Thus the sweet charmers warbled o'er the main; Swift row my mates, and shoot along the sea; 235 Now all at once tremendous scenes unfold; 240 Attend my words! your oars incessant ply; 250 Strain ev'ry nerve, and bid the vessel fly. 255 If from yon justling rocks and wavy war 259 Bear wide thy course, nor plough those angry waves While yet I speak, at once their oars they seize, Stretch to the stroke, and brush the working seas. Cautious the name of Scylla I supprest; 266 That dreadful sound had chill'd the boldest breast. Meantime, forgetful of the voice divine, All dreadful bright my limbs in armour shine; High on the deck I take my dang'rous stand, 270 Two glitt❜ring jav'lins lighten in my hand; Prepar'd to whirl the whizzing spear I stay, The hideous pest, iny lab'ring eyes I roll'd; 275 280 Dire Scylla there a scene of horror forms, 285 And high above the rock she spouts the main; view'd The yawning dungeon, and the tumbling flood; When lo! fierce Scylla stoop'd to seize her prey, Stretch'd her dire jaws, and swept six men away; Chiefs of renown! loud echoing shrieks arise; 296 I turn, and view them quiv'ring in the skies; They call, and aid with outstretch'd arms implore: In vain they call! those arms are stretch'd no more. As from some rock that overhangs the flood, 300 The silent fisher casts th' insidious food, With fraudful care he waits the finny prize, And sudden lifts it quiv'ring to the skies: So the foul monster lifts her prey on high, And the flesh trembles while she churns the blood. My shiv'ring blood, congeal'd, forgot to flow: 310 Aghast I stood, a monument of woe! Now from the rocks the rapid vessel flies, And the hoarse din like distant thunder dies; To Sol's bright isle our voyage we pursue, And now the glitt'ring mountains rise to view. 315 There sacred to the radiant god of day, Graze the fair herds, the flocks promiscuous stray; Then suddenly was heard along the main To low the ox, to bleat the woolly train : Straight to my anxious thoughts the sound convey'd The words of Circe and the Theban shade; 321 Warn'd by their awful voice these shores to shun, With cautious fears oppress'd, I thus begun: O friends! Oh ever exercis'd in care! Hear heav'n's commands, and rev'rence what ye hear! To fly these shores the prescient Theban shade And Circe warns! O be their voice obey'd! 325 Some mighty woe relentless heav'n forebodes: 330 While yet I spoke, a sudden sorrow ran Thro' ev'ry breast, and spread from man to man, Till wrathful thus Eurylochus began: O cruel thou! some fury sure has steel'd That stubborn soul, by toil untaught to yield! From sleep debarr'd, we sink from woes to woes; And cruel, enviest thou a short repose? 336 Still must we restless rove, new seas explore, And lo! the night begins her gloomy reign, 340 Lash the wild surge, and bluster in the skies; 351 |