Classic Poem

" To the Æolian Iland we attaind,
That swumme about still on the sea, where raign'd
The God-lov'd Æolus Hippotades.
A wall of steele it had, and in the seas
A wave-beat-smooth rocke mov'd about the wall.
Twelve children in his house imperiall
Were borne to him; of which, sixe daughters were
And sixe were sonnes, that youth's sweet flowre did beare.
His daughters to his sonnes he gave as wives,
Who spent in feastfull comforts all their lives,
Close seated by their Sire and his grave Spouse.
Past number were the dishes that the house
Made ever savour, and still full the Hall
As long as day shin'd; in the night-time all
Slept with their chaste wives, each his faire carv'd bed
Most richly furnisht; and this life they led.
" We reacht the Cittie and faire roofes of these,
Where, a whole moneth's time, all things that might please
The King vouchsaf't us — of great Troy enquir'd,
The Grecian fleete, and how the Greekes retir'd.
To all which I gave answer as behov'd.
" The fit time come when I dismission mov'd,
He nothing would denie me, but addrest
My passe with such a bountie as might best
Teach me contentment. For he did enfold
Within an Oxe hide, flead at nine yeares old,
All th'airie blasts that were of stormie kinds.
Saturnius made him Steward of his winds,
And gave him powre to raise and to asswage;
And these he gave me, curbd thus of their rage.
Which in a glittering silver band I bound
And hung up in my ship, enclosd so round
That no egression any breath could find.
Onely he left abroad the Westerne wind,
To speede our ships and us with blasts secure.
But our securities made all unsure,
Nor could he consummate our course alone,
When all the rest had got egression.
Which thus succeeded. Nine whole daies and nights
We saild in safetie, and the tenth, the lights
Borne on our Countrey earth we might descrie,
So neere we drew; and yet even then fell I
(Being overwatcht) into a fatall sleepe,
For I would suffer no man else to keepe
The foote that rul'd my vessel's course, to leade
The faster home. My friends then Envy fed
About the bag I hung up, and supposde
That gold and silver I had there enclosde,
As gift from Æolus, and said: " O heaven!
What grace and grave price is by all men given
To our Commander, whatsoever coast
Or towne he comes to! How much he engrost
Of faire and precious prey, and brought from Troy!
We the same voiage went, and yet enjoy
In our returne these emptie hands for all.
This bag now Æolus was so liberall
To make a Guest-gift to him. Let us trie
Of what consists the faire-bound Treasurie,
And how much gold and silver it containes. "
Ill counsaile present approbation gaines.
They op't the bag and out the vapours brake,
When instant tempest did our vessell take,
That bore us backe to Sea, to mourne anew
Our absent Countrey. Up amazd I flew,
And desperate things discourst — if I should cast
My selfe to ruine in the seas, or taste
Amongst the living more mone and sustaine.
Silent, I did so, and lay hid againe
Beneath the hatches, while an ill winde tooke
My ships backe to Æolia, my men strooke
With woe enough. We pumpt and landed then,
Tooke foode for all this, and (of all my men)
I tooke a Herald to me and away
Went to the Court of Æolus, where they
Were feasting still, he, wife and children set
Together close. We would not (at their meate)
Thrust in, but humbly on the threshold sat.
He then, amazd, my presence wonderd at,
And calld to me: " Ulysses! how thus backe
Art thou arriv'd here? What foule spirit brake
Into thy bosome to retire thee thus?
We thought we had deduction curious
Given thee before, to reach thy shore and home.
Did it not like thee? " I (even overcome
With worthy sorrow) answerd: " My ill men
Have done me mischiefe, and to them hath bene
My sleepe th'unhappie motive. But do you,
Dearest of friends, daigne succour to my vow:
Your powres command it. " Thus endevord I
With soft speech to repaire my misery.
The rest with ruth sat dumbe. But thus spake he:
" Avant, and quickly quit my land of thee,
Thou worst of all that breathe; it fits not me
To convoy and take in whom heavens expose.
