The Odyssey: Book 12 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABACDEFGHIJKLMNOPQKR STUDVWXYZXA2B2AC2GD2 RTAAE2JAF2ARTG2JH2F2 F2F2GPJI2J2C2K2F2L2T JM2N2O2L2N2L2P2KXQ2D R2F2F2S2T2JJL2L2U2V2 R2UJUAC2W2TR2F2X2Y2Z 2A3ARB3Q2GC3L2JDD3F2 E3GZ2UC2ADF3JF2G3F2H 3PN2L2I3J2AJ3JL2UL2L 2JJJK3L3M3EADN3TDC2O 3AN2TJUP3L2L3Q3GL2R3 QJN3S3T3Q2JL3L3A3L3U 3JL2UHFXABEEF2C2X2JX DGV3JKW3DGL3MU3HL3EG GJL3GB3C2DEGJQJX3L2T UL2L2Y3CL3A3L3Q3C2Z3 A4O3UB4AL3DF2UBQ3U2O 3C4S3CBB4D4E4Q2QHL3T L3V3XGE3F2N3DXJ3C3L3 YF4CQZ2V2JG4H4L3V3L2 UJJS3Q3C2O3U3DXH2GI4 L3JI3EL3I2EUZ2NQ2N3C 2J4N2UF2JUU3L2K4TAL4 JAA3JL3JY3M4LJB4JF2D SS3DQ2JQN4Q2O3GJL2LC 2FGL3O4EJP4Q4K3C2DR4 N2R4JQ3K2JGEYF2C2

After we were clear of the river Oceanus and had got out into	A
the open sea we went on till we reached the Aeaean island where there	B
is dawn and sunrise as in other places We then drew our ship on to	A
the sands and got out of her on to the shore where we went to sleep	C
and waited till day should break	D
Then when the child of morning rosy fingered Dawn appeared I	E
sent some men to Circe's house to fetch the body of Elpenor We cut	F
firewood from a wood where the headland jutted out into the sea and	G
after we had wept over him and lamented him we performed his funeral	H
rites When his body and armour had been burned to ashes we raised	I
a cairn set a stone over it and at the top of the cairn we fixed the	J
oar that he had been used to row with	K
While we were doing all this Circe who knew that we had got	L
back from the house of Hades dressed herself and came to us as fast	M
as she could and her maid servants came with her bringing us bread	N
meat and wine Then she stood in the midst of us and said 'You	O
have done a bold thing in going down alive to the house of Hades	P
and you will have died twice to other people's once now then	Q
stay here for the rest of the day feast your fill and go on with	K
your voyage at daybreak tomorrow morning In the meantime I will	R
tell Ulysses about your course and will explain everything to him	S
so as to prevent your suffering from misadventure either by land or	T
sea '	U
We agreed to do as she had said and feasted through the livelong	D
day to the going down of the sun but when the sun had set and it came	V
on dark the men laid themselves down to sleep by the stern cables	W
of the ship Then Circe took me by the hand and bade me be seated away	X
from the others while she reclined by my side and asked me all	Y
about our adventures	Z
'So far so good ' said she when I had ended my story 'and now pay	X
attention to what I am about to tell you heaven itself indeed	A2
will recall it to your recollection First you will come to the Sirens	B2
who enchant all who come near them If any one unwarily draws in too	A
close and hears the singing of the Sirens his wife and children	C2
will never welcome him home again for they sit in a green field and	G
warble him to death with the sweetness of their song There is a great	D2
heap of dead men's bones lying all around with the flesh still	R
rotting off them Therefore pass these Sirens by and stop your	T
men's ears with wax that none of them may hear but if you like you	A
can listen yourself for you may get the men to bind you as you	A
stand upright on a cross piece half way up the mast and they must	E2
lash the rope's ends to the mast itself that you may have the	J
pleasure of listening If you beg and pray the men to unloose you	A
then they must bind you faster	F2
'When your crew have taken you past these Sirens I cannot give you	A
coherent directions as to which of two courses you are to take I will	R
lay the two alternatives before you and you must consider them for	T
yourself On the one hand there are some overhanging rocks against	G2
which the deep blue waves of Amphitrite beat with terrific fury the	J
blessed gods call these rocks the Wanderers Here not even a bird	H2
may pass no not even the timid doves that bring ambrosia to Father	F2
Jove but the sheer rock always carries off one of them and Father	F2
Jove has to send another to make up their number no ship that ever	F2
yet came to these rocks has got away again but the waves and	G
whirlwinds of fire are freighted with wreckage and with the bodies	P
of dead men The only vessel that ever sailed and got through was the	J
famous Argo on her way from the house of Aetes and she too would have	I2
gone against these great rocks only that Juno piloted her past them	J2
for the love she bore to Jason	C2
'Of these two rocks the one reaches heaven and its peak is lost	K2
in a dark cloud This never leaves it so that the top is never	F2
clear not even in summer and early autumn No man though he had twenty	L2
hands and twenty feet could get a foothold on it and climb it for	T
it runs sheer up as smooth as though it had been polished In the	J
middle of it there is a large cavern looking West and turned	M2
towards Erebus you must take your ship this way but the cave is so	N2
