William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works

by William Cowper

  Above the craggy Chios to the isle

  Psyria, that island holding on our left,

  Or under Chios by the wind-swept heights

  Of Mimas. Then we ask’d from Jove a sign,

  And by a sign vouchsafed he bade us cut

  The wide sea to Eubœa sheer athwart,

  So soonest to escape the threat’ned harm. 220

  Shrill sang the rising gale, and with swift prows

  Cleaving the fishy flood, we reach’d by night

  Geræstus, where arrived, we burn’d the thighs

  Of num’rous bulls to Neptune, who had safe

  Conducted us through all our perilous course.

  The fleet of Diomede in safety moor’d

  On the fourth day at Argos, but myself

  Held on my course to Pylus, nor the wind

  One moment thwarted us, or died away,

  When Jove had once commanded it to blow. 230

  Thus, uninform’d, I have arrived, my son!

  Nor of the Greecians, who are saved have heard,

  Or who have perish’d; but what news soe’er

  I have obtain’d, since my return, with truth

  I will relate, nor aught conceal from thee.

  The spear-famed Myrmidons, as rumour speaks,

  By Neoptolemus, illustrious son

  Of brave Achilles led, have safe arrived;

  Safe, Philoctetes, also son renown’d

  Of Pæas; and Idomeneus at Crete 240

  Hath landed all his followers who survive

  The bloody war, the waves have swallow’d none.

  Ye have yourselves doubtless, although remote,

  Of Agamemnon heard, how he return’d,

  And how Ægisthus cruelly contrived

  For him a bloody welcome, but himself

  Hath with his own life paid the murth’rous deed.

  Good is it, therefore, if a son survive

  The slain, since Agamemnon’s son hath well

  Avenged his father’s death, slaying, himself, 250

  Ægisthus, foul assassin of his Sire.

  Young friend! (for pleas’d thy vig’rous youth I view,

  And just proportion) be thou also bold,

  That thine like his may be a deathless name.

  Then, prudent, him answer’d Telemachus.

  Oh Nestor, Neleus’ son, glory of Greece!

  And righteous was that vengeance; his renown

  Achaia’s sons shall far and wide diffuse,

  To future times transmitting it in song.

  Ah! would that such ability the Gods 260

  Would grant to me, that I, as well, the deeds

  Might punish of our suitors, whose excess

  Enormous, and whose bitter taunts I feel

  Continual, object of their subtle hate.

  But not for me such happiness the Gods

  Have twined into my thread; no, not for me

  Or for my father. Patience is our part.

  To whom Gerenian Nestor thus replied.

  Young friend! (since thou remind’st me of that theme)

  Fame here reports that num’rous suitors haunt 270

  Thy palace for thy mother’s sake, and there

  Much evil perpetrate in thy despight.

  But say, endur’st thou willing their controul

  Imperious, or because the people, sway’d

  By some response oracular, incline

  Against thee? But who knows? the time may come

  When to his home restored, either alone,

  Or aided by the force of all the Greeks,

  Ulysses may avenge the wrong; at least,

  Should Pallas azure-eyed thee love, as erst 280

  At Troy, the scene of our unnumber’d woes,

  She lov’d Ulysses (for I have not known

  The Gods assisting so apparently

  A mortal man, as him Minerva there)

  Should Pallas view thee also with like love

  And kind solicitude, some few of those

  Should dream, perchance, of wedlock never more.

  Then answer thus Telemachus return’d.

  That word’s accomplishment I cannot hope;

  It promises too much; the thought alone 290

  O’erwhelms me; an event so fortunate

  Would, unexpected on my part, arrive,

  Although the Gods themselves should purpose it.

  But Pallas him answer’d cærulean-eyed.

  Telemachus! what word was that which leap’d

  The iv’ry guard that should have fenced it in?

