“Wanderer，weowetheegreatthanks，andIwouldgladlyknowtowhomweareindebtforthepricesofourlives，“shesaid。“Tellmeofthybirth，ofthyfather’shouse，andofthelandsthatthouhastseenandthewarswhereinthouhastfought。TellmealsoofthesackofIlios，andhowthoucamestbythygoldenmail。TheunhappyParisworesucharmsasthese，iftheminstreloftheNorthsangtruth。“
Now，theWandererwouldgladlyhavecursedthisminstreloftheNorthandhissongs。
“Minstrelswillbelying，Lady，“hesaid，“andtheygatheroldtaleswherevertheygo。Parismayhavewornmyarms，oranotherman。I
boughtthemfromachapmaninCrete，andaskednothingoftheirfirstmaster。AsforIlios，Ifoughtthereinmyyouth，andservedtheCretanIdomeneus，butIgotlittlebooty。TotheKingthewealthandwomen，tousthesword-strokes。Suchistheappearanceofwar。“
Meriamunlistenedtohistale，whichhesetforthroughly，asifheweresomeblunt，grumblingswordsman，anddarklyshelookedonhimwhileshehearkened，anddarklyshesmiledasshelooked。
“Astrangestory，Eperitus，astrangestorytruly。Nowtellmethus。
Howcamestthoubyyondergreatbow，thebowoftheswallowstring？Ifmyminstrelspoketruly，itwasoncetheBowofEurytusof？chalia。“
NowtheWandererglancedroundhimlikeamantakeninambush，whoseesoneveryhandtheswordoffoesshineupintothesunlight。
“Thebow，Lady？“heansweredreadilyenough。“Igotitstrangely。I
wascruisingwithacargoofirononthewesterncoastandlandedonanisle，methinksthepilotcalleditIthaca。Therewefoundnothingbutdeath；apestilencehadbeenintheland，butinaruinedhallthisbowwaslying，andImadeprizeofit。Agoodbow！“
“Astrangestory，truly——averystrangestory，“quothMeriamuntheQueen。“BychancethoudidstbuythearmourofParis，bychancethoudidstfindthebowofEurytus，thatbow，methinks，withwhichthegod-
likeOdysseusslewthewooersinhishalls。Knowestthou，Eperitus，thatwhenthoustoodestyonderontheboardinthePlaceofBanquets，whenthegreatbowtwangedandthelongshaftshaileddownonthehallandloosenedthekneesofmany，notalittlewasIputinmindofthesongoftheslayingofthewooersatthehandsofOdysseus。ThefameofOdysseushaswanderedfar——ay，eventoKhem。“Andshelookedstraightathim。
TheWandererdarkenedhisfaceandputthematterby。Hehadheardsomethingofthattale，hesaid，butdeemeditaminstrel’sfeigning。
Onemancouldnotfightahundred，asthestorywent。
TheQueenhalfrosefromthecouchwhereshelaycurleduplikeaglitteringsnake。Likeasnakesheroseandwatchedhimwithhermelancholyeyes。
“Strange，indeed——moststrangethatOdysseus，Laertes’son，OdysseusofIthaca，shouldnotknowthetaleoftheslayingofthewooersbyOdysseus’self。Strange，indeed，thouEperitus，whoartOdysseus。“
NowtheneckoftheWandererwasinthenoose，andwellheknewit:
yethekepthiscounsel，andlookeduponhervacantly。
“MensaythatthisOdysseuswanderedyearsagointotheNorth，andthatthistimehewillnotcomeagain。Isawhiminthewars，andhewasatallermanthanI，“saidtheWanderer。
“Ihavealwaysheard，“saidtheQueen，“thatOdysseuswasdouble-
tonguedandcraftyasafox。Lookmeintheeyes，thouWanderer，lookmeintheeyes，andIwillshowtheewhetherornotthouartOdysseus，“andsheleanedforwardsothatherhairwell-nighswepthisbrow，andgazeddeepintohiseyes。
NowtheWandererwasashamedtodrophiseyesbeforeawoman’s，andhecouldnotriseandgo；sohemustneedsgaze，andashegazedhisheadgrewstrangelylightandthebloodquiveredinhisveins，andthenseemedtostop。
“Nowturn，thouWanderer，“saidthevoiceoftheQueen，andtohimitsoundedfaraway，asiftherewasawallbetweenthem，“andtellmewhatthouseest。“
Soheturnedandlookedtowardsthedarkendofthechamber。Butpresentlythroughthedarknessstoleafaintlight，likethefirstgreylightofthedawn，andnowhesawashape，liketheshapeofagreathorseofwood，andbehindthehorsewereblacksquaretowersofhugestones，andgates，andwalls，andhouses。Nowhesawadooropeninthesideofthehorse，andthehelmetedheadofamanlookoutwearily。Ashelookedagreatwhitestarsliddowntheskysothatthelightofitrestedonthefaceoftheman，andthatfacewashisown！
ThenherememberedhowhehadlookedforthfromthebellyofthewoodenhorseasitstoodwithinthewallsofIlios，andthusthestarhadseemedtofalluponthedoomedcity，anomenoftheendofTroy。
