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ΒΟΟΚ ΧΙΧ.

THE ARGUMENT.

The Difcovery of Ulyffes to Euryclea.

Ulyffes and bis fon remove the weapons out of the armoury. Ulyffes, in converfation with Penelope, gives a fictitious account of bis adventures; then affures ber be had formerly entertained her bufband in Crete; and defcribes exadly bis perfon and dress, afirms to bave heard of him in Phæacia and Thefprotia, and that his return is certain, ent soithin a month. He then goes to bothe, and is attended by Euryclea, who difcovers him to be Ulyffes by ice fear upon his leg, which be formerly received in hunting the wild boar on Parnaffus. The poet inferts a digreffion, relating that accident, with all its particulars.

C Still in the Come divine Ulyffes stay d:

ONSULTING fecret with the blue-ey'd Maid,

Revenge mature for a inflam'd his breaft ;
And thus the fon the fervent fire addrefs'd:
faltant convey thofe feely ftores of war
To ditant rooms, difpos'd with facred care:
The entfe demanded by the fuitor train,
To foothe their fears, a fpecious reason feign:
Say, fince, Ulyffes left his natal coaft.
Obleene with fmske, their beamy luftre loft,
His arms deform'd, the roof they won't adorn :
From the glad walls inglorious lumber torn.
Sugg it, that Jove the peaceful thought inspir'd,
Let they by fight of fwords to fury fir'd,
Difhoneft wounds, or violence ofcul,
Defame the bridal feat, and friendly bowl.
The prince obedient to the fage command,
To Euryclea thus: The female band
In their apartments keep; feture the doors:
Thele fwarthy arms among the covert fores
Are fecalier hid; my thoughtless youth

blame,

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With his bright prefence deigns the dome to grace.
Be calm, replies the fire, to none impart,
But oft revolve the vifion in thy heart:
Celeftials, mantled in excefs of light,
Can vifit unapproach'd by mortal fight.
Seek thou repof, whilft here I fole remain,
10 T' explore the conduct of the female train:
The penfive queen, perchance defires to know
The feries of my toils, to foothe her woe.

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With tapers flaming day his train attends,
His bright alcove th' obfequious youth afcends:
Soft flumberous fhades his drooping eve-lids close,
Till on her eaftern throne Aurora glows.

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Whilft, forming plans of deaths, Ulyffes ftay'd
In council fecret with the Martial Maid;
Attendant nymphs in beauteous order wait
2c The queen, defcending from her bower of state, 65
Her cheeks the warmer blush of Venus wear,
Chaften'd with coy Diana's penfive air.

they

flame.

Imbrown'd with vapour of the fmouldering
In happy hour (pleas'd Euryclea cries)
Tator'd by early woes, grow early wife!
Infpect with fharpen'd fight, and frugal care,
Your patrimonial wealth, a prudent heir.
But who the lighted taper
will provide,
(The female train retir'd) your toils to guide?
Without infringing hofpitable rite,
I cheer no lazy vagrants with repaft;
This guest (he cried) fhall bear the guiding light :
They share the meal that earn it ere they tafte.
He faid; from female ken the ftraight fecures
The purpos'd deed, and guards the bolted doors:
Auxiliar to his fon, Ulyffes bears

The plumy-crested helms, and pointed fpears,
With fhields indented deep in glorious wars.
Minerva viewlefs on her charge attends,
And with her golden lamp his toil befriends;
Not fuch the fickly beams, which, unfincere,
Gild the crofs vapour of this nether fphere!
A prefent deity the prince confefs'd,"
And wrapt with ecftacy the fire addrefs'd:
What miracle thus dazzles with furprise!
Distinct in rows the radiant columns rife :

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An ivory feat with filver ringlets grac'd,

