FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  
Ulysses! as thou bad'st, we went Through yonder oaks; there, bosom'd in a vale, But built conspicuous on a swelling knoll 310 With polish'd rock, we found a stately dome. Within, some Goddess or some woman wove An ample web, carolling sweet the while. They call'd aloud; she, issuing at the voice, Unfolded, soon, her splendid portals wide, And bade them in. Heedless they enter'd, all, But I remain'd, suspicious of a snare. Ere long the whole band vanish'd, none I saw Thenceforth, though, seated there, long time I watch'd. He ended; I my studded faulchion huge 320 Athwart my shoulder cast, and seized my bow, Then bade him lead me thither by the way Himself had gone; but with both hands my knees He clasp'd, and in wing'd accents sad exclaim'd. My King! ah lead me not unwilling back, But leave me here; for confident I judge That neither thou wilt bring another thence, Nor come thyself again. Haste--fly we swift With these, for we, at least, may yet escape. So he, to whom this answer I return'd. 330 Eurylochus! abiding here, eat thou And drink thy fill beside the sable bark; I go; necessity forbids my stay. So saying, I left the galley and the shore. But ere that awful vale ent'ring, I reach'd The palace of the sorceress, a God Met me, the bearer of the golden wand, Hermes. He seem'd a stripling in his prime, His cheeks cloath'd only with their earliest down, For youth is then most graceful; fast he lock'd 340 His hand in mine, and thus, familiar, spake. Unhappy! whither, wand'ring o'er the hills, Stranger to all this region, and alone, Go'st thou? Thy people--they within the walls Are shut of Circe, where as swine close-pent She keeps them. Comest thou to set them free? I tell thee, never wilt thou thence return Thyself, but wilt be prison'd with the rest. Yet hearken--I will disappoint her wiles, And will preserve thee. Take this precious drug; 350 Possessing this, enter the Goddess' house Boldly, for it shall save thy life from harm. Lo! I reveal to thee the cruel arts Of Circe; learn them. She will mix for thee A potion, and will also drug thy food With noxious herbs; but she shall not prevail By all he
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
return
 

Goddess

 

forbids

 
familiar
 

necessity

 

earliest

 

graceful

 

bearer

 

stripling

 

golden


cheeks

 
palace
 

cloath

 
sorceress
 
galley
 

Hermes

 

Boldly

 

Possessing

 

disappoint

 

preserve


precious

 

reveal

 

noxious

 

prevail

 

potion

 
hearken
 

people

 

region

 

Stranger

 

Thyself


prison

 

Comest

 
Unhappy
 

portals

 

Heedless

 

remain

 

suspicious

 

splendid

 

issuing

 

Unfolded


studded
 
faulchion
 

seated

 

vanish

 

Thenceforth

 
conspicuous
 

swelling

 
Ulysses
 
Through
 

yonder