The Song That Promises Everything (Homer’s The Odyssey, Book 12 – Part 6)

Music Music Thus I rehearsed these things one and all, and declared them to my company.

Meanwhile, our good ship quickly came to the island of the Siren's Twain, for a gentle breeze sped her on her way.

Then straightway the wind ceased, and lo, there was a windless calm, and some god lulled the waves.

Then my company rose up and drew in the ship's sails, and stowed them in the hold of the ship, while they sat at the oars and whitened the water with their polished pine blades.

But I, with my sharp sword, cleft in pieces a great circle of wax, and with my strong hands kneaded it.

And soon the wax grew warm, for that my great might constrained it, and the beam of the Lord Helios, son of Hyperion.

And I anointed therewith the ears of all my men in their order.

And in the ship they bound me hand and foot upright in the mast head, and from the mast they fastened the rope ends and themselves sat down.

and smote the grey water with their oars.

But when the ship was within the sound of a man's shout from the land, we fleeing swiftly on our way, the sirens espied the swift ship speeding toward them, and they raised their clear-toned song.

"'Hither, come hither, renowned Odysseus, great glory of the Achaeans!' Here stay thy bark, that thou mayest listen to the voice of us twain, for none hath ever driven by this way in his black ship, till he hath heard from our lips the voice sweet as the honeycomb, and hath had joy thereof, and gone on his way the wiser.

For lo, we know all things, all the travail that in wide Troyland the Argives and Trojans bear by the gods' designs.

Yea, and we know all that shall thereafter be upon the fruitful earth.