to make way themselves they then divide Then to the house they brought the body in And plac'd it on a bed Then Singers by They set the lamentation to begin Their Song they sung to which the women sigh Then to lament Andromache began O my dear Husband you have lost your life Unhappily that were but a young man And made a wretched Widow of your Wife And with me left behind a tender Son To evil fate begot by you and me To see him grow a man I hope have none This City first I fear destroy'd will be Since you are gone that was our sole defence T' Achaia now the Wives of Troy must go And with them I. And you my Child must hence And in vile work employ'd be by the Fo Or you may by some spightful man or other Be from the Wall or some high Tower thrown For Hector's sake that killed has his Brother Or Father or his Son before the Town For many of the Greeks has Hector slain He went not to the Battle bashfully For which the Trojans now are in great pain And I your loving Wife especially O that you thus should in the dust be laid And not give me your hand before you di'd Without a word upon your Death-bed said For me to think on Then the women sigh'd And Hecuba began Hector said she Of all my Sons to me you were most dear And when arrived was your Destinie You by the Gods though dead beloved were My other Sons when any taken by Achilles were beyond-Sea carri'd were And sold and made to suffer slavery At Samos Imbros Lemnos or elsewhere But when of life he had deprived you Because his friend Patroclus you had slain About his Monument he oft you drew Though that could not bring him to life again But now he sent it to me has again As fresh and as well colour'd as if by Apollo's gentle Shafts he had been slain This said agen the people sob and sigh Then Helen took her turn Hector said she Whom best I lov'd of all my Brother-laws For you were so since Paris marri'd me Though when I marri'd him accurst I was Now twenty years 't is since I came to Troy And never did an ill word from you hear And when your Kindred of me ill did say You took my part and made them to forbear Since you are gone my joy is at an end And in your death I moan my own estate That now amongst the Trojans have no friend Who hate me as the Author of their Fate This said with tears provokt the peoples pity But Priam then unto them spake and said Go Trojans now and fetch wood to the City You need not of the Argives be afraid Achilles when I parted from his Tent Eleven days allow'd my Son t' inter And fetch down wood without impediment So long the Argives should from fight forbear This said to th'Hills with Oxen and with Wains And Mules they went and busie were about This work nine days together and took pains Upon the tenth the body was brought out And on the top of the great wood pile laid And fire put to 't and all day long it burned And all the night When morning was displaiâ—d Again the Trojans to the Pile returned And th'Embers with black Wine extinguished His bones then by his Brothers and his Kin Were from the ground together gathered And by them to an Urn of Gold laid in The Urn with Purple Robes then cover'd over Into a Grave which soon was made they laid The Grave with many and great stones they cover And last of all because they were afraid Before their work were done the Greeks would come They sent out Scouts on ev'ry side to spy And ore his Grave in hast they raise a Tomb. This done away they went and by and by To Priam's house they came again and there He made a splendid Supper for them all Then home they went well pleased with their â—hear Thus ended noble Hector's Funeral FINIS THE WORKES of Homer Engl by T Hobbes London Printed for W Crooke at the green Dragon without Temple Barr. 1677. HOMER'S Odysses Translated out of Greek By THO HOBBES Of Malmsbury The Second EDITION LONDON Printed for W. Crook at the green Dragon without Temple-Barre 1677. Licensed Roger L'Estrange THE LIFE OF HOMER Collected and Written By J. Wallim HOmer whose proper name was Melesigenes was born in the Country of Aeolia about 160 years after the Siege of Troy which was about the year of the World 3665 of Critheis Daughter of Melanopus and Omyris who after her Father and Mothers death was left to a Friend of her Fathers at Cuma who when he found she was with child in displeasure he sent her away to a friends at a place nigh the River Meles where at a Feast among other young women she was dilivered of a Son whose name she called Melesigenes from the place where he was born Critheis went with her Son to Ismenias and after to Smyrna where she dressed Wool to get a livelyhood for her self and Son Phemius the Schoolmaster taking a fancy to her married her and took her Son into the School who by his sharâ—ness of Wit outwent