The Odysseys of Homer, together with the shorter poems · Homer
ANOTHER ARGUMENT
While we hold This our assembly, be all fetch’d, and giv’n, That to our feast prepar’d, as to his heav’n, Our guest may enter. And, that nothing be Left unperform’d that fits his dignity, Euryalus shall here conciliate Himself with words and gifts, since past our rate He gave bad language.” This did all commend And give in charge; and ev’ry king did send His herald for his gift. Euryalus, Answ’ring for his part, said: “Alcinous! Our chief of all, since you command, I will To this our guest by all means reconcile, And give him this entirely-metall’d sword, The handle massy silver, and the board, That gives it cover, all of ivory, New, and in all kinds worth his quality.” This put he straight into his hand, and said: “Frolic, O guest and father; if words fled Have been offensive, let swift whirlwinds take And ravish them from thought. May all Gods make Thy wife’s sight good to thee, in quick retreat To all thy friends, and best-lov’d breeding seat, Their long miss quitting with the greater joy; In whose sweet vanish all thy worst annoy.”
“And frolic thou to all height, friend,” said he, “Which heav’n confirm with wish’d felicity; Nor ever give again desire to thee Of this sword’s use, which with affects so free, In my reclaim, thou hast bestow’d on me.” This said, athwart his shoulders he put on The right fair sword; and then did set the sun. When all the gifts were brought, which back again (With king Alcinous in all the train) Were by the honour’d heralds borne to court; Which his fair sons took, and from the resort Laid by their rev’rend mother. Each his throne Of all the peers (which yet were overshone In king Alcinous’ command) ascended; Whom he to pass as much in gifts contended, And to his queen said: “Wife! See brought me here The fairest cabinet I have, and there Impose a well-cleans’d in, and utter, weed. A caldron heat with water, that with speed Our guest well-bath’d, and all his gifts made sure, It may a joyful appetite procure To his succeeding feast, and make him hear The poet’s hymn with the securer ear. To all which I will add my bowl of gold, In all frame curious, to make him hold My memory always dear, and sacrifice With it at home to all the Deities.”
Then Arete her maids charg’d to set on A well-siz’d caldron quickly. Which was done, Clear water pour’d in, flame made so entire, It gilt the brass, and made the water fire. In mean space, from her chamber brought the queen A wealthy cabinet, where, pure and clean, She put the garments, and the gold bestow’d By that free state, and then the other vow’d By her Alcinous, and said: “Now, guest, Make close and fast your gifts, lest, when you rest Aship-board sweetly, in your way you meet Some loss, that less may make your next sleep sweet.” This when Ulysses heard, all sure he made Enclos’d and bound safe; for the saving trade The rev’rend-for-her-wisdom, Circe, had In foreyears taught him. Then the handmaid bad His worth to bathing; which rejoic’d his heart, For, since he did with his Calypso part, He had no hot baths; none had favour’d him, Nor been so tender of his kingly limb. But all the time he spent in her abode, He liv’d respected as he were a God.
Cleans’d then and balm’d, fair shirt and robe put on, Fresh come from bath, and to the feasters gone, Nausicaa, that from the Gods’ hands took The sov’reign beauty of her blessed look, Stood by a well-carv’d column of the room, And through her eye her heart was overcome With admiration of the port imprest In his aspéct, and said: “God save you, guest! Be cheerful, as in all the future state Your home will show you in your better fate. But yet, ev’n then, let this remember’d be, Your life’s price I lent, and you owe it me.” The varied-in-all-counsels gave reply: “Nausicaa! Flow’r of all this empery! So Juno’s husband, that the strife for noise Makes in the clouds, bless me with strife of joys, In the desir’d day that my house shall show, As I, as I to a Goddess there shall vow, To thy fair hand that did my being give, Which I’ll acknowledge ev’ry hour I live.” This said, Alcinous plac’d him by his side. Then took they feast, and did in parts divide The sev’ral dishes, fill’d out wine, and then The striv’d-for-for-his-worth of worthy men,[9] And rev’renc’d-of-the-state, Demodocus Was brought in by the good Pontonous.
In midst of all the guests they gave him place, Against a lofty pillar, when this grace The grac’d-with-wisdom did him: From the chine, That stood before him, of a white-tooth’d swine, Being far the daintiest joint, mix’d through with fat, He carv’d to him, and sent it where he sat By his old friend the herald, willing thus: “Herald, reach this to grave Demodocus, Say, I salute him, and his worth embrace. Poets deserve, past all the human race, Rev’rend respect and honour, since the queen Of knowledge, and the supreme worth in men, The Muse, informs them, and loves all their race.” This reach’d the herald to him, who the grace Receiv’d encourag’d; which, when feast was spent, Ulysses amplified to this ascent: “Demodocus! I must prefer you far, Past all your sort, if, or the Muse of war, Jove’s daughter, prompts you, that the Greeks respects, Or if the Sun, that those of Troy affects. For I have heard you, since my coming, sing The fate of Greece to an admiréd string. How much our suff’rance was, how much we wrought, How much the actions rose-to when we fought. So lively forming, as you had been there, Or to some free relater lent your ear.
