Odysseus, the Hero of Ithaca / Adapted from the Third Book of the Primary Schools of Athens, Greece

the island, where the largest trees grew. He went to work at once and cut down twenty trees, which

and fitted it around the sides of the raft, to protect himself against the dashing waves; and he raised a strong mast with sails

e 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 large

eering 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

himself: "Alas! the gods have strangely changed their minds about Odysseus during my absence in Africa. Behold! in a little while

e stirred up the sea; then he set loose all the winds until there was a gener

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 count

around and overturned it. The helm was wrung from his hand and he fell into the angr

itter brine out of his mouth. Although he was in such a desperate plight, his mind was on the raft. Battling b

o 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 an

ch struck him and scattered the raft as if it were dry chaff. Then Odysseus at once got astride of t

t alive from the sea. But the sea has had thee long enough, so that thou wilt know