Away, and with thee go the worst of woes,
That seek'st my friendship, and the Gods thy foes. "
" Thus he dismist me, sighing. Foorth we saild,
At heart afflicted: and now wholy faild
The minds my men sustaind, so spent they were
With toiling at their oares, and worse did beare
Their growing labours that they causd their grought
By selfe-willd follies, nor now ever thought
To see their Countrey more. Six nights and daies
We saild; the seventh, we saw faire Lamos raise
Her loftie Towres (the Laestrygonian State)
That beares her Ports so farre disterminate,
Where Shepheard Shepheard calls out, he at home
Is calld out by the other that doth come
From charge abroad, and then goes he to sleepe,
The other issuing. He whose turne doth keepe
The Night observance hath his double hire,
Since Day and Night in equall length expire
About that Region, and the Night's watch weigh'd
At twice the Daie's ward, since the charge that's laid
Upon the Nights-man (besides breach of sleepe)
Exceeds the Daies-man's: for one oxen keepe,
The other sheepe. But when the haven we found
(Exceeding famous, and environd round
With one continuate rocke, which so much bent
That both ends almost met, so prominent
They were, and made the haven's mouth passing streight)
Our whole fleete in we got; in whole receipt
Our Ships lay anchord close, nor needed we
Feare harme on any staies. Tranquillitie
So purely sate there that waves great nor small
Did ever rise to any height at all.
And yet would I no entrie make, but staid
Alone without the haven, and thence survaid
From out a loftie watch-towre raised there
The Countrie round about: nor any where
The worke of man or beast appeard to me;
Onely a smoke from earth breake I might see.
I then made choice of two, and added more,
A Herald for associate, to explore
What sort of men liv'd there. They went, and saw
A beaten way through which carts usde to draw
Wood from the high hils to the Towne, and met
A maid without the Port, about to get
Some neare spring-water. She the daughter was
Of mightie Laestrygonian Antiphas,
And to the cleare spring cald Artacia went,
To which the whole Towne for their water sent.
To her they came, and askt who governd there,
And what the people whom he orderd were?
She answerd not, but led them through the Port,
As making haste to shew her father's Court.
Where enterd, they beheld (to their affright)
A woman like a mountaine top in height,
Who rusht abroad, and from the Counsaile place
Cald home her horrid husband Antiphas —
Who (deadly minded) straight he snatcht up one,
And fell to supper. Both the rest were gone,
And to the fleete came. Antiphas a crie
Drave through the Citie; which heard, instantly
This way and that innumerable sorts,
Not men, but Gyants, issued through the Ports,
And mightie flints from rocks tore, which they threw
Amongst our ships, through which an ill noise flew
Of shiverd ships and life-expiring men,
That were like fishes by the monsters slaine
And borne to sad feast. While they slaughterd these
That were engag'd in all th'advantages
The close-mouth'd and most dead-calme haven could give,
I (that without lay) made some meanes to live —
My sword drew, cut my gables, and to oares
Set all my men, and from the plagues those shores
Let flie amongst us we made haste to flie,
My men close working, as men loth to die.
My ship flew freely off, but theirs that lay
On heapes in harbors could enforce no way
Through these sterne fates that had engag'd them there.
Forth our sad remnant saild, yet still retaind
The joyes of men that our poore few remaind.
" Then to the Ile Æaea we attaind,
Where faire-haird, dreadfull, eloquent Circe raignd,
Æetes' sister, both by Dame and Sire,
Both daughters to heaven's man-enlightning fire
And Perse, whom Oceanus begat.
The ship-fit Port here soone we landed at,
Some God directing us. Two daies, two nights,
We lay here pining in the fatall spights
Of toile and sorrow. But the next third day
When faire Aurora had informd, quicke way
I made out of my ship, my sword and lance
Tooke for my surer guide, and made advance
Up to a prospect, in assay to see
The works of men, or heare mortalitie
Expire a voice. When I had climb'd a height
Rough and right hardly accessible, I might
Behold from Circe's house (that in a grove
Set thicke with trees stood) a bright vapor move.
I then grew curious in my thought to trie
Some fit enquirie, when so spritely flie
I saw the yeallow smoke. But my discourse
A first retiring to my ship gave force
To give my men their dinner, and to send
(Before th'adventure of my selfe) some friend.
