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Long, long the fcene of all my paft delight, And ftill to laft, the vif.on of my night?

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Graceful fe faid, and bade Eumaus show The rival peers the ringlets and the bow. From his full eyes the tears unbidden spring, Touch'd at the dear memorials of his king. Philatius too relents, but fecret fhed The tender drops. Antinous faw, and faid: Hence to your fields, you ruftics! hence away, Nor ftain with grief the pleafur s of the day; Ner to the royal heart recall in vain The fad remembrance of a perif 'd man. Enough her precious tears already flow Cr are the fealt with due refpect, or go To weep abroad, and leave us to the bow: No vulgar tafk! I tuits this courtly crew That stubborn horn which brave Ulyfies drew. 95 I well remember (for 1 gaz'd him o'er While yet a child) what majefty he bore! And ftill (all infant as I was) retain The port, the ftrength, the grandeur of the man. He faid, but in his foul fond joys arife, “And his proud hopes already win the prize. To fpeed the flying f aft through every ring, Wretch is not thine! the arrows of the ling Shall end thofe hopes, and Fate is on the wing!

Ard mules, the frongeft of the labouring kind;
planiefs to fearch! more hapless till to find!
For fourneying on to Hercules, at length
That law lefs wretch, that man of brutal ftrength,
Daf to Heaven's voice, the focial rite tranfgref 'd;¦
And for the beauteous mares deftroy'd his guett:
He gave the bow! and on Ulyffes' part
Receiv'd a pointed sword and mif ile dart :
Clueless friendship on a foreign thore
Their Erft, laft pledges; for they met no more!
The bow, bequeath'd by this unhappy hand,
Ulyffes hore not from his native land;
Ner in the front of battle taught to bend,
But kept, in dear memorial of his friend.
Now gently winding up the fair afcent,
By many an eafy ftep, the matron went ;
Then o'er the pavements glides with grace divine,
(With polit'd oak the level pavements fhine)
The folding gates a dazzling light display'd,
With pomp of various architrave o'erlaid.
The bolt, obedient to the flken firing,
Forates the ftaple as the pulls the ring ;
The wards refpondent to the key turn round:
The bars fall back; the flying valves refound; 50
Load as a bull makes hill and valley ring,
Somar'd the lock when it releas'd the spring.
the moves majestic through the wealthy room,
Where treafur'd garments caft a rich perfume;
There from the column where aloft it hung,
Fach'd, in its fplendid cafe, the bow unftrung;
Acrofs her knees the laid the well-known bow,
And penfive fate, and tears began to flow.
To full fatiety of grief the mourns,
Then flent to the joyous hall returns,
To the proud fuitors bears in pensive state
Th' unbended bow, and arrows wing'd with fate.
Behind, her train the poli'd coffer brings,
Which held th' alternate brafs and filver rings,
Fail in the portal the chafte queen appears,
And with her veil conceals the coming tears:
On either fide awaits a virgin fair;
While thus the matron, with majestic air:
Say you, whom thefe forbidden walls enclofe,
whom my victims bleed, my vintage flows;
thefe neglected, faded charms can move?
Cris it but a vain pretence, you love?
II the prize, if me you seek to wife,
Hear the conditions, and commence the Arife:
Who frft Ulyffes' wondrous bow fhall bend, 75
And through twelve ringlets the fleet arrow fend,
Pia will I follow, and forfake my home,

For him forfake this lov'd, this wealthy dome,

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Then thus Telemachus: Some God, I find, With pleafing phrenzy has poffefs'd my mind; When a lov'd mother threatens to depart, Why with this ill-tim'd gladne's leaps my heart? Come then, ye fuitors! and difpute a prize Richer than all th' Acaian state supplies, Than all proud Argos, or Mycena knows, Than all our ifles or continents enclofe: A woman matchlefs, and almoft divine, Fit for the praife of every tongue but mine. No more excufes then, no more delay, Hafte to the trial-Lo! I lead the way. I too may try, and if this arm can wing The feather'd arrow through the deftin'd ring. Then if no happier knight the conqueft boaft, I fall not forrow for a mother loft; But, bleft in her, poffefs thefe arms alone, Heir of my father's ftrength, as well as throne. He fpoke: then, rifing, his broad fword unbound,

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Oh, lay the caufe on youth yet immature! (For Heaven forbid fuch weakness fhould endure!) How fr all this arm, unequal to the bow, Retort an infult, or repel a foe?