all the School in Wisdome and Learning In a short time after his Master dying he taught the same School and gained great reputation by his Learning not onely at Smyrna but all the Countries round about for the Merchants that did frequent Smyrna with Corn c. did spread his Fame about Amongst which Merchants one Mentes Master of a ship of Leucadia took that kindness for him that be perswaded him to leave his Seâ—â—ool and travel with him which he did by whom he was maintained well and plentifully in his Travels They went to Spain from thence to Italy and from Italy through several Câ—â—â—tries and at last came to Ithaca where a violent Rheum fell into the Eyes of Homer that he could not travel any further so that Mentes left him with a friend of his called Mentor a person of great Riches and Honour in Ithaca where Homer learned the principal matters relating to Ulysses Life But Mentes the next year came back the same way and finding Homer recovered in his eyes took him in his Travels They went through many Countries till they came to Colophon where he fell into his old distemper of his eyes and there grew quite blind after which he adicted himself to Poetry but being poor he went to Smyrna expecting to get better encouragement there but being disappointed of his expectation he went to Cuma and as he went he rested at a Town called New-wall where he repeated some of his Verses and one Tichio a Leather seller took such delight to hear them that he entertained him kindly for a long time After he proceeded on his Journey to Cuma and when be came there he was well received and he had some friends in the Senate that did propose to have had a maintainance settled on him
might himself restore And rising up his Coat he first puts on And to his smooth white feet his Shoes he ty'd And then above his Coat he cast upon His Back a great and tawny Lions hide And Menelaus too that waking lay And trembling in his bed all night for fear The Greeks that for his sake were come to Troy Should fall into some great disaster there Rose up and to his Brothers Tent went in A Spear he had in 's hand and armed was Having upon his back a Leopards skin And on his Head a Helmet good of Brass And said to Agamemnon Brother Why So early up Have you a mind to send Into the Army of the Foe some Spy I fear you will not find so bold a friend As thither dares to go i' th' night alone Brother said Agamemnon you and I Must better counsel take than we have done Since Jove now favoureth the Enemy And takes in Hector's Sacrifice delight For so much harm so soon was never done As he to us has done in one days fight Yet nor of God nor Goddess is the Son His this days Acts the Greeks will ne'er forget But go you to the Princes quickly Run Call up Idomeneus the King of Creet And the great Ajax Son of Telamon While I call Nestor up and bring him to The place which is appointed for the guard T' instruct the men with what they have to do Because his Counsel they will most regard For by his Son the Watch commanded is Aâ—â— with him we Meriones have join'd Then Menelaus farther askt him this That he might fully understand his mind When they are call'd what next is to be done Must I stay here till you come back again Or after you about the Army run No no said he where you are now remain But going call upon each one aloud And by the name he from his Father takes And praise them all let them not think you proud Pain is no shame when 't is for our own sakes This said they part and Agamemnon went To seek out Nestor whom he found a bed And all his Armour by him in his Tent His Shield two Spears and Helmet for his Head And Belt of many Colours finely wrought Which alwaies he was wont in War to use When he his people unto Battle brought No Labour would he on his age excuse Now raised on his Elbow Who said he Are you that walk abroad when others sleep Stay there I say and come no nearer me Until your name you tell at distance keep Seek you some Officer or Camerade I Agamemnon am said he your friend Whom Jove to bear such miseries hath made As while I live will never have an end And in my bed no sleep at all I take For fear of some unfortunate event Unsetled is my Heart my Limbs all shake And in this plight I wandred to your Tent And now I pray you since you waking lye Come with me to the Watch for since the Foe Unto our Wall encamped is so nigh They charge us may by night for ought we know To this old Nestor answer made and said Think not Atrides Jove will all things do As they are now in Hector's fancy laid For harder work he would be put unto If we Achilles can but once appease But go I 'll follow you and call upon Tydides and Ulysses if you please Ajax the less and Meges Phyleus Son I wish some other man of nimbler feet