bids one fill the Temperer With Wine that aged was eleven year From out a Vessel first uncover'd then And when the Wine and Water mixed were Then Nestor prai'd and offered And when The Offrings to the Goddess ended were The rest unto their lodgings went away Telemachus by Nestor stai'd was there And in a soft and costly bed he lay And near unto him lay Pisistratus Who of the Sons of Nestor was the last And Nestor in the inmost part of th' house Where by the Queen his wife his bed was plac'â— Soon as Aurora did the day restore The old Knight Nestor rose up from his bed And sat upon the Bench before the door Of marble white and smooth that glistered His Father used to sit there before King Neleus but that since he was dead And that King Nestor now the Scepter bore There sat he now and to him gathered Were all his Sons Echephron Stratius Perseus Aretus Godlike Thrasymed Pisistratus Dead was Antilochus Along with them Telemachus they led Then to his Children Nestor spake and said Do quickly Sons what you shall from me hear A Vow I made to Pallas must be paid Who did to me so visibly appear Let one of you unto the Pastures hie And bid a Herdsman bring a Heifer home One to Telemachus his Ship quickly And bid his mates save two all hither come Another bid the Gilder hither come To gild the sacred Heifers horns with speed The rest stay here to look to things at home That all things may be ready that we need Seats dry wood and fair water So said he Then busie were they all The Heifer came And all Telemachus his Company The Gilder came Laerces was his name And every tool that to his Art belongs And necessary is had in his hands His Anvil and his Hammer and his Tongs And Pallas also now amongst them stands Then fell the man to work on Nestor's Gold And so elaborate it was when done That it might please the Goddess to behold Then came in Stratius and Echephron And by the horns they led the Heifer in The Bason and the Ewre and Barly white Aretus brought and with an Axe full keen Stood Thrasymed ready the Beast to smite Then Nestor prai'd and from the Heifers head Cut off some hair and into th' fire it threw Then prai'd the rest and Barly sprinkled Upon the fire and Thrasymed then slew The Heifer with his Axe and cut in twain The tendons of the neck and down she fell And Nestor's Wife and Daughters shout amain To see the sacred act performed well Pisistratus then cuts the Victims throat And up they held it to let out the blood Into a Pail which Perseus thither brought And to that purpose ready with it stood The life together with the blood outflies Then from the Body they the Bowels draw And next cut off the Shoulders and the Thighs As is of Sacrifice the Ritual Law And them slit into two parts they display And cover them all over with sweet fat Shoulder on Shoulder Thigh on Thigh they lay And Nestor on the Altar burneth that And with it on the fire black wine he poured By him a spit was ready with five points The fire the Thighs the men th' Entrails devoured The rest divided was in smaller â—oynts To rost on spits Telemachus the while Into the Bath retired and was there Well bathed and anointed with sweet Oyl By Polycaste Nestor's Daughter dear And in a Robe and Coat clad gloriously And came as if no mortal he had been Into the Hall and sat down Nestor by The meat now ready straightway was brought in Then in the young men came to fill them wine When they with flesh and wine were satisfi'd Then to his Sons said Nestor Children mine The Horses to the Coach see quickly ti'd Away they go and to the Coach they set The Horses swift and in it bread and wine A Maid laid in and with it choiâ—est meat Which none but God-fed Kings eat when they dine Up to the Seat then went Telemachus The Seat was large and capable of two And after him went up Pisistratus And Whip and Reins he took his hands into Toucht with the Whip the Horses take the way And all the day long made their Harness shake The Sun went down dark were the streets Then they At Pherae were And there their rest they take There Diocles Orsilochus his Son Son of Alphaeus them did entertain And with fair Gifts presented them each one But soon as Morning did appear again Their Horses to the Coach again they tie And from the Porch drive them into the way Toucht with the Whip again away they fly The Sun now down and ended was the day LIB IV. ANd then to Lacedaemon come were they And drove up to the House of Menelaus At home they found him For there on that day A double Wedding celebrated was One of his Daughter fair Hermione Whom he before at Troy had promised Of Neoptolemus the wife should be And on this day the same accomplished And her he sent unto the Myrmidons Where reigned he To Pthia she was brought And then the second Wedding was his Son's Whom on a Woman bond he had begot And