"Hephaistos," said Poseidon, "if
Ares goes away without paying his damages, I will pay you myself." So
Hephaistos answered, "In this case I cannot and must not refuse
you."
Thereon he loosed the bonds that
bound them, and as soon as they were free they scampered off, Ares to
Thrace and laughter-loving Aphrodite to Cyprus and to Paphos, where
is her grove and her altar fragrant with burnt offerings. Here the
Graces bathed her, and anointed her with oil of ambrosia such as the
immortal gods make use of, and they clothed her in raiment of the
most enchanting beauty.
Thus sang the bard, and both
Odysseus and the seafaring Phaeacians were charmed as they heard
him.
Then Alkinoos told Laodamas and
Halios to dance alone, for there was no one to compete with them. So
they took a red ball which Polybos had made for them, and one of them
bent himself backwards and threw it up towards the clouds, while the
other jumped from off the ground and caught it with ease before it
came down again. When they had done throwing the ball straight up
into the air they began to dance, and at the same time kept on
throwing it backwards and forwards to one another, while all the
young men in the ring applauded and made a great stamping with their
feet. Then Odysseus said:
Homer. The Odyssey. Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original. Samuel Butler. Based on public domain edition, revised by Timothy Power and Gregory Nagy. A. C. Fifield, London. 1900 (?).
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