Part 2 (2/2)

But swear, that till eleven days be past, Or twelve, or, till enquiry made, she learn Herself my going, thou wilt not impart Of this my purpose to my mother's ear, Lest all her beauties fade by grief impair'd.

He ended, and the antient matron swore 490 Solemnly by the G.o.ds; which done, she fill'd With wine the vessels and the skins with meal, And he, returning, join'd the throng below.

Then Pallas, G.o.ddess azure-eyed, her thoughts Elsewhere directing, all the city ranged In semblance of Telemachus, each man Exhorting, at the dusk of eve, to seek The gallant s.h.i.+p, and from Noemon, son Renown'd of Phronius, ask'd, herself, a bark, Which soon as ask'd, he promis'd to supply. 500 Now set the sun, and twilight dimm'd the ways, When, drawing down his bark into the Deep, He gave her all her furniture, oars, arms And tackle, such as well-built galleys bear, Then moor'd her in the bottom of the bay.

Meantime, his mariners in haste repair'd Down to the sh.o.r.e, for Pallas urged them on.

And now on other purposes intent, The G.o.ddess sought the palace, where with dews Of slumber drenching ev'ry suitor's eye, 510 She fool'd the drunkard mult.i.tude, and dash'd The goblets from their idle hands away.

They through the city reeled, happy to leave The dull carousal, when the slumb'rous weight Oppressive on their eye-lids once had fall'n.

Next, Pallas azure-eyed in Mentor's form And with the voice of Mentor, summoning Telemachus abroad, him thus bespake.

Telemachus! already at their oars Sit all thy fellow-voyagers, and wait 520 Thy coming; linger not, but haste away.

This said, Minerva led him thence, whom he With nimble steps follow'd, and on the sh.o.r.e Arrived, found all his mariners prepared, Whom thus the princely voyager address'd.

Haste, my companions! bring we down the stores Already sorted and set forth; but nought My mother knows, or any of her train Of this design, one matron sole except.

He spake, and led them; they, obedient, brought 530 All down, and, as Ulysses' son enjoin'd, Within the gallant bark the charge bestow'd.

Then, led by Pallas, went the prince on board, Where down they sat, the G.o.ddess in the stern, And at her side Telemachus. The crew Cast loose the hawsers, and embarking, fill'd The benches. Blue-eyed Pallas from the West Call'd forth propitious breezes; fresh they curled The sable Deep, and, sounding, swept the waves.

He loud-exhorting them, his people bade 540 Hand, brisk, the tackle; they, obedient, reared The pine-tree mast, which in its socket deep They lodg'd, then strain'd the cordage, and with thongs Well-twisted, drew the s.h.i.+ning sail aloft.

A land-breeze fill'd the canvas, and the flood Roar'd as she went against the steady bark That ran with even course her liquid way.

The rigging, thus, of all the galley set, Their beakers crowning high with wine, they hail'd The ever-living G.o.ds, but above all 550 Minerva, daughter azure-eyed of Jove.

Thus, all night long the galley, and till dawn Had brighten'd into day, cleaved swift the flood.

FOOTNOTES:

[6] The reader is to be reminded that this is not an a.s.sembly of the suitors only, but a general one, which affords Telemachus an opportunity to apply himself to the feelings of the Ithacans at large.

BOOK III

ARGUMENT

Telemachus arriving at Pylus, enquires of Nestor concerning Ulysses.

Nestor relates to him all that he knows or has heard of the Greecians since their departure from the siege of Troy, but not being able to give him any satisfactory account of Ulysses, refers him to Menelaus. At evening Minerva quits Telemachus, but discovers herself in going. Nestor sacrifices to the G.o.ddess, and the solemnity ended, Telemachus sets forth for Sparta in one of Nestor's chariots, and accompanied by Nestor's son, Pisistratus.

The sun, emerging from the lucid waves, Ascended now the brazen vault with light For the inhabitants of earth and heav'n, When in their bark at Pylus they arrived, City of Neleus. On the sh.o.r.e they found The people sacrificing; bulls they slew Black without spot, to Neptune azure-hair'd.

