The Odyssey of Homer Part 9

Not hated, sure, by all above, this man Among Phaeacia's G.o.dlike sons arrives.

At first I deem'd him of plebeian sort 300 Dishonourable, but he now a.s.sumes A near resemblance to the G.o.ds above.

Ah! would to heaven it were my lot to call Husband, some native of our land like him Accomplish'd, and content to inhabit here!

Give him, my maidens, food, and give him wine.

She ended; they obedient to her will, Both wine and food, dispatchful, placed, and glad, Before Ulysses; he rapacious ate, Toil-suff'ring Chief, and drank, for he had lived 310 From taste of aliment long time estranged.

On other thoughts meantime intent, her charge Of folded vestments neat the Princess placed Within the royal wain, then yoked the mules, And to her seat herself ascending, call'd Ulysses to depart, and thus she spake.

Up, stranger! seek the city. I will lead Thy steps toward my royal Father's house, Where all Phaeacia's n.o.bles thou shalt see.

But thou (for I account thee not unwise) 320 This course pursue. While through the fields we pa.s.s, And labours of the rural hind, so long With my attendants follow fast the mules And sumpter-carriage. I will be thy guide.

But, once the summit gain'd, on which is built Our city with proud bulwarks fenced around, And laved on both sides by its pleasant port Of narrow entrance, where our gallant barks Line all the road, each station'd in her place, And where, adjoining close the splendid fane 330 Of Neptune, stands the forum with huge stones From quarries thither drawn, constructed strong, In which the rigging of their barks they keep, Sail-cloth and cordage, and make smooth their oars; (For bow and quiver the Phaeacian race Heed not, but masts and oars, and ships well-poised, With which exulting they divide the flood) Then, cautious, I would shun their bitter taunts Disgustful, lest they mock me as I pa.s.s; For of the meaner people some are coa.r.s.e 340 In the extreme, and it may chance that one, The basest there seeing us shall exclaim-- What handsome stranger of athletic form Attends the Princess? Where had she the chance To find him? We shall see them wedded soon.

Either she hath received some vagrant guest From distant lands, (for no land neighbours ours) Or by her pray'rs incessant won, some G.o.d Hath left the heav'ns to be for ever hers.

'Tis well if she have found, by her own search, 350 An husband for herself, since she accounts The n.o.bles of Phaeacia, who her hand Solicit num'rous, worthy to be scorn'd-- Thus will they speak, injurious. I should blame A virgin guilty of such conduct much, Myself, who reckless of her parents' will, Should so familiar with a man consort, Ere celebration of her spousal rites.

But mark me, stranger! following my advice, Thou shalt the sooner at my father's hands 360 Obtain safe conduct and conveyance home.

Sacred to Pallas a delightful grove Of poplars skirts the road, which we shall reach Ere long; within that grove a fountain flows, And meads encircle it; my father's farm Is there, and his luxuriant garden plot; A shout might reach it from the city-walls.

There wait, till in the town arrived, we gain My father's palace, and when reason bids Suppose us there, then ent'ring thou the town, 370 Ask where Alcinous dwells, my valiant Sire.

Well known is his abode, so that with ease A child might lead thee to it, for in nought The other houses of our land the house Resemble, in which dwells the Hero, King Alcinous. Once within the court received Pause not, but, with swift pace advancing, seek My mother; she beside a column sits In the hearth's blaze, twirling her fleecy threads Tinged with sea-purple, bright, magnificent! 380 With all her maidens orderly behind.

There also stands my father's throne, on which Seated, he drinks and banquets like a G.o.d.

Pa.s.s that; then suppliant clasp my mother's knees, So shalt thou quickly win a glad return To thy own home, however far remote.

Her favour, once, and her kind aid secured, Thenceforth thou may'st expect thy friends to see, Thy dwelling, and thy native soil again.

So saying, she with her splendid scourge the mules 390 Lash'd onward. They (the stream soon left behind) With even footsteps graceful smote the ground; But so she ruled them, managing with art The scourge, as not to leave afar, although Following on foot, Ulysses and her train.

The sun had now declined, when in that grove Renown'd, to Pallas sacred, they arrived, In which Ulysses sat, and fervent thus Sued to the daughter of Jove aegis-arm'd.

