ARGUMENT.

THE ARRIVAL OF ULYSSES IN ITHACA.

ULYSSES takes his leave of Alcinous and Arete, and embarks in the evening. Next morning the fhip arrives at Ithaca; where the failors, as Ulyffes is yet fleeping, lay him on the fhore with all his treafures. On their return, Neptune changes their fhip into a rock. In the mean time Ulyffes, awaking, not Ithaca, by of a mist which Pallas had caft round him. He breaks into loud lamentations; till the Goddefs, appearing to him in the form of a fhepherd, discovers the coun, try to him, and points out the particular places. He then tells afeigned ftory of his adventures," upon which the manifefts herself, and they confult together of the measures to be taken to deftroy the fuitors. To conceal his return, and difguife his perfon the more effectually, the changes him into the figure of an old beggar.

THE

THE ODYSSEY.

BOOK XIII.

HE ceas'd; but left fo pleafing on their ear

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His voice, that listening still they seem'd to hear. A paufe of filence hush'd the shady rooms: The grateful conference then the king resumes: Whatever toils the great Ulyffes past, Beneath this happy roof they end at last ; No longer now from fhore to fhore to roam, Smooth feas and gentle winds invite him home. But hear me, princes! whom these walls inclose, For whom my chanter fings, and goblet flows With wines unmix'd (an honour due to age, To chear the grave, and warm the poet's rage); Though labour'd gold and many a dazzling veít Lie heap'd already for our god-like guest; Without new treasures let him not remove, Large, and expreffive of the public love : Each peer a tripod, each a vase bestow, A general tribute, which the ftate fhall owe. This fentence pleas'd: then all their steps addrest To separate manfions, and retir'd to rest. Now did the rofy-finger'd morn arife, And shed her facred light along the skies."

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B 2

Down

Down to the haven and the fhips in hafte
They bore the treafures, and in fafety plac'd.
The king himself the vafes rang'd with care:
Then bade his followers to the feast repair.
A victim ox beneath the facred hand

Of great Alcinous falls, and ftains the fand.
To Jove th' Eternal (Power above all Powers!

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Who wings the winds, and darkens Heaven with fhowers)

The flames afcend: till evening they prolong

Thy rites, more facred made by heavenly song:
For in the midft, with public honours grac'd,
The lyre divine, Demodocus! was plac'd;
All, but Ulyffes, heard with fix'd delight:

He fate, and ey'd the fun, and wifh'd the night;
Slow feem'd the fun to move, the hours to roll,
His native home deep-imag`d in his soul.
As the tir'd ploughman spent with stubborn toil,
Whofe oxen long have torn the furrow'd foil,
Sees with delight the fun's declining ray,

When home with feeble knees he bends his way
To late repaft (the day's hard labour done):
So to Ulyffes welcome fet the fun.

Then inftant to Alcinous and the reft

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(The Scherian ftates) he turn'd, and thus addreft:

O thou, the first in merit and command! And you the peers and princes of the land! May every joy be yours! nor this the least, When due libation shall have crown'd the feast, Safe to my home to fend your happy guest.

Complete

Complete are now the bounties you have given,
Be all those bounties but confirm'd by Heaven!:
So may I find, when all my wanderings cease,.
My confort blameless, and my friends in peace.
be every bliss; and every day,

On you

In home-felt joys delighted, roll away:

Yourselves, your wives, your long-defcending race,
May every God enrich with every grace!
Sure fix'd on virtue may your nation ftand,
And public evil never touch the land!

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His words, well weigh'd, the general voice approv'd

Benign, and inftant his difmiffion mov'd.
The monarch to Pontonous gave the fign,
To fill the goblet high with rofy wine :
Great Jove the Father firft (he cried) implore;
Then fend the stranger to his native shore.

The luscious wine th' obedient herald brought;
Around the manfion flow'd the purple draught:
Each from his feat to each immortal pours,
Whom glory circles in th' Olympian bowers.
Ulyffes fole with air majestic stands,

The bowl prefenting to Arete's hands;

Then thus: O Queen, farewell! be still poffeft
Of dear remembrance, bleffing ftill and blest!
Till age
and death fhall gently call thee hence
(Sure fate of every mortal excellence!)
Farewell! and joys fucceffive ever fpring
To thee, to thine, the people, and the king!
Thus he; then parting prints the sandy shore
To the fair port: a herald march'd before,
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Sent

Sent by Alcinous; of Arete's train

Three chofen maids attend him to the main
This does a tunick and white vest convey,

A various cafket that, of rich inlay,

And bread and wine the third. The chearful mates
Safe in the hollow poop difpofe the cates:

Upon the deck foft painted robes they spread,
With linen cover'd for the hero's bed.

He climb'd the lofty ftern! then gently preft
The fwelling couch, and lay compos'd to reft.
Now plac'd in order, the Phæacian train
Their cables loofe, and launch into the main :
At once they bend, and strike their equal oars,
And leave the finking hills and leffening fhores.
While on the deck the chief in filence lies,
And pleafing flumbers fteal upon
his eyes.
As fiery courfers in the rapid race

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Urg'd by fierce drivers through the dusty space,
Tofs their high heads, and fcour along the plain; 100
So mounts the bounding veffel o'er the main..
Back to the ftern the parted billows flow,

And the black ocean foams and roars below.

Thus with spread fails the winged galley flies ;
Lefs fwift an eagle cuts the liquid skies;
Divine Ulyffes was her facred load,

A man, in wisdom equal to a God!
Much danger, long and mighty toils, he bore,
In ftorms by fea, and combats on the fhore:
All which foft fleep now banish'd from his breast,
Wrapt in a pleafing, deep, and death-like rest.

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But