The men of Ulysses went up to them, and sat down by their side, for they feared them not, as men are wont to fear the people of a strange land. They asked not their name, for they remembered not the bidding of Ulysses; but they drank the dark wine and ate of the rosy fruit which the fair maidens held out to them. “Eat,” they said, “O strangers, of the fruit which kills all pain: surely ye are weary and your hearts are faint with sorrow, and your eyes are dim as with many tears. Eat of our fruit and forget your labors; for all who eat of it remember no more weary toil and strife and war.” So they ate of the fruit, and then over their senses stole softly a strange and wondrous sleep, so that they saw and heard and spake even while they slumbered. On their ears fell the echo of a dreamy music, and forms of maidens, fair as Venus when she rose from the sea foam, passed before their eyes; and they said one to another, “Here let us sit, and feast, and dream for ever.” Long time Ulysses waited on the seashore, and less and less he marvelled that they came not back, for he felt that over his own heart the strange spell was falling: and he said, “Ah, Penelope, dearer to me than aught else on the wide earth, the gods envy me thy love; else would they not seek to beguile me thus in this strange land of dreams and slumber.” He rose up, as one rises to go forth to battle, and went quickly on the path by which his men had gone before him. Presently he saw them in the deep dell, and the rich fruit of the lotus was in their hand. They called to Ulysses and said, “We have come to the land of the Lotus-eaters; sit thou down with us and eat of their fruit, and forget all thy cares for ever.” But Ulysses answered not; and hastening back, he bade the others come with him and bind the three men, and carry them to the ship. “Heed not the people of the land,” he said, “nor touch their rosy fruit. It were a shame for men who have fought at Troy to slumber here like swine fattening for the slaughter.” So they hastened and bound the three men who sat at the banquet of the Lotus-eaters; and they heeded not their words as they besought them to taste of the fruit and forget all their misery and trouble. And Ulysses hurried them back to the shore and made them drag down the ships into the sea and sit down to their long oars. “Hasten, friends, hasten,” he said, “from this land of dreams. Hither come the Lotus-eaters, and their soft voices will beguile our hearts if we tarry longer. They will tempt us to taste of their fruit; and then we shall seek no more to go back again to the land of toiling men.” The dash of their oars broke the calm of the still air, and roused the waters from their slumber, as they toiled on their weary way. ULYSSES AND THE CYCLOPS By Sir George W. Cox