To thee from Neptune and the raging main.
Heav’n hears and pities hapless men like me,
For sacred ev’n to Gods is misery:
Let then thy waters give the weary rest,
And save a suppliant, and a man distress’d.’ 575
He pray’d, and straight the gentle stream subsides,
Detains the rushing current of his tides,
Before the wand’rer smooths the wat’ry way,
And soft receives him from the rolling sea.
That moment, fainting as he touch’d the shore, 580
He dropp’d his sinewy arms; his knees no more
Perform’d their office, or his weight upheld;
His swoln heart heav’d; his bloated body swell’d;
From mouth and nose the briny torrent ran;
And lost in lassitude lay all the man, 585
Deprived of voice, of motion, and of breath;
The soul scarce waking in the arms of death.
Soon as warm life its wonted office found,
The mindful chief Leucothea’s scarf unbound;
Observant of her word, he turn’d aside 590
His head, and cast it on the rolling tide.
Behind him far, upon the purple waves
The waters waft it, and the nymph receives.
Now parting from the stream, Ulysses found
A mossy bank with pliant rushes crown’d; 595
The bank he press’d, and gently kiss’d the ground;
Where on the flow’ry herb as soft he lay,
Thus to his soul the sage began to say:
‘What will ye next ordain, ye Powers on high!
And yet, ah yet, what fates are we to try? 600
Here by the stream, if I the night outwear,
Thus spent already, how shall nature bear
The dews descending, and nocturnal air?
Or chilly vapours breathing from the flood
When the morning rises? — If I take the wood, 605
And in thick shelter of innumerous boughs
Enjoy the comfort gentle sleep allows;
Tho’ fenc’d from cold, and tho’ my toil be past,
What savage beasts may wander in the waste!
Perhaps I yet may fall a bloody prey 610
To prowling bears, or lions in the way.’
Thus long debating in himself he stood:
At length he took the passage to the wood,
Whose shady horrors on a rising brow
Waved high, and frown’d upon the stream below. 615
There grew two olives, closest of the grove,
With roots entwin’d, and branches interwove;
Alike their leaves, but not alike they smil’d
With sister-fruits; one fertile, one was wild.
Nor here the sun’s meridian rays had power, 620
Nor wind sharp-piercing, nor the rushing shower;
The verdant arch so close its texture kept:
Beneath this covert great Ulysses crept.
Of gather’d leaves an ample bed he made
(Thick strewn by tempest thro’ the bow’ry shade); 625
Where three at least might winter’s cold defy,
Tho’ Boreas raged along th’ inclement sky.
This store with joy the patient hero found,
And, sunk amidst them, heap’d the leaves around.
As some poor peasant, fated to reside 630
Remote from neighbours in a forest wide,
Studious to save what human wants require,
In embers heap’d, preserves the seeds of fire:
Hid in dry foliage thus Ulysses lies,
Till Pallas pour’d soft slumbers on his eyes: 635
And golden dreams (the gift of sweet repose)
Lull’d all his cares, and banish’d all his woes.
Odyssey Book VII. The Court of Alcinoüs
THE ARGUMENT
The princess Nausicaa returns to the city, and Ulysses soon after follows thither. He is met by Pallas in the form of a young virgin, who guides him to the palace, and directs him in what manner to address the queen Aretè. She then involves him in a mist, which causes him to pass invisible. The palace and gardens of Alcinoüs described. Ulysses falling at the feet of the Queen, the mist disperses, the Phæacians admire, and receive him with respect. The Queen inquiring by what means he had the garments he then wore, he relates to her and Alcinoüs his departure from Calypso, and his arrival on their dominions.
The same day continues, and the book ends with the night.
THE PATIENT heav’nly man thus suppliant pray’d;
While the slow mules draw on th’ imperial maid:
Thro’ the proud street she moves, the public gaze;
The turning wheel before the palace stays.
With ready love her brothers gath’ring round, 5
Receiv’d the vestures, and the mules unbound.
She seeks the bridal bower: a matron there
The rising fire supplies with busy care,
Whose charms in youth her father’s heart inflamed,
Now worn with age, Eurymedusa named: 10
The captive dame Phæacian rovers bore,
Snatch’d from Epirus, her sweet native shore
(A grateful prize), and in her bloom bestow’d
On good Alcinoüs, honour’d as a God;
Nurse of Nausicaa from her infant years, 15
And tender second to a mother’s cares.
Now from the sacred thicket, where he lay,
To town Ulysses took the winding way.
Propitious Pallas, to secure her care,
Around him spread a veil of thicken’d air; 20
To shun th’ encounter of the vulgar crowd,
Insulting still, inquisitive and loud.
When near the famed Phæacian walls he drew,
The beauteous city opening to his view,
His step a virgin met, and stood before: 25
A polish’d urn the seeming virgin bore,
And youthful smil’d; but in the low disguise
Lay hid the Goddess with the Azure Eyes.
