ARGUMENT.
THE DISCOVERY OF ULYSSES TO EURYCLEA.
Ulysses and his son remove the weapons out of the armoury. Ulysses, in conversation with Penelope, gives a fictitious account of his adventures; then assures her he had formerly entertained her husband in Crete; and describes exactly his person and dress; affirms to have heard of him in Phaeacia and Thesprotia, and that his return is certain, and within a month. He then goes to bathe, and is attended by Euryclea, who discovers him to be Ulysses by the scar upon his leg, which he formerly received in hunting the wild boar on Parnassus. The poet inserts a digression relating that accident, with all its particulars.
Consulting secret with the blue-eyed maid, Still in the dome divine Ulysses stay'd: Revenge mature for act inflamed his breast; And thus the son the fervent sire address'd:
"Instant convey those steely stores of war To distant rooms, disposed with secret care: The cause demanded by the suitor-train, To soothe their fears, a specious reason feign: Say, since Ulysses left his natal coast, Obscene with smoke, their beamy lustre lost, His arms deform the roof they wont adorn: From the glad walls inglorious lumber torn. Suggest, that Jove the peaceful thought inspired, Lest they, by sight of swords to fury fired, Dishonest wounds, or violence of soul, Defame the bridal feast and friendly bowl."
The prince, obedient to the sage command, To Euryclea thus: "The female band In their apartments keep; secure the doors; These swarthy arms among the covert stores Are seemlier hid; my thoughtless youth they blame, Imbrown'd with vapour of the smouldering flame."
"In happier hour (pleased Euryclea cries), Tutour'd by early woes, grow early wise; Inspect with sharpen'd sight, and frugal care, Your patrimonial wealth, a prudent heir. But who the lighted taper will provide (The female train retired) your toils to guide?"
"Without infringing hospitable right, This guest (he cried) shall bear the guiding light: I cheer no lazy vagrants with repast; They share the meal that earn it ere they taste."
He said: from female ken she straight secures The purposed deed, and guards the bolted doors: Auxiliar to his son, Ulysses bears The plumy-crested helms and pointed spears, With shields indented deep in glorious wars. Minerva viewless on her charge attends, And with her golden lamp his toil befriends. Not such the sickly beams, which unsincere Gild the gross vapour of this nether sphere! A present deity the prince confess'd, And wrapp'd with ecstasy the sire address'd:
"What miracle thus dazzles with surprise! Distinct in rows the radiant columns rise; The walls, where'er my wondering sight I turn, And roofs, amidst a blaze of glory burn! Some visitant of pure ethereal race With his bright presence deigns the dome to grace."
"Be calm (replies the sire); to none impart, But oft revolve the vision in thy heart: Celestials, mantled in excess of light, Can visit unapproach'd by mortal sight. Seek thou repose: whilst here I sole remain, To explore the conduct of the female train: The pensive queen, perchance, desires to know The series of my toils, to soothe her woe."
With tapers flaming day his train attends, His bright alcove the obsequious youth ascends: Soft slumberous shades his drooping eyelids close, Till on her eastern throne Aurora glows.
Whilst, forming plans of death, Ulysses stay'd, In counsel secret with the martial maid, Attendant nymphs in beauteous order wait The queen, descending from her bower of state. Her cheeks the warmer blush of Venus wear, Chasten'd with coy Diana's pensive air. An ivory seat with silver ringlets graced, By famed Icmalius wrought, the menials placed: With ivory silver'd thick the footstool shone, O'er which the panther's various hide was thrown. The sovereign seat with graceful air she press'd; To different tasks their toil the nymphs address'd: The golden goblets some, and some restored From stains of luxury the polish'd board: These to remove the expiring embers came, While those with unctuous fir foment the flame.
'Twas then Melantho with imperious mien Renew'd the attack, incontinent of spleen: "Avaunt (she cried), offensive to my sight! Deem not in ambush here to lurk by night, Into the woman-state asquint to pry; A day-devourer, and an evening spy! Vagrant, begone! before this blazing brand Shall urge"--and waved it hissing in her hand.
The insulted hero rolls his wrathful eyes And "Why so turbulent of soul? (he cries;) Can these lean shrivell'd limbs, unnerved with age, These poor but honest rags, enkindle rage? In crowds, we wear the badge of hungry fate: And beg, degraded from superior state! Constrain'd a rent-charge on the rich I live; Reduced to crave the good I once could give: A palace, wealth, and slaves, I late possess'd, And all that makes the great be call'd the bless'd: My gate, an emblem of my open soul, Embraced the poor, and dealt a bounteous dole. Scorn not the sad reverse, injurious maid! 'Tis Jove's high will, and be his will obey'd! Nor think thyself exempt: that rosy prime Must share the general doom of withering time: To some new channel soon the changeful tide Of royal grace the offended queen may guide; And her loved lord unplume thy towering pride. Or, were he dead, 'tis wisdom to beware: Sweet blooms the prince beneath Apollo's care; Your deeds with quick impartial eye surveys, Potent to punish what he cannot praise."
Her keen reproach had reach'd the sovereign's ear: "Loquacious insolent! (she cries,) forbear; To thee the purpose of my soul I told; Venial discourse, unblamed, with him to hold; The storied labours of my wandering lord, To soothe my grief he haply may record: Yet him, my guest, thy venom'd rage hath stung; Thy head shall pay the forfeit of thy tongue! But thou on whom my palace cares depend, Eurynome, regard the stranger-friend: A seat, soft spread with furry spoils, prepare; Due-distant for us both to speak, and hear."