Were to great Ajax sent to make him rise And to Idomeneus the King of Crete Whose quarter from this place a great way lyes But Menelaus I intend to chide That sleeps and leaves the work to you alone 'T is no fit time within his Tent t' abide But to the Princes should himself have gone To Nestor Agamemnon then reply'd O Nestor he is often negligent And often I have pray'd you him to chide Yet 't is not sloth but my Commandement He always looks for though there be no cause And yet to night he has prevented me For up and arm'd before me now he was And when he came I sent him presently To call up Ajax and the King of Creet And at the Watch we both of them shall see Where I appointed have the rest to meet Nestor again reply'd 'T is well said he The Greeks will of him have a better thought And teadier obedience he will find This said he put himself into his Coat And ty'd his Shooes on and his Cloak well lin'd And took his Spear in hand Then on they went Amongst the Argive Ships upon the sand And when they came unto Ulysses Tent To call and waken him they made a stand And Nestor with his voice stretcht to the height Call'd to him by his name Ulysses streight Came forth and said Why come you in the night Your bus'ness sure must be of mighty weight O Laërtiades said Nestor then Take it not ill Such is our misery But come with us to call up other men That we may Counsel take to fight or fly Ulysses then return'd into his Tent And on his shoulder hung his painted Shield And with them first to Diomed he went Whom they found armed in the open field His Soldiers sleeping lay about him round And on his Buckler each one had his head The Butt-ends of their Spears fixt in the ground Whereof the points like Lightning glittered But he himself slept on a good Cow-hide His Head upon a gaudy Carpet laid Then Nestor came and standing at his side Awakt him with his foot and to him said Awake Tydides hear you not how nigh The Trojans are encamped to the Fleet This said Tydides leapt up suddenly And when he raised was upon his feet Nestor said he unhappy restless man That aged as you are take not your ease When younger men there are that better can Call up the Argive Princes if they please 'T is true said Nestor I have at my Tent Sons of my own and others can command Who might upon such Errands have been sent But that upon the very brink we stand Of Life and Death And since you pity me Call little Ajax up and Phyleus Son For young you are and can do 't easilie Tydides then a Lions skin puts on Tauny and reaching to his heels and then Into his hand he took a heavy Spear And out he went and called up those men When to the Watch they come together were The Captains of the Watch were not asleep But all were sitting at their Arms awake As Dogs that guarding are a Fold of Sheep Hearing the noise the Hounds and Hunters make When in the Woods they chace some savage beast And nearer still and nearer hear the cries They doubt the worst and cannot take their rest But list'ning stand and sleep forsakes their eyes So watchfully spent they the tedious night And ever when of Feet they heard the tread 'Twixt them and Troy that way they turn'd their sight So much they Hectors coming on did dread
th'Bark But that the Devil and excess of Wine Made me to fall and break my Neck i' th' dark I went to bed late by a Ladder steep At top o' th' house the Room was where I lay Wak't at the noise of parting half asleep Headlong I hither came the nearest way Now I adjure you by your Father and Your Wife and Son and all his Seed to come For I assured am that you will land Where Circe dwells before your going home To see I have the Rites due to the dead Fear th'anger of the Gods above and burn My body with my arms from foot to head And cast on earth to cover o're my Urn. This done for men hereafter sailing by Raise me a little Tomb of Earth by th' shore That they may ear'ly see where 't is I lie Lastly upon it upright plant my Oar. All this quoth I I 'll do upon my word Thus we discours'd amongst the shades He stood While I continu'd with my naked Sword To keep the Sprights from tasting of the blood Then came Anticlia my Mother's Ghost Alive I left her when to Troy I failâ—d To fight against it in the Argive Host Now seeing her exceedingly I wail'd And though I grieved were to keep away My Mother from the loved blood yet still In the same posture patiently I stay Till I might know Tiresias his will Then came the Soul of old Tiresias And of the Gilded-Staff he had in 's hand Poor man quoth he perceiving what I was What brought thee hither to this ugly Land Stand back a while and take your Sword away That I may drink and the Unerring word Of Fate deliver to you I obey Retire and up I put my trusty Sword Then said the