MorningbrokeintheEast。Anewdaydawneduponthesilentsea，andontheworldoflightandsound。Thesunrisetoppedthehillatlast，andfelluponthegoldenraimentoftheWandererwhereheslept，makingitblazelikelivingfire。Asthesuntouchedhim，theprowofablackshipstoleswiftlyroundtheheadland，fortheoarsmendroveherwellwiththeoars。AnymanwhosawherwouldhaveknownhertobeavesselofthemerchantsofSidon——themostcunningpeopleandthegreediestofgain——foronherprowweretwobig-headedshapesofdwarfs，withgapingmouthsandknottedlimbs。SuchgodsasthosewereworshippedbytheSidonians。ShewasnowreturningfromAlbion，anislebeyondthepillarsofHeraclesandthegatesofthegreatsea，wheremuchstoreoftinisfound；andshehadrichmerchandiseonboard。Onthehalf-deckbesidethesteersmanwasthecaptain，athin，keen-eyedsailor，wholookedshorewardandsawthesunblazeonthegoldenarmouroftheWanderer。Theyweresofaroffthathecouldnotseeclearlywhatitwasthatglitteredyellow，butallthatglitteredyellowwasalureforhim，andgolddrewhimonasirondrawsthehandsofheroes。Sohebadethehelmsmansteerstraightin，fortheseawasdeepbelowtherock，andtheretheyallsawamanlyingasleepingoldenarmour。Theywhisperedtogether，laughingsilently，andthensprangashore，takingwiththemaropeoftwistedox-hide，ahawseroftheship，andastrongcableofbyblus，thepapyrusplant。Ontheseropestheycastaloopandarunningknot，alassoforthrowing，sothattheymightcapturethemaninsafetyfromadistance。Withtheseintheirhandstheycreptupthecliff，fortheirpurposewastonoosethemaningoldenarmour，anddraghimonboardtheirvessel，andcarryhimtothemouthoftheriverofEgypt，andtheresellhimforaslavetotheKing。FortheSidonians，whoweregreedyofeverything，lovednothingbetterthantocatchfreemenandwomen，whomightbepurchased，bymereforceorguile，andthenbesoldagainforgoldandsilverandcattle。Manykings’sonshadthusbeencapturedbythem，andhadseenthedayofslaveryinBabylon，orTyre，orEgyptianThebes，andhaddiedsadly，farfromtheArgiveland。
SotheSidonianswentroundwarily，and，creepinginsilenceovertheshortgrassandthymetowardstheWanderer，weresoonasneartohimasachildcouldthrowastone。Likeshepherdswhoseektonetasleepinglion，theycamecunningly；yetnotsocunninglybutthattheWandererheardthemthroughhisdreams，andturnedandsatup，lookingaroundhimhalfawake。Butashewokethenoosefellabouthisneckandoverhisarmsandtheydrewithard，andthrewhimonhisback。
Beforetheycouldtouchhimhewasonhisfeetagain，cryinghiswar-
cryterribly，thecrythatshookthetowersofIlium，andherusheduponthem，clutchingathisswordhilt。Themenwhowerenearesthimandhadholdoftheropeletitfallfromtheirhandsandfled，buttheothersswungbehindhim，anddraggedwithalltheirforce。Ifhisarmshadbeenfreesothathemightdrawhissword，itwouldhavegoneillwiththem，manyastheywere，fortheSidonianshavenostomachforswordblades；buthisarmswereheldinthenoose。Yettheydidnoteasilymasterhim；but，asthosewhohadfledcameback，andtheyalllaidhandsontheropetogether，theyoverpoweredhimbymainforceatlast，andhauledhim，stepbystep，tillhestumbledonarockandfell。Thentheyrushedathim，andthrewthemselvesalluponhisbody，andboundhimwithropesincunningsailorknots。Butthebootywasdearlywon，andtheydidnotallreturnalive；forhecrushedonemanwithhiskneestillthebreathlefthim，andthethighofanotherhebrokewithablowofhisfoot。
