And in the public woe forget your own; What Greeks now wandering in the Stygian gloom, With your Ulysses shar'd an equal doom! Mature beyond his years, the queen admires Aw'd by the prince, thus haughty, bold, and young, Rage gnaw'd the lip, and wonder chain'd the tongue. Silence at length the gay Antinoüs broke, Constrain'd a smile, and thus ambiguous spoke: What god to your untutor'd youth affords This headlong torrent of amazing words? May Jove delay thy reign, and cumber late So bright a genius with the toils of state! Those toils (Telemachus serene replies) Have charms, with all their weight, t'allure the wise. Fast by the throne obsequious fame resides, And wealth incessant rolls her golden tides. Nor let Antinoüs rage, if strong desire Of wealth and fame a youthful bosom fire: Elect by Jove his delegate of sway, With joyous pride the summons I'd obey. Whene'er Ulysses roams the realm of night, Should factious power dispute my lineal right, Some other Greeks a fairer claim may plead; To your pretence their title would precede. At least, the sceptre lost, I still should reign Sole o'er my vassals, and domestic train. To this Eurymachus: To Heaven alone Refer the choice to fill the vacant throne. Your patrimonial stores in peace possess ; Undoubted, all your filial claim confess : Your private right should impious power invade, The peers of Ithaca would arm in aid. But say, that stranger guest who late withdrew, What and from whence? his name and lineage shew. His grave demeanour and majestic grace Speak him descended of no vulgar race: Did he some loan of ancient right require, Or came fore-runner of your scepter'd sire? Oh son of Polybus! the prince replies, No more my sire will glad these longing eyes : The queen's fond hope inventive rumour cheers, That stranger guest the Taphian realm obeys, Thus he, though conscious of th' ethereal guest, Whilst to his couch himself the prince addrest, The duteous dame receiv'd the purple vest : The purple vest with decent care dispos'd, The silver ring she pull'd, the door reclos'd, The bolt, obedient to the silken cord, To the strong staple's inmost depth restor'd, Secur'd the valves. There wrapt in silent shade, Pensive, the rules the goddess gave, he weigh'd; Stretch'd on the downy fleece, no rest he knows, And in his raptur'd soul the vision glows. ARGUMENT. The Council of Ithaca. Telemachus, in the assembly of the lords of Ithac complains of the injustice done him by the suitor and insists upon their departure from his palace appealing to the princes, and exciting the peop to declare against them. The suitors endeavour t justify their stay, at least till he shall send th queen to the court of Icarius her father; which h refuses. There appears a prodigy of two eagles i the sky, which an augur expounds to the ruin o the suitors. Telemachus then demands a vessel t carry him to Pylos and Sparta, there to inquire o his father's fortunes. Pallas in the shape of Men tor (an ancient friend of Ulysses) helps him to a ship, assists him in preparing necessaries for the voyage, and embarks with him that night; which concludes the second day from the opening of the poem. The scene continues in the palace of Ulysses, in Ithaca. |