Forth then, and sing the wooden horse’s frame, Built by Epëus, by the martial Dame Taught the whole fabric; which, by force of sleight, Ulysses brought into the city’s height, When he had stuff’d it with as many men As levell’d lofty Ilion with the plain. With all which if you can as well enchant, As with expression quick and elegant You sung the rest, I will pronounce you clear Inspir’d by God, past all that ever were.” This said, ev’n stirr’d by God up, he began, And to his song fell, past the forms of man, Beginning where the Greeks aship-board went, And ev’ry chief had set on fire his tent, When th’ other kings, in great Ulysses’ guide, In Troy’s vast market place the horse did hide, From whence the Trojans up to Ilion drew The dreadful engine. Where sat all arew Their kings about it; many counsels giv’n How to dispose it. In three ways were driv’n Their whole distractions. First, if they should feel The hollow wood’s heart, search’d with piercing steel; Or from the battlements drawn higher yet Deject it headlong; or that counterfeit So vast and novel set on sacred fire, Vow’d to appease each anger’d Godhead’s ire.
On which opinion, they, thereafter, saw, They then should have resolv’d; th’ unalter’d law Of fate presaging, that Troy then should end, When th’ hostile horse she should receive to friend, For therein should the Grecian kings lie hid, To bring the fate and death they after did. He sung, besides, the Greeks’ eruptión From those their hollow crafts, and horse foregone; And how they made depopulation tread Beneath her feet so high a city’s head. In which affair, he sung in other place, That of that ambush some man else did race The Ilion tow’rs than Laertiades; But here he sung, that he alone did seize,[10] With Menelaus, the ascended roof Of prince Deiphobus, and Mars-like proof Made of his valour, a most dreadful fight Daring against him; and there vanquish’d quite, In little time, by great Minerva’s aid, All Ilion’s remnant, and Troy level laid. This the divine expressor did so give Both act and passion, that he made it live, And to Ulysses’ facts did breathe a fire So deadly quick’ning, that it did inspire[11] Old death with life, and render’d life so sweet, And passionate, that all there felt it fleet; Which made him pity his own cruelty, And put into that ruth so pure an eye Of human frailty, that to see a man Could so revive from death, yet no way can Defend from death, his own quick pow’rs it made Feel there death’s horrors, and he felt life fade, In tears his feeling brain swet; for, in things[12] That move past utt’rance, tears ope all their springs. Nor are there in the pow’rs that all life bears More true interpreters of all than tears.
And as a lady mourns her sole-lov’d lord, That fall’n before his city by the sword, Fighting to rescue from a cruel fate His town and children, and in dead estate Yet panting seeing him, wraps him in her arms, Weeps, shrieks, and pours her health into his arms, Lies on him, striving to become his shield From foes that still assail him, spears impell’d Through back and shoulders, by whose points embrued, They raise and lead him into servitude, Labour, and languor; for all which the dame Eats down her cheeks with tears, and feeds life’s flame With miserable suff’rance; so this king Of tear-swet anguish op’d a boundless spring; Nor yet was seen to any one man there But king Alcinous, who sat so near He could not ‘scape him, sighs, so chok’d, so brake From all his tempers; which the king did take Both note and grave respect of, and thus spake: “Hear me, Phæacian councillors and peers, And cease Demodocus; perhaps all ears Are not delighted with his song, for, ever Since the divine Muse sung, our guest hath never Contain’d from secret mournings. It may fall, That something sung he hath been grieved with all, As touching his particular.
Forbear, That feast may jointly comfort all hearts here, And we may cheer our guest up; ’tis our best In all due honour. For our rev’rend guest Is all our celebration, gifts, and all, His love hath added to our festival. A guest, and suppliant too, we should esteem Dear as our brother, one that doth but dream He hath a soul, or touch but at a mind Deathless and manly, should stand so inclin’d. Nor cloak you longer with your curious wit, Lov’d guest, what ever we shall ask of it. It now stands on your honest state to tell, And therefore give your name, nor more conceal What of your parents, and the town that bears Name of your native, or of foreigners That near us border, you are call’d in fame. There’s no man living walks without a name, Noble nor base, but had one from his birth Impos’d as fit as to be borne. What earth, People, and city, own you, give to know. Tell but our ships all, that your way must show. For our ships know th’ expressed minds of men, And will so most intentively retain Their scopes appointed, that they never err, And yet use never any man to steer, Nor any rudders have, as others need.
They know men’s thoughts, and whither tends their speed, And there will set them; for you cannot name[13] A city to them, nor fat soil, that Fame Hath any notice giv’n, but well they know, And they will fly to them, though they ebb and flow In blackest clouds and nights; and never bear Of any wrack or rock the slend’rest fear. But this I heard my sire Nausithous say. Long since, that Neptune, seeing us convey So safely passengers of all degrees, Was angry with us; and upon our seas A well-built ship we had, near harbour come From safe deduction of some stranger home, Made in his flitting billows stick stone still; And dimm’d our city, like a mighty hill With shade cast round about it. This report, The old king made;[14] in which miraculous sort, If God had done such things, or left undone, At his good pleasure be it. But now, on, And truth relate us, both whence you err’d, And to what clime of men would be transferr’d, With all their fair towns, be they as they are, If rude, unjust, and all irregular, Or hospitable, bearing minds that please The mighty Deity. Which one of these You would be set at, say, and you are there. And therefore what afflicts you? Why, to hear The fate of Greece and Ilion, mourn you so? The Gods have done it; as to all they do Destine destruction, that from thence may rise A poem to instruct posterities. Fell any kinsman before Ilion? Some worthy sire-in-law, or like-near son, Whom next our own blood and self-race we love? Or any friend perhaps, in whom did move A knowing soul, and no unpleasing thing? Since such a good one is no underling To any brother; for, what fits true friends, True wisdom is, that blood and birth transcends.”
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.