Haste, rear the mast, the swelling shroud display;
Haste, to our ambush'd friends the news convey!
Scarce had he spoke; when turning to the strand
Amphinomus survey'd th' associate band:
Full to the bay within the winding shores
With gather'd sail they stood, and lifted oars.
O friends! he cried, elate with rising joy,
See to the port secure the vessel fly!
Some god has told them, or themselves survey
The bark escap'd; and measure back sheir way.
Swift at the word descending to the shores,
They moor the vessel and unlade the stores:
Then moving from the strand, apart they sat,
And full and frequent, form'd a dire debate.

Lives then the boy? he lives, (Antinous cries)
The care of gods and favourite of the skies.
All night we watch'd, till with her orient wheels
Aurora flam'd above the eastern hills,

And from the lofty brow of rocks by day
Took in the ocean with a broad survey;
Yet safe he sails! the powers celestial give
To shun the hidden snares of death, and live.
But die he shall, and thus condemn'd to bleed,
Be now the scene of instant death decreed.
Hope ye success? undaunted crush the foe,
Is he not wise? know this, and strike the blow.
Wait ye, till he to arms in council draws
The Greeks, averse too justly to our cause?
Strike, ere, the states conven'd, the foe hetray
Our murderous ambush on the watery way.
Or choose ye vagrant from their rage to fly
Outcasts of earth to breathe an unknown sky?
The brave prevent misfortune; then be brave,
And bury future danger in his grave.
Returns he? ambush'd we'll his walk invade,
Or where he hides in solitude and shade:

And give the palace to the queen a dower,
Or him she blesses in the bridal hour,
But if submissive you resign the sway,
Slaves to a boy, go, flatter and obey.
Retire we instant to our native reign,

Nor be the wealth of kings consum❜d in vain; Then wed whom choice approves: the queen be given

To some blest prince, the prince decreed by heaven.

Abash'd, the suitor train his voice attends: Till from his throne Amphinomus ascends, Who o'er Dulichium stretch'd his spacious reign, A land of plenty blest with every grain: Chief of the numbers who the queen address'd, And though displeasing, yet displeasing least, Soft were his words: his actions wisdom sway'd; Graceful awhile he paus'd, then mildly said:

O friends, forbear! and be the thought withstood: 'Tis horrible to shed imperial blood!

Consult we first the all-seeing powers above,
And the sure oracles of righteous Jove.
If they assent, e'en by this hand he dies;
If they forbid, I war not with the skies.

He said: The rival train his voice approv❜d,
And rising instant to the palace mov’d.
Arriv'd, with wild tumultuous noise they sat,
Recumbent on the shining thrones of state.

Then Medon, conscious of their dire debates, Their murderous counsel to the queen relates. Touch'd at the dreadful story she descends; Her hasty steps a damsel-train attends. Full where the dome its shining valves expands, Sudden before the rival powers she stands: And veiling decent with a modest shade Her cheek, indignant to Antinous said:

O void of faith! of all bad men the worst! Renown'd for wisdom, by th' abuse accurs'd! Mistaking fame proclaims thy generous mind; Thy deeds denote thee of the basest kind. Wretch! to destroy a prince that friendship gives, While in his guest his murderer he receives: Nor dread superior Jove, to whom belong The cause of suppliants and revenge of wrong. Hast thou forgot, (ungrateful as thou art) Who sav'd thy father with a friendly part! Lawless he ravag'd with his martial powers The Taphian pirates on Thesprotia's shores; Enrag'd, his life, his treasures they demand; Ulysses sav'd him from the avenger's hand. And would'st thou evil for his good repay? His bed dishonour, and his house betray? Afflict his queen? and with a murderous hand Destroy his heir? but cease, 'tis I command.

Far hence those fears (Eurymachus replied) O prudent princess! bid thy soul confide. Breathes there a man who dares that hero slay, While I behold the golden light of day?

No: by the righteous powers of heaven I swear,
His blood in vengeance smokes upon my spear.
Ulysses, when my infant days I led,

With wine suffic'd me, and with dainties fed:
My generous soul abhors the ungrateful part,
And my friend's son lives dearest to my heart.
Then fear no mortal arm: if heaven destroy,
We must resign: for man is born to die.

Thus smooth he ended, yet his death conspir'd:
Then sorrowing, with sad step the queen retir'd.
With streaming eyes all comfortless deplor'd,
Touch'd with the dear remembrance of her lord;
Nor ceas'd, till Pallas bid her sorrows fly,
And in soft slumber seal'd her flowing eye.

And now Eumæus, at the evening hour,
Came late returning to his sylvan bower.
Ulysses and his son had dressed with art
A yearling boar, and gave the gods their part,
Holy repast! That instant from the skies
The martial goddess to Ulysses flies:

She waves her golden wand, and reassumes
From every feature every grace that blooms;
At once his vestures change, at once she sheds
Age o'er his limbs, that tremble as he treads.
Lest to the queen the swain with transport fly,
Unable to contain th' unruly joy.

When near he drew, the prince breaks forth; Proclaim

What tidings, friend? what speaks the voice of fame?

Say, if the suitors measure back the main,
Or still in ambush thirst for blood in vain?

Whether, he cries, they measure back the flood,
Or still in ambush thirst in vain for blood,
Escap'd my care; where lawless suitors sway,
(Thy mandate born,) my soul disdain'd to stay.
But from th' Hermaan height I cast a view,
Where to th' port a bark high bounding flew:
Her freight a shining band: with martial air
Each pois'd his shield, and each advanc'd his spear:
And if aright these searching eyes survey,
Th' eluded suitors stem the watery way.

The prince, well pleas'd to disappoint their wiles,

Steals on his sire a glance, and secret smiles,
And now a short repast prepar'd, they fed,
Till the keen rage of craving hunger fled:
Then to repose withdrawn, apart they lay,
And in soft sleep forgot the cares of day.

THE

ODYSSEY.

BOOK XVII.

THE ARGUMENT.

Telemachus returning to the city, relates to Penelope the sum of his travels. Ulysses is conducted by Eumæus to the palace, where his old dog Argus acknowledges his master, after an absence of twen ty years, and dies with joy. Eumæus returns into the country, and Ulysses remains among the suitors, whose behaviour is described.

Soon as Aurora, daughter of the dawn, Sprinkled with roseate light the dewy lawn; In haste the prince arose, prepar'd to part; His hand impatient grasps the pointed dart; Fair on his feet the polish'd sandals shine, And thus he greets the master of the swine.

My friend, adieu; let this short stay suffice; I haste to meet my mother's longing eyes, And end her tears, her sorrows, and her sighs. But thou attentive, what we order heed; This hapless stranger to the city lead; By public bounty let him there be fed, And bless the hand that stretches forth the bread. To wipe the tears from all afflicted eyes, My will may covet, but my power denies. If this raise anger in the stranger's thought, The pain of anger punishes the fault: