“I was hospitably received and delightfully entertained there for a whole month. In the palace lived the king’s six sons with their beautiful wives. I had to tell them all about Troy and all that had happened to me in my unfortunate journey. And when I begged for safe conduct, Æolus gave me a present which would have made me supremely happy had it not been for the foolishness of my companions. He confined all the winds in a leather bag, binding it securely with a silver rope. Thus I was fitted out so that I might make use of the winds should the vengeful Poseidon again lead me from my course. I laid the bag in the bottom of the ship without saying anything to my companions of its contents, and we sailed away with a gentle wind from Æolus’ isle and crossed almost the whole Mediterranean without accident, sailing nine days and nights, when suddenly on the tenth evening the shores of my native island loomed out of the darkness. Yes, it was really old Ithaca! I saw the watch-fires, the end of my wanderings had come. And now, weary as I was, sweet sleep overcame me, for I had labored at the mast day and night in order to reach home safely and quickly. “While I slept my companions began to talk of our return, to recall all that they had undergone, and to complain that they were returning poor, in spite of it all. They looked at me enviously, at my rich booty from Troy, and the number of my guest gifts. ‘Everywhere that he goes,’ they said, ‘he is honored and receives gifts, but we get nothing. What can he have hidden in that bag? Æolus has certainly given him a costly present of gold or silver.’ “Curiosity incited them to examine the bag, which the king had bound up so tightly for good reasons. They had scarcely loosened the cord when a furious east wind broke loose, which drove us backward in the direction we had just come. We wretched ones, who had hoped to land on Ithaca in a few hours, found ourselves once more on Æolus’ isle. We were exhausted on landing, and after taking the food and drink I set out, with one of my men and the herald, for Æolus’ palace. There I found the family assembled at table, and all were astonished at my reappearance. I told them my story and begged for help once more. But the king cried in a terrible voice: ‘Unhappy one, fly from my house. Far be it from me to shelter a man who is thus pursued by the anger of the gods.’