Take not you The comfort of my comming then to heart At this glad instant but in prou'd desert Of your graue iudgement giue moâ—e glad suspence And on the sodaine put this consequence In act as absolute as all time went To ripening of your resolute assent All this haste made noâ— his staide faith so free To trust his words who said If you are he Approue it by some signe This 〈◊〉 then see Replied Vlysses giuen me by the Bore Slaine in Parnassus I being sent before By yours and by my honour'd Mothers will To see your Sire Aâ—tolycus fulfill The gifts he vow'd at gining of my Name I le tel you too the Trees in goodly frame Of this faire Orchard that I askt of you Being yet a childe and follow'd for your show And name of euery Tree You gaue me then Of Figge-trees forty Apple bearers ten Peare-trees thirteene and fifty rankes of Vine Each one of which a season did confine For his best eating Not a Grape did grow That grew not there and had his heauy brow When Ioues faire daughters the all-ripening how'rs Gaue timely date to it This charg'd the pow is Both of his knees and heart with such impression Of sodaine comfort that it gâ—ue possession Of all to Trance The signes were all so true And did the loue that gaâ—e them so renue His cast his armes about his sonne and sunke The circle slipping to his feete So shrunke VVere all his ages forces with the fire Of his yong loue rekindl'd The old Sire The Son tooke vp quite liuelesse But his breath Againe respiring and his soule from death His bodies pow'rs recouering Out he cried And said O Iupiter I now haue tried That still there liue in heauen remembring Gods Of men that serue them though the periods They set to their apparances are long In best mens sufferings yet as sure as strong They are in comforts be their strange delayes Extended neuer so from dayes to dayes Yet see the short ioyes or the soone-mixt feares Of helpes with-held by them so many yeares For if the wooers now haue paide the paine Due to their impious pleasures Now againe Extreame feare takes me lest we straight shall see Th' Ithacensians here in mutinie Their Messengers dispatcht to win to friend The Cephalenian Cities Do not spend Your thoughts on these cares saide his suffering son But be of comfort and see that course ron That best may shun the worst Our house is nere Telemachus and both his Herdsmen there To dresse our supper with their vtmost hast And thither haste we This saide Forth they past Came home and found Telemachus at feast With both his Swaines while who had done all drest VVith Baths and Balmes and royally arraid The old King was by his Sicilian Maid By whose side Pallas stood his crookt-age streitning His flesh more plumping and his looks enlightning VVho yssuing then to view his son admir'd The Gods Aspects into his forme inspir'd And said O Father certainly some God By your addression in this state hath stood More great more reuerend rendring you by farre At all your parts then of your selfe you are I would to Ioue said he the Sun and She That beares Ioues shield the state had stood with me That helpt me take in the wel-builded Tow'rs Of strong Nericus the Cephalian pow'rs To that faire City leading two dayes past While with the wooers thy conflict did last And I had then bene in the wooers wreake I should haue helpt thee so to render weake Their stubborne knees that in thy ioyes desert Thy breast had bene too little for thy heart This said and supper order'd by their men They sate to it old Dolius entring then And with him tyr'd with labour his sonnes came Call'd by their Mother the Siciliaâ— dame That brought them vp and drest their Fathers fare As whose age grew with it encreast her care To see him seru'd as fitted VVhen thus set These men bâ—held Vlysses there at meate They knew him and astonisht in the place Stood at his presence who with words of grace Call'd to olde Dolius saying Come and eate And banish all astonishment your meate Hath long bene ready and our selues made stay Expecting euer when your wished way VVould reach amongst vs. This brought fiercely on Old Dolius from his stand who ran vpon VVith both his armes abroad the King and kist Of both his rapt vp hands the either wrist Thus welcomming his presence O my Loue Your presence heere for which all wishes stroue No one expected Euen the Gods haue gone In guide before you to your mansion Welcom and all ioyes to your heart contend Knowes yet Penelope Or shall we send Some one to tell her this She knowes said he VVhat need these troubles Father touch at thee Then came the Sonnes of Dâ—lius and againe VVent ouer with their Fathers entertaine VVelcom'd shooke hands then to feast sate down About which while they sate about the Towne Fame flew and shriek't about the cruell death And Fate the wooers had sustain'd beneath Vlysses roofes All heard together all From hence and thence met in Vlysses Hall Short-breath'd and noisefull Bore out all the dead To instant buriall while their deaths were spread To other Neighbor-Cities where they liu'd From whence in swiftest Fisher-boats arriu'd Men to transfer them home In meane space here The heauy Nobles all in counsailâ— were Where met in much heape vp to all arose Extremely-greeu'd Eupitheus so to lose His Son Antinous who first of all By great Vlysses hand had slaughtrous fall VVhose Father weeping for him saide O Friends This man hath author'd workes of dismall ends Long since conueying in his gâ—ide to Troy Good men and many that did ships employ All which are lost and all their Souldiers dead And now the best men Cephalenia bâ—ed His hand hath slaughter'd Go we then before His scape to Pylos or the Elean Shore VVhere rule the Epeans 'gainst his horrid hand For we shall grieue and infamy will brand Our Fames for euer if we see our Sons And Brothers end in these confusions Reuenge left vninflicted Nor will I Enioy one dayes life more But greeue and die VVith instant onset Nor shoâ—ld you suruiue To keepe a base and beastly name aliue Haste then let flight preuent vs. This with teares His griefes aduisd and made all sufferers In his affliction But by this was come Vp to the Counsaile from Vlysses home VVhen sleep had left theÌ„ which the slaughters there And their selfe dangers from their eyes in feare Had two nights intercepted those two men That iust Vlysses sau'd out of the slaine VVhich Medon and the sacred Singer were These stood amidst the Counsaile and the feare The slaughter had imprest in eithers looke Stucke stil so gastly that amaze it strooke Through euery there beholder To whose eares One thus enforc't in his fright cause of theirs Attend me Ithacensians This sterne fact Done by Vlysses was not put in act
Leucadia runne Aduising wise Vlysses sonne To seeke his father and addresse His course to yong Tantalides That gouern'd Sparta Thus much said She shewd she was Heaâ—'ns martiall Maid And vanisht from him Next to this The Banquet of the wooers is Another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Deities sit The Man retir'd Th'Vlyssean wit By Pallas fir'd THe Man O Muse informe that many a way Wound with his wisedome to his wished stay That wanderd wondrous farre when He the towne Of sacred Troy had sackt and shiuerd downe The cities of a world of nations With all their manners mindes and fashions He saw and knew At Sea felt many woes Much care sustaind to saue from ouerthrowes Himselfe and friends in their retreate for home But so their fates he could not ouercome Though much he thirsted it O men vnwise They perisht by their owne impieties That in their hungers rapine would not shunne The Oxen of the loftie-going Sunne Who therefore from their eyes the day bereft Of safe returne These acts in some part left Tell vs as others deified seed of Ioue Now all the rest that austere Death out-stroue At Troys long siege at home safe anchor'd are Free from the malice both of sea and warre Onely Vlysses is denide accesse To wife and home The Grace of Goddesses The reuerend Nymph Câ—lypso did detaine Him in her Caâ—â—es past all the race of men Enflam'd to make him her lou'd Lord and Spouse And when the Gods had destin'd that his house Which Ithaca on her rough bosome beares The point of time wrought out by ambient yeares Should be his hauen Contention still extends Her enuie to him euen amongst his friends All Gods tooke pitie on him onely he That girds Earth in the cincture of the sea Diuine Vlysses euer did enuie And made the fixt port of his birth to flie But he himselfe solemniz'd a retreate To th'Aethiops farre dissunderd in their seate In two parts parted at the Sunnes descent And vnderneath his golden Orient The first and last of men t' enioy their feast Of buls and lambes in Hecatombs addrest At which he sat giuen ouer to Delight The other Gods in heauens supreamest height Were all in Councell met To whom began The mightie Father both of God and man Discourse inducing matter that inclin'd To wise Vlysses calling to his mind Faultfull Aegisthus who to death was done By yong Orestes Agamemnons sonne His memorie to the Immortals then Mou'd Ioue thus deeply O how falsly men Accuse vs Gods as authors of their ill When by the bane their owne bad liues instill They suffer all the miseries of their states Past our inflictions and beyond their fates As now Aegisthus past his fate did wed The wife of Agamemnon and in dread To suffer death himselfe to shunne his ill Incurr'd it by the loose bent of his will In slaughtering Atrides in retreate Which we foretold him would so hardly set To his murtherous purpose sending Mercurie That slaughterd Argus our considerate spie To giue him this charge Do not wed his wife Nor murther him for thou shalt buy his life With ransome of thine owne imposde on thee By his Orestes when in him shall be Atrides selfe renewd and but the prime Of youths spring put abroad in thirst to clime His haughtie Fathers throne by his high