Ulysses. Sore affliction doth he suffer in an island of the sea,
where the daughter of Atlas keepeth him, seeking to make him
forget his native land. And he yearns to see even the smoke rising
up from the land of his birth, and is fain [Footnote: is fain,
wishes to] to die. And thou regardest it not at all. Did he not
offer thee many sacrifices in the land of Troy? Wherefore hast
thou such wrath against him?" To her Zeus, the father of the gods,
made reply: "What is this that thou sayest, my daughter? It is
Poseidon that hath great wrath against Ulysses, because he blinded
his son Polyphemus [Footnote: Pol-y-phe'-mus.] the Cyclops.
[Footnote: Cy'-clops.] But come, let us take counsel together that
he may return to his home, for Poseidon will not be able to contend
against us all."

Then said Athene: "If this be thy will, then let us speed Hermes
[Footnote: Her'-mes.] the messenger to the island of Calypso
[Footnote: Ca-lyp'-so.], and let him declare to the goddess our
purpose that Ulysses shall return to his home. And I will go to
Ithaca, and stir up the spirit of his son Telemachus [Footnote:
Te-lem'-a-chus.], that first he speak out his mind to the suitors
of his mother who waste his substance, [Footnote: substance,
property.] and next that he go to Sparta and to Pylos [Footnote:
Py'-los.], seeking tidings of his father. So shall the youth win
good report among men."

So she went to Ithaca, and there she took upon her the form of
Mentes [Footnote: Men'-tes.], who was chief of the Taphians.
[Footnote: Ta'-phi-ans.]

Now there were gathered in the house of Ulysses many princes from