THE FOURTH BOOK OF HOMER'S ODYSSEYS. THE ARGUMENT.

RECEIVED now in the Spartan court, Telemachus prefers report To Menelaus of the throng Of Wooers with him, and their wrong. Atrides tells the Greeks' retreat, And doth a prophecy repeat That Proteus made, by which he knew His brother's death; and then doth show How with Calypso lived the sire Of his young guest. The Wooers conspire Their prince's death. Whose treachery known, Penelope in tears doth drown. Whom Pallas by a dream doth cheer, And in similitude appear Of fair Iphthima, known to be The sister of Penelope.

ANOTHER ARGUMENT. Here of the sire

The son doth hear. The Wooers conspire. The Mother's fear.

N Lacedæmon now, the nurse of whales,

These two arriv'd, and found at festivals, With mighty concourse, the renowned king, His son and daughter jointly marrying. Alector's daughter he did give his son, Strong Megapenthes, who his life begun By Menelaus' bondmaid; whom he knew In years when Helen could no more renew In issue like divine Hermione, Who held in all fair form as high degree As golden Venus. Her he married now To great Achilles' son, who was by vow Betrothed to her at Troy. And thus the Gods To constant loves give nuptial periods. Whose state here past, the Myrmidons' rich town (Of which she shar'd in the imperial crown) With horse and chariots he resign'd her to. Mean space, the high huge house with feast did flow Of friends and neighbours, joying with the king. Amongst whom did a heavenly poet sing, And touch his harp. Amongst whom likewise danc'd Two, who in that dumb motion advanc'd, Would prompt the singer what to sing and play. All this time in the utter court did stay, With horse and chariot, Telemachus, And Nestor's noble son Pisistratus. Whom Eteoneus, coming forth, descried, And, being a servant to the king, most tried In care and his respect, he ran and cried: "Guests, Jove-kept Menelaus, two such men As are for form of high Saturnius' strain. Inform your pleasure, if we shall unclose Their horse from coach, or say they must dispose Their way to some such house, as may embrace Their known arrival with more welcome grace?" He, angry, answer'd: "Thou didst never show Thyself a fool, Boethides, till now; But now, as if turn'd child, a childish speech Vents thy vain spirits. We ourselves now reach Our home by much spent hospitality Of other men; nor know if Jove will try With other after-wants our state again; And therefore from our feast no more detain Those welcome guests, but take their steeds from coach, And with attendance guide in their approach." This said, he rush'd abroad, and call'd some more Tried in such service, that together bore Up to the guests, and took their steeds that swet Beneath their yokes from coach; at mangers set, Wheat and white barley gave them mix'd; and plac'd Their chariot by a wall so clear, it cast A light quite through it. And then they led Their guests to the divine house; which so fed Their eyes at all parts with illustrious sights, That admiration seized them. Like the lights The sun and moon gave, all the palace threw A lustre through it. Satiate with whose view, Down to the king's most bright-kept baths they went; Where handmaids did their services present, Bath'd, balm'd them, shirts and well-napt weeds put on, And by Atrides' side set each his throne. Then did the handmaid-royal water bring, And to a laver, rich and glittering, Of massy gold, pour'd; which she plac'd upon A silver caldron, into which might run The water as they wash'd. Then set she near A polish'd table, on which all the cheer The present could afford a reverend dame, That kept the larder, set. A cook then came, And divers dishes, borne thence, serv'd again; Furnish'd the board with bowls of gold. And then, His right hand given the guests, Atrides said: "Eat, and be cheerful. Appetite allay'd, I long to ask, of what stock ye descend; For not from parents whose race nameless end We must derive your offspring. Men obscure Could get none such as you. The portraiture Of Jove-sustain'd and sceptre-bearing kings Your either person in his presence brings." An ox's fat chine then they up did lift, And set before the guests; which was a gift, Sent as an honour to the king's own taste. They saw yet 'twas but to be eaten plac'd, And fell to it. But food and wine's care past, Telemachus thus prompted Nestor's son, (His ear close laying, to be heard of none) "Consider, thou whom most my mind esteems, The brass-work here, how rich