Black is the root, milk-white the flower, Moly the gods it call,
Hard to be found by mortal man; but the blest gods know all.
"He spake, and straight Olympus sought, leaving the wooded isle,
And I to Circe's halls went on, with troubled heart the while.
Eftsoons unto the fair-tressed nymph's tall portals I drew nigh;
And there I stood and loudly called, and Circe heard my cry.
She at the sound came forth and threw the shining gates apart,
And bade me enter, and her steps I followed with sad heart.
Unto a beauteous, richly wrought, and silver-studded seat
She led me, and below there lay a footstool for my feet;
And in a golden cup, with drug of bale, and magic charm,
A posset mixed, and bade me drink, intent to work me harm.
But when the potion I had drained, and still her power defied,
Then striking with her wand my head, the fell enchantress cried :
"Go now, and seek amid thy friends fit lair in yonder sty.'
She spake; but I upon her rushed, with murder in mine eye,
And bared my sword, whilst shrieking loud she ran beneath the blade,
And clasped my knees, and hurriedly her supplication made:
"Who art thou, and whence com'st thou, say? thy race and city tell. I marvel much that thou hast drunk, and yet withstood my spell. For ne'er against these mighty drugs has man before been known, When once between his lips the draught had passed, to hold his own. But thou hast heart within thy breast proof against magic wile,— Ulysses thou must surely be, that hero versatile,
Who Hermes of the golden wand hath aye foretold to me
Would hither in his swift ship sail from Troy across the sea.
Come, then, thy weapon to its sheath return, if this be so,
And straightway to the couch of love together let us go,
Thereon to pledge our mutual faith, and mutual bliss to know.'
'Circe,' I answered, 'dost thou bid my thoughts to love incline, Who hast within thy palace-halls my comrades changed to swine? Wouldst keep me here, whilst fresh deceit thou dost to me intend, Bidding me thus thy chamber seek, and couch of love ascend,
307. And bade me enter, &c.
"Tutus eo, monitisque simul cælestibus. Intrat
Ille domum Circes, et ad insidiosa vocatus
Pocula, conantem virgâ mulcere capillos
Repulit; et stricto pavidam deterruit ense. "-Ov. Met., xiv. 293.
That stripped thereon, I by thy craft unmanned for aye may be?
Not so—for I will ne'er consent to mount thy couch with thee,
Unless thou, goddess, shalt submit a solemn oath to swear,
That thou of further harm to me no further thought will bear.’
“So spake I, and my bidding stern the nymph at once obeyed ;— She swore, and of the solemn oath due confirmation made. Then was I to the couch of love by beauteous Circe led.
"Meanwhile throughout the palace-hall her four handmaidens sped ;Children of grove or fount are they, her busy household train,
Or of the sacred river-streams, which flow to seek the main.
The first of these with fleecy rugs the stately thrones arrayed;—
The purple wool above, below fine linen cloth she laid.
The second silver tables brought, and placed before each throne,
And burnished dishes on them set, of gold that brightly shone.
Within a silver mixing-bowl the third mixed wine as honey sweet,
And golden cups set out; the fourth pure water brought, to heat.
Filling therewith a copper huge, a brightly glowing flame
She lit beneath it, and anon the water warm became.
But when it bubbled in the vase, then temp'ring it with care
To gentle heat, she bade me straight unto the bath repair,
And from the caldron o'er my head and shoulders made it play,
Till from my toil-worn limbs she chased the weariness away.
Forth from the bath with fragrant oil anointed soon I passed,
And then the maid a mantle fair and doublet o'er me cast.
Unto a beauteous, deftly carved, and silver-studded seat
She led me next; below it stood a footstool for my feet.
Then for my hands in golden ewer a maiden water brought,
And with it filled a basin fair, of silver richly wrought;
Before me drew a polished board, whereon a house-dame grave
Set wheaten bread, and of her store choice cates in plenty gave,
And bade me eat; but no delight had I in dainty fare;—
With mind foreboding ill I sat, and thoughts that strayed elsewhere.
"When Circe saw that thus I sat by sorrow sore oppressed,
Touching no food, in winged words she thus her speech addressed :
'Why sitt'st thou thus, like one that's dumb, Ulysses, on thy seat, Chewing the bitter cud of thought, and wilt not drink nor eat?
367. Why sitt'st thou thus, &c.
"Ne te tantus edat tacitam dolor."-VIRG. Æn., xii. 801.
Is't that thou fearest other wile?—dismiss thy vain alarm ;
Dread is the oath that I have sworn to work thee naught of harm.’
66
"O Circe,' answered I, 'what man with heart that loveth right,
Could or in table spread with food or flowing bowl delight,
Ere of his rescued friends his eyes had seen the welcome sight?
But if in earnest 'tis thy wish that I should taste thy cheer,
Grant their release, and let mine eyes behold my comrades dear.'
“I spoke, and from her palace-halls sped Circe, staff in hand,
And oped the sty, and through its doors drove out my comrade
band.
Who like nine-seasoned hogs came forth, and stood the nymph before :
She with a counter-charm each one in turn anointed o'er.
Then on the instant from their limbs the bristly hair dropped down,
Which 'neath the baleful potion's spell upon them all had grown,
And once again became they men, but younger than of old,
In stature taller, and in form more graceful to behold.
They knew me, and around me clung, and in sheer happiness
Wept long and loud, and all the house rang with their sweet distress.
