No More Learning

A ship-rope of AEgyptian reed, it chanced,
Lay in the vestibule; with that he braced
The doors securely, and re-entring fill'd
Again his seat, but watchful, eyed his Lord.
He, now, assaying with his hand the bow, 470
Made curious trial of it ev'ry way,
And turn'd it on all sides, lest haply worms
Had in its master's absence drill'd the horn.
Then thus a suitor to his next remark'd.
He hath an eye, methinks, exactly skill'd
In bows, and steals them; or perhaps, at home,
Hath such himself, or feels a strong desire
To make them; so inquisitive the rogue
Adept in mischief, shifts it to and fro!
To whom another, insolent, replied. 480
I wish him like prosperity in all
His efforts, as attends his effort made
On this same bow, which he shall never bend.
So they; but when the wary Hero wise
Had made his hand familiar with the bow
Poising it and examining--at once--
As when in harp and song adept, a bard
Unlab'ring strains the chord to a new lyre,
The twisted entrails of a sheep below
With fingers nice inserting, and above, 490
With such facility Ulysses bent
His own huge bow, and with his right hand play'd
The nerve, which in its quick vibration sang
Clear as the swallow's voice. Keen anguish seized
The suitors, wan grew ev'ry cheek, and Jove
Gave him his rolling thunder for a sign.
That omen, granted to him by the son
Of wily Saturn, with delight he heard.
He took a shaft that at the table-side
Lay ready drawn; but in his quiver's womb 500
The rest yet slept, by those Achaians proud
To be, ere long, experienced. True he lodg'd
The arrow on the centre of the bow,
And, occupying still his seat, drew home
Nerve and notch'd arrow-head; with stedfast sight
He aimed and sent it; right through all the rings
From first to last the steel-charged weapon flew
Issuing beyond, and to his son he spake.
Thou need'st not blush, young Prince, to have received
A guest like me; neither my arrow swerved, 510
Nor labour'd I long time to draw the bow;
My strength is unimpair'd, not such as these
In scorn affirm it. But the waning day
Calls us to supper, after which succeeds[102]
Jocund variety, the song, the harp,
With all that heightens and adorns the feast.
He said, and with his brows gave him the sign.
At once the son of the illustrious Chief
Slung his keen faulchion, grasp'd his spear, and stood
Arm'd bright for battle at his father's side.
520


FOOTNOTES:

[96] A province of Laconia.

[97] The reader will of course observe, that the whole of this process
implies a sort of mechanism very different from that with which we are
acquainted. --The translation, I believe, is exact.

[98] This first attempt of Telemachus and the suitors was not an attempt
to shoot, but to lodge the bow-string on the opposite horn, the bow
having been released at one end, and slackened while it was laid by.

[99] Antinous prescribes to them this manner of rising to the trial for
the good omen's sake, the left-hand being held unpropitious.

[100] The ? ? ? ? ? ? seems to have been a strap designed to close the only
aperture by which the bolt could be displaced, and the door opened.

[101] When Pirithous, one of the Lapithae, married Hippodamia, daughter of
Adrastus, he invited the Centaurs to the wedding. The Centaurs,
intoxicated with wine, attempted to ravish the wives of the Lapithae, who
in resentment of that insult, slew them.

[102] This is an instance of the ? ?