On this account, then, does earth-shaking Neptune not kill Ulysses, but causes him to wander from his native land. But come, let all of us contrive his return, in what way he may come, and Neptune remit his anger; for he will not indeed be able against the will of all the immortal gods, to contend alone against all.
Then the blue-eyed goddess Minerva answered him: "O father mine, thou son of Saturn, highest of kings, if indeed then this is grateful to the blessed gods that prudent Ulysses should return home, let us immediately despatch the messenger[1] Mercury, the slayer of Argus, to the island Ogygia, that he may with all haste declare to the fair-haired nymph our unerring counsel, the return of patient Ulysses, that he may return home. But I will go to Ithaca, that I may rouse his son more, and give strength to his mind, calling the long-haired Grecians to an assembly, to forbid all the suitors, who are continually killing his tender sheep, and curved-footed, crooked-horned oxen. And I will send him to Sparta and to sandy Pylos, to inquire for the return of his dear father, if he can any where hear of him, and that a good reputation amongst men may fall to his lot."
Thus having spoken, she bound under her feet her sandals, beautiful, ambrosial,[2] golden, which bore her both over the moist wave, and over the boundless earth, equally with[3] the gales of the wind. And she took a doughty spear, tipped with sharp brass, heavy, large, thick, with which she subdues the ranks of heroes, against whom she, born of a brave sire, is wrath. And she went darting down from the summit of Olympus, and stood amongst the people of Ithaca, at the portico of Ulysses, at the threshold of the hall; and in her hand she held a brazen spear, likened to a stranger Mentes, the governor of the Taphians. There she found the haughty suitors; some then were delighting their mind before the gates with drafts,[4]
- ↑ The most natural derivation of διάκτορος is from διάγω, "transveho," alluding to Mercury's office of escorting the dead to Hades. Buttman, however, is inclined to consider it as akin to διάκονος = "servant of the gods." So Mercury is called δαιμόνων διάκονος by Æsch. Prom. 942. So Horace, "te canam, magni Jovis et deorûm nuntium." Loewe inclines to the former of these opinions.
- ↑ i. e. immortal. Cf. Buttmann, Lex. p. 80, sq.
- ↑ "Rapido pariter cum flamine portant." Virg. Æn. iv. 241.
- ↑ See Liddell's Lexicon. It appears from Athenæus that the chief fun
