The Iliad and the Odyssey (Classics of World Literature) (93 page)

Will mock no solid arms with empty shade,

Nor suffer empty shades again t’ invade

Flesh, bones and nerves; nor will defraud the fire

Of his last dues, that, soon as spirits expire

And leave the white bone, are his native right,

When, like a dream, the soul assumes her flight.

The light then of the living with most haste,

O son, contend to. This thy little taste

Of this state is enough; and all this life

Will make a tale fit to be told thy wife.’

This speech we had; when now repair’d to me

More female spirits, by Persephone

Driv’n on before her. All th’ heroës’ wives

And daughters, that led there their second lives,

About the black blood throng’d. Of whom yet more

My mind impell’d me to inquire, before

I let them altogether taste the gore,

For then would all have been dispers’d, and gone

Thick as they came. I therefore one by one

Let taste the pit, my sword drawn from my thigh,

And stand betwixt them made, when, severally,

All told their stocks. The first that quench’d her fire

Was Tyro, issued of a noble sire.

She said she sprung from pure Salmoneus’ bed,

And Cretheus, son of Aeolus, did wed,

Yet the divine flood Enipeus lov’d,

Who much the most fair stream of all floods mov’d.

Near whose streams Tyro walking, Neptune came,

Like Enipeus, and enjoy’d the dame.

Like to a hill, the blue and shaky flood

Above th’ immortal and the mortal stood,

And hid them both, as both together lay,

Just where his current falls into the sea.

Her virgin waist dissolv
’
d, she slumber’d then.

But when the god had done the work of men,

Her fair hand gently wringing, thus he said:

‘Woman! Rejoice in our combined bed,

For when the year hath run his circle round

(Because the gods’ loves must in fruit abound)

My love shall make, to cheer thy teeming moans,

Thy one dear burden bear two famous sons;

Love well, and bring them up. Go home, and see

That, though of more joy yet I shall be free,

Thou dost not tell, to glorify thy birth,

Thy love is Neptune, shaker of the earth.’

This said, he plung’d into the sea; and she,

Begot with child by him, the light let see

Great Pelias and Neleus, that became

In Jove’s great ministry of mighty fame.

Pelias in broad Iolcus held his throne,

Wealthy in cattle; th’ other royal son

Rul’d sandy Pylos. To these issue more

This queen of women to her husband bore,

Aeson, and Pheres, and Amythaon

That for his fight on horseback stoop’d to none.

Next her, I saw admir’d Antiope,

Asopus’ daughter, who (as much as she

Boasted attraction of great Neptune’s love)

Boasted to slumber in the arms of Jove,

And two sons likewise at one burden bore

To that her all-controlling paramour,

Amphion and fair Zethus, that first laid

Great Thebes’ foundations, and strong walls convey’d

About her turrets, that seven ports enclos’d.

For though the Thebans much in strength repos’d,

Yet had not they the strength to hold their own

Without the added aids of wood and stone.

Alcmena next I saw, that famous wife

Was to Amphitryo, and honour’d life

Gave to the lion-hearted Hercules,

That was of Jove’s embrace the great increase.

I saw, besides, proud Creon’s daughter there,

Bright Megara, that nuptial yoke did wear

With Jove’s great son, who never field did try

But bore to him the flower of victory.

The mother then of Oedipus I saw,

Fair Epicasta, that, beyond all law,

Her own son married, ignorant of kind,

And he, as darkly taken in his mind,

His mother wedded, and his father slew.

Whose blind act heav’n expos
’
d at length to view,

And he in all-lov’d Thebes the supreme state

With much moan manag’d, for the heavy fate

The gods laid on him. She made violent flight

To Pluto’s dark house from the loathed light,

Beneath a steep beam strangled with a cord,

And left her son, in life, pains as abhorr’d

As all the Furies pour’d on her in hell.

Then saw I Chloris, that did so excel

In answering beauties, that each part had all.

