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

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       ‭ Which by the water’s pure store was not seen.

       ‭ These, here arriv’d, the mules uncoach’d, and drave

       ‭ Up to the gulfy river’s shore, that gave

       ‭ Sweet grass to them. The maids from coach then took

       ‭ Their clothes, and steep’d them in the sable brook:

       ‭ Then put them into springs, and trod them clean

       ‭ With cleanly feet; adventuring wagers then

       ‭ Who should have soonest and most cleanly done.

       ‭ When having thoroughly cleans’d, they spread them on

       ‭ The flood’s shore, all in order. And then, where

       ‭ The waves the pebbles wash’d, and ground was clear,

       ‭ They bath’d themselves, and all with glitt’ring oil

       ‭ Smooth’d their white skins; refreshing then their toil

       ‭ With pleasant dinner, by the river-side;

       ‭ Yet still watch’d when the sun their clothes had dried.

       ‭ Till which time, having din’d, Nausicaa

       ‭ With other virgins did at stool-ball play,

       ‭ Their shoulder-reaching head-tires laying by.

       ‭ Nausicaa, with the wrists of ivory,

       ‭ The liking stroke struck, singing first a song,

       ‭ As custom order’d, and amidst the throng

       ‭ Made such a show, and so past all was seen,

       ‭ As when the chaste-born, arrow-loving, Queen,

       ‭ Along the mountains gliding, either over

       ‭ Spartan Taygetus, whose tops far discover,

       ‭ Or Eurymanthus, in the wild boar’s chace,

       ‭ Or swift-hov’d hart, and with her Jove’s fair race,

       ‭ The field Nymphs, sporting; amongst whom, to see

       ‭ How far Diana had priority,

       ‭ Though all were fair, for fairness yet of all,

       ‭ As both by head and forehead being more tall,

       ‭ Latona triumph’d, since the dullest sight

       ‭ Might eas’ly judge whom her pains brought to light;

       ‭ Nausicaa so, whom never husband tam’d,

       ‭ Above them all in all the beauties flam’d.

       ‭ But when they now made homewards, and array’d,

       ‭ Ord’ring their weeds disorder’d as they play’d,

       ‭ Mules and coach ready, then Minerva thought

       ‭ What means to wake Ulysses might be wrought,

       ‭ That he might see this lovely-sighted maid,

       ‭ Whom she intended should become his aid,

       ‭ Bring him to town, and his return advance.

       ‭ Her mean was this, though thought a stool-ball chance: [4]

       ‭ The queen now, for the upstroke, struck the ball

       ‭ Quite wide off th’ other maids, and made it fall

       ‭ Amidst the whirlpools. At which out shriek’d all,

       ‭ And with the shriek did wise Ulysses wake;

       ‭ Who, sitting up, was doubtful who should make

       ‭ That sudden outcry, and in mind thus striv’d:

       ‭ “On what a people am I now arriv’d?

       ‭ At civil hospitable men, that fear

       ‭ The Gods? Or dwell injurious mortals here?

       ‭ Unjust, and churlish? Like the female cry

       ‭ Of youth it sounds. What are they? Nymphs bred high

       ‭ On tops of hills, or in the founts of floods,

       ‭ In herby marshes, or in leafy woods?

       ‭ Or are they high-spoke men I now am near?

       ‭ I’ll prove, and see.” With this, the wary peer

       ‭ Crept forth the thicket, and an olive bough

       ‭ Broke with his broad hand, which he did bestow

       ‭ In covert of his nakedness, and then

       ‭ Put hasty head out. Look how from his den

       ‭ A mountain lion looks, that, all embrued

       ‭ With drops of trees, and weather-beaten-hued,

       ‭ Bold of his strength, goes on, and in his eye

       ‭ A burning furnace glows, all bent to prey

       ‭ On sheep, or oxen, or the upland hart,

       ‭ His belly charging him, and he must part

       ‭ Stakes with the herdsman in his beasts’ attempt,

       ‭ Ev’n where from rape their strengths are most exempt;

       ‭ So wet, so weather-beat, so stung with need,

       ‭ Ev’n to the home-fields of the country’s breed

       ‭ Ulysses was to force forth his access,

       ‭ Though merely naked; and his sight did press

       ‭ The eyes of soft-hair’d virgins. Horrid was

       ‭ His rough appearance to them; the hard pass

       ‭ He had at sea stuck by him. All in flight

       ‭ The virgins scatter’d, frighted with this sight,

       ‭ About the prominent windings of the flood.

       ‭ All but Nausicaa fled; but she fast stood,

       ‭ Pallas had put a boldness in her breast,

       ‭ And in her fair limbs tender fear comprest.

       ‭ And still she stood him, as resolv’d to know

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