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William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works

Page 176

by William Cowper


  Destructive, which to satiate, ships are rigg’d,

  Seas travers’d, and fierce battles waged remote.

  Thus they discoursing stood; Argus the while,

  Ulysses’ dog, uplifted where he lay 350

  His head and ears erect. Ulysses him

  Had bred long since, himself, but rarely used,

  Departing, first, to Ilium. Him the youths

  In other days led frequent to the chace

  Of wild goat, hart and hare; but now he lodg’d

  A poor old cast-off, of his Lord forlorn,

  Where mules and oxen had before the gate

  Much ordure left, with which Ulysses’ hinds

  Should, in due time, manure his spacious fields.

  There lay, with dog-devouring vermin foul 360

  All over, Argus; soon as he perceived

  Long-lost Ulysses nigh, down fell his ears

  Clapp’d close, and with his tail glad sign he gave

  Of gratulation, impotent to rise

  And to approach his master as of old.

  Ulysses, noting him, wiped off a tear

  Unmark’d, and of Eumæus quick enquired.

  I can but wonder seeing such a dog

  Thus lodg’d, Eumæus! beautiful in form

  He is, past doubt, but whether he hath been 370

  As fleet as fair I know not; rather such

  Perchance as masters sometimes keep to grace

  Their tables, nourish’d more for shew than use.

  To whom, Eumæus, thou didst thus reply.

  He is the dog of one dead far remote.

  But had he now such feat-performing strength

  As when Ulysses left him, going hence

  To Ilium, in one moment thou shouldst mark,

  Astonish’d, his agility and force.

  He never in the sylvan deep recess 380

  The wild beast saw that ‘scaped him, and he track’d

  Their steps infallible; but he hath now

  No comfort, for (the master dead afar)

  The heedless servants care not for his dog.

  Domestics, missing once their Lord’s controul,

  Grow wilful, and refuse their proper tasks;

  For whom Jove dooms to servitude, he takes

  At once the half of that man’s worth away.

  He said, and, ent’ring at the portal, join’d

  The suitors. Then his destiny released 390

  Old Argus, soon as he had lived to see

  Ulysses in the twentieth year restored.

  Godlike Telemachus, long ere the rest,

  Marking the swine-herd’s entrance, with a nod

  Summon’d him to approach. Eumæus cast

  His eye around, and seeing vacant there

  The seat which the dispenser of the feast

  Was wont to occupy while he supplied

  The num’rous guests, planted it right before

  Telemachus, and at his table sat, 400

  On which the herald placed for him his share

  Of meat, and from the baskets gave him bread.

  Soon after him, Ulysses enter’d slow

  The palace, like a squalid beggar old,

  Staff-propp’d, and in loose tatters foul attired.

  Within the portal on the ashen sill

  He sat, and, seeming languid, lean’d against

  A cypress pillar by the builder’s art

  Polish’d long since, and planted at the door.

  Then took Telemachus a loaf entire 410

  Forth from the elegant basket, and of flesh

  A portion large as his two hands contained,

  And, beck’ning close the swine-herd, charged him thus.

  These to the stranger; whom advise to ask

  Some dole from ev’ry suitor; bashful fear

  Ill suits the mendicant by want oppress’d.

  He spake; Eumæus went, and where he sat

  Arriving, in wing’d accents thus began.

  Telemachus, oh stranger, sends thee these,

  And counsels thee to importune for more 420

  The suitors, one by one; for bashful fear

  Ill suits the mendicant by want oppress’d.

  To whom Ulysses, ever-wise, replied.

  Jove, King of all, grant ev’ry good on earth

  To kind Telemachus, and the complete

  Accomplishment of all that he desires!

  He said, and with both hands outspread, the mess

  Receiving as he sat, on his worn bag

  Disposed it at his feet. Long as the bard

  Chaunted, he ate, and when he ceas’d to eat, 430

  Then also ceas’d the bard divine to sing.

