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

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СКАЧАТЬ ‭ With bright Nausicaa, and who had gain’d

       ‭ Grace in her love, yet on her thus complain’d:

       ‭ “Nausicaa! Why bred thy mother one

       ‭ So negligent in rites so stood upon

       ‭ By other virgins? Thy fair garments lie

       ‭ Neglected by thee, yet thy nuptials nigh;

       ‭ When rich in all attire both thou shouldst be,

       ‭ And garments give to others honouring thee,

       ‭ That lead thee to the temple. Thy good name

       ‭ Grows amongst men for these things; they inflame

       ‭ Father and rev’rend mother with delight.

       ‭ Come, when the Day takes any wink from Night,

       ‭ Let’s to the river, and repurify

       ‭ Thy wedding garments. My society

       ‭ Shall freely serve thee for thy speedier aid,

       ‭ Because thou shalt no mote stand on the maid.

       ‭ The best of all Phæacia woo thy grace,

       ‭ Where thou wert bred, and ow’st thyself a race.

       ‭ Up, and stir up to thee thy honour’d sire,

       ‭ To give thee mules and coach, thee and thy tire,

       ‭ Veils, girdles, mantles, early to the flood

       ‭ To bear in state. It suits thy high-born blood,

       ‭ And far more fits thee, than to foot so far,

       ‭ For far from town thou know’st the bath-founts are.”

       ‭ This said, away blue-eyed Minerva went

       ‭ Up to Olympus, the firm continent

       ‭ That bears in endless being the Deified kind,

       ‭ That’s neither sous’d with show’rs, nor shook with wind,

       ‭ Nor chill’d with snow, but where Serenity flies

       ‭ Exempt from clouds, and ever-beamy skies

       ‭ Circle the glitt’ring hill, and all their days

       ‭ Give the delights of blesséd Deity praise.

       ‭ And hither Pallas flew, and left the maid,

       ‭ When she had all that might excite her said.

       ‭ Straight rose the lovely Morn, that up did raise

       ‭ Fair-veil’d Nausicaa, whose dream her praise

       ‭ To admiration took; who no time spent

       ‭ To give the rapture of her vision vent

       ‭ To her lov’d parents, whom she found within.

       ‭ Her mother set at fire, who had to spin

       ‭ A rock, whose tincture with sea-purple shin’d;

       ‭ Her maids about her. But she chanc’d to find

       ‭ Her father going abroad, to council call’d

       ‭ By his grave Senate. And to him exhal’d

       ‭ Her smother’d bosom was: “Lov’d sire,” said she, [3]

       ‭ “Will you not now command a coach for me,

       ‭ Stately and cómplete, fit for me to bear

       ‭ To wash at flood the weeds I cannot wear

       ‭ Before repurified? Yourself it fits

       ‭ To wear fair weeds, as ev’ry man that sits

       ‭ In place of council. And five sons you have,

       ‭ Two wed, three bachelors, that must be brave

       ‭ In ev’ry day’s shift, that they may go dance;

       ‭ For these three last with these things must advance

       ‭ Their states in marriage, and who else but I,

       ‭ Their sister, should their dancing rites supply?”

       ‭ This gen’ral cause she show’d, and would not name

       ‭ Her mind of nuptials to her sire, for shame.

       ‭ He understood her yet, and thus replied:

       ‭ “Daughter! nor these, nor any grace beside,

       ‭ I either will deny thee, or defer,

       ‭ Mules, nor a coach, of state and circular,

       ‭ Fitting at all parts. Go, my servants shall

       ‭ Serves thy desires, and thy command in all.”

       ‭ The servants then commanded soon obey’d,

       ‭ Fetch’d coach, and mules join’d in it. Then the Maid

       ‭ Brought from the chamber her rich weeds, and laid

       ‭ All up in coach; in which her mother plac’d

       ‭ A maund of victuals, varied well in taste,

       ‭ And other junkets. Wine she likewise fill’d

       ‭ Within a goat-skin bottle, and distill’d

       ‭ Sweet and moist oil into a golden cruse,

       ‭ Both for her daughter’s, and her handmaid’s, use,

       ‭ To soften their bright bodies, when they rose

       ‭ Cleans’d from their cold baths. Up to coach then goes

       ‭ Th’ observéd Maid, takes both the scourge and reins,

       ‭ And to her side her handmaid straight attains.

       ‭ Nor these alone, but other virgins, grac’d

       ‭ The nuptial chariot. The whole bevy plac’d,

       ‭ Nausicaa scourg’d to make the coach-mules run,

       ‭ That neigh’d, and pac’d their usual speed, and soon

       ‭ Both maids and weeds brought to the river-side,

       ‭ Where baths for all the year their use supplied,

       ‭ Whose waters were so pure they СКАЧАТЬ