Homer's Odyssey (eBook)

BOOK IV. ARGUMENT. THE CONFERENCE WITH MENELAUS.

Telemachus with Pisistratus arriving at Sparta, is hospitably received by Menelaus to whom he relates the cause of his coming, and learns from him many particulars of what befell the Greeks since the destruction of Troy. He dwells more at large upon the prophecies of Proteus to him in his return; from which he acquaints Telemachus that Ulysses is detained in the island of Calypso. In the meantime the suitors consult to destroy Telemachus on the voyage home. Penelope is apprised of this; but comforted in a dream by Pallas, in the shape of her sister Iphthima.

And now proud Sparta with their wheels resounds,

Sparta whose walls a range of hills surrounds;

At the fair dome the rapid labour ends;

Where sate Atrides 'midst his bridal friends,

With double vows invoking Hymen's power,

To bless his son's and daughter's nuptial hour.

That day, to great Achilles son resign'd,

Hermione, the fairest of her kind,

Was sent to crown the long-protracted joy,

Espoused before the final doom of Troy;

With steeds and gilded cars, a gorgeous train

Attend the nymphs to Phthia's distant reign.

Meanwhile at home, to Megapentha's bed

The virgin choir Alector's daughter led.

Brave Megapenthas From a stolen amour

To great Atrides' age his handmaid bore;

To Helen's bed the gods alone assign

Hermione, to extend the regal line;

On whom a radiant pomp oh Graces wait,

Resembling Venus in attractive state.

While this gay friendly troop the king surround,

With festival and mirth the roofs resound;

A bard amid the joyous circle sings

High airs attemper'd to the vocal strings;

Whilst warbling to the varied strain, advance

Two sprightly youths to form the bounding dance,

'Twas then, that issuing through the palace gate,

The splendid car roll'd slow in regal state:

On the bright eminence young Nestor shone,

And fast beside him great Ulysses' son;

Grave Eteoneous saw the pomp appear,

And speeding, thus address'd the royal ear;

"Two youths approach, whose semblant features prove

Their blood devolving from the source of Jove

Is due reception deign'd, or must they bend

Their doubtful course to seek a distant friend?"

"Insensate! (with a sigh the king replies,)

Too long, misjudging, have I thought thee wise

But sure relentless folly steals thy breast,

Obdurate to reject the stranger-guest;

To those dear hospitable rites a foe,

Which in my wanderings oft relieved my woe;

Fed by the bounty of another's board,

Till pitying Jove my native realm restored--

Straight be the coursers from the car released,

Conduct the youths to grace the genial feast."

The seneschal, rebuked, in haste withdrew;

With equal haste a menial train pursue:

Part led the coursers, from the car enlarged,

Each to a crib with choicest grain surcharged;

Part in a portico, profusely graced

With rich magnificence, the chariot placed;

Then to the dome the friendly pair invite,

Who eye the dazzling roofs with vast delight;

Resplendent as the blaze of summer noon,

Or the pale radiance of the midnight moon.

From room to room their eager view they bend

Thence to the bath, a beauteous pile, descend;

Where a bright damsel train attends the guests

With liquid odours, and embroider'd vests.

Refresh'd, they wait them to the bower of state,

Where, circled with his pears, Atrides sate;

Throned next the king, a fair attendant brings

The purest product of the crystal springs;

High on a massy vase of silver mould,

The burnish'd laver flames with solid gold,

In solid gold the purple vintage flows,

And on the board a second banquet rose.

When thus the king, with hospitable port;

"Accept this welcome to the Spartan court:

The waste of nature let the feast repair,

Then your high lineage and your names declare;

Say from what sceptred ancestry ye claim,

Recorded eminent in deathless fame,

For vulgar parents cannot stamp their race

With signatures of such majestic grace."

Ceasing, benevolent he straight assigns

The royal portion of the choicest chines

To each accepted friend; with grateful haste

They share the honours of the rich repast.

Sufficed, soft whispering thus to Nestor's son,

His head reclined, young Ithacus begun:

"View'st thou unmoved, O ever-honour'd most!

These prodigies of art, and wondrous cost!

