Smit with the signs which all his doubts explain,
His heart within him melts; his knees sustain
Their feeble weight no more: his arms alone
Support him, round the loved Ulysses thrown;
He faints, he sinks, with mighty joys oppress’d: 405
Ulysses clasps him to his eager breast.
Soon as returning life regains its seat,
And his breath lengthens, and his pulses beat;
“Yes, I believe,” he cries, “ Almighty Jove!
Heaven rules us yet, and gods there are above. 410
'Tis so; the suitors for their wrongs have paid;
But what shall guard us, if the town invade ?
If, while the news through every city fies,
All Ithaca and Cephalenia rise ?"

To this Ulysses: “As the gods shall please 415
Be all the rest; and set thy soul at ease.
Haste to the cottage by this orchard's side,
And take the banquet which our cares provide:
There wait thy faithful band of rural friends,
And there the young Telemachus attends.” 420

Thus having said, they traced the garden o'er,
And stooping enter'd at the lowly door.
The swains and young Telemachus they found,
The victim portion'd, and the goblet crown'd.
The hoary king, his old Sicilian maid

425
Perfumed and wash'd, and gorgeously array'd.
Pallas attending gives his frame to shine
With awful port, and majesty divine;
His gazing son admires the godlike grace,
And air celestial dawning o'er his face.

430 “What god,” he cried, “ my father's form improves ? How high he treads, and how enlarged he moves !"

“Oh! would to all the deathless powers on high, Pallas and Jove, and him who gilds the sky !" Replied the king, elated with his praise,

435 “My strength were still, as once in better days; When the bold Cephalens the leaguer formid, And proud Nericus trembled as I storm'd !

Such were I now, not absent from your deed
When the last sun beheld the suitors bleed, 440
This arm had aided yours, this hand bestrown
Our shores with death, and push'd the slaughter on;
Nor had the sire been separate from the son."
They communed thus; while homeward bent their

way
The swains, fatigued with labours of the day: 445
Dolius the first, the venerable man ;
And next his sons, a long succeeding train
For due refection to the bower they came,
Call’d by the careful old Sicilian dame,

449 Who nursed the children, and now tends the sire ; They see their lord, they gaze, and they admire. On chairs and beds in order seated round, They share the gladsome board; the roofs resound, While thus Ulysses to his ancient friend : “ Forbear your wonder, and the feast attend: 455 The rites have waited long." The chief commands Their loves in vain; old Dolius spreads his hands, Springs to his master with a warm embrace, And fastens kisses on his hands and face ; Then thus broke out : “ Oh long, oh daily mourn'd! Beyond our hopes, and to our wish return'd! 461 Conducted sure by Heaven! for Heaven alone Could work this wonder: welcome to thy own! And joys and happiness attend thy throne ! Who knows thy bless'd, thy wishd return? Oh say, To the chaste queen shall we the news convey ? 466 Or hears she, and with blessings loads the day?"

“ Dismiss that care, for to the royal bride Already is it known,” the king replied, And straight resumed his seat; while round him bows

470 Each faithful youth, and breathes out ardent vows: 'T'hen all beneath their father take their place, Rank'd by their ages, and the banquet grace.

Now flying Fame the swift report had spread Through all the city, of the suitors dead. 475

D D

In throngs they rise, and to the palace crowd;
Their sighs were many, and the tumult loud.
Weeping they bear the mangled heaps of slain,
Inhume the natives in their native plain,
The rest in ships are wasted o'er the main. 480
Then sad in council all the seniors sat,
Frequent and full, assembled to debate:
Amid the circle first Eupithes rose,
Big was his eye with tears, his heart with woes:
The bold Antinous was his age's pride,

485 The first who by Ulysses' arrow died. Down his wan cheek the trickling torrent ran, As mixing words with sighs he thus began: “Great deeds, oh friends! this wondrous man has

wrought, And mighty blessings to his country brought! 490 With ships he parted, and a numerous train, Those, and their ships, he buried in the main. Now he returns, and first essays his hand In the best blood of all his native land. Haste then, and ere to neighbouring Pyle he flies, 495 Or sacred Elis, to procure supplies; Arise, (or ye for ever fall,) arise! Shame to this age, and all that shall succeed ! If unrevenged your sons and brothers bleed. Prove that we live, by vengeance on his head, 500 Or sink at once forgotten with the dead."