“Lookagain，“saidthevoiceofMeriamunfromfaraway。
Sooncemorehelookedintothedarkness，andtherehesawthemouthofacave，andbeneathtwopalmsinfrontofitsatamanandawoman。
Theyellowmoonroseanditslightfelluponasleepingsea，upontalltrees，uponthecave，andthetwowhosatthere。Thewomanwaslovely，withbraidedhair，andcladinashiningrobe，andhereyesweredimwithtearsthatshemightnevershed:forshewasaGoddess，Calypso，thedaughterofAtlas。Theninthevisionthemanlookedup，andhisfacewasweary，andwornandsickforhome，butitwashisownface。
ThenherememberedhowhehadsatthusatthesideofCalypsoofthebraidedtresses，onthatlastnightofallhisnightsinherwave-girtisle，thecentreoftheseas。
“Lookoncemore，“saidthevoiceofMeriamuntheQueen。
Againhelookedintothedarkness。TherebeforehimgrewtheruinsofhisownhallinIthaca，andinthecourtyardbeforethehallwasaheapofashes，andthecharredbonesofmen。Beforetheheaplaythefigureofonelostinsorrow，forhislimbswrithedupontheground。
Anonthemanliftedhisface，andbehold！theWandererknewthatitwashisownface。
Thenofasuddenthegloompassedawayfromthechamber，andoncemorehisbloodsurgedthroughhisveins，andtherebeforehimsatMeriamuntheQueen，smilingdarkly。
“Strangesightshastthouseen，isitnotso，Wanderer？“shesaid。
“Yea，Queen，themoststrangeofsights。Tellmeofthycourtesyhowthoudidstconjurethembeforemyeyes。“
“BythemagicthatIhave，Eperitus，IaboveallwizardswhodwellinKhem，themagicwherebyIcanreadallthepastofthose——Ilove，“andagainshelookeduponhim；“ay，andcallitforthfromthestorehouseofdeadtimeandmakeitliveagain。Say，whosefacewasitthatthoudidstlookupon——wasitnotthefaceofOdysseusofIthaca，Laertes’
son，andwasnotthatfacethine？“
NowtheWanderersawthattherewasnoescape。Thereforehespokethetruth，notbecausehelovedit，butbecausehemust。
“ThefaceofOdysseusofIthacaitwasthatIsawbeforeme，Lady，andthatfaceismine。IavowmyselftobeOdysseus，Laertes’son，andnootherman。“
TheQueenlaughedaloud。“Greatmustbemystrengthofmagic，“shesaid，“foritcanstriptheguilefromthesubtlestofmen。
Henceforth，Odysseus，thouwiltknowthattheeyesofMeriamuntheQueenseefar。Nowtellmetruly:whatcamestthouhithertoseek？“
TheWanderertookswiftcounselwithhimself。RememberingthatdreamofMeriamunofwhichReithePriesthadtoldhim，andwhichsheknewnotthathehadlearned，thedreamthatshowedherthevisionofonewhomshemustlove，andrememberingthewordofthedeadHataska，hegrewafraid。Forhesawwellbythetokenofthespearpointthathewasthemanofherdream，andthatsheknewit。Buthecouldnotacceptherlove，bothbecauseofhisoathtoPharaohandbecauseofherwhomAphroditehadshowntohiminIthaca，herwhomalonehemustseek，theHeart’sDesire，theGoldenHelen。
Thestraitwasdesperate，betweenabrokenoathandawomanscorned。
Buthefearedhisoath，andtheangerofZeus，theGodofhostsandguests。Sohesoughtsafetybeneaththewingsoftruth。
“Lady，“hesaid，“Iwilltelltheeall！IcametoIthacafromthewhitenorth，whereacursehaddrivenme；Icameandfoundmyhallsdesolate，andmypeopledead，andtheveryashesofmywife。ButinadreamofthenightIsawtheGoddesswhomIhaveworshippedlittle，AphroditeofIdalia，whominthislandyenameHathor，andshebademegoforthanddoherwill。AndforrewardshepromisedmethatIshouldfindonewhowaitedmetobemydeathlesslove。“
Meriamunheardhimsofar，butnofurther，forofthisshemadesure，that/she/wasthewomanwhomAphroditehadpromisedtotheWanderer。
Erehemightspeakanotherwordsheglidedtohimlikeasnake，andlikeasnakecurledherselfabouthim。Thenshespokesolowthatheratherknewherthoughtthanheardherwords:
“Wasitindeedso，Odysseus？DidtheGoddessindeedsendtheetoseekmeout？Know，then，thatnottotheealonedidshespeak。Ialsolookedforthee。IalsowaitedthecomingofonewhomIshouldlove。
Oh，heavyhavebeenthedays，andemptywasmyheart，andsorelythroughtheyearshaveIlongedforhimwhoshouldbebroughttome。
Andnowatlengthitisdone，nowatlengthIseehimwhominmydreamIsaw，“andsheliftedherlipstothelipsoftheWanderer，andherheart，andhereyes，andherlipssaid“Love。“
