CHORUS. The same thing has occurred to us ;—our ancles Are sprained with standing here, I know not how. ULYSSES. What, sprained with standing still ? CHORUS. And there is dust Or ashes in our eyes, I know not whence. ULYSSES. Cowardly dogs! ye will not aid me, then? CHORUS. With pitying my own back and my back-bone, And with not wishing all my teeth knocked out! This cowardice comes of itself—but stay, I know a famous Orphic incantation To make the brand stick of its own accord ULYSSES. Of old I knew ye thus by nature; now Of my own comrades-yet though weak of hand The courage of my friends with your blithe words. CHORUS. This I will do with peril of my life, And blind you with my exhortations, Cyclops. Hasten and thrust, And parch up to dust, The eye of the beast, Burn and blind The Etnean hind! Scoop and draw, But beware lest he claw Your limbs near his maw. CYCLOPS. Ah me! my eye-sight is parched up to cinders. CHORUS. What a sweet pean! sing me that again! CYCLOPS. Ah me! indeed, what woe has fallen upon me! But, wretched nothings, think ye not to flee Out of this rock; I, standing at the outlet, Will bar the way, and catch you as you pass. You jeer me; where, I ask, is Nobody? It was that stranger ruined me:—the wretch Ah! I am mocked! They jeer me in my ills. CHORUS. Not there! he is a little there beyond you. CYCLOPS. Detested wretch! where are you? ULYSSES. Far from you I keep with care this body of Ulysses. CYCLOPS. What do you say? You proffer a new name. ULYSSES. My father named me so; and I have taken A full revenge for your unnatural feast; I should have done ill to have burned down Troy, And not revenged the murder of my comrades. CYCLOPS. Ai! ai! the ancient oracle is accomplished; ULYSSES. I bid thee weep-consider what I say, CYCLOPS. Not so, if whelming you with this huge stone CHORUS. And we, the shipmates of Ulysses now, |