Daughter invincible of Jove supreme! 400 Oh, hear me! Hear me now, because when erst The mighty Shaker of the sh.o.r.es incensed Toss'd me from wave to wave, thou heard'st me not.

Grant me, among Phaeacia's sons, to find Benevolence and pity of my woes!

He spake, whose pray'r well-pleas'd the G.o.ddess heard, But, rev'rencing the brother of her sire,[24]

Appear'd not to Ulysses yet, whom he Pursued with fury to his native sh.o.r.es.

FOOTNOTES:

[23] In the Original, she calls him, pappa! a more natural stile of address and more endearing. But ancient as this appellative is, it is also so familiar in modern use, that the Translator feared to hazard it.

[24] Neptune.

BOOK VII

ARGUMENT

Nausicaa returns from the river, whom Ulysses follows. He halts, by her direction, at a small distance from the palace, which at a convenient time he enters. He is well received by Alcinous and his Queen; and having related to them the manner of his being cast on the sh.o.r.e of Scheria, and received from Alcinous the promise of safe conduct home, retires to rest.

Such pray'r Ulysses, toil-worn Chief renown'd, To Pallas made, meantime the virgin, drawn By her stout mules, Phaeacia's city reach'd, And, at her father's house arrived, the car Stay'd in the vestibule; her brothers five, All G.o.dlike youths, a.s.sembling quick around, Released the mules, and bore the raiment in.

Meantime, to her own chamber she return'd, Where, soon as she arrived, an antient dame Eurymedusa, by peculiar charge 10 Attendant on that service, kindled fire.

Sea-rovers her had from Epirus brought Long since, and to Alcinous she had fall'n By public gift, for that he ruled, supreme, Phaeacia, and as oft as he harangued The mult.i.tude, was rev'renced as a G.o.d.

She waited on the fair Nausicaa, she Her fuel kindled, and her food prepared.

And now Ulysses from his seat arose To seek the city, around whom, his guard 20 Benevolent, Minerva, cast a cloud, Lest, haply, some Phaeacian should presume T' insult the Chief, and question whence he came.

But ere he enter'd yet the pleasant town, Minerva azure-eyed met him, in form A blooming maid, bearing her pitcher forth.

She stood before him, and the n.o.ble Chief Ulysses, of the G.o.ddess thus enquired.

Daughter! wilt thou direct me to the house Of brave Alcinous, whom this land obeys? 30 For I have here arrived, after long toil, And from a country far remote, a guest To all who in Phaeacia dwell, unknown.

To whom the G.o.ddess of the azure-eyes.

The mansion of thy search, stranger revered!

Myself will shew thee; for not distant dwells Alcinous from my father's own abode: But hush! be silent--I will lead the way; Mark no man; question no man; for the sight Of strangers is unusual here, and cold 40 The welcome by this people shown to such.

They, trusting in swift ships, by the free grant Of Neptune traverse his wide waters, borne As if on wings, or with the speed of thought.

So spake the G.o.ddess, and with nimble pace Led on, whose footsteps he, as quick, pursued.

But still the seaman-throng through whom he pa.s.s'd Perceiv'd him not; Minerva, G.o.ddess dread, That sight forbidding them, whose eyes she dimm'd With darkness shed miraculous around 50 Her fav'rite Chief. Ulysses, wond'ring, mark'd Their port, their ships, their forum, the resort Of Heroes, and their battlements sublime Fenced with sharp stakes around, a glorious show!

But when the King's august abode he reach'd, Minerva azure-eyed, then, thus began.

My father! thou behold'st the house to which Thou bad'st me lead thee. Thou shalt find our Chiefs And high-born Princes banqueting within.

But enter fearing nought, for boldest men 60 Speed ever best, come whencesoe'er they may.

First thou shalt find the Queen, known by her name Areta; lineal in descent from those Who gave Alcinous birth, her royal spouse.

Neptune begat Nausithous, at the first, On Peribaea, loveliest of her s.e.x, Latest-born daughter of Eurymedon, Heroic King of the proud giant race, Who, losing all his impious people, shared The same dread fate himself. Her Neptune lov'd, 70 To whom she bore a son, the mighty prince Nausithous, in his day King of the land.