Great Neleus married her, when gifts not small

Had won her favour, term’d by name of dow’r.

She was of all Amphion’s seed the flow’r –

Amphion, call’d Iasides, that then

Ruled strongly Myniaean Orchomen,

And now his daughter rul’d the Pylian throne,

Because her beauty’s empire overshone.

She brought her wife-aw’d husband, Neleus,

Nestor much honour’d, Periclymenus,

And Chromius, sons with sovereign virtues grac’d

But after brought a daughter that surpass’d,

Rare-beautied Pero, so for form exact

That nature to a miracle was rack’d

In her perfections, blaz’d with th’ eyes of men,

That made of all the country’s hearts a chain,

And drew them suitors to her. Which her sire

Took vantage of, and, since he did aspire

To nothing more than to the broad-brow’d herd

Of oxen, which the common fame so rear’d,

Own’d by Iphiclus, not a man should be

His Pero’s husband, that from Phylace

Those never-yet-driv’n oxen could not drive.

Yet these a strong hope held him to achieve,

Because a prophet, that had never err’d,

Had said, that only he should be preferr’d

To their possession. But the equal fate

Of god withstood his stealth; inextricate

Imprisoning bands, and sturdy churlish swains

That were the herdsmen, who withheld with chains

The stealth-attempter; which was only he

That durst abet the act with prophecy,

None else would undertake it, and he must –

The king would needs a prophet should be just.

But when some days and months expired were,

And all the hours had brought about the year,

The prophet did so satisfy the king

(Iphiclus, all his cunning questioning)

That he enfranchis’d him; and, all worst done,

Jove’s counsel made th’ all-safe conclusion.

Then saw I Leda, link’d in nuptial chain

With Tyndarus, to whom she did sustain

Sons much renown’d for wisdom: Castor one,

That pass’d for use of horse comparison,

And Pollux, that excell’d in whirlbat fight;

Both these the fruitful earth bore, while the light

Of life inspir’d them; after which, they found

Such grace with Jove, that both liv
’
d under ground,

By change of days; life still did one sustain,

While th’ other died; the dead then liv’d again,

The living dying; both of one self date

Their lives and deaths made by the gods and fate.

Iphimedia after Leda came,

That did derive from Neptune too the name

Of father to two admirable sons.

Life yet made short their admirations,

Who god-opposed Otus had to name,

And Ephialtes far in sound of fame.

The prodigal earth so fed them, that they grew

To most huge stature, and had fairest hue

Of all men but Orion, under heav’n.

At nine years old nine cubits they were driv’n

Abroad in breadth, and sprung nine fathoms high.

They threaten’d to give battle to the sky,

And all th’ immortals. They were setting on

Ossa upon Olympus, and upon

Steep Ossa leavy Pelius, that ev’n

They might a highway make with lofty heav’n;

And had perhaps perform’d it, had they liv’d

Till they were striplings; but Jove’s son depriv’d

Their limbs of life, before th’ age that begins

The flow’r of youth, and should adorn their chins.

Phaedra and Procris, with wise Minos’ flame,

Bright Ariadne, to the offering came,

Whom whilom Theseus made his prise from Crete,

That Athens’ sacred soil might kiss her feet,

But never could obtain her virgin flow’r,

Till in the sea-girt Dia, Dian’s pow’r

Detain’d his homeward haste, where (in her fane,

By Bacchus witness’d) was the fatal wane

Of her prime glory. Maera, Clymene,

I witness’d there; and loath’d Eriphyle,

That honour’d gold more than she lov’d her spouse.

But all th’ heroësses in Pluto’s house

That then encounter’d me, exceeds my might

To name or number, and ambrosian night

Would quite be spent, when now the formal hours

Present to sleep our all-disposed pow’rs,

If at my ship, or here. My home-made vow

I leave for fit grace to the gods and you.’

This said, the silence his discourse had made

With pleasure held still through the house’s shade,

When white-arm’d Arete this speech began:

‘Phaeacians! How appears to you this man,

So goodly person’d, and so match’d with mind?