‘Show me, fair daughter’ (thus the Chief demands),
‘The house of him who rules these happy lands; 30
Thro’ many woes and wand’rings, lo! I come
To good Alcinoüs’ hospitable dome.
Far from my native coast, I rove alone,
A wretched stranger, and of all unknown!’
The Goddess answer’d: ‘Father, I obey, 35
And point the wand’ring traveller his way:
Well known to me the palace you inquire,
For fast beside it dwells my honour’d sire:
But silent march, nor greet the common train
With question needless, or inquiry vain: 40
A race of rugged mariners are these:
Unpolish’d men, and boist’rous as their seas:
The native islanders alone their care,
And hateful he who breathes a foreign air.
These did the ruler of the deep ordain 45
To build proud navies, and command the main;
On canvas wings to cut the wat’ry way;
No bird so light, no thought so swift as they.’
Thus having spoke, th’ unknown Celestial leads:
The footsteps of the deity he treads, 50
And secret moves along the crowded space,
Unseen of all the rude Phæacian race
(So Pallas order’d. Pallas to their eyes
The mist objected, and condens’d the skies).
The Chief with wonder sees th’ extended streets, 55
The spreading harbours, and the riding fleets;
He next their Princes’ lofty domes admires,
In sep’rate islands, crown’d with rising spires;
And deep intrenchments, and high walls of stone,
That gird the city like a marble zone. 60
At length the kingly
palace gates he view’d;
There stopp’d the Goddess, and her speech renew’d.
‘My task is done; the mansion you inquire
Appears before you: enter, and admire.
High-throned, and feasting, there thou shalt behold 65
The sceptred rulers. Fear not, but be bold:
A decent boldness ever meets with friends,
Succeeds, and ev’n a stranger recommends.
First to the Queen prefer a suppliant’s claim,
Alcinoüs’ Queen, Aretè is her name, 70
The same her parents, and her power the same.
For know, from Ocean’s God Nausithoüs sprung,
And Peribœa, beautiful and young;
(Eurymedon’s last hope, who ruled of old
The race of giants, impious, proud, and bold; 75
Perish’d the nation in unrighteous war,
Perish’d the Prince, and left this only heir);
Who now, by Neptune’s am’rous power compress’d,
Produced a Monarch that his people bless’d,
Father and Prince of the Phæacian name; 80
From him Rhexenor and Alcinoüs came.
The first by Phœbus’ burning arrows fired,
New from his nuptials, hapless youth! expired.
No son survived: Aretè heir’d his state,
And her Alcinoüs chose his royal mate. 85
With honours yet to womankind unknown
This Queen he graces, and divides the throne;
In equal tenderness her sons conspire,
And all the children emulate their sire.
When thro’ the street she gracious deigns to move 90
(The public wonder and the public love),
The tongues of all with transport sound her praise,
The eyes of all, as on a Goddess, gaze.
She feels the triumph of a gen’rous breast;
To heal divisions, to relieve th’ oppress’d; 95
In virtue rich; in blessing others, bless’d.
Go then secure, thy humble suit prefer,
And owe thy country and thy friends to her.’
With that the Goddess deign’d no longer stay,
But o’er the world of waters wing’d her way: 100
Forsaking Scheria’s ever-pleasing shore,
The winds to Marathon the virgin bore:
Thence, where proud Athens rears her tow’ry head,
With opening streets and shining structures spread,
She pass’d, delighted with the well-known seats; 105
And to Erectheus’ sacred dome retreats.
Meanwhile Ulysses at the palace waits,
There stops, and anxious with his soul debates,
Fix’d in amaze before the royal gates.
The front appear’d with radiant splendours gay, 110
Bright as the lamp of night, or orb of day.
The walls were massy brass: the cornice high
Blue metals crown’d in colours of the sky;
Rich plates of gold the folding doors incase;
The pillars silver, on a brazen base; 115
Silver the lintels deep-projecting o’er,
And gold the ringlets that command the door.
Two rows of stately dogs on either hand,
In sculptured gold and labour’d silver stand.
These Vulcan form’d with art divine, to wait 120
Immortal guardians at Alcinoüs’ gate;
Alive each animated frame appears,
And still to live beyond the power of years.
Fair thrones within from space to space were rais’d,
Where various carpets with embroid’ry blazed, 125
The work of matrons: these the Princes press’d,
Day foll’wing day, a long continued feast.
Refulgent pedestals the walls surround,
Which boys of gold with flaming torches crown’d;
The polish’d ore, reflecting every ray, 130
Blazed on the banquets with a double day.
Full fifty handmaids form’d the household train;
Some turn the mill, or sift the golden grain;
Some ply the loom; their busy fingers move
Like poplar-leaves when Zephyr fans the grove. 135
Not more renown’d the men of Scheria’s isle,
For sailing arts and all the naval toil,
Than works of female skill their women’s pride,
The flying shuttle thro’ the threads to guide:
Pallas to these her double gifts imparts, 140
Inventive genius, and industrious arts.
