arance of Odysseus, and at last he is
about to enter the scene, which he will never leave again until the
final act of the great drama is played out. Hitherto he has been
pursued by the malice of Poseidon, who wrecked his fleet, drowned all
his men, and kept him confined for seven years in Calypso's island, in
vengeance for the blinding of his son Polyphemus.

But now the prayers of Athene have prevailed, and Hermes, the
messenger of the gods, is on his way from Olympus, bearing a
peremptory summons to Calypso to let Odysseus depart. Shod with his
golden, winged sandals, which bear him, swift as the wind, over moist
and dry, and holding in his hand his magic wand, Hermes skimmed like a
seagull over the blue waters of the AEgaean, until he came to that far
distant isle. Arrived there, he went straight to the great cavern
where Calypso dwelt; and he found her there, walking about her room,
weaving with a golden shuttle, and singing sweetly at her work. A
great fire was blazing on the hearth, sending forth a sweet odour of
cedar and sandal-wood. Round about the cavern grew a little wood of
blossoming trees, "alder and poplar tall, and cypress sweet of smell";
and there owls and hawks and cormorants built their nests. Over the
threshold was trained a wide-branching vine, with many a purple
cluster and wealth of rustling leaves. Four springs of clear water
welled up before the cave, and wandered down to the meadows where the
violet and parsley grew. It was a choice and cool retreat, meet
dwelling for a lovely nymph.

Calypso greeted her visitor kindly, bade him be seated, and set nectar
and ambrosia before him. And when he had refreshed himself, he told
his message. "I bear the commands of Zeus," he said, "and to do his
high will have I travelled this long and weary way. It is said that
thou keepest with thee a man of many woes, who has suffered more than
any of those who fought at Troy. Him thou art commanded to send away
from thee with all speed; for it is not destined for him to end his
days here, but the hour has come when he must go back to his home and
country, Zeus has spoken, and thou must obey."

This was bitter news to Calypso, for she loved Odysseus, and would
have made him immortal, that he might abide with her for ever. She
wrung her hands, and said in a mournful voice: "Now I know of a truth
that the gods are a jealous race, and will not suffer one of their
kind to wed with a mortal mate. Therefore Orion fel