Butatlasthisstrengthwasspent，andtheyhadhimlikeabirdinasnare；so，bymightandmain，theyborehimtotheirship，andthrewhimdownonthefore-deckofthevessel。Theretheymockedhim，thoughtheywerehalfafraid；forevennowhewasterrible。Thentheyhauledupthesailagainandsatdowntotheoars。ThewindblewfairforthemouthoftheNileandtheslave-marketofEgypt。Thewindwasfair，andtheirheartswerelight，fortheyhadbeenamongthefirstoftheirpeopletodealwiththewildtribesoftheislandAlbion，andhadbroughttinandgoldforAfricanseashellsandrudeglassbeadsfromEgypt。Andnow，neartheveryendoftheiradventure，theyhadcaughtamanwhosearmourandwhosebodywereworthaking’sransom。
Itwasaluckyvoyage，theysaid，andthewindwasfair！
Therestofthejourneywaslong，butinwell-knownwaters。TheypassedbyCephaloniaandtherockof？gilips，andwoodedZacynthus，andSamê，andofallthoseisleshewasthelord，whomtheywerenowsellingintocaptivity。Buthelaystill，breathingheavily，andhestirredbutonce——thatwaswhentheynearedZacynthus。Thenhestrainedhisheadroundwithamightystrain，andhesawthesungodownupontheheightsofrockyIthaca，forthatlasttimeofall。
Sotheswiftshipranalongthecoast，slippingbyforgottentowns。
PasttheEchineanisles，andtheElianshore，andpleasantEirenetheysped，anditwasduskeretheyreachedDorion。DeepnighthadfallenwhentheyranbyPylos；andthelightofthefiresinthehallofPisistratus，thesonofNestortheOld，shoneoutacrossthesandysea-coastandthesea。ButwhentheywerecomenearMalea，thesouthernmostpointofland，wheretwoseasmeet，therethestormsnatchedthem，anddrovethemeversouthwards，beyondCrete，towardsthemouthoftheNile。Theyscuddedlongbeforethestorm-wind，losingtheirreckoning，andrushingbyislandtemplesthatshowedlikeghoststhroughthemist，andpasthavenswhichtheycouldnotwin。Ontheyfled，andthemenwouldgladlyhavelightenedtheshipbycastingthecargooverboard；butthecaptainwatchedthehatcheswithaswordandtwobronze-tippedspearsinhishand。Hewouldsinkorswimwiththeship；hewouldgodownwithhistreasure，orreachSidon，theCityofFlowers，andbuildawhitehouseamongthepalmsbythewatersofBostren，andnevertrytheseaagain。
Soheswore；andhewouldnotletthemcasttheWandereroverboard，astheydesired，becausehehadbroughtbadluck。“HeshallbringagoodpriceinTanis，“criedthecaptain。Andatlastthestormabated，andtheSidonianstookheart，andweregladlikemenescapedfromdeath；
sotheysacrificedandpouredforthwinebeforethedwarf-godsontheprowoftheirvessel，andburnedincenseontheirlittlealtar。Intheirmirth，andtomocktheWanderer，theyhunghisswordandhisshieldagainstthemast，andhisquiverandhisbowtheyarrayedinthefashionofatrophy；andtheymockedhim，believingthatheknewnowordoftheirspeech。Butheknewitwell，asheknewthespeechofthepeopleofEgypt；forhehadseenthecitiesofmanymen，andhadspokenwithcaptainsandmercenariesfrommanyalandinthegreatwars。
TheSidonians，however，jibedandspokefreelybeforehim，sayinghowtheywereboundfortherichcityofTanis，onthebanksoftheRiverofEgypt，andhowthecaptainwasmindedtopayhistolltoPharaohwiththebodyandthearmouroftheWanderer。Thathemightseemthecomelier，andagiftmorefitforaking，thesailorsslackenedhisbondsalittle，andbroughthimdriedmeatandwine，andheatetillhisstrengthreturnedtohim。Thenheentreatedthembysignstoloosenthecordthatboundhislegs；forindeedhislimbsweredeadthroughthestrengthofthebonds，andhisarmourwaseatingintohisflesh。Athisprayertheytooksomepityofhimandloosenedhisbondsagain，andhelayuponhisback，movinghislegstoandfrotillhisstrengthcameback。