  And now ensued loud clamour in the hall

  And tumult, when Minerva, drawing nigh

  To Laertiades, impell’d the Chief

  Crusts to collect, or any pittance small

  At ev’ry suitor’s hand, for trial’s sake

  Of just and unjust; yet deliv’rance none

  From evil she design’d for any there.

  From left to right his progress he began

  Petitioning, with outstretch’d hands, the throng, 440

  As one familiar with the beggar’s art.

  They, pitying, gave to him, but view’d him still

  With wonder, and enquiries mutual made

  Who, and whence was he? Then the goat-herd rose

  Melanthius, and th’ assembly thus address’d.

  Hear me, ye suitors of th’ illustrious Queen!

  This guest, of whom ye ask, I have beheld

  Elsewhere; the swine-herd brought him; but himself

  I know not, neither who nor whence he is.

  So he; then thus Antinoüs stern rebuked 450

  The swine-herd. Ah, notorious as thou art,

  Why hast thou shewn this vagabond the way

  Into the city? are we not enough

  Infested with these troublers of our feasts?

  Deem’st it a trifle that such numbers eat

  At thy Lord’s cost, and hast thou, therefore, led

  This fellow hither, found we know not where?

  To whom, Eumæus, thou didst thus reply.

  Antinoüs! though of high degree, thou speak’st

  Not wisely. What man to another’s house 460

  Repairs to invite him to a feast, unless

  He be of those who by profession serve

  The public, prophet, healer of disease,

  Ingenious artist, or some bard divine

  Whose music may exhilarate the guests?

  These, and such only, are in ev’ry land

  Call’d to the banquet; none invites the poor,

  Who much consume, and no requital yield.

  But thou of all the suitors roughly treat’st

  Ulysses’ servants most, and chiefly me; 470

  Yet thee I heed not, while the virtuous Queen

  Dwells in this palace, and her godlike son.

  To whom Telemachus, discrete, replied.

  Peace! answer not verbose a man like him.

  Antinoüs hath a tongue accustom’d much

  To tauntings, and promotes them in the rest.

  Then, turning to Antinoüs, quick he said —

  Antinoüs! as a father for his son

  Takes thought, so thou for me, who bidd’st me chase

  The stranger harshly hence; but God forbid! 480

  Impart to him. I grudge not, but myself

  Exhort thee to it; neither, in this cause,

  Fear thou the Queen, or in the least regard

  Whatever menial throughout all the house

  Of famed Ulysses. Ah! within thy breast

  Dwells no such thought; thou lov’st not to impart

  To others, but to gratify thyself.

  To whom Antinoüs answer thus return’d.

  High-soaring and intemp’rate in thy speech

  How hast thou said, Telemachus? Would all 490

  As mu
ch bestow on him, he should not seek

  Admittance here again three months to come.

  So saying, he seized the stool which, banqueting,

  He press’d with his nice feet, and from beneath

  The table forth advanced it into view.

  The rest all gave to him, with bread and flesh

  Filling his wallet, and Ulysses, now,

  Returning to his threshold, there to taste

  The bounty of the Greeks, paused in his way

  Beside Antinoüs, whom he thus address’d. 500

  Kind sir! vouchsafe to me! for thou appear’st

  Not least, but greatest of the Achaians here,

  And hast a kingly look. It might become

  Thee therefore above others to bestow,

  So should I praise thee wheresoe’er I roam.

  I also lived the happy owner once

  Of such a stately mansion, and have giv’n

  To num’rous wand’rers (whencesoe’er they came)

  All that they needed; I was also served

  By many, and enjoy’d all that denotes 510

  The envied owner opulent and blest.

  But Jove (for so it pleas’d him) hath reduced

  My all to nothing, prompting me, in league

  With rovers of the Deep, to sail afar

  To Ægypt, for my sure destruction there.

