With friendly speed, induc'd by erring fame,
To hail Ulyffes' fafe return I came :
But still the frown of fome celeftial pow'r
With envious joy retards the blissful hour.
Let not your foul be funk in fad defpair;
He lives, he breathes this heav'nly, vital air,
Among a favage race, whofe shelfy bounds
With ceafelefs roar the foaming deep furrounds.
The thoughts which rowl within ravilh'd breast,
To me, no feer, th' infpiring gods fuggeft;
Nor fkill'd, nor ftudions, with prophetic eye
To judge the winged omens of the fky:
Yet hear this certain fpeech, nor deem it vain ;
Though adamantine bonds the chief reftrain,
The dire restraint his wisdom will defeat,
And foon restore him to his regal feat.
But, gen'rous youth! fincere and free declare,
Are you, of manly growth, his royal heir ?
For fure Ulyffes in your look appears,
The fame his features, if the fame his years.
Such was that face, on which I dwelt with joy,
Ere Greece affembled ftem'd the tides to Troy;
But parting then for that detefted fhore,
Our eyes, unhappy! never greeting more.
To prove a genuine birth, the prince replies,
On female truth affenting faith relies;
Thus manifeft of right, I build my claim
Sure-founded on a fair maternal fame,
Ulyffes' fon but happier he, whom fate
Hath plac'd beneath the ftorms which tofs the great! 280
Happier the fon, whofe hoary fire is bleft
With humble affluence, and domestic rest !
Happier than I, to future empire born,
But doom'd a father's wretched fate to mourn!
To whom, with afpect mild, the gueft divine: 285
Oh true defcendent of a scepter'd line!
The gods, a glorious fate, from anguifh free,
To chafte Penelope's increafe decree.
But fay, yon' jovial troop fo gayly dreft,
Is this a bridal, or a friendly feast!
Or from their deed I rightlier may divine,
Unfeemly flown with infolence and wine?
Unwelcome revellers, whofe lawless joy
Pains the fage ear, and hurts the fober eye.
Magnificence of old (the prince reply'd)
Beneath our roof with virtue could refide;
Unblam'd abundance crown'd the royal board,
What time this dome rever'd her prudent lord;
Who now (fo heav'n decrees) is doom'd to mourn,
Bitter constraint! erroneous and forlorn.
Better the chief, on Ilion's hoftile plain
Had fall'n, furrounded with his warlike train;
Or fafe return'd, the race of glory past,
New to his friends embrace, had breath'd his laft!
Then grateful Greece with ftreaming eyes would raife
Hiftoric marbles, to record his praife;
His praise, eternal on the faithful stone,
Had with tranfmiffive honour grac'd his fon.
Now fnatch'd by harpies to the dreary coaft,
Sunk is the hero, and his glory lost:
Vanish'd at once! unheard of, and unknown!
And I, his heir, in mifery alone.
Nor for a dear loft father only flow
The filial tears, but woe fucceeds to woe:
To tempt the spouseless queen with am'rous wiles, 315
Refort the nobles from the neighb'ring ifles;
From Samos, circled with th' Ionian main,
Dulichium, and Zacynthus' fylvan reign:
Ev'n with prefumptuous hope her bed t' afcend,
The lords of Ithaca their right pretend.
She feems attentive to their pleaded vows,
Her heart detefting what her ear allows.
They, vain expectants of the bridal hour,
My ftores in riotous expence devour;
In feaft and dance the mirthful months employ, 325 And meditate my doom, to crown their joy.
With tender pity touch'd, the goddess cry'd:
Soon may kind heav'n a fure relief provide !
Soon may your fire discharge the vengeance due,
And all your wrongs the proud oppreffors rue!
Oh! in that portal fhould the chief appear,
Each hand tremenduous with a brazen spear,
In radiant panoply his limbs incas'd;
(For fo of old my father's court he grac'd,
When focial mirth unbent his serious foul,
O'er the full banquet, and the fprightly bowl;)
He then from Ephyre, the fair domain
Of Ilus, fprung from Jason's royal strain,
Meafur'd a length of feas, a toilfome length, in vain.
