Deep from his inmost soul Atrides sigh’d,

And thus, indignant, to the prince replied:

“Heavens! would a soft, inglorious, dastard train

An absent hero’s nuptial joys profane!

So with her young, amid the woodland shades,

A timorous hind the lion’s court invades,

Leaves in the fatal lair the tender fawns,

Climbs the green cliff, or feeds the flowery lawns:

Meantime return’d, with dire remorseless sway,

The monarch-savage rends the trembling prey.

With equal fury, and with equal fame,

Ulysses soon shall reassert his claim.

O Jove supreme, whom gods and men revere!

And thou! to whom ’tis given to gild the sphere!

With power congenial join’d, propitious aid

The chief adopted by the martial maid!

Such to our wish the warrior soon restore,

As when contending on the Lesbian shore

His prowess Philomelidies confess’d,

And loud-acclaiming Greeks the victor bless’d;

Then soon the invaders of his bed and throne

Their love presumptuous shall with life atone.

With patient ear, O royal youth, attend

The storied labour of thy father’s friend:

Fruitful of deeds, the copious tale is long,

But truth severe shall dictate to my tongue:

Learn what I heard the sea-born seer relate,

Whose eye can pierce the dark recess of fate.


“Long on the Egyptian coast by calms confined,

Heaven to my fleet refused a prosperous wind;

No vows had we preferr’d, nor victims slain!

For this the gods each favouring gale restrain

Jealous, to see their high behests obey’d;

Severe, if men the eternal rights evade.

High o’er a gulfy sea, the Pharian isle

Fronts the deep roar of disemboguing Nile:

Her distance from the shore, the course begun

At dawn, and ending with the setting sun,

A galley measures; when the stiffer gales

Rise on the poop, and fully stretch the sails.

There, anchor’d vessels safe in harbour lie,

Whilst limpid springs the failing cask supply.


“And now the twentieth sun, descending, laves