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But you! whom Heaven with better nerves has Accept the trial, and the prize conteft. [blet

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He caft the bow before him, and apart Agaiaft the polifh'd quiver propt the dart. Refuming then his feat, Epitheus' fon, The bold Antinous to the reft begun : "From where the goblet first begins to flow, "From right to left, in order take the bow, 150 "And prove your feveral ftrength.--The princes heard,

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And firit Leiodes, blameless priest, appear'd:
The eldest born of Oenops' noble race,
Who next the goblet held his holy place :
He, only he, of all the fuitor throng,
Their deeds detefted, and abjur'd the wrong.
With tender hands the ftubborn horn he ftrains,
The stubborn horn refifted all his pains!
Already in defpair he gives it o'er :
Take it who will, he cries, I ftrive no more.
What numerous deaths attend his fatal bow!
What fouls and spirits shall it fend below!
Better, indeed to die, and fairly give
Nature her debt, than difappointed live,
With each new fun to fome new hope a prey,
Yet fill to-morrow falfer than to-day.
How long in vain Penelope we fought;
This bow it all cafe us of that idle thought,
And fend us with fome humbler wife to live, 170
Whom gold fhall gain, or destiny shall give.

166

Thus fpeaking, on the floor the bow he plac'd,
(With rich inlay the various floor was grad)
At diftance far the feather'd fhat he throws,
And to the feat returns from whence he rofe. 175
To him Antinous thus with rury faid:
What words ill-omen'd from thy lips have fled!
Thy coward-function ever is in fear;

Thofe arins are dreadful which thou canst not bear.
Why fould this bow be fatal to the brave? 180
Because the priest is born a peaceful flave.
Mark then what others can-He ended there,
And bade Melanthius a vaft pile prepare ;
He gives it inftant flame: then faft befide
Spreads o'er an ample board a bullock's hide. 184
With melted lard they foak the weapon o'er,
Chafe every knot, and fupple every pore.
Vain all their art, and all their ftrength as vain;
The bow inflexible refifts their pain
The force of great Eurymachus alone.
And bold Antinous, yet untry'd, unknown;
Thofe only now remain'd; but thofe confefs'd
Of all the train the mightieft and the best.

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Then from the hal, and from the noify crew, The matters of the herd and flock withdrew. 195 The king obferves them: he the hall forfakes And, paft the limits of the court, o'ertakes. Then thus with accent mild Uly es spoke : Ye faithful guardians of the herd and Rock! Shall I the fecret of my breast conceal, Or (as my foul now dictates) fhall I tell? Sav, fould fome favouring God reftore again The loft Ulyffes to his native reign? How heat your hearts? what aid would you afTo the proud fuitors, or your ancient lord? 105 Philetius thus: Oh were thy word not vain! Would mighty Jove restore that man again! Thefe aged finews with new vigour ftrung In his blett caufe fhould emulate the young. With equal vows Eumeus too implor'd Each Power above, with wifes for his lord.

fford,

And give yon impious revellers to bleed, My care fhall be, to bless your future lives With large poffeflions, and with faith.ul wives; Faft by my palace fhall your domes afcend, And each on young Telemachus attend, 125 | And each be call'd his brother, and my friend, To give you firmer faith, now truft your eye; Lo! the broad fear indented on my thigh, When with Autolycus's fons, of yore,

On Parnafs' top I chas'd the tuiky boar.
His ragged veft then drawn aide disclos'd
The ign confpicuous, and the fcar expos'd;
Eager they view'd; with joy they stood amaz'd;
With tearful eyes o'er all their mafter gaz'd:
Around his neck their longing arms they caft,
His head, his fhoulders, and his knees embrac'd:
Tears follow'd tears; no word was in their pow
In folemn flence fell the kindly fhower.
The king too weeps, the king too grasps their
hanels,

And movelers as a marble fountain flands.

[er:

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Thus had their joy wept down the fetting fun. But firft the wife man ceas'd, and thus begun : Enough-on other cares your thought employ, For danger waits on all untimely joy. Full many foes, and fierce, obierve us near: Some may betray, and yonder walls may hear. Re-enter then, not all at once, but flay Some moments you, and let me lead the way. To me, neglected as I am, I know The haughty fuitors will deny the bow: But thou, Eumeus, as 'tis borne away, Thy mafter's weapon to his hand convey. At every portal let fome matron wait, And each lock fast the well-compacted gate: Clofe let them keep, whate'er invades their ear; Though arms, or fheuts, or dying groans, they

hear.

150

To fome new, ftrain when he adapts the lyre,

Oh! could the vigour of this arm as well
Th' oppreffive fuitors from my walls expel!
Then what a fhoal of lawlefs men tho ld go
Toll with tumult the dark courts below!

The fuitors with a fcornful fmile furvey
The youth, indulging in the genial day,
Eumeus, thus encourag'd, haftes to bring
The Arife-full bow, and gives it to the king.
Old Euryclea calling them afide,
Hear what Telemachus enjoins (he cry'd);
At every portal let fome matron wait,
And each lock fait the well-compacted gate;
And if unusual founds invade their ear,
If arms, or shouts, or dying groans they hear,
Let none to call or iue forth prefume,
But clofe attend the labours of the loom.

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Her prompt obedience on his order waits; Clos'd in an infta. t were the palace gates. In the fame moment forth Phil tius flies, Secures the court, and with a cable ties The utmost gate (the cable ftrongly wrought Of Byblos' reed, a fip from Egypt brought); Then unperceiv'd and flent at the board His feat he takes, his eyes upon his lord,

425

And now his well-known bow the master bore, Turn'd on all fides, and view'd it o'er and o'er: Left time or worms had done the weapon wrong, Its owner abfent, and untry'd fo long. 430 While fome deriding-How he turns the bow! Some other like it fure the man must know, Or elfe would copy; or in bows he deals; Perhaps he makes them, or perhaps he ftealsHeaven to this wretch (another cry'd) be kind!) And blefs, in all to which he stands inclin'd, With fuch good fortune as he now fall £nd. Heedlefs he heard them; but difdain'd reply ; The bow perul ng with exacteft eye. Then, as fome heavenly mintrel, tought to fing High notes refponfve to the trembling firing,

arrow the re".

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1

Relaxes, ftrains, and draws them to and fro;
So the great matter drew the mighty bow:
And drew with eafe. One hand aloft difplay'd
The bending horns, and one the ftring eflay'd.
From his effaying hand the firing let fly
Twang'd short and sharp, like the thrill fwallow's
cry.

450

A general horror ran through all the race,
Sunk was each heart, and pale was every face,
Signs from above enfued: th' unfolding sky
In lightning burst: Jove thunder'd from o
high.

Fir'd at the call of Heaven's Almighty Lord, 4:5
He fnatch'd the feaft that glitter'd on the board;
(Fat by the reft lay fleeping in the fheath,
But foon to fly the meffengers of death),

Now fitting as he was the cord he drew, Through every ringlet levelling his view; Then notch'd the fhaft, releas'd, and gave it wing:

The whizzing arrow vanish'd from the ftring,
Sung on direct, and threaded every ring.
The folid gate its fury fearcely bounds;
Piere'd through and through the folid gate re-
founds.

464 Then to the Prince: Nor have I wrought the fhame:

Nor err'd this hand unfaithful to its aim;
Nor prov'd the toil too hard, nor have I lost
That ancient vigour, once my pride and boat.
Ill I deferv'd thefe haughty peers' difdain; 47
Now let them comfort their dejected train,
In fweet repaft the prefest hour employ,
Nor wait till evening for the genial joy:
Then to the lute's foft voice prolong the night;
Mufc, the banquet's most refin❜d delight.

He faid, then gave a nod; and at the word
Telemachus girds on his fining fword.
Faft by his father's fide he takes his stand:
The beamy javelin lightens in his hand.

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HEN force the hero o'er the threshold ftrede;
stripp d of his rage, he blaz'd out like a God;

Full in their face the lifted bow he bore,
And quiver'd deaths, a formidable ftore :
Before his feet the rattling fower he threw,
And thus, terrific, to the fuitor crew:

དོ

One venturous game this hand has won to-day Another, princes, yet remains to play Another mar our arrow must attain, Phoebus, affift! nor be the labour vain. Swift as the word the parting arrow fings, And bears thy fate, Antinous, on its wings:

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The tumbling goblet the wide floor o'erflows, 20 A fiream of gore burft fpouting from his nofe; Grim in convulfive agonies he fprawls: Before him fpurn'd the loaded table falls, And spreads the pavement with a mingled flood Of floating meats, and wine, and human blood. Amaz'd, contounded, as they faw him fall, Uprofe the throngs tumultuous round the hall; O'er all the dome they caft a haggard eye, Each look'd forarms: in vain; no arms were nigh: Aim ft thou at princes? (all amaz'd they faid) 31 Thy laft of games unhappy hatt thou play'd; Thy erring fhaft has made our bravest bleed, And death, unlucky gueit, attends thy deed. Vultures fhall tear thee thus incens'd they fpoke, While each to chance afcrib'd the wond'rous ftroke, Blind as they were; for death ev'n now invades His deftin'd prey, and wraps them all in fhades. Then, grimly frowning with a dreadful look, That wither'd all their hearts, Ulyffes fpoke: 40 Dogs, ye have had your day; ye fear'd no more Ulyffes vengeful from the Trojan fhore; While, to your luft and spoil a guardlefs prey, Our houfe, our wealth, our helplef's handmaids lay: Not fo content, with bolder freazy fired, Ev'n to our bed prefumptuous you afpir'd: Laws, or divine or human fail'd to move, Or fhame of men, or dread of Gods above; Heedlefs alike of infamy or praife, Or Fame's eternal voice in future days: The hour of vengeance, wretches, now is come, Impending fate is yours, and inftant doom. Thus dreadful he. Confus'd the fuiters ftond, From their pale cheeks recedes the flying blood: Trembling they fought their guilty heads to hide, Alone the bold Eury machus reply'd; 56