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By fam'd Icmalius wrought, the menials plac'd :
With ivory filver'd-thick the foot-ftool fhone,
25 O'er which the panther's various hide was thrown.
The fovereign fat with graceful air fhe prefs'd;
To different tasks their toil the nymphs address'd:
The golden goblet fom", and fome reflor'd
From stains of luxury the polic'd board:
Thefe to remove th' expiring embers came,
While thofe with unctuous tir foment the flame.
'Twas then Melantho with imperious mien
Renew'd th' attack, incontinent of spleen :
Avant, she cry'd, offenfive to my fight!
Deem not in ambush here to lurk by night,
into the woman Rate alquint to pry;
A day-devourer, and an evening (py!
Vagrant, se gone before this blazing brand
Shall urge--and wav'd it biffing in her hard.
Th' infulted hero rolls his wrathful eyes,
And, Why fo turbulent of foul? he cries;
Can thefe lean farivel'd limbs unne.v'd with age,
These poor but honeft rags, enkindle rage?
In crowds we bear the badge of hungry Fate; 99

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45 And beg, degraded from fuperior ftate !

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Conftrain'd a rent-charge on the rich I live;
Reduc'd to crave the good I once could give :
A palace, wealth, and flaves, i late poffefs'd,
And all that makes the great be call'd the biefs'd
My gate, an emblem of my open soul,
Embrac'd the poor, and dealt a bounteous dole.
Scorn not the fad reverfe, injurious maid!
'Tis Jove's high will, and be his will obey'd!
Nor think thyself exempt: that rofy prime
Muft fhare the general doom of withering time:
To fome new channel foon, the changeful tide
Of royal grace th' offended queen may guide;
And her lov'd lord unplume thy towering pride.
Or were he dead, 'tis wildom to beware:
Sweet blooms the prince beneath Apollo's care;
Your deeds with quick impartial eye furveys,
Potent to punish what he cannot praise.

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Receive no stranger-gueft, no poor relieve; Ent ever for my lord in fecret grieve?This art, inftinct by fome celeftial Power, I try'd, clufive of the bridal hour: "Ye peers, I cry, who prefs to gain a heart, "Where dread Ulyffes claims no future part, "Rebate your loves, each rival fuit fufpend, "Till this funereal web my laboursead : "Ceafe, till to good Lacttes i bequeath "A pail of ftate, the ornament of death. "For when to Fate he bows, each Grecian dame "With juft reproach were licenc'd to defame; "Should he, long honour'd in fupreme command "Want the laft duties of a daughter's hand." The fiction pleas'd! their loves I long clude; The night fill ravel'd what the day renew'd, Three years fuccessful in my art conceal'd, My ineffectual fraud the fourth reveal'd : Befriended by my own domeftic fpics, The woof unwrought the suitor-train surprise. From nuptial rites they now no more recede, And fear forbids to faluty the breed. My anxious parents urge a speedy choice, :| And to their fuffrage gain the filial voice, For rule mature, Telemachus ecplores His dome difhonour'd, and exhausted storesBut, ftranger as thy days feem full of fate, Divid difcourfe, in turn thy birth relate: 120 Thy port afferts thee of diflinguish'd race: No poor unfather'd product of difgrace. Princefs! he cries, renew'd by your command, The dear remembrance my native land Offecret grief unfeals the fruitful fource; And tears repeat their long forgotten course! So pays the wretch whom Fate conftrains to roam!

Her keen reproach had reach'd the fovereign's
Loquacious infolent! the cries, forbear: 110 [car;
To thee the purpose of my foul I toid:
Venial difcourfe, unblam'd, with him to hold:
The storied labours of my wandering lord,
To foothe my grief he haply may record:
Yet him, my gueft, thy venom'd rage hath stung
Thy head fhall pay the forfeit of thy tongue!
But thou on whom my palace cares depend,
Eurypomè, regard the stranger friend :
A feat, foft-fpred with furry fpoils, prepare ;
Due-diftant, for us both to fpeak, and hear.

