Have dared to slay my beeves, which I with joy

  Beheld, both when I climb'd the starry heav'ns,

  And when to earth I sloped my "westring wheels,"

  But if they yield me not amercement due

  And honourable for my loss, to Hell

  I will descend and give the ghosts my beams.

  Then, thus the cloud-assembler God replied. 450

  Sun! shine thou still on the Immortal Pow'rs,

  And on the teeming earth, frail man's abode.

  My candent bolts can in a moment reach

  And split their flying bark in the mid-sea.

  These things Calypso told me, taught, herself,

  By herald Hermes, as she oft affirm'd.

  But when, descending to the shore, I reach'd

  At length my bark, with aspect stern and tone

  I reprimanded them, yet no redress

  Could frame, or remedy--the beeves were dead. 460

  Soon follow'd signs portentous sent from heav'n.

  The skins all crept, and on the spits the flesh

  Both roast and raw bellow'd, as with the voice

  Of living beeves. Thus my devoted friends

  Driving the fattest oxen of the Sun,

  Feasted six days entire; but when the sev'nth

  By mandate of Saturnian Jove appeared,

  The storm then ceased to rage, and we, again

  Embarking, launch'd our galley, rear'd the mast,

  And gave our unfurl'd canvas to the wind. 470

  The island left afar, and other land

  Appearing none, but sky alone and sea,

  Right o'er the hollow bark Saturnian Jove

  Hung a cærulean cloud, dark'ning the Deep.

  Not long my vessel ran, for, blowing wild,

  Now came shrill Zephyrus; a stormy gust

  Snapp'd sheer the shrouds on both sides; backward fell

  The mast, and with loose tackle strew'd the hold;

  Striking the pilot in the stern, it crush'd

  His scull together; he a diver's plunge 480

  Made downward, and his noble spirit fled.

  Meantime, Jove thund'ring, hurl'd into the ship

  His bolts; she, smitten by the fires of Jove,

  Quaked all her length; with sulphur fill'd she reek'd,

  And o'er her sides headlong my people plunged

  Like sea-mews, interdicted by that stroke

  Of wrath divine to hope their country more.

  But I, the vessel still paced to and fro,

  Till, fever'd by the boist'rous waves, her sides

  Forsook the keel now left to float alone. 490

  Snapp'd where it join'd the keel the mast had fall'n,

  But fell encircled with a leathern brace,

  Which it retain'd; binding with this the mast

  And keel together, on them both I sat,

  Borne helpless onward by the dreadful gale.

  And now the West subsided, and the South

  Arose instead, with mis'ry charged for me,

  That I might measure back my course again

  To dire Charybdis. All night long I drove,

  And when the sun arose, at Scylla's rock 500

  Once more, and at Charybdis' gulph arrived.

  It was the time when she absorb'd profound

  The briny flood, but by a wave upborne

  I seized the branches fast of the wild-fig.

  To which, bat-like, I clung; yet where to fix

  My foot secure found not, or where to ascend,

  For distant lay the roots, and distant shot

  The largest arms erect into the air,

  O'ershadowing all Charybdis; therefore hard

  I clench'd the boughs, till she disgorg'd again 510

  Both keel and mast. Not undesired by me

  They came, though late; for at what hour the judge,

  After decision made of num'rous strifes

  Between young candidates for honour, leaves

  The forum for refreshment' sake at home,

  Then was it that the mast and keel emerged.

  Deliver'd to a voluntary fall,

  Fast by those beams I dash'd into the flood,

  And seated on them both, with oary palms

  Impell'd them; nor the Sire of Gods and men 520

  Permitted Scylla to discern me more,

  Else had I perish'd by her fangs at last.

  Nine days I floated thence, and, on the tenth

  Dark night, the Gods convey'd me to the isle

  Ogygia, habitation of divine

  Calypso, by whose hospitable aid

  And assiduity, my strength revived.