Being neare my ship, of one so desolate
Some God had pittie, and would recreate
My woes a little, putting up to me
A great and high-palmd Hart, that (fatallie,
Just in my way it selfe, to taste a flood)
Was then descending: the Sunne heate had sure
Importun'd him, besides the temperature
His naturall heate gave. Howsoever, I
Made up to him and let my Javelin flie,
That strooke him through the mid-part of his chine,
And made him (braying) in the dust confine
His flying forces. Forth his spirit flew,
When I stept in, and from the death's wound drew
My shrewdly-bitten lance; there let him lie
Till I of cut-up Osiers did imply
A With a fathome long, with which his feete
I made together in a sure league meete,
Stoop't under him, and to my necke I heav'd
The mightie burthen; of which I receav'd
A good part on my lance, for else I could
By no meanes with one hand alone uphould
(Joynd with one shoulder) such a deathfull lode.
And so to both my shoulders both hands stood
Needfull assistents, for it was a Deare
Goodly-wel-growne: when (coming something neare
Where rode my ships) I cast it downe, and rer'd
My friends with kind words, whom by name I cheer'd
In note particular, and said: " See, friends,
We will not yet to Pluto's house; our ends
Shall not be hastend, though we be declind
In cause of comfort, till the day design'd
By Fate's fixt finger. Come, as long as food
Or wine lasts in our ship, let's spirit our blood
And quit our care and hunger both in one. "
" This said, they frolikt, came, and lookt upon
With admiration the huge-bodied beast;
And when their first-serv'd eyes had done their feast,
They washt, and made a to-be-striv'd-for meale
In point of honour. On which all did dwell
The whole day long. And, to our venzon's store,
We added wine till we could wish no more.
" Sunne set, and darknesse up, we slept till light
Put darknesse downe: and then did I excite
My friends to counsaile, uttering this: " Now, friends,
Affoord unpassionate eare, though ill Fate lends
So good cause to your passion; no man knowes
The reason whence and how the darknesse growes;
The reason how the Morne is thus begunne;
The reason how the Man-enlightning Sunne
Dives under earth; the reason how againe
He reres his golden head. Those counsailes then
That passe our comprehension we must leave
To him that knowes their causes, and receave
Direction from him in our acts as farre
As he shall please to make them regular
And stoope them to our reason. In our state,
What then behoves us? Can we estimate,
With all our counsailes, where we are, or know
(Without instruction past our owne skils) how
(Put off from hence) to stere our course the more?
I thinke we can not. We must then explore
These parts for information — in which way
We thus farre are: last Morne I might display
(From off a high-raisd cliffe) an Iland lie
Girt with th'unmeasur'd Sea, and is so nie
That in the midst I saw the smoke arise
Through tufts of trees. This rests then to advise
Who shall explore this. " This strooke dead their hearts,
Remembring the most execrable parts
That Laestrygonian Antiphas had plaid
And that foule Cyclop, that their fellowes braid
Betwixt his jawes; which mov'd them so, they cried.
But idle teares had never wants supplied.
I in two parts divided all, and gave
To either part his Captaine: I must have
The charge of one, and one of God-like looke,
Eurylochus, the other. Lots we shooke
(Put in a caske together), which of us
Should leade th'attempt, and twas Eurylochus.
He freely went, with two and twenty more:
All which tooke leave with teares, and our eyes wore
The same wet badge of weake humanity.
These in a dale did Circe's house descrie,
Of bright stone built in a conspicuous way;
Before her gates hill-wolves and Lyons lay,
Which with her virtuous drugs so tame she made
That Wolfe nor Lyon would one man invade
With any violence, but all arose,
Their huge long tailes wagd, and in fawnes would close
As loving dogs when masters bring them home
Relicks of feast — in all observance come
And sooth their entries with their fawnes and bounds,
All guests still bringing some scraps for their hounds:
So, on these men the Wolves and Lyons rampt,
Their horrid paws set up. Their spirits were dampt
To see such monstrous kindnesse, staid at gate,
And heard within the Goddesse elevate
A voice divine, as at her web she wrought,
Subtle and glorious, and past earthly thought.
As all the houswiferies of Deities are.
To heare a voice so ravishingly rare,
Polites (one exceeding deare to me,
A Prince of men, and of no meane degree
In knowing vertue, in all Acts whose mind
Discreete cares all wayes usde to turne and wind)
Was yet surprisd with it, and said: " O friends,
Some one abides within here that commends
The place to us and breathes a voice divine
As she some web wrought, or her spindle's twine
She cherisht with her song; the pavement rings
With imitation of the tunes she sings;
Some woman, or some Goddesse tis. Assay
To see with knocking. " Thus said he, and they
Both knockt, and calld; and straight her shining gates
She opened, issuing, bade them in to cates —
Led, and unwise they follow'd, all but one,
Which was Eurylochus, who stood alone
Without the gates, suspicious of a sleight.