  A God, so willing, could with utmost ease

  Save any man, howe’er remote. Myself,

  I had much rather, many woes endured,

  Revisit home, at last, happy and safe, 300

  Than, sooner coming, die in my own house,

  As Agamemnon perish’d by the arts

  Of base Ægisthus and the subtle Queen.

  Yet not the Gods themselves can save from death

  All-levelling, the man whom most they love,

  When Fate ordains him once to his last sleep.

  To whom Telemachus, discrete, replied.

  Howe’er it interest us, let us leave

  This question, Mentor! He, I am assured,

  Returns no more, but hath already found 310

  A sad, sad fate by the decree of heav’n.

  But I would now interrogate again

  Nestor, and on a different theme, for him

  In human rights I judge, and laws expert,

  And in all knowledge beyond other men;

  For he hath govern’d, as report proclaims,

  Three generations; therefore in my eyes

  He wears the awful impress of a God.

  Oh Nestor, son of Neleus, tell me true;

  What was the manner of Atrides’ death, 320

  Wide-ruling Agamemnon? Tell me where

  Was Menelaus? By what means contrived

  Ægisthus to inflict the fatal blow,

  Slaying so much a nobler than himself?

  Had not the brother of the Monarch reach’d

  Achaian Argos yet, but, wand’ring still

  In other climes, his long absence gave

  Ægisthus courage for that bloody deed?

  Whom answer’d the Gerenian Chief renown’d.

  My son! I will inform thee true; meantime 330

  Thy own suspicions border on the fact.

  Had Menelaus, Hero, amber hair’d,

  Ægisthus found living at his return

  From Ilium, never on his bones the Greeks

  Had heap’d a tomb, but dogs and rav’ning fowls

  Had torn him lying in the open field

  Far from the town, nor him had woman wept

  Of all in Greece, for he had foul transgress’d.

  But we, in many an arduous task engaged,

  Lay before Ilium; he, the while, secure 340

  Within the green retreats of Argos, found

  Occasion apt by flatt’ry to delude

  The spouse of Agamemnon; she, at first,

  (The royal Clytemnestra) firm refused

  The deed dishonourable (for she bore

  A virtuous mind, and at her side a bard

  Attended ever, whom the King, to Troy

  Departing, had appointed to the charge.)

  But when the Gods had purposed to ensnare

  Ægisthus, then dismissing far remote 350

  The bard into a desart isle, he there

  Abandon’d him to rav’ning fowls a prey,

  And to his own home, willing as himself,

  Led Clytemnestra. Num’rous thighs he burn’d

  On all their hallow’d altars to the Gods,

  And hung with tap’stry, images, and gold

  Their shrines, his great exploit past hope atchiev’d.

  We (Menelaus and myself) had sailed

  From Troy together, but when we approach’d

  Sunium, headland of th’
Athenian shore, 360

  There Phœbus, sudden, with his gentle shafts

  Slew Menelaus’ pilot while he steer’d

  The volant bark, Phrontis, Onetor’s son,

  A mariner past all expert, whom none

  In steerage match’d, what time the tempest roar’d.

  Here, therefore, Menelaus was detained,

  Giving his friend due burial, and his rites

  Funereal celebrating, though in haste

  Still to proceed. But when, with all his fleet

  The wide sea traversing, he reach’d at length 370

  Malea’s lofty foreland in his course,

  Rough passage, then, and perilous he found.

  Shrill blasts the Thund’rer pour’d into his sails,

  And wild waves sent him mountainous. His ships

  There scatter’d, some to the Cydonian coast

  Of Crete he push’d, near where the Jardan flows.

  Beside the confines of Gortyna stands,

  Amid the gloomy flood, a smooth rock, steep

  Toward the sea, against whose leftward point

  Phæstus by name, the South wind rolls the surge 380

  Amain, which yet the rock, though small, repells.

  Hither with part he came, and scarce the crews

  Themselves escaped, while the huge billows broke

  Their ships against the rocks; yet five he saved,

  Which winds and waves drove to the Ægyptian shore.