  Within th’ Ægyptian stream my barks well-oar’d

  I station’d, and, enjoining strict my friends

  To watch them close-attendant at their side,

  Commanded spies into the hill-tops; but they,

  Under the impulse of a spirit rash 520

  And hot for quarrel, the well-cultur’d fields

  Pillaged of the Ægyptians, captive led

  Their wives and little-ones, and slew the men.

  Ere long, the loud alarm their city reach’d.

  Down came the citizens, by dawn of day,

  With horse and foot and with the gleam of arms

  Filling the plain. Then Jove with panic dread

  Struck all my people; none found courage more

  To stand, for mischiefs swarm’d on ev’ry side.

  There, num’rous by the glitt’ring spear we fell 530

  Slaughter’d, while others they conducted thence

  Alive to servitude; but me they gave

  To Dmetor, King in Cyprus, Jasus’ son;

  He entertained me liberally, and thence

  This land I reach’d, but poor and woe-begone.

  Then answer thus Antinoüs harsh return’d.

  What dæmon introduced this nuisance here,

  This troubler of our feast? stand yonder, keep

  Due distance from my table, or expect

  To see an Ægypt and a Cyprus worse 540

  Than those, bold mendicant and void of shame!

  Thou hauntest each, and, inconsid’rate, each

  Gives to thee, because gifts at other’s cost

  Are cheap, and, plentifully serv’d themselves,

  They squander, heedless, viands not their own.

  To whom Ulysses while he slow retired.

  Gods! how illib’ral with that specious form!

  Thou wouldst not grant the poor a grain of salt

  From thy own board, who at another’s fed

  So nobly, canst thou not spare a crust to me. 550

  He spake; then raged Antinoüs still the more,

  And in wing’d accents, louring, thus replied.

  Take such dismission now as thou deserv’st,

  Opprobrious! hast thou dared to scoff at me?

  So saying, he seized his stool, and on the joint

  Of his right shoulder smote him; firm as rock

  He stood, by no such force to be displaced,

  But silent shook his brows, and dreadful deeds

  Of vengeance ruminating, sought again

  His seat the threshold, where his bag full-charged 560

  He grounded, and the suitors thus address’d.

  Hear now, ye suitors of the matchless Queen,

  My bosom’s dictates. Trivial is the harm,

  Scarce felt, if, fighting for his own, his sheep

  Perchance, or beeves, a man receive a blow.

  But me Antinoüs struck for that I ask’d

  Food from him merely to appease the pangs

  Of hunger, source of num’rous ills to man.

  If then the poor man have a God t’ avenge

  His wrongs, I pray to him that death may seize 570

  Antinoüs, ere his nuptial hour arrive!

  To whom Antinoüs answer thus return’d,

  Son of Eupithes. Either seated there

  Or going hence, eat, stranger, and be still;

  Lest for thy insolence, by hand or foot

  We drag thee forth, and thou be flay’d alive.

  He ceased, whom all indignant heard, and thus

  Ev’n his own proud companions censured him.

  Antinoüs! thou didst not well to smite

  The wretched vagabond. O thou art doom’d 580

  For ever, if there be a God in heav’n;

  For, in similitude of strangers oft,

  The Gods, who can with ease all shapes assume,

  Repair to populous cities, where they mark

  The outrageous and the righteous deeds of men.

  So they, for whose reproof he little cared.

  But in his heart Telemachus that blow

  Resented, anguish-torn, yet not a tear

  He shed, but silent shook his brows, and mused

  Terrible things. Penelope, meantime, 590

  Told of the wand’rer so abused beneath

  Her roof, among her maidens thus exclaim’d.

  So may Apollo, glorious archer, smite

  Thee also. Then Eurynome replied,

  Oh might our pray’rs prevail, none of them all

  Should see bright-charioted Aurora more.

  Her answer’d then Penelope discrete.