acts These words of Hermes wrought not into facts Aegisthus powres good counsell he despisde And to that Good his ill is sacrifisde Pallâ—s whose eyes did sparkle like the skies Answerd O Sire supreame of Deities Aegisthus past his Fate and had desert To warrant our infliction and conuert May all the paines such impious men inflict On innocent sufferers to reuenge as strict Their owne hearts eating But that Ithacus Thus neuer meriting should suffer thus I deeply suffer His more pious mind Diuides him from these fortunes Though vnkind Is Pietie to him giuing him a fate More suffering then the most infortunate So long kept friendlesse in a sea-girt soile Where the seas nauile is a syluane I le In which the Goddesse dwels that doth deriue Her birth from Atlas who of all aliue The motion and the fashion doth command With his wise mind whose forces vnderstand The inmost deepes and gulfes of all the seas Who for his skill of things superiour stayes The two steepe Columnes that â—rop earth and heauen His daughter t is who holds this homelesse-driuen Still mourning with her Euermore profuse Of soft and winning speeches that abuse And make so languishingly and possest With so remisse a mind her loued guest Manage the action of his way for home Where he though in affection ouercome In iudgement yet more longs to shew his hopes His countries smoke leape from her chimney tops And death askes in her armes Yet neuer shall Thy lou'd heart be conuerted on his thrall Austere Oly 〈◊〉 did not euer he In ample Troy thy altars gratifie And Grecians Fleete make in thy offerings swim O 〈◊〉 why still then burnes thy wrath to him The Cloud-assembler answerd What words flie Bold daughter from thy Pale of Ivorie As if I euer could cast from my care Diuine Vlysses who exceeds so farre All men in wisedome and so oft hath giuen To all th'Immortals thron'd in ample heauen So great and sacred gifts But his decrees That holds the earth in with his nimble knees Stand to Vlysses longings so extreme For taking from the God-foe Polypheâ—e His onely eye a Cyclop that excell'd All other Cyclops with whose burthen swell'd The Nymph Thâ—osa the diuine increase Of Phorcis seed a great God of the seas She mixt with Neptune in his hollow caues And bore this Cyclop to that God of waues For whose lost eye th'Earth-shaker did not kill Erring Vlysses but reserues him still In life for more death But vse we our powres And round about vs cast these cares of ours All to discouer how we may preferre His wisht retreate and Neptâ—ne make forbeare His sterne eye to him since no one God can In spite of all preuaile but gainst a man To this this answer made the gray-eyd Maide Supreame of rulers since so well apaide The blessed Gods are all then now in thee To limit wise Vlysses miserie And that you speake as you referd to me Prescription for the meanes in this sort be Their sacred order let vs now addresse With vtmost speed our swift Argicides To tell the Nymph that beares the golden Tresâ—e In th'ile Ogygia that t is our will She should not stay our lou'd Vlysses still But suffer his returne and then will I To Ithaca to make his sonne apply His Sires inquest the more infusing force Into his soule to summon the concourse Of curld-head Greekes to counsaile and deterre Each wooer that hath bene the slaughterer Of his fat sheepe and crooked-headed beeues From more wrong to his mother and their leaues Take in such termes as fit deserts so great
le descend to ship and men That much expect me Be obseruant then Of my aduice and carefull to maintaine In equall acts thy royall fathers raigne Telemachus replide You ope faire Guest A friends heart in your speech as well exprest As might a father serue t' informe his sonne All which sure place haue in my memorie wonne Abide yet though your voyage calls away That hauing bath'd and dignifide your stay With some more honour you may yet beside Delight your mind by being gratifide your stay With some rich Present taken in your way That as a Iewell your respect may lay Vp in your treasurie bestowd by me As free friends vse to guests of such degree Detaine me not said she so much inclinde To haste my voyage What thy loued minde Commands to giue at my returne this way Bestow on me that I directly may Conuey it home which more of price to mee The more it askes my recompence to thee This said away gray-eyd Minerua flew Like to a mounting Larke and did endue His mind with strength and boldnesse and much more Made him his father long for then before And weighing better who his guest might be He stood amaz'd and thought a Deitie Was there descended to whose will he fram'd His powres at all parts and went so inflam'd Amongst the wooers who were silent set To heare a Poet sing the sad retreat The Greekes performd from Trâ—y which was from thence Proclaimd by Pallas paine of her offence When which diuine song was perceiu'd to beare That mournfull subiect by the listning eare Of wiâ—e Penelope Icariâ—â— seed Who from an vpper roome had giu'n it heed Downe she descended by a winding staire Not solelâ— but the State in her repaire Two Maides of Honour made And when this Queene Of women stoopt so low she might be seene By all her wooers In the doore aloofe Entring the Hall grac'd with a goodly roofe She stood in shade of gracefull vailes implide About her beauties on her either 〈◊〉 Her honor'd women When to 〈◊〉 moâ—'d thus She chid the sacred Singer 〈◊〉 You know a number more of these greâ—â— deeds Of Gods and men that are the sacred 〈◊〉 And proper subiects of a Poets song And those due pleasures that to men belong Besides these facts that furnish Trâ—is retreate Sing one of those to these that round your â—eate They may with silence sit and taste their wine But ceaâ—â—e this song that through these eares of mine Conuey deseru'd occasion to my heart Of endlesse sorrowes of which the desert In me vnmeasur'd is past all these men So endlesse is the memorie I retaine And so desertfull is that memorie Of such a man as hath a dignitie So broad it spreds it selfe through all the pride Of Greece and Argos To the Queene replide Inspir'd Telemachus Why thus enuies My mother him that fits societies With so much harmonie to let him please His owne mind in his will to honor these For these ingenuous and first sort of men That do immediatly from Ioâ—e retaine Their singing raptures are by Ioue as well Inspir'd with choice of what their songs impell Ioues will is free in it and therefore theirs Nor is this man to blame that the repaires The Greekes make homeward sings for his fresh Muse Men still most celebrate that sings most newes And therefore in his note your eares employ For not Vlysses onely lost in Troy The day of his returne but numbers more The deadly ruines of his fortunes bore Go you then In and take your worke in hand Your web and distaffe and your maids command To plie their fit worke Words to men are due And those reprouing counsels you pursue And most to me of all men since I beare The rule of all things that are manag'd here She went amazd away and in her heart Laid vp the wisedome Pallas did impart To her lou'd sonne so lately turnd againe Vp to her chamber and no more would raigne In manly counsels To her women she Applied her sway and to the wooers he Began new orders other spirits bewraid Then those in spite of which the wooers swaid And whiles his mothers teares still washt her eies Till gray Minerua did those teares surprise With timely sleepe and that her woo'rs did rouse Rude Tumult vp through all the shadie house Disposde to sleepe because their widow was Telemachus this new-giuen spirit did passe On their old insolence Ho! you that are My mothers wooers much too high ye beare Your petulant spirits sit and while ye may Enioy me in your banquets see ye lay These loud notes downe nor do this man the wrong Because my mother hath dislikt his song To grace her interruption t is a thing Honest and honourd too to heare one sing Numbers so like the Gods in elegance As this man flowes in By the mornes first light I le call ye all before me in a Court That I may cleerly banish your resort With all your rudenesse from these roofes of mine Away and elsewhere in your feasts combine Consume your owne goods and make mutuall feast At eithers house Or if ye still hold best And for your humors more suffised fill To feed to spoile because vnpunisht still On other findings spoile but here I call Th' eternall Gods to witnesse if it fall In my wisht reach once to be dealing wreakes By Ioues high bountie these your present checks To what I giue in charge shall adde moâ—e reines To my reuenge hereafter and the paines Ye then must suffer shall passe all your pride Euer to see redrest or qualifide At this all bit their lips and did admire His words sent from him with such phrase and fire Which so much mou'd them that 〈◊〉 Eupytheus sonne cried out Teâ—â—â—achus The Gods I thinke haue rapt thee to this height Of elocution and this great conceit Of selfe-abilitie We all may pray That Iâ—â—e inuest not in this kingdomes sway Thy forward forces which I see put forth A hote ambition in thee for thy birth Be not offended he replide if I Shall say I would assume this emperie If Ioue gaue leaue You are not he that sings The rule of kingdâ—â—es is the worst of things Nor is it ill at all to sway a throne A man may quicâ—â—y gaine possession Of mightie riches make a wondrous prise Set of his vertues but the dignities That decke a King there are enough beside In this circumfluous I le that want no pride To thinke them worthy of as yong as I And old as you are An ascent so hie My thoughts affect not dead is he that held Desert of vertue to haue so exceld But of these turrets I will take on me To be the absolute King and reigne as free As did my father ouer all his hand Left here in this house slaues to my command Eurymachus the sonne of Polybâ—â— To this made this reply Teleâ—achus The Girlond of this kingdome let the knees
