The Theological Tractates and The Consolation of Philosophy · Boethius
III.
The sails which wise Ulysses bore, And ships which in the seas long time did stray The eastern wind drave to that shore Where the fair Goddess Lady Circe lay, Daughter by birth to Phoebus bright, Who with enchanted cups and charms did stay Her guests, deceived with their delight And into sundry figures them did change, Being most skilful in the might And secret force of herbs and simples strange; Some like to savage boars, and some Like lions fierce, which daily use to range Through Libya,[148] in tooth and claw become. Others are changed to the shape and guise Of ravenous wolves, and waxing dumb Use howling in the stead of manly cries. Others like to the tiger rove[149] Which in the scorched Indian desert lies. And though the winged son of Jove[150] From these bewitchéd cups' delightful taste To keep the famous captain strove, Yet them the greedy mariners embraced With much desire, till turned to swine Instead of bread they fed on oaken mast. Ruined in voice and form, no sign Remains to them of any human grace; Only their minds unchanged repine To see their bodies in such ugly case. O feeble hand and idle art Which, though it could the outward limbs deface, Yet had no force to change the heart. For all the force of men given by God's arm Lies hidden in their inmost part. The poisons therefore which within them swarm More deeply pierce, and with more might, For to the body though they do no harm, Yet on the soul they work their spite." [148] Literally "Marmaric," i.e. properly, the region between Egypt and the great Syrtis; generally, African, cf. Lucan iii. 293. [149] Literally, "rove tame round the house." [150] i.e. Mercury who was born in Arcadia; cf. Virg. _Aen._ viii. 129-138.
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