Close to the gates a spacious garden lies,
From storms defended and inclement skies.
Four acres was th’ allotted space of ground,
Fenc’d with a green enclosure all around. 145
Tall thriving trees confess’d the fruitful mould;
The redd’ning apple ripens here to gold.
Here the blue fig with luscious juice o’er-flows,
With deeper red the full pomegranate glows;
The branch here bends beneath the weighty pear, 150
And verdant olives flourish round the year.
The balmy spirit of the western gale
Eternal breathes on fruits, untaught to fail;
Each dropping pear a foll’wing pear supplies,
On apples apples, figs on figs arise: 155
The same mild season gives the blooms to blow,
The buds to harden, and the fruits to grow.
Here order’d vines in equal ranks appear,
With all th’ united labours of the year;
Some to unload the fertile branches run, 160
Some dry the black’ning clusters in the sun;
Others to tread the liquid harvest join,
The groaning presses foam with floods of wine,
Here are the vines in early flower descried,
Here grapes discolour’d on the sunny side, 165
And there in Autumn’s richest purple dyed.
Beds of all various herbs, for ever green,
In beauteous order terminate the scene.
Two plenteous fountains the whole prospect crown’d:
This thro’ the gardens leads its streams around, 170
Visits each plant, and waters all the ground;
While that in pipes beneath the palace flows,
And thence its current on the town bestows:
To various use their various streams they bring,
The people one, and one supplies the King. 175
Such were the glories which the Gods ordain’d,
To grace Alcinoüs, and his happy land.
Ev’n from the Chief whom men and nations knew,
Th’ unwonted scene surprise and rapture drew;
In pleasing thought he ran the prospect o’er, 180
Then hasty enter’d at the lofty door.
Night now approaching, in the palace stand,
With goblets crown’d, the rulers of the land;
Prepared for rest, and off’ring to the God
Who bears the virtue of the sleepy rod. 185
Unseen he glided thro’ the joyous crowd,
With darkness circled, and an ambient cloud,
Direct to great Alcinoüs’ throne he came,
And prostrate fell before th’ imperial dame.
Then from around him dropp’d the veil of night; 190
Sudden he shines, and manifest to sight.
The nobles gaze, with awful fear oppress’d;
Silent they gaze, and eye the godlike guest.
‘Daughter of great Rhexenor!’ (thus began,
Low at her knees, the much-enduring man), 195
‘To thee, thy consort, and this royal train,
To all that share the blessings of your reign,
A suppliant bends: oh pity human woe!
‘T is what the happy to th’ unhappy owe.
A wretched exile
to his country send, 200
Long worn with griefs, and long without a friend.
So may the Gods your better days increase,
And all your joys descend on all your race:
So reign for ever on your country’s breast,
Your people blessing, by your people bless’d!’ 205
Then to the genial hearth he bow’d his face,
And humbled in the ashes took his place.
Silence ensued. The eldest first began,
Echeneus sage, a venerable man!
Whose well-taught mind the present age surpass’d, 210
And join’d to that th’ experience of the last.
Fit words attended on his weighty sense,
And mild persuasion flow’d in eloquence.
‘Oh sight’ (he cried) ‘dishonest and unjust!
A guest, a stranger, seated in the dust! 215
To raise the lowly suppliant from the ground
Befits a Monarch. Lo! the peers around
But wait thy word, the gentle guest to grace,
And seat him fair in some distinguish’d place.
Let first the herald due libation pay 220
To Jove, who guides the wand’rer on his way;
Then set the genial banquet in his view,
And give the stranger-guest a stranger’s due.’
His sage advice the list’ning King obeys;
He stretch’d his hand the prudent Chief to raise, 225
And from his seat Laodamas remov’d
(The Monarch’s offspring, and his best-belov’d);
There next his side the godlike Hero sate;
With stars of silver shone the bed of state.
The golden ewer a beauteous handmaid brings, 230
Replenish’d from the cool translucent springs,
Whose polish’d vase with copious streams supplies
A silver laver of capacious size.
The table next in regal order spread,
The glitt’ring canisters are heap’d with bread: 235
Viands of various kinds invite the taste,
Of choicest sort and savour, rich repast!
Thus feasting high, Alcinoüs gave the sign,
And bade the Herald pour the rosy wine.
‘Let all around the due libation pay 240
To Jove, who guides the wand’rer on his way.’
He said. Pontonoüs heard the King’s command;
The circling goblet moves from hand to hand;
Each drinks the juice that glads the heart of man.
Alcinoüs then, with aspect mild, began: 245
‘Princes and Peers, attend; while we impart
To you the thoughts of no inhuman heart.
Now pleas’d and satiate from the social rite
Repair we to the blessings of the night;
But with the rising day, assembled here, 250
Alexander Pope - Delphi Poets Series Page 127