good old Prophet You are come Honour'd Ulysses to inquire of me What the Gods say about your going home I tell you true 't will not be easily I think you 'll not escape at Sea unseen Of angry Neptune who I do not doubt Will do his worst and make you feel his spleen For Polyphemus eye which you put out Yet for all that you may to Ithaca Safely return if you can but command Your passion when in th' Isle Thrinacia An Island lying in your way you land There feed the Kine of the all-seeing Sun And Flocks of goodly Sheep Hurt none of these Then shall your Ship her course with safety run At length to Ithaca though not with ease But if you touch them I denounce a wrack To your good Ship and death to all your Crew And though your self may happen to come back At last and this unhappy Fate eschew 'T will be alone and in a ship not yours Besides that when you are returned home You 'll fall into the danger of the Wooers Who for your Wifes and Meats sake thither come But you will be reveng'd of these and when You shall have made away these Wooers go With Oar on shoulder to a Land where men Inhabit that the briny Sea not know Nor ever mingle salt with what they eat Nor ever saw the ship with crimson face Nor yet those Wings which do the water beat Call'd Oars to make your good ship go apace Now mark me well when thou shalt meet a man Just at the end of Neptune's utmost bound Bearing upon his shoulder a Corn fan Stick down thy lusly Oar upon the ground There Sacrifice to the Worlds Admiral For new admittance a Ram Boar and Bull Then home again and offer unto all The Gods by name an hundred Oxen full Your death will not ungentle be for which Age shall prepare you and your Soulâ—unglew Insensibly Your people shall be rich Which round about you dwell All this is true Tiresias quoth I when he had done 'T is well My Mother yonder I espâ—e Amongst the shades she knoweth not her Son What shall I do to make her know 't is I That quoth he I 'can tell you easily What Soul soever you admit to drink To what you ask will make a true reply Those you put back back into Heâ—l will slink The Prophet having thus my fate foretold Into the house of Pluto back retir'd I o're the blood my former posture hold But let my Mother drink as she desir'd She knewâ—nâ—e then and wept My Son said she How came you to this place of ours so dark Th' Ocean and so many Gulphs there be 'Twixt you and us that but with a good Bark No living man can pass Come you but now From Troy and all this while have wandring been You and your Company You have I trow Your wife Penâ—lope by this time seen Mother said I the cause I came this way VVas to ask counsel of Tiresias Since I with Agamemnon went to Troy In Ithaca or Greece I neveâ— was But Mother tell me pray you how came you Unto this place was it by Sickness long Or did Diaâ—a with a death undue Send you down hither to this feeble throng And tell me if my Father and my Son Remain as formerly in their estate Or that some Prince of Greece my wife have won Supposing me now cast away by Fate Tell me besides whether Penelope Remain at home together with my Son Assisting him to rule my Family Or whether she be married and gone Your wife said she does still continue there For your long absence weepeth days and nights Your Son still holds his own and makes good cheaâ— Oft he invited is and oft invites Your Father from his Vineyard never budges Rich Coverlets and Bedding he refuses Ne're comes to th'Town in winter with his Drudges To lay him down sleep by th' fire he uses In vile array in Summer-time he creeps Till Vintage pass about his Fruit-trees round And visits them each one at night he sleeps On Bed of heaped leaves upon the ground Thus lies he griev'd and pining with the thought Of your sad fate afflicted too with age The like sad thoughts me also hither brought I neither died by Diana's rage Nor any long consuming Malady But very woe thinking that you were dead My Noble dear Ulysses made me die My Soul thus hither from my Body fled When she had spoken I would very fain Have ta'ne her in my arms three times I graspt At the beloved Shadow but in vain Mine arms I closed but did nothing clasp Sore griev'd hereat I said unto my Mother I am your Son why do you fly me so Why may we not embracing one another Although in Hell give ease unto our woe Hath Proserpine my sorrows to augment Sent me a Phantome in my Mothers stead Oh no quoth she my Son sh 'ad no intent T' abuse you 'T is the nature of the Dead We are no longer Sinews Flesh and Bones We are Substances Incorporeal All that 's consumed i' th' Fun'ral fire when once That 's done it in it self stands several Flies like a Dream No go your ways to th'light And tell all I have told you to your Wife That she may know in