Then e'en within dread Circe's heart a sense of pity woke,—
Close to my side the nymph approached, and softly thus she spoke :
Ulysses, man of many schemes, Laertes' noble son,
Speed to the shore, and first thy ship aground for safety run.
Then hide her tackling and thy wealth in caverns on the land,
And hither come, with all the loved companions of thy band.'
"Thus did she counsel, and my heart was minded to obey;
So to the sea-shore and the ship I went upon my way.
There, seated by our vessel's side, I found my comrades all
Wailing, and in most piteous grief letting the big tears fall.
380. Then on the instant, &c.
“Quo magis illa canit, magis hoc tellure levati
Erigimur, setæque cadunt, bifidosque relinquit
Rima pedes; redeunt humeri; subjecta lacertis
Brachia sunt. Flentem flentes amplectimur illum,
Hæremusque ducis collo; nec verba locuti
Ulla priora sumus, quam nos testantia gratos.”—Ov. Met., xiv. 302.
"Setosa duris exuere pellibus
Laboriosi remiges Ulixei,
Volente Circe, membra, tunc mens, et sonus
Relapsus, atque notus in vultus honor.”—HOR. Epod., xvii. 15.
But as we oft within the yard the young calves skipping see
Around the cows that homeward wend, well-pastured from the lea,-
No longer will the pens suffice their gambollings to stay,
But all, with never-ceasing low, around their mothers play ;—
E'en so my friends, when still alive I stood before their eyes,
Around me fondly pressed and clung, and wept with glad surprise.
Scarce more, methought, their joy had been, if home we safe had sped
To rugged Ithaca's loved isle, where we were born and bred.
"Great chief,' they cried, in thy return, as great is our delight
As if of our own Ithaca we saw the welcome sight ;-
But say, of our companions dear, what fate befell the rest?'
They spake; and I in turn my friends with gentle words addressed : 'First, bear ye hands our hollow ship to draw upon the shore; Her tackling and her treasure next in neighbouring caverns store. Then haste, and to the sacred halls of Circe follow me,— There, joying in abundant cheer, our comrades ye shall see.'
"I spake; and all with glad despatch did my behests obey,—
Eurylochus alone still sought their eager haste to stay:
"Alas! unhappy that we are, say, whither do we go?—
Why this mad haste in Circe's home to rush upon fresh woe?
To wolves or lions or to swine she will transform us all,
To be, perforce, the watchful guards of her enchanted hall.
Bethink ye how the Cyclops woe to our dear comrades wrought,
When they the monster's fell abode with brave Ulysses sought,
And this same man's foolhardiness destruction on us brought.'
"He spake; and when his speech I heard, well minded then was I, Though kinsmen close we were, to draw my sharp sword from my thigh, And from his shoulders smite his head, and dash it to the ground,But to restrain me with soft words my comrades gathered round: "Great chief, this fellow let us leave, if such be thy command,
Here by our galley's side to stay, and draw her to the land:
To Circe's sacred palace-halls lead on, we follow thee.'
"They spake, and to the upland turned away from ship and sea; Nor would Eurylochus himself beside the vessel stay,
But followed, for my wrath had filled his heart with sore dismay.
"Circe, meanwhile, with kindly thought had for our comrades cared ;—
The grateful bath and unguent rich for them her nymphs prepared.
In soft and fleecy mantles next she bade attire them all,
And seated at the plenteous feast we found them in her hall.
But when they saw and recognised each other face to face,
Once more each lifted up his voice, and wept and mourned apace,--
And loudly rang the hall; but then the nymph approaching spake :
"Noble Ulysses, now no more this lamentation wake;—
What woes ye've borne upon the seas I, too, can understand,
And eke what troubles foemen fierce have wrought you on the land.
But come now, eat, the wine-cup fill, and drink till ye restore
The courage that within your hearts burnt high in days of yore,
When ye set sail from Ithaca, your native isle's loved shore.
Heart-sick and wasted are ye now; and still to each man clings
The memory of his troubles past, and weary wanderings;—
Nor have your hearts for many a day been glad and free from care,—
For of a truth ye have been doomed much travail sore to bear.'
“Thus spake the nymph; and with glad hearts her bidding we obeyed.
So there, of one revolving year the space entire we stayed;—
With plenteous feast and luscious wine our sorrows past we drowned, 450
Till of the swiftly flowing year the seasons had come round.
As waning months and lengthened days in their due order ran,
My company then called me forth, and thus to speak began:
“Ah, sir, 'tis time that of thine home thou now shouldst mindful be; If Fate ordains that thou shouldst 'scape the perils of the sea,— Shouldst safely reach thy fatherland and well-built house once more, And stand beneath its lofty roof upon thy native shore.'
"Thus spake my comrades, and my heart to give consent won o'er.) So there we feasted till the day to sunset did incline,
And ate the plenteous share of meat, and drank the luscious wine.
But after sunset, when the night came clothed in sable vest,
And in their several chambers all had laid them down to rest,
Then to great Circe's beauteous couch alone did I repair,
And by her knees her grace besought;—the goddess heard my prayer:
"O Circe, now, I pray thee, grant thy promised boon to me,
And send me home, for now my heart much yearns my home to see,—
Ay, and my dear companions too, who break my heart each day,
As gathering round me they weep sore, whene'er thou art away.'
448. Thus spake the nymph, &c.
"Sic ait et cuncti dictis paremus ovantes.”—VIRG. Æn., iii. 189.
"Annua nos illic tenuit mora.”—Ov. Met., xiv. 308.
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