The menial fair obeys with duteous hafte :
A feat adorn'd with furry fpoils the plac'd :
Due-giflant for difcourfe the hero fate;
When thus the fovereign from her chair of flate:
Reveal, obfequious to my first demand,

Thy name, thy lineage and thy native land.

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He thus: O queen! whofe far-refounding fame

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Is bounded only by the ftarry frame;
Confummate pattern of imperial fway,
Whofe pious rule a warlike race obey:
In wavy gold thy fummer vales are drefs'd;
Thy autumns bend with copious fruit opprefs'd;
With flocks and herds each graffy plain is flor'd;
And fish of every fin thy feas afford;
Their affluent joys, thy grateful realms confefs,
And blefs the Power that fill delights to biefs.
Gracious permit this prayer, imperial dame!
Forbear to know my liacage, or my name :
Urge not this breast to heave, thefe eyes to weep ;
In fweet oblivion let my forrow fleep!
My woes awak'd will violate your ear;
And to this gay cenforious train appear
A winy vapour melting in a sear.

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Their gifts the Gods refum'd [the queen rejoin'd)

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Exterior grace, and energy of mind:
When the dear partner of my nuptial joy,
Auxiliar troops combin'd. to conquer Troy.
My lord's protecting hand alone would raise
My drooping verdure, and extend my praife!
Peers from the diftant Samian fhores refort;
Here with Dulichiaus jo.n'd, befiege the court:
Zacynthus green with ever fhady groves,
And Ithaca, pr fumptuous beaft their loves:
Oberuding on my choice a fecond lord,
They prefs the inepean rite abhor'd.
Mfrale con migling with domestic carcs,
I live regardless of my fate affairs :

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The ducs of nature to his natal home!-
But inward on my foul let forrow prey,
Your fovereign will my duty bids obcy.

Crete awes the circling waves, a fruitful foil!
And ninety cities crown the fea-born ifle.
Mix'd with her genuine fons, adopted names
In various tongues avow their vaticus claims:
Cydonians dreadful with the bended yew,
And bold Pelifgi boast a native's due:
The Dorians, plum'd amid the files of war,
Her foodful glebe with fierce Achaians fhare;
Cnoffus, her capital of high commaud,
Where feepter'd Minos with impartial hand
Divided right; each ninth revolving year
By Jove receiv'd in council to confer.
His fon Deucalion bore fucceffive fway;
His fon, who gave me first to view the day!
The royal bed an elder iffue bleft,
Idomene, whem lian fields atteft

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Of matchlefs deeds: untraid to martial toil
I jiv'd ingloricusin my native ide,
Studious of peace; and Athon is my name.
'Twas then to Crete that great Ulysses came; 215
For elemental war, and wintery Jove,
From Malea's gufty cape his navy drove
To bright Lucina's fane; the fhelly coast
Where loud Amnifus in the deep is loft.
His veffels moor'd, (an incommodious port!) 320
155 The hero fpeeded to the Croffian court:
Ardent the partner of his arms to find,
In leagues of leng commutual friendship join'd,

Vain hope! ten fins had warm'd the western ftrand,

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Since my brave brother with his Cretan band 225 Had fail'd for Troy: but to the genial feaft My honour'd roof receiv'd the royal guest : Beeves for his train the Cnoffian peers affign A public trait, with jars of generous wine. Twelve days, while Boreas vex'd th' aerial space,230 My hofpitable dome he deign'd to grace: And, when the north had ceas'd the stormy roar, He wing'd his voyage to the Phrygian fhore. Thus the fam'd hero, perfected in wiles, With fair fimilitude of truth beguiles The queen's attentive ear: diffolv'd in woe, From her bright eyes the tears unbourded flow. As fnows collected on the mountain freeze, When milder regions breathe a vernal breeze, The fleecy pile obeys the whifpering gales, Fads in a ftream, and murmurs through the vales: So, melted with the pleafing tale he told, Down her fair cheek the copious torrent roil'd: She to her prefent lord laments him loft, And views that object which the wants the moft! Withering at heart to fee the weeping fair, His eyes look itern, and caft a gloomy ftare; Of horn the stiff relentless balls appear, Or globes of iron fix'd in either fphere; Firm wildon iuterdicts the foftening tear. A fpeechleis interval of grief enfues Till thus the queen the tender theme renews: Stranger that c'er thy hofpitable roof Uly grac'd, confirm by faithful proof; Delineate to my view my warlike lord, His form, his habit, and his train record.