On ranges nine of seats they sat; each range Received five hundred, and to each they made Allotment equal of nine sable bulls. 10 The feast was now begun; these eating sat The entrails, those stood off'ring to the G.o.d The thighs, his portion, when the Ithacans Push'd right ash.o.r.e, and, furling close the sails, And making fast their moorings, disembark'd.

Forth came Telemachus, by Pallas led, Whom thus the G.o.ddess azure-eyed address'd.

Telemachus! there is no longer room For bashful fear, since thou hast cross'd the flood With purpose to enquire what land conceals 20 Thy father, and what fate hath follow'd him.

Advance at once to the equestrian Chief Nestor, within whose bosom lies, perhaps, Advice well worthy of thy search; entreat Himself, that he will tell thee only truth, Who will not lye, for he is pa.s.sing wise.

To whom Telemachus discrete replied.

Ah Mentor! how can I advance, how greet A Chief like him, unpractis'd as I am In manag'd phrase? Shame bids the youth beware 30 How he accosts the man of many years.

But him the G.o.ddess answer'd azure-eyed, Telemachus! Thou wilt, in part, thyself Fit speech devise, and heav'n will give the rest; For thou wast neither born, nor hast been train'd To manhood, under unpropitious Pow'rs.

So saying, Minerva led him thence, whom he With nimble steps attending, soon arrived Among the mult.i.tude. There Nestor sat, And Nestor's sons, while, busily the feast 40 Tending, his num'rous followers roasted, some, The viands, some, transfix'd them with the spits.

They seeing guests arrived, together all Advanced, and, grasping courteously their hands, Invited them to sit; but first, the son Of Nestor, young Pisistratus, approach'd, Who, fast'ning on the hands of both, beside The banquet placed them, where the beach was spread With fleeces, and where Thrasymedes sat His brother, and the h.o.a.ry Chief his Sire. 50 To each a portion of the inner parts He gave, then fill'd a golden cup with wine, Which, tasted first, he to the daughter bore Of Jove the Thund'rer, and her thus bespake.

Oh guest! the King of Ocean now adore!

For ye have chanced on Neptune's festival; And, when thou hast, thyself, libation made Duly, and pray'r, deliver to thy friend The gen'rous juice, that he may also make Libation; for he, doubtless, seeks, in prayer 60 The Immortals, of whose favour all have need.

But, since he younger is, and with myself Coeval, first I give the cup to thee.

He ceas'd, and to her hand consign'd the cup, Which Pallas gladly from a youth received So just and wise, who to herself had first The golden cup presented, and in pray'r Fervent the Sov'reign of the Seas adored.

Hear, earth-encircler Neptune! O vouchsafe To us thy suppliants the desired effect 70 Of this our voyage; glory, first, bestow On Nestor and his offspring both, then grant To all the Pylians such a gracious boon As shall requite their n.o.ble off'ring well.

Grant also to Telemachus and me To voyage hence, possess'd of what we sought When hither in our sable bark we came.

So Pallas pray'd, and her own pray'r herself Accomplish'd. To Telemachus she gave The splendid goblet next, and in his turn 80 Like pray'r Ulysses' son also preferr'd.

And now (the banquet from the spits withdrawn) They next distributed sufficient share To each, and all were sumptuously regaled.

At length, (both hunger satisfied and thirst) Thus Nestor, the Gerenian Chief, began.

Now with more seemliness we may enquire, After repast, what guests we have received.

Our guests! who are ye? Whence have ye the waves Plough'd hither? Come ye to transact concerns 90 Commercial, or at random roam the Deep Like pirates, who with mischief charged and woe To foreign States, oft hazard life themselves?

Him answer'd, bolder now, but still discrete, Telemachus. For Pallas had his heart With manly courage arm'd, that he might ask From Nestor tidings of his absent Sire, And win, himself, distinction and renown.

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