They enterd, she made sit; and her deceit
She cloakt with Thrones and goodly chaires of State,
Set hearby honey and the delicate
Wine brought from Smyrna to them, meale and cheese;
But harmefull venoms she commixt with these,
That made their Countrey vanish from their thought.
Which eate, she toucht them with a rod that wrought
Their transformation farre past humane wunts;
Swines' snowts, swines' bodies tooke they, bristles, grunts,
But still retaind the soules they had before,
Which made them mourne their bodies' change the more.
She shut them straight in sties, and gave them meate —
Oke-mast and beech and Cornell fruite they eate,
Groveling like swine on earth in fowlest sort.
Eurylochus straight hasted the report
Of this his fellowes' most remorcefull fate,
Came to the ships, but so excruciate
Was with his woe he could not speake a word:
His eyes stood full of teares, which shew'd how stor'd
His mind with mone remaind. We all admir'd,
Askt what had chanc't him, earnestly desir'd
He would resolve us. At the last, our eyes
Enflam'd in him his fellowes' memories,
And out his griefe burst thus: " You willd we went
Through those thicke woods you saw; when a descent
Shew'd us a faire house in a lightsome ground,
Where (at some worke) we heard a heavenly sound
Breath'd from a Goddesse, or a woman's brest.
They knockt, she op't her bright gates; each her guest
Her faire invitement made, nor would they stay
(Fooles that they were) when she once led the way.
I enterd not, suspecting some deceit —
When all together vanisht, nor the sight
Of any one (though long I lookt) mine eye
Could any way discover. " Instantly,
(My sword and bow reacht) I bad shew the place,
When downe he fell, did both my knees embrace,
And praid with teares thus: " O thou kept of God,
Do not thy selfe lose, nor to that aboad
Leade others rashly; both thy selfe, and all
Thou ventur'st thither, I know well must fall
In one sure ruine: with these few then flie.
We yet may shunne the others' destinie. "
" I answerd him: " Eurylochus! stay thou
And keepe the ship then, eate and drinke. I now
Will undertake th'adventure; there is cause
In great Necessitie's unalterd lawes. "
This said, I left both ship and seas, and on
Along the sacred vallies all alone
Went in discovery, till at last I came
Where of the manie-medcine-making Dame
I saw the great house, where encounterd me
The golden-rod-sustaining Mercurie,
Even entring Circe's doores. He met me in
A yong man's likenesse, of the first-flowr'd chin,
Whose forme hath all the grace of one so yong.
He first cald to me, then my hand he wrung,
And said: " Thou no-place-finding-for-repose,
Whither, alone, by these hill-confines goes
Thy erring foote? Th'art entring Circe's house,
Where (by her medcines blacke and sorcerous)
Thy souldiers all are shut in well-armd sties,
And turned to swine. Art thou arriv'd with prise
Fit for their ransomes? Thou com'st out no more
If once thou enterst, like thy men before
Made to remaine here. But I'le guard thee free,
And save thee in her spite: receive of me
This faire and good receipt, with which once arm'd,
Enter her roofes, for th'art to all proofe charm'd
Against the ill day. I will tell thee all
Her banefull counsaile. With a festivall
Shee'le first receive thee, but will spice thy bread
With flowrie poysons: yet unaltered
Shall thy firme forme be, for this remedy
Stands most approv'd gainst all her Sorcery —
Which thus particularly shunne: when she
Shall with her long rod strike thee, instantly
Draw from thy thigh thy sword, and flie on her
As to her slaughter. She, (surprisde with feare
And love) at first will bid thee to her bed;
Nor say the Goddesse nay, that welcomed
Thou maist with all respect be, and procure
Thy fellowes' freedomes. But before, make sure
Her favours to thee and the great oath take
With which the blessed Gods assurance make
Of all they promise, that no prejudice
(By stripping thee of forme and faculties)
She may so much as once attempt on thee. "
This said, he gave his Antidote to me,
Which from the earth he pluckt, and told me all
The vertue of it, with what Deities call
The name it beares — and Moly they impose
For name to it. The roote is hard to loose
From hold of earth by mortals, but Gods' powre
Can all things do. Tis blacke, but beares a flowre
As white as milke. And thus flew Mercurie
Up to immense Olympus, gliding by
The sylvan Iland. I made backe my way
To Circe's house, my mind of my assay
Much thought revolving. At her gates I staid
And cald: she heard and her bright doores displaid,
Invited, led; I followed in, but tract
With some distraction. In a Throne she plac't
My welcome person. Of a curious frame
Twas and so bright I sate as in a flame.
