Odysseus Pray tell us, sirs, of some river-spring whence we might draw a draught to slake our thirst, or of someone willing to sell victuals to mariners in need. Why, what is this? We seem to have chanced upon a city of the Bromian god; here by the caves I see a group of Satyrs. To the eldest first I bid All hail!
Silenus All hail, sir! tell me who thou art, and name thy country.
Odysseus Odysseus of Ithaca, king of the Cephallenians’ land.
Silenus I know him for a prating knave, one of Sisyphus’ shrewd offspring.
Odysseus I am the man; abuse me not.
Silenus Whence hast thou sailed hither to Sicily?
Odysseus From Ilium and the toils of Troy.
Silenus How was that? didst thou not know the passage to thy native land?
Odysseus Tempestuous winds drove me hither against my will.
Silenus God wot! thou art in the same plight as I am.
Odysseus Why, wert thou too drifted hither against thy will?
Silenus I was, as I pursued the pirates who carried Bromius off.
Odysseus What land is this and who are its inhabitants?
Silenus This is mount Aetna, the highest point in Sicily.
Odysseus But where are the city-walls and ramparts?
Silenus There are none; the headlands, sir, are void of men.
Odysseus Who then possess the land? the race of wild creatures?
Silenus The Cyclopes, who have caves, not roofed houses.
Odysseus Obedient unto whom? or is the power in the people’s hands?
Silenus They are rovers; no man obeys another in anything.
Odysseus Do they sow Demeter’s grain, or on what do they live?
Silenus On milk and cheese and flesh of sheep.
Odysseus Have they the drink of Bromius, the juice of the vine?
Silenus No indeed! and thus it is a joyless land they dwell in.
Odysseus Are they hospitable and reverent towards strangers?
Silenus Strangers, they say, supply the daintiest meat.
Odysseus What, do they delight in killing men and eating them?
Silenus No one has ever arrived here without being butchered.
Odysseus Where is the Cyclops himself? inside his dwelling?
Silenus He is gone hunting wild beasts with hounds on Aetna.
Odysseus Dost know then what to do, that we may be gone from the land?
Silenus Not I, Odysseus; but I would do anything for thee.
Odysseus Sell us food, of which we are in need.
Silenus There is nothing but flesh, as I said.
Odysseus Well, even that is a pleasant preventive of hunger.
Silenus And there is cheese curdled with fig-juice, and the milk of kine.
Odysseus Bring them out; a man should see his purchases.
Silenus But tell me, how much gold wilt thou give me in exchange?
Odysseus No gold bring I, but Dionysus’ drink.
Silenus Most welcome words! I have long been wanting that.
Odysseus Yes, it was Maron, the god’s son, who gave me a draught.
Silenus What! Maron whom once I dandled in these arms?
Odysseus The son of the Bacchic god, that thou mayst learn more certainly.
Silenus Is it inside the ship, or hast thou it with thee?
Odysseus This, as thou seest, is the skin that holds it, old sir.
Silenus Why, that would not give me so much as a mouthful.
Odysseus This, and twice as much again as will run from the skin.
Silenus Fair the rill thou speakest of, delicious to me.
Odysseus Shall I let thee taste the wine unmixed, to start with?
Silenus A reasonable offer; for of a truth a taste invites the purchase.
Odysseus Well, I haul about a cup as well as the skin.
Silenus Come, let it gurgle in, that I may revive my memory by a pull at it.
Odysseus There then!
Silenus Ye gods! what a delicious scent it has!
Odysseus What! didst thou see it?
Silenus No, i’ faith, but I smell it.
Odysseus Taste it then, that thy approval may not stop at words.
Silenus Zounds! Bacchus is inviting me to dance; ha! ha!
Odysseus Did it not gurgle finely down thy throttle?
Silenus Aye that it did, to the ends of my fingers.
Odysseus Well, we will give thee money besides.
Silenus Only undo the skin, and never mind the money.
Odysseus Bring out the cheeses then and lambs.
Cite This Text