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With all thy wants the name of poor fhall end: 290
Henceforth live honcur'd, my domeftic friend!
The veft much envy'd on your native coalt,
And regal robe with figur'd gold emboss'd,
In happier hours my artful hand employ'd,
When my lov'd lord this blifsful bower enjoy'd : 295
The fall of Troy, erroneous and forlorn

| Doom'd to survive, and never to return!

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Then he, with pity touch'd: O royal dame Your ever-anxious mind, and beauteous frame, From the devouring rage of grief reclaim. 300. I not the fondness of your foul reprove For fuch a lord! who crown'd your virgin-love With the dear blefling of a fair increase; Himfelf adorn'd with more than mortal grace: Yet while. I fpeak, the mighty woe fufpend; Truth forms my tale; to pleafing truth attend. The royal object of your dearest care Breaths in no diftant clime the vital air; In rich Thesprotia, and the nearer bound Of Theffaty, his name I heard renown'd: Without retinue, to that friendly fhore Welcom'd with gifts of price, a fumless flore! His facrilegious train, who dar'd to prey On herds devoted to the God of day,

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Were doom'd by Jove, and Phoebus' juft decree,315
To perifh in the rough Trinacrian fea.
To better Fate the blameless chief ordain'd,
A floating fragment of the wreck regain'd,
And rode the ftorm; till by the billows toft,
He landed on the fair Phracian coaft.
That race, who emulate the life of 'Gods,
Receive him joyous to their bleft abodes:
Large gifts confer, a ready fail command,
To fpeed his voyage to the Grecian ftrand.
But your wife lord (in whofe capacious foul
High fchemes of power in juft fucceffion roll)
260 His Ithaca refus'd from favouring Fate,

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'Tis hard, he rics, to bring to fudden fight Ideas that have wing'd their diftant flight; Rare on the mind thofe images are trac'd, Whofe footsteps twenty winters have defac'd: But what I can, receive.-In ample mode, A robe of military purple flow'd O'er all his frame: illuftrious on his breast The double clafping gold the king confeft. In the rich woof a hound, Mofaic drawn, Bore on full-ftretch, and felz'd a dappled fawn; Deep in the neck his fangs indent their hold; They pant, and ftruggle in the moving gold. Fine as a filmy web beneath it fhone A vest, that dazzled like a cloudless fun : The female train who round him throng'd to gaze, In filent wonder figh'd unwilling praife. A fabre, when the warrior prefs'd to part, I gave, enamel'd with Vulcanian art: A mantle purple-ting'd, and radiant vest, Dimenfior'd equal to his fize, exprefs'd Affection grateful to my honour'd guelt. A favourite herald in his train I knew, His vifage folemn, fad. of fable hue:

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Till copious wealth might guard his regal state.
Phedon the fact affirm'd, whofe fovereign sway
Thefprotian tribes, a duteous rare, obey:
And bade the Gods this added truth atteft,
(While pure libations crown'd the genial feast)
That anchor'd in his port the veffel itand,
To waft the hero to his natal land.

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I for Dulichium urge the watery way,
But first the Ulyffean wealth furvey:
50 rich the value of a tore.fo valt
Demands the pomp of centuries to wafte!
The darling object of your royal love,
Was journey'd thence to Dodoncin Jove;
By the fure precept of the fylvan fhrine,
To form the conduct of his great defign:
Irrefolate of foul, his ftate to fhrowd
In dark difguife, or come a king avow'd?
Thus lives your lord; nor longer doom'd to ream
Soon will he grace his dear paternal dome.

