English

Ulysses thus resolv'd the King's demands:
" Alcinous (in whom this Empire stands),
You should not of so naturall right desherit
Your princely feast as take from it the spirit.
To heare a Poet that in accent brings
The Gods' brests downe, and breathes them as he sings,
Is sweet and sacred; nor can I conceive,
In any common weale, what more doth give
Note of the just and blessed Empery
Than to see Comfort universally
Cheare up the people, when in every roofe
She gives observers a most humane proofe

Now when the Rosie-fingerd morne arose,
The sacred powre Alcinous did dispose
Did likewise rise, and like him left his Ease
The Cittie-racer Laertiades.
The Councell at the Navie was design'd,
To which Alcinous with the sacred mind
Came first of all. On polisht stones they state
Neare to the Navie. To increase the state,
Minerva tooke the herald's forme on her
That serv'd Alcinous, studious to prefer
Ulysses' Suite for home. About the towne
She made quicke way, and fild with the renowne

Thus praid the wise and God-observing Man.
The Maid, by free force of her Palfreys, wan
Accesse to Towne, and the renowmed Court
Reacht of her Father, where, within the Port,
She staid her Coach; and round about her came
Her Brothers (made as of immortall frame),
Who yet disdaind not, for her love, meane deeds,
But tooke from Coach her Mules, brought in her weeds.
And she ascends her chamber, where purvaid
A quicke fire was by her old chamber-maid,
Eurymedusa, th'Aperaean borne,
And brought by sea from Apera t'adorne

The much-sustaining, patient, heavenly Man,
Whom Toile and Sleepe had worne so weake and wan,
Thus wonne his rest. In meane space Pallas went
To the Phaeacian citie and descent
That first did broad Hyperia's lands divide
Neare the vast Cyclops, men of monstrous pride,
That preyd on those Hyperians since they were
Of greater powre; and therefore longer there
Divine Nausithous dwelt not, but arose,
And did for Scheria all his powres dispose,
Farre from ingenious Art-inventing men.
But there did he erect a Citie then.

Aurora rose from high-borne Tithon's Bed,
That men and Gods might be illustrated:
And then the Deities sate. Imperiall Jove,
That makes the horrid murmure beate above,
Tooke place past all, whose height for ever springs
And from whom flowes th'eternall powre of things.
Then Pallas (mindfull of Ulysses) told
The many Cares that in Calypso's hold
He still sustaind — when he had felt before
So much affliction and such dangers more.
" O Father," said she, " and ye everblest!
Give never King hereafter interest

In Lacedaemon now, the nurse of Whales,
These two arriv'd, and found at festivals
(With mightie concourse) the renowmed King,
His sonne and daughter joyntly marrying.
Alector's daughter he did give his sonne,
Strong Megapenthes, who his life begunne
By Menelaus' bondmaid; whom he knew
In yeares, when Helen could no more renew
In issue like divine Hermione,
Who held in all faire forme as high degree
As golden Venus. Her he married now
To great Achilles' sonne, who was by vow
Bethrothd to her at Troy. And thus the Gods

The Sunne now left the great and goodly Lake,
And to the firme heav'n bright ascent did make,
To shine as well upon the mortall birth
Inhabiting the plowd life-giving earth
As on the ever-tredders upon Death.
And now to Pylos, that so garnisheth
Her selfe with buildings, old Neleus' towne,
The Prince and Goddesse come, had strange sights showne —
For on the Marine shore the people there
To Neptune, that the Azure lockes doth weare,
Beeves that were wholy blacke gave holy flame.

Now when with rosie fingers, th'early borne
And throwne through all the aire, appear'd the morne,
Ulysses' lov'd sonne from his bed appeard,
His weeds put on, and did about him gird
His sword that thwart his shoulders hung, and tied
To his faire feete faire shooes, and all parts plied
For speedie readinesse; who, when he trod
The open earth, to men shewd like a God.
The Heralds then he strait charg'd to consort
The curld-head Greekes with lowd calls to a Court.
They summon'd; th'other came in utmost haste;

The Man, O Muse, informe, that many a way
Wound with his wisedome to his wished stay;
That wanderd wondrous farre when He the towne
Of sacred Troy had sackt and shiverd downe.
The cities of a world of nations,
With all their manners, mindes and fashions,
He saw and knew; at Sea felt many woes,
Much care sustaind, to save from overthrowes
Himselfe and friends in their retreate for home.
But so their fates he could not overcome,
Though much he thirsted it. O men unwise,
They perisht by their owne impieties,

In meantime flew our ships, and straight we fetch'd
The Sirens' isle; a spleenless wind so stretch'd
Her wings to waft us, and so urged our keel,
But having reach'd this isle, we could not feel
The least gasp of it, it was stricken dead,
And all the sea in prostrate slumber spread,
The Sirens' devil charm'd all. Up then flew
My friends to work, struck sail, together drew,
And under hatches stow'd them, sat, and plied
The polished oars, and did in curls divide
The white head waters. My part then came on: