The Iliad and the Odyssey (Classics of World Literature) (87 page)

To this our guest by all means reconcile,

And give him this entirely-metall’d sword,

The handle massy silver, and the board

That gives it cover all of ivory,

New, and in all kinds worth his quality.’

This put he straight into his hand, and said:

‘Frolic, O guest and father; if words fled

Have been offensive, let swift whirlwinds take

And ravish them from thought. May all gods make

Thy wife’s sight good to thee, in quick retreat

To all thy friends, and best-lov’d breeding-seat,

Their long miss quitting with the greater joy;

In whose sweet vanish all thy worst annoy.’

‘And frolic thou to all height, friend,’ said he,

‘Which heav
’
n confirm with wish’d felicity;

Nor ever give again desire to thee

Of this sword’s use, which with affects so free,

In my reclaim, thou hast bestow’d on me.’

This said, athwart his shoulders he put on

The right fair sword; and then did set the sun.

When all the gifts were brought – which back again

(With king Alcinous in all the train)

Were by the honour’d heralds borne to court,

Which his fair sons took, and from the resort

Laid by their reverend mother – each his throne

Of all the peers (which yet were overshone

In king Alcinous’ command) ascended;

Whom he to pass as much in gifts contended,

And to his queen said: ‘Wife! See brought me here

The fairest cabinet I have, and there

Impose a well-cleans’d in and outer weed.

A cauldron heat with water, that with speed

Our guest well bath’d, and all his gifts made sure,

It may a joyful appetite procure

To his succeeding feast, and make him hear

The poet’s hymn with the securer ear.

To all which I will add my bowl of gold,

In all frame curious, to make him hold

My memory always dear, and sacrifice

With it at home to all the deities.’

Then Arete her maids charg’d to set on

A well-sized cauldron quickly. Which was done,

Clear water pour’d in, flame made so entire,

It gilt the brass, and made the water fire.

In mean space, from her chamber brought the queen

A wealthy cabinet, where, pure and clean,

She put the garments, and the gold bestow’d

By that free state, and then the other vow’d

By her Alcinous, and said: ‘Now, guest,

Make close and fast your gifts, lest, when you rest

A-shipboard sweetly, in your way you meet

Some loss, that less may make your next sleep sweet.’

This when Ulysses heard, all sure he made,

Enclosed and bound safe; for the saving trade

The reverend-for-her-wisdom, Circe, had

In foreyears taught him. Then the handmaid bad

His worth to bathing; which rejoic’d his heart,

For since he did with his Calypso part,

He had no hot baths; none had favour’d him,

Nor been so tender of his kingly limb.

But all the time he spent in her abode,

He lived respected as he were a god.

Cleans’d then and balm’d, fair shirt and robe put on,

Fresh come from bath, and to the feasters gone,

Nausicaa, that from the gods’ hands took

The sovereign beauty of her blessed look,

Stood by a well-carv’d column of the room,

And through her eye her heart was overcome

With admiration of the port impress’d

In his aspect, and said: ‘god save you, guest!

Be cheerful, as in all the future state

Your home will show you in your better fate.

But yet, ev
’
n then, let this remember’d be,

Your life’s price I lent, and you owe it me.’

The varied-in-all-counsels gave reply:

‘Nausicaa! Flower of all this empery!

So Juno’s husband, that the strife for noise

Makes in the clouds, bless me with strife of joys,

In the desir’d day that my house shall show,

As I, as to a goddess there shall vow

To thy fair hand that did my being give,

Which I’ll acknowledge every hour I live.’

This said, Alcinous plac’d him by his side.

Then took they feast, and did in parts divide

The several dishes, fill’d out wine, and then

The striv
’
d-for-for-his-worth of worthy men,

And reverenc’d-of-the-state, Demodocus,

Was brought in by the good Pontonous.

In midst of all the guests they gave him place,

Against a lofty pillar, when this grace

The grac’d-with-wisdom did him: from the chine,

That stood before him, of a white-tooth’d swine,

Being far the daintiest joint, mixed through with fat,

He carv’d to him, and sent it where he sat

By his old friend the herald, willing thus:

‘Herald, reach this to grave Demodocus.

Say, I salute him, and his worth embrace.

Poets deserve, past all the human race,

Reverend respect and honour, since the queen

Of knowledge, and the supreme worth in men,

The muse, informs them, and loves all their race.’

This reach’d the herald to him, who the grace

Receiv’d encourag’d; which, when feast was spent,

Ulysses amplified to this ascent:

‘Demodocus! I must prefer you far,

Past all your sort, if or the muse of war,

Jove’s daughter, prompts you, that the Greeks respects,

Or if the Sun, that those of Troy affects.

For I have heard you, since my coming, sing

The fate of Greece to an admired string:

How much our suf
f
’
rance was, how much we wrought,

How much the actions rose to when we fought –

So lively forming, as you had been there,

Or to some free relater lent your ear.

Forth then, and sing the wooden horse’s frame,

Built by Epeus, by the martial dame

Taught the whole fabric; which, by force of sleight,

Ulysses brought into the city’s height,

When he had stuf
f
’
d it with as many men

As levell’d lofty Ilion with the plain.

With all which if you can as well enchant,

As with expression quick and elegant

You sung the rest, I will pronounce you clear

Inspired by god, past all that ever were.’

This said, ev’n stirr’d by god up, he began,

And to his song fell, past the form of man,

Beginning where the Greeks a-shipboard went,

And every chief had set on fire his tent,

When th’ other kings, in great Ulysses’ guide,

In Troy’s vast market place the horse did hide,

From whence the Trojans up to Ilion drew

The dreadful engine. Where sat all arew

Their kings about it, many counsels giv’n

How to dispose it. In three ways were driv’n

Their whole distractions. First, if they should feel

The hollow wood’s heart, search’d with piercing steel;

Or from the battlements drawn higher yet

Deject it headlong; or that counterfeit

So vast and novel set on sacred fire,

Vow’d to appease each anger’d godhead’s ire.