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If, as thy words impart, (he thus began) Ulyffes lives, and thou the mighty man, Great are thy wrongs and much hast thou fuftain'd In thy fpoil'd palace, and exhaufted land; The caufe and author of thofe guilty deeds, Lo! at thy feet unjuít Antinous bleeds. Not love, but wild ambition was his guide; To flay thy fon, thy kingdoms to divide, Thefe were his aims; but jufter Jove deny❜d. Since cold in death th' offender lies: oh fpare 66 Thy fuppliant people, and receive their prayer! Brafs, gold, and treafures, fhall the spoil defray, Two hundred oxen every prince shall pay : The waste of years refunded in a day. Till then thy wrath is juft-Ulyffes burn'd With high difdain, and fternly thus return'd: All, all the treafures that enrich'd our throne Before your rapines, join'd with all your own, If offer'd, vainly fhould for mercy call; 'Tis you that offer, and I fcorn them all:

VOL. VI.

༡༠.

75

Your blood is my demand, your lives the prize,
Till pale as yonder wretch each fuitor lies.
He ce with thofe coward terms; or tight or fly;
80
This choice is left you, to refit or die;
And die I truft ye all-He fternly spoke :
With guilty tears the pale affembly frook.
Alone Eurymachus exhorts the train:
Yon archer, comrades, will not foot in vain ;
But from the threshold fhall his dar's be fped, 85
(Whoe'er he be) till every prince lie dead?
Be mindful of yourfelves, draw forth your fwords,
And to his fhatts obtend thefe ample boards
(So need compel). Then all united strive
The bold invader from his poft to drive;
The city rous'd fall to our rescue hafte.
And this mad archer foon have fhot his last.
Swift as he spoke, he drew his traitor fword,
And like a lion rufi'd against his lord:
The wary chief the rufning oe reprefs d,
Who met the point, and fore'd it in his breaft:
His falling hand deferts the lifted fword,
And prone he falls extended over the board!
Before him wide, in mix'd effufon, roll
Th' untaffed viands, and the jov.al bowl.
Full through his liver pafs'd the mortal wound,
With dying rage his forehead beats the ground.
He fpuri'd the feat with fury as he fell,
And the fierce foul to darkness div'd and hell.
Next bold Amphinomus his arm extends
To force the pafs; the godlike man defends.
Thy fpear, Telemachus! prevents th' attack,
The brazen weapon driving through his back,
Thence thro' his breaft its bloody paffage tore;
Flat falls he thundering on the marble door,
And his crush'd forehead marks the ftone with
gore

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He left his javelin in the dead, for fear
The long incumbrance of the weighty fpear
To the fierce fce advantage might afford,
To ru between and use the forten'd fword,
With speedy ardour to his fre he flies,
And, Arm, great father! arm (in hafte he cries);
Lo! hence I run for other arms to wield,
For miffile javelis, and for helm and field;
Fat by our 1 de let either faithful, fwain
In arms attend us, and their part fuftain.
Halie and return (Ulyffes made reply)
While yet th' auxiliar fhafts this hand fupply;
Left thus alone, encounter'd by an hoft,
Driv'n from the gate, th' important pafs be loft.
With speed Telemachus obeys, and flies 125
Where pil'd on heaps the royal armour lies;
Four brazen helmets, eight refulgent fpears,
And four broad bucklers, to his fire he bears:
At once in brazen panoply they fhone,
At once each fervant brac'd his armour on;
Around their king a faithful guard they ftand,
While yet each fhaft fiew deathful from his hand :
Chief after chief expir'd at every wound,
And fwell'd the bleeding mountain on the ground.
Soon as his store of flying fates was spent,
Against the wall he fet the bow unbent:
And now his shoulders bear the mariyield,
And now his hands two beamy javelins wield:
He frowns beneath his nodding plume that play'd
O'er the high creft, and caft a dreadful fhade.

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