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At daybreak the goddess gave Odysseus a large axe and a sharp adze, and led him to the heights of the island, where the largest trees grew. He went to work at once and cut down twenty trees, which he hewed into proper shape, and then tied them together with ropes which he himself made of bark.
In this way he built a raft which was very large and strong enough to stand the onset of the waves. He wove a railing of willow and fitted it around the sides of the raft, to protect himself against the dashing waves; and he raised a strong mast with sails shaped to it, and tightly bound by cords and ropes. He filled the crevices of the raft with wax and pitch and attached a rudder.
At the end of the fourth day his work was all done, and his little ship was ready to be launched. On the fifth day the beautiful goddess prepared the hero a bath and gave him new garments fragrant with perfumes. She went down to the boat with him and put on board a skin of dark-red wine, a larger one full of water, and a bag of dainty food. Then she bade Odysseus a kind farewell, and sent a gentle and friendly wind to waft him over the waves.
Odysseus was wild with joy at the thought that he was really on his way home once more. He spread his sails to catch the breeze and took his seat at the helm, steering the vessel with great skill. He did not dare to take any sleep, for he had to watch the sky and stars constantly and use them as guides on his course. He sailed along in this way seventeen days. On the eighteenth he spied land in the distance. It was the land of the Phæacians, lying like a dark spot off in the sea.
Then Poseidon, who was returning from Ethiopia, saw him, and his wrath grew hot against the hero. He raised up his head and said to himself: "Alas! the gods have strangely changed their minds about Odysseus during my absence in Africa. Behold! in a little while he will be in the land of the Phæacians, where he will find an end to his troubles. Nevertheless, it is in my power to chastise him."
Speaking thus, Poseidon called the clouds together, and seizing his trident he stirred up the sea; then he set loose all the winds until there was a general hurricane, and he wrapped heaven and earth in the thick darkness of night.
The mighty waves dashed over the raft, and Odysseus sank on his knees and trembled. With a deep groan he said: "Ah me, unhappy! Am I to bear more disasters? I fear that the warning of the goddess was too true, and that I shall be for a long time cast about on the waves before I reach home. With what dark clouds Zeus has shrouded the sky! The storm grows wild. What terrible waves are these! Helplessly I must perish. Happy the Greeks who fell before Troy, fighting for their country! Would that I, too, had met death the day when the Trojans hurled their spears at me as they strove to take the body of Achilles. If I had died then, the Greeks would have buried me with great honors. Now I shall die an inglorious death."
As he spoke a huge wave struck the raft with such terrible force that it whirled it around and overturned it. The helm was wrung from his hand and he fell into the angry breakers. The mast was snapped in two and the ropes and sails flew off into the sea.
Odysseus was under water a long time, striving in vain to come to the surface. Finally he rose, spitting the bitter brine out of his mouth. Although he was in such a desperate plight, his mind was on the raft. Battling bravely with the waves he reached it, and springing on board sat down in the middle of it. Thus he escaped death.
The angry waves tossed him hither and thither as the wind scatters the leaves over a field. Then Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, saw him and took pity on him. She took the form of a bird, and, perching on his raft, she said to him: "O, luckless man! why is Poseidon so angry with thee? Fear nothing, however; he cannot take thy life. Obey me and thou shalt not suffer much longer. Lay aside thy clothes, leave the raft to the mercy of the winds and waves, and swim to the land. Take my veil and wind it about thy breast, and thou shalt not have anything to fear. As soon as thou hast reached the land, take it off and throw it back into the sea. Then hurry away inland."
Odysseus hesitated to follow Ino's advice, fearing some treachery. But Poseidon sent a huge wave which struck him and scattered the raft as if it were dry chaff. Then Odysseus at once got astride of the swimming timber. He bound the veil around his breast and bravely plunged into the boiling waters.
Poseidon saw him, and shaking his head he said: "I verily believe thou wilt come out alive from the sea. But the sea has had thee long enough, so that thou wilt know its power hereafter and fear it." Saying this he lashed up his horses and drove off.