  But wherefore this? ye have already learn'd

  That hist'ry, thou and thy illustrious spouse;

  I told it yesterday, and hate a tale 530

  Once amply told, then, needless, traced again.

  FOOTNOTES:

  They passed the line through a pipe of horn, to secure it against

  the fishes' bite.

  See line 120.

  He had therefore held by the fig-tree from sunrise till afternoon.

  BOOK XIII

  ARGUMENT

  Ulysses, having finished his narrative, and received additional presents

  from the Phæacians, embarks; he is conveyed in his sleep to Ithaca, and

  in his sleep is landed on that island. The ship that carried him is in

  her return transformed by Neptune to a rock.

  Minerva meets him on the shore, enables him to recollect his country,

  which, till enlightened by her, he believed to be a country strange to

  him, and they concert together the means of destroying the suitors. The

  Goddess then repairs to Sparta to call thence Telemachus, and Ulysses, by

  her aid disguised like a beggar, proceeds towards the cottage of Eumæus.

  He ceas'd; the whole assembly silent sat,

  Charm'd into ecstacy with his discourse

  Throughout the twilight hall. Then, thus the King.

  Ulysses, since beneath my brazen dome

  Sublime thou hast arrived, like woes, I trust,

  Thou shalt not in thy voyage hence sustain

  By tempests tost, though much to woe inured.

  To you, who daily in my presence quaff

  Your princely meed of gen'rous wine and hear

  The sacred bard, my pleasure, thus I speak. 10

  The robes, wrought gold, and all the other gifts

  To this our guest, by the Phæacian Chiefs

  Brought hither in the sumptuous coffer lie.

  But come--present ye to the stranger, each,

  An ample tripod also, with a vase

  Of smaller size, for which we will be paid

  By public impost; for the charge of all

  Excessive were by one alone defray'd.

  So spake Alcinoüs, and his counsel pleased;

  Then, all retiring, sought repose at home. 20

  But when Aurora, daughter of the dawn,

  Look'd rosy forth, each hasted to the bark

  With his illustrious present, which the might

  Of King Alcinoüs, who himself her sides

  Ascended, safe beneath the seats bestowed,

  Lest it should harm or hinder, while he toil'd

  In rowing, some Phæacian of the crew.

  The palace of Alcinoüs seeking next,

  Together, they prepared a new regale.

  For them, in sacrifice, the sacred might 30

  Of King Alcinoüs slew an ox to Jove

  Saturnian, cloud-girt governor of all.

  The thighs with fire prepared, all glad partook

  The noble feast; meantime, the bard divine

  Sang, sweet Demodocus, the people's joy.

  But oft Ulysses to the radiant sun

  Turn'd wistful eyes, anxious for his decline,

  Nor longer, now, patient of dull delay.

  As when some hungry swain whose sable beeves

  Have through the fallow dragg'd his pond'rous plow 40

  All day, the setting sun views with delight

  For supper' sake, which with tir'd feet he seeks,

  So welcome to Ulysses' eyes appear'd

  The sun-set of that eve; directing, then,

  His speech to maritime Phæacia's sons,

  But to Alcinoüs chiefly, thus he said.

  Alcinoüs, o'er Phæacia's realm supreme!

  Libation made, dismiss ye me in peace,

  And farewell all! for what I wish'd, I have,

  Conductors hence, and honourable gifts 50

  With which heav'n prosper me! and may the Gods

  Vouchsafe to me, at my return, to find

  All safe, my spotless consort and my friends!

  May ye, whom here I leave, gladden your wives

  And see your children blest, and may the pow'rs

  Immortal with all good enrich you all,

  And from calamity preserve the land!

  He ended, they unanimous, his speech

  Applauded loud, and bade dismiss the guest

  Who had so wisely spoken and so well. 60

  Then thus Alcinoüs to his herald spake.

  Pontonoüs! charging high the beaker, bear

  To ev'ry guest beneath our roof the wine,

  That, pray'r preferr'd to the eternal Sire,

  We may dismiss our inmate to his home.