Here ceased he, but indignant tears let fall Spoke when he ceased : dumb sorrow touch'd them

all. When from the palace to the wondering throng Sage Medon came, and Phemius came along; 505 (Restless and early sleep's soft bands they broke ;) And Medon first the assembled chiefs bespoke :

“ Hear me, ye peers and elders of the land, Who deem this act the work of mortal hand; As o'er the heaps of death Ulysses strode, 510 These eyes, these eyes beheld a present god,

Who now before him, now beside him stood,
Fought as he fought, and mark'd his way with

blood : In vain old Mentor's form the god belied : 'Twas Heaven that struck, and Heaven was on his side.”

515 A sudden horror all the assembly shook, When slowly rising, Halitherses spoke: (Reverend and wise, whose comprehensive view At once the present and the future knew :) “Me too, ye fathers, hear! from you proceed 520 The ills ye mourn; your own the guilty deed. Ye gave your sons, your lawless sons, the rein; (Oft warn’d by Mentor and myself in vain ;) An absent hero's bed they sought to soil, An absent hero's wealth they made their spoil ; 525 Immoderate riot, and intemperate lust! The offence was great, the punishment was just. Weigh then my counsels in an equal scale, Nor rush to ruin. Justice will prevail.”

His moderate words some better minds persuade: They part, and join him: but the number staid. 531 They storm, they shout, with hasty phrensy fired, And second all Eupithes' rage inspired. They case their limbs in brass; to arms they run ; The broad effulgence blazes in the sun.

535 Before the city, and in ample plain, They meet: Eupithes heads the frantic train. Fierce for his son, he breathes his threats in air ; Fate hears them not, and Death attends him there.

This passid on earth, while in the realms above 540 Minerva thus to cloud-compelling Jove:

May I presume to search thy secret soul ? Oh Power supreme, oh Ruler of the whole ! Say, hast thou doom'd to this divided state Or peaceful amity, or stern debate !

545 Declare thy purpose, for thy will is fate."

“ Is not ihy thought my own!" the god replies Who rolls the thunder o'er the vaulted skies;

66

a

“ Hath not long since thy knowing soul decreed,
The chief's return should make the guilty bleed! 550
'Tis done, and at thy will the fates succeed.
Yet hear the issue; since Ulysses' hand
Has slain the suitors, Heaven shall bless the land.
None now the kindred of the unjust shall own;
Forgot the slaughter'd brother and the son: 555
Each future day increase of wealth shall bring,
And o'er the past Oblivion stretch her wing.
Long shall Ulysses in his empire rest,
His people blessing, by his people bless'd.
Let all be peace.” He said, and gave the nod 560
That binds the fates; the sanction of the god;
And prompt to execute the eternal will,
Descended Pallas from the Olympian hill.

Now sat Ulysses at the rural feast,
The rage of hunger and of thirst repress'd : 565
To watch the foe a trusty spy he sent ;
A son of Dolius on the message went,
Stood in the way, and at a glance beheld
The foe approach, embattled on the field.
With backward step he hastens to the bower, 570
And tells the news. They arm with all their power,
Four friends alone Ulysses' cause embrace,
And six were all the sons of Dolius' race:
Old Dolius too his rusted arms put on;
And, still more old, in arms Laertes shone. 575
Trembling with warmth, the hoary heroes stand,
And brazen panoply invests the band.
The opening gates at once their war display :
Fierce they

rush forth : Ulysses leads the way. That moment joins them with celestial aid, 580 In Mentor's form, the Jove-descended maid: The suffering hero felt his patient breast Swell with new joy, and thus son address'd :

“ Behold, Telemachus! (nor fear the sight,) The brave embattled, the grim front of fight! 585 The valiant with the valiant must contend: Shame not the line whence glorious you descend,