But what the old and still-true-spoken God That from the sea breathes oracles 〈◊〉 Disclosde to me to thee I le all impart Nor hide one word from thy sollicitous heart I was in Aegypt where a mightie time The Gods detaind me though my naturall clime I neuer so desir'd because their homes I did not greete with perfect Hecatomes For they will put men euermore in mind How much their masterly commandments bind There is besides a certaine Iland calld Phâ—ros that with the high-wau'd sea is walld Iust against Aegypt and so much remote As in a whole day with a fore-gale 〈◊〉 A hollow ship can saile And this I le beares A Port most portly where sea-passengers Put in still for fresh water and away To sea againe Yet here the Gods did stay My Fleete full twentie dayes the winds that are Masters at sea no prosprous puffe would spare To put vs off and all my victles here Had quite corrupted as my mens minds were Had not a certaine Goddesse giuen regard And pittide me in an estate so hard And t was Edothea honourd Proteus seed That old sea-farer Her mind I made bleed With my compassion when walkt all alone From all my souldiers that were euer gone About the I le on fishing with hookes bent Hunger their bellies on her errand sent She came close to me spake and thus began Of all men thou art the most foolish man Or slacke in businesse or stayst here of choice And doest in all thy suffrances reioyce That thus long liu'st detaind here and no end Canst giue thy tarriance Thou doest much offend The minds of all thy fellowes I replied Who euer thouart of the Deified I must affirme that no way with my will I make abode here but it seemes some ill The Gods inhabiting broad heauen sustaine Against my getting off Informe me then For Godheads all things know what God is he That stayes my passage from the fishie sea Stranger said she I le tell thee true there liues An old Sea-farer in these seas that giues A true solution of all secrets here Who deathlesse Proteus is th' Aegyptian Peere Who can the deepes of all the seas exquire Who Neptunes Priest is and they say the Sire That did beger me Him if any way Thou couldst inveagle he would cleare display Thy course from hence and how farre off doth lie Thy voyages whole scope through Neptunes skie Informing thee O Godpreseru'd beside If thy desires would so be satisfide What euer good or ill hath got euent In all the time thy long and hard course spent Since thy departure from thy house This said Againe I answerd Make the sleights displaid Thy Father vseth lest his foresight see Or his foreknowledge taking note of me He flies the â—ixt place of his vsde abode T is hard for man to countermine with God She strait replide I le vtter truth in all When heauens supremest height the Sunne doth skall The old Sea-tell-truth leaues the deepes and hides Amidst a blacke storme when the West wind chides In caues still sleeping Round about him sleepe With short feete swimming forth the fomie deepe The Sea-calues louely Halosydnes calld From whom a noisome odour is exhalld Got from the whirle-pooles on whose earth they lie Here when the morne illustrates all the skie I le guide and seate thee in the fittest place For the performance thou hast now in chace In meane time reach thy Fleete and chuse out three Of best exploit to go as aides to thee But now I le shew thee all the old Gods sleights He first will number and take all the sights Of those his guard that on the shore arriues When hauing viewd and told them forth by fiues He takes place in their midst and there doth sleepe Like to a shepheard midst his flocke of sheepe In his first sleepe call vp your hardiest cheare Vigor and violence and hold him there In spite of all his striuings to be gone He then will turne himselfe to euery one Of all things that in earth creepe and respire In water swim or shine in heauenly fire Yet still hold you him firme and much the more Presse him from passing But when as before When sleepe first bound his powres his forme ye see Then ceasse your force and th' old Heroe free And then demand which heauen-borne it may bee That so afflicts you hindring your retreate And free sea-passage to your natiue seate This said she diu'd into the wauie seas And I my course did to my ships addresse That on the sands stucke where arriu'd we made Our supper readie Then th'Ambrosian shade Of night fell on vs and to sleepe we fell Rosie Aurora rose we rose as well And three of them on whom I most relied For firme at euery force I chusde and hied Strait to the many-riuer-serued seas And all assistance askt the Deities Meane time Edâ—thea the seas broad brest Embrac't and brought for me and all my rest Foure of the sea-calues skins but newly flead To worke a wile which she had fashioned Vpon her Father Then within the sand A couert digging when these Calues should land She sate expecting We came close to her She plac't vs orderly and made vs weare Each one his Calues skin But we then must passe A huge exploit The sea-calues sauour was So passing sowre they still being bred at seas It much afflicted vs for who can please To lie by one of these same sea-bred whales But she preserues vs and to memorie calls A rare commoditie she fetcht to vs Ambrosia that an aire most odorous Beares still about it which she nointed round Our either nosthrils and in it quite drownd The nastie whale-smell Then the great euent The whole mornes date with spirits patient We lay expecting When bright Noone did flame Forth from the sea in Sholes the sea-calues came And orderly at last lay downe and slept Along the sands And then th' old sea-god crept From forth the deepes and found his sat calues there Suruaid and numberd and came neuer neare The craft we vsde but told vs fiue for calues His temples then diseasd with sleepe he salues And in rusht we with an abhorred crie Cast all our hands about him manfully And then th' old Forger all his formes began First was a Lion with a mightie mane Then next a Dragon a pide Panther then A vast Boare next and sodainly did straine All into water Last he was a tree Curld all at top and shot vp to the skie We with resolu'd hearts held him firmly still When th' old one held to streight for all his skill To extricate gaue words and questiond me Which of the Gods O Atreus sonne said he Aduisde and taught thy fortitude this sleight To take and hold me thus in my despight What asks thy wish now I replide Thou knowst Why doest thou aske What wiles are these thou showst I haue within this I le bene held for winde A
now is gone to learne if Fame can breathe Newes of his Sire and will the â—ylian shore And sacred Sparta in his search explore This newes dissolu'd to her both knees and heart Long silence held her ere one word would part Her eyes stood full of teares her small soft voice All late vse lost that yet at last had choice Of wonâ—ed words which briefly thus she vsde Why left my sonne his mother why refusde His wit the solid shore to trie the seas And put in ships the trust of his distresse That are at sea to men vnbridld horse And tunne past rule their farre-engaged course Amidst a moisture past all meane vnstaid No need compeld this did he it afraid To liue and leaue posteritie his name I know not he replide if th'humor came From current of his owne instinct or flowd From others instigations but he vowd Attempt to Pylos or to see descried His Sires returne or know what death he died This said he tooke him to Vlysseâ— house After the wooers the Vlyssean Spouse Runne through with woes let Tortâ—â—e seise her mind Nor in her choice of state-chaires stood enclin'd To take her seate but th'abiect threshold chose Of her faire chamber for her loth'd repose And mournd most wretch-like Round about her fell Her handmaids ioynd in a continuate yell From euery corner of the Pallace all Of all degrees tun'd to her comforts fall Their owne deiections to whom her complaint She thus enforc't The Gods beyond constraint Of any measure vrge these teares on me Nor was there euer Dame of my degree So past degree grieu'd First a Lord so good That had such hardie spirits in his blood That all the vertues was adornd withall That all the Greeks did their Superiour call To part with thus and lose And now a sonne So worthily belou'd a course to runne Beyond my knowledge whom rude tempests haue Made farre from home his most inglorious graue Vnhappie wenches that no one of all Though in the reach of euery one must fall His taking ship sustaind the carefull mind To call me from my bed who this designd And most vowd course in him had either staid How much soeuer hasted or dead laid He should haue left me Many a man I haue That would haue calld old Dolius my slaue That keepes my Orchard whom my Father gaue At my departure to haue runne and told Laertes this to trie if he could hold From running through the people and from teares In telling them of these vowd murtherers That both diuine Vlysses hope and his Resolue to end in their conspiracies His Nurse then Euryclaea made reply Deare Soueraigne let me with your owne hands die Or cast me off here I le not keepe from thee One word of what I know He trusted me With all his purpose and I gaue him all The bread and wine for which he pleasd to call But then a mightie oath he made me sweare Not to report it to your â—oyall eare Before the twelfth day either should appeare Or you should aske me when you heard him gone Empaire not then your beauties with your mone But wash and put vnteare-staind garments on Ascend your chamber with your Ladies here And pray the seed of Goat-nurst Iupiter Diuine Athenia to preserue your sonne And she will saue him from confusion Th' old King to whom your hopes stand so inclin'd For his graue counsels you perhaps may find Vnfit affected for his ages sake But heauen-kings waxe not old and therefore make Fit pray'rs