The Odyssey

Synthesis

The seat of the gods, standing fast forever. Not shaken by winds, nor wet with rain, nor does snow come near; most clear air is spread about it cloudless, and white light floats over it.

Synthesis

A rugged isle, not fit for driving horses, but a good nurse of noble youths. It lies low, furthest up the sea-line toward the darkness. It has a mountain Neriton with trembling forest leaves. There is a haven of Phorcys with two headlands of sheer cliff, a long-leaved olive tree, a pleasant cave sacred to the Naiads with mixing bowls and jars of stone, great looms of stone, and waters welling evermore. The cave has two gates: one toward the North Wind for men, the other toward the South for the gods.

Synthesis

A woodland isle, where is the navel of the sea. A goddess has her habitation there, in a great cave. On the hearth a great fire burning, fragrance of cleft cedar and sandal wood. The nymph sings with a sweet voice as she fares to and fro before the loom, weaving with a shuttle of gold. Round about the cave a wood blossoming, alder and poplar and sweet-smelling cypress. Birds roost there: owls, falcons, and chattering sea-crows. A gadding garden vine trails about the hollow cave, rich with clusters. Four fountains set orderly run with clear water, hard by one another. All around soft meadows bloom of violets and parsley.

Synthesis

The land of the Phaeacians, far off from men that live by bread. A city with a high wall and towers, a fair haven on either side of the town, narrow entrance, curved ships drawn up on either hand of the mole. There is a place of assembly about the goodly temple of Poseidon, furnished with heavy stones deep bedded in the earth. The palace of Alcinous has a gleam as of sun or moon through the high-roofed hall. Brazen walls with a frieze of blue, golden doors, silver door-posts and lintel, golden hounds and silver on either side. Within are seats arrayed against the wall with light coverings. Youths fashioned in gold stand on firm-set bases with flaming torches. Fifty handmaids in the house. Outside the courtyard is a great garden with tall trees blossoming: pear-trees, pomegranates, apple-trees, sweet figs, olives. The fruit never perishes. A fruitful vineyard with one part drying, other grapes gathering, others treading. All manner of garden beds, two fountains of water.

Synthesis

The stablished castle of Neleus. The people do sacrifice on the sea shore, slaying black bulls to Poseidon. Nine companies, five hundred men in each, nine bulls ready to hand. The palace of Nestor has a lofty house, echoing gallery, inmost chamber. Before the lofty doors are smooth stones, polished, white and glistening, where Neleus sat of old.

Synthesis

Lacedaemon lying low among the caverned hills. The palace of Menelaus has a great vaulted hall, gleaming with bronze, gold, amber, silver, and ivory. There is a gleam as of sun or moon through the lofty palace.

Synthesis

The sacred citadel of Troy, a steep city. The wide-wayed city of the Trojans. The burg of king Priam.

Synthesis

The city of the Cicones, sacked by Odysseus. There is a thick grove of Phoebus Apollo where the priest Maron dwells.

Synthesis

A land where the people eat a flowery food, the lotus.

Synthesis

A froward and lawless folk. They dwell in hollow caves on the crests of high hills. Near their land is a waste isle with wild goats, a woodland isle, with soft water meadows, vines, level ploughland, a fair haven with a well of bright water issuing from a cave, and poplars growing round it.

Synthesis

A cave on the border near the sea, lofty and roofed over with laurels. About it a high outer court built with stones deep bedded, with tall pines and oaks. Inside, baskets laden with cheeses, folds thronged with lambs and kids, vessels swimming with whey. A huge doorstone weighty, such as two and twenty good four-wheeled wains could not raise from the ground.

Synthesis

A floating island, with a wall of bronze unbroken, and the cliff runs up sheer from the sea. The house of Aeolus is full of the savour of feasting.

Synthesis

A steep stronghold. A fair haven with a steep cliff unbroken on both sides, jutting headlands over against each other at the mouth, strait entrance. The city has a level road whereby wains draw wood from the high hills. There is a clear-flowing spring Artacia.

Synthesis

An island where Circe dwells. Her halls are builded of polished stone, in a place with wide prospect. Around the palace mountain-bred wolves and lions roam, bewitched by Circe. Inside, Circe sings as she fares to and fro before a great web imperishable. The house has a roof, a tall ladder, and a housetop.

Synthesis

The dwelling of Hades and dread Persephone. There is a waste shore and the groves of Persephone, tall poplar trees and willows that shed their fruit before the season. Thereby into Acheron flows Pyriphlegethon and Cocytus, a branch of the water of the Styx. There is a rock and the meeting of the two roaring waters. The mead of asphodel where the souls dwell.

Synthesis

An island where are the many kine of Helios and his brave flocks, seven herds of kine and as many goodly flocks of sheep, fifty in each. The cattle are tended by the nymphs Phaethusa and Lampetie.

Synthesis

An island where the Sirens sit in a meadow, and all about is a great heap of bones of men, corrupt in death, and round the bones the skin is wasting.

Synthesis

A rock that reaches with sharp peak to the wide heaven, a dark cloud encompasses it. It is smooth and sheer, as it were polished. In the midst of the cliff is a dim cave turned to Erebus, towards the place of darkness. Scylla dwells therein, with twelve feet, six necks, each with a hideous head and three rows of teeth.

Synthesis

A cliff lower than Scylla's, with a great fig-tree growing in fullest leaf. Beneath it, Charybdis sucks down black water, thrice a day she spouts it forth and thrice sucks it down.

Synthesis

An island in the wash of the waves over against Aegyptus, within one day's voyage of a hollow ship. There is a good haven, whence men launch gallant ships into the deep.

Synthesis

The river Aegyptus (Nile), a heaven-fed stream. The land of Egypt, where earth yields herbs in greatest plenty, many healing and many baneful. Thebes of Egypt, where is the chiefest store of wealth in the houses.

Synthesis

A pleasant cave and shadowy, sacred to the nymphs that are called the Naiads. Therein are mixing bowls and jars of stone, bees hive there, great looms of stone whereon the nymphs weave raiment of purple stain, waters welling evermore. Two gates: one toward the North Wind for men, the other toward the South for the gods.

Synthesis

A great court and fair, with free range round it, builded by the swineherd himself with stones from the quarry, coped with a fence of white thorn, split oak to the dark core, stakes driven the whole length on either side. Within the courtyard are twelve styes hard by one another, each stye holding fifty grovelling swine. The boars sleep without. Four dogs, as fierce as wild beasts, lie by them. The steading has a vestibule, an inner room, and a hearth.

Synthesis

A fair-lying house with a high-roofed hall, shadowy halls, a court with a great wall and battlements, well-fenced folding doors. There is a threshold of stone, a doorway with a pillar of cypress wood. Within are polished seats, high seats, tables, mixing bowls, golden cups. There is a treasure-chamber where gold and bronze lie piled, raiment in coffers, fragrant olive oil, casks of sweet wine. There is an upper chamber where Penelope weaves. There is a bridal chamber built around a living olive tree, with a bedpost fashioned from the trunk, inlaid with gold, silver, and ivory.

Synthesis

A rich and well-ordered farm land, with a house and huts for thralls. There is a terraced vineyard, a great garden with pear-trees, apple-trees, figs, and vines.