Nausithous himself two sons begat, Rhexenor and Alcinous. Phoebus slew Rhexenor at his home, a bridegroom yet, Who, father of no son, one daughter left, Areta, wedded to Alcinous now, And whom the Sov'reign in such honour holds, As woman none enjoys of all on earth Existing, subjects of an husband's pow'r. 80 Like veneration she from all receives Unfeign'd, from her own children, from himself Alcinous, and from all Phaeacia's race, Who, gazing on her as she were divine, Shout when she moves in progress through the town.

For she no wisdom wants, but sits, herself, Arbitress of such contests as arise Between her fav'rites, and decides aright.

Her count'nance once and her kind aid secured, Thou may'st thenceforth expect thy friends to see, 90 Thy dwelling, and thy native soil again.

So Pallas spake, G.o.ddess caerulean-eyed, And o'er the untillable and barren Deep Departing, Scheria left, land of delight, Whence reaching Marathon, and Athens next, She pa.s.s'd into Erectheus' fair abode.

Ulysses, then, toward the palace moved Of King Alcinous, but immers'd in thought Stood, first, and paused, ere with his foot he press'd The brazen threshold; for a light he saw 100 As of the sun or moon illuming clear The palace of Phaeacia's mighty King.

Walls plated bright with bra.s.s, on either side Stretch'd from the portal to th' interior house, With azure cornice crown'd; the doors were gold Which shut the palace fast; silver the posts Rear'd on a brazen threshold, and above, The lintels, silver, architraved with gold.

Mastiffs, in gold and silver, lined the approach On either side, by art celestial framed 110 Of Vulcan, guardians of Alcinous' gate For ever, un.o.bnoxious to decay.

Sheer from the threshold to the inner house Fixt thrones the walls, through all their length, adorn'd, With mantles overspread of subtlest warp Transparent, work of many a female hand.

On these the princes of Phaeacia sat, Holding perpetual feasts, while golden youths On all the sumptuous altars stood, their hands With burning torches charged, which, night by night, 120 Shed radiance over all the festive throng.

Full fifty female menials serv'd the King In household offices; the rapid mills These turning, pulverize the mellow'd grain, Those, seated orderly, the purple fleece Wind off, or ply the loom, restless as leaves Of lofty poplars fluttering in the breeze; Bright as with oil the new-wrought texture shone.[25]

Far as Phaeacian mariners all else Surpa.s.s, the swift ship urging through the floods, 130 So far in tissue-work the women pa.s.s All others, by Minerva's self endow'd With richest fancy and superior skill.

Without the court, and to the gates adjoin'd A s.p.a.cious garden lay, fenced all around Secure, four acres measuring complete.

There grew luxuriant many a lofty tree, Pomegranate, pear, the apple blushing bright, The honied fig, and unctuous olive smooth.

Those fruits, nor winter's cold nor summer's heat 140 Fear ever, fail not, wither not, but hang Perennial, whose unceasing zephyr breathes Gently on all, enlarging these, and those Maturing genial; in an endless course Pears after pears to full dimensions swell, Figs follow figs, grapes cl.u.s.t'ring grow again Where cl.u.s.ters grew, and (ev'ry apple stript) The boughs soon tempt the gath'rer as before.

There too, well-rooted, and of fruit profuse, His vineyard grows; part, wide-extended, basks, 150 In the sun's beams; the arid level glows; In part they gather, and in part they tread The wine-press, while, before the eye, the grapes Here put their blossom forth, there, gather fast Their blackness. On the garden's verge extreme Flow'rs of all hues smile all the year, arranged With neatest art judicious, and amid The lovely scene two fountains welling forth, One visits, into ev'ry part diffus'd, The garden-ground, the other soft beneath 160 The threshold steals into the palace-court, Whence ev'ry citizen his vase supplies.

Such were the ample blessings on the house Of King Alcinous by the G.o.ds bestow'd.

Ulysses wond'ring stood, and when, at length, Silent he had the whole fair scene admired, With rapid step enter'd the royal gate.

The Chiefs he found and Senators within Libation pouring to the vigilant spy Mercurius, whom with wine they worshipp'd last 170 Of all the G.o.ds, and at the hour of rest.

Ulysses, toil-worn Hero, through the house Pa.s.s'd undelaying, by Minerva thick With darkness circ.u.mfus'd, till he arrived Where King Alcinous and Areta sat.