Above, beneath, around the palace shines

The sunless treasure of exhausted mines;

The spoils of elephants the roofs inlay,

And studded amber darts the golden ray;

Such, and not nobler, in the realms above

My wonder dictates is the dome of Jove."

The monarch took the word, and grave replied:

"Presumptuous are the vaunts, and vain the pride

Of man, who dares in pomp with Jove contest,

Unchanged, immortal, and supremely blest!

With all my affluence, when my woes are weigh'd,

Envy will own the purchase dearly paid.

For eight slow-circling years, by tempests toss'd,

From Cypress to the far Phoenician coast

(Sidon the capital), I stretch'd my toil

Through regions fatten'd with the flows of Nile.

Next Aethiopia's utmost bound explore,

And the parch'd borders of the Arabian shore;

Then warp my voyage on the southern gales,

O'er the warm Lybian wave to spread my sails;

That happy clime, where each revolving year

The teeming ewes a triple offspring bear;

And two fair crescents of translucent horn

The brows of all their young increase adorn:

The shepherd swains, with sure abundance blest,

On the fat flock and rural dainties feast;

Nor want of herbage makes the dairy fail,

But every season fills the foaming pail.

Whilst, heaping unwash'd wealth, I distant roam,

The best of brothers, at his natal home,

By the dire fury of a traitress wife,

Ends the sad evening of a stormy life;

Whence, with incessant grief my soul annoy'd,

These riches are possess'd, but not enjoy'd!

My wars, the copious theme of every tongue,

To you your fathers have recorded long.

How favouring Heaven repaid my glorious toils

With a sack'd palace, and barbaric spoils.

Oh! had the gods so large a boon denied

And life, the just equivalent supplied

To those brave warriors, who, with glory fired

Far from their country, in my cause expired!

Still in short intervals of pleasing woe.

Regardful of the friendly dues I owe,

I to the glorious dead, for ever dear!

Indulge the tribute of a grateful tear.

But oh! Ulysses--deeper than the rest

That sad idea wounds my anxious breast!

My heart bleeds fresh with agonizing pain;

The bowl and tasteful viands tempt in vain;

Nor sleep's soft power can close my streaming eyes,

When imaged to my soul his sorrows rise.

No peril in my cause he ceased to prove,

His labours equall'd only by my love:

And both alike to bitter fortune born,

For him to suffer, and for me to mourn!

Whether he wanders on some friendly coast,

Or glides in Stygian gloom a pensive ghost,

No fame reveals; but, doubtful of his doom,

His good old sire with sorrow to the tomb

Declines his trembling steps; untimely care

Withers the blooming vigour of his heir;

And the chaste partner of his bed and throne

Wastes all her widow'd hours in tender moan."

While thus pathetic to the prince he spoke,

From the brave youth the streaming passion broke;

Studious to veil the grief, in vain repress'd,

His face he shrouded with his purple vest.

The conscious monarch pierced the coy disguise,

And view'd his filial love with vast surprise:

Dubious to press the tender theme, or wait

To hear the youth inquire his father's fate.

In this suspense bright Helen graced the room;

Before her breathed a gale of rich perfume.

So moves, adorn'd with each attractive grace,

The silver shafted goddess of the chase!

The seat of majesty Adraste brings,

With art illustrious, for the pomp of kings;

To spread the pall (beneath the regal chair)

Of softest wool, is bright Alcippe's care.

A silver canister, divinely wrought,

In her soft hands the beauteous Phylo brought;

To Sparta's queen of old the radiant vase

Alcandra gave, a pledge of royal grace;

For Polybus her lord (whose sovereign sway

The wealthy tribes of Pharian Thebes obey),

When to that court Atrides came, caress'd

With vast munificence the imperial guest:

Two lavers from the richest ore refined,

With silver tripods, the kind host assign'd;

And bounteous from the royal treasure told

Ten equal talents of refulgent gold.

Alcandra, consort of his high command,

A golden distaff gave to Helen's hand;

And that rich vase, with living sculpture wrought,

Which heap'd with wool the beauteous Phylo brought

The silken fleece, impurpled for the loom,

Rivall'd the hyacinth in vernal...