Sotheysailedsouthwardever，throughsmoothwatersandpasttheislandsthatlielikewater-liliesinthemidlandsea。Manyastrangesighttheysaw:vesselsbearingslaves，whosesighingmightbeheardabovethesighingofwindandwater——youngmenandmaidensofIoniaandAchaia，stolenbyslave-tradersintobondage；nowtheywouldtouchatthewhitehavensofapeacefulcity；andagaintheywouldwatchasmokeonthesea-lineallday，risingblackintotheheavens；butbynightfallthesmokewouldchangetoagreatroaringfirefromthebeaconsofabeleagueredislandtown；thefirewouldblazeonthemastsoftheshipsofthebesiegers，andshowblood-redontheirsails，andglitteronthegildedshieldsthatlinedthebulwarksoftheirships。ButtheSidoniansspedontill，onenight，theyanchoredoffalittleislethatliesoveragainstthemouthoftheNile。
Beneaththisisletheymooredtheship，andslept，mostofthem，ashore。
ThentheWandererbegantoplotawaytoescape，thoughtheenterpriseseemeddesperateenough。Hewaslyinginthedarknessofthehold，sleeplessandsorewithhisbonds，whilehisguardwatchedunderanawninginthemoonlightonthedeck。Theydreamedsolittleofhisescapingthattheyvisitedhimonlybywatches，nowandagain；and，asitchanced，themanwhoseturnitwastoseethatallwaswellfellasleep。Manyathoughtwentthroughtheprisoner’smind，andnowitseemedtohimthatthevisionoftheGoddesswasonlyavisionofsleep，whichcame，astheysaid，throughthefalseGatesofIvory，andnotthroughtheGatesofHorn。Sohewastoliveinslaveryafterall，akingnolonger，butacaptive，toilingintheEgyptianminesofSinai，orasoldieratapalacegate，tillhedied。Thushebrooded，tilloutofthestillnesscameathin，faint，thrillingsoundfromthebowthathungagainstthemastoverhishead，thebowthatheneverthoughttostringagain。Therewasanoiseofasingingofthebowandofthestring，andthewordlesssongshapeditselfthusintheheartoftheWanderer:
Lo！thehourisnighAndthetimetosmite，WhenthefoeshallflyFromthearrow’sflight！
Letthebronzebitedeep！
Letthewar-birdsflyUponthemthatsleepAndareripetodie！
ShrillandlowDothegreyshaftssingTheSongoftheBow，Thesoundofthestring！
Thenthelowmusicdiedintothesilence，andtheWandererknewthatthenextsunwouldnotsetonthedayofslavery，andthathisrevengewasnear。Hisbondswouldbenobarriertohisvengeance；theywouldbreaklikeburnttow，heknew，inthefireofhisanger。Longsince，inhisolddaysofwandering，Calypso，hislove，hadtaughthiminthesummerleisureofhersea-girtislehowtotietheknotsthatnomancoulduntie，andtoundoalltheknotsthatmencanbind。Herememberedthislessoninthenightwhenthebowsangofwar。Sohethoughtnomoreofsleeping，butcunninglyandswiftlyunknottedallthecordsandthebondswhichboundhimtoabarofironinthehold。
Hemighthaveescapednow，perhaps，ifhehadstolenondeckwithoutwakingtheguards，divedthenceandswamunderwatertowardstheisland，wherehemighthavehiddenhimselfinthebush。Buthedesiredrevengenolessthanfreedom，andhadsethisheartoncominginashipofhisown，andwithallthegreattreasureoftheSidonians，beforetheEgyptianKing。
Withthisinhismind，hedidnotthrowoffthecords，butletthemlieonhisarmsandlegsandabouthisbody，asiftheywerestilltiedfast。Buthefoughtagainstsleep，lestinmovingwhenhewokehemightrevealthetrick，andbeboundagain。Sohelayandwaited，andinthemorningthesailorscameonboard，andmockedathimagain。Inhismirthoneofthementookadishofmeatandoflentils，andsetitalittleoutoftheWanderer’sreachashelaybound，andsaidinthePh？niciantongue:
“Mightylord，artthousomegodofJavan“(forsotheSidonianscalledtheAch？ans)，“andwiltthoudeigntotasteoursacrifice？Isnotthesavoursweetinthenostrilsofmylord？Whywillhenotputforthhishandtotouchouroffering？“
ThentheheartofOdysseusmutteredsullenlywithinhim，inwrathattheinsolenceoftheman。Butheconstrainedhimselfandsmiled，andsaid:
“Wiltthounotbringthemessaverylittlenearer，myfriend，thatI
maysmellthesweetincenseofthesacrifice？“
