For nine days did the wind carry us before it.

"And on the tenth day we came to the land where the lotus grows--a
wondrous fruit, for whoever eats of it cares not to see country or
wife or children again. Now the Lotus-eaters, for so the people of
the land are called, were a kindly folk, and gave of the fruit to
some of the sailors, not meaning them any harm, but thinking it to
be the best that they had to give. These, when they had eaten,
said that they would not sail any more over the sea; and, when I
heard this, I bade their comrades bind them and carry them, sadly
complaining, to the ships.

"Then, the wind having abated, we took to our oars, and rowed for
many days till we came to the country where the Cyclopes
[Footnote: Cy-clo'-pes.] dwell. Now a mile or so from the shore
there was an island, very fair and fertile, but no man dwells
there or tills the soil, and in the island a harbour where a ship
may be safe from all winds, and at the head of the harbour a
stream falling from a rock, and whispering alders all about it.
Into this the ships passed safely, and were hauled up on the
beach, and the crews slept by them, waiting for the morning.

"When the dawn appeared, we wandered through the island; and the
Nymphs of the land started the wild goats, that my company might
have food to eat. Thereupon we took our bows and our spears from
the ships, and shot at the goats; and the gods gave us plenty of
prey. Twelve ships I had in my company, and each ship had nine
goats for its share, and my own portion was ten.

"Then all the day we sat and feasted, drinking sweet wine which we