The Odysseys of Homer, together with the shorter poems. Homer

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СКАЧАТЬ ‭ He holds it an indignity to do

       ‭ A deed so vain, to use the boast of words,

       ‭ Where your words are on wing; whose voice affords

       ‭ Delight to us as if a God did break

       ‭ The air amongst us, and vouchsafe to speak.

       ‭ But me my father, old duke Nestor, sent

       ‭ To be his consort hither; his content

       ‭ Not to be heighten’d so as with your sight,

       ‭ In hope that therewith words and actions might

       ‭ Inform his comforts from you, since he is

       ‭ Extremely griev’d and injur’d by the miss

       ‭ Of his great father; suff’ring ev’n at home,

       ‭ And few friends found to help him overcome

       ‭ His too weak suff’rance, now his sire is gone;

       ‭ Amongst the people, not afforded one

       ‭ To check the miseries that mate him thus.

       ‭ And this the state is of Telemachus.”

       ‭ “O Gods,” said he, “how certain, now, I see

       ‭ My house enjoys that friend’s son, that for me

       ‭ Hath undergone so many willing fights!

       ‭ Whom I resolv’d, past all the Grecian knights,

       ‭ To hold in love, if our return by seas

       ‭ The far-off Thunderer did ever please

       ‭ To grant our wishes. And to his respect

       ‭ A palace and a city to erect,

       ‭ My vow had bound me; whither bringing then

       ‭ His riches, and his son, and all his men,

       ‭ From barren Ithaca, (some one sole town

       ‭ Inhabited about him batter’d down)

       ‭ All should in Argos live. And there would I

       ‭ Ease him of rule, and take the empery

       ‭ Of all on me. And often here would we,

       ‭ Delighting, loving either’s company,

       ‭ Meet and converse; whom nothing should divide,

       ‭ Till death’s black veil did each all over hide.

       ‭ But this perhaps hath been a mean to take

       ‭ Ev’n God himself with envy; who did make

       ‭ Ulysses therefore only the unblest,

       ‭ That should not reach his loved country’s rest.”

       ‭ These woes made ev’ry one with woe in love;

       ‭ Ev’n Argive Helen wept, the Seed of Jove;

       ‭ Ulysses’ son wept; Atreus’ son did weep;

       ‭ And Nestor’s son his eyes in tears did steep,

       ‭ But his tears fell not from the present cloud

       ‭ That from Ulysses was exhal’d, but flow’d

       ‭ From brave Antilochus’ remember’d due,

       ‭ Whom the renown’d Son of the Morning slew,

       ‭ Which yet he thus excus’d: “O Atreus’ son!

       ‭ Old Nestor says, there lives not such a one

       ‭ Amongst all mortals as Atrides is

       ‭ For deathless wisdom. ’Tis a praise of his,

       ‭ Still giv’n in your remembrance, when at home

       ‭ Our speech concerns you. Since then overcome

       ‭ You please to be with sorrow, ev’n to tears,

       ‭ That are in wisdom so exempt from peers,

       ‭ Vouchsafe the like effect in me excuse,

       ‭ If it be lawful, I affect no use

       ‭ Of tears thus after meals; at least, at night;

       ‭ But when the morn brings forth, with tears, her light,

       ‭ It shall not then impair me to bestow

       ‭ My tears on any worthy’s overthrow.

       ‭ It is the only rite that wretched men

       ‭ Can do dead friends, to cut hair, and complain.

       ‭ But Death my brother took, whom none could call

       ‭ The Grecian coward, you best knew of all.

       ‭ I was not there, nor saw, but men report

       ‭ Antilochus excell’d the common sort

       ‭ For footmanship, or for the chariot race,

       ‭ Or in the fight for hardy hold of place.”

       ‭ “O friend,” said he, “since thou hast spoken so,

       ‭ At all parts as one wise should say and do,

       ‭ And like one far beyond thyself in years,

       ‭ Thy words shall bounds be to our former tears.

       ‭ O he is questionless a right-born son,

       ‭ That of his father hath not only won

       ‭ The person but the wisdom; and that sire

       ‭ Complete himself that hath a son entire,

       ‭ Jove did not only his full fate adorn,

       ‭ When he was wedded, but when he was born.

       ‭ As now Saturnius, through his life’s whole date,

       ‭ Hath Nestor’s bliss rais’d to as steep a state,

       ‭ Both in his age to keep in peace his house,

       ‭ And to have children wise and valorous.

       ‭ But let us not forget our rear feast thus.

       ‭ Let some give water here. Telemachus!

       ‭ The morning shall СКАЧАТЬ