ARGUMENT.
THE DESCENT INTO HELL.
Ulysses continues his narration. How he arrived at the land of the Cimmerians, and what ceremonies he performed to invoke the dead. The manner of his descent, and the apparition of the shades: his conversation with Elpenor, and with Tiresias, who informs him in a prophetic manner of his fortunes to come. He meets his mother Anticles, from whom he learns the state of his family. He sees the shades of the ancient heroines, afterwards of the heroes, and converses in particular with Agamemnon and Achilles. Ajax keeps at a sullen distance, and disdains to answer him. He then beholds Tityus, Tantalus, Sisyphus, Hercules; till he is deterred from further curiosity by the apparition of horrid spectres, and the cries of the wicked in torments.
"Now to the shores we bend, a mournful train, Climb the tall bark, and launch into the main; At once the mast we rear, at once unbind The spacious sheet, and stretch it to the wind; Then pale and pensive stand, with cares oppress'd, And solemn horror saddens every breast. A freshening breeze the magic power supplied, While the wing'd vessel flew along the tide; Our oars we shipp'd; all day the swelling sails Full from the guiding pilot catch'd the gales.
"Now sunk the sun from his aerial height, And o'er the shaded billows rush'd the night; When lo! we reach'd old Ocean's utmost bounds, Where rocks control his waves with ever-during mounds.
"There in a lonely land, and gloomy cells, The dusky nation of Cimmeria dwells; The sun ne'er views the uncomfortable seats, When radiant he advances, or retreats: Unhappy race! whom endless night invades, Clouds the dull air, and wraps them round in shades.
"The ship we moor on these obscure abodes; Disbark the sheep, an offering to the gods; And, hellward bending, o'er the beach descry The doleful passage to the infernal sky. The victims, vow'd to each Tartarian power, Eurylochus and Perimedes bore.
"Here open'd hell, all hell I here implored, And from the scabbard drew the shining sword: And trenching the black earth on every side, A cavern form'd, a cubit long and wide. New wine, with honey-temper'd milk, we bring, Then living waters from the crystal spring: O'er these was strew'd the consecrated flour, And on the surface shone the holy store.
"Now the wan shades we hail, the infernal gods, To speed our course, and waft us o'er the floods: So shall a barren heifer from the stall Beneath the knife upon your altars fall; So in our palace, at our safe return, Rich with unnumber'd gifts the pile shall burn; So shall a ram, the largest of the breed, Black as these regions, to Tiresias bleed.
"Thus solemn rites and holy vows we paid To all the phantom-nations of the dead; Then died the sheep: a purple torrent flow'd, And all the caverns smoked with streaming blood. When lo! appear'd along the dusky coasts, Thin, airy shoals of visionary ghosts: Fair, pensive youths, and soft enamour'd maids; And wither'd elders, pale and wrinkled shades; Ghastly with wounds the forms of warriors slain Stalk'd with majestic port, a martial train: These and a thousand more swarm'd o'er the ground, And all the dire assembly shriek'd around. Astonish'd at the sight, aghast I stood, And a cold fear ran shivering through my blood; Straight I command the sacrifice to haste, Straight the flay'd victims to the flames are cast, And mutter'd vows, and mystic song applied To grisly Pluto, and his gloomy bride.
"Now swift I waved my falchion o'er the blood; Back started the pale throngs, and trembling stood, Round the black trench the gore untasted flows, Till awful from the shades Tiresias rose.
"There wandering through the gloom I first survey'd, New to the realms of death, Elpenor's shade: His cold remains all naked to the sky On distant shores unwept, unburied lie. Sad at the sight I stand, deep fix'd in woe, And ere I spoke the tears began to flow.
"'O say what angry power Elpenor led To glide in shades, and wander with the dead? How could thy soul, by realms and seas disjoin'd, Outfly the nimble sail, and leave the lagging wind?