A foote-stoole added. In a golden boule
She then subornd a potion, in her soule
Deformd things thinking, for amidst the wine
She mixt her man-transforming medicine —
Which when she saw I had devourd, she then
No more observ'd me with her soothing vaine
But strooke me with her rod, and to her Sty
Bad — " Out, away, and with thy fellowes lie. "
I drew my sword and charg'd her as I ment
To take her life — when out she cri'd, and bent
Beneath my sword her knees, embracing mine,
And (full of teares) said: " Who? Of what high line
Art thou the issue? Whence? What shores sustaine
Thy native Citie? I amaz'd remaine
That, drinking these my venomes, th'art not turnd.
Never drunke any this cup but he mournd
In other likenesse if it once had past
The ivorie bounders of his tongue and taste.
All but thy selfe are brutishly declind:
Thy breast holds firme yet and unchang'd thy mind.
Thou canst be, therefore, none else but the man
Of many virtues — Ithacensian,
Deepe-soul'd Ulysses: who, I oft was told
By that slie God that beares the rod of gold,
Was to arrive here in retreat from Troy.
Sheath then thy sword, and let my bed enjoy
So much a man, that, when the bed we prove,
We may beleeve in one another's love. "
" I then: " O Circe, why entreat'st thou me
To mixe in any humane league with thee,
When thou my friends hast beasts turnd? — and thy bed
Tenderst to me, that I might likewise leade
A beast's life with thee, softn'd, naked stript,
That in my blood thy banes may more be steept?
I never will ascend thy bed before
I may affirme that in heaven's sight you swore
The great oath of the Gods, that all attempt
To do me ill is from your thoughts exempt. "
" I said; she swore — when, all the oath-rites said,
I then ascended her adorned bed,
But thus prepar'd: foure handmaids serv'd her there,
That daughters to her silver fountaines were,
To her bright-sea-observing sacred floods,
And to her uncut consecrated woods.
One deckt the Throne-tops with rich clothes of state,
And did with silkes the foote-pace consecrate.
Another, silver tables set before
The pompous Throne, and golden dishes' store
Serv'd in with severall feast. A third fild wine;
The fourth brought water, and made fewell shine
In ruddy fires beneath a wombe of brasse.
Which heat, I bath'd; and odorous water was
Disperpled lightly on my head and necke,
That might my late heart-hurting sorrowes checke
With the refreshing sweetnesse; and, for that,
Men sometimes may be something delicate.
Bath'd and adorn'd, she led me to a Throne
Of massie silver, and of fashion
Exceeding curious. A faire foote-stoole set,
Water apposde, and every sort of meate
Set on th'elaborately polisht boord.
She wisht my taste emploid, but not a word
Would my eares taste of taste: my mind had food
That must digest; eye-meate would do me good.
Circe (observing that I put no hand
To any banquet, having countermand
From weightier cares than light cates could excuse)
Bowing her neare me, these wing'd words did use:
" " Why sits Ulysses like one dumbe, his mind
Lessening with languors? Nor to food enclind,
Nor wine? Whence comes it? Out of any feare
Of more illusion? You must needs forbeare
That wrongful doubt, since you have heard me sweare. "
" " O Circe! " I replied, " what man is he,
Awd with the rights of true humanitie,
That dares taste food or wine before he sees
His friends redeem'd from their deformities?
If you be gentle, and indeed incline
To let me taste the comfort of your wine,
Dissolve the charmes that their forc't formes encheine
And shew me here my honord friends like men. "
" This said, she left her Throne, and tooke her rod,
Went to her Stie and let my men abroad,
Like swine of nine yeares old. They opposite stood,
Observ'd their brutish forme, and look't for food;
When, with another medicine (every one
All over smeer'd) their bristles all were gone,
Produc't by malice of the other bane,
And every one afresh lookt up a man,
Both yonger than they were, of stature more,
And all their formes much goodlier than before.
