LITMIR.BIZ

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       The mortal man, my comfort. Him I saved

       Myself, while solitary on his keel

       He rode, for with his sulph’rous arrow Jove

       Had cleft his bark amid the sable Deep.

       Then perish’d all his gallant friends, but him

       Billows and storms drove hither, whom I lov’d

       Sincere, and fondly destin’d to a life

       Immortal, unobnoxious to decay.

       But since no Deity may the designs 160

       Elude or controvert of Jove supreme,

       Hence with him o’er the barren Deep, if such

       The Sov’reign’s will, and such his stern command.

       But undismiss’d he goes by me, who ships

       Myself well-oar’d and mariners have none

       To send with him athwart the spacious flood;

       Yet freely, readily, my best advice

       I will afford him, that, escaping all

       Danger, he may regain his native shore.

       Then Hermes thus, the messenger of heav’n. 170

       Act as thou say’st, fearing the frown of Jove,

       Lest, if provoked, he spare not even thee.

       So saying, the dauntless Argicide withdrew,

       And she (Jove’s mandate heard) all-graceful went,

       Seeking the brave Ulysses; on the shore

       She found him seated; tears succeeding tears

       Delug’d his eyes, while, hopeless of return,

       Life’s precious hours to eating cares he gave

       Continual, with the nymph now charm’d no more.

       Yet, cold as she was am’rous, still he pass’d 180

       His nights beside her in the hollow grot,

       Constrain’d, and day by day the rocks among

       Which lined the shore heart-broken sat, and oft

       While wistfully he eyed the barren Deep,

       Wept, groaned, desponded, sigh’d, and wept again.

       Then, drawing near, thus spake the nymph divine.

       Unhappy! weep not here, nor life consume

       In anguish; go; thou hast my glad consent.

       Arise to labour; hewing down the trunks

       Of lofty trees, fashion them with the ax 190

       To a broad raft, which closely floor’d above,

       Shall hence convey thee o’er the gloomy Deep.

       Bread, water, and the red grape’s cheering juice

       Myself will put on board, which shall preserve

       Thy life from famine; I will also give

       New raiment for thy limbs, and will dispatch

       Winds after thee to waft thee home unharm’d,

       If such the pleasure of the Gods who dwell

       In yonder boundless heav’n, superior far

       To me, in knowledge and in skill to judge. 200

       She ceas’d; but horror at that sound the heart

       Chill’d of Ulysses, and in accents wing’d

       With wonder, thus the noble Chief replied.

       Ah! other thoughts than of my safe return

       Employ thee, Goddess, now, who bid’st me pass

       The perilous gulph of Ocean on a raft,

       That wild expanse terrible, which even ships

       Pass not, though form’d to cleave their way with ease,

       And joyful in propitious winds from Jove.

       No—let me never, in despight of thee, 210

       Embark on board a raft, nor till thou swear,

       O Goddess! the inviolable oath,

       That future mischief thou intend’st me none.

       He said; Calypso, beauteous Goddess, smiled,

       And, while she spake, stroaking his cheek, replied.

       Thou dost asperse me rudely, and excuse

       Of ignorance hast none, far better taught;

       What words were these? How could’st thou thus reply?

       Now hear me Earth, and the wide Heav’n above!

       Hear, too, ye waters of the Stygian stream 220

       Under the earth (by which the blessed Gods

       Swear trembling, and revere the awful oath!)

       That future mischief I intend thee none.

       No, my designs concerning thee are such

       As, in an exigence resembling thine,

       Myself, most sure, should for myself conceive.

       I have a mind more equal, not of steel

       My heart is form’d, but much to pity inclined.

       So saying, the lovely Goddess with swift pace

       Led on, whose footsteps he as swift pursued. 230

       Within the vaulted cavern they arrived,

       The Goddess and the man; on the same throne

       Ulysses sat, whence Hermes had aris’n,

       And viands of all kinds, such as sustain

       The life of mortal man, Calypso placed

       Before him, both for bev’rage and for food.

       She opposite to the illustrious Chief

       Reposed, by her attendant maidens served

       With nectar and ambrosia. They their hands

       Stretch’d forth together to the ready feast, 240

       And when nor hunger more nor thirst remain’d

       Unsated, thus the beauteous nymph began.

       Laertes’ noble son, for wisdom famed

       And artifice! oh canst thou thus resolve

       To seek, incontinent, thy native shores?

       I pardon thee. Farewell! but could’st thou guess

       The woes which fate ordains thee to endure

       Ere yet thou reach thy country, well-content

       Here to inhabit, thou would’st keep my grot

       And be immortal, howsoe’er thy wife 250

       Engage thy ev’ry wish day after day.

       Yet can I not in stature or in form

       Myself suspect inferior aught to her,

       Since competition cannot be between

       Mere mortal beauties, and a form divine.

       To whom Ulysses, ever-wise, replied.

       Awful Divinity! be not incensed.

       I know that my Penelope in form

       And stature altogether yields to thee,

       For she is mortal, and immortal thou, 260

       From age exempt; yet not the less I wish

       My home, and languish daily to return.

       But should some God amid the sable Deep

       Dash me again into a wreck, my soul

       Shall bear that also; for, by practice taught, I have learned

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