Periplus


Skirting the Lydian coastline, calling at Samos,
Cos, Rhodes, then tacking east before keeling
over - eyes peeled for the port, amphorae,
almond jars, and millstones lashed in the hold,
doubling as ballast; remember Alcaeus: 'One more
cresting billow dashing against the timber
sends us scrambling to bale out the bilge-water';

the lead sheathing of no use to the salvaged
wreck I'm looking at: 'let all hands buttress the sides
quickly as possible', reads the scrap of papyrus,
and the moving: 'let no one be seized by (soft?)
fear,' though opinion will differ on the riddling
lines: were the high seas a reckless tyrant's buffetings
or those of desire, charged with forgetfulness.



Numenius ON THE GOOD
...