to them for my thoughts neuer will Beleeue the heauenly powres conceit so ill The seed of righteous Arcesiades To end it vtterly but still will please In some place euermore some one of them To saue and decke him with a Diadem Giue him possession of erected Towres And farre-stretcht fields crownd all of fruits and flowres This easd her heart and dride her humorous â—ies When hauing washt and weeds of sacrifise Pure and vnstaind with her distrustfull teares Put on with all her women-ministers Vp to a chamber of most height she rose And cakes of salt and barly did impose Within a wicker basket all which broke In decent order thus she did inuoke Great Virgin of the Goat-preserued God If euer the inhabited abode Of wise Vlysses held the â—atted Thiâ—s Of sheepe and Oxen made thy sacrifice By his deuotion heare me nor 〈◊〉 His pious seruices but â—aâ—e â—ee â—eâ— His deare sonne on these shores and 〈…〉 These wooers past all meane in insolence This said she shriekt and 〈…〉 her 〈◊〉 The wooers broke with tumult all 〈…〉 About the shadie house and one of them Whose pride his youth had made the more 〈◊〉 Said Now the many-wooer 〈◊〉 Queene Will surely fatiate her 〈◊〉 〈…〉 And one of vs in instant 〈◊〉 Poore Dame she dreames not what designe we make Vpon the life and slaughter of her sonne So said he but so said was not so done Whose arrogant spirit in a 〈◊〉 so vaine Antinous chid and said For shame 〈◊〉 These brauing speeches who 〈…〉 Are we not now in reach of 〈◊〉 If our intentions please vs let vs call Our spirits vp to them and let 〈…〉 By watchfull Danger men must 〈…〉 What we resolue on let 's not say but do This said he chusde out twentie men that bore Best reckning with him and to ship and shore All â—asted reacht the ship lanchit raisd the maâ—t Put sailes in and with leather loopes made â—aâ—t The oares Sailes hoisted Armes their men did bring All giuing speed and forme to euery thing Then to the high-deepes their riggd vessell driâ—en They supt expecting the approching Eâ—en Meane space Penelope her chamber kept And bed and neither eate nor dranke nor slept Her strong thoughts wrought so on her blamelesse sonne Still in contention if he should be done To death or scape the impious wooers designe Looke how a Lion whom then â—â—roopes combine To hunt and close him in a craftie 〈◊〉 Much varied thought conceiues and feare doth sting For vrgent danger So far'd she 〈◊〉 sleepe All iuncture of her ioynts and nerues did sâ—eepe In his dissoluing humor When at rest Pallas her fauours varied and addrest An Idoll that Iphthima did present In structure of her euery lineament Great-sould Icarius daughter whom for Spouse Eumâ—lus tooke that kept in Pheris house This to diuine Vlysses house she sent To trie her best meane how she might content Mournfull Penelope and make Relent The strict addiction in her to deplore This Idoll like a worme that lesse or more Contracts or straines her did it selfe conuey Beyond the wards or windings of the key Into the chamber and aboue her head Her seate assuming thus she comforted Distrest Penelope Doth sleepe thus sease Thy powres affected with so much disease The Gods that nothing troubles will not see Thy teares nor griefes in any least degree Sustaind with cause for they will guard thy sonne Safe
Against the great Sea of such dread to passe Which not the best-built ship that euer was Will passe exulting when such winds as Ioue Can thunder vp their trims and tacklings proue But could I build one I would ne're aboord Thy will opposde nor won without thy word Giuen in the great oath of the Gods to me Not to beguile me in the least degree The Goddesse smilde held hard his hand and said O y' are a shrewdw one and so habited In taking heed thou knowst not what it is To be vnwary nor vse words amisse How hast thou charmd me were I ne're so slie Let earth know then and heauen so broad so hie And th'vnder-sunke waues of th' infernall streame Which is an oath as terribly supreame As any God sweares that I had no thought But stood with what I spake nor would haue wrought Nor counseld any act against thy good But euer diligently weighd and stood On those points in perswading thee that I Would vse my selfe in such extremitie For my mind simple is and innocent Not giuen by cruell sleights to circumuent Nor beare I in my breast a heart of steele But with the Sufferer willing sufferance feele This said the Grace of Goddesses led home He tract her steps and to the Cauerne come In that rich Throne whence Mercurie arose He sate The Nymph her selfe did then appose For food and beuridge to him all best meate And drinke that mortals vse to taste and eate Then sate she opposite and for her Feast Was Nectar and Ambrosia addrest By handmaids to her Both what was prepar'd Did freely fall to Hauing fitly far'd The Nymph Calypso this discourse began Ioue-bred Vlysses many-witted man Still is thy home so wisht so soone away Be still of cheare for all the worst I say But if thy soule knew what a summe of woes For thee to cast vp thy sterne Fates impose Ere to thy country earth thy hopes attaine Vndoubtedly thy choice would here remaine Keepe house with me and be a liuer euer Which me thinkes should thy house and thee disseuer Though for thy wife there thou art set on fire And all thy dayes are spent in her desire And though it be no boast in me to say In forme and mind I match her euery way Nor can it fit a mortall Dames compare T' affect those termes with vs that deathlesse are The great in counsels made her this reply Renowm'd and to be reuerenc'd Deitie Let it not moue thee that so much I vow My comforts to my wife though well I know All cause my selfe why wise Penelope In wit is farre inferiour to thee In feature stature all the parts of show She being a mortall an Immortall thou Old euer growing and yet neuer old Yet her desire shall all my dayes see told Adding the sight of my returning day And naturall home If any God shall lay His hand vpon me as I passe the seas I le beare the worst of what his hand shall please As hauing giuen me such a mind as shall The more still rise the more his hand le ts fall In warres and waues my sufferings were not small I now haue sufferd much as much before Hereafter let as much result and more This said the Sunne set and earth shadowes gaue When these two in an in-roome of the Caue Left to themselues left Loue no rites vndone The early Morne vp vp he rose put on His in and our-weed She her selfe inchaces Amidst a white robe full of all the Graces Ample and pleaâ—ed thicke like fishie skales A golden girdle then her waste empales Her head a veile decks and abroad they come And now began Vlysses to go home A great Axe first she gaue that two wayes cut In which a faire wel-polisht helme was put That from an Oliue bough receiu'd his frame A plainer then Then led she till they came To loftie woods that did the I le confine The Fiâ—â—e tree Poplar and heauen-scaling Pine Had there their ofspring Of which those that were Of driest matter and grew longest there He chusde for lighter saile This place thus showne The Nymph turnd home He fell to felling downe And twentie trees he stoopt in litle space Plaind vsde his Plumb did all with artfull grace In meane time did Calypso wimbles bring He bor'd closde naild and orderd euery thing And tooke how much a ship-wright will allow A ship of burthen one that best doth know What fits his Art so large a Keele he cast Wrought vp her decks and hatches side-boords mast With willow watlings armd her to resist The billowes outrage added all she mist Sail-yards and sterne for guide The Nymph then brought Linnen for sailes which with dispatch he wrought Gables and halsters tacklings All the Frame In foure dayes space to full perfection came The fift day they dismist him from the shore Weeds neate and odorous gaue him victles store Wine and strong waters and a prosperous wind To which Vlysses fit to be diuin'd His sailes exposd and hoised Off he gat And chearfull was he At the Sterne he sat And ster'd right artfully No sleepe could seise His ey-lids he behâ—ld the Pleâ—ades The Beare surnam'd the Waine that round doth moue About Orion and keepes still aboue The billowie Ocâ—an The slow-setting starre Bootes calld by some the Waggonar Calypso warnd him he his course should stere Still to his left hand Seuenteene dayes did cleare The cloudie Nights command in his moist way And by the eighteenth light he might display The shadie hils of the Phaeacian shore For which as to his next abode he bore The countrie did a pretie figure yeeld And lookt from off the darke seas like a shield Imperious Neptune making his retreate From th' Aethiopian earth and taking seate Vpon the mountaines of the Solymi From thence farre off discouering did descrie Vlysses his fields plowing All on fire The sight strait set his heart and made desire Of wreake runne ouer it did boile so hie When his head nodding O impietie He cried out now the Gods inconstancie Is most apparent altring their designes Since I the Aethiops saw and here confines To this Vlysses fate his misery The great marke on which all his hopes rely Lies in Phaeacia But I hope he shall Feele woe at height ere that dead calme befall This said he begging gatherd clouds from land Frighted the seas vp snatcht into his hand His horrid Trident and aloft did tosse Of all the winds all stormes he could engrosse All earth tooke into sea with clouds grim Night Fell tumbling headlong from the cope of Light The East and Southwinds iustld in the aire The violent Zephire and North-making faire Rould vp the waues before them and then bent Vlysses knees then all his spirit was spent In which despaire he thus spake Woe is me What was I borne to man of miserie Feare tels me now that all the Goddesse said Truths selfe will author that Fate would be