Megapenthes nam'd For Helens bed Fruitless was after fair Hermione And he Alector's daughter married Of Lacedaemon Citizen was he And now they merry sat that bidden were Making good chear and hearing Voice and Fiddle And wondring at two Tumblers that were there That moving to the time stood in the middle Mean while by th'Horses th'utter Gate without Telemachus stood and Pisistratus Then Eteoneus by chance came out A careful Servant of Menelaus And having seen them in he went agen And being neer to where his Master sate O King said he there are without two men Like Great mens sons with their Coach at the gate Shall I take out their Horses Or shall I Tell them where they may lodged be elsewhere At this Atrides grieved made reply Eteoneus sure once you wiser were Have we not oft by strangers heretofore In our necessity relieved been And I pray God it may be so no more Go loofe the Horses and the men bring in This said he went again with Servants more Takes out the Horses Ties them to the Mangers And throws before them Provender good store Sets up the Coach and then brings in the strangers Who at the beauty of the house amaz'd For bright it shined as the Moon or Sun And when they had sufficiently gazed To where the Bathing-room was walked on After they were well washed and anointed And clothed with soft nappy Cloak and Coat That they should near him sit the King appointed And near unto his Throne their Chairs were brought A Maid the golden Bason and the Ewre To wash their hands over a Caldron brings The Caldron also was of silver pure Another on the Table laid good things Another Bread The Carver also cuts Of every sort of meat the choicest bits
was said forth Menelaus goes To give unto his Wife and Maids command For Break-fast of what then was in the house Then Boetheides who lodg'd near at hand Came in and bidden by Atrides cleaves The wood makes fire lays down the roast Him to his bus'ness then Atrides leaves And down came to his Treasure of great cost He and his Son and Wife Helena There Within a Room lin'd with sweet smelling wood A Temp'rer to his Son he gave to bear Of Silver pure which ' mongst the Vessels stood And from a Chest where Robes for Matrons were She took up one with great varâ—ety Wrought by her self which she her self did bear Shining and bright as any Star i' th' Sky And forth unto Telemachus they come Then said Atrides Jove grant your request And safely may you t' Ithaca come home See here my Gift of all I have the best 'T is massie Silver gilt about the brim By Vulcan made but then it was possest By th' King of Sidon I had it of him When by the way from Troy I was his Guest Then Helen said This Gift too take from me Of Helens handy work a Monument To give to her that your dear Wife shall be Think it mean while as to your Mother sent Then gave it to Telemachus his hands I' th' Coach Pisistratus then placed all And at the goodly Gifts amazed stands Atrides then led them into the Hall And made them sit and while they sitting were A grave Maâ—d-servant from a Golden Ewre To wash their hands pours on the water clear Over a Bason all of Silver pure One Tables sets another lays on Bread And from their store many good things brings out The Messes Boetheides severed Atrides Son the Wine delivered out When their desire of Food was satisfi'd Up rose Telemachus and Nestor's Son And to their Coach they the swift Horses ti'd And in the Coach were ready to be gone And were already got the Court without But after them Atrides followed And in his hand a Gold cup he brought out Of Wine and standing at the Horses head Brave You h said he to Nestor me commend That as a Father was to me at Trey Farewel and may you to your Journeys end With safety travel and arrive with joy Then said Telemachus All this l'll say I wish at home I may so treated be Within my Fathers house at Ithaca Besides the Presents you have given me As he said this an Eagle dexter flew And seis'd a great white tame Goose grazing nearâ— The standers-by shouted and cri'd Shuâ— shue But yet away the Eagle bore him clear And none but with the sight was well content Then to Atrides said Pisistratus This Prodigy unto you is it sent From Jupiter Or is it sent to us While what to answer he was taking care Helen prevented him I will said she First tell you what hereon my own thoughts are And to my mind by th' Gods insused be You saw the Eagle come down from the Hill Where nature placed him to dwell and breed And kill that Goose So shall Ulysses kill The Suiters that upon his Substance feed Or it may be already there he is Devising for the Suiteâ—s some ill end O Gods then said Telemachus that this Were so indeed To you then should I send As to a God my Vows This said away They whip their willing Horses through the Town Which on the plain their Harness shake all day