The Iliad and the Odyssey (Classics of World Literature)
Page 112
His heels lay sprawling. Up the hands went round
Of all the wooers, all at point to die
With violent laughters. Then the king did ply
The beggar’s feet, and dragg’d him forth the hall,
Along the entry, to the gates and wall;
Where leaving him, he put into his hand
A staff, and bade him there use his command
On swine and dogs, and not presume to be
Lord of the guests, or of the beggary,
Since he of all men was the scum and curse;
And so bade please with that, or fare yet worse.
Then cast he on his scrip, all patch’d and rent,
Hung by a rotten cord, and back he went
To greet the entry’s threshold with his seat.
The wooers throng’d to him, and did entreat
With gentle words his conquest, laughing still,
Pray’d Jove and all the gods to give his will
What most it wish’d him and would joy him most,
Since he so happily had clear’d their coast
Of that unsavoury morsel; whom they vow’d
To see with all their utmost haste bestow’d
Aboard a ship, and for Epirus sent
To King Echetus, on whose throne was spent
The worst man’s seat that breath’d. And thus was grac’d
Divine Ulysses, who with joy embrac’d
Ev’n that poor conquest. Then was set to him
The goodly goat’s breast promis’d (that did swim
In fat and gravy) by Antinous.
And from a basket, by Amphinomus,
Were two breads giv’n him; who, besides, renown’d
His banquet with a golden goblet crown’d,
And this high salutation: ‘Frolic, guest,
And be those riches that you first possest
Restored again with full as many joys,
As in your poor state I see now annoys.’
‘Amphinomus,’ said he, ‘you seem to me
Exceeding wise, as being the progeny
Of such a father as authentic fame
Hath told me was so, one of honour’d name,
And great revenues in Dulichius,
His fair name Nisus. He is blazon’d thus,
And you to be his son, his wisdom heiring,
As well as wealth, his state in nought impairing.
To prove which, always, let me tell you this
(As warning you to shun the miseries
That follow full states, if they be not held
With wisdom still at full, and so compell’d
To courses that abode not in their brows,
By too much swing, their sudden overthrows):
Of all things breathing, or that creep on earth,
Nought is more wretched than a human birth.
Bless’d men think never they can cursed be,
While any power lasts to move a knee.
But when the bless’d gods make them feel that smart,
That fled their faith so, as they had no heart
They bear their suff’rings, and, what well they might
Have clearly shunn’d, they then meet in despite.
The mind of man flies still out of his way,
Unless god guide and prompt it every day.
I thought me once a blessed man with men,
And fashion’d me to all so counted then,
Did all injustice like them, what for lust
Or any pleasure never so unjust,
I could by pow’r or violence obtain,
And gave them both in all their pow’rs the rein,
Bold of my fathers and my brothers still;
While which held good, my arts seem’d never ill.
And thus is none held simply good or bad,
But as his will is either miss’d or had.
All goods god’s gifts man calls, howe’er he gets them,
And so takes all, what price soe’er god sets them,
Says nought how ill they come, nor will control
That ravine in him, though it cost his soul.
And these parts here I see these wooers play,
Take all that falls, and all dishonours lay
On that man’s queen, that, tell your friends, doth bear
No long time’s absence, but is passing near.
Let god then guide thee home, lest he may meet
In his return thy undeparted feet;
For when he enters, and sees men so rude,
The quarrel cannot but in blood conclude.’
This said, he sacrific’d, then drunk, and then
Referr’d the giv’n bowl to the guide of men;
Who walk’d away, afflicted at his heart,
Shook head, and fear’d that these facts would convert
To ill in th’ end; yet had not grace to fly –
Minerva stay’d him, being ordain’d to die
Upon the lance of young Ulyssides.
So down he sat; and then did Pallas please
T’ incline the queen’s affections to appear
To all the wooers, to extend their cheer
To th’ utmost lightning that still ushers death,
And made her put on as the painted sheath,
That might both set her wooers’ fancies high,
And get her greater honour in the eye
Ev’n of her son and sovereign than before.
Who laughing yet, to show her humour bore
No serious appetite to that light show,
She told Eurynome, that not till now
She ever knew her entertain desire
To please her wooers’ eyes, but oft on fire
She set their hate, in keeping from them still;
Yet now she pleased t’ appear, though from no will
To do them honour, vowing she would tell
Her son that of them that should fit him well
To make use of; which was, not to converse
Too freely with their pride, nor to disperse
His thoughts amongst them, since they us’d to give
Good words, but through them ill intents did drive.