"The ghost replied: 'To hell my doom I owe, Demons accursed, dire ministers of woe! My feet, through wine unfaithful to their weight, Betray'd me tumbling from a towery height: Staggering I reel'd, and as I reel'd I fell, Lux'd the neck-joint--my soul descends to hell. But lend me aid, I now conjure thee lend, By the soft tie and sacred name of friend! By thy fond consort! by thy father's cares! By loved Telemachus' blooming years? For well I know that soon the heavenly powers Will give thee back to-day, and Circe's shores: There pious on my cold remains attend, There call to mind thy poor departed friend. The tribute of a tear is all I crave, And the possession of a peaceful grave. But if, unheard, in vain compassion plead, Revere the gods. The gods avenge the dead! A tomb along the watery margin raise, The tomb with manly arms and trophies grace, To show posterity Elpenor was. There high in air, memorial of my name, Fix the smooth oar, and bid me live to fame.'
"To whom with tears: 'These rites, O mournful shade, Due to thy ghost, shall to thy ghost be paid.'
"Still as I spoke the phantom seem'd to moan, Tear follow'd tear, and groan succeeded groan. But, as my waving sword the blood surrounds, The shade withdrew, and mutter'd empty sounds.
"There as the wondrous visions I survey'd, All pale ascends my royal mother's shade: A queen, to Troy she saw our legions pass; Now a thin form is all Anticlea was! Struck at the sight I melt with filial woe, And down my cheek the pious sorrows flow, Yet as I shook my falchion o'er the blood, Regardless of her son the parent stood.
"When lo! the mighty Theban I behold, To guide his steps he bore a staff of gold; Awful he trod; majestic was his look! And from his holy lips these accents broke:
"'Why, mortal, wanderest thou from cheerful day, To tread the downward, melancholy way? What angry gods to these dark regions led Thee, yet alive, companion of the deed? But sheathe thy poniard, while my tongue relates Heaven's steadfast purpose, and thy future fates.'
"While yet he spoke, the prophet I obey'd, And in the scabbard plunged the glittering blade: Eager he quaff'd the gore, and then express'd Dark things to come, the counsels of his breast.
"Weary of light, Ulysses here explores A prosperous voyage to his native shores; But know--by me unerring Fates disclose New trains of dangers, and new scenes of woes. I see, I see, thy bark by Neptune toss'd, For injured Cyclops, and his eyeball lost! Yet to thy woes the gods decree an end, If Heaven thou please: and how to please attend Where on Trinacrian rocks the ocean roars, Graze numerous herds along the verdant shores; Though hunger press, yet fly the dangerous prey, The herds are sacred to the god of day, Who all surveys with his extensive eye, Above, below, on earth, and in the sky! Rob not the god; and so propitious gales Attend thy voyage, and impel thy sails: But, if his herds ye seize, beneath the waves I see thy friends o'erwhelm'd in liquid graves! The direful wreck Ulysses scarce survives! Ulysses at his country scarce arrives! Strangers thy guides! nor there thy labours end; New foes arise; domestic ills attend! There foul adulterers to thy bride resort, And lordly gluttons riot in thy court. But vengeance hastes amain! These eyes behold The deathful scene, princes on princes roll'd! That done, a people far from sea explore, Who ne'er knew salt, or heard the billows roar, Or saw gay vessel stem the watery plain, A painted wonder flying on the main! Bear on thy back an oar: with strange amaze A shepherd meeting thee, the oar surveys, And names a van: there fix it on the plain, To calm the god that holds the watery reign; A threefold offering to his altar bring, A bull, a ram, a boar; and hail the ocean king. But home return'd, to each ethereal power Slay the due victim in the genial hour: So peaceful shalt thou end thy blissful days, And steal thyself from life by slow decays: Unknown to pain, in age resign thy breath, When late stern Neptune points the shaft with death: To the dark grave retiring as to rest, Thy people blessing, by thy people bless'd!
"Unerring truths, O man, my lips relate; This is thy life to come, and this is fate.'
"To whom unmoved: 'If this the gods prepare, What Heaven ordains the wise with courage bear. But say, why yonder on the lonely strands, Unmindful of her son, Anticlea stands? Why to the ground she bends her downcast eye? Why is she silent, while her son is nigh? The latent cause, O sacred seer, reveal!'
"'Nor this (replies the seer) will I conceal. Know, to the spectres that thy beverage taste, The scenes of life recur, and actions past: They, seal'd with truth, return the sure reply; The rest, repell'd, a train oblivious fly.'
"The phantom-prophet ceased, and sunk from sight, To the black palace of eternal night.