But scarcely had that island

faded in blue air than I saw smoke

and white water, with sound of waves in tumult—

a sound the men heard, and it terrified them.

Oars flew from their hands; the blades went knocking

wild alongside till the ship lost way,

with no oarblades to drive her through the water.

 

Well, I walked up and down from bow to stern,

trying to put heart into them, standing over

every oarsman, saying gently,

‘Friends,  

have we never been in danger before this?

More fearsome, is it now, than when the Cyclops

penned us in his cave? What power he had!

Did I not keep my nerve, and use my wits

to find a way out for us?

 

Now I say

by hook or crook this peril too shall be

something that we remember.

 

Heads up, lads!

We must obey the orders as I give them.

Get the oarshafts in your hands, and lay back

hard on your benches; hit these breaking seas.  

Zeus help us pull away before we founder.

You at the tiller, listen, and take in

all that I say—the rudders are your duty;

keep her out of the combers and the smoke;

steer for that headland; watch the drift, or we

fetch up in the smother, and you drown us.’

 

That was all, and it brought them round to action.

But as I sent them on toward Skylla (Sil-la), I

told them nothing, as they could do nothing.

They would have dropped their oars again, in panic, 

to roll for cover under the decking. Circe's

bidding against arms had slipped my mind,

so I tied on my cuirass and took up

two heavy spears, then made my way along

to the foredeck—thinking to see her first from there,

the monster of the grey rock, harboring

torment for my friends. I strained my eyes

upon that cliffside veiled in cloud, but nowhere

could I catch sight of her.

 

And all this time,

in travail, sobbing, gaining on the current,  

we rowed into the strait—Skylla to port

and on our starboard beam Charybdis (Car-ib-dis) dire

gorge of the salt sea tide. By heaven! when [Charybdis]

vomited, all the sea was like a cauldron

seething over intense fire, when the mixture

suddenly heaves and rises.

 

The shot spume

soared to the landside heights, and fell like rain.

 

But when she swallowed the sea water down

we saw the funnel of the maelstrom, heard

the rock bellowing all around, and dark  

sand raged on the bottom far below.

My men all blanched against the gloom, our eyes

were fixed upon that yawning mouth in fear

of being devoured.

 

Then Skylla made her strike,

whisking six of my best men from the ship.

I happened to glance aft at ship and oarsmen

and caught sight of their arms and legs, dangling

high overhead. Voices came down to me

in anguish, calling my name for the last time.

​

She ate them as they shrieked there, in her den,

in the dire grapple, reaching still for me—

and deathly pity ran me through

at that sight—far the worst I ever suffered,

questing the passes of the strange sea.

 

We rowed on.  

The Rocks were now behind; Charybdis, too,

and Skylla dropped astern.