  Thus he, provision gath’ring as he went

  And gold abundant, roam’d to distant lands

  And nations of another tongue. Meantime,

  Ægisthus these enormities at home

  Devising, slew Atrides, and supreme 390

  Rul’d the subjected land; sev’n years he reign’d

  In opulent Mycenæ, but the eighth

  From Athens brought renown’d Orestes home

  For his destruction, who of life bereaved

  Ægisthus base assassin of his Sire.

  Orestes, therefore, the funereal rites

  Performing to his shameless mother’s shade

  And to her lustful paramour, a feast

  Gave to the Argives; on which self-same day

  The warlike Menelaus, with his ships 400

  All treasure-laden to the brink, arrived.

  And thou, young friend! from thy forsaken home

  Rove not long time remote, thy treasures left

  At mercy of those proud, lest they divide

  And waste the whole, rend’ring thy voyage vain.

  But hence to Menelaus is the course

  To which I counsel thee; for he hath come

  Of late from distant lands, whence to escape

  No man could hope, whom tempests first had driv’n

  Devious into so wide a sea, from which 410

  Themselves the birds of heaven could not arrive

  In a whole year, so vast is the expanse.

  Go, then, with ship and shipmates, or if more

  The land delight thee, steeds thou shalt not want

  Nor chariot, and my sons shall be thy guides

  To noble Lacedemon, the abode

  Of Menelaus; ask from him the truth,

  Who will not lye, for he is passing wise.

  While thus he spake, the sun declined, and night

  Approaching, blue-eyed Pallas interposed. 420

  O antient King! well hast thou spoken all.

  But now delay not. Cut ye forth the tongues,

  And mingle wine, that (Neptune first invoked

  With due libation, and the other Gods)

  We may repair to rest; for even now

  The sun is sunk, and it becomes us not

  Long to protract a banquet to the Gods

  Devote, but in fit season to depart.

  So spake Jove’s daughter; they obedient heard.

  The heralds, then, pour’d water on their hands, 430

  And the attendant youths, filling the cups,

  Served them from left to right. Next all the tongues

  They cast into the fire, and ev’ry guest

  Arising, pour’d libation to the Gods.

  Libation made, and all with wine sufficed,

  Godlike Telemachus and Pallas both

  Would have return’d, incontinent, on board,

  But Nestor urged them still to be his guests.

  Forbid it, Jove, and all the Pow’rs of heav’n!

  That ye should leave me to repair on board 440

  Your vessel, as I were some needy wretch

  Cloakless and destitute of fleecy stores

  Wherewith to spread the couch soft for myself,

  Or for my guests. No. I have garments warm

  An ample store, and rugs of richest dye;

  And never shall Ulysses’ son belov’d,

  My frend’s own son, sleep on a galley’s plank

  While I draw vital air; grant also, heav’n,

  That, dying, I may leave behind me sons

  Glad to accommodate whatever guest! 450

  Him answer’d then Pallas cærulean-eyed.

  Old Chief! thou hast well said, and reason bids

  Telemachus thy kind commands obey.

  Let him attend thee hence, that he may sleep

  Beneath thy roof, but I return on board

  Myself, to instruct my people, and to give

  All needful orders; for among them none

  Is old as I, but they are youths alike,

  Coevals of Telemachus, with whom

  They have embark’d for friendship’s sake alone. 460

  I therefore will repose myself on board

  This night, and to the Caucons bold in arms

  Will sail to-morrow, to demand arrears

  Long time unpaid, and of no small amount.

  But, since he is become thy guest, afford

  My friend a chariot, and a son of thine

  Who shall direct his way, nor let him want

  Of all thy steeds the swiftest and the best.

  So saying, the blue-eyed Goddess as upborne

  On eagle’s wings, vanish’d; amazement seized 470

  The whole assembly, and the antient King

  O’erwhelmed with wonder at that sight, the hand

  Grasp’d of Telemachus, whom he thus bespake.