which the Butler set with bread As others seru'd with other food the boord In all the choise the present could affoord Vlysses meate and wine tooke and then thus The King the Herald calld Pontonous Serue wine through all the house that all may pay Rites to the Lightner who is still in way With humble suppliants and them pursues With all benigne and hospitable dues Pontonous gaue act to all he willd And hony sweetnesse-giuing-minds wine filld Disposing it in cups for all to drinke All hauing drunke what eithers heart could thinke Fit for due sacrifice Alcinous said Heare me ye Dukes that the Phaeacians leade And you our Counsellors that I may now Discharge the charge my mind suggests to you For this our guest Feast past and this nights sleepe Next morne our Senate summond we will keepe Iusts sacred to the Gods and this our Guest Receiue in solemne Court with fitting Feast Then thinke of his returne that vnder hand Of our deduction his naturall land Without more toile or care and with delight And that soone giuen him how farre hence dissite Soeuer it can be he may aâ—cend And in the meane time without wrong attend Or other want fit meanes to that ascent What after austere Fates shall make th' euent Of his lifes thred now spinning and began When his paind mother freed his roote of man He must endure in all kinds If some God Perhaps abides with vs in his abode And other things will thinke vpon then we The Gods wils stand who euer yet were free Of their appearance to vs when to them We offerd Hecatombs of fit esteem And would at feast sit with vs euen where we Orderd our Session They would likewise be Encountrers of vs when in way alone About his fit affaires went any one Not let them cloke themselues in any care To do vs comfort we as neare them are As are the Cyclops or the impious race Of earthy Giants that would heauen outface Vlysses answerd Let some other doubt Employ your thoughts then what your words giue out Which intimate a kind of doubt that I Should shadow in this shape a Deitie I beare no such least semblance or in wit Vertue or person What may well befit One of those mortals whom you chiefly know Beares vp and downe the burthen of the woe Appropriate to poore man giue that to me Of whose mones I sit in the most degree And might say more sustaining griefes that all The Gods consent to no one twixt their fall And my vnpitied shoulders letting downe The least diuersion Be the grace then showne To let me taste your free-giuen food in peace Through greatest griefe the belly must haue ease Worse then an enuious belly nothing is It will command his strict Necessities Of men most grieu'd in body or in mind That are in health and will not giue their kind A desperate wound When most with cause I grieue It bids me still Eate man and drinke and liue And this makes all forgot What euer ill I euer beare it euer bids me fill But this ease is but â—orc't and will not last Till what the mindlikes be as well embrac't And therefore let me wish you would partake In your late purpose when the Morne shall make Her next appearance daigne me but the grace Vnhappie man that I may once embrace My country earth though I be still thrust at By ancient ils yet make me but â—ee that And then let life go When withall I see My high-rooft large house lands and family This all approu'd and each willd euery one Since he hath said so fairly set him gone Feast past and sacrifice to sleepe all vow Their eies at eithers house Vlysses now Was left here with Alcinous and his Queene The all-lou'd Arete The handmaids then The vessell of the Banquet tooke away When Arete set eye on his array Knew both his out and vnderweed which she Made with her maids and musde by what meanes he Obtaind their wearing which she made request To know and wings gaue to these speeches Guest First let me aske what and from whence you are And then who grac't you with the weeds you weare Said you not lately you had err'd at seas And thence arriu'd here Laertides To this thus answerd T is a paine O Queene Still to be opening wounds wrought deepe and greene Of which the Gods haue opened store in me Yet your will must be seru'd Farre hence at sea There lies an I le that beares Ogygias name Where Atlas daughter the ingenious Dame Faire-haird Calypso liues a Goddesse graue And with whom men nor Gods societie haue Yet I past man vnhappie liu'd alone By heau'ns wrath forc't her house companion For Ioue had with a feruent lightning cleft My ship in twaine and farre at blacke sea left Me and my souldiers all whose liues I lost I in mine armes the keele tooke and was tost Nine dayes together vp from waue to waue The tenth grim Night the angry Deities draue Me and my wracke on th'Ile in which doth dwell Dreadfull Calypso who exactly well Receiu'd and nourisht me and promise made To make me deathlesse nor should Age inuade My powres with his deserts through all my dayes All mou'd not me and therefore on her stayes Seuen yeares she made me lie and there spent I The long time steeping in the miserie Of ceaslesse teares the Garments I did weare From her faire hand The eight reuolued yeare Or by her chang'd mind or by charge of Ioue She gaue prouokt way to my wisht remoue And in a many-ioynted ship with wine Daintie in sauour bread and weeds diuine Sign'd with a harmlesse and sweet wind my passe Then seuenteene dayes at sea I homeward was And by the eighteenth the darke hils appeard That your Earth thrusts vp Much my heart was cheard Vnhappie man for that was but a beame To shew I yet had agonies extreame To put in sufferance which th'Earth-shaker sent Crossing my way with tempests violent Vnmeasur'd seas vp-lifting nor would giue The billowes leaue to let my vessell liue The least time quiet that euen sigh'd to beare Their bitter outrage which at last did teare Her sides in peeces set on by the winds I yet through-swomme the waues that your shore binds Till wind and water threw me vp to it When coming forth a ruthlesse billow smit Against huge rocks and an acceslesse shore My mangl'd body Backe againe I bore And swom till I was falne vpon a flood Whose shores me thought on good aduantage stood For my receit rock-free and fenc't from wind And this I put for gathering vp my mind Then the diuine Night came and tredding Earth Close by the flood that had from Ioue her birth Within a thicket I reposde when round I ruffld vp falne leaues in heape and found Let fall from heauen a sleepe interminate And here my heart long time excruciate Amongst the leaues I rested all that night Euen till
him then stood foorth the choise yong men That on mans first youth made fresh entrie then Had Art to make their naturall motion sweete And shooke a most diuine dance from their feete That twinckld Star-like mou'd as swift and fine And beate the aire so thinne they made it shine Vlysses wonderd at it but amazd He stood in minde to heare the dance so phras'd For as they danc't Demodocus did sing The bright-crownd Venus loue with Battailes king As first they closely mixt in t'house of fire What worlds of gifts wonne her to his desire Who then the night-and-day-bed did defile Of good king Vulcan But in little while The Sunne their mixture saw and came and told The bitter newes did by his â—ares take hold Of Vulcans heart Then to his Forge he went And in his shrewd mind deepe stuffe did inuent His mightie Anuile in the stocke he put And forg'd a net that none could loose or cut That when it had them it might hold them fast Which hauing finisht he made vtmost haste Vp to the deare roome where his wife he wowd And madly wrath with Mars he all bestrowd The bed and bed posts all the beame aboue That crost the chamber and a circle stroue Of his deuice to wrap in all the roome And t was as pure as of a Spiders Ioome The woofe before t is wouen No man nor God Could set his eie on it a sleight so odde His Art shewd in it All his craft bespent About the bed he faind as if he went To well-built Lemnos his most loued towne Of all townes earthly Nor left this vnknowne To golden-bridle-vsing Mars who kept No blinde watch ouer him but seeing stept His riuall so aside he hasted home With faire-wreath'd Venus loue stung who was come New from the Court of her most mightie Sire Mars enterd wrung her hand and the retire Her husband made to Lemnos told and said Now Loue is Vulcan gone let vs to bed Hee 's for the barbarous Sintians Well appaid Was Venus with it and afresh assaid Their old encounter Downe they went and straight About them clingd the artificiall sleight Of most wise Vulcan and were so ensnar'd That neither they could stirre their course prepar'd In any lim about them nor arise And then they knew they could no more disguise Their close conueiance but lay forc't stone still Backe rusht the Both foote cook't but straight in skill From his neare skout-hole turnd nor euer wâ—nt To any Lemnos but the sure euent Left Phoebus to discouer who told all Then home hopt Vulcan full of griefe and gall Stood in the Portall and cried out so hie That all the Gods heard Father of the skie And euery other deathlesse God said he Come all and a ridiculous obiect see And yet not sufferable neither Come And witnesse how when still I step from home Lame that I am Ioues daughter doth professe To do me all the shamefull offices Indignities despites that can be thought And loues this all-things-making-come to nought Since he is faire forsooth foote-sound and I Tooke in my braine a little leg'd awrie And no fault mine but all my parents fault Who should not get if mocke me with my halt But see how fast they sleepe while I in mone Am onely made an idle looker on One bed their turne serues and it must be mine I thinke yet I haue made their selfe-loues shine They shall no more wrong me and none perceiue Nor will they sleepe together I beleeue With too hote haste againe Thus both shall lie In craft and force till the extremitie Of all the dowre I gaue her Sire to gaine A dogged set-fac't Girle that will not staine