high up that not even the stoutest archer could send an arrow into it	O2
Inside it Scylla sits and yelps with a voice that you might take to be	L2
that of a young hound but in truth she is a dreadful monster and no	N2
one not even a god could face her without being terror struck She	L2
has twelve mis shapen feet and six necks of the most prodigious	P2
length and at the end of each neck she has a frightful head with	K
three rows of teeth in each all set very close together so that they	X
would crunch any one to death in a moment and she sits deep within	Q2
her shady cell thrusting out her heads and peering all round the rock	D
fishing for dolphins or dogfish or any larger monster that she can	R2
catch of the thousands with which Amphitrite teems No ship ever	F2
yet got past her without losing some men for she shoots out all her	F2
heads at once and carries off a man in each mouth	S2
'You will find the other rocks lie lower but they are so close	T2
together that there is not more than a bowshot between them A	J
large fig tree in full leaf grows upon it and under it lies the	J
sucking whirlpool of Charybdis Three times in the day does she	L2
vomit forth her waters and three times she sucks them down again see	L2
that you be not there when she is sucking for if you are Neptune	U2
himself could not save you you must hug the Scylla side and drive	V2
ship by as fast as you can for you had better lose six men than	R2
your whole crew '	U
'Is there no way ' said I 'of escaping Charybdis and at the	J
same time keeping Scylla off when she is trying to harm my men '	U
'You dare devil ' replied the goddess you are always wanting to	A
fight somebody or something you will not let yourself be beaten	C2
even by the immortals For Scylla is not mortal moreover she is	W2
savage extreme rude cruel and invincible There is no help for	T
it your best chance will be to get by her as fast as ever you can	R2
for if you dawdle about her rock while you are putting on your armour	F2
she may catch you with a second cast of her six heads and snap up	X2
another half dozen of your men so drive your ship past her at full	Y2
speed and roar out lustily to Crataiis who is Scylla's dam bad	Z2
luck to her she will then stop her from making a second raid upon	A3
you	A
'You will now come to the Thrinacian island and here you will	R
see many herds of cattle and flocks of sheep belonging to the sun god	B3
seven herds of cattle and seven flocks of sheep with fifty head in	Q2
each flock They do not breed nor do they become fewer in number and	G
they are tended by the goddesses Phaethusa and Lampetie who are	C3
children of the sun god Hyperion by Neaera Their mother when she	L2
had borne them and had done suckling them sent them to the	J
Thrinacian island which was a long way off to live there and look	D
after their father's flocks and herds If you leave these flocks	D3
unharmed and think of nothing but getting home you may yet after	F2
much hardship reach Ithaca but if you harm them then I forewarn	E3
you of the destruction both of your ship and of your comrades and	G
even though you may yourself escape you will return late in bad	Z2
plight after losing all your men '	U
Here she ended and dawn enthroned in gold began to show in heaven	C2
whereon she returned inland I then went on board and told my men to	A
loose the ship from her moorings so they at once got into her took	D
their places and began to smite the grey sea with their oars	F3
Presently the great and cunning goddess Circe befriended us with a	J
fair wind that blew dead aft and stayed steadily with us keeping our	F2
sails well filled so we did whatever wanted doing to the ship's gear	G3
and let her go as wind and helmsman headed her	F2
Then being much troubled in mind I said to my men 'My friends	H3
it is not right that one or two of us alone should know the prophecies	P
that Circe has made me I will therefore tell you about them so	N2
that whether we live or die we may do so with our eyes open First she	L2
said we were to keep clear of the Sirens who sit and sing most	I3
beautifully in a field of flowers but she said I might hear them	J2
myself so long as no one else did Therefore take me and bind me to	A
the crosspiece half way up the mast bind me as I stand upright	J3
with a bond so fast that I cannot possibly break away and lash the	J
rope's ends to the mast itself If I beg and pray you to set me	L2
free then bind me more tightly still '	U
I had hardly finished telling everything to the men before we	L2
reached the island of the two Sirens for the wind had been very	L2
favourable Then all of a sudden it fell dead calm there was not a	J
breath of wind nor a ripple upon the water so the men furled the	J
sails and stowed them then taking to their oars they whitened the	J
water with the foam they raised in rowing Meanwhile I look a large	K3
wheel of wax and cut it up small with my sword Then I kneaded the wax	L3
