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THE ARGUMENT.

Minerva's defcent to Ithaca.

The poem opens within forty-eight days of the arrival of Ulyffes in his dominions. He had now remained feven years in the island of Calypfo, when the gods affembled in council propofed the method of his departure from thence, and his return to his native country. For this purpose it is concluded to fend Mercury to Calypfo, and Pallas immediately defcends to Ithaca. She holds a conference with Telemachus, in the Shape of Mentes king of the Taphians; in which she advises him to take a journey in quest of his father Ulyffes, to Pylos and Sparta, where Neftor and Menelaus yet reigned: then, after having visibly displayed her divinity, difappears. The fuitors of Penelope make greet entertainments and riot in her palace till night. Phemius fings to them the return of the Grecians, till Penelope puts a flop to the fong. Some words arife between the suitors and Telemachus, who fummons the council to meet the day following.

THE

ODYSSEY.

BOOK I.

T

HE man for wifdom's various arts renown'd,
Long exercis'd in woes, oh Mufe! refound;

Who, when his arms had wrought the diftin'd
Of facred Troy, and raz'd her heav'n-built wall, [fait
Wand'ring from clime to clime, obfervant, stray'd, 5
Their manners noted, and their states furvey'd.
On ftormy feas unnumber'd toils he bore,
Safe with his friends to gain his natal fhore:
Vain toils! their impious folly dar'd to prey
On herds devoted to the god of day:
The god, vindictive, doom'd them never more
(Ah men unblefs'd!) to touch that natal shore.
Oh fnatch fome portion of these acts from fate,
Celestial Mufe! and to our world relate.

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Now at their native realms the Greeks arriv'd; 15 All who the wars of ten long years furviv'd,

And 'scap'd the perils of the gulfy main.
Ulyffes, fole of all the victor train,
An exile from his dear paternal coast,
Deplor'd his abfent queen, and empire loft.
Calypfo in her cave constrain'd his stay,
With fweet, reluctant, amorous delay :
In vain for now the circling years difclofe
The day predeftin'd to reward his woes.
At length his Ithaca is giv'n by fate,
Where yet new labours his arrival wait :

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At length their rage the hoftile Pow'rs restrain,
All but the ruthless monarch of the main.
But now the god, remote, a heav'nly guest
In Ethiopia grac'd the genial feast,
(A race divided, whom with floping rays
The rifing and defcending fun farveys;)
There on the world's extremeft verge rever'd,
With hecatombs and pray'r in pomp prefer'd,
Diflant he lay; while in the bright abodes
Of high Olympus, Jove conven'd the gods:
Th' affembly thus the fire fupreme addrest,
Egyfthus' fate revolving in his breaft,
Whom young Oreftes to the dreary coast
Of Pluto fent, a blood-polluted ghost,

Perverse mankind! whofe wills, created free,
Charge all their woes on abfolute decrce;
All to the dooming gods their guilt translate,
And follies are mifcall'd the crimes of fate.
When to his luft Egyfthus gave the rein,
Did fate, or we, th' adult'rous act constrain ?
Did fate, or we, when great Atrides dy'd,
Urge the bold traitor to the regicide?
Hermes I fent, while yet his foul remain'd
Sincere from royal blood, and faith profan'd;
To warn the wretch, that young Oreftes grown
To manly years should re affert the throne:
Yet, impotent of mind, and uncontroul'd,
He plung'd into the gulf which heav'n foretold,

Here paus'd the god, and penfive thus replies
Minerva, graceful with her azure eyes:

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O thou! from whom the whole creation springs,
The fource of pow'r on earth deriv'd to kings!
His death was equal to the direful deed;

So may the man of blood be doom'd to bleed !

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But grief and rage alternate wound my breaft
For brave Ulyffes, ftill by fate oppreft.
Amidft an ifle, around whofe rocky fhore
The forefts murmur, and the furges roar,