And were at Pheres when the Sun went down There Diocles Orsilochus his Son Orsilochus by Alphaeus be got Dwelt and of entertainment want was none Nor acceptable Presenâ—s were forgot And when the Morning had her self arraid Again they put their Horses to the Coach Which when the Whip they felt once never staid Till to the Town of Eyle they did approach Then saâ—d Telemachus to Nestor's Son You promis'd I youâ— Father should decline But since we here are now can that be done And therefore let us both our Counsels joyn Friends you and I and friends our Fathers were One age we have this Voyage is some tie Draw me not from my ship but leave me here Lest th' old man force me at his house to lie In kindness when I have such need to go This said Pisistratus considered What to make good his promise he should do And then this Counseâ— came into his head Turn off said he the Câ—ach to the Sea-side And Menelaus G fâ—s a Shipboard stow And get aboard Your small stay here I 'll hide So your departure shall my Father know For sure I am if he know you are here So violent he is he 'll hither come And call you to his house and stay you there And be a hind'rance to your going home And though away youâ—â—l not be empty sent Yet will he doubtless very angry be This said unto his Father home he went Telemachus then bad his Company To see prepar'd all things for Sayling fit And go aboard aboard went also he The Rowers on their Seats in order sit Thus they about their going busie be Then came a Stranger that a Prophet was And fled from Argos then for Homicide And by descent was of Melampus race And stood near to Telemachus his side For this Melampus once had dwelt in Pyle And rich but fled by Neleus opprest And bound he lay in Prison for a while But afterward he got himself releast And brought to Neleus his Herds again And had his Daughter Pero for reward But left her with his Brother to remain For wife And then did Pyle no more regard But went to Argos where a wife he got And Children â—wain had first Antiphates And he the valiant Oicleus begot And Oicâ—â—us begat Ampâ—â—areuâ— That was belov'd by Pallas and by Jove And yet he lived not till he was old He di'd at Thebes betrayèd by his love That him discover'd for a Chain of Gold Alâ—maeon and Amphilochus he got But Mantius Melampus second Son Cleitus and Polyphides then begot Cleitus was fair but Children he had none Auror a snatch'd him from â—he Earth when young For Mortals he in beauty did excel And placed him th'Immoâ—tal Gods among And Polyphides Phoebus loved well And to him gave the Gif of Prophesie And since Amphiraus was dean and gone To soretel any thing with certainty Upon the whole earth like him there was none Displeased by his Father Mantius At Hyperesia he prophesi'd His Son it was call'd Theoclymeaus That then stood by Tel machus his side When he the blessed Gods was praying to And said Since worshipping I finde you here By him you worship teâ—l me truly who You are your Father who and dwelling whereâ— Stranger then said Telemachus I dwell At Ithaca born there my Fathers name Ulysses if he live but who can tell And to hear news of that I hither came Then answer'd Theoclymenus And I From Argos Town for killing of a man Pursued by his Kin am fore't to fly Take me aboard that only
to take in hand A torch when bidden casting in his mind How he might safely carry on the grand Mischief against the Woo'rs he had design'd And Pallas yet not suffer'd them to keep Themselves in any bounds of Modesty But fix Ulysses anger yet more deep Eurymachus then said to th'standers by To make them laugh Ulysses to disgrace Hear Sirs I pray what now comes in my thought The man comes opportunely to this place 'T is sure some God that him has hither brought To give us greater light For from his head Methinks I see arise another flame Besides the flame the Torch gives and so spread Upon his bald pate doubled has the same Then says t' Ulysses Man wilt thou serve me To pluck up Thorns Bry'rs and Trees to plant Thou shalt have meat enough and clothes and fee And shooes and whatsoever thou shalt want But since thou haft been us'd to idleness I doubt thou ne'r wilt labour any more But rather feed thy carcass labourless And wandring choose to beg from door to door This said Ulysses answer'd him agen Eurymachus if we two were to try Our labour in a large green meadow when The days are long the weather hot and dry With equal Sithes from morning unto night Or with two equal oxen fed and strong Were fasting put to plow to try our might Which of us labour could indure most long Or if an Enemy to day should land And I a Helmet had fit for my head And Target and two fit Spears for my hand Then you should see whether I fought or fled And not reproach m' of sloth or poverty You are too cruel and you do me wrong And