So the famous singer sang his tale, but Odysseus melted, and from under his eyes the tears ran down, drenching

his cheeks. As a woman weeps, lying over the body

of her dear husband, who fell fighting for her city and people

as he tried to beat off the pitiless day from city and children; she sees him dying and gasping for breath, and winding her body

about him she cries high and shrill, while the men behind her,

hitting her with their spear butts on the back and the shoulders,

Odysseus is asked to identify himself

force her up and lead her away into slavery, to have

hard work and sorrow, and her cheeks are wracked with pitiful weeping. Such were the pitiful tears Odysseus shed from under

his brows, but they went unnoticed by all the others,

but Alkinoös alone understood what he did and noticed,

since he was sitting next him and heard him groaning heavily.

All this he told, but Ulysses was overcome as he heard him, and his cheeks were wet with tears. He wept as a woman weeps when she throws herself on the body of her husband who has fallen before his own city and people, fighting bravely in defence of his home and children. She screams aloud and flings her arms about him as he lies gasping for breath and dying, but her enemies beat her from behind about the back and shoulders, and carry her off into slavery, to a life of labour and sorrow, and the beauty fades from her cheeks- even so piteously did Ulysses weep, but none of those present perceived his tears except Alcinous, who was sitting near him, and could hear the sobs and sighs that he was heaving.