The chief with wonder sees the extended streets,
The spreading harbours, and the riding fleets;
He next their princes' lofty domes admires,
In separate islands, crown'd with rising spires;
And deep intrenchments, and high walls of stone,
That gird the city like a marble zone.

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At length the kingly palace gates he view'd;
There stopp'd the goddess, and her speech renew'd.
"My task is done: the mansion you inquire
Appears before you; enter, and admire.

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High throned, and feasting, there thou shalt behold
The sceptred rulers. Fear not, but be bold:
A decent boldness ever meets with friends,
Succeeds, and ev'n a stranger recommends.
First to the queen prefer a suppliant's claim,
Alcinous' queen, Arete is her name,

The same her parents, and her power the same.
For know, from ocean's god Nausithous sprung,
And Peribœa, beautiful and young,

(Eurymedon's last hope, who ruled of old

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The race of giants, impious, proud, and bold;
Perish'd the nation in unrighteous war,
Perish'd the prince, and left this only heir,)

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Who now, by Neptune's amorous power compress'd,
Produced a monarch that his people bless'd,
Father and prince of the Phæacian name;

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From him Rhexenor and Alcinous came.

The first by Phoebus' burning arrows fired,
New from his nuptials, hapless youth! expired.
No son survived: Arete heir'd his state,
And her, Alcinous chose his royal mate.

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With honours yet to womankind unknown,

This queen he graces, and divides the throne:
In equal tenderness her sons conspire,
And all the children emulate their sire.

When through the street she gracious deigns to

move,

(The public wonder and the public love,)

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The tongues of all with transport sound her praise, The eyes of all, as on a goddess, gaze.

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She feels the triumph of a generous breast;
To heal divisions, to relieve the oppress'd;
In virtue rich; in blessing others, bless'd.
Go then secure, thy humble suit prefer,
And owe thy country and thy friends to her."
With that the goddess deign'd no longer stay,
But o'er the world of waters wing'd her way:
Forsaking Scheria's ever-pleasing shore,
The winds to Marathon the virgin bore ;
Thence, where proud Athens rears her towery head,
With opening streets and shining structures spread,
She pass'd, delighted with the well-known seats;
And to Erectheus' sacred dome retreats.

Meanwhile Ulysses at the palace waits,
There stops, and anxious with his soul debates,
Fix'd in amaze before the royal gates.

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The front appear'd with radiant splendours gay, 110
Bright as the lamp of night, or orb of day.

The walls were massy brass: the cornice high
Blue metals crown'd, in colours of the sky;
Rich plates of gold the folding doors incase;
The pillars silver, on a brazen base;
Silver the lintels deep-projecting o'er,
And gold, the ringlets that command the door.
Two rows of stately dogs on either hand,
In sculptured gold and labour'd silver stand.
These Vulcan form'd with art divine, to wait
Immortal guardians at Alcinous' gate;
Alive each animated frame appears,

And still to live beyond the power of years.

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Fair thrones within from space to space were raised,
Where various carpets with embroidery blazed, 125
The work of matrons: these the princes press'd,
Day following day, a long continued feast.
Refulgent pedestals the walls surround,

Which boys of gold with flaming torches crown'd;

HOM.-H.D

130

The polish'd ore, reflecting every ray,
Blazed on the banquets with a double day.
Full fifty handmaids form the household train;
Some turn the mill, or sift the golden grain ;
Some ply the loom; their busy fingers move
Like poplar leaves when Zephyr fans the grove. 135
Not more renown'd the men of Scheria's isle,
For sailing arts and all the naval toil,

Than works of female skill their women's pride,
The flying shuttle through the threads to guide :
Pallas to these her double gifts imparts,
Inventive genius, and industrious arts.