Eurynome replied: ‘With good advise
You vow his counsel, and your open guise.
Go then, advise your son, nor keep more close
Your cheeks, still drown’d in your eyes’ overflows,
But bathe your body, and with balms make clear
Your thicken’d count’nance. Uncomposed cheer,
And ever mourning, will the marrow wear.
Nor have you cause to mourn; your son hath now
Put on that virtue which in chief your vow
Wish’d, as your blessing at his birth, might deck
His blood and person.’ ‘But forbear to speak
Of baths, or balmings, or of beauty, now,’
The queen replied, ‘lest, urging comforts, you
Discomfort much, because the gods have won
The spoil of my looks since my lord was gone.
But these must serve. Call hither then to me
Hippodamia and Autonoë,
That those our train additions may supply
Our own deserts. And yet, besides, not I,
With all my age, have learn’d the boldness yet
T’ expose myself to men, unless I get
Some other gracers.’ This said, forth she went
To call the ladies, and much spirit spent
To make their utmos
t speed, for now their queen
Would both herself show, and make them be seen.
But now Minerva other projects laid,
And through Icarius’ daughter’s veins convey’d
Sweet sleep’s desire; in whose soft fumes involv’d
She was as soon as laid, and quite dissolv’d
Were all her lineaments. The goddess then
Bestow’d immortal gifts on her, that men
Might wonder at her beauties; and the beams
That glister in the deified supremes
She clear’d her mourning count’nance up withal.
Ev’n such a radiance as doth round empall
Crown’d Cytherea, when her order’d places
Conduct the bevy of the dancing Graces,
She added to her own, more plump, more high,
And fairer than the polish’d ivory,
Rend’ring her parts and presence. This grace done,
Away the deity flew; and up did run
Her lovely-wristed ladies, with a noise
That blew the soft chains from her sleeping joys;
When she her fair eyes wip’d, and, gasping, said:
‘O me unblest! How deep a sweet sleep spread
His shades about me! Would Diana pleas’d
To shoot me with a death no more diseas’d,
As soon as might be, that no more my moan
Might waste my blood in weepings never done,
For want of that accomplish’d virtue spher’d
In my lov’d lord, to all the Greeks preferr’d!’
Then she descended with her maids, and took
Place in the portal; whence her beamy look
Reach’d ev’ry wooer’s heart; yet cast she on
So thin a veil, that through it quite there shone
A grace so stol’n, it pleas’d above the clear,
And sunk the knees of every wooer there,
Their minds so melted in love’s vehement fires,
That to her bed she heighten’d all desires.
The prince then coming near, she said: ‘O son,
Thy thoughts and judgments have not yet put on
That constancy in what becomes their good,
Which all expect in thee. Thy younger blood
Did sparkle choicer spirits; but, arriv’d
At this full growth, wherein their form hath thriv’d
Beyond the bounds of childhood, and when now,
Beholders should affirm “This man doth grow
Like to the rare son of his matchless sire –
His goodliness, his beauty, and his fire
Of soul aspired to,” thou mak’st nothing good
Thy fate, nor fortune, nor thy height of blood,
In manage of thy actions. What a deed
Of foul desert hath thy gross suff’rance freed
Beneath thine own roof! A poor stranger here
Us’d most unmanly! How will this appear
To all the world, when Fame shall trumpet out,
That thus, and thus, are our guests beat about
Our court unrighted? ’Tis a blaze will show
Extremely shameful to your name and you.’
‘I blame you not, O mother,’ he replied,
‘That this clear wrong sustain’d by me, you chide;
Yet know I both the good and bad of all,
Being past the years in which young errors fall.
But, all this known, skill is not so exact
To give, when once it knows, things fit their fact.
I well may doubt the prease of strangers here,
Who, bent to ill, and only my nerves near,
May do it in despite. And yet the jar
Betwixt our guest and Irus was no war
Wrought by the wooers; nor our guest sustain’d
Wrong in that action, but the conquest gain’d.
And would to Jove, Minerva, and the Sun,
That all your wooers might serve contention
For such a purchase as the beggar made,
And wore such weak heads! Some should death invade,
Strew’d in the entry, some embrue the hall,
Till every man had vengeance capital,
Settled like Irus at the gates, his head
Every way nodding, like one forfeited
To reeling Bacchus, knees nor feet his own,
To bear him where he’s better lov’d or known.’
