Part 13 (1/2)
The lots were cast, and four were chosen, those Whom most I wish'd, and I was chosen fifth.
At even-tide he came, his fleecy flocks Pasturing homeward, and compell'd them all Into his cavern, leaving none abroad, 390 Either through some surmise, or so inclined By influence, haply, of the G.o.ds themselves.
The huge rock pull'd into its place again At the cave's mouth, he, sitting, milk'd his sheep And goats in order, and her kid or lamb Thrust under each; thus, all his work dispatch'd, Two more he seiz'd, and to his supper fell.
I then, approaching to him, thus address'd The Cyclops, holding in my hands a cup Of ivy-wood, well-charg'd with ruddy wine. 400 Lo, Cyclops! this is wine. Take this and drink After thy meal of man's flesh. Taste and learn What precious liquor our lost vessel bore.
I brought it hither, purposing to make Libation to thee, if to pity inclined Thou would'st dismiss us home. But, ah, thy rage Is insupportable! thou cruel one!
Who, thinkest thou, of all mankind, henceforth Will visit _thee_, guilty of such excess?
I ceas'd. He took and drank, and hugely pleas'd[33] 410 With that delicious bev'rage, thus enquir'd.
Give me again, and spare not. Tell me, too, Thy name, incontinent, that I may make Requital, gratifying also thee With somewhat to thy taste. We Cyclops own A bounteous soil, which yields _us_ also wine From cl.u.s.ters large, nourish'd by show'rs from Jove; But this--this is from above--a stream Of nectar and ambrosia, all divine!
He ended, and received a second draught, 420 Like measure. Thrice I bore it to his hand, And, foolish, thrice he drank. But when the fumes Began to play around the Cyclops' brain, With show of amity I thus replied.
Cyclops! thou hast my n.o.ble name enquired, Which I will tell thee. Give me, in return, The promised boon, some hospitable pledge.
My name is Outis,[34] Outis I am call'd At home, abroad; wherever I am known.
So I; to whom he, savage, thus replied. 430 Outis, when I have eaten all his friends, Shall be my last regale. Be that thy boon.
He spake, and, downward sway'd, fell resupine, With his huge neck aslant. All-conqu'ring sleep Soon seized him. From his gullet gush'd the wine With human morsels mingled, many a blast Sonorous issuing from his glutted maw.
Then, thrusting far the spike of olive-wood Into the embers glowing on the hearth, I heated it, and cheer'd my friends, the while, 440 Lest any should, through fear, shrink from his part.
But when that stake of olive-wood, though green, Should soon have flamed, for it was glowing hot, I bore it to his side. Then all my aids Around me gather'd, and the G.o.ds infused Heroic fort.i.tude into our hearts.
They, seizing the hot stake rasp'd to a point, Bored his eye with it, and myself, advanced To a superior stand, twirled it about.
As when a s.h.i.+pwright with his wimble bores 450 Tough oaken timber, placed on either side Below, his fellow-artists strain the thong Alternate, and the restless iron spins, So, grasping hard the stake pointed with fire, We twirl'd it in his eye; the bubbling blood Boil'd round about the brand; his pupil sent A scalding vapour forth that sing'd his brow, And all his eye-roots crackled in the flame.
As when the smith an hatchet or large axe Temp'ring with skill, plunges the hissing blade 460 Deep in cold water, (whence the strength of steel) So hiss'd his eye around the olive-wood.
The howling monster with his outcry fill'd The hollow rock, and I, with all my aids, Fled terrified. He, plucking forth the spike From his burnt socket, mad with anguish, cast The implement all b.l.o.o.d.y far away.
Then, bellowing, he sounded forth the name Of ev'ry Cyclops dwelling in the caves Around him, on the wind-swept mountain-tops; 470 They, at his cry flocking from ev'ry part, Circled his den, and of his ail enquired.
What grievous hurt hath caused thee, Polypheme!
Thus yelling to alarm the peaceful ear Of night, and break our slumbers? Fear'st thou lest Some mortal man drive off thy flocks? or fear'st Thyself to die by cunning or by force?