save me can Welcome you are then said Telemachus Aboard let 's go where you shall have such chear As we can make and hath contented us Then took and on the deck he laid his Spear And up into the Ship he went and at The Stern he plac'd himself and close by him The Stranger Theoclymenus down sat Then bids Telemachus the ship to trim And straight the Mast upright they set and bind And hoise their Sails with ropes of good Cow-hide And Pallas sent them a good strong forewind And swiftly did the Ship the Sea divide The Sun was down and doubtful was the light When he to Pherae came and passed by And then by Elis coasted he all night And came unto the Thoae Islands nigh And thought upon the Suiters in his way Ulysses and Eumaeus supping sat And when their hunger they had put away The Tables gone they leasure had to chat And then Ulysses had a mind to know Whether Eumaeus rather had he staid Ich ' Lodge with him or to the City go And to the Company he spake and said Hear me Eumaeus and you all his Friends I stay here helping to consume your meat My mind me to the City rather bends For Bread and Wine there begging I shall get But I must then entreat you to provide Some good man to go with me Being there Necessity it self will be my guide To find the houses where there is good chear And if I go unto Ulysses Doors Unto Penelope I can tell news And make my self well known unto the Woo'rs And they to give me meat will not resuse I can do any service that they will Thank Mercury to whom I owe that good Few be they can compare with me for skill To make a Fire or to cleave out Wood To roast and carve Meat or Wine to give out Or any thing that Great Mens Servants do Ay me Eumaeus said Poor man what thought Is this of yours D' ye long to perish so As you must do if you among them stay Their insolence is known up to the Sky You are not like their Serving men For they Are young and are apparell'd handsomely With Coat and Vest Their heads and faces shine With Unguents sweet Stay therefore here with me There 's none that at your staying doth repine Nor I nor any of my Company Telemachus when he comes home agen Shall give you Garments a fair Coat and Vest And good Shooes also to your feet and then See you convoy'd to what place you think best To this Ulysses-answered and said O that Jove lov'd you but as well as I You have me from a wreâ—ched wandring staid The Belly brings to men much misery Then said Ulysses Since I am to stay Say of Ulysses Parents if you know His Father and his Mother whether they Be both remaining yet alive or no. To this Eumaeus said Laertes lives But wofully and weary of his life Still for the absence of his Son he grieves But more lamenteth the death of his Wife The loss of her was that first made him old She di'd for grief thinking her Son was dead As sad a death it was as can be told May we from such death be delivered While she was living though she grieved were When cause there was I could have askt her mind Freely For why with her own Daughter dear She brought me up and never was but kind This Daughter Ctimene when come of age For she the youngest was to Same went To a rich man given in Marriage But I well clad in Câ—at and Vest was sent And shooeâ— upon my seet into the field For she a purpose had to do me good But now the time does no such kindness yield And yet the blessed Gods provide me food For they so well have multipli'd my Swine That we have still enough of meat and drink And wherewithal to make a poor man dine Although the Suiter riot make them shrink â—ot since this woe Penelope befel 'T is harsh to her to hear of business Yet Servants need her both to ask and tell All that belongeth to their Offices And also sometimes may be need they had I' th' house to eat and carry somewhat home Of that whereof Servants are most part glad And which unto their Lodges never come Ho said Ulysses since it doth appear You were a Traveller when but a Boy Tell me I pray what your Adventures were And what your sufferings were upon the way Was your Town plund'red by the Enemies And you brought hither as a part o' th' prey Or been by Thieves for you were no ill prize As you kept Sheep or Cattle brought away Then said Eumaeus Since to hear the Story Of how I hâ—ther came it is your pleasure Sit patiently the Wine there stands before ye For sleep and joy the long nights give us leasure It is not good too soon to go to bed For too much sleep is but a weariness The rest that will may go and morning spread Drive forth the Swine which is their business Mean while let us sit here and drink and chat And Stories of our sad Adventures tell For much contentment there is ev'n in that To them that suffer'd have and come off well But to my Story now An Isle there is Under the Tropique of