man the ships

...After sunset in the gathering dark
we went to sleep above the wash of ripples.

When the young dawn with finger tips of rose
touched the world, I roused the men, gave orders
to man the ships, cast off the mooring lines;
and filing in to sit beside the rowlocks
oarsmen in line dipped oars in the grey sea.
So we moved out, sad in the vast offing,
having our precious lives, but not our friends.

[the year 800 B.C.E,

epic poem "The Odyssey"

by Greek poet, Homer -

translated / Robert

Fitzgerald

excerpt, from Book IX]

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