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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book III Chapter 25: Achaemenides (cont.) | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
“My home was Ithaca, and I partook the fortunes of Ulysses evil-starred. My name is Achaemenides, my sire was Adamastus, and I sailed for Troy, being so poor, -- O, that I ne'er had change the lot I bore! In yon vast Cyclops' cave my comrades, flying from its gruesome door, left me behind, forgotten. T is a house of gory feasts of flesh, t is deep and dark, and vaulted high. He looms as high as heaven; I pray the blessed gods to rid the earth of the vile monster! None can look on him, none speak with him. He feeds on clotted gore of disembowelled men. These very eyes saw him seize two of our own company, and, as he lolled back in the cave, he clutched and dashed them on the stones, fouling the floor with torrent of their blood; myself I saw him crunch with his teeth the dripping, bloody limbs still hot and pulsing on his hungry jaw. But not without reward! For such a sight Ulysses would not brook, and Ithaca forgot not in such strait the name he bore. For soon as, gorged with feasting and o'ercome with drunken slumber, the foul giant lay sprawled through the cave, his head dropped helpless down, disgorging as he slept thick drool of gore and gobbets drenched with bloody wine; then we, calling on Heaven and taking place by lot, drew round him like one man, and with a beam sharpened at end bored out that monster eye, which, huge and sole, lay under the grim brow, round as an Argive shield or Phoebus' star. Thus took we joyful vengeance for the shades of our lost mates. But, O ill-fated men! Fly, I implore, and cut the cables free along the beach! For in the land abide, like Polyphemus, who in hollow cave kept fleecy sheep, and milked his fruitful ewes, a hundred other, huge as he, who rove wide o'er this winding shore and mountains fair: Cyclops accursed, bestial! Thrice the moon has filled her horns with light, while here I dwell in lonely woods and lairs of creatures wild; or from tall cliffs out-peering I discern the Cyclops, and shrink shuddering from the sound of their vast step and cry. My sorry fare is berries and hard corners dropped from trees, or herb-roots torn out from the niggard ground. Though watching the whole sea, only today Have I had sight of ships. To you I fled. Whate'er ye be, it was my only prayer to 'scape that monster brood. I ask no more. O, set me free by any death ye will!" Event: Polyphemus |
613-654 'sum patria ex Ithaca, comes infelicis Vlixi, nomine Achaemenides, Troiam genitore Adamasto paupere (mansissetque utinam fortuna!) profectus. hic me, dum trepidi crudelia limina linquunt, immemores socii uasto Cyclopis in antro deseruere. domus sanie dapibusque cruentis, intus opaca, ingens. ipse arduus, altaque pulsat sidera (di talem terris auertite pestem!) nec uisu facilis nec dictu adfabilis ulli; uisceribus miserorum et sanguine uescitur atro. uidi egomet duo de numero cum corpora nostro prensa manu magna medio resupinus in antro frangeret ad saxum, sanieque aspersa natarent limina; uidi atro cum membra fluentia tabo manderet et tepidi tremerent sub dentibus artus— haud impune quidem, nec talia passus Vlixes oblitusue sui est Ithacus discrimine tanto. nam simul expletus dapibus uinoque sepultus ceruicem inflexam posuit, iacuitque per antrum immensus saniem eructans et frusta cruento per somnum commixta mero, nos magna precati numina sortitique uices una undique circum fundimur, et telo lumen terebramus acuto ingens quod torua solum sub fronte latebat, Argolici clipei aut Phoebeae lampadis instar, et tandem laeti sociorum ulciscimur umbras. sed fugite, o miseri, fugite atque ab litore funem rumpite. nam qualis quantusque cauo Polyphemus in antro lanigeras claudit pecudes atque ubera pressat, centum alii curua haec habitant ad litora uulgo infandi Cyclopes et altis montibus errant. tertia iam lunae se cornua lumine complent cum uitam in siluis inter deserta ferarum lustra domosque traho uastosque ab rupe Cyclopas prospicio sonitumque pedum uocemque tremesco. uictum infelicem, bacas lapidosaque corna, dant rami, et uulsis pascunt radicibus herbae. omnia conlustrans hanc primum ad litora classem conspexi uenientem. huic me, quaecumque fuisset, addixi: satis est gentem effugisse nefandam. uos animam hanc potius quocumque absumite leto.' |