My guest he is, but all you stand combin’d

In the renown he doth us. Do not then

With careless haste dismiss him, nor the main

Of his dispatch to one so needy maim;

The gods’ free bounty gives us all just claim

To goods enow.’ This speech the oldest man

Of any other Phaeacensian,

The grave heroë, Echineus, gave

All approbation, saying: ‘Friends! Ye have

The motion of the wise queen in such words

As have not miss’d the mark, with which accords

My clear opinion. But Alcinous

In word and work must be our rule.’ He thus;

And then Alcinous said: ‘This then must stand,

If while I live I rule in the command

Of this well-skill’d-in-navigation state:

Endure then, guest, though most importunate

Be your affects for home. A little stay

If your expectance bear, perhaps it may

Our gifts make more complete. The cares of all

Your due deduction asks; but principal

I am therein the ruler.’ He replied:

‘Alcinous, the most duly glorified,

With rule of all, of all men, if you lay

Commandment on me of a whole year’s stay,

So all the while your preparations rise,

As well in gifts as time, ye can devise

No better wish for me; for I shall come

Much fuller-handed, and more honour’d, home,

And dearer to my people, in whose loves

The richer evermore the better proves.’

He answer’d: ‘There is argu’d in your sight

A worth that works not men for benefit,

Like prowlers or impostors; of which crew,

The gentle black earth feeds not up a few,

Here and there wanderers, blanching tales and lies,

Of neither praise nor use. You move our eyes

With form, our minds with matter, and our ears

With elegant oration, such as bears

A music in the order’d history

It lays before us. Not Demodocus

With sweeter strains hath us’d to sing to us

All the Greek sorrows, wept out in your own.

But say, of all your worthy friends, were none

Objected to your eyes that consorts were

To Ilion with you, and serv’d destiny there?

This night is passing long, unmeasur’d, none

Of all my household would to bed yet; on,

Relate these wondrous things. Were I with you,

If you would tell me but your woes, as now,

Till the divine Aurora show’d her head,

I should in no night relish thought of bed.’

‘Most eminent king,’ said he, ‘times all must keep;

There’s time to speak much, time as much to sleep.

But would you hear still, I will tell you still,

And utter more, more miserable, ill

Of friends than yet, that ’scaped the dismal wars,

And perish’d homewards, and in household jars

Wag’d by a wicked woman. The chaste queen

No sooner made these lady ghosts unseen,

Here and there fitting, but mine eye-sight won

The soul of Agamemnon, Atreus’ son,

Sad, and about him all his train of friends,

That in Aegisthus’ house endur’d their ends

With his stern fortune. Having drunk the blood,

He knew me instantly, and forth a flood

Of springing tears gush’d; out he thrust his hands,

With will t’ embrace me, but their old commands

Flow’d not about him, nor their weakest part.

I wept to see, and moan’d him from my heart,

And ask’d: ‘O Agamemnon! King of men!

What sort of cruel death hath render’d slain

Thy royal person? Neptune in thy fleet

Heav’n and his hellish billows making meet,

Rousing the winds? Or have thy men by land

Done thee this ill, for using thy command,

Past their consents, in diminution

Of those full shares their worths by lot had won

Of sheep or oxen? Or of any town,

In covetous strife, to make their rights thine own

In men or women prisoners?’ He replied:

‘By none of these in any right I died,

But by Aegisthus and my murderous wife

(Bid to a banquet at his house) my life

Hath thus been reft me, to my slaughter led

Like to an ox pretended to be fed.

So miserably fell I, and with me

My friends lay massacred, as when you see

At any rich man’s nuptials, shot, or feast,

About his kitchen white-tooth’d swine lie dress
’
d.

The slaughters of a world of men thine eyes,

Both private, and in prease of enemies,

Have personally witness’d; but this one

Would all thy parts have broken into moan,