The Odysseys of Homer, together with the shorter poems. Homer

‭ But, of necessity, her work gave end.

       ‭ And thus, by me, doth ev’ry other friend,

       ‭ Professing love to her, reply to thee;

       ‭ That ev’n thyself, and all Greeks else, may see,

       ‭ That we offend not in our stay, but she.

       ‭ To free thy house then, send her to her sire,

       ‭ Commanding that her choice be left entire

       ‭ To his election, and one settled will.

       ‭ Nor let her vex with her illusions still

       ‭ Her friends that woo her, standing on her wit,

       ‭ Because wise Pallas hath giv’n wills to it

       ‭ So full of art, and made her understand

       ‭ All works in fair skill of a lady’s hand.

       ‭ But (for her working mind) we read of none

       ‭ Of all the old world, in which Greece hath shown

       ‭ Her rarest pieces, that could equal her:

       ‭ Tyro, Alcmena, and Mycena were

       ‭ To hold comparison in no degree,

       ‭ For solid brain, with wise Penelope.

       ‭ And yet, in her delays of us, she shows

       ‭ No prophet’s skill with all the wit she owes;

       ‭ For all this time thy goods and victuals go

       ‭ To utter ruin; and shall ever so,

       ‭ While thus the Gods her glorious mind dispose.

       ‭ Glory herself may gain, but thou shalt lose

       ‭ Thy longings ev’n for necessary food,

       ‭ For we will never go where lies our good,

       ‭ Nor any other where, till this delay

       ‭ She puts on all she quits with th’ endless stay

       ‭ Of some one of us, that to all the rest

       ‭ May give free farewell with his nuptial feast.”

       ‭ The wise young prince replied: “Antinous!

       ‭ I may by no means turn out of my house

       ‭ Her that hath brought me forth and nourish’d me.

       ‭ Besides, if quick or dead my father be

       ‭ In any region, yet abides in doubt;

       ‭ And ’twill go hard, my means being so run out,

       ‭ To tender to Icarius again,

       ‭ If he again my mother must maintain

       ‭ In her retreat, the dow’r she brought with her.

       ‭ And then a double ill it will confer,

       ‭ Both from my father and from God on me,

       ‭ When, thrust out of her house, on her bent knee,

       ‭ My mother shall the horrid Furies raise

       ‭ With imprecations, and all men dispraise

       ‭ My part in her exposure. Never then

       ‭ Will I perform this counsel. If your spleen

       ‭ Swell at my courses, once more I command

       ‭ Your absence from my house; some other’s hand

       ‭ Charge with your banquets; on your own goods eat,

       ‭ And either other mutually in treat,

       ‭ At either of your houses, with your feast.

       ‭ But if ye still esteem more sweet and best

       ‭ Another’s spoil, so you still wreakless live,

       ‭ Gnaw, vermin-like, things sacred, no laws give [1]

       ‭ To your devouring; it remains that I

       ‭ Invoke each Ever-living Deity,

       ‭ And vow, if Jove shall deign in any date

       ‭ Pow’r of like pains for pleasure so past rate,

       ‭ From thenceforth look, where ye have revell’d so

       ‭ Unwreak’d, your ruins all shall undergo.”

       ‭ Thus spake Telemachus; t’ assure whose threat,

       ‭ Far-seeing Jove upon their pinions set

       ‭ Two eagles from the high brows of a hill,

       ‭ That, mounted on the Winds, together still

       ‭ Their strokes extended; but arriving now

       ‭ Amidst the Council, over ev’ry brow

       ‭ Shook their thick wings and, threat’ning death’s cold fears,

       ‭ Their necks and cheeks tore with their eager seres;

       ‭ Then, on the court’s right hand away they flew,

       ‭ Above both court and city. With whose view,

       ‭ And study what events they might foretell

       ‭ The Council into admiration fell.

       ‭ The old heroë, Halitherses, then,

       ‭ The son of Nestor, that of all old men,

       ‭ His peers in that court, only could foresee

       ‭ By flight of fowls man’s fixed destiny,

       ‭ ’Twixt them and their amaze, this interpos’d:

       ‭ “Hear, Ithacensians, all your doubts disclos’d.

       ‭ The Wooers most are touch’d in this ostent,

       ‭ To whom are dangers great and imminent;

       ‭ For now not long more shall Ulysses bear

       ‭ Lack of his most lov’d, but fills some place near,

       ‭ Addressing to these Wooers fate and death.

       ‭ And many more this mischief menaceth

       ‭ Of us inhabiting this famous isle.

       ‭ Let us consult yet, in this long forewhile,

       ‭ How to ourselves we may prevent this ill.

       ‭ Let these men rest secure, and revel still;

       ‭ Though they might find it safer, if with us

       ‭ They would in time prevent what threats them thus;

       ‭ Since not without sure trial I foretell

       ‭ These coming storms, but know their issue well.

       ‭ For to Ulysses all things have event,

       ‭ As I foretold him, when for Ilion went

       ‭ The whole Greek fleet together, and with them

       ‭ Th’ abundant-in-all-counsels took the stream.

       ‭ I told him, that, when much ill he had past,

       ‭ And all his men were lost, he should at last,

       ‭ The twentieth year, turn home, to all unknown;

       ‭ All which effects are to perfection grown.”

       ‭ Eurymachus, the son of Polybus,

       ‭ Oppos’d this man’s presage, and answer’d thus:

       ‭ “Hence, great in years, go, prophesy at home,

       ‭ Thy children teach to shun their ills to come.

       ‭ In these superior far to thee am I.

       ‭ A world of fowls beneath the sun-beams fly

       ‭ That are not