Around Areta's knees his arms he cast, And, in that moment, broken clear away The cloud all went, shed on him from above.

Dumb sat the guests, seeing the unknown Chief, And wond'ring gazed. He thus his suit preferr'd. 180 Areta, daughter of the G.o.dlike Prince Rhexenor! suppliant at thy knees I fall, Thy royal spouse imploring, and thyself, (After ten thousand toils) and these your guests, To whom heav'n grant felicity, and to leave Their treasures to their babes, with all the rights And honours, by the people's suffrage, theirs!

But oh vouchsafe me, who have wanted long And ardent wish'd my home, without delay Safe conduct to my native sh.o.r.es again! 190 Such suit he made, and in the ashes sat At the hearth-side; they mute long time remain'd, Till, at the last, the antient Hero spake Echeneus, eldest of Phaeacia's sons, With eloquence beyond the rest endow'd, Rich in traditionary lore, and wise In all, who thus, benevolent, began.

Not honourable to thyself, O King!

Is such a sight, a stranger on the ground At the hearth-side seated, and in the dust. 200 Meantime, thy guests, expecting thy command, Move not; thou therefore raising by his hand The stranger, lead him to a throne, and bid The heralds mingle wine, that we may pour To thunder-bearing Jove, the suppliant's friend.

Then let the cat'ress for thy guest produce Supply, a supper from the last regale.

Soon as those words Alcinous heard, the King, Upraising by his hand the prudent Chief Ulysses from the hearth, he made him sit, 210 On a bright throne, displacing for his sake Laodamas his son, the virtuous youth Who sat beside him, and whom most he lov'd.

And now, a maiden charg'd with golden ew'r And with an argent laver, pouring, first, Pure water on his hands, supply'd him, next, With a resplendent table, which the chaste Directress of the stores furnish'd with bread And dainties, remnants of the last regale.

Then ate the Hero toil-inured, and drank, 220 And to his herald thus Alcinous spake.

Pontonous! mingling wine, bear it around To ev'ry guest in turn, that we may pour To thunder-bearer Jove, the stranger's friend, And guardian of the suppliant's sacred rights.

He said; Pontonous, as he bade, the wine Mingled delicious, and the cups dispensed With distribution regular to all.

When each had made libation, and had drunk Sufficient, then, Alcinous thus began. 230 Phaeacian Chiefs and Senators, I speak The dictates of my mind, therefore attend!

Ye all have feasted--To your homes and sleep.

We will a.s.semble at the dawn of day More senior Chiefs, that we may entertain The stranger here, and to the G.o.ds perform Due sacrifice; the convoy that he asks Shall next engage our thoughts, that free from pain And from vexation, by our friendly aid He may revisit, joyful and with speed, 240 His native sh.o.r.e, however far remote.

No inconvenience let him feel or harm, Ere his arrival; but, arrived, thenceforth He must endure whatever lot the Fates Spun for him in the moment of his birth.

But should he prove some Deity from heav'n Descended, then the Immortals have in view Designs not yet apparent; for the G.o.ds Have ever from of old reveal'd themselves At our solemnities, have on our seats 250 Sat with us evident, and shared the feast; And even if a single traveller Of the Phaeacians meet them, all reserve They lay aside; for with the G.o.ds we boast As near affinity as do themselves The Cyclops, or the Giant race profane.[26]

To whom Ulysses, ever-wise, replied.

Alcinous! think not so. Resemblance none In figure or in lineaments I bear To the immortal tenants of the skies, 260 But to the sons of earth; if ye have known A man afflicted with a weight of woe Peculiar, let me be with him compared; Woes even pa.s.sing his could I relate, And all inflicted on me by the G.o.ds.

But let me eat, comfortless as I am, Uninterrupted; for no call is loud As that of hunger in the ears of man; Importunate, unreas'nable, it constrains His notice, more than all his woes beside. 270 So, I much sorrow feel, yet not the less Hear I the blatant appet.i.te demand Due sustenance, and with a voice that drowns E'en all my suff'rings, till itself be fill'd.

But expedite ye at the dawn of day My safe return into my native land, After much mis'ry; and let life itself Forsake me, may I but once more behold All that is mine, in my own lofty abode.