All knew me, clingd about me, and a cry
Of pleasing mourning flew about so hie
The horrid roofe resounded, and the Queene
Her selfe was mov'd to see our kinde so keene —
Who bad me now bring ship and men ashore,
Our armes and goods in caves hid, and restore
My selfe to her with all my other men.
I granted, went, and op't the weeping veine
In all my men, whose violent joy to see
My safe returne was passing kindly free
Of friendly teares, and miserably wept.
You have not seene yong Heiffers (highly kept,
Filld full of daisies at the field, and driven
Home to their hovels, all so spritely given
That no roome can containe them, but about
Bace by the Dams, and let their spirits out
In ceasselesse bleating) of more jocund plight
Than my kind friends, even crying out with sight
Of my returne so doubted — circl'd me
With all their welcomes, and as cheerfully
Disposde their rapt minds as if there they saw
Their naturall Countrie, cliffie Ithaca,
And even the roofes where they were bred and borne,
And vowd as much, with teares: " O your returne
As much delights us as in you had come
Our Countrie to us and our naturall home.
But what unhappie fate hath reft our friends? "
I gave unlookt-for answer, that amends
Made for their mourning; bad them first of all
Our ship ashore draw, then in Caverns stall
Our foodie cattell, hide our mutuall prise;
" And then, " said I, " attend me, that your eies
In Circe's sacred house may see each friend,
Eating and drinking banquets out of end. "
" They soone obeid — all but Eurylochus,
Who needes would stay them all, and counselld thus:
" " O wretches! whither will ye? Why are you
Fond of your mischiefs, and such gladnesse show
For Circe's house, that will transforme ye all
To Swine, or Wolves, or Lions? Never shall
Our heads get out if once within we be,
But stay compelld by strong Necessitie.
So wrought the Cyclop, when t'his cave our friends
This bold one led on, and brought all their ends
By his one indiscretion. " I, for this,
Thought with my sword (that desperate head of his
Hewne from his necke) to gash upon the ground
His mangld bodie, though my blood was bound
In neare alliance to him. But the rest
With humble suite containd me, and request
That I would leave him with my ship alone
And to the sacred Pallace leade them on.
" I led them, nor Eurylochus would stay
From their attendance on me, our late fray
Strooke to his heart so. But meane time my men
In Circe's house were all in severall baine
Studiously sweetn'd, smugd with oile, and deckt
With in and outweeds: and a feast select
Serv'd in before them — at which close we found
They all were set, cheer'd, and carousing round.
When (mutuall sight had, and all thought on) then
Feast was forgotten, and the mone againe
About the house flew, driven with wings of joy.
But then spake Circe: " Now, no more annoy.
I know my selfe what woes by sea and shore
And men unjust have plagu'd enough before
Your injur'd vertues: here then, feast as long,
And be as cheerfull, till ye grow as strong
As when ye first forsooke your Countrie earth.
Ye now fare all like exiles, not a mirth
Flasht in amongst ye but is quencht againe
With still-renewd teares — though the beaten vaine
Of your distresses should (me thinke) be now
Benumb with sufferance. " We did well allow
Her kind perswasions, and the whole yeare staid
In varied feast with her. When now arraid
The world was with the Spring, and orbie houres
Had gone the round againe through herbs and flowres,
The moneths absolv'd in order till the daies
Had runne their full race in Apollo's raies,
My friends rememberd me of home, and said,
If ever Fate would signe my passe, delaid
It should be now no more. I heard them well,
Yet that day spent in feast till darknesse fell,
And sleepe his virtues through our vapours shed —
When I ascended sacred Circe's bed,
Implor'd my passe and her performed vow,
Which now my soule urg'd, and my souldiers now
Afflicted me with teares to get them gone.
All these I told her, and she answerd these:
" Much-skilld Ulysses Laertiades!
Remaine no more against your wils with me,
But take your free way: onely this must be
Perform'd before you stere your course for home.
You must the way to Pluto overcome
And sterne Persephone, to forme your passe
By th'aged Theban Soule Tiresias,
The dark-browd Prophet, whose soule yet can see
Clearely and firmely: grave Persephone
(Even dead) gave him a mind that he alone
Might sing Truth's solide wisedome, and not one
Prove more than shade in his comparison. "
" This broke my heart; I sunke into my bed,
Mourn'd, and would never more be comforted
With light, nor life. But having now exprest
My paines enough to her in my unrest,
That so I might prepare her ruth, and get
All I held fit for an affaire so great,
I said: " O Circe, who shall stere my course
To Pluto's kingdome? Never ship had force
To make that voiage. " The divine in voice
Said: " Seeke no guide, raise you your Mast, and hoice
Your ship's white sailes, and then sit you at peace.
