Mythology, Greek -- Juvenile literature; Mythology, Roman -- Juvenile literature
Then they set sail, and at eventide drew their ships to the land and
slept on the beach. But at midnight Palinurus, the pilot, rising from
his bed, took note of the winds and of the stars, even of Arcturus, and
the Greater Bear and the Less, and Orion with his belt of gold. Seeing
therefore that all things boded fair weather to come, he blew loud the
signal that they should depart; which they did forthwith. And when the
morning was now growing red in the east, behold a land with hills dimly
seen and shores lying low in the sea. And, first of all, the old man
Anchises cried, “Lo! there is Italy,” and after him all the company.
Then took Anchises a mighty cup, and filled it with wine, and, standing
on the stern, said, “Gods of sea and land, and ye that have power of
the air, give us an easy journey, and send such winds as may favor
us.” And even as he spake the wind blew more strongly behind. Also the
harbor mouth grew wider to behold, and on the hills was seen a temple
of Minerva. And lo! upon the shore four horses white as snow, which
the old man seeing, said, “Thou speakest of war, land of the stranger;
for the horse signifieth war, yet doth he also use himself to run in
the chariot, and to bear the bit in company; therefore also will we
hope for peace.” Then did they sacrifice to Minerva, and to Juno also,
which rites the seer Helenus had chiefly commanded. And this being done
they trimmed their sails and departed from the shore, fearing lest
some enemy, the Greeks being in that place, should set upon them. So
did they pass by Tarentum, which Hercules builded, also the hills of
Caulon, and Scylacium, where many ships are broken. And from Scylacium
they beheld Ætna, and heard a great roaring of the sea, and saw also
the waves rising up to heaven. Then said Anchises, “Lo! this is that
Charybdis whereof the seer Helenus spake to us. Ply your oars, my
comrades, and let us fly therefrom.” So they strove amain in rowing,
and Palinurus also steered to the left, all the other ships following
him. And many times the waves lifted them to the heaven, and many
times caused them to go down to the deep. But at the last, at setting
of the sun, they came to the land of the Cyclops.
There, indeed, they lay in a harbor, well sheltered from all winds that
blow, but all the night Ætna thundered dreadfully, sending forth a
cloud with smoke of pitch, and ashes fiery hot, and also balls of fire,
and rocks withal that had been melted with heat. For indeed men say
that the giant Enceladus lieth under this mountain, being scorched with
the lightning of Jupiter, and that from him cometh forth this flame;
also that when, being weary, he turneth from one side to the other, the
whole land of the Three Capes is shaken. All that night they lay in
much fear, nor knew what the cause of this uproar might be, for indeed
the sky was cloudy, nor could the moon be seen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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