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Short woolly curls o'erfleec'd his bending head, 280 By Jove, the fource of good, fupreme in power!

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My lord's return fhould fate no more retard,
Envy fhall ficken at thy vaft reward.
But my prophetic fears, alas! prefage.
The wounds of Destiny's relentless rage.
I long muft weep, nor will Ulyffes come,
With royal gifts to fend you honour'd home!
Your other task, ye menial train, forbear:
Now wash the ftranger, and the bed prepare:
With fplendid palls the downy fleece adorn;
Up-rifing early with the purple morn,
His finews fhrunk with age, and stiff with toil,
In the warm bath foment with fragrant oil.
Then with Telemachus the focial feaft
Partaking free, my fole-invited guett;
Whoe'er neglects to pay diftinction due,
The breach of hofpitable right may rue.
The vulgar of my fex 1 molt exceed

In real fame, when moft humane my deed:
And vainly to the praife of queen aspire,
If, ftranger! I permit that mean attire,
Beneath the feaftful bower. A narrow space

Confines the circle of our deftin'd race;
'Tis ours with good the feauty round to grace.
Those who to cruel wrong their state abufe,
Dreaded in life the mutter'd curfe purfues:
By death difrob'd of all their favage powers,
Then licens'd rage her hateful prey devours.
But he whofe in-born worth his acts commend,
Of gentle foul, to human race a friend;
The wretched he relieves diffuse his fame,
And diftant tongues extol the patron-name.

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She veils the torrent of her tearful eyes;
And thus impaffion'd to herfelf replies:

Son of my love, and monarch of my cares;
What pangs for thee this wretched beim bears 1425
Are thus by Jove who conftant beg his aid
With pious deed and pure devotion paid!

He never dar'd defraud the facred fane,

Of perfect hecatombs in order flain:
There oft implor'd his tutelary power,
Long to protrack the fad fepulchral hour;
That, form'd for empire with paternal care,
His realm might recognife an equal heir.
Oh deftin'd head! The pious vows are loft;
His God forgets him on a foreign coaft!—

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370 Perhaps, like thee, poor gueft! in wanton pride
The rich infult him, and the young Jeride!
Confcious of worth revil'd, thy generous mind.
The friendly rite of purity declin’a;

My will concurring with my queen's command, 44 375 Accept the bath from this obfequious hand. Aftrong emotion fhakes my anguifh'3 breaft;

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Princefs, he cry'd, in vain your bounties flow
On me, confirm'd and obftinate in woe.
When my lov'd Crete receiv'd my final view,
And from my weeping eyes her cliffs withdrew; 390
'The tatter'd weeds (my decent robe resign'd)
1 chofe the livery of a woeful mind!
Nor will my heart-corroding cares abate
With fplendid palls, and canopies of flate:
Low couch'd on earth, the gift of fleep

fcorn,

And catch the glances of the waking morn.
The delicacy of your courtly train

To wash a wretched wanderer would disdain;
But if, in track of long experience try'd,
And fad fimilitude of wocs ally'd,
Some wretch reluctant views aerial light,
To her mean hand align the friendly rite.
Pleas'd with his wife reply, the queen rejoin'd:
Such gent manners, and fo fage a mind,
In all who grac'd this hofpitable bower
I ne'er difcern'd, before this focial hour.
Such fervant as your humble choice requires,
To light receiv'd the lord of my defires,
New from the birth: and with a mother's hand
His tender bloom to manly growth fuftain'd
Of matchlefs prudence, and a dutcous mind;
Though now to life's extremeft verge declin'd
Of Atrength fuperior to the toil affign'd.-
Rife, Euryclea! with officious care

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fo thy whole form Ulyffes feems exprefs'd Of all the wretched barbour'd on our co:ft, None imag'd e'er like thee my mafter loit.

