"But, tell me who thou art? and what thy race? Thy town, thy parents, and thy native place? Or, if a merchant in pursuit of gain, What port received thy vessel from the main? Or comest thou single, or attend thy train?" Then thus the son: "From Alybas I came, My palace there; Eperitus my name. Not vulgar born; from Aphidas, the king Of Polyphemon's royal line, I spring.
Some adverse demon from Sicania bore
Our wandering course, and drove us on your shore; Far from the town, an unfrequented bay
Relieved our wearied vessel from the sea.
Five years have circled since these eyes pursued Ulysses parting through the sable flood; Prosperous he sail'd, with dexter auguries, And all the wing'd good omens of the skies. Well hoped we then to meet on this fair shore, Whom Heaven, alas! decreed to meet no more.
Quick through the father's heart these accents ran; Grief seized at once, and wrapp'd up all the man: Deep from his soul he sigh'd, and sorrowing spread. A cloud of ashes on his hoary head. Trembling with agonies of strong delight Stood the great son, heart-wounded with the sight: He ran, he seized him with a strict embrace, With thousand kisses wander'd o'er his face. "I, I am he; O father, rise! behold Thy son, with twenty winters now grown old; Thy son, so long desired, so long detain'd, Restored, and breathing in his native land: These floods of sorrow, O my sire, restrain! The vengeance is complete; the suitor train, Stretch'd in our palace, by these hands lie slain." Amazed, Laërtes: "Give some certain sign
(If such thou art) to manifest thee mine.” "Lo here the wound (he cries) received of yore, The scar indented by the tusky boar, When, by thyself, and by Anticlea sent,
To old Autolycus's realms I went.
Yet by another sign thy offspring know; The several trees you gave me long ago,
While, yet a child, these fields I loved to trace, And trod thy footsteps with unequal pace;
To every plant in order as we came,
Well-pleased, you told its nature and its name, Whate'er my childish fancy ask'd, bestow'd; Twelve pear-trees, bowing with their pendent load, And ten, that red with blushing apples glow'd; Full fifty purple figs; and many a row Of various vines that then began to blow, A future vintage! when the Hours produce Their latent buds, and Sol exalts the juice."
Smit with the signs which all his doubts explain, His heart within him melts; his knees sustain Their feeble weight no more: his arms alone Support him, round the loved Ulysses thrown; He faints, he sinks, with mighty joys oppress'd: Ulysses clasps him to his eager breast.
Soon as returning life regains its seat, And his breath lengthens, and his pulses beat; "Yes, I believe (he cries), almighty Jove! Heaven rules us yet, and gods there are above. "Tis so-the suitors for their wrongs have paid- But what shall guard us, if the town invade ? If, while the news through every city flies, All Ithaca and Cephalenia rise?"
To this Ulysses: "As the gods shall please Be all the rest; and set thy soul at ease. Haste to the cottage by this orchard's side, And take the banquet which our cares provide: There wait thy faithful band of rural friends, And there the young Telemachus attends."
Thus having said, they traced the garden o'er, And stooping enter'd at the lowly door. The swains and young Telemachus they found,1 The victim portion'd, and the goblet crown'd. The hoary king, his old Sicilian maid Perfumed and wash'd, and gorgeously array'd. Pallas attending gives his frame to shine With awful port, and majesty divine;
1 The swains and young Telemachus. "It may be worth while also to observe the different economy of the households of Penelope and of Laërtes, and to consider them as representing in some degree the later and the elder system; to observe the separation and subordination of the slaves, and the organized service of the one, and the familiarity and almost equal ministry of master and servant in the other."-Coleridge, p. 235.
His gazing son admires the godlike grace, And air celestial dawning o'er his face. "What god (he cried) my father's form improves ? How high he treads, and how enlarged he moves!" "Oh! would to all the deathless powers on high, Pallas and Jove, and him who gilds the sky! (Replied the king elated with his praise) My strength were still, as once in better days: When the bold Cephalens the leaguer form'd, And proud Nericus trembled as I storm'd. Such were I now, not absent from your deed When the last sun beheld the suitors bleed, This arm had aided yours, this hand bestrown Our shores with death, and push'd the slaughter on; Nor had the sire been separate from the son."
