THEN spake Ulysses, sagest man of counsel, answering:
Alcinous, of Phæacia's sons high honoured chief and king!
To listen unto bard like this I hold it grateful treat,
Whose voice, as of some god divine, outringeth clear and sweet.
A truer pleasure in the world there cannot be, say I,
Than when throughout some peopled town reigns glad festivity ;-
When banqueters in order sit, the minstrel's lay to hear,
And boards well-laden groan beneath the weight of bounteous cheer;-
When from the well-filled bowl the cups with rosy wine are crowned,
While the cup-bearer 'mid the guests doth speed his grateful round.
Methinks naught can to heart of man than this more pleasant be:
But now to learn my tale of woe thy mind hath prompted thee,
That yet a sorer load of grief may weigh upon my heart.
What story first, what next, what last, shall I to thee impart ?—
For upon me the heav'nly gods have laid right many a woe.
But first my name I will disclose, that all of you may know;
And I, should I perchance escape stern fate's remorseless day,
Your guest-friend may hereafter be, in country far away.
Ulysses I, Laertes' son, whose subtle craft has gained
Renown 'midst mortals, and whose fame has e'en to heav'n attained.
8. And boards well-laden, &c.
dapes, et plenæ pocula mensæ."-VIRG. Æn., xi. 738.
"Sum pius Æneas."-Ibid., i. 378.
“ Ο πᾶσι κλεινὸς Οἰδίπους καλούμενος.”—SOPH. Ed. Tyr., 8.
My dwelling-place is Ithaca, fair island of the west,
Where Neritos his foliage waves, and rears on high his crest.
There many islands in the sea, each unto other nigh,—
Zacynthus with its woodland crown, Dulichium, Samè,―lie:
But Ithaca herself lies low, in western sea afar
(Towards the east and rising sun the other islands are).
A rugged isle, but right good nurse of noble youths is she,
And to mine eyes no sweeter sight than mine own land could be,-
E'en though Calypso, nymph divine, with longing love was fain
To keep me for her lord and spouse, and in her cave detain:
Though Circe, of Ææa's isle the crafty queen, was fain
To keep me for her lord and spouse, and in her halls detain.
Yet vainly with their blandishments they strove my heart to win,—
Naught sweeter is to man than home, naught dearer than his kin,
Though from his parents' roof afar his lot may be to live
In foreign clime, with stately house, and all that wealth can give.
But come; of my return the woes most grievous will I tell,
Which, when from Troy I homeward sailed, from Jove upon me fell.
"From Troy to the Ciconians' land the wind my vessels blew,
To Ismarus: the city then I sacked, the men I slew.
The womenkind we bore away, and booty rich and rare,
Partition made, nor wanted each of spoil an equal share.
In hot haste then I gave command to hurry from the spot ;—
Infatuates that my comrades were, to me they hearkened not.
There many a cask of wine we drank, and many were the sheep
And horned beeves of rolling gait we slew beside the deep.
Meantime this Cicon horde for aid to neighbour Cicons cried,
Who our first foe in bravery and number far outvied.
Upon the mainland live the tribe, and well war's lesson know,
With chariot, or if need afoot, to charge upon the foe.
On us at morn, countless as leaves, or flowers in vernal bloom,
They fell, and on our hapless heads from Jove brought evil doom,—
A doom with many a grief to me and to my comrades fraught,
As by our swift sea-passing ships in close array we fought,
And with our brazen-headed spears death to each other wrought.
24. Zacynthus with its woodland crown, &c.
Dulichiumque, Sameque, et Neritos ardua saxis.”—VIRG. Æn., iii. 270.
Whilst yet 'twas morn, and whilst to noon drew on the sacred day,
Outnumbered as we were, we held our enemy at bay.
But when the slanting sun the hour of oxen's rest brought nigh,
Then vict'ry crowned the Cicon arms, and we were forced to fly.
Six of my comrades from each ship fell on that bloody plain;
The rest of us from death and fate escaped across the main.