in my strong hands till it became soft which it soon did between	M3
the kneading and the rays of the sun god son of Hyperion Then I	E
stopped the ears of all my men and they bound me hands and feet to	A
the mast as I stood upright on the crosspiece but they went on rowing	D
themselves When we had got within earshot of the land and the ship	N3
was going at a good rate the Sirens saw that we were getting in shore	T
and began with their singing	D
'Come here ' they sang 'renowned Ulysses honour to the Achaean	C2
name and listen to our two voices No one ever sailed past us without	O3
staying to hear the enchanting sweetness of our song and he who	A
listens will go on his way not only charmed but wiser for we know	N2
all the ills that the gods laid upon the Argives and Trojans before	T
Troy and can tell you everything that is going to happen over the	J
whole world '	U
They sang these words most musically and as I longed to hear	P3
them further I made by frowning to my men that they should set me	L2
free but they quickened their stroke and Eurylochus and Perimedes	L3
bound me with still stronger bonds till we had got out of hearing of	Q3
the Sirens' voices Then my men took the wax from their ears and	G
unbound me	L2
Immediately after we had got past the island I saw a great wave	R3
from which spray was rising and I heard a loud roaring sound The men	Q
were so frightened that they loosed hold of their oars for the	J
whole sea resounded with the rushing of the waters but the ship	N3
stayed where it was for the men had left off rowing I went round	S3
therefore and exhorted them man by man not to lose heart	T3
'My friends ' said I 'this is not the first time that we have been	Q2
in danger and we are in nothing like so bad a case as when the	J
Cyclops shut us up in his cave nevertheless my courage and wise	L3
counsel saved us then and we shall live to look back on all this as	L3
well Now therefore let us all do as I say trust in Jove and row on	A3
with might and main As for you coxswain these are your orders	L3
attend to them for the ship is in your hands turn her head away from	U3
these steaming rapids and hug the rock or she will give you the	J
slip and be over yonder before you know where you are and you will be	L2
the death of us '	U
So they did as I told them but I said nothing about the awful	H
monster Scylla for I knew the men would not on rowing if I did but	F
would huddle together in the hold In one thing only did I disobey	X
Circe's strict instructions I put on my armour Then seizing two	A
strong spears I took my stand on the ship Is bows for it was there	B
that I expected first to see the monster of the rock who was to do my	E
men so much harm but I could not make her out anywhere though I	E
strained my eyes with looking the gloomy rock all over and over	F2
Then we entered the Straits in great fear of mind for on the one	C2
hand was Scylla and on the other dread Charybdis kept sucking up	X2
the salt water As she vomited it up it was like the water in a	J
cauldron when it is boiling over upon a great fire and the spray	X
reached the top of the rocks on either side When she began to suck	D
again we could see the water all inside whirling round and round and	G
it made a deafening sound as it broke against the rocks We could	V3
see the bottom of the whirlpool all black with sand and mud and the	J
men were at their wit's ends for fear While we were taken up with	K
this and were expecting each moment to be our last Scylla pounced	W3
down suddenly upon us and snatched up my six best men I was looking	D
at once after both ship and men and in a moment I saw their hands and	G
feet ever so high above me struggling in the air as Scylla was	L3
carrying them off and I heard them call out my name in one last	M
despairing cry As a fisherman seated spear in hand upon some	U3
jutting rock throws bait into the water to deceive the poor little	H
fishes and spears them with the ox's horn with which his spear is	L3
shod throwing them gasping on to the land as he catches them one by	E
one even so did Scylla land these panting creatures on her rock and	G
munch them up at the mouth of her den while they screamed and	G
stretched out their hands to me in their mortal agony This was the	J
most sickening sight that I saw throughout all my voyages	L3
When we had passed the Wandering rocks with Scylla and	G
terrible Charybdis we reached the noble island of the sun god	B3
where were the goodly cattle and sheep belonging to the sun	C2
Hyperion While still at sea in my ship I could bear the cattle lowing	D
as they came home to the yards and the sheep bleating Then I	E
remembered what the blind Theban prophet Teiresias had told me and	G
how carefully Aeaean Circe had warned me to shun the island of the	J
blessed sun god So being much troubled I said to the men 'My men	Q
I know you are hard pressed but listen while I tell you the	J