  Nurse! they are odious all, for that alike

  All teem with mischief; but Antinoüs’ looks

  Remind me ever of the gloom of death. 600

  A stranger hath arrived who, begging, roams

  The house, (for so his penury enjoins)

  The rest have giv’n him, and have fill’d his bag

  With viands, but Antinoüs hath bruised

  His shoulder with a foot-stool hurl’d at him.

  While thus the Queen conversing with her train

  In her own chamber sat, Ulysses made

  Plenteous repast. Then, calling to her side

  Eumæus, thus she signified her will.

  Eumæus, noble friend! bid now approach 610

  Yon stranger. I would speak with him, and ask

  If he has seen Ulysses, or have heard

  Tidings, perchance, of the afflicted Chief,

  For much a wand’rer by his garb he seems.

  To whom, Eumæus, thou didst thus reply.

  Were those Achaians silent, thou shouldst hear,

  O Queen! a tale that would console thy heart.

  Three nights I housed him, and within my cot

  Three days detain’d him, (for his ship he left

  A fugitive, and came direct to me) 620

  But half untold his hist’ry still remains.

  As when his eye one fixes on a bard

  From heav’n instructed in such themes as charm

  The ear of mortals, ever as he sings

  The people press, insatiable, to hear,

  So, in my cottage, seated at my side,

  That stranger with his tale enchanted me.

  Laertes, he affirms, hath been his guest

  Erewhile in Crete, where Minos’ race resides,

  And thence he hath arrived, after great loss, 630

  A suppliant to the very earth abased;

  He adds, that in Thesprotia’s neighbour realm

  He of Ulysses heard, both that he lives,


  And that he comes laden with riches home.

  To whom Penelope, discrete, replied.

  Haste; call him. I would hear, myself, his tale.

  Meantime, let these, or in the palace gate

  Sport jocular, or here; their hearts are light,

  For their possessions are secure; their wine

  None drinks, or eats their viands, save their own, 640

  While my abode, day after day, themselves

  Haunting, my beeves and sheep and fatted goats

  Slay for the banquet, and my casks exhaust

  Extravagant, whence endless waste ensues;

  For no such friend as was Ulysses once

  Have I to expel the mischief. But might he

  Revisit once his native shores again,

  Then, aided by his son, he should avenge,

  Incontinent, the wrongs which now I mourn.

  Then sneezed Telemachus with sudden force, 650

  That all the palace rang; his mother laugh’d,

  And in wing’d accents thus the swain bespake.

  Haste — bid him hither — hear’st thou not the sneeze

  Propitious of my son? oh might it prove

  A presage of inevitable death

  To all these revellers! may none escape!

  Now mark me well. Should the event his tale

  Confirm, at my own hands he shall receive

  Mantle and tunic both for his reward.

  She spake; he went, and where Ulysses sat 660

  Arriving, in wing’d accents thus began.

  Penelope, my venerable friend!

  Calls thee, the mother of Telemachus.

  Oppress’d by num’rous troubles, she desires

  To ask thee tidings of her absent Lord.

  And should the event verify thy report,

  Thy meed shall be (a boon which much thou need’st)

  Tunic and mantle; but she gives no more;

  Thy sustenance thou must, as now, obtain,

  Begging it at their hands who chuse to give. 670

  Then thus Ulysses, Hero toil-inured.

  Eumæus! readily I can relate

  Truth, and truth only, to the prudent Queen

  Icarius’ daughter; for of him I know

  Much, and have suff’red sorrows like his own.

  But dread I feel of this imperious throng

  Perverse, whose riot and outrageous acts

  Of violence echo through the vault of heav’n.

  And, even now, when for no fault of mine

  Yon suitor struck me as I pass’d, and fill’d 680

  My flesh with pain, neither Telemachus

  Nor any interposed to stay his arm.

  Now, therefore, let Penelope, although

  Impatient, till the sun descend postpone

  Her questions; then she may enquire secure

  When comes her husband, and may nearer place

  My seat to the hearth-side, for thinly clad

  Thou know’st I am, whose aid I first implored.

 

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