Now left to man's ingratitude he lay,
Unhous'd, neglected in the public way;
And where on heaps the rich manure was spread,
Obfcene with reptiles, took his fordid bed.
He knew his lord; he knew,, and strove to meet ;
In vain he ftrove to crawl, and kifs his feet;
Yet (all he could) his tail, his ears, his eyes,
Salute his master, and confefs his joys.
Soft pity touch'd the mighty mafter's foul ;
Adown his cheek a tear unbidden stole,
Stole unperceiv'd; he turn'd his head, and dry'd
The drop humane: then thus impaffion'd cry'd :
What noble beaft in this abandon'd state
Lies here all helpless at Ulyffes' gate?
His bulk and beauty speak no vulgar praise ;
If as he feems he was in better days,
Some care his age deferves: or was he priz'd
For worthlefs beauty! therefore now deipis'd?
Such dogs and men there are, meer things of ftate,
And always cherish'd by their friends, the Great. 375
Not Argus fo (Eumæus thus rejoin'd)
But ferv'd a mafter of a nobler kind,
Who never, never fhall behold him more!
Long, long fince perifh'd on a diftant fhore !
Oh! had you feen him, vigorous, bold, and young,
Swift as a stag, and as a lion ftrong;
Him no fell favage on the plain withstood,
None 'fcap'd him, bofom'd in the gloomy wood;
His eye how piercing, and his fcent how true,
To wind the vapour in the tainted dew!
H 4
Such, when Ulyffes left his natal coast;
Now years un-nerve him, and his lord is loft!
The women keep the generous creature bare,
A fleek and idle race is all their care:
The mafter gone, the fervants what restrains?
Or dwells humanity where riot reigns?
Jove fix'd it certain, that whatever day
Makes man a flave, takes half his worth away.
This faid, the honest herdsman strode before;
The mufing monarch pauses at the door :
The dog, whom Fate had granted to behold
His lord, when twenty tedious years had roll'd,
Takes a last look, and, having feen him, dies;
So clos'd for ever faithful Argus' eyes!
And now Telemachus, the first of all,
Obferv'd Eumæus entering in the hall
Distant he faw, across the fhady dome;
Then gave a fign, and beckon'd him to come:
'There ftood an empty feat, where late was plac'd,
In order due, the steward of the feast
(Who now was bufied carving round the board);
Eumæus took, and plac'd it near his lord.
Before him inftant was the banquet fpread,
And the bright basket pil'd with loaves of bread.
Next came Ulyffes lowly at the door,
A figure defpicable, old, and poor,
In fqualid vefts, with many a gaping rent,
Propp'd on a staff, and trembling as he went.
Then, refting on the threshold of the gate,
Against a cyprefs pillar lean'd his weight
(Smooth'd by the workman to a polifh'd plain);
The thoughtful fon beheld, and call'd his fwain:
Thefe viands, and this bread, Eumæus! bear,
And let yon mendicant our plenty fhare:
Then let him circle round the fuitors' board,
And try the bounty of each gracious lord.
Bold let him act, encourag'd thus by me;
How ill, alas! do want and fhame agree!
His lord's command the faithful servant bears; The feeming beggar anfwers with his prayers. Bleft be Telemachus! in every deed
Infpire him, Jove! in every wish fucceed!
This faid, the portion from his fon convey'd
With fmiles receiving on his fcrip he lay'd.
Long as the minstrel fwept the founding wire,
He fed, and ceas'd when filence held the lyre.
Soon as the fuitors from the banquet rofe,
Minerva prompts the man of mighty woes
To tempt their bounties with a fuppliant's art,
And learn the generous from th' ignoble heart
(Not but his foul, refentful as humane,
Dooms to full vengeance all the offending train);
With speaking eyes, and voice of plaintive found,
Humble he moves, imploring all around.
The proud feel pity, and relief bestow,
With fuch an image touch'd of human woe;
Enquiring all, their wonder they confefs,
And eye the man, majeftic in diftrefs.
While thus they gaze and queftion with their eyes, The bold Melanthius to their thought replies:
My lords! this ftranger of gigantic port
The good Eumæus usher'd to your court.
Full well I mark'd the features of his face,
Though all unknown his clime, or noble race.
And is this prefent, fwineherd! of thy hand?
Bring'st thou these vagrants to infeft the land?
(Returns Antinous with retorted eye)
Objects uncouth! to check the genial joy.
Enough of these our court already grace,
Of giant ftomach, and of famish'd face.
Such guests Eumæus to his country brings,
To share our feast, and lead the life of kings.
To whom the hofpitable fwain rejoin'd:
Thy paffion, prince, belies thy knowing mind.
Who calls, from distant nations to his own,
The poor, diftinguish'd by their wants alone?
Round the wide world are fought those men divine
Who public ftructures raife, or who defign;
Those to whose eyes the Gods their ways reveal,
Or bless with falutary arts to heal;
But chief to poets fuch respect belongs,
By rival nations courted for their fongs ;
These states invite, and mighty kings admire,
Wide as the fun displays his vital fire.
It is not fo with want! how few that feed
A wretch unhappy, merely for his need!
Unjuft to me and all that serve the state,
To love Ulyffes is to raise thy hate.
For me, fuffice the approbation won
Of my great mistress, and her god-like fon.
To him Telemachus: No more incenfe
The man by nature prone to infolence:
Injurious minds just answers but provoke-
Then turning to Antinous, thus he spoke :
Thanks to thy care! whofe abfolute command
Thus drives the stranger from our court and land.
Heaven blefs its owner with a better mind!
From envy free, to charity inclin❜d,
This both Penelope and I afford :
Then, prince! be bounteous of Ulyffes' board.
To give another's is thy hand so flow?
So much more sweet, to spoil, than to bestow?
Whence, great Telemachus! this lofty strain ?
(Antinous cries with infolent difdain)
Portions like mine if every fuitor gave,
Our walls this twelvemonth fhould not fee the flave..
He spoke, and lifting high above the board
His ponderous footstool, fhook it at his lord..
The reft with equal hand conferr'd the bread;
He fill'd his fcrip, and to the threthold sped;
But first before Antinous stopp'd, and said:
Beftow, my friend! thou doft not seem the worst
Of all the Greeks, but prince-like and the first;
Then, as in dignity, be first in worth,
And I shall praise thee through the boundless earth.
Once I enjoy'd in luxury of state
Whate'er gives man the envied name of great;
Wealth, fervants, friends, were mine in better days; And hofpitality was then my praife;
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