prophecy that Teiresias made me and how carefully Aeaean Circe warned	X3
me to shun the island of the blessed sun god for it was here she	L2
said that our worst danger would lie Head the ship therefore	T
away from the island '	U
The men were in despair at this and Eurylochus at once gave me	L2
an insolent answer 'Ulysses ' said he 'you are cruel you are very	L2
strong yourself and never get worn out you seem to be made of iron	Y3
and now though your men are exhausted with toil and want of sleep	C
you will not let them land and cook themselves a good supper upon this	L3
island but bid them put out to sea and go faring fruitlessly on	A3
through the watches of the flying night It is by night that the winds	L3
blow hardest and do so much damage how can we escape should one of	Q3
those sudden squalls spring up from South West or West which so often	C2
wreck a vessel when our lords the gods are unpropitious Now	Z3
therefore let us obey the of night and prepare our supper here hard	A4
by the ship to morrow morning we will go on board again and put out	O3
to sea '	U
Thus spoke Eurylochus and the men approved his words I saw that	B4
heaven meant us a mischief and said 'You force me to yield for you	A
are many against one but at any rate each one of you must take his	L3
solemn oath that if he meet with a herd of cattle or a large flock	D
of sheep he will not be so mad as to kill a single head of either	F2
but will be satisfied with the food that Circe has given us '	U
They all swore as I bade them and when they had completed their	B
oath we made the ship fast in a harbour that was near a stream of	Q3
fresh water and the men went ashore and cooked their suppers As soon	U2
as they had had enough to eat and drink they began talking about	O3
their poor comrades whom Scylla had snatched up and eaten this set	C4
them weeping and they went on crying till they fell off into a sound	S3
sleep	C
In the third watch of the night when the stars had shifted their	B
places Jove raised a great gale of wind that flew a hurricane so that	B4
land and sea were covered with thick clouds and night sprang forth	D4
out of the heavens When the child of morning rosy fingered Dawn	E4
appeared we brought the ship to land and drew her into a cave wherein	Q2
the sea nymphs hold their courts and dances and I called the men	Q
together in council	H
'My friends ' said I 'we have meat and drink in the ship let us	L3
mind therefore and not touch the cattle or we shall suffer for	T
it for these cattle and sheep belong to the mighty sun who sees	L3
and gives ear to everything And again they promised that they would	V3
obey	X
For a whole month the wind blew steadily from the South and	G
there was no other wind but only South and East As long as corn	E3
and wine held out the men did not touch the cattle when they were	F2
hungry when however they had eaten all there was in the ship	N3
they were forced to go further afield with hook and line catching	D
birds and taking whatever they could lay their hands on for they	X
were starving One day therefore I went up inland that I might	J3
pray heaven to show me some means of getting away When I had gone far	C3
enough to be clear of all my men and had found a place that was	L3
well sheltered from the wind I washed my hands and prayed to all	Y
the gods in Olympus till by and by they sent me off into a sweet	F4
sleep	C
Meanwhile Eurylochus had been giving evil counsel to the men	Q
'Listen to me ' said he 'my poor comrades All deaths are bad	Z2
enough but there is none so bad as famine Why should not we drive	V2
in the best of these cows and offer them in sacrifice to the	J
immortal Rods If we ever get back to Ithaca we can build a fine	G4
temple to the sun god and enrich it with every kind of ornament if	H4
however he is determined to sink our ship out of revenge for these	L3
homed cattle and the other gods are of the same mind I for one would	V3
rather drink salt water once for all and have done with it than be	L2
starved to death by inches in such a desert island as this is '	U
Thus spoke Eurylochus and the men approved his words Now the	J
cattle so fair and goodly were feeding not far from the ship the	J
men therefore drove in the best of them and they all stood round	S3
them saying their prayers and using young oak shoots instead of	Q3
barley meal for there was no barley left When they had done	C2
praying they killed the cows and dressed their carcasses they cut out	O3
the thigh bones wrapped them round in two layers of fat and set some	U3
pieces of raw meat on top of them They had no wine with which to make	D
drink offerings over the sacrifice while it was cooking so they	X
kept pouring on a little water from time to time while the inward	H2
meats were being grilled then when the thigh bones were burned and	G
they had tasted the inward meats they cut the rest up small and put	I4
the pieces upon the spits	L3
