After stopping five days on the island we started
out on the sixth, with a bit of breeze propelling
us over a rippling sea. On the eighth day, by which
time we were no longer sailing through the milk
but in briny blue water, we came in sight of many men
running .over the sea, like us in every way, both in
shape and in size, except only their feet, which were
of cork: that is why they were called Corkfeet, if I




 

am not mistaken. We were amazed to see that they
did not go under, but stayed on the top of the waves
and went about fearlessly. Some of them came up
and greeted: us in the Greek language; they said
that they were on their way to Cork, their native
city. For some distance they travelled with us,
running alongside, and then they turned off and
went their way, wishing us luck on our voyage.

 
In a little while many islands came in sight.
Near us, to port, was Cork, where the men were
going, a city built on a great round cork. Ata
distance and more to starboard were five islands,
very large and high, from which much fire was
blazing up. Dead ahead was one that was. flat
and low-lying, not less than five hundred furlongs
off. When at length we were near it, a wonderful
breeze blew about us, sweet and fragrant, like the
one that, on the word of the historian Herodotus, 3, 113. 
breathes perfume from Araby the blest. The sweetness that met us was as if it came from roses and
narcissi and hyacinths and lilies and violets, from
myrrh and laurel and vines in bloom. Delighted with
the fragrance and cherishing high hopes after our long
toils, we gradually drew near to the island at last.
Then we saw many harbours all about it, large and
unfretted by beating waves; transparent rivers emptying softly into the sea; meads, too, and woods and
songbirds, some of them singing on the shore and
many in the branches. A rare, pure atmosphere
enfolded the place, and sweet breezes with their



 

blowing stirred the woods gently, so that from the
moving branches came a whisper of delightful,
unbroken music, like the fluting of Pandean pipes in
desert places. Moreover, a confused sound could be
heard incessantly, which was not noisy but resembled
that made at a drinking-party, when some are
playing, others singing and others beating time to
the flute or the lyre.

 

Enchanted with all this,
we put in, anchored our boat and landed, leaving
Scintharus and two of my comrades on board.
Advancing through a flowery mead, we came upon
the guards and sentinels, who bound us with rosy
wreaths—the strongest fetter that they have—and
led us inland to their ruler. They told us on the
way that the island was the one that is called the
“Isle of the Blest, and that the ruler was the Cretan
Rhadamanthus. On being brought before him, we
were given fourth place among the people awaiting
trial.

 

The first case was that of Ajax,son of Telamon,
to decide whether he should be allowed to associate
with the heroes or not: he was accused of having
gone mad and killed himself. At last, when much
had been said, Rhadamanthus gave judgment that
for the present he should be given in charge of Hippocrates, the Coan physician, to take the hellebore
treatment, A remedy for madness; Hor. Sat. 2. 3. 82. and that later on, when he had recovered
his wits, he should have a place at the table of
the heroes.

 The second case was a love-affair—Theseus and Menelaus at law over Helen, to
determine which of the two she should live with.
Rhadamanthus pronounced that she should live with
Menelaus, because he had undergone so much toil,
and danger on account of his marriage: then too,



 

Theseus had other wives, the. Amazon Hippolyta. 
and the
daughters of Minos. Ariadne and Phaedra.