Attic Greek: "The sea! The sea!" θάλαττα θάλαττα is a familiar quotation from the Anabasis (The Inland Expedition) of Xenophon. The joyful cry of the Ten Thousand Greek mercenaries upon finally reaching the Black Sea is one of the best-known quotations from ancient Greek literature. Joyce is once again undermining Mulligan's scholarship by having him quote such a familiar phrase.