS._]

ULYSSES

[_To all as before_] I repeat, then,
There dwell in these weird regions spirits—some few,
Mighty yet not malevolent, and endued
With sapient skill and far discernment. Nor
Save by experience of them may we hope
To win the instructions craved. Here yesterday
From the bare peak whereto I clomb, the view
Of a round isle lay open; and at the point
Where these upwinding brambly folds converge
I saw faint-coiling smoke-wreaths, the sure sign
Of dwellers.

[_All of the men are visibly disturbed and give increased and anxious attention._]

It behooves us now to prove
Their case and disposition. But whether it suits
Rather that I conduct my party thither
For the grave query, or Eurylochus his,
Allotment shall decide.

[_Sensation among his hearers_]

Ofttimes the hand
Of Fortune guides a venturous essay fitter
Than human arbitration. Mark, then, Eurylochus,
My lot and thine.

[_EURYLOCHUS with assistance from others finds upon the beach two small flat stones. These he scratches with his dagger, marking one with a V, the other with an E._]

Shake now the sherds, good Glaucus.

[_As he speaks ULYSSES passes the helmet which he has hitherto held in his left hand to GLAUCUS. The two lots are thrown into the helmet; and GLAUCUS, standing in an open space and watched with intense expectation by all present, shakes it violently with a circular movement until one of the lots flies out and falls to the ground. The men strain their eyes toward the stone as it is picked up by GLAUCUS._]

ULYSSES

Well, what decision?

GLAUCUS

[_Holding up the stone_] It’s Eurylochus, sir, his mark.

[_The announcement produces various effects upon the men. The party of ULYSSES, seated upon the ground, strive not to show too plainly their sense of relief; while the standing company of EURYLOCHUS are more openly affected. PHORBAS in particular is in a highly nervous state, glancing now toward the hill, now toward the water. A few other timid ones in the same party demean themselves similarly._]

ULYSSES

[_To EURYLOCHUS_] Enough; make ready directly, and proceed with
reasonable haste.

[_The mate’s company move apart and make preparations, helped to some extent by the others. There is lively motion in both groups. They gather up things needful for an expedition, spears, staves, water-flasks, etc. THERON, a portly figure, does not change his cook’s garb, but buckles on a very broad belt with hanging straps, and whets his butcher’s cleaver with a stone. Shortly they are ready to start._]

EURYLOCHUS

My mission is, sir——?

ULYSSES

To announce, if those thou haply find’st wear not
Sinister aspect, our good-will and greeting;
And the right winds for homeward voyage inquire.

EURYLOCHUS

Very well, sir.—Fall in, lads!

[_EURYLOCHUS’ followers draw closer to their leader, apart from the others. All are serious. Individuals take leave of one another here and there with hand-shaking, etc._]

ULYSSES

The sign show’d near the summit. Your ascent,
Thorny perchance and steep, will prove not long;
The questioning, easy.

XENIAS

[_Seriously_] Have an eye to Theron, Glaucus; let him not be
too forward with that meat-knife of his!

ELPENOR

[_Taking hold of a strap at THERON’S belt_] I shall hold him
back.

ULYSSES

Full oft a forward mood and hardy daring
Is of prime merit; circumstance will teach
How far to temper zeal with slow discretion.
Farewell!

EURYLOCHUS

Farewell, sir!—Forward, men!

SEVERAL VOICES ON BOTH SIDES

Farewell! adieu! luck, luck!

[_The mate’s company go out at the Right and upward. EURYLOCHUS himself is abreast of the foremost on their left. The vanguard consists of GLAUCUS, THERON (cleaver in hand), and ELPENOR (a fragile, attenuated figure) behind the cook, holding at his belt. PHORBAS and other timid ones bring up the rear. The drop-curtain falls as they move off while the rest watch them and wave their hands to them._]