The crew set cheerily to work, but they did not know all yet; and when Odysseus told them of the dreadful voyage they had now to make at the bidding of the goddess, they were filled with despair. Perhaps Circe too was ruthful at heart; and one act of grace at least she did them. For when all was ready to launch the ship, they found that an unseen hand had placed beside it the animals that they would need for sacrifices in the World of the Dead: _But when at last the margent of the sea And the swift ship we reached in misery, While from our eyes the heavy tear-drops ran, Circe, before us gone invisibly,_ _By the black ship a ram and a black ewe Had tethered, lightly passing by our crew. For mortal eyes a god against his will Hither and thither going may not view._[9] Circe did not say farewell, because she knew that they would meet again. For the first spirit to greet Odysseus when he reached the dark Underworld was the restless ghost of Elpenor, one of his own crew. In the hurry of their departure, Elpenor had fallen from a gallery and had been killed. His untended body still lay in Circe’s house, and the poor ghost could not rest until it was buried. So when the dreadful journey to the dead was accomplished, Odysseus sailed back to Aeaea to perform the funeral rites. _Thus all the rites we ordered as was due: But Circe well of our returning knew From the Dark House, and very speedily Arrayed herself and down anigh us drew._[9] She made Odysseus tell her all that had befallen him, and all that he had seen in the House of Hades; and then she gave him directions for his homeward voyage. He was to beware of the Syrens, and of Scylla and Charybdis; but above all he must prevent his men from doing injury to the sacred Oxen of the Sun. “_But if you harm them, I foretell herein Destruction to your ship and all your crew; And though yourself to Ithaca may win,_ “_Late and unhappy shall your coming be, And all your crew shall perish._“[9] Her black prophecy was fulfilled to the uttermost; and indeed Circe seems destined always to be a baleful augurer to Odysseus. Yet she herself is quite untouched by these mortal woes. When the ship was manned she came down to the sea to speed them away; and our last glimpse of her is as she stands upon the shore, her garments and the tendrils of her hair lightly fluttering, and her lovely body drawn to its height as she raises white arms and cries to the winds to follow them. _They got them in and took their seats again,_ _And sitting at the benches in array, Smote with their oars upon the water grey; Until the fair-tressed goddess terrible, Circe of mortal voice, to speed our way,_