On which opinion, they thereafter saw,

They then should have resolved, th’ unalter’d law

Of fate presaging, that Troy then should end,

When th’ hostile horse she should receive to friend;

For therein should the Grecian kings lie hid,

To bring the fate and death they after did.

He sung, besides, the Greeks’ eruption

From those their hollow crafts, and horse forgone;

And how they made depopulation tread

Beneath her feet so high a city’s head.

In which affair, he sung in other place

That of that ambush some man else did race

The Ilion towers than Laertiades;

But here he sung that he alone did seize,

With Menelaus, the ascended roof

Of prince Deiphobus, and Mars-like proof

Made of his valour, a most dreadful fight

Daring against him; and there vanquish’d quite,

In little time, by great Minerva’s aid,

All Ilion’s remnant, and Troy level laid.

This the divine expressor did so give

Both act and passion, that he made it live,

And to Ulysses’ facts did breathe a fire

So deadly quick’ning, that it did inspire

Old death with life, and render’d life so sweet

And passionate, that all there felt it fleet;

Which made him pity his own cruelty,

And put into that ruth so pure an eye

Of human frailty, that to see a man

Could so revive from death, yet no way can

Defend from death, his own quick pow’rs it made

Feel there death’s horrors, and he felt life fade

In tears his feeling brain swet; for, in things

That move past utt’rance, tears ope all their springs.

Nor are there in the pow’rs that all life bears

More true interpreters of all than tears.

And as a lady mourns her sole-lov’d lord,

That’s fall’n before his city by the sword,

Fighting to rescue from a cruel fate

His town and children, and in dead estate,

Yet panting, seeing him, wraps him in her arms,

Weeps, shrieks, and pours her health into his arms,

Lies on him, striving to become his shield

From foes that still assail him, spears impell’d

Through back and shoulders, by whose points embru
’
d,

They raise and lead him into servitude,

Labour, and languor; for all which the dame

Eats down her cheeks with tears, and feeds life’s flame

With miserable suf
f
’
rance: so this king

Of tear-swet anguish op’d a boundless spring;

Nor yet was seen to any one man there

But king Alcinous, who sat so near

He could not ’scape him, sighs, so choked, so brake

From all his tempers; which the king did take

Both note and grave respect of, and thus spake:

‘Hear me, Phaeacian counsellors and peers,

And cease Demodocus; perhaps all ears

Are not delighted with his song, for, ever

Since the divine Muse sung, our guest hath never

Contain’d from secret mournings. It may fall,

That something sung he hath been griev’d withal,

As touching his particular. Forbear,

That feast may jointly comfort all hearts here,

And we may cheer our guest up; ’tis our best

In all due honour. For our reverend guest

Is all our celebration, gifts, and all,

His love hath added to our festival.

A guest, and suppliant too, we should esteem

Dear as our brother; one that doth but dream

He hath a soul, or touch but at a mind

Deathless and manly, should stand so inclin’d.

Nor cloak you longer with your curious wit,

Lov’d guest, what ever we shall ask of it.

It now stands on your honest state to tell,

And therefore give your name, nor more conceal

What of your parents, and the town that bears

Name of your native, or of foreigners

That near us border, you are call’d in fame.

There’s no man living walks without a name,

Noble nor base, but had one from his birth

Impos’d as fit as to be borne. What earth,

People, and city, own you, give to know.

Tell but our ships all, that your way must show.

For our ships know th’ expressed minds of men,

And will so most intentively retain

Their scopes appointed, that they never err,

And yet use never any man to steer,

Nor any rudders have, as others need.

They know men’s thoughts and whither tends their speed,

And there will set them; for you cannot name

A city to them, nor fat soil, that fame

Hath any notice giv’n, but well they know,

And will fly to them, though they ebb and flow

In blackest clouds and nights; and never bear

Of any wrack or rock the slend’rest fear.

But this I heard my sire Nausithous say

Long since, that Neptune, seeing us convey

So safely passengers of all degrees,

Was angry with us; and upon our seas

A well-built ship we had, near harbour come

From safe deduction of some stranger home,

Made in his flitting billows stick stone still;

And dimm’d our city, like a mighty hill

With shade cast round about it. This report

The old king made; in which miraculous sort,

If god had done such things, or left undone,

At his good pleasure be it. But now, on,

And truth relate us, both from whence you err’d,

And to what clime of men would be transferr’d,

With all their fair towns, be they as they are,

If rude, unjust, and all irregular,

Or hospitable, bearing minds that please

The mighty deity. Which one of these

You would be set at, say, and you are there.

And therefore what afflicts you? Why, to hear

The fate of Greece and Ilion, mourn you so?

The gods have done it; as to all they do

Destine destruction, that from thence may rise

A poem to instruct posterities.

Fell any kinsman before Ilion?

Some worthy sire-in-law, or like-near son,

Whom next our own blood and self-race we love?

Or any friend perhaps, in whom did move

A knowing soul, and no unpleasing thing?

Since such a good one is no underling

To any brother; for, what fits true friends,

True wisdom is, that blood and birth transcends.

The end of the eighth book

Book 9

The Argument

Ulysses here is first made known;

Who tells the stern contention

His powers did ’gainst the Cicons try;

And thence to the Lotophagi

Extends his conquest; and from them

Assays the Cyclop Polypheme,

And, by the crafts his wits apply,

He puts him out his only eye.

Another Argument

Iota

The strangely fed

Lotophagi;

The Cicons fled;

The Cyclop’s eye.