  Then, bore Pontonoüs to ev'ry guest

  The brimming cup; they, where they sat, perform'd

  Libation due; but the illustrious Chief

  Ulysses, from his seat arising, placed

  A massy goblet in Areta's hand, 70

  To whom in accents wing'd, grateful, he said.

  Farewell, O Queen, a long farewell, till age

  Arrive, and death, the appointed lot of all!

  I go; but be this people, and the King

  Alcinoüs, and thy progeny, thy joy

  Yet many a year beneath this glorious roof!

  So saying, the Hero through the palace-gate

  Issued, whom, by Alcinoüs' command,

  The royal herald to his vessel led.

  Three maidens also of Areta's train 80

  His steps attended; one, the robe well-bleach'd

  And tunic bore; the corded coffer, one;

  And food the third, with wine of crimson hue.

  Arriving where the galley rode, each gave

  Her charge to some brave mariner on board,

  And all was safely stow'd. Meantime were spread

  Linen and arras on the deck astern,

  For his secure repose. And now the Chief

  Himself embarking, silent lay'd him down.

  Then, ev'ry rower to his bench repair'd; 90

  They drew the loosen'd cable from its hold

  In the drill'd rock, and, resupine, at once

  With lusty strokes upturn'd the flashing waves.

  _His_ eye-lids, soon, sleep, falling as a dew,

  Closed fast, death's simular, in sight the same.

  She, as four harness'd stallions o'er the plain

  Shooting together at the scourge's stroke,

  Toss high their manes, and rapid scour along,

  So mounted she the waves, while dark the flood

  Roll'd after her of the resounding Deep. 100

  Steady she ran and safe, passing in speed

  The falcon, swiftest of the fowls of heav'n;

  With such rapidity she cut the waves,

  An hero bearing like the Gods above

  In wisdom, one familiar long with woe

  In fight sustain'd, and on the perilous flood,

  Though sleeping now serenely, and resign'd

  To sweet oblivion of all sorrow past.

  The brightest star of heav'n, precursor chief

  Of day-spring, now arose, when at the isle 110

  (Her voyage soon perform'd) the bark arrived.

  There is a port sacred in Ithaca

  To Phorcys, hoary ancient of the Deep,

  Form'd by converging shores, prominent both

  And both abrupt, which from the spacious bay

  Exclude all boist'rous winds; within it, ships

  (The port once gain'd) uncabled ride secure.

  An olive, at the haven's head, expands

  Her branches wide, near to a pleasant cave

  Umbrageous, to the nymphs devoted named 120

  The Naiads. In that cave beakers of stone

  And jars are seen; bees lodge their honey there;

  And there, on slender spindles of the rock

  The nymphs of rivers weave their wond'rous robes.

  Perennial springs water it, and it shows

  A twofold entrance; ingress one affords

  To mortal man, which Northward looks direct,

  But holier is the Southern far; by that

  No mortal enters, but the Gods alone.

  Familiar with that port before, they push'd 130

  The vessel in; she, rapid, plow'd the sands

  With half her keel, such rowers urged her on.

  Descending from the well-bench'd bark ashore,

  They lifted forth Ulysses first, with all

  His splendid couch complete, then, lay'd him down

  Still wrapt in balmy slumber on the sands.

  His treasures, next, by the Phæacian Chiefs

  At his departure given him as the meed

  Due to his wisdom, at the olive's foot

  They heap'd, without the road, lest, while he slept 140

  Some passing traveller should rifle them.

  Then homeward thence they sped. Nor Ocean's God

  His threats forgot denounced against divine

  Ulysses, but with Jove thus first advised.

  Eternal Sire! I shall no longer share

  Respect and reverence among the Gods,

  Since, now, Phæacia's mortal race have ceas'd

  To honour me, though from myself derived.

  It was my purpose, that by many an ill

  Harass'd, Ulysses should have reach'd his home, 150

  Although to intercept him, whose return

  Thyself had promis'd, ne'er was my intent.

