The Odyssey of Homer. Homer

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       For the inhabitants of earth and heav’n,

       When in their bark at Pylus they arrived,

       City of Neleus. On the shore they found

       The people sacrificing; bulls they slew

       Black without spot, to Neptune azure-hair’d.

       On ranges nine of seats they sat; each range

       Received five hundred, and to each they made

       Allotment equal of nine sable bulls. 10

       The feast was now begun; these eating sat

       The entrails, those stood off’ring to the God

       The thighs, his portion, when the Ithacans

       Push’d right ashore, and, furling close the sails,

       And making fast their moorings, disembark’d.

       Forth came Telemachus, by Pallas led,

       Whom thus the Goddess azure-eyed address’d.

       Telemachus! there is no longer room

       For bashful fear, since thou hast cross’d the flood

       With purpose to enquire what land conceals 20

       Thy father, and what fate hath follow’d him.

       Advance at once to the equestrian Chief

       Nestor, within whose bosom lies, perhaps,

       Advice well worthy of thy search; entreat

       Himself, that he will tell thee only truth,

       Who will not lye, for he is passing wise.

       To whom Telemachus discrete replied.

       Ah Mentor! how can I advance, how greet

       A Chief like him, unpractis’d as I am

       In manag’d phrase? Shame bids the youth beware 30

       How he accosts the man of many years.

       But him the Goddess answer’d azure-eyed,

       Telemachus! Thou wilt, in part, thyself

       Fit speech devise, and heav’n will give the rest;

       For thou wast neither born, nor hast been train’d

       To manhood, under unpropitious Pow’rs.

       So saying, Minerva led him thence, whom he

       With nimble steps attending, soon arrived

       Among the multitude. There Nestor sat,

       And Nestor’s sons, while, busily the feast 40

       Tending, his num’rous followers roasted, some,

       The viands, some, transfix’d them with the spits.

       They seeing guests arrived, together all

       Advanced, and, grasping courteously their hands,

       Invited them to sit; but first, the son

       Of Nestor, young Pisistratus, approach’d,

       Who, fast’ning on the hands of both, beside

       The banquet placed them, where the beach was spread

       With fleeces, and where Thrasymedes sat

       His brother, and the hoary Chief his Sire. 50

       To each a portion of the inner parts

       He gave, then fill’d a golden cup with wine,

       Which, tasted first, he to the daughter bore

       Of Jove the Thund’rer, and her thus bespake.

       Oh guest! the King of Ocean now adore!

       For ye have chanced on Neptune’s festival;

       And, when thou hast, thyself, libation made

       Duly, and pray’r, deliver to thy friend

       The gen’rous juice, that he may also make

       Libation; for he, doubtless, seeks, in prayer 60

       The Immortals, of whose favour all have need.

       But, since he younger is, and with myself

       Coeval, first I give the cup to thee.

       He ceas’d, and to her hand consign’d the cup,

       Which Pallas gladly from a youth received

       So just and wise, who to herself had first

       The golden cup presented, and in pray’r

       Fervent the Sov’reign of the Seas adored.

       Hear, earth-encircler Neptune! O vouchsafe

       To us thy suppliants the desired effect 70

       Of this our voyage; glory, first, bestow

       On Nestor and his offspring both, then grant

       To all the Pylians such a gracious boon

       As shall requite their noble off’ring well.

       Grant also to Telemachus and me

       To voyage hence, possess’d of what we sought

       When hither in our sable bark we came.

       So Pallas pray’d, and her own pray’r herself

       Accomplish’d. To Telemachus she gave

       The splendid goblet next, and in his turn 80

       Like pray’r Ulysses’ son also preferr’d.

       And now (the banquet from the spits withdrawn)

       They next distributed sufficient share

       To each, and all were sumptuously regaled.

       At length, (both hunger satisfied and thirst)

       Thus Nestor, the Gerenian Chief, began.

       Now with more seemliness we may enquire,

       After repast, what guests we have received.

       Our guests! who are ye? Whence have ye the waves

       Plough’d hither? Come ye to transact concerns 90

       Commercial, or at random roam СКАЧАТЬ