The discovery of Ulysses to Telemachus.
TELEMACHUS arriving at the lodge of Eumæus, sends him to carry Penelope the news of his return-Minerva appearing to Ulysses, commands him to discover himself to his sonThe princes, who had lain in ambush to intercept Telemachus in his way, their project being defeated, return to Ithaca.
Soon as the morning blush'd along the plains,
Ulysses, and the monarch of the swains,
Awake the sleeping fires, their meal prepare,
And forth to pasture send the bristly care.
The prince's near approach the dogs descry,
And fawning round his feet confess their joy.
Their gentle blandishment the king survey'd,
Heard his resounding step, and instant said:
"Some well-known friend, Eumæus, bends this
His steps I hear; the dogs familiar play."
While yet he spoke, the prince advancing drew
Nigh to the lodge, and now appear'd in view.
Transported from his seat Eumæus sprung,
Dropp'd the full bowl, and round his bosom hung;
Kissing his cheek, his hand, while from his eye 15
The tears rain'd copious in a shower of joy.
As some fond sire who ten long winters grieves,
From foreign climes an only son receives,
(Child of his age,) with strong paternal joy
Forward he springs, and clasps the favourite boy:
So round the youth his arms Eumæus spread,
As if the grave had given him from the dead.
"And is it thou? my ever-dear delight!
Oh art thou come to bless my longing sight!
Never, I never hoped to view this day,
When o'er the waves you plough'd the desperate
Enter, my child! Beyond my hopes restored,
Oh give these eyes to feast upon their lord.
Enter, oh seldom seen! for lawless powers
Too much detain thee from these sylvan bowers."
The prince replied: "Eumæus, I obey;
To seek thee, friend, I hither took my way.
But say, if in the court the queen reside
Severely chaste, or if commenced a bride?"
Thus he; and thus the monarch of the swains: 35
"Severely chaste Penelope remains;
But, lost to every joy, she wastes the day
In tedious cares, and weeps the night away."
He ended, and (receiving as they pass The javelin, pointed with a star of brass) They reach'd the dome; the dome with marble
His seat Ulysses to the prince resign'd.
"Not so," exclaims the prince with decent grace,
"For me, this house shall find an humbler place:
To usurp the honours due to silver hairs
And reverend strangers modest youth forbears."
Instant the swain the spoils of beasts supplies,
And bids the rural throne with osiers rise.
There sat the prince: the feast Eumæus spread,
And heap'd the shining canisters with bread.
Thick o'er the board the plenteous viands lay,
The frugal remnants of the former day.
Then in a bowl he tempers generous wines,
Around whose verge a mimic ivy twines.
And now, the rage of thirst and hunger fled,
Thus young Ulysses to Eumæus said;
"Whence, father, from what shore this stranger,
say? What vessel bore him o'er the watery way; To human step our land impervious lies, And round the coast circumfluent oceans rise." 60 The swain returns: "A tale of sorrows hear:
In spacious Crete he drew his natal air;
Long doom'd to wander o'er the land and main,
For Heaven has wove his thread of life with pain.
Half breathless 'scaping to the land he flew
From Thresprot mariners, a murderous crew.
To thee, my son, the suppliant 1 resign;
I gave him my protection, grant him thine."
"Hard task," he cries, "thy virtue gives thy
Willing to aid, unable to defend.
Can strangers safely in the court reside,
Mid the swell'd insolence of lust and pride ?
Ev'n I unsafe: the queen in doubt to wed,
Or pay due honours to the nuptial bed ?
Perhaps she weds regardless of her fame,
Deaf to the mighty Ulyssean name.
However, stranger! from our grace receive
Such honours as befit a prince to give;
Sandals, a sword and robes, respect to prove,
And safe to sail with ornaments of love.
Till then, thy guest amid the rural train,
Far from the court, from danger far, detain.
'Tis mine with food the hungry to supply,
And clothe the naked from the inclement sky.
Here dwell in safety from the suitors' wrongs,
And the rude insults of ungovern'd tongues.
For shouldst thou suffer, powerless to ss to relieve,
I must behold it, and can only grieve.
The brave encompass'd by a hostile train,
O'erpower'd by numbers, is but brave in vain." 90
To whom, while anger in his bosom glows,
With warmth replies the man of mighty woes:
"Since audience mild is deign'd, permit my tongue At once to pity and resent thy wrong.
My heart weeps blood to see a soul so brave 95 Live to base insolence of power a slave.
But tell me, dost thou, prince, dost thou behold,
And hear their midnight revels uncontroll'd?
Say, do thy subjects in bold faction rise,
Or priests in fabled oracles advise ?
Or are thy brothers, who should aid thy power,
Turn'd mean deserters in the needful hour?
Oh that I were from great Ulysses sprung,
Or that these wither'd nerves like thine were
Or, heavens! might he return! (and soon appear
He shall, I trust; a hero scorns despair :)
Might he return, I yield my life a prey.
To my worst foe, if that avenging day
Be not their last: but should I lose my life,
Oppress'd by numbers in the glorious strife,
I choose the nobler part, and yield my breath,
Rather than bear dishonour, worse than death;
Than see the hand of violence invade
The reverend stranger, and the spotless maid; Than see the wealth of kings consumed in waste, The drunkards revel, and the gluttons feast."
Thus he, with anger flashing from his eye;
Sincere the youthful hero made reply:
"Nor leagued in factious arms my subjects rise,
Nor priests in fabled oracles advise;
Nor are my brothers, who should aid my power,
Turn'd mean deserters in the needful hour.
Ah me! I boast no brother; heaven's dread king
Gives from our stock an only branch to spring:
Alone Laertes reign'd Arcesius' heir,
Alone Ulysses drew the vital air,
And I alone the bed connubial graced,
An unbless'd offspring of a sire unbless'd!
Each neighbouring realm, conducive to our wo,
Sends forth her peers, and every peer a foe :
The court proud Samos and Dulichium fills,
And lofty Zacynth crown'd with shady hills.
Ev'n Ithaca and all her lords invade
The imperial sceptre, and the regal bed:
The queen, averse to love, yet awed by power, 135
Seems half to yield, yet flies the bridal hour:
Meantime their license uncontroll'd I bear;
Ev'n now they envy me the vital air:
But Heaven will sure revenge, and gods there are.
"But go, Eumæus! to the queen impart Our safe return, and ease a mother's heart. Yet secret go; for numerous are my foes, And here at least I may in peace repose."
To whom the swain: "I hear, and I obey: But old Laertes weeps his life away, And deems thee lost: shall I my speed employ To bless his age; a messenger of joy? The mournful hour that tore his son away Sent the sad sire in solitude to stray; Yet busied with his slaves, to ease his wo, He dress'd the vine, and bade the garden blow, Nor food nor wine refused; but since the day That you to Pylos plough'd the watery way, Nor wine nor food he tastes; but sunk in woes, Wild springs the vine, no more the garden blows: Shut from the walks of me, to pleasure lost, Pensive and pale he wanders, half a ghost."
"Wretched old man!" with tears the prince re
"Yet cease to go-what man so bless'd but mourns?
Were every wish in indulged by favouring skies,
This hour should give Ulysses to my eyes,
But to the queen with speed despatchful bear
Our safe return, and back with speed repair;
And let some handmaid of her train resort
To good Laertes in his rural court."
While yet he spoke, impatient of delay,
He braced his sandals on, and strode away;
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