Part 28 (1/2)

Then, that the suitors might admire her more, The glorious G.o.ddess cloath'd her, as she lay, With beauty of the skies; her lovely face She with ambrosia purified, with such As Cytherea chaplet-crown'd employs Herself, when in the eye-ensnaring dance She joins the Graces; to a statelier height Beneath her touch, and ampler size she grew, 240 And fairer than the elephantine bone Fresh from the carver's hand. These gifts conferr'd Divine, the awful Deity retired.

And now, loud-prattling as they came, arrived Her handmaids; sleep forsook her at the sound, She wiped away a tear, and thus she said.

Me gentle sleep, sad mourner as I am, Hath here involved. O would that by a death As gentle chaste Diana would herself This moment set me free, that I might waste 250 My life no longer in heart-felt regret Of a lamented husband's various worth And virtue, for in Greece no Peer had he!

She said, and through her chambers' stately door Issuing, descended; neither went she sole, But with those two fair menials of her train.

Arriving, most majestic of her s.e.x, In presence of the num'rous guests, beneath The portal of the stately dome she stood Between her maidens, with her lucid veil 260 Mantling her lovely cheeks. Then, ev'ry knee Trembled, and ev'ry heart with am'rous heat Dissolv'd, her charms all coveting alike, While to Telemachus her son she spake.

Telemachus! thou art no longer wise As once thou wast, and even when a child.

For thriven as thou art, and at full size Arrived of man, so fair proportion'd, too, That ev'n a stranger, looking on thy growth And beauty, would p.r.o.nounce thee n.o.bly born, 270 Yet is thy intellect still immature.

For what is this? why suffer'st thou a guest To be abused in thy own palace? how?

Know'st not that if the stranger seated here Endure vexation, the disgrace is thine?

Her answer'd, then, Telemachus discrete.

I blame thee not, my mother, that thou feel'st Thine anger moved; yet want I not a mind Able to mark and to discern between Evil and good, child as I lately was, 280 Although I find not prompt.i.tude of thought Sufficient always, overaw'd and check'd By such a mult.i.tude, all bent alike On mischief, of whom none takes part with me.

But Irus and the stranger have not fought, Urged by the suitors, and the stranger prov'd Victorious; yes--heav'n knows how much I wish That, (in the palace some, some in the court) The suitors all sat vanquish'd, with their heads Depending low, and with enfeebled limbs, 290 Even as that same Irus, while I speak, With chin on bosom propp'd at the hall-gate Sits drunkard-like, incapable to stand Erect, or to regain his proper home.

So they; and now addressing to the Queen His speech, Eurymachus thus interposed.

O daughter of Icarius! could all eyes Throughout Iasian Argos[81] view thy charms, Discrete Penelope! more suitors still a.s.sembling in thy courts would banquet here 300 From morn to eve; for thou surpa.s.sest far In beauty, stature, worth, all womankind.

To whom replied Penelope discrete.

The G.o.ds, Eurymachus! reduced to nought My virtue, beauty, stature, when the Greeks, Whom my Ulysses follow'd, sail'd to Troy.

Could he, returning, my domestic charge Himself intend, far better would my fame Be so secured, and wider far diffused.

But I am wretched now, such storms the G.o.ds 310 Of woe have sent me. When he left his home, Clasping my wrist with his right hand, he said.

My love! for I imagine not that all The warrior Greeks shall safe from Troy return, Since fame reports the Trojans brave in fight, Skill'd in the spear, mighty to draw the bow, And nimble vaulters to the backs of steeds High-mettled, which to speediest issue bring The dreadful struggle of all-wasting war-- I know not, therefore, whether heav'n intend 320 My safe return, or I must perish there.

But manage thou at home. Cherish, as now, While I am absent, or more dearly still My parents, and what time our son thou seest Mature, then wed; wed even whom thou wilt, And hence to a new home.--Such were his words, All which shall full accomplishment ere long Receive. The day is near, when hapless I, Lost to all comfort by the will of Jove, Must meet the nuptials that my soul abhors. 330 But this thought now afflicts me, and my mind Continual haunts. Such was not heretofore The suitors' custom'd practice; all who chose To engage in compet.i.tion for a wife Well-qualitied and well-endow'd, produced From their own herds and fatted flocks a feast For the bride's friends, and splendid presents made, But never ate as ye, at others' cost.

