He ceas'd: a while th' attentive audience fate
In filent rapture; his perfuafive tongue,
Mellifluous, fo with eloquence had charm'd
Their ftill infatiate ears; at length thus fpake
The queen Arcte, graceful and humane.
Think ye, Phæacians, that the god-like form,
The port, the wisdom, of this wanderer claim
Aught of regard? Peculiar him my guest
I ftyle; but, fince the honour he vouchsafes,
Delighted ye partake, give not too foon
Him fignal of departure, but prepare
With no penurious hand proportion'd gifts,
Vying in bounteous deeds, fince heaven hath fhower'd
Your peerage with abundant favours boon.
Up rofe Echencus then, whofe wavy locks
Silver'd with age, adorn'd his reverend brow,
Fraught with matureft council, and began
Addreffing his compeers: Rightful and wife
The queen's propofal is, let none demur
Obedience to her will: Alcinous best
By fair enfample may prefcribe the rule.
Alcinous from his bed of state reply'd,
With aspect bland: While here I live enthron'd,
Jove's delegate of empire, and this hand
Sways the Phæacian fceptre, will I cheer
Th' erroneous and afflicted, with meet acts
Of regal bounty; but our princely guest
Muft, though impatient, for a time defer
His voyage, that with due munificence
Our gifts may be prepar'd: let all accord
Benevolent, and free to furnish stores
Worthy acceptance; me you fhall confefs
The first in bounty, as the first in power.
He ended, and Ulyffes anfwer'd blithe :
O thou, by kingly virtues justly rais'd
To this imperial eminence! By thee
Were I detain'd, till the revolving fun
Completes his annual circle, in thy will
I acquiefce obedient, till meet ftores
For my return be rais'd: then at my realm
With royal largeffes arriving grac'd,
And gay retinue, ftrait the wondering Greeks
Will dear refpect and prompter homage yield.
To whom Alcinous: Your diftinguish'd worth
Too plain is character'd in all your port,
To doubt you of thofe vagiant clans, who roam
Fallacious, and with copious legend take
The credulous ear; you, with feverest truth
Rob'd in rich eloquence, instruct and please :
When (like fome bard, vers'd in heroic theme
Attemper'd to the lyre) you fweetly tell
Whate'er in Grecian ftory was of old
Recorded eminent, or when you speak
Your own difaftrous fate. But now proceed,
Say affable, if while you low fojourn'd
In grofs Tartarean gloom, the mighty shades
Of those brave warring Greeks appear'd, who fell
By doom of battle; for the lingering night
Hath yet much space to measure, and the hour
Of fleep is far to come: I can attend
With ravishment to hear the pleafing tale
Fruitful of wonders, till the roseate morn
Purples the Eaft. Ulyffes thus reply'd :
Due time, O king, for converse and repose
Is ftill remaining; nor will I refuse
With coy denial, what the facred ear
Of majesty with audience deigns to grace.
Hear next how my affociate warriors fell,
O'erwhelm'd with huge afflictions, and opprefs'd
In their own realms by feminine deceit,
To them more fatal than the prowess'd foe.
When by imperious Proferpine recall'd,
The lady-train difpers'd, the penfive form
Of Agamemnon came, with those begirt
Whom, in one common fate involv'd, of life
Egyfthus had bereav'd. Sipping the gore,
He recogniz'd me inftant, and outstretch'd
His unfubftantial arms, exhausted now
Of all their vital vigour; with fhrill plaints
Piercing the doleful region far: mine eyes,
Sore wounded with the pitecus object dear,
Effus'd a flood of tears, while thus I spake :
O king of hofts! O ever-honour'd son
Of Atreus! Say to what severe decree
Of destiny you bow'd. By Neptune's wrath
Tempesting th' ocean, did you there expire
Whelm'd in the watery abyss? Or fell you arm'd,
Making fierce inroad on fome hostile coast,
To ravage herds and flocks; or in affault
Of fome imperial fortrefs, thence to win
Rich fpoils and beauteous captives, were you flain
Defeated of your seizure? He replied:
I perish'd not, my friend, by Neptune's wrath,
Whelm'd in the ocean wave; nor dy'd in arms
Heroic deeds attempting: but receiv'd
From bafe Ægyfthus, and my bafer queen,
Irreparable doom, whilft I partook
Refreshment, and at fupper jovial fate
Slain like an ox that's butcher'd at the crib,
A death moft lamentable! Round me lay
An hideous carnage of my breathless friends,
Like beasts new flaughter'd for the bridal board
Of fome luxurious noble, or devote
To folemn feftival. On well-fought fields
You various fcenes of flaughter have furvcy'd,
And in fierce tournament; yet had it quell'd
Your beft of man to view us on the floor
Rolling in death, with viands round us spread,
And ponderous vases bruis'd, while human gore
Flooded the pavement wide. With fhrilling cries
Caffandra pierc'd my ear, whom at my fide
Falfe Clytemneftra flew : t' avenge her wrong,
I with a dying grasp my fabre feiz'd;
But the curs'd affaffin withdrew, nor clos'd
My lips and eyes. O woman! woman! none
Of nature's favage train have lefs remorfe
In perpetrating crimes to kill her mate,
What beaft was e'er a complice? I return'd
Hopeful in affluence of domeftic joy
To reign, encircled with my offspring dear,
And court-retinue; but my traitress wife
On female honour hath diffus'd a ftain
Indelible; and her pernicious arts,
Recorded for reproach on all the fex,
Shall wound foft innocence with touch of blame.
I anfwer'd, O ye Powers! by women's wiles Jove works fure bane to all th' imperial race Of Atreus ftill: for Helen's vagrant luft Greece mourns her ftates difpeopled; and you By your adultrefs! Plaintive he reply'd :
By my disasters warn'd, to woman's faith Unbofom nought momentous; though she peal Your ear (by nature importune to know) Unlock not all your fecrets. But your wife, Of prudent meek deport, no train of ills Will meditate for you by force or guile : Her, when we led th' embattled Greeks to Troy, We left in blooming beauty afresh; your fon Then hanging on her breaft; who now to man Full grown, with men afsociates; your approach With rapture he will meet, and glad his fire With filial duty dear; a blifs to me Not deign'd! my fon I faw not ere I fell A victim to my wife; then, timely warn'd, Trust not to woman's ken the time prefix'd For your return to Greece. But fay fincere, Aught have you heard where my Oreftes bides, In rich Orchomenus, or fandy Pyle;
Or with my brother lives he more fecure
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