Her face with blushing though she shame her head He paies me backe She 's faire but was no maide While this long speech was making all were come To Vulcans wholie-brazen-founded home Earth-shaking Neptune vsefull Mercurie And far-shot Phoebus No She Deitie For shame would show there all the giue-good Gods stood in the Portall and past periods Gaue length to laughters all reioyc't to see That which they said that no impietie Finds good successe at th' end And now said one The slow outgoes the swift Lame Vulcan knowne To be the slowest of the Gods outgoes Mars the most swift And this is that which growes To greatest iustice that Adulteries sport Obtain'd by craft by craft of other sort And lame craft too is plagu'd which grieues the more That sound lims turning lame the lame restore This speech amongst themselues they entertaind When Phoebus thus askt Hermes Thus enchaind Would'st thou be Hermes to be thus disclosde Though with thee golden Venus were repos'de He soone gaue that an answer O said he Thou king of Archers would t were thus with me Though thrice so much shame nay though infinite Were powrd about me and that euery light In great heauen shining witnest all my harmes So golden Venus slumberd in mine Armes The Gods againe laught euen the watry state Wrung out a laughter But propitiate Was still for Mars and praid the God of fire He would dissolue him offering the desire He made to Ioue to pay himselfe and said All due debts should be by the Gods repaid Pay me no words said he where deeds lend paine Wretched the words are giuen for wretched men How shall I binde you in th'Immortals sight If Mars be once loos'd nor will pay his right Vulcan said he if Mars should flie nor see Thy right repaid it should be paid by me Your word so giuen I must accept said he Which said he loosd them Mars then rusht from skie And stoop't cold Thrace The laughing Deity For Cyprus was and tooke her Paphian state Where She a Groue ne're cut hath consecrate All with Arabian odors fum'd and hath An Altar there at which the Graces bathe And with immortall Balms besmooth her skin Fit for the blisse Immortals solace in Deckt her in to-be-studied attire And apt to set beholders hearts on fire This sung the sacred Muse whose notes and words The dancers feete kept as his hands his cords Vlysses much was pleased and all the crew This would the king haue varied with a new And pleasing measure and performed by Two with whom none would striue in dancerie And those his sonnes were that must therefore dance Alone and onely to the harp aduance Without the words And this sweete couple was Yong Halius and diuine Laodamas Who danc't a Ball dance Then the rich-wrought Ball That Polybus had made of purple all They tooke to hand one threw it to the skie And then danc't backe the other capring hie Would surely catch it ere his foote toucht ground And vp againe aduanc't it and so found The other cause of dance and then did he Dance lofty trickes till next it came to be His turne to catch and serue the other still When they had kept it vp to eithers will They then danc't
Demodocus With sweeâ—er straines hath vsde to sing to vs All the Greeke sorrowes wept out in your owne But say of all your worthy friends were none Obiected to your eyes that Consorts were To â—lion with you and seru'd destinie there This Night is passing long vnmeasur'd none Of all my houshold would to bed yet On Relate these wondrous things Were I with you If you would tell me but your woes as now Till the diuine Aurora shewd her head I should in no night relish thought of bed Most eminâ—nt King said he Times all must keepe There 's time to speake much time as much to sleepe But would you heare still I will tell you still And vtter more more miserable ill Of Friends then yet that scap't the dismall warres And perisht homewards and in houshold iarres Wag'd by a wicked woman The chaste Queene No sooner made these Ladie-ghosts vnseene Here and there flitting but mine eie-sight wonne The Soule of Agamemnon Atreus sonne Sad and about him all his traine of friends That in Aegysthus house endur'd their ends With his sterne Fortune Hauing drâ—nke the blood He knew me instantly and forth a flood Of springing teares gusht Out he thrust his hands With will t' embrace me but their old commands Flowd not about him nor their weakest part I wept to see and mon'd him from my heart And askt O Agamemnon King of men What sort of cruell death hath renderd slaine Thy royall person Neptune in thy Fleete Heauen and his hellish billowes making meete Rowsing the winds Or haue thy men by land Done thee this ill for vsing thy command Past their consents in diminution Of those full shaâ—es their worths by lot had wonne Of sheepe or oxen or of any towne In couetous strife to make their rights thine owne In men or women prisoners He replied By none of these in any right I died But by Aegysthus and my murtherous wife Bid to a banquet at his house my life Hath thus bene reft me to my slaughter led Like to an Oxe pretended to be fed So miserably fell I and with me My friends lay massacred As when you see At any rich mans nuptials shot or feast About his kitchin white-tooth'd swine lie drest The slaughters of a world of men thine eies Both priuate and in prease of enemies Haue personally witnest but this one Would all thy parts haue broken into mone To see how strewd about our Cups and Cates As Tables set with Feast so we with Fates All gasht and slaine lay all the floore embrude With blood and braine But that which most I ru'd Flew from the heauie voice that Priams seed Cassandra breath'd whom she that wit doth feed With banefull crafts false Clytemnestra slew Close sitting by me vp my handâ— I threw From earth to heauen and tumbling on my sword Gaue wretched life vp When the most abhord By all her sexes shame forsooke the roome Nor daind though then so neare this heauie home To shut my lips or close my broken eies Nothing so heapt is with impieties As such a woman that would kill her Spouse That maried her a maid When to my house I brought her hoping of her loue in heart To children maids and slaues But she in th' Art Of onely mischiefe heartie not alone Cast on her selfe this foule aspersion But louing Dames hereafter to their Lords Will beare for good deeds her bad thoughts and words Alas said I that Ioue should hate the liues Of Atreus seed so highly for their wiues For Menelaus wife a number fell For dangerous absence thine sent thee to hell For this he answerd Be not thou more kind Then wise to thy wife neuer all thy mind Let words expresse to her Of all she knowes Curbs for the worst still in thy selfe repose But thou by thy wifes wiles shalt lose no blood Exceeding wise she is and wise in good Icarius daughter chaste Penelope We left a yong Bride when for batteâ—l we Forsooke the Nuptiall peace and at her brest Her first child sucking Who by this houre blest Sits in the number of suruiuing men And his blisse she hath that she can containe And her blifse thou hast that she is so wise For by her wisedome thy returned eies Shall see thy sonne and he shall greete his Sire With fitting welcomâ—s When in my retire My wife denies mine eyes my sonnes deare sight And as from me will take from him the light Before she addes one iust delight to life Or her false wit one truth that sits a wife For her sake therefore let my harmes aduise That though thy wife be ne'â—e so chaste and wise Yet come not home to her in open view With any ship or any personall shew But take close shore disguisde nor let her know For t is no world to trust a â—oman now But what sayes Fame Doth my Sonne yet suruiue In Orchâ—men or Pylos or doth liue In Sparta with his Vnkle yet I see Dâ—uine Orestes is not here with me I answerd asking Why doth Aâ—reus sonne Enquire of me who yet arriu'd where none Could giue to these newes any cerâ—aine wings And t is absurd to tell vncertaine things Such sad speech past vs and as thus we stood With kind teares rendring vnkind fortunes good Achilles and Patroclus Soule appear'd And his Soule of whom neuer ill was heard The good Antilochus and the Soule of him That all the Greeks past both for force and lim Excepting the vnmatcht Aeacides Illustrous Aiax But the first of these That saw acknowledg'd and saluted me Was Thetis coâ—quering Sonne who heauily His state here taking said Vnworthy breatâ— What act yet mightier imagineth Thy ventrous spirit How doest thou descend These vnder regions where the dead mans end Is to be lookt on and his foolish shade I answerd him I was induc'd t' inuade These vnder parts most excellent of Greece To visite wise Tirâ—sias for adâ—â—ce Of vertue to direct my voyage home To rugged Ithaca since I could come To note in no place where Achaia stood And so liu'd euer tortur'd with the blood In mans vaine veines Thou therefore Thetis sonne Hast equald all that euer yet haue wonne The blisse the earth yeelds or hereafter shall In life thy eminence was ador'd of all Euen with the Gods And now euen dead I see Thy vertues propagate thy Emperie To a renewd life of command beneath So great Achilles triumphs ouer death This comfort of him this encounter found Vrge not my death to me nor rub that wound I rather wish to liue in earth a Swaine Or serue a Swaine for hire that scarce can gaine Bread to sustaine him then that life once gone Of all the dead sway the Imperiall th one But say and of my Sonne some comfort yeeld If he goes on in first fights of the field Or lurks for safetie in the obscure Rere Or of my Father if thy royall eare Hath bene aduertisde that the Phthian Throne He still commands as
