Part 9 (1/2)

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 s.h.i.+ps 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 hus.h.!.+ 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 s.h.i.+ps, 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 s.h.i.+ps, 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.