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BOOK XIII.

He ceas'd; but left so pleasing on their ear
His voice, that list'ning still they seem'd to hear.
A pause of silence hush'd the shady rooms:
The grateful conf'rence then the king resumes:
Whatever toils the great Ulysses past,
Beneath this happy roof they end at last;

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No longer now from shore to shore to roam,
Smooth seas, and gentle winds, invite him home.
But hear me, princes! whom these walls inclose,
For whom my chanter sings, and goblet flows 10
With wine unmix'd (an honour due to age,
To cheer the grave, and warm the poet's rage):
Though labour'd gold and many a dazzling vest
Lie heap'd already for our godlike guest;
Without new treasures let him not remove,
Large, and expressive of the public love:
Each peer a tripod, each a vase bestow,

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A gen'ral tribute, which the state shall owe.
This sentence pleas'd: then all their steps ad-

drest

To sep❜rate mansions, and retir'd to rest.

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Now did the rosy-finger'd morn arise, And shed her sacred light along the skies. Down to the haven and the ships in haste They bore the treasures, and in safety plac'd. The king himself the vases rang'd with care: Then bade his followers to the feast repair. A victim ox beneath the sacred hand Of great Alcinous falls, and stains the sand. To Jove th' eternal (pow'r above all pow'rs! Who wings the winds, and darkens heav'n with

show'rs),

The flames ascend: till ev'ning they prolong

The rites, more sacred made by heav'nly song:

For in the midst, with public honours grac❜d,

Thy lyre divine, Demodocus! was plac'd.

All, but Ulysses, heard with fix'd delight:

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He sat, and ey'd the sun, and wish'd the night;
Slow seem'd the sun to move, the hours to roll,
His native home deep imag'd in his soul.
As the tir'd ploughman spent with stubborn toil,
Whose oxen long have torn the furrow'd soil, 40
Sees with delight the sun's declining ray,

When home, with feeble knees, he bends his way
To late repast (the day's hard labour done):
So to Ulysses welcome set the sun.

Then instant, to Alcinous and the rest

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(The Scherian states) he turn'd, and thus addrest: O thou, the first in merit and command!

And

you the peers and princes of the land!

May ev'ry joy be yours! nor this the least,

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When due libation shall have crown'd the feast,
Safe to my home to send your happy guest.
Complete are now the bounties you have giv❜n,
Be all those bounties but confirm'd by heav'n!
So may I find, when all my wand'rings cease,
My consort blameless, and my friends in peace. 55
On you be ev'ry bliss; and ev'ry day,
In home-felt joys delighted, roll away;
Yourselves, your wives, your long-descending race,
May ev'ry god enrich with ev'ry grace!

Sure fix'd on virtue may your nation stand, 60
And public evil never touch the land!

His words well weigh'd, the gen❜ral voice ap-
prov'd

Benign, and instant his dismission mov'd.
The monarch to Pontonous gave the sign,

To fill the goblet high with rosy wine:
Great Jove the father, first (he cried) implore;
Then send the stranger to his native shore.

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The luscious wine th' obedient herald brought; Around the mansion flow'd the purple draught: Each from his seat to each immortal pours, Whom glory circles in th' Olympian bow'rs. Ulysses sole with air majestic stands,

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The bowl presenting to Arete's hands;
Then thus: O queen, farewell! be still possess'd
Of dear remembrance, blessing still and bless'd!
Till age and death shall gently call thee hence: 76
(Sure fate of ev'ry mortal excellence!)
Farewell! and joys successive ever spring
To thee, to thine, the people, and the king!

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Thus he; then parting prints the sandy shore
To the fair port: a herald march'd before,
Sent by Alcinous: of Arete's train

Three chosen maids attend him to the main ;
This does a tunic and white vest convey,

A various casket that, of rich inlay,

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And bread and wine the third. The cheerful mates

Safe in the hollow poop dispose the cates:

Upon the deck, soft painted robes they spread, With linen cover'd, for the hero's bed.

He climb'd the lofty stern; then gently prest 90

The swelling couch, and lay compos'd to rest.

Now plac'd in order, the Phæacian train Their cables loose, and launch into the main: At once they bend, and strike their equal oars, And leave the sinking hills, and less'ning shores. While on the deck the chief in silence lies, And pleasing slumbers steal upon his eyes. As fiery coursers in the rapid race,

Urg'd by fierce drivers through the dusty space, Toss their high heads, and scour along the plain; So mounts the bounding vessel o'er the main. 101 Back to the stern the parted billows flow,

And the black ocean foams and roars below.

Thus with spread sails the winged galley flies;

Less swift an eagle cuts the liquid skies:
Divine Ulysses was her sacred load,

A man in wisdom equal to a god!

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Much danger, long and mighty toils he bore,
In storms by sea, and combats on the shore; 109
All which soft sleep now banish'd from his breast,
Wrapt in a pleasing, deep, and death-like rest.

But when the morning star with early ray Flam'd in the front of heav'n, and promis'd day; Like distant clouds the mariner descries,

Fair Ithaca's emerging hills arise.

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