Grecians. He was inflamed with a desire of seeing again, after a ten
years' absence, his wife and native country, Ithaca. He was king of a
barren spot, and a poor country in comparison of the fruitful plains of
Asia, which he was leaving, or the wealthy kingdoms which he touched upon
in his return; yet, wherever he came, he could never see a soil which
appeared in his eyes half so sweet or desirable as his country earth. This
made him refuse the offers of the goddess Calypso to stay with her, and
partake of her immortality in the delightful island; and this gave him
strength to break from the enchantments of Circe, the daughter of the Sun.

From Troy, ill winds cast Ulysses and his fleet upon the coast of the
Cicons, a people hostile to the Grecians. Landing his forces, he laid
siege to their chief city, Ismarus, which he took, and with it much spoil,
and slew many people. But success proved fatal to him; for his soldiers,
elated with the spoil, and the good store of provisions which they found
in that place, fell to eating and drinking, forgetful of their safety,
till the Cicons, who inhabited the coast, had time to assemble their
friends and allies from the interior; who, mustering in prodigious force,
set upon the Grecians, while they negligently revelled and feasted, and
slew many of them, and recovered the spoil. They, dispirited and thinned
in their numbers, with difficulty made their retreat good to the ships.

Thence they set sail, sad at heart, yet something cheered that with such
fearful odds against them they had not all been utterly destroyed. A
dreadful tempest ensued, which for two nights and two days tossed them
about, but the third day the weather cleared, and they had hopes of a
favourable gale to carry them to Ithaca; but, as they doubled the Cape of
Malea, suddenly a north wind arising drove them back as far as Cythera.
After that, for the space of nine days, contrary winds continued to drive
them in an opposite direction to the point to which they were bound, and