They communed thus; while homeward bent their way The swains, fatigued with labours of the day : Dolius the first, the venerable man;
And next his sons, a long succeeding train. For due refection to the bower they came, Call'd by the careful old Sicilian dame, Who nursed the children, and now tends the sire; They see their lord, they gaze, and they admire. On chairs and beds in order seated round, They share the gladsome board; the roofs resound, While thus Ulysses to his ancient friend: "Forbear your wonder, and the feast attend: The rites have waited long." The chief commands Their loves in vain; old Dolius spreads his hands, Springs to his master with a warm embrace, And fastens kisses on his hands and face; Then thus broke out: "O long, O daily mourn'd! Beyond our hopes, and to our wish return'd! Conducted sure by heaven! for heaven alone Could work this wonder: welcome to thy own! And joys and happiness attend thy throne!
Who knows thy bless'd, thy wish'd return? oh say, To the chaste queen shall we the news convey? Or hears she, and with blessings loads the day?" "Dismiss that care, for to the royal bride
Already is it known" (the king replied,
And straight resumed his seat); while round him bows Each faithful youth, and breathes out ardent vows:
Then all beneath their father take their place, Rank'd by their ages, and the banquet grace. Now flying Fame, the swift report had spread Through all the city, of the suitors dead. In throngs they rise, and to the palace crowd; Their sighs were many, and the tumult loud. Weeping they bear the mangled heaps of slain. Inhume the natives in their native plain, The rest in ships are wafted o'er the main. Then sad in council all the seniors sate, Frequent and full, assembled to debate: Amid the circle first Eupithes rose,
Big was his eye with tears, his heart with woes: The bold Antinous was his age's pride,
The first who by Ulysses' arrow died.
Down his wan cheek the trickling torrent ran,
As mixing words with sighs he thus began:
"Great deeds, O friends! this wondrous man has wrought,
And mighty blessings to his country brought! With ships he parted, and a numerous train, Those, and their ships, he buried in the main. Now he returns, and first essays his hand
In the best blood of all his native land.
Haste then, and ere to neighbouring Pyle he flies, Or sacred Elis, to procure supplies;
Arise (or ye for ever fall), arise!
Shame to this age, and all that shall succeed! If unrevenged your sons and brothers bleed. Prove that we live, by vengeance on his head, Or sink at once forgotten with the dead."
Here ceased he, but indignant tears let fall Spoke when he ceased: dumb sorrow touch'd them all. When from the palace to the wondering throng Sage Medon came, and Phemius came along (Restless and early sleep's soft bands they broke); And Medon first th' assembled chiefs bespoke :
"Hear me, ye peers and elders of the land, Who deem this act the work of mortal hand; As o'er the heaps of death Ulysses strode, These eyes, these eyes beheld a present god, Who now before him, now beside him stood,
Fought as he fought, and mark'd his way with blood: In vain old Mentor's form the god belied;
'Twas Heaven that struck, and Heaven was on his side."
A sudden horror all th' assembly shook, When slowly rising, Halitherses spoke (Reverend and wise, whose comprehensive view At once the present and the future knew): "Me too, ye fathers, hear! from you proceed The ills ye mourn; your own the guilty deed. Ye gave your sons, your lawless sons, the rein (Oft warn'd by Mentor and myself in vain); An absent hero's bed they sought to soil, An absent hero's wealth they made their spoil; Immoderate riot, and intemperate lust! Th' offence was great, the punishment was just. Weigh then my counsels in an equal scale, Nor rush to ruin. Justice will prevail."
His moderate words some better minds persuade : They part, and join him; but the number stay'd. They storm, they shout, with hasty frenzy fired, And second all Eupithes' rage inspired.
They case their limbs in brass; to arms they run; The broad effulgence blazes in the sun. Before the city, and in ample plain,
They meet: Eupithes heads the frantic train. Fierce for his son, he breathes his threats in air; Fate hears them not, and Death attends him there." This pass'd on earth, while in the realms above Minerva thus to cloud-compelling Jove: "May I presume to search thy secret soul? O Power Supreme, O Ruler of the whole! Say, hast thou doom'd to this divided state Or peaceful amity, or stern debate? Declare thy purpose, for thy will is fate."
"Is not thy thought my own? (the god replies Who rolls the thunder o'er the vaulted skies ;) Hath not long since thy knowing soul decreed The chief's return should make the guilty bleed? "Tis done, and at thy will the Fates succeed, Yet hear the issue; since Ulysses' hand
Has slain the suitors, Heaven shall bless the land. None now the kindred of th' unjust shall own; Forgot the slaughter'd brother and the son: Each future day increase of wealth shall bring, And o'er the past Oblivion streach her wing. Long shall Ulysses in his empire rest, His people blessing, by his people bless'd.
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