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Thus half discovered through the dark difguife,
With cold compofare feign'd, the chief replies:
You join your fuffrage to the public vote;
The fame you think, have all beholders thought.
He faid. Replenish'd from the purest fprings,450
The laver ftraight with buly care fhe rings:
In the deep vafe, that thone like burnifa'd gold,
The boiling fluid temperates the cold.
Mean time revolving in his thoughtful mind
The fear with which his manty knee was fign'd; 455
His face averting from the crackling blaze,
His fhoulders intercept th' unfriendly rays:
Thus cautious in the obfcure he hop'd to fly
The curious fearch of Euryclea's cye.
Cautious in vain! nor ceas'd the dame to find 460
The fear, with which his manly knee was figu’d.
This on Parnaffus (combating the boar)
With glancing rage the tufky favage tore.
Attended by his brave maternal race,
His grandfire fent him to the fylvan chafe,
Autolycus the bold (a mighty name

400 For fpotlefs faith and deeds of martial fame;

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For the poor friend the cleanfing bath prepare: 415
This debt his correfpondent fortunes claim,
Too like Ulyffes, and perhaps the fame!
Thus, old with woes, my fancy paints him now;
For age untimely n.arks the car ful brow!

Inftant, obfequious to the mild command,
Sad Euryclea rofe: with trembling hand

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Hermes, his Patron-God, thofe Gifts beftow'd, Whofe fhrine with weaning lambs he wont to load.) His courfe to Ithaca this hero fped, When the first product of Laertes' bed Was new difcles'd to birth the banquet ends, When Euryclea from the queen defcends, And to his fond embrace the babe commends. "Receive, she cries, your royal daughter's fon; 475 "And name the bleflings that your prayers have won."

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Ulyffes fought; with fond affection dear
Amphithea's arms receiv'd the royal heir:
Her ancient lord an equal joy poffeft;
Inftant he bade prepare the genial feast :
A fleer to form the fumptuous banquet bled,
Whofe ftately growth five flowery fummers fed.
His feus divide, and roaft with artful care
The limbs; then all the tafelul viands fhare.
Nor ceas'd difcourfe (the banquet of the foul,)
This Phoebus wheeling to the weflern goal 495)
Refign'd the fkies, and night involv'd the pole.
Their drooping eyes the lumberous fhade opprefs'd,
Sated they rofe, and all retir`d to reít.

The mingled fluids from the vafe redound;
The vafe reclining floats the floor around!
Smiles dew'd with tears the pleasing ftrife ex-
prefs'd

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Of grief and joy, alternate in her breast,
Her fluttering words in melting murmurs died;
At length, abrupt-My fon! my king!-the cried.
His neck with fond embrace infolding faft,
Full on the queen her raptur'd eye fie caft, 555
Ardent to fpeak the monarch fafe reflor'd:
But fludious to conceal her royal lord,
Minerva fixed her mind on views remote,
And from the present blif, abftracts her thought.
His hand to Euryclea's mouth applied, "
Art thou foredoom'd my pet? the hero cried:
Thy milky founts my infant lips have drain'd:
And have the fates thy babbling age ordain'd
To violate the life thy youth fuftcin'd?
An exile have I told, with weeping eyes,
Full twenty annual funs in diftant fkies.
At length return'd, fome Gud infpires thy breaft
To know thy king, and here I ftand confefs'd.
This Heaven-difcover'd truth to thee confign'd,
Referve the treasure of thy inmost mind:
Elfe, if the Gods my vengeful arm fuftain,
510 And proftrate to my fword the tuitor-train :
With their lewd mates, thy undiftinguifh'd age
Shall bleed a victim to vindi&ive rage.

