The Odysseys of Homer, together with the shorter poems · Homer
ANOTHER ARGUMENT
The rosy-finger’d Morn no sooner shone, But up he rose, took air, and sat upon A seat of white and goodly polish’d stone, That such a gloss as richest ointments wore, Before his high gates; where the counsellor That match’d the Gods (his father) us’d to sit, Who now, by fate forc’d, stoop’d as low as it. And here sat Nestor, holding in his hand A sceptre; and about him round did stand, As early up, his sons’ troop; Perseus, The god-like Thrasymed, and Aretus, Echephron, Stratius, and sixth and last Pisistratus, and by him (half embrac’d Still as they came) divine Telemachus; To these spake Nestor, old Gerenius: “Haste, lovéd sons, and do me a desire, That, first of all the Gods, I may aspire To Pallas’ favour, who vouchsaf’d to me At Neptune’s feast her sight so openly. Let one to field go, and an ox with speed Cause hither brought, which let the herdsman lead; Another to my dear guest’s vessel go, And all his soldiers bring, save only two; A third the smith that works in gold command (Laertius) to attend, and lend his hand, To plate the both horns round about with gold; The rest remain here close.
But first, see told The maids within, that they prepare a feast, Set seats through all the court, see straight addrest The purest water, and get fuel fell’d.” This said, not one but in the service held Officious hand. The ox came led from field; The soldiers troop’d from ship; the smith he came, And those tools brought that serv’d the actual frame His art conceiv’d, brought anvil, hammers brought, Fair tongs, and all, with which the gold was wrought. Minerva likewise came, to set the crown On that kind sacrifice, and make ’t her own. Then th’ old knight Nestor gave the smith the gold, With which he straight did both the horns infold, And trimm’d the off’ring so, the Goddess joy’d. About which thus were Nestor’s sons employ’d: Divine Echephron, and fair Stratius, Held both the horns. The water odorous, In which they wash’d, what to the rites was vow’d, Aretus, in a caldron all bestrow’d With herbs and flowers, serv’d in from th’ holy room Where all were drest, and whence the rites must come. And after him a hallow’d virgin came, That brought the barley-cake, and blew the flame. The axe, with which the ox should both be fell’d And cut forth, Thrasymed stood by and held.
Perseus the vessel held that should retain The purple liquor of the off’ring slain. Then wash’d the pious father, then the cake (Of barley, salt, and oil, made) took, and brake, Ask’d many a boon of Pallas, and the state Of all the off’ring did initiate, In three parts cutting off the hair, and cast Amidst the flame. All th’ invocation past, And all the cake broke, manly Thrasymed Stood near, and sure, and such a blow he laid Aloft the off’ring, that to earth he sunk, His neck-nerves sunder’d, and his spirits shrunk. Out shriek’d the daughters, daughter-in-laws, and wife Of three-ag’d Nestor, who had eldest life Of Clymen’s daughters, chaste Eurydice. The ox on broad earth then laid laterally They held, while duke Pisistratus the throat Dissolv’d, and set the sable blood afloat, And then the life the bones left. Instantly They cut him up; apart flew either thigh, That with the fat they dubb’d, with art alone, The throat-brisk, and the sweet-bread pricking on. Then Nestor broil’d them on the coal-turn’d wood, Pour’d black wine on; and by him young men stood, That spits fine-pointed held, on which, when burn’d The solid thighs were, they transfix’d, and turn’d The inwards, cut in cantles; which, the meat Vow’d to the Gods consum’d, they roast and eat.
In mean space, Polycasté (call’d the fair, Nestor’s young’st daughter) bath’d Ulysses’ heir; Whom having cleans’d, and with rich balms bespread, She cast a white shirt quickly o’er his head, And then his weeds put on; when forth he went, And did the person of a God present, Came, and by Nestor took his honour’d seat, This pastor of the people. Then, the meat Of all the spare parts roasted, off they drew, Sat, and fell to. But soon the temp’rate few Rose, and in golden bowls fill’d others wine. Till, when the rest felt thirst of feast decline, Nestor his sons bad fetch his high-man’d horse, And them in chariot join, to run the course The prince resolv’d. Obey’d, as soon as heard, Was Nestor by his sons, who straight prepar’d Both horse and chariot. She that kept the store, Both bread and wine, and all such viands more, As should the feast of Jove-fed kings compose, Purvey’d the voyage. To the rich coach rose Ulysses’ son, and close to him ascended The duke Pisistratus, the reins intended, And scourg’d, to force to field, who freely flew; And left the town that far her splendour threw, Both holding yoke, and shook it all the day. But now the sun set, dark’ning ev’ry way, When they to Pheris came; and in the house Of Diocles (the son t’ Orsilochus, Whom flood Alphëus got) slept all that night; Who gave them each due hospitable rite. But when the rosy-finger’d Morn arose, They went to coach, and did their horse inclose, Drave forth the fore-court, and the porch that yields Each breath a sound, and to the fruitful fields Rode scourging still their willing flying steeds, Who strenuously perform’d their wonted speeds. Their journey ending just when sun went down, And shadows all ways through the earth were thrown.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.