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Close to the gates a spacious garden lies, From storms defended and inclement skies. Four acres was the allotted space of ground, Fenced with a green enclosure all around. Tall thriving trees confess'd the fruitful mould; The reddening apple ripens here to gold. Here the blue fig with luscious juice o'erflows, With deeper red the full pomegranate glows, The branch here bends beneath the weighty pear, And verdant olives flourish round the year. The balmy spirit of the western gale

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Eternal breathes on fruits, untaught to fail :

Each dropping pear a following pear supplies:
On apples apples, figs on figs arise:

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The same mild season gives the blooms to blow,

The buds to harden, and the fruits to grow.
Here order'd vines in equal ranks appear,

With all the united labours of the year;
Some to unload the fertile branches run,
Some dry the blackening clusters in the sun,
Others to tread the liquid harvest join,

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The groaning presses foam with floods of wine.
Here are the wines in early flower descried,
Here grapes discolour'd on the sunny side,
And there in autumn's richest purple died.
Beds of all various herbs, for ever green,
In beauteous order terminate the scene.

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Two plenteous fountains the whole prospect

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crown'd: This through the gardens leads its streams around, Visits each plant, and waters all the ground; While that in pipes beneath the palace flows, And thence its current on the town bestows: To various use their various streams they bring, The people one, and one supplies the king.

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Such were the glories which the gods ordain'd To grace Alcinous, and his happy land. Ev'n from the chief whom men and nations knew, The unwonted scene surprise and rapture drew; In pleasing thought he ran the prospect o'er, Then hasty enter'd at the lofty door. Night now approaching, in the palace stand, With goblets crown'd, the rulers of the land; Prepared for rest, and offering to the god Who bears the virtue of the sleepy rod. Unseen he glided through the joyous crowd, With darkness circled, and an ambient cloud. Direct to great Alcinous' throne he came, And prostrate fell before the imperial dame. Then from around him dropp'd the veil of night; Sudden he shines, and manifest to sight. The nobles gaze, with awful fear oppress'd; Silent they gaze, and eye the godlike guest. “Daughter of great Rhexenor!" thus began, Low at her knees the much-enduring man; "To thee, thy consort, and this royal train, To all that share the blessings of your reign, A suppliant bends: oh pity human wo! "Tis what the happy to the unhappy owe. A wretched exile to his country send,

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Long worn with griefs, and long without a friend.

So may the gods your better days increase,
And all your joys descend on all your race;
So reign for ever on your country's breast,

Your people blessing, by your people bless'd!" 205

184 Mercury.

Then to the genial hearth he bow'd his face, And humbled in the ashes took his place. Silence ensued. The eldest first began, Echeneus sage, a venerable man!

Whose well-taught mind the present age surpass'd,

And join'd to that the experience of the last.
Fit words attended on his weighty sense,
And mild persuasion flow'd in eloquence.

"Oh sight," he cried, "dishonest and unjust!
A guest, a stranger, seated in the dust!
To raise the lowly suppliant from the ground
Befits a monarch. Lo! the peers around
But wait thy word, the gentle guest to grace,
And seat him fair in some distinguish'd place.
Let first the herald due libation pay

To Jove, who guides the wanderer on his way;
Then set the genial banquet in his view,
And give the stranger guest a stranger's due."
His sage advice the listening king obeys,

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He stretch'd his hand the prudent chief to raise, 225
And from his seat Laodamas removed;

(The monarch's offspring, and his best beloved ;)
There next his side the godlike hero sat;
With stars of silver shone the bed of state,
The golden ewer a beauteous handmaid brings, 230
Replenish'd from the cool translucent springs,
Whose polish'd vase with copious streams supplies
A silver laver of capacious size.

The table next in regal order spread,

The glittering canisters are heap'd with bread: 235
Viands of various kinds invite the taste,

Of choicest sort and savour, rich repast!
Thus feasting high, Alcinous gave the sign,
And bade the herald pour the rosy wine.
"Let all around the due libation pay

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To Jove, who guides the wanderer on his way." He said. Protonous heard the king's command; The circling goblet moves from hand to hand: