"‘I will do so gladly,’
answered she, ‘if you men will first swear me a solemn oath that
you will do me no harm by the way.’
"They all swore as she told them,
and when they had completed their oath the woman said, ‘Hush;
and if any of your men meets me in the street or at the well, do not
let him speak to me, for fear some one should go and tell my master,
in which case he would suspect something. He would put me in prison,
and would have all of you murdered; keep your own counsel therefore;
buy your merchandise as fast as you can, and send me word when you
have done loading. I will bring as much gold as I can lay my hands
on, and there is something else also that I can do towards paying my
fare. I am nurse to the son of the good man of the house, a funny
little fellow just able to run about. I will carry him off in your
ship, and you will get a great deal of wealth for him if you take him
and sell him in foreign parts.’
"On this she went back to the
house. The Phoenicians stayed a whole year till they had loaded their
ship with much precious merchandise, and then, when they had got
freight enough, they sent to tell the woman. Their messenger, a very
cunning fellow, came to my father's house bringing a necklace of
gold with amber beads strung among it; and while my mother and the
servants had it in their hands admiring it and bargaining about it,
he made a sign quietly to the woman and then went back to the ship,
whereon she took me by the hand and led me out of the house. In the
fore part of the house she saw the tables set with the cups of guests
who had been feasting with my father, as being in attendance on him;
these were now all gone to a meeting of the population
[dêmos] assembly, so she snatched up three cups
and carried them off in the bosom of her dress, while I followed her,
for I knew no better. The sun was now set, and darkness was over all
the land, so we hurried on as fast as we could till we reached the
harbor, where the Phoenician ship was lying. When they had got on
board they sailed their ways over the sea, taking us with them, and
Zeus sent then a fair wind; six days did we sail both night and day,
but on the seventh day Artemis struck the woman and she fell heavily
down into the ship's hold as though she were a sea gull
alighting on the water; so they threw her overboard to the seals and
fishes, and I was left all sorrowful and alone. Presently the winds
and waves took the ship to Ithaca, where Laertes gave sundry of his
chattels for me, and thus it was that ever I came to set eyes upon
this country."
Odysseus answered, "Eumaios, I
have heard the story of your misfortunes with the most lively
interest and pity, but Zeus has given you good as well as evil, for
in spite of everything you have a good master, who sees that you
always have enough to eat and drink; and you lead a good life,
whereas I am still going about begging my way from city to
city."
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