the Sun not great Call'd Syria but very fertile 't is Well stor'd with Kine and Sheep and Wine and Wheat Where Famine never enter'd nor Disease Amongst the people When a man was aged Dian ' and Phoebus made him die with ease And gentle shafts the pain of death asswaged Two Towns it had Their Laws were not the same But of them both my Father was the King Phoenician Merchants Rats then thither came And in their Ships did many Baubles bring There then was in my Fathers house a Maid Phoenician born that well could sowe and spin As washing Clothes she at the Seas side staid One of these Merchants sooth'd her into fin For good Work women may be made do that If flâ—tter'd well And then he askt her name And whence she was And truth she told the Rat. From Sidon said she a rich Town I came And Daughter am of wealthy Arybas But Taphian Thâ—eves took me by force away As homewards from the field I going was And sold me to this man with whom I stay Then said the Merchant man that did her wiâ—e Will you to Sidon home return with me And see your Parents They are still alive And rich as heretofore I will said she If you and all your company will swear At Sidon you will set me safe ashore And when all sworn and agreed on it were The woman spake again and this said more If any of you see me in the streeâ— Or at the Well speak not at all to me Lest any of the house should chance to see 't And tell my Master Jealous he will be Put me in Bonds and seek you to destroy Buy quickly what you buy and ready be And
therefore now have felt the Heav'nly Rods And brought upon themselves untimely death But tell me Nurse-how many women be That me dishonour and do wickedness Fifty said she do serve Penelope And learn to work and wait no more nor less Of these there twelve be that are impudent And care not for me nor Penelope Telemachus was young the Government To him of Maids might not well trusted be But now I 'll to my Ladies Chamber go Where she 's asleep Some God has clos'd her eyes To tell her you are here But he said No First call those women who do me despise And have behav'd themselves dishonestly Euryclea obeys and and goes her way And call'd those women Come away said she Telemachus i' th' Hall does for you stay Mean while Ulysses call'd Telemachus Unto him and his faithful Servants two Trusty Eumaeus and Philoetius Hear me said he what I would have you do Make these lewd women carry hence the dead The Chairs and Tables in the Hall make clean And when that bus'ness they have finished Into the Court make them go forth agen Into that narrow place 'twixt th' house and hedge Till they forget the Suiters Venery Make them of your sharp Swords to feel the edge And for their stoln unclean delight to die Then came the women down into the Hall Wailing and tears abundantly they shed And presently unto their work they fall Into the Porch they carry out the dead Ulysses giving order standeth by Telemachus then and Philoetius Also Fumaeus do with shovels ply The Pavement dawb'd with blood and cleanse 〈◊〉 house Scraping together dust and blood and that The women also carry out adore But when this bus'ness now an end was at There rested for them yet one bus'ness more They brought them thence into the narrow place From whence there was no hope at all to fly You said Telemachus for the disgrace Done to me and my Mother must not die An honest death This having said he stretcht Between two Pillars high a great strong Rope That with their feet the ground could not be reacht Hung there they sprawl'd awhile but could not drop Then down they drag'd Melantheus and his Nose And Ears with cruel sleel from 's head they tear And brake his Arms and Legs with many blows And to the Dogs to eat they threw his Gear Their work now done they washt their hands feet And to Ulysses in the Hall they went Who having found the place not very sweet For Brimstone call'd to take away the scent Euryclea said he ferch Brimstone hither And Fire and also wake Penelope And bid her Maids come to me all together But hasten them to come Then answer'd she Dear Child 't is well said But first let me go And bring you better Cloaths a Coat and Vest These Rags become you not Then said he No. Bring me fire first and after do the rest Then Fire she brought and Brimstone presently Wherewith he aired both the Court and Hall The Nurse then up goes to the Rooms on high To call the Maids T' Ulysser they came all They weep and sob and all embrace Ulysses And kits his head and shoulders shake his hand And he again saluteth them with kisses Weeping for joy they all about him stand LIB XXIII TH' old woman to the upper Rooms ascended To wake Penelope and let her know Her Husband was return'd Her joy amended Much had her pace and well she ambled now And