Goddess of Wisdom! Ithacus replies,

He who discerns thee must be truly wise,
So seldom view'd, and ever in disguise!

355

When the bold Argives led their warring pow'rs Against proud Ilion's well-defended tow'rs, Ulysses was thy care, celestial maid!

360

Grac'd with thy sight, and favour'd with thy aid.
But when the Trojan piles in ashes lay,

And bound for Greece we plough'd the wat❜ry way;
Our fleet dispers'd and driv'n from coast to coast,
Thy sacred presence from that hour I lost: 365
Till I beheld thy radiant form once more,
And heard thy counsels on Phæacia's shore.

But, by th' almighty author of thy race,

Tell me, O tell, is this my native place?

For much I fear, long tracts of land and sea 370 Divide this coast from distant Ithaca;

The sweet delusion kindly you impose,

To soothe my hopes, and mitigate my woes.

Thus he. The blue-ey'd goddess thus replies: How prone to doubt, how cautious are the wise! Who, vers'd in fortune, fear the flatt'ring show, 376 And taste not half the bliss the gods bestow. The more shall Pallas aid thy just desires, And guard the wisdom which herself insoires.

Others, long absent from their native place, 380
Straight seek their home, and fly with eager pace
To their wives' arms, and children's dear embrace.
Not thus Ulysses: he decrees to prove
His subjects' faith, and queen's suspected love; 384
Who mourn'd her lord twice ten revolving years,
And wastes the days in grief, the nights in tears.
But Pallas knew (thy friends and navy lost)
Once more 'twas giv'n thee to behold thy coast:
Yet how could I with adverse fate engage,
And mighty Neptune's unrelenting rage? 390
Now lift thy longing eyes, while I restore
The pleasing prospect of thy native shore.
Behold the port of Phorcys! fenc'd around
With rocky mountains, and with olives crown'd.
Behold the gloomy grot! whose cool recess 395
Delights the Nereids of the neighb'ring seas:
Whose now-neglected altars, in thy reign
Blush'd with the blood of sheep and oxen slain.
Behold! where Neritus the clouds divides,
And shakes the waving forests on his sides. 400

So spake the goddess, and the prospect clear'd, The mists dispers'd, and all the coast appear'd. The king with joy confess'd his place of birth, And on his knees salutes his mother earth:

Then with his suppliant hands upheld in air, 405 Thus to the sea-green sisters sends his pray'r:

All hail! Ye virgin daughters of the main! Ye streams, beyond my hopes beheld again! To you once more your own Ulysses bows; Attend his transports, and receive his vows! 410 If Jove prolong my days, and Pallas crown The growing virtues of my youthful son,

To you shall rites divine be ever paid,

And grateful off'rings on your altars laid.

414

Then thus Minerva: From that anxious breast Dismiss those cares, and leave to heav'n the rest. Our task be now thy treasur'd stores to save, Deep in the close recesses of the cave: Then future means consult-she spoke, and trod The shady grot, that brighten'd with the god. 420 The closest caverns of the grot she sought; The gold, the brass, the robes, Ulysses brought; These in the secret gloom the chief dispos'd; The entrance with a rock the goddess clos'd.

Now, seated in the olive's sacred shade, 425 Confer the hero and the martial maid.

The goddess of the azure eyes began:

Son of Laertes! much-experienc'd man!

430

The suitor-train thy earliest care demand,
Of that luxurious race to rid the land:
Three years thy house their lawless rule has seen,
And proud addresses to the matchless queen.
But she thy absence mourns from day to day,

And inly bleeds, and silent wastes away:
Elusive of the bridal hour, she gives

435

Fond hopes to all, and all with hopes deceives.

To this Ulysses: O celestial maid!

440

Prais'd be thy counsel, and thy timely aid:
Else had I seen my native walls in vain,
Like great Atrides just restor'd and slain.
Vouchsafe the means of vengeance to debate,
And plan with all thy arts the scene of fate.
Then, then be present, and my soul inspire,
As when we wrapt Troy's heav'n-built walls in fire.
Though leagu'd against me hundred heroes stand,
Hundreds shall fall, if Pallas aid my hand. 446

She answer'd: In the dreadful day of fight Know, I am with thee, strong in all my might. If thou but equal to thyself be found,

What gasping numbers then shall press the ground! What human victims stain the feastful floor! 451 How wide the pavements float with guilty gore!

·

It fits thee now to wear a dark disguise,
And secret walk, unknown to mortal eyes.
For this, my hand shall wither ev'ry grace,
And ev'ry elegance of form and face,

455

O'er thy smooth skin a bark of wrinkles spread,

Turn hoar the auburn honours of thy head,

Disfigure ev'ry limb with coarse attire,

And in thy eyes extinguish all the fire;
Add all the wants and the decays of life,

460

Estrange thee from thy own, thy son, thy wife;
From the loath'd object ev'ry sight shall turn,
And the blind suitors their destruction scorn.

Go first the master of thy herds to find, 465
True to his charge, a loyal swain and kind:
For thee he sighs; and to the royal heir,
And chaste Penelope, extends his care.
At the Coracian rock he now resides,
Where Arethusa's sable water glides;

The sable water and the copious mast
Swell the fat herd; luxuriant, large repast!

With him, rest peaceful in the rural cell,
And all you ask his faithful tongue shall tell.

Me into other realms my cares convey,
To Sparta, still with female beauty gay:

470

475