  My friend! I prophesy that thou shalt prove

  Nor base nor dastard, whom, so young, the Gods

  Already take in charge; for of the Pow’rs

  Inhabitants of heav’n, none else was this

  Than Jove’s own daughter Pallas, who among

  The Greecians honour’d most thy gen’rous Sire.

  But thou, O Queen! compassionate us all, 480

  Myself, my sons, my comfort; give to each

  A glorious name, and I to thee will give

  For sacrifice an heifer of the year,

  Broad-fronted, one that never yet hath borne

  The yoke, and will incase her horns with gold.

  So Nestor pray’d, whom Pallas gracious heard.

  Then the Gerenian warrior old, before

  His sons and sons in law, to his abode

  Magnificent proceeded: they (arrived

  Within the splendid palace of the King) 490

  On thrones and couches sat in order ranged,

  Whom Nestor welcom’d, charging high the cup

  With wine of richest sort, which she who kept

  That treasure, now in the eleventh year

  First broach’d, unsealing the delicious juice.

  With this the hoary Senior fill’d a cup,

  And to the daughter of Jove Ægis-arm’d

  Pouring libation, offer’d fervent pray’r.

  When all had made libation, and no wish

  Remain’d of more, then each to rest retired, 500

  And Nestor the Gerenian warrior old

  Led thence Telemachus to a carved couch

  Beneath the sounding portico prepared.
/>   Beside him he bade sleep the spearman bold,

  Pisistratus, a gallant youth, the sole

  Unwedded in his house of all his sons.

  Himself in the interior palace lay,

  Where couch and cov’ring for her antient spouse

  The consort Queen had diligent prepar’d.

  But when Aurora, daughter of the dawn, 510

  Had tinged the East, arising from his bed,

  Gerenian Nestor issued forth, and sat

  Before his palace-gate on the white stones

  Resplendent as with oil, on which of old

  His father Neleus had been wont to sit,

  In council like a God; but he had sought,

  By destiny dismiss’d long since, the shades.

  On those stones therefore now, Nestor himself,

  Achaia’s guardian, sat, sceptre in hand,

  Where soon his num’rous sons, leaving betimes 520

  The place of their repose, also appeared,

  Echephron, Stratius, Perseus, Thrasymedes,

  Aretus and Pisistratus. They placed

  Godlike Telemachus at Nestor’s side,

  And the Gerenian Hero thus began.

  Sons be ye quick — execute with dispatch

  My purpose, that I may propitiate first

  Of all the Gods Minerva, who herself

  Hath honour’d manifest our hallow’d feast.

  Haste, one, into the field, to order thence 530

  An ox, and let the herdsman drive it home.

  Another, hasting to the sable bark

  Of brave Telemachus, bring hither all

  His friends, save two, and let a third command

  Laerceus, that he come to enwrap with gold

  The victim’s horns. Abide ye here, the rest,

  And bid my female train (for I intend

  A banquet) with all diligence provide

  Seats, stores of wood, and water from the rock.

  He said, whom instant all obey’d. The ox 540

  Came from the field, and from the gallant ship

  The ship-mates of the brave Telemachus;

  Next, charged with all his implements of art,

  His mallet, anvil, pincers, came the smith

  To give the horns their gilding; also came

  Pallas herself to her own sacred rites.

  Then Nestor, hoary warrior, furnish’d gold,

  Which, hammer’d thin, the artist wrapp’d around

  The victim’s horns, that seeing him attired

  So costly, Pallas might the more be pleased. 550

  Stratius and brave Echephron introduced

  The victim by his horns; Aretus brought

  A laver in one hand, with flow’rs emboss’d,

  And in his other hand a basket stored

  With cakes, while warlike Thrasymedes, arm’d

  With his long-hafted ax, prepared to smite

  The ox, and Perseus to receive the blood.

  The hoary Nestor consecrated first