Forbid that want should sink me to a lie.”


To this the king: “Our daughter but express’d

Her cares imperfect to our godlike guest.

Suppliant to her, since first he chose to pray,

Why not herself did she conduct the way,

And with her handmaids to our court convey?”


“Hero and king (Ulysses thus replied)

Nor blame her faultless nor suspect of pride:

She bade me follow in the attendant train;

But fear and reverence did my steps detain,

Lest rash suspicion might alarm thy mind:

Man’s of a jealous and mistaken kind.”


“Far from my soul (he cried) the gods efface

All wrath ill-grounded, and suspicion base!

Whate’er is honest, stranger, I approve,

And would to Phœbus, Pallas, and to Jove,

Such as thou art, thy thought and mine were one,

Nor thou unwilling to be called my son.

In such alliance couldst thou wish to join,

A palace stored with treasures should be thine.

But if reluctant, who shall force thy stay?

Jove bids to set the stranger on his way,

And ships shall wait thee with the morning ray.

Till then, let slumber cross thy careful eyes:

The wakeful mariners shall watch the skies,

And seize the moment when the breezes rise:

Then gently waft thee to the pleasing shore,

Where thy soul rests, and labour is no more.

Far as Euboea though thy country lay,

Our ships with ease transport thee in a day.

Thither of old, earth’s giant son to view,

On wings of wind with Rhadamanth they flew;

This land, from whence their morning course begun,

Saw them returning with the setting sun.

Your eyes shall witness and confirm my tale,

Our youth how dexterous, and how fleet our sail,

When justly timed with equal sweep they row,

And ocean whitens in long tracks below.”


Thus he. No word the experienced man replies,

But thus to heaven (and heavenward lifts his eyes):

“O Jove! O father! what the king accords

Do thou make perfect! sacred be his words!

Wide o’er the world Alcinous’ glory shine!