Soon as the morn, new-rob'd in purple light,
Pierc'd with her golden fhafts the rear of Light; 500
Ulyffes and his brave maternal race,
The young Autolycí, affay the chafe.
Parnaffus, thick perplex'd with horrid fhades,
With deep-mouth'd hounds the hunter-troop in-

vades:

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Then thus rejoin'd the dame, devoid of fear: 575'
What words, my fon, have pafs'd thy lips fevere !
Deep in my foul the truft thall lodge fecur'd;
With ribs of fteel, and marble heart, immur'd.
When Heaven, aufpicious to thy right avow'd,
Shall proftrate to thy fword the fuitor-crowd; 580
The deeds I'll blazon of the menial fair;

520 The lewd to death devote, the virtuous fpare.
Thy aid avails me not, the chief replied;
My own experience fhall their doom decide;
A witnefs judge precludes a long appeal;
Suffice it thee thy monarch to conceal.

What time the fun, from ocean's peaceful stream,
Darts o'er the lawn his horizontal beam.
The pack impatient fnuff the tainted gale;
The thorny wiles the wood-men fierce affail :
And, foremost of the train, his cornel spear
Ulyffes wav'd, to rouse the favage war,
Deep in the rough receffes of the wood,
A lofty copfe, the growth of ages, food:
Nor winter's boreal blast, nor thunderous shower,
Nor folar ray, could pierce the fhady bower,
With wither'd foliage firew'd, a heapy ftore;
The warm pavilion of a dreadful boar.
Rous'd by the hounds and hunters mingling cries,
The favage from his leafy fhelter flies:
With fiery glare his fanguine eye-balls thine,
And briftles high impale his horrid chine.
Young Ithacus advanc'd, defies the foe,
Polding his lifted lance in act to throw;
The favage renders vain the wound decreed,
And fprings impetuous with opponent speed!
His tulks oblique he aim'd, the knee to gore; 525
Aflope they glanc'd, the finewy fibres tore,
And bar'd the bone: Ulyffes undifmay'd,
Soon with redoubled force the wound repay'd;
To the right shoulder joint the fpcar apply'd :
His further flank the ftreaming purple dy'd:
On earth he rush'd with agonizing pain;
With joy, and vaft furprife, th' applauding train
View'd his enormous bulk extended on the plain
With bandage firm Ulyffes knee they bound;
Then, chanting myftic lays, the clofing wound 535
Of facred melody confefs'd the force;
The tides of life regain their azure course.
Then back they led the youth with loud acclaim;
Autolychus, chamour'd with his fame,
Confirm'd the cure; and from the Delphic dome540
With added gifts return'd him glorious home.
He fafe at Ithaca with joy receiv'd,

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599

He faid: obfequious, with redoubled pace,
She to the fount conveys th' exhausted vase:
The bath renew'd, the ends the pleafing toil
With plenteous unction of ambrofial oil.
Adjusting to his limbs the tatter'd veft;
His former feat receiv'd the stranger guest,

Whom thus with penfive air the queen addrefs'd: S

600

Though night, diffolving grief in grateful eafe,
Your drooping eyes with foft oppreffion feize:
A while, reluctant to her pleafing force,
Sufpend the reftful hour with fweet difcourfe.
The day (ne'er brighten'd with a beam of joy !)
My menials, and domeftic cares employ:
And unattended by fincere rcpofe,
The night affifts my ever-wakeful woes:
When nature's hufh'd beneath her brooding fhade,
My echoing griefs the ftarry vault invade.
As, when the months are clad in flowery green,
Sad Philomel in bowery fhades unfeen,
To vernal airs attunes her varied ftrains ;
And Itylus founds warbling o'er the plains:
Young Itylus, his parents' darling joy!
Whom chance milled the mother to defroy :
Now doom'd a wakeful bird to wall the heau-
teous boy.
ΟΙΟ

So lá nocturnal folitude forlorn,

A fad variety of woes I moura!

605

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