Them answer'd, then, Polypheme from his cave.
Oh, friends! I die! and Outis gives the blow.
To whom with accents wing'd his friends without. 480 If no man[35] harm thee, but thou art alone, And sickness feel'st, it is the stroke of Jove, And thou must bear it; yet invoke for aid Thy father Neptune, Sovereign of the floods.
So saying, they went, and in my heart I laugh'd That by the fiction only of a name, Slight stratagem! I had deceived them all.
Then groan'd the Cyclops wrung with pain and grief, And, fumbling, with stretch'd hands, removed the rock From his cave's mouth, which done, he sat him down 490 Spreading his arms athwart the pa.s.s, to stop Our egress with his flocks abroad; so dull, It seems, he held me, and so ill-advised.
I, pondering what means might fittest prove To save from instant death, (if save I might) My people and myself, to ev'ry s.h.i.+ft Inclined, and various counsels framed, as one Who strove for life, conscious of woe at hand.
To me, thus meditating, this appear'd The likeliest course. The rams well-thriven were, 500 Thick-fleeced, full-sized, with wool of sable hue.
These, silently, with osier twigs on which The Cyclops, hideous monster, slept, I bound, Three in one leash; the intermediate rams Bore each a man, whom the exterior two Preserved, concealing him on either side.
Thus each was borne by three, and I, at last, The curl'd back seizing of a ram, (for one I had reserv'd far stateliest of them all) Slipp'd underneath his belly, and both hands 510 Enfolding fast in his exub'rant fleece, Clung ceaseless to him as I lay supine.
We, thus disposed, waited with many a sigh The sacred dawn; but when, at length, aris'n, Aurora, day-spring's daughter rosy-palm'd Again appear'd, the males of all his flocks Rush'd forth to pasture, and, meantime, unmilk'd, The wethers bleated, by the load distress'd Of udders overcharged. Their master, rack'd With pain intolerable, handled yet 520 The backs of all, inquisitive, as they stood, But, gross of intellect, suspicion none Conceiv'd of men beneath their bodies bound.
And now (none left beside) the ram approach'd With his own wool burthen'd, and with myself, Whom many a fear molested. Polypheme The giant stroak'd him as he sat, and said, My darling ram! why latest of the flock Com'st thou, whom never, heretofore, my sheep Could leave behind, but stalking at their head, 530 Thou first was wont to crop the tender gra.s.s, First to arrive at the clear stream, and first With ready will to seek my sheep-cote here At evening; but, thy practice chang'd, thou com'st, Now last of all. Feel'st thou regret, my ram!
Of thy poor master's eye, by a vile wretch Bored out, who overcame me first with wine, And by a crew of vagabonds accurs'd, Followers of Outis, whose escape from death Shall not be made to-day? Ah! that thy heart 540 Were as my own, and that distinct as I Thou could'st articulate, so should'st thou tell, Where hidden, he eludes my furious wrath.
Then, dash'd against the floor his spatter'd brain Should fly, and I should lighter feel my harm From Outis, wretch base-named and nothing-worth.
So saying, he left him to pursue the flock.
When, thus drawn forth, we had, at length, escaped Few paces from the cavern and the court, First, quitting my own ram, I loos'd my friends, 550 Then, turning seaward many a thriven ewe Sharp-hoof'd, we drove them swiftly to the s.h.i.+p.
Thrice welcome to our faithful friends we came From death escaped, but much they mourn'd the dead.
I suffer'd not their tears, but silent shook My brows, by signs commanding them to lift The sheep on board, and instant plow the main.
They, quick embarking, on the benches sat Well ranged, and thresh'd with oars the foamy flood; But distant now such length as a loud voice 560 May reach, I hail'd with taunts the Cyclops' ear.
Cyclops! when thou devouredst in thy cave With brutal force my followers, thou devour'dst The followers of no timid Chief, or base, Vengeance was sure to recompense that deed Atrocious. Monster! who wast not afraid To eat the guest shelter'd beneath thy roof!
Therefore the G.o.ds have well requited thee.