By this time my deep sleep had left me and I turned back to the	J
ship and to the sea shore As I drew near I began to smell hot roast	I3
meat so I groaned out a prayer to the immortal gods 'Father Jove ' I	E
exclaimed 'and all you other gods who live in everlasting bliss	L3
you have done me a cruel mischief by the sleep into which you have	I2
sent me see what fine work these men of mine have been making in my	E
absence '	U
Meanwhile Lampetie went straight off to the sun and told him we had	Z2
been killing his cows whereon he flew into a great rage and said	N
to the immortals 'Father Jove and all you other gods who live in	Q2
everlasting bliss I must have vengeance on the crew of Ulysses' ship	N3
they have had the insolence to kill my cows which were the one	C2
thing I loved to look upon whether I was going up heaven or down	J4
again If they do not square accounts with me about my cows I will go	N2
down to Hades and shine there among the dead '	U
'Sun ' said Jove 'go on shining upon us gods and upon mankind over	F2
the fruitful earth I will shiver their ship into little pieces with a	J
bolt of white lightning as soon as they get out to sea '	U
I was told all this by Calypso who said she had heard it from	U3
the mouth of Mercury	L2
As soon as I got down to my ship and to the sea shore I rebuked	K4
each one of the men separately but we could see no way out of it for	T
the cows were dead already And indeed the gods began at once to	A
show signs and wonders among us for the hides of the cattle crawled	L4
about and the joints upon the spits began to low like cows and the	J
meat whether cooked or raw kept on making a noise just as cows do	A
For six days my men kept driving in the best cows and feasting upon	A3
them but when Jove the son of Saturn had added a seventh day the	J
fury of the gale abated we therefore went on board raised our masts	L3
spread sail and put out to sea As soon as we were well away from the	J
island and could see nothing but sky and sea the son of Saturn	Y3
raised a black cloud over our ship and the sea grew dark beneath	M4
it We not get on much further for in another moment we were caught	L
by a terrific squall from the West that snapped the forestays of the	J
mast so that it fell aft while all the ship's gear tumbled about at	B4
the bottom of the vessel The mast fell upon the head of the	J
helmsman in the ship's stern so that the bones of his head were	F2
crushed to pieces and he fell overboard as though he were diving	D
with no more life left in him	S
Then Jove let fly with his thunderbolts and the ship went round	S3
and round and was filled with fire and brimstone as the lightning	D
struck it The men all fell into the sea they were carried about in	Q2
the water round the ship looking like so many sea gulls but the	J
god presently deprived them of all chance of getting home again	Q
I stuck to the ship till the sea knocked her sides from her keel	N4
which drifted about by itself and struck the mast out of her in	Q2
the direction of the keel but there was a backstay of stout	O3
ox thong still hanging about it and with this I lashed the mast and	G
keel together and getting astride of them was carried wherever the	J
winds chose to take me	L2
The gale from the West had now spent its force and the wind got	L
into the South again which frightened me lest I should be taken	C2
back to the terrible whirlpool of Charybdis This indeed was what	F
actually happened for I was borne along by the waves all night and	G
by sunrise had reacfied the rock of Scylla and the whirlpool She was	L3
then sucking down the salt sea water but I was carried aloft toward	O4
the fig tree which I caught hold of and clung on to like a bat I	E
could not plant my feet anywhere so as to stand securely for the	J
roots were a long way off and the boughs that overshadowed the whole	P4
pool were too high too vast and too far apart for me to reach	Q4
them so I hung patiently on waiting till the pool should discharge	K3
my mast and raft again and a very long while it seemed A juryman	C2
is not more glad to get home to supper after having been long	D
detained in court by troublesome cases than I was to see my raft	R4
beginning to work its way out of the whirlpool again At last I let go	N2
with my hands and feet and fell heavily into the sea bard by my raft	R4
on to which I then got and began to row with my hands As for Scylla	J
the father of gods and men would not let her get further sight of	Q3
me otherwise I should have certainly been lost	K2
Hence I was carried along for nine days till on the tenth night the	J
gods stranded me on the Ogygian island where dwells the great and	G
powerful goddess Calypso She took me in and was kind to me but I	E
need say no more about this for I told you and your noble wife all	Y
about it yesterday and I hate saying the same thing over and over	F2
again	C2

Homer

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