His task it was the wheaten loaves to lay,
And from the banquet take the bowls away.
And now the rage of hunger was reprefs'dy
And each betakes him to his couch to reft.

Now came the night, and darkness cover'd o'er 510
The face of things; the winds began to roar :
The driving ftorm the watery weft-wind pours,
And Jove defcends in deluges of showers.
Studious of reft and warmth, Ulyffes lies,
Foreseeing from the first the ftorm would rife;

In mere neceffity of coat and cloak,

515

With artful preface to his hoft he spoke :

"Tis fweet to play the fool in time and place,

And wine can of their wits the wife beguile,
Make the fage frolick, and the serious smile,
The grave in merry measures frisk about,
And many a long-repented word bring out!
Since to be talkative I now commence,
Let wit caft off the fullen yoke of sense.

Hear me, my friends! who this good banquet grace;

520

525

Once I was strong (would Heaven reftore thofe days!) And with my betters claimed my fhare of praife.

Ulyffes, Menelaus, led forth a band,

And join'd me with them ('twas their own command ;)

A deathful ambush for the foe to lay,

530

Beneath Troy's walls by night we took our way:

There clad in arms, along the marshes spread,

We made the ozier-fringed bank our bed.
Full foon th' inclemency of Heaven I feel,
Nor had these shoulders covering but of feel,

535

Sharp

Sharp blew the north; fhow whitening all the fields
Froze with the blaft, and gathering glaz'd our fhields.
There all but I, well fenc'd with cloak and vest,
Lay cover'd by their ample fhields at reft.

Fool that I was! I left behind my own;

540

The skill of weather and of winds unknown,

And trusted to my coat and shield alone!

When now was wafted more than half the night,
And the stars faded at approaching light;

Sudden I jogg'd Ulyffes, who was laid
Faft by my fide, and shivering thus I faid:
Here longer in this field I cannot lie';
The winter pinches, and with cold I die,
And die afham'd (O wifeft of mankind)
The only fool who left his cloak behind.

He thought, and answer'd: hardly waking yet,

Sprung in his mind the momentary wit

545

550

(That wit, which or in council, or in fight,
Still met th' emergence, and determin'd right.)
Hufh thee, he cry'd, (foft-whispering in my ear) 555
Speak not a word, left any Greek may hear-
And then (fupporting on his arm his head)
Hear me, companions? (thus aloud he faid)
Methinks too diftant from the fleet we lie:
Ev'n now a vifion ftood before my eye,
And fure the warning vision was from high:
Let from
among us fome fwift courier rife,
Hafte to the general, and demand fupplies.
Upstarted Thoas ftraight, Andræmon's fon,
Nimbly he rofe, and caft his garment down ;

560

}

56'5 Inflant,

Inftant, the racer vanish'd off the ground;
That inftant, in his cloak I wrapp'd me round:
And fafe I flept, till brightly dawning fhone
The morn confpicuous on her golden throne.

570

Oh, were my ftrength as then, as then my age! Some friend would fence me from the winter's rage. Yet, tatter'd as I look, I challeng'd then

The honours and the offices of men:

Some mafter, or fome fervant, would allow

575

A cloak and veft - but I am nothing now!

Well haft thou fpoke (rejoin'd th' attentive fwain)

Thy lips let fall no idle word or vain!

Nor garment fhalt thou want, nor aught befide,

Meet for the wandering fuppliant to provide.

580

But in the morning take thy cloaths again,

For here one veft fuffices every fwain;

No change of garments to our hinds is known:

But, when return'.', the good Ulyffes' fon

With better hand fhall grace with fit attires

585

His gueft, and fend thee where thy foul defires.
The honeft herdfman rofe, as this he faid,
And drew before the hearth the franger's bed:

The fleecy spoils of sheep, a goat's rough hide

He fpreads; and adds a mantle thick and wide; 590 With ftore to heap above him, and below,

And guard each quarter as the tempests blow.

There lay the king and all the reft fupine;

All, but the careful master of the swine:
Forth hafted he to tend his briftly care;
Well arm'd, and fenc'd againft nocturnal air;

595

His

His weighty faulchion o'er his fhoulder tied:
His fhaggy cloak a mountain goat fupplied:

With his broad fpear, the dread of dogs and men,
He feeks his lodging in the rocky den.

There to the tusky herd he bends his way,

600

Where, fcreen'd from Boreas, high o'er-arch'd they lay.

THE