think your self a man of might to be Because they weaker are you live among But should Ulysses come and find you here You 'ld think the door though it be very wide As you are running out too narrow were So glad youl 'd be your heads to save or hide To this Eurymachus with bended brow And furious eye answer'd Wretch that thou art And dar'st so saucily to prate How now 'T will not be long before I make thee smart Is it because thou too much Wine hast had Or is' t thy nature always to be bold Or is' t t' have beaten Irus makes thee mad This said upon a Footstool he laid hold And threw it at him but it hit him not Ulysses sunk on 's knees the stool flew o're His head and a Cup-bearer next him smot On the right hand and down he falls o' th' floor Much the disorder then was in the room And one unto another next him said I would this Beggar hither had not come But somewhere else before had perished For what ado about a Beggar 's here The pleasure of our Dinner all is lost Then said Telemachus Can you not bear Madmen your wine and chear both boil'd rost When fill'd why do you not go home and sleep Go when you will I drive you not away The Suiters at this boldness bit the lip And thought it strange but yet did nothing say Then said Amphinomus Let 's not fall out With any man for speaking truth nor be Rude and unkind Cup-bearers bear about To every man the Cup of Charity And so go each man home for now 't is late Leaving the Stranger with Telemachus Whose Guest he is and our selves recreate With gentle sleep each one in his own house Then Meleus to each man presents a Cup Whereof unto the Gods they offer'd part When this was done each one his Wine drank up And then unto their houses they depart LIB XIX ULysses in the house remain'd and staid Contriving how the Suiters to destroy And streightway to Telemachus he said Carry the Armour in the Hall away And tell them gently if they ask wherefore The fire has hurt them and they are not now Such as Ulysses left them heretofore When with the Greeks he did to Ilium go Or say For sear some quarrel might arise By th' indiscretion of one or other You thought the counsel would not be unwise To take them thence One drawn sword draws another Blemachus then calls his Nurse and said Euryclea shut all the rooms up fast Be sure to keep within door every Maid Till I my Fathers Arms have elsewhere plac't The smoke does spoil them all But I will now Free them from soot I 'm glad said she at last To see your husbandry But I would know Who 't is shall light you when the Maids are fast My Guest says he this Stranger whom you see For here he feeds and nothing has to do How far soever hence his dwelling be I think 't is reason he should help me too The Nurse did what commanded she had been They laid up Helmets Bucklers Swords Spears And Pallas with a Lamp came in unseen And up and down the Light before them bears Then Father said Telemachus I see The walls beams roof and all the pillars shine Like any sire and certainly there be Within the house some of the Powers Divine Peace said Ulysses be not curious The purpose of the Gods you cannot find Go you to bed I must go through the house To find the Womens and your Mothers mind Telemachus then to his Chamber went In which before he worted was to lie Leaving his Father in the house intent On how with Pallas to make th' Wooers die Forth comes Penelope into the Hall More than Diana more than Venus fair Her Maids upon her were attending all And set down for her a most stately Chair Made by Iemalius of Silver plate And Iv'ry turned white as any Snow And Footstool thereto fix'd And there in State Sat down the sair Penelope and now The Housmaids enter in and take away The Tables and the Bowls the Cups and Bread Which the Wooers gone about the room still lay And having made a fire there went to bed Melantho then Ulysses bitterly Rebuk'd again Art thou here said she still To peep at th' Women in the night and spy What they are doing An 't may be hast the will To stay all night Go quickly Get thee gone Th' ast supt Lest thou be driven out of door With brands of sire To this new insolence Ulysses answer'd gentilieâ— than before Why d' ye pursue me thus Is it because I am not fine but have ill Rayment on The time has been I rich and wealthy was And Beggaâ—s I did much bestow upon Not looking on the men but on their want And many Servants had Of that which makes Men called Rich I knew not any scant But Jove not only Riches gives but takes Think therefore that your Beauty will decay Or of your Mistress you may lose the grace Or that Ulysses may come back one day And though he ne're return unto his place His Son Telemachus knows all you do Knows better now what 's good and what is worse Then be hereafter modester Go to Penelope o'reheard all this discourse Bold Bitch said