She ceased; then brave Ulysses toil-inured Rejoiced that, soothing them, she sought to draw 340 From each some gift, although on other views, And more important far, himself intent.

Then thus Antinous, Eupithes' son.

Icarius' daughter wise! only accept Such gifts as we shall bring, for gifts demand That grace, nor can be decently refused; But to our rural labours, or elsewhere Depart not we, till first thy choice be made Of the Achaian, chief in thy esteem.

Antinous spake, whose answer all approved. 350 Then each dispatch'd his herald who should bring His master's gift. Antinous' herald, first A mantle of surpa.s.sing beauty brought, Wide, various, with no fewer clasps adorn'd Than twelve, all golden, and to ev'ry clasp Was fitted opposite its eye exact.

Next, to Eurymachus his herald bore A necklace of wrought gold, with amber rich Bestudded, ev'ry bead bright as a sun.

Two servants for Eurydamas produced 360 Ear-pendants fas.h.i.+on'd with laborious art, Broad, triple-gemm'd, of brilliant light profuse.

The herald of Polyctor's son, the prince Pisander, brought a collar to his Lord, A sumptuous ornament. Each Greecian gave, And each a gift dissimilar from all.

Then, loveliest of her s.e.x, turning away, She sought her chamber, whom her maidens fair Attended, charged with those ill.u.s.trious gifts.

Then turn'd, they all to dance and pleasant song 370 Joyous, expecting the approach of ev'n.

Ere long the dusky evening came, and them Found sporting still. Then, placing in the hall Three hearths that should illumine wide the house, They compa.s.s'd them around with fuel-wood Long-season'd and new-split, mingling the sticks With torches. The attendant women watch'd And fed those fires by turns, to whom, himself, Their unknown Sov'reign thus his speech address'd.

Ye maidens of the long-regretted Chief 380 Ulysses! to the inner-courts retire, And to your virtuous Queen, that following there Your sev'ral tasks, spinning and combing wool, Ye may amuse her; I, meantime, for these Will furnish light, and should they chuse to stay Till golden morn appear, they shall not tire My patience aught, for I can much endure.

He said; they, t.i.tt'ring, on each other gazed.

But one, Melantho with the blooming cheeks, Rebuked him rudely. Dolius was her sire, 390 But by Penelope she had been reared With care maternal, and in infant years Supplied with many a toy; yet even she Felt not her mistress' sorrows in her heart, But, of Eurymachus enamour'd, oft His lewd embraces met; she, with sharp speech Reproachful, to Ulysses thus replied.

Why--what a brainsick vagabond art thou!

Who neither wilt to the smith's forge retire For sleep, nor to the public portico, 400 But here remaining, with audacious prate Disturb'st this num'rous company, restrain'd By no respect or fear; either thou art With wine intoxicated, or, perchance, Art always fool, and therefore babblest now.

Say, art thou drunk with joy that thou hast foiled The beggar Irus? Tremble, lest a man Stronger than Irus suddenly arise, Who on thy temples pelting thee with blows Far heavier than his, shall drive thee hence 410 With many a bruise, and foul with thy own blood.

To whom Ulysses, frowning stern, replied.

Snarler! Telemachus shall be inform'd This moment of thy eloquent harangue, That he may hew thee for it, limb from limb.

So saying, he scared the women; back they flew Into the house, but each with falt'ring knees Through dread, for they believ'd his threats sincere.

He, then illumin'd by the triple blaze, Watch'd close the lights, busy from hearth to hearth, 420 But in his soul, meantime, far other thoughts Revolved, tremendous, not conceived in vain.

Nor Pallas (that they might exasp'rate more Laertes' son) permitted to abstain From heart-corroding bitterness of speech Those suitors proud, of whom Eurymachus, Offspring of Polybus, while thus he jeer'd Ulysses, set the others in a roar.

Hear me, ye suitors of the ill.u.s.trious Queen!

I shall promulge my thought. This man, methinks, 430 Not unconducted by the G.o.ds, hath reach'd Ulysses' mansion, for to me the light Of yonder torches altogether seems His own, an emanation from his head, Which not the smallest growth of hair obscures.

He ended; and the city-waster Chief Himself accosted next. Art thou disposed To serve me, friend! would I afford thee hire, A labourer at my farm? thou shalt not want Sufficient wages; thou may'st there collect 440 Stones for my fences, and may'st plant my oaks, For which I would supply thee all the year With food, and cloaths, and sandals for thy feet.