For voyaging to learn the direful art
To taint with deadly drugs the barbed dart ;
Obfervant of the gods, and fternly juft,
Ilus refus'd t'impart the baneful trust :
With friendlier zeal my father's foul was fir'd,
The drugs he knew, and gave the boon defir'd. 345 Appear'd he now with fuch heroic port,
As then confpicuous at the Taphian court;
Soon fhould yon' boasters cease their haughty ftrife,
Or each atone his guilty love with life.
But of his wifh'd return the care refign;
Be future vengeance to the Pow's divine.
My fentence hear: with ftern distaste avow'd,
To their own districts drive the fuitor-croud:
When next the morning warms the purple east,
Convoke the peerage, and the gods attest ;
The forrows of your inmost soul relate;
And form fure plans to fave the finking state..
Should fecond love a pleasing flame inspire,
And the chafte queen connubial rites require;
Difmifs'd with honour let her hence repair
To great Icarius, whofe paternal care
Will guide her paffion, and reward the choice
With wealthy dow'r, and bridal gifts, of price.
Then let this dictate of my love prevail :
Inftant, to foreign realms prepare to fail,
To learn your father's fortunes: fame may prove,
Or omen'd voice, (the meffenger of Jove)
Propitious to the fearch. Direct your toil
Through the wide ocean, first to fandy Pyle,
of Neftor, hoary fage, his doom demand;
Thence speed your voyage to the Spartan strand,
For young Atrides to th' Achaian coast
Arriv'd the laft of all the victor holt,
If yet Ulyffes views the light, forbear,
Till the fleet hours reftore the circling year.
But if his foul hath wing'd the deftin'd flight,
Inhabitant of deep difaft'rous night,
Homeward with pious fpeed repafs the main,
To the pale fhade funereal rites ordain,
Plant the fair column o'er the vacant grave,
A hero's honours let the hero have.
With decent grief the royal dead deplor'd,
For the chafte queen felect an equal lord.
Then let revenge your daring mind employ,
By fraud or force the fuitor-train destroy,
And starting into manhood, fcorn the bay.
Haft thou not heard how young Oreftes, fir'd
With great revenge, immortal praise acquir'd!
His virgin fword Egyfthus' veins imbru'd;
The murd❜rer fell, and blood atton'd for blood. 390
O greatly blefs'd with ev'ry blooming grace!
With equal steps the paths of glory trace;
Join to that royal youth's your rival name,
And thine eternal in the fphere of fame,-
But my affociates now my ftay deplore,
Impatient on the hoarfe refcunding fhore.
Thou, heedful of advice, fecure proceed;
My praife the precept is, be thine the deed.
The counfel of my friend, the youth rejoin'd,
Imprints conviction on my grateful mind.
So fathers fpeak (perfuafive speech and mild!)
Their fage experience to the fav'rite child.
But fince to part, for fweet refection due
The genial viands let my train renew:
And the rich pledge of plighted faith receive,
Worthy the heir of Ithaca to give.
Defer the promis'd boon, (the goddess cries,
Celestial azure brightning in her eyes,)
And let me now regain the Reithrian port:
From Temefe return'd, your royal court
I fhall revifit; and that pledge receive,
And gifts, memorial of our friendship, leave.
Abrupt; with eagle-speed fhe cut the fky;
Inftant invisible to mortal eye.
Then first he recogniz'd th' aethereal guest ;
Wonder and joy alternate fire his breast :
Heroic thoughts infus'd, his heart dilate,
Revolving much his father's doubtful fate :
At length compos'd, he join'd the fuitor-throng,
Hufh'd in attention to the warbled fong.
His tender theme the charming lyrist chose,
Minerva's anger, and the direful woes
Which voyaging from Troy the victors bore,
While forms vindictive intercept the shore.
The thrilling airs the vaulted roof rebounds,
Reflecting to the queen the filver founds.
With grief renew'd, the weeping fair defcends
'I heir fov'reign's step a virgin train attends :
A veil of richeft texture wrought she wears,
And filent to the joyous hall repairs,
There from the portal, with her mild command
Thus gently checks the minstrel's tuneful hand :
Phemius! let acts of gods and heroes old,
What antient bards in hall and bow'r have told,
Attemper'd to the lyre, your voice employ :
Such the pleas'd ear will drink with filent joy.
But oh! forbear that dear difaft'rous name,
To forrow facred, and fecure of fame :
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