Their speeches giv’n this end, Eurymachus
Began his courtship, and express’d it thus:
‘Most wise Icarius’ daughter! If all those,
That did for Colchos’ vent’rous sail dispose
For that rich purchase, had before but seen
Earth’s richer prize in th’ Ithacensian queen,
They had not made that voyage, but to you
Would all their virtues and their beings vow.
Should all the world know what a worth you store,
Tomorrow than today and next light, more
Your court should banquet, since to all dames you
Are far preferr’d, both for the grace of show,
In stature, beauty, form in every kind
Of all parts outward, and for faultless mind.’
‘Alas,’ said she, ‘my virtue, body, form,
The gods have blasted with that only storm
That ravish’d Greece to Ilion, since my lord,
For that war shipp’d, bore all my goods aboard.
If he, return’d, should come and govern here
My life’s whole state, the grace of all things there
His guide would heighten, as the spirit it bore,
Which dead in me lives, giv’n him long before.
A sad course I live now; heav’n’s stern decree
With many an ill hath numb’d and deaded me.
He took life with him, when he took my hand
In parting from me to the Trojan strand,
These words my witness: “Woman! I conceive
That not all th’ Achives bound for Troy shall leave
Their native earth their safe returned bones,
Fame saying that Troy trains up approved sons
In deeds of arms, brave putters-off of shafts,
For winging lances masters of their crafts,
Unmatched riders, swift of foot, and straight
Can arbitrate a war of deadliest weight.
Hope then can scarce fill all with life’s supply,
And of all any failing, why not I?
Nor do I know, if god hath marshall’d me
Amongst the safe-return’d, or his decree
Hath left me to the thraldom order’d there.
However, all cares be thy burthens here,
My sire and mother tend as much as now;
I further off, more near in cares be you.
Your son to man’s state grown, wed whom you will
And, you gone, his care let his household fill.”
Thus made my lord his will, which heav’n sees prov’d
Almost at all parts; for the sun remov’d
Down to his set, ere long will lead the night
Of those abhorred nuptials, that should fright
Each worthy woman, which her second are
With any man that breathes, her first lord’s care
Dead, because he to flesh and blood is dead;
Which, I fear, I shall yield to, and so wed
A second husband; and my reason is,
Since Jov
e hath taken from me all his bliss.
Whom god gives over they themselves forsake,
Their griefs their joys, their god their devil, make.
And ’tis a great grief, nor was seen till now
In any fashion of such men as woo
A good and wealthy woman, and contend
Who shall obtain her, that those men should spend
Her beeves and best sheep, as their chiefest ends,
But rather that herself and all her friends
They should with banquets and rich gifts entreat.
Their life is death that live with other’s meat.’
Divine Ulysses much rejoic’d to hear
His queen thus fish for gifts, and keep in cheer
Their hearts with hope that she would wed again,
Her mind yet still her first intent retain.
Antinous saw the wooers won to give,
And said: ‘Wise queen, by all your means receive
Whatever bounty any wooer shall use.
Gifts freely given ’tis folly to refuse.
For know, that we resolve not to be gone
To keep our own roofs, till of all some one,
Whom best you like, your long-woo’d love shall win.’
This pleas’d the rest, and every one sent in
His present by the herald. First had place
Antinous’ gift: a robe of special grace,
Exceeding full and fair, and twenty hues
Changed lustre to it; to which choice of shows,
Twelve massy plated buttons, all of gold,
Enrich’d the substance, made to fairly hold
The robe together, all lac’d down before,
Where keeps and catches both sides of it wore.
Eurymachus a golden tablet gave,
In which did art her choicest works engrave;
And round about an amber verge did run,
That cast a radiance from it like the sun.
Eurydamas two servants had, that bore
Two goodly earrings, whose rich hollows wore
Three pearls in either, like so many eyes,
Reflecting glances radiant as the skies.
The king Pisander, great Polyctor’s heir,
A casket gave, exceeding rich and fair.
The other other wealthy gifts commended
To her fair hand; which took, and straight ascended
This goddess of her sex her upper state,
Her ladies all her gifts elaborate
Up bearing after. All to dancing then
The wooers went, and song’s delightful strain;
In which they frolick’d, till the evening came,
And then rais’d sable Hesperus his flame.