Thence, joyful at our own escape, from death we onward bore,
Though for our lost companions dear our hearts lamented sore.
Nor moved we on our well-curved ships, till to each comrade's shade
Of those who died upon the plain in our Ciconian raid,
Thrice duly calling each by name, we the last honours paid.
"But 'gainst our ships cloud-driving Jove aroused the North wind dread,— With mighty tempest o'er the seas the raging Boreas sped. Cloud upon cloud in masses dense hid from our baffled sight
Both earth and sea, and from the skies at one fell swoop came night.
Then through the surge each vessel drove bows under, and its sail
Was in a trice to ribbons torn before the dreadful gale.
58. But when the slanting sun, &c.
Aspice aratra jugo referunt suspensa juvenci,
Et sol crescentes decedens duplicat umbras.”—VIRG. Ecl., ii. 66.
"Sol ubi montium
Mutaret umbras, et juga demeret
Bobus fatigatis."-HOR. Cd., iii. 6. 41.
"Two such I saw, what time the labored ox
In his loose traces from the furrow came."-MILTON, Comus, 292.
"Tunc egomet tumulum Rhotoo in littore inanem
Constitui, et magnâ Manes ter voce vocavi."-VIRG. Æn., vi. 505.
Condimus, et magnâ supremum voce ciemus.”—Ibid., iii. 67.
67. But 'gainst our ships, &c.
"But see! in confluence borne before the blast,
Clouds rolled on clouds the dusky noon o'ercast,
The blackening ocean curls, the winds arise,
And the dark scud in quick succession flies.'
-FALCONER'S Shipwreck, c. 2. 127.
71. Then through the surge, &c.
"The mainsail all in streaming ruins tore,
Loud-fluttering, imitates the thunder's roar.
The ship still labours in the oppressive strain,
Low bending, as if ne'er to rise again."—Ibid., 2. 177.
In fear of death the canvas then we hasted quick to lower,
And rowing with what speed we could, our vessels drave ashore.
There stranded for two days and nights continuously we lay,
In weariness and trouble sore eating our hearts away.
But when the third day's fair-haired Dawn brought light to glad the
world,
We raised our masts, and our white sails to catch the breeze unfurled,
And took our seats, the while our ships both wind and helm obeyed ;——
Then without further scathe should I my fatherland have made,
But as we doubled Malea's point rude Boreas rose once more,
And drove me far with wave and tide beyond Cythera's shore.
"From thence nine days entire our ships by baleful winds were
borne
O'er the fish-teeming deep, but land made on the morrow's morn,
Whereon the Lotus-eaters dwell, the flowery food who eat,—
And there we disembarked, and drew fresh water for our fleet.
Then seated by their galleys' side their meal my comrades made,
Until of hunger and of thirst the longing they had stayed.
And next I chose a trusty pair from out my comrade band,
A herald gave, and bade the three go wander o'er the land,
And learn what kind of mortal men might dwell the coast around.
Quick they, upon their errand sped, the Lotus-eaters found,—
Against my comrades these devised nor death nor grievous harm,
But
gave them of the Lotus flower to eat, and know its charm.
For who but tasted that sweet fruit would fain have thence no more
Returned to bring his comrades word, or plied the homeward oar,
But, feeding on th' enchanted flower, have lingered there to dwell,
All thought of home and sweet return forgetting 'neath its spell.
Perforce I led them to the ships, whilst bitterly they wept,
And dragged them 'neath the rowers' seats, and there in durance kept.
Then straight my other friends I charged that they should man
Our galleys swift, and fly with me the perils of the place,
Lest more should eat, and of return alike forgetful be:
Then each embarking manned his bench, and quickly put to sea.
Sitting in order, with their oars they smote the briny wave;-
So on our voyage with fresh weight of sorrow thence we drave.
"Next to the Cyclop giants' land we wandered o'er the main ;—
A froward, lawless race are they, that work of hands disdain.
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