standing at her head Rise Child said she The Gods at last have granted you your wishes Come down into the Hall where you shall see The so long by you wisht-for man Ulysses The Suiters he has killed ev'ry one Who needs the Stewards of his house would be In despight of Telemachus his Son And live upon his Substance lavishly To her again Penelope thus spake The Goâ—â— Euryclea sure have made you mad The Gods can wise men fools and fools wise make The Gods have done you hurt more Wit you had You do me wrong that know how little sleep I have enjoyed since he went to Troy I never so well slept since but still weep And now you come and wake me with a toy Be gone if 't had been any Maid but you I should have sent her not well pleas'd away But to your age some more respect is due Go down again into the House you may Dear Child said she I mock not for 't is true Ulysses is i' th' house That Stranger 's he Telemachus and no man else him knew And known to others would not let him be Till they these proud and naughty men had kill'd Penelope then starting from the bed Embrac'd the Nurse her eye with tears were fill'd And as yet doubtful still she questioned Euryclea is all this true you say Is he indeed come home Be serious How could he the proud Suiters all destroy He being but one they many in the House Nor saw nor askr I but I heard the groans Of dying men for up we were all shut Within our doors and lockt up all at once And of our lives into a fear were put Till me your Son Telemachus call'd out To come t' Ulysses In the Hall he stood And there in heaps the slain lay him about That like a Lion stood besmear'd with blood You would have joy'd to see him Now they lie I' th' Court all in one heap But busie he Is airing of the house a great fire by And for to call you hither has sent me But come that in each other you may joy For now at last your wishes granted be Ulysses come your Son is past a Boy And their revenge upon the Woo'rs they see Nurse answered she triumph not out of season For to be glad to see him in the house You know there none is that have so much reason As I have and our Son Teâ—emachus But 't is not truth you tell me What you say Will come at last to nothing else but this It was some God that did the Suiters slay Hating the sight of what they did amiss There never man came to them that can boast He parted from them without injuries So by their wickedness their lives they lost Ulysses may have perisht for all this Euryclea to this again repli'd Dear Chid what words are these that from you come Ulysses stands i' th' Hall at the fires side And yet you say he never will come home But well I 'll tell you now a surer signe When I was washing of his legs and feet I saw where th'wound was giv'n him by the Swine And had then told you had he thought it meet But with his hand for that cause stopt my breath Come I will lay my life on 't willingly If it be false put me to cruel death To this Penelope did then reply The purpose of the Gods wire though you be You know not Nurse But I 'll go to my Son And there upon the place with him I 'll
Call'd Oars to make the good ship go apace Now mark me well When you shall meet a man Just at the end of Neptunes utmost bound Bearing upon his shoulder a Corn-fan Stick down your lusty Oar upon the ground There sacrifice to the worlds Admiral For new admittance a Ram Boar and Bull. Then home again and offer unto all The Gods by name a hundred Oxen full Your death will not ungentle be for which Age shall prepare you and your Soul unglew Insensibly Your People shall be rich Which round about you dwell All this is true Then said Penelope If this be all Since your old age the Gods will happy make The sorrow yet to come can be but small Whilst thus this couple t 'one another spake Mean while their bed with cov'rings soft was clad The Maids return'd i'th'Hall before them stand Euryâ—ome a Torch to light them had And carri'd it before them in her hand Then parting left them under Marriage-Law Telemachus and the good Servants two When they had to the Dancers said Hola Unto their Beds within the Palace go Ulysses and Penelope their joy Converted had into a new content She to Ulysses telleth the annoy She suffer'd from her Suiters impudent What havock they had made of Cows and Sheep And many Barrels of her Wine had wasted And he to her what hurt o' th' Land and Deep He done and suffer'd had While his Tale lasted Well pleas'd she was and had no list to sleep He told her how the Cicons he had beaten How Lote from love of home his men did keep How Cyclops his Companions had eaten And in revenge how he had made him blind How to convey him home he did obtain Of Aeolus a leather-bag of wind Which breaking Prison blew him back again And how in Laestrigonia