These, when they had eaten, said that they would not sail any more
over the sea; which, when the wise Ulysses heard, he bade their comrades
bind them and carry them, sadly complaining, to the ships.
Then, the wind having abated, they took to their oars, and rowed for
many days till they came to the country where the Cyclopes 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 the 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. And the next day they
hunted the wild goats, of which there was great store on the island, and
feasted right merrily on what they caught, with draughts of red wine
which they had carried off from the town of the Ciconians.
But on the morrow, Ulysses, for he was ever fond of adventure, and would
know of every land to which he came what manner of men they were that
dwelt there, took one of his twelve ships and bade row to the land.
There was a great hill sloping to the shore, and there rose up here and
there a smoke from the caves where the Cyclopes dwelt apart, holding no
converse with each other, for they were a rude and savage folk, but
ruled each his own household, not caring for others.
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