Come then I le shew thee why I call this Isle thy Ithaca To ground Thy credit on my words this hauen is own'd By th' aged Sea god phorâ—ys in whose Brow This is the Oliue with the ample bow And heere close by the pleasant-shaded Caue That to the Fount-Nymphs th' 〈◊〉 gaue As Sacred to their pleasures Heere doth run The large and couer'd den where thou hast done Hundreds of Offerings to the 〈◊〉 Here Mount Nerytus shakes his curâ—â—d Tresse Of shady woods This sayd she cleer'd the clowd That first deceyu'd his eyes and all things show'd His countrey to him Glad he stood with sight Of his lou'd Soile and kist it with delight And instantly to all the Nymphs hee paide With hands held vp to heauen these vowes said Ye Nymphs the Naiades great seed of Ioue I had conceite that neuer more should moue Your sight in these spheres of my erring eyes And therefore in the fuller Sacrifice Of my hearts gratitude Reioyce till more I pay your Names in Offerings as before VVhich heere I vow if Ioâ—es benigne descent The mighty Pillager with life conuent My person home and to my sau'd decease Of my lou'd sonnes sight adde the sweet increase Be confident saide Pallas nor oppresse Thy spirits with care of these performances But these thy fortunes let vs straight repose In this diuine Caues besome that may close Reserue their value and we then may see How best to order other acts to thee Thus entred she the light-excluding Caue And through it sought some inmost nooke to saue The Gold the great Brasse robes richly wrought Giuen to Vlysses All which in he brought Laid downe in heape and she impos'd a stone Close to the cauernes mouth Then sat they on The sacred Oliues roote consulting how To act th' insulting wooers ouerthrow VVhen Pallas saide Examine now the means That best may lay hand on the impudence Of those proud wooers that haue now three yeares Thy Roofes rule swai'd and bene bold Offerers Of suite and gifts to thy renowned wife VVho for thy absence all her desolate life Dissolues in teares till thy desir'd returne Yet all her wooers while shee thus doth mourne She holds in hope and euery one affords In fore-sent message promise But her words Beare other vtterance then her heart approues O Gods said Ithacus it now behoues My Fate to end me in the ill deceasse That Agamemnon vnderwent vnlesse You tell me and in time their close intents Aduise then meanes to the reueng'd euents VVe both resolue on Be thy selfe so kinde To stand close to me and but such a minde Breath in my bosome as when th' Ilioâ— Towres VVe tore in Cinders O if equall powres Thou wouldst enflame amids my Nerues as then I could encounter with three hundred men Thy onely selfe great Goddesse had to friend In those braue ardors thou wer't wont t' extend I will be strongly with thee answer'd she Nor must thou faile but do thy part with me VVhen both whose pow'rs coÌ„bine I hope the bloods And braines of some of these that waste thy goods Shall strew thy goodly Pauements Ioyne we then I first will render thee vnknowne to men And on thy solid Lineaments make dry Thy now smooth skin Thy bright-brown curles imply In hoary mattings thy broad shoulders cloath In such a cloake as euery eye shall loath Thy bright eyes bleare and wrinkle and so change Thy forme at all parts that thou shalt be strange To all the VVooers thy yong sonne and wife But to thy Herdsman first present thy life That guards thy Swine and wisheth well to thee That loues thy sonne and wife 〈◊〉 Thy search shall finde him set aside his Heard That are with tast-delighting Acoâ—nes rear'd And drinke the darke-deepe water of the Spring Bright Arethusa the most nourishing Raiser of Heards There stay and taking seate Aside thy Heardsman of the whole State treate Of home occurrents while I make accesse To faire-dame-breeding Sparta for regresse Of lou'd Telemachus who went in quest Of thy lou'd fame and lâ—u'd the welcome Guest Of Menelaus The much-knower saide Why wouldst not thou in whose graue brest is bred The Art to order all acts tell in this His error to him Let those yeares of his Amids the rude seas wander and sustaine The woes there raging while vnworthy men Deuoure his fortunes Let not care extend Thy heart for him saide she my selfe did send His person in thy search to set his worth By good fame blowne to such a distance foâ—th Nor suffers he in any least degree The griefe you feare but all variety That Plenty can yeeld in her quieâ—st faâ—e In Menelaus Court doth sit and share In whose returne from home the VVooâ—rs yet Lay bloudy ambush and a Ship haue set To Sea to intercept his life before He touch againe his births attempted shore All which my thoughts say they shall neuer do But rather that the earth shall ouergo Some one at least of these Loue-making men By which thy goods so much empaire sustain Thus vsing certaine secret words to him She toucht him with her rod and euery lim VVas hid all ouer with a wither'd skin His bright eies blear'd his brow curles white thin And all things did an aged man present Then for his owne weeds Shirt and coaâ— all rent Tann'd and all sootied with noisome smoke She put him on and ouer all a cloke Made of a Stags huge hide of which was worne The haire quite off A Scrip all patcht and torne Hung by a cord oft broke and knit againe And with a staffe did his old limbes sustaine Thus hauing both consulted of th' euent They parted both and forth to Sparta went The gray-ey'd Goddesse to see all things done That appertain'd to wise Vlysses sonne The End of the Thirteenth Booke of Homers Odysses THE FOVRTEENTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES. THE ARGVMENT VLysses meets amids the Field His Swaine Eumaeus who doth yeild Kinde Guest-rites to him and relate Occurrents of his wrong'd estate Another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vlysses faines for his true Good His pious Swaines faith vnderstood BVt he the rough way tooke from forth the Port Through woods and hill tops seeking the resort Where Pallas said diuine Eumaeus liu'd Who of the fortunes that were first atchieu'd By God-like Ithacâ—â— in houshold rights Had more true care then all his Prosylites He found him sitting in his Cottage dore VVhere he had rais'd to euery ayry Blore A Front of great height and in such a place That round ye might behold of circular grace A walke so wound about it which the Swain In absence of his farre-gone Soueraine Had built himselfe without his Queenes supply Or old Laertes to see safely lye His housed herd The inner part he wrought Of stones that thither his owne labors brought Which with an hedge of Thorn he fenc't about And compast all the hedge with pales cleft out Of sable Oake that here and there
And then in full acte of their Kings command A pliant chaine bestow'd on him and hal'd His body vp the columne till he scal'd The highest wind-beame Where made firmly fast Eumaeus on his iust infliction past This pleasurable cauill Now you may All night keepe watch heere and the earliest day Discerne being hung so high to rouse from rest Your dainty Cattle to the wooers Feast There as befits a man of meanes so faire Soft may you sleepe nought vnder you but aire And so long hang you Thus they left him there Made fast the doore and with Vlysses were All arm'd in th' instant Then they all stood close Their minds fire breath'd in flaures against their foes Foure in th ' Entry fighting all alone VVhen from the Hall charg'd many a mighty one But to them then Ioues seede Minâ—urua came Resembling Mentor both in voice and frame Of manly person Passing well apaide Vlysses was and saide Now Mentâ—r aidâ— Gainst these odde mischiefes call to memory now My often good to thee and that we two Of one yeares life are Thus he said but thought It was Minerua that had euer brought To her side safety On the other part The wooers threatn'd but the chiefe in heart VVas Agelaus who to Mentor spake Mentor Let no words of Vlysses make Thy hand a fighter on his feeble side Gainst al vs wooers for we firme abide In this perswasion That when Sire and Son Our swords haue slaine thy life is sure to ron One fortune with them what strange acts hast thou Conceit to forme here Thy head must below The wreake of theirs on vs And when thy powrs Are taken downe by these fierce steeles of ours All thy possessions in doores and without Must raise on heape with his and all thy rout Of sons and daughters in thy Turrets bleed Wreake offerings to vs and our Towne stand freed Of all charge with thy wife Mineruaes heart Was fir'd with these Braues the approu'd desert Of her Vlysses chiding saying No more Thy force nor fortitude as heretofore Will gaine thee glory VVhen nine yeares at Troy VVhite-wristed Hellens rescue did imploy Thy armes and wisedome still and euer vsde The bloods of thousands through the field diffusde By thy vaste valor Priams broad-waide Towne By thy graue parts was sackt and ouerthrowne And now amongst thy people and thy goods Against the wooers base and petulant bloods Stint'st thou thy valour Rather mourning here Then manly fighting Come Friend Stand we nere And note my labour that thou maist discerne Amongst thy foes how Mentors Nerues will erne All thy old Bounties This she spake but staide Her hand from giuing each-way-often-swaide Vncertaine conquest to his certaine vse But still would try what selfe-pow'rs would produce Both in the Father and the glorious Son Then on the wind-beame that along did ron The smoaky roofe transform'd Minerua sat Like to a Swallow sometimes cuffing at The swords and Lances rushing from her seate And vp and downe the troubl'd house did beate Her wing at euery motion And as she Had rouz'd Vlysses so the enemy Damastors sonne excited Polybus Amphinomus and Demoptolemus Eurynomus and Polyctorides For these were men that of the wooing preaâ—e VVere most egregious and the clearly best In strength of hand of all the desperate rest That yet suruiu'd and now fought for their soules VVhich straight swift arrowes sent among the Fouls But first Damastors sonne had more spare breath To spend on their excitements ere his death And saide That now Vlysses would forbeare His dismall hand since Mentors spirit was