  But him fast-sleeping swiftly o'er the waves

  They have conducted, and have set him down

  In Ithaca, with countless gifts enrich'd,

  With brass, and tissued raiment, and with gold;

  Much treasure! more than he had home convey'd

  Even had he arrived with all his share

  Allotted to him of the spoils of Troy.

  To whom the cloud-assembler God replied. 160

  What hast thou spoken, Shaker of the shores,

  Wide-ruling Neptune? Fear not; thee the Gods

  Will ne'er despise; dangerous were the deed

  To cast dishonour on a God by birth

  More ancient, and more potent far than they.

  But if, profanely rash, a mortal man

  Should dare to slight thee, to avenge the wrong

  Some future day is ever in thy pow'r.

  Accomplish all thy pleasure, thou art free.

  Him answer'd, then, the Shaker of the shores. 170

  Jove cloud-enthroned! that pleasure I would soon

  Perform, as thou hast said, but that I watch

  Thy mind continual, fearful to offend.

  My purpose is, now to destroy amid

  The dreary Deep yon fair Phæacian bark,

  Return'd from safe conveyance of her freight;

  So shall they waft such wand'rers home no more,

  And she shall hide their city, to a rock

  Transform'd of mountainous o'ershadowing size.

  Him, then, Jove answer'd, gath'rer of the clouds. 180

  Perform it, O my brother, and the deed

  Thus done, shall best be done--What time the people

  Shall from the city her approach descry,

  Fix her to stone transform'd, but still in shape

  A gallant bark, near to the coast, that all

  May wonder, seeing her transform'd to stone

  Of size to hide their city from the view.

  These words once heard, the Shaker of the shores

  Instant to Scheria, maritime abode

  Of the Phæacians, went. Arrived, he watch'd. 190

  And now the flying bark full near approach'd,

  When Neptune, meeting her, with out-spread palm

  Depress'd her at a stroke, and she became

  Deep-rooted stone. Then Neptune went his way.

  Phæacia's ship-ennobled sons meantime

  Conferring stood, and thus, in accents wing'd,

  Th' amazed spectator to his fellow spake.

  Ah! who hath sudden check'd the vessel's course

  Homeward? this moment she was all in view.

  Thus they, unconscious of the cause, to whom 200

  Alcinoüs, instructing them, replied.

  Ye Gods! a prophecy now strikes my mind

  With force, my father's. He was wont to say--

  Neptune resents it, that we safe conduct

  Natives of ev'ry region to their home.

  He also spake, prophetic, of a day

  When a Phæacian gallant bark, return'd

  After conveyance of a stranger hence,

  Should perish in the dreary Deep, and changed

  To a huge mountain, cover all the town. 210

  So spake my father, all whose words we see

  This day fulfill'd. Thus, therefore, act we all

  Unanimous; henceforth no longer bear

  The stranger home, when such shall here arrive;

  And we will sacrifice, without delay,

  Twelve chosen bulls to Neptune, if, perchance,

  He will commiserate us, and forbear

  To hide our town behind a mountain's height.

  He spake, they, terrified, the bulls prepared.

  Thus all Phæacia's Senators and Chiefs 220

  His altar compassing, in pray'r adored

  The Ocean's God. Meantime, Ulysses woke,

  Unconscious where; stretch'd on his native soil

  He lay, and knew it not, long-time exiled.

  For Pallas, progeny of Jove, a cloud

  Drew dense around him, that, ere yet agnized

  By others, he might wisdom learn from her,

  Neither to citizens, nor yet to friends

  Reveal'd, nor even to his own espoused,

  Till, first, he should avenge complete his wrongs 230

  Domestic from those suitors proud sustained.

  All objects, therefore, in the Hero's eyes

  Seem'd alien, foot-paths long, commodious ports,

  Heav'n-climbing rocks, and trees of amplest growth.

 

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