’"Eurylochus, verily ye put force upon me, being but one among you all.  But come, swear me now a mighty oath, one and all, to the intent that if we light on a herd of kine or a great flock of sheep, none in the evil folly of his heart may slay any sheep or ox; but in quiet eat ye the meat which the deathless Circe gave.”

’So I spake, and straightway they swore to refrain as I commanded them.  Now after they had sworn and done that oath, we stayed our well-builded ship in the hollow harbour near to a well of sweet water, and my company went forth from out the ship and deftly got ready supper.  But when they had put from them the desire of meat and drink, thereafter they fell a weeping as they thought upon their dear companions whom Scylla had snatched from out the hollow ship and so devoured.  And deep sleep came upon them amid their weeping.  And when it was the third watch of the night, and the stars had crossed the zenith, Zeus the cloud-gatherer roused against them an angry wind with wondrous tempest, and shrouded in clouds land and sea alike, and from heaven sped down the night.  Now when early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, we beached the ship, and dragged it up within a hollow cave, where were the fair dancing grounds of the nymphs and the places of their session.  Thereupon I ordered a gathering of my men and spake in their midst, saying: 

’"Friends, forasmuch as there is yet meat and drink in the swift ship, let us keep our hands off those kine, lest some evil thing befal us.  For these are the kine and the brave flocks of a dread god, even of Helios, who overseeth all and overheareth all things.”

’So I spake, and their lordly spirit hearkened thereto.  Then for a whole month the South Wind blew without ceasing, and no other wind arose, save only the East and the South.

’Now so long as my company still had corn and red wine, they refrained them from the kine, for they were fain of life.  But when the corn was now all spent from out the ship, and they went wandering with barbed hooks in quest of game, as needs they must, fishes and fowls, whatsoever might come to their hand, for hunger gnawed at their belly, then at last I departed up the isle, that I might pray to the gods, if perchance some one of them might show me a way of returning.  And now when I had avoided my company on my way through the island, I laved my hands where was a shelter from the wind, and prayed to all the gods that hold Olympus.  But they shed sweet sleep upon my eyelids.  And Eurylochus the while set forth an evil counsel to my company: 

’"Hear my words, my friends, though ye be in evil case.  Truly every shape of death is hateful to wretched mortals, but to die of hunger and so meet doom is most pitiful of all.  Nay come, we will drive off the best of the kine of Helios and will do sacrifice to the deathless gods who keep wide heaven.  And if we may yet reach Ithaca, our own country, forthwith will we rear a rich shrine to Helios Hyperion, and therein would we set many a choice offering.  But if he be somewhat wroth for his cattle with straight horns, and is fain to wreck our ship, and the other gods follow his desire, rather with one gulp at the wave would I cast my life away, than be slowly straitened to death in a desert isle.”