there And blew vaine vants about Vlysses eares In whose trust he would cease his Massacres Rest him and put his friends huge boasts in proofe And so was he beneath the Entries roofe Left with Telemachus and th' other two At whom saide he discharge no Darts but thro All at Vlysses rousing his faint rest Whom if we slaughter by our interest In Ioues assistance all the rest may yield Our pow'rs no care when he strowes once the field As he then will'd they all at randon threw VVhere they supposd he rested and then flew Minerua after euery Dart and made Some strike the threshold some the wals inuade Some beate the doores and all acts rendred vaine Their graue steele offer'd which escap't Againe Came on Vlysses saying O that we The wooers troope with our ioynt Archerie Might so assaile that where their spirits dream On our deaths first we first may slaughter them Thus the much sufferer said and all let fly VVhen euerie man strooke dead his enemy Vlysses slaughtred Demoptolemus Euryades by yong Telemachus His death encounter'd Good Eâ—maus slew Elatus And Philaetius ouerthrew Pysander all which tore the paued floore Vp with their teeth The rest retir'd before Their second charge to inner roomes and then Vlysses follow'd from the slaughter'd men Their darts first drawing While which worke was done The wooers threw with huge contention To kill them all when with her Swallow wing Minerua cufft and made their Iauelins ring Against the doores and thresholds as beforeâ— Some yet did graze vpon their markes One tore The Princes wrist which was Amphimedâ—â— Th' extreame part of the skin but toucht vpon Ctesippus ouer good Eumaeus Shield His shoulders top did taint which yet did yield The Lance free passe and gaue his hurt the ground Againe then charg'd the wooers and girt round Vlysses with their Lances who turn'd head And with his Iauelin strooke Eurydaâ—â—s dead Telemachus disliu'd Amphimedâ—n Eumaeus Polybuâ— Philaetius won Ctesippus bosome with his dart and said In quittance of the Iesters part he plaid The Neats-foot hurling at Vlysses Now Great Sonne of Polytherses you that vow Your wit to bitter taunts and loue to wound The heart of any with a iest so crown'd Your wit be with a laughter neuer yeilding To fooles in folly but your glory building On putting downe in fooling spitting forth Puft words at all sorts Cease to scoffe at worth And leaue reuenge of vile words to the Gods Since theit wits beare the sharper edge by ods And in the meane time take the Dart I draue For that right hospitable foote you gaue Diuine Vlysses begging but his owne Thus spake the black-Ox-herdsman straight down Vlysses strooke another with his Dart Damastors son Telemachus did part Iust in the midst the belly of the faire Euenors sonne his fierce Pile taking aire Out at his backe Flat fell he on his face His whole browes knocking and did marke the place And now man-slaughtering Pallas tooke in hand Her Snake-frindg'd shield on that beam took stand In her true forme where Swallow-like she sat And then in this way of the house and that The wooers wounded at the heart with feare Fled the encounter As in Pastures where Fat Herds of Oxen feede about the field As if wilde madnesse their instincts impeld The high-fed Bullockes flye whom in the Spring When dayes are long Gadbees or Breezes sting
then let touch his Lire And go before vs all in gracefull dance That all without to whose eares shal aduance Our cheerefull accents or of Trauailers by Or firme inhabitants solemnity Of frolicke Nuptials may imagine heere And this performe we lest the massakere Of all our wooers be divulg'd about The ample City ere our selues get out And greet my Father in his Groue of Trees Where after we will proue what policies Olympius shall suggest to ouercome Our latest toiles and crowne our welcome home This all obey'd Bath'd put on fresh attire Both men and women did Then tooke his Lire The holy singer and set thirst on fire VVith songs and faultlesse dances all the Court Rung with the footings that the numerous sport From iocund men drew and faire-girdl'd Dames VVhich heard abroad thus flew the coÌ„mune fames This sâ—re the day is when the much-woo'd Queen Is richly wed O wretch That hath not beene So constant as to keepe her ample house Til th' vtmost houre had brought her formost spouse Thus some conceiu'd but little 〈◊〉 the thing And now Eurynome had bath'd the King Smooth'd him with Oyles and he himselfe attir'd In vestures royall Her part then inspir'd The Goddesse Pallas deck't his head and face With infinite beauties gaue a goodly grace Of stature to him a much plumper plight Through all his body breath'd Curles soft bright Adorn'd his head withall and made it show As if the flowry Hyacinth did grow In all his pride there In the generall trim Of euery locke and euery curious lim Looke how a skilfull Artizan well 〈◊〉 In all Arts Metalline as haâ—ing beene Taught by Minerua and the God of fire Doth Gold with Siluer mix so that entire They keepe their selfe distinction and yet so That to the Siluer from the Gold doth flow A much more artificiall luster then his â—â—ne And thereby to the Gold it selfe is growne A greater glory then if wrought alone Both being stuck off by eithers 〈◊〉 So did Minerua hers and his combine He more in Her She more in Him did shine Like an Immortall from the Bath 〈…〉 And to his wife did all his grace dispose Encountring this her strangenesse Cruell Dame Of all that breathe the Gods 〈…〉 and flame Haue made thee ruthlesse Life retaines nor one Of all Dames else that beares so ouer-growne A minde with abstinence as twenty 〈◊〉 To misse her husband drown'd in woâ—â— and teares And at his comming keepe aloofe 〈…〉 As of his so long absence and his care No sense had seisd her Go Nurse make a bed That I alone may sleepe her heart is dead To all reflection To him thus replied The wise Penelope Man halfe deified 'T is not my fashion to be taken streight With brauest men Nor poorest vse to stâ—ight Your meane apparance made not me retire Nor this your rich shew makes me now admire Nor moues at all For what is all to me If not my husband All his certainty I knew at parting but so long apart The outward likenesse holds no full desart For me to trust to Go Nurse see addrest A soft bed for him and the single rest Himselfe affects so Let it be the bed That stands within our Bridal Chamber-sted VVhich he himself made Bring it forth from thence And see it furnisht with magnificence This said she to assay him and did stir Euen his establisht patience and to hir Whom thus he answerd Woman your words proue My patience strangely VVho is it can moue My Bed out of his place It shall oppresse Earths greatest vnder-stander and vnlesse Euen God himselfe come that can easely grace Men in their most skils it shall hold his place For Man he liues not that as not most skill'd So not most yong shall easely make it yield If building on the strength in which he flowes He addes both Leuers to and Iron Crowes For in the fixure of the Bed is showne A Maister-peece a wonder and 't was done By me and none but me and thus was wrought There was an Oliue tree that had his grought Amidst a hedge and was of shadow proud Fresh and the prime age of his verdure show'd His leaues and armes so thicke that to the eye It shew'd a columne for solidity To this had I a comprehension To build my Bridall Bowre which all of stone Thicke as the Tree of leaues I raisde and cast A Roofe about it nothing meanly grac'st Put glew'd doores to it that op't Art enough Then from the Oliue euery broad-leau'd bough I lopt away then fell'd the Tree and then VVent ouer it both with â—y Axe and Plaine Both gouern'd by my Line And then I hew'd My curious Bed-sted out in which I shew'd Worke of no commune hand All this begon I could not leaue till to perfection My paines had brought it Tooke my Wimble bor'd The holes as fitted and did last afford The varied Ornament which shew'd no want Of Siluer Gold and polisht Elephant An Oxe-hide Dide in purple then I threw Aboue the cords And thus to curious view I hope I haue obiected honest signe To proue I author nought that is not mine But if my bed stand vnreinou'd or no O woman passeth humane wit to know This sunk her knees heart to heare so true The signes she vrg'd and first did teares ensue Her rapt assurance Then she ran and spread Her armes about his necke kist oft his head And thus the curious stay she made excusde Vlysses Be not angry that I vsde Such strange delayes to this since heretofore Your suffering wisedome hath the Gyrland wore From all that breath and 't is the Gods that thus With mutuall misse so long afflicting vs Haue causd my coynesse To our youths enuied That wisht society that should haue tied Our youths and yeares together and since now Iudgement and Duty should our age allow As full ioyes therein as in youth and blood See all yong anger and reproofe withstood For not at first sight giuing vp my armes My heart still trembling lest the false alarmes That words oft strike vp should ridiculize me Had Argiue Hellen knowne credulity VVould bring such plagues with it and her againe As aucthresse of them all with that foule staine To her and to her countrey she had staid Her loue and mixture from a strangers bed But God impell'd her to a shamelesse deede Because she had not in her selfe decreed Before th' attempt That such acts still were shent As simply in themselues as in th' euent By which not onely she her selfe sustaines But we for her fault haue paid mutuall paines Yet now since these signes of our certaine bed You haue discouer'd and distinguished From all earths others No one man but you Yet euer getting of it th' onely show Nor one of all Dames but my selfe and she My Father gaue old Actors progenie Who euer guarded to our selues the dore Of that thick-shaded chamber I no more Will crosse your cleere perswasion though till now