he lost His good ships all but one in which he was Told her the wiles of Circe what the Ghost In Hell said to him of Tiresias To whom he went his fortune for to know In a black ship and with his Mother there Dâ—scoursed and saw many a one laid low That in the Argive Host had been his Peer And how he heard the tempting Sireus sing In consort and scap'd safely by and how By th'shifting Rocks Charybdis vomiting And Scylla's clutches he did safely â—ow How to Ogygia he came and how Calypso kept him in a Cave where she To be his wife did promise to bestow Upon him Youth and Immortality How to Phaeacia he came where he Much honour'd was and thence by Sea did come Enricht by publique liberality With Brass and Gold and costly Vestures home And at these words sleep seised on his eyes When Pallas thought Ulysses satisfi'd With bed and sleep she makes the morning rise And day from Mortals now no longer hide Ulysses rose and speaking to his Wife We have said he both of us had much wo You for my absence weeping out your life And I because the Gods would have it so But since we now again united be Look to the goods within My folds I 'll fill Partly with booty from the Enemy And many also my Friends give me will Now to my grieved Father I must go And therefore with your Maids go up again For ere the Sun be up the Town will know That in my House the Suiters all are slain Do not so much as look out or enquire This said he puts on Arms. To â—â—m also His Son and his two men he did require Then they got up and there stood armed too Then open'd they the door and forth they went Ulysses led the way Daylight was spread But Pallas out of Town them safely sent Into the Field and undiscovered LIB XXIV MEan while unto the house came Mercury A Golden Rod he carri'd in his hand Wherewith he lays asleep a Mortal eye And opens it again with the same Wand And at the bloody-heap he calls away The Suiters Souls They all about him fly And as the Rod directeth them the way They follow all but screaming fearfully As in some venerable hollow Cave Where Bats that are at roost upon a stone And from the ledge one chance a fall to have The rest scream out and hold fast one by one So screaming all the Souls together fly And first pass by Oceanus his Streams Then by Sol's Gate and Rock of Leucady And then they passed through the Town of Dreams And in a trice to th'Mead of Asphodel And saw the Soul there of Peleiades For there the Souls of wretched Mortals dwell And of Patroclus and Nestorides The Soul of Ajax Son of Telamon Was also there who ' mongst those Warriours tall The goodliest person was except the Son Of Peleus who did much excel them all To these Atrides Soul came from hard by And theirs whose death had joyned been with his And by Aegistus hand were made to die Then to Atrides said Achilles this Atrides we thought you of all the Host That came to fight against the Town of Troy Had been by the high Gods beloved most For in the Army you bore greatest sway Yet afterwards the first you were to fall T 'had better been Commanding t' have been slain Then had you had a noble Funeral And Tomb whereby your glory might remain But now you di'd a miserable death To this Atrides Soul thus answered Happy were you at Troy to lose your breath With other Argives that there perished Fighting about you in your dusty Bed Stretcht out your feats of Horsmanship forgot But fighting we all day continued And till we gain'd your Body ceased not Nor had we ceased then but for the storm And then we bare your Body to the Fleet And there the blemishes thereof reform With water fair and warm and Unguents sweet The Greeks about you wept and cut their hair Your Mother and her Nymphs then come roar'd Th' Achaean Army was in such a sear That they were ready all to run aboard But Nestor whose advice most carrant was Cri'd Stay you Argives this â—s not the noise Of armed Foes but Thetis now doth pass With all her Nymphs of them this is the voice Then they all fearless staid And the Nymphs stood Mourning and clothed him with Garments meet The Muses nine in turn with voices good Singing made all the standers to weep And seventeen days both Gods and men we mourn On the eighteenth we Sheep and Cattle slay And then in Godlike Cloaths your Body burn With many Unguents sweet that on it lay Both Foot and Horse many the Pile sustain And loudly shout and Vulcan makes an end Only the Bones and nothing else remain Which with pure Wine and Unguents sweet we blend Your Mother sent the Urn by Vulcan made But given her by Bacchus and therein Noble Achilles your white bones we laid Mixt with Patroclus you delighted in By yours the ashes of Antilochus Whom next Patroclus was to you most dear We placed in an Urn apart and thus Over you all one