Thus affable, her bower the queen ascends;

The sovereign step a beauteous train attends;

There imaged to her soul Ulysses rose;

Down her pale cheek new-streaming sorrow flows;

Till soft oblivious shade Minerva spread,

And o’er her eyes ambrosial slumber shed.


BOOK XX.


ARGUMENT.


While Ulysses lies in the vestibule of the palace, he is witness to the

disorders of the women. Minerva comforts him, and casts him asleep. At his

waking he desires a favourable sign from Jupiter, which is granted. The feast

of Apollo is celebrated by the people, and the suitors banquet in the palace.

Telemachus exerts his authority amongst them; notwithstanding which, Ulysses is

insulted by Caesippus, and the rest continue in their excesses. Strange

prodigies are seen by Theoclymenus, the augur, who explains them to the

destruction of the wooers.


An ample hide devine Ulysses spread.

And form’d of fleecy skins his humble bed

(The remnants of the spoil the suitor-crowd

In festival devour’d, and victims vow’d).

Then o’er the chief, Eurynome the chaste

With duteous care a downy carpet cast:

With dire revenge his thoughtful bosom glows,

And, ruminating wrath, he scorns repose.


As thus pavilion’d in the porch he lay,

Scenes of lewd loves his wakeful eyes survey,

Whilst to nocturnal joys impure repair,

With wanton glee, the prostituted fair.

His heart with rage this new dishonour stung,

Wavering his thoughts in dubious balance hung:

Or instant should he quench the guilty flame

With their own blood, and intercept the shame:

Or to their lust indulge a last embrace,

And let the peers consummate the disgrace

Round his swoln heart the murmurous fury rolls,

As o’er her young the mother-mastiff growls,

And bays the stranger groom: so wrath compress’d,

Recoiling, mutter’d thunder in his breast.

“Poor suffering heart! (he cried,) support the pain

Of wounded honour, and thy rage restrain.