Tell whence art thou; and whence that princely
And robes like these, so recent and so fair?"
"Hard is the task, oh princess! you impose,"
Thus sighing spoke the man of many woes;
"The long, the mournful series to relate
Of all my sorrows sent by Heaven and fate!
Yet what you ask, attend. An island lies
Beyond these tracts, and under other skies,
Ogygia named, in Ocean's watery arms,
Where dwells Calypso, dreadful in her charms!
Remote from gods or men she holds her reign, 330
Amid the terrors of the rolling main.
Me, only me, the hand of fortune bore,
Unbless'd! to tread that interdicted shore:
When Jove tremendous in the sable deeps
Launch'd his red lightning at our scatter'd ships;
Then, all my fleet, and all my followers lost,
Sole on a plank, on boiling surges toss'd,
Heaven drove my wreck the Ogygian isle to find,
Full nine days floating to the wave and wind.
Met by the goddess there with open arms,
She bribed my stay with more than human charms;
Nay, promised, vainly promised, to bestow
Immortal life, exempt from age and wo:
But all her blandishments successless prove,
To banish from my breast my country's love.
I stay reluctant seven continued years,
And water her ambrosial couch with tears.
The eighth she voluntary moves to part,
Or urged by Jove, or her own changeful heart.
A raft was form'd to cross the surging sea;
Herself supplied the stores and rich array,
And gave the gales to waft me on the way.
In seventeen days appear'd your pleasing coast,
And woody mountains half in vapours lost.
Joy touch'd my soul: my soul was joy'd in vain,
For angry Neptune roused the raging main;
The wild winds whistle, and the billows roar;
The splitting raft the furious tempest tore;
And storms vindictive intercept the shore.
Soon as their rage subsides, the seas I brave
With naked force, and shoot along the wave,
To reach this isle; but there my hopes were lost,
The surge impell'd me on a craggy coast.
I chose the safer sea, and chanced to find
A river's mouth impervious to the wind,
And clear of rocks. I fainted by the flood ;
Then took the shelter of the neighbouring wood.
'Twas night, and cover'd in the foliage deep,
Jove plunged my senses in the death of sleep.
All night I slept, oblivious of my pain:
Aurora dawn'd and Phœbus shined in vain,
Nor, till oblique he sloped his evening ray,
Had Somnus dried the balmy dews away.
Then female voices from the shore I heard:
A maid amid them, goddesslike, appear'd;
To her I sued, she pitied my distress;
Like thee in beauty, nor in virtue less.
Who from such youth could hope considerate care ?
In youth and beauty wisdom is but rare !
She gave me life, relieved with just supplies
My wants, and lent these robes that strike your eyes.
This is the truth: and oh, ye powers on high !
Forbid that want should sink me to a lie."
To this the king: "Our daughter but express'd
Her cares imperfect to our godlike guest.
Suppliant to her, since first he chose to pray,
Why not herself did she conduct the way,
And with her handmaids to our court convey ?"
"Hero and king!" Ulysses thus replied, "Nor blame her faultless, nor suspect of pride : 390 She bade me follow in the attendant train; But fear and reverence did my steps detain, Lest rash suspicion might alarm thy mind: Man's of a jealous and mistaking kind."
"Far from my soul," he cried, "the gods efface
All wrath ill grounded, and suspicion base !
Whate'er is honest, stranger, I approve,
And would to Phœbus, Pallas, and to Jove,
Such as thou art, thy thought and mine were one,
Nor thou unwilling to be call'd my son,
In such alliance couldst thou wish to join,
A palace stored with treasures should be thine.
But if reluctant, who shall force thy stay?
Jove bids to set the stranger on his way,
And ships shall wait thee with the morning ray. 405
Till then, let slumber close thy careful eyes
The wakeful mariners shall watch the skies,
And seize the moment when the breezes rise :
Then gently waft thee to the pleasing shore,
Where thy soul rests, and labour is no more.
Far as Eubœa though thy country lay,
Our ships with ease transport thee in a day.
Thither of old, earth's giant son to view,
On wings of winds with Rhadamanth they flew;
This land, from whence their morning course begun,
Saw them returning with the setting sun.
Your eyes shall witness and confirm my tale,
Our youth how dextrous and how fleet our sail,
When justly timed with equal sweep they row,
And ocean whitens in long tracks below."
Thus he. No word the experienced man replies, But thus to heaven, and heavenward lifts his eyes : "Oh Jove! oh father! what the king accords Do thou make perfect! sacred be his words! Wide o'er the world Alcinous' glory shine! Let fame be his, and ah! my country mine!"
Meantime Arete, for the hour of rest, Ordains the fleecy couch and covering vest; Bids her fair train the purple quilts prepare, And the thick carpets spread with busy care.
With torches blazing in their hands they pass'd,
And finish'd all their queen's command with haste;
Then gave the signal to the willing guest :
He rose with pleasure, and retired to rest.
There, soft extended, to the murmuring sound 435
Of the high porch, Ulysses sleeps profound!
Within, released from cares, Alcinous lies;
And fast beside were closed Arete's eyes.
ALCINOUS calls a council, in which it is resolved to transport Ulysses into his country-After which, splendid entertain ments are made, where the celebrated musician and poet Demodocus plays and sings to the guests-They next proceed to the games, the race, the wrestling, discus, &c., where Ulysses casts a prodigious length, to the admiration of all the spectators-They return again to the banquet, and Demodocus sings the loves of Mars and Venus-Ulysses, after a compliment to the poet, desires him to sing the introduction of the wooden horse into Troy; which subject provoking his tears, Alcinous inquires of his guest his name, parentage, and fortunes.
Now fair Aurora lifts her golden ray,
And all the ruddy orient flames with day:
Alcinous and the chief, with dawning light,
Rose instant from the slumbers of the night:
Then to the council seat they bend their way,
And fill the shining thrones along the bay.
Meanwhile Minerva in her guardian care, Shoots from the starry vault through fields of air; In form a herald of the king she flies
From peer to peer, and thus incessant cries :
"Nobles and chiefs who rule Phæacia's states, The king in council your attendance waits; A prince of grace divine your aid implores, O'er unknown seas arrived from unknown shores." She spoke, and sudden with tumultuous sounds 15 Of thronging multitudes the shore rebounds : At once the seats they fill; and every eye Gazed, as before some brother of the sky.
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