1 I am very much distressed," said Telemachus, "by what you have just told me.
2 We sailed hence, always in much distress, till we came to the land of the lawless and inhuman Cyclopes.
3 No one noticed his distress except Alcinous, who was sitting near him, and heard the heavy sighs that he was heaving.
4 I dare not clasp your knees, but I am in great distress; yesterday made the twentieth day that I had been tossing about upon the sea.
5 Seeing in what great distress Ulysses now was, she had compassion upon him, and, rising like a sea-gull from the waves, took her seat upon the raft.
6 My mother answered, 'Your wife still remains in your house, but she is in great distress of mind and spends her whole time in tears both night and day.'
7 Now, however, that you have come to this our country, you shall not want for clothes nor for anything else that a foreigner in distress may reasonably look for.
8 Nevertheless, let me sup in spite of sorrow, for an empty stomach is a very importunate thing, and thrusts itself on a man's notice no matter how dire is his distress.
9 Any one who has lost his way has at all times a claim even upon the gods, wherefore in my distress I draw near to your stream, and cling to the knees of your riverhood.
10 Then, when we had got down to the sea shore we drew our ship into the water and got her mast and sails into her; we also put the sheep on board and took our places, weeping and in great distress of mind.
11 There we lay two days and two nights suffering much alike from toil and distress of mind, but on the morning of the third day we again raised our masts, set sail, and took our places, letting the wind and steersmen direct our ship.
12 Neleus seized his goods and held them for a whole year, during which he was a close prisoner in the house of king Phylacus, and in much distress of mind both on account of the daughter of Neleus and because he was haunted by a great sorrow that dread Erinys had laid upon him.
13 I will tell you all about them," replied Eumaeus, "Laertes is still living and prays heaven to let him depart peacefully in his own house, for he is terribly distressed about the absence of his son, and also about the death of his wife, which grieved him greatly and aged him more than anything else did.