The fresh North spirit shall waft ye through the seas.
But, having past th'Ocean, you shall see
A little shore that to Persephone
Puts up a consecrated wood, where growes
Tall Firres, and Sallowes that their fruits soone loose.
Cast anchor in the gulphes, and go alone
To Pluto's darke house, where to Acheron
Cocytus runnes and Pyriphlegethon,
Cocytus borne of Styx; and where a Rocke
Of both the met floods beares the roring shocke,
The darke Heroe, great Tiresias,
Now coming neare, to gaine propitious passe,
Dig (of a cubit every way) a pit,
And powre (to all that are deceast) in it
A solemne sacrifice. For which, first take
Honey and wine, and their commixtion make;
Then sweete wine, neate; and thirdly, water powre;
And lastly, adde to these the whitest flowre.
Then vow to all the weake necks of the dead
Offerings a number, and, when thou shalt tread
The Ithacensian shore, to sacrifice
A Heifer never tam'd and most of prise,
A pyle of all thy most-esteemed goods
Enflaming to the deare streames of their bloods.
And in secret Rites to Tiresias vow
A Ram cole blacke at all parts, that doth flow
With fat and fleece, and all thy flockes doth leade.
When the all-calling nation of the dead
Thou thus hast praid to, offer on the place
A Ram and Ewe all blacke, being turn'd in face
To dreadfull Erebus, thy selfe aside
The flood's shore walking. And then gratified
With flocks of Soules, of Men and Dames deceast,
Shall all thy pious Rites be. Straight addrest
See then the offering that thy fellowes slew
Flayd and imposde in fire, and all thy Crew
Pray to the state of either Deitie,
Grave Pluto and severe Persephone.
Then draw thy sword, stand firme, nor suffer one
Of all the faint shades of the dead and gone
T'approch the blood till thou hast heard their king,
The wise Tiresias — who thy offering
Will instantly do honour, thy home wayes,
And all the measure of them, by the seas
Amply unfolding. " This the Goddesse told;
And then the morning in her Throne of gold
Survaid the vast world, by whose orient light
The Nymph adorn'd me with attires as bright,
Her owne hands putting on both shirt and weede,
Robes fine and curious; and upon my head
An ornament that glitterd like a flame
Girt me in gold; and forth betimes I came
Amongst my souldiers, rousd them all from sleepe,
And bad them now no more observance keepe
Of ease and feast, but straight a shipboard fall —
For now the Goddesse had inform'd me all.
Their noble spirits agree'd, nor yet so cleare
Could I bring all off, but Elpenor there
His heedlesse life left: he was yongest man
Of all my company, and one that wanne
Least fame for armes, as little for his braine;
Who (too much steept in wine, and so made faine
To get refreshing by the coole of sleepe,
Apart his fellowes plung'd in vapors deepe,
And they as high in tumult of their way)
Sodainly wak't, and (quite out of the stay
A sober mind had given him) would descend
A huge long Ladder, forward, and an end
Fell from the very roofe, full pitching on
The dearest joynt his head was plac't upon —
Which (quite dissolv'd) let loose his soule to hell.
I to the rest, and Circe's meanes did tell
Of our returne (as crossing cleane the hope
I gave them first) and said: " You thinke the scope
Of our endevours now is straight for home.
No: Circe otherwise design'd, whose doome
Enjoynd us first to greet the dreadfull house
Of Austere Pluto and his glorious spouse,
To take the counsaile of Tiresias
(The reverend Theban) to direct our passe. "
" This brake their hearts, and griefe made teare their haire —
But griefe was never good at great affaire.
It would have way yet. We went wofull on
To ship and shore, where was arriv'd as soone
Circe unseene, a blacke Ewe and a Ram
Binding for sacrifice; and, as she came,
Vanisht againe, unwitnest by our eyes;
Which griev'd not us, nor checkt our sacrifice —
For who would see God, loath to let us see?
This way or that bent, still his waies are free.