The menial fair obeys with duteous haste: A seat adorn'd with furry spoils she placed: Due-distant for discourse the hero sate; When thus the sovereign from her chair of state:
"Reveal, obsequious to my first demand, Thy name, thy lineage, and thy natal land."
He thus: "O queen! whose far-resounding fame Is bounded only by the starry frame, Consummate pattern of imperial sway, Whose pious rule a warlike race obey! In wavy gold thy summer vales are dress'd; Thy autumns bind with copious fruit oppress'd: With flocks and herds each grassy plain is stored; And fish of every fin thy seas afford: Their affluent joys the grateful realms confess; And bless the power that still delights to bless, Gracious permit this prayer, imperial dame! Forbear to know my lineage, or my name: Urge not this breast to heave, these eyes to weep; In sweet oblivion let my sorrows sleep! My woes awaked, will violate your ear, And to this gay censorious train appear A whiny vapour melting in a tear."
"Their gifts the gods resumed (the queen rejoin'd), Exterior grace, and energy of mind, When the dear partner of my nuptial joy, Auxiliar troops combined, to conquer Troy. My lord's protecting hand alone would raise My drooping verdure, and extend my praise! Peers from the distant Samian shore resort: Here with Dulichians join'd, besiege the court: Zacynthus, green with ever-shady groves, And Ithaca, presumptuous, boast their loves: Obtruding on my choice a second lord, They press the Hymenaean rite abhorr'd. Misrule thus mingling with domestic cares, I live regardless of my state affairs; Receive no stranger-guest, no poor relieve; But ever for my lord in secret grieve!-- This art, instinct by some celestial power, I tried, elusive of the bridal hour:
"'Ye peers, (I cry,) who press to gain a heart, Where dead Ulysses claims no future part; Rebate your loves, each rival suit suspend, Till this funeral web my labours end: Cease, till to good Laertes I bequeath A pall of state, the ornament of death. For when to fate he bows, each Grecian dame With just reproach were licensed to defame, Should he, long honour'd in supreme command, Want the last duties of a daughter's hand.' The fiction pleased; their loves I long elude; The night still ravell'd what the day renew'd: Three years successful in my heart conceal'd, My ineffectual fraud the fourth reveal'd: Befriended by my own domestic spies, The woof unwrought the suitor-train surprise. From nuptial rites they now no more recede, And fear forbids to falsify the brede. My anxious parents urge a speedy choice, And to their suffrage gain the filial voice. For rule mature, Telemachus deplores His dome dishonour'd, and exhausted stores-- But, stranger! as thy days seem full of fate, Divide discourse, in turn thy birth relate: Thy port asserts thee of distinguish'd race; No poor unfather'd product of disgrace."
"Princess! (he cries,) renew'd by your command, The dear remembrance of my native land Of secret grief unseals the fruitful source; Fond tears repeat their long-forgotten course! So pays the wretch whom fate constrains to roam, The dues of nature to his natal home!-- But inward on my soul let sorrow prey, Your sovereign will my duty bids obey.
"Crete awes the circling waves, a fruitful soil! And ninety cities crown the sea-born isle: Mix'd with her genuine sons, adopted names In various tongues avow their various claims: Cydonians, dreadful with the bended yew, And bold Pelasgi boast a native's due: The Dorians, plumed amid the files of war, Her foodful glebe with fierce Achaians share; Cnossus, her capital of high command; Where sceptred Minos with impartial hand Divided right: each ninth revolving year, By Jove received in council to confer. His son Deucalion bore successive sway: His son, who gave me first to view the day! The royal bed an elder issue bless'd, Idomeneus whom Ilion fields attest Of matchless deeds: untrain'd to martial toil, I lived inglorious in my native isle. Studious of peace, and Aethon is my name. 'Twas then to Crete the great Ulysses came. For elemental war, and wintry Jove, From Malea's gusty cape his navy drove To bright Lucina's fane; the shelfy coast Where loud Amnisus in the deep is lost. His vessel's moor'd (an incommodious port!) The hero speeded to the Cnossian court: Ardent the partner of his arms to find, In leagues of long commutual friendship join'd. Vain hope! ten suns had warm'd the western strand Since my brave brother, with his Cretan band, Had sail'd for Troy: but to the genial feast My honour'd roof received the royal guest: Beeves for his train the Cnossian peers assign, A public treat, with jars of generous wine. Twelve days while Boreas vex'd the aerial space, My hospitable dome he deign'd to grace: And when the north had ceased the stormy roar, He wing'd his voyage to the Phrygian shore."
Thus the fam'd hero, perfected in wiles, With fair similitude of truth beguiles The queen's attentive ear: dissolved in woe, From her bright eyes the tears unbounded flow, As snows collected on the mountain freeze; When milder regions breathe a vernal breeze, The fleecy pile obeys the whispering gales, Ends in a stream, and murmurs through the vales: So, melting with the pleasing tale he told, Down her fair cheek the copious torrent roll'd: She to her present lord laments him lost, And views that object which she wants the most, Withering at heart to see the weeping fair, His eyes look stern, and cast a gloomy stare; Of horn the stiff relentless balls appear, Or globes of iron fix'd in either sphere; Firm wisdom interdicts the softening tear. A speechless interval of grief ensues, Till thus the queen the tender theme renews.
"Stranger! that e'er thy hospitable roof Ulysses graced, confirm by faithful proof; Delineate to my view my warlike lord, His form, his habit, and his train record."