"Of Ilion had receiv'd the final stroke
"From Grecian valour, with barbaric spoil, "To his high fame proportion'd, he return'd, "Unmark'd with hostile wound, tho' round him Mars "With tenfold rage oft' made the battle burn."
I ended: joy ineffable possess'd
The great paternal shade; his steps he rais'd With more majestic portance o'er the mead Vernant with asphodel, elate to hear His son's exploits emblazon'd fàir by Fame. The rest, a pensive circle, round await Reciting various dooms, to mortal ear Calamitous and sad! from these apart The Telamonian hero, whom I foil'd In contest for Achilles' arms, abode Sullen with treasur'd wrath: the fatal strife By Thetis was propos'd, and ev'ry judge Instinct by Pallas, to my claim declar'd The prize of right. O! why was I constrain'd By honour to prevail, and cause to die Ajax, the chief, with manly grace adorn'd, And prowess; paragon'd for both to none But the great son of Peleus! him with speech Lenient of wrath I thus accosted mild:
"The memory of those arms which Heav'n decreed "Pernicious to the Greeks, who lost in thee "Iheir tow'r of strong defence: to mourn thy fall
"The voice of Grief along the tented shore "Was heard, as loud as when the flow'r of war, "Divine Achilles, dy'd: nor deem that aught "Of human interpos'd to urge thy doom, "But ireful Jove, to punish all our host, "Cut off its darling hope. O royal Shade! "Approach, and affable to me vouchsafe
"Mild audience, calming thy tempestuous rage." Vain was my suit! for with th' unbody'd troop Of spectres, fleeting to th' interior shade Of Erebus, he to my friendly speech Disdain'd reply; yet to that dark recess Had I pursu'd his flight, he must have borne Unwilling correspondence, forc'd by Fate, Impassion'd as he was; but I refrain'd, For other visions drew my curious eye.
Intent I saw, with golden sceptre, grave Minos, the son of Jove, to the pale ghosts Dispensing equity; with faded looks They thro' the wide Plutonian hall appear'd Frequent and full, and argu'd each his cause At that tribunal, trembling whilst he weigh'd Their pleaded reason. Of portentous size Orion next I view'd; a brazen mace Invincible he bore, in fierce pursuit Of those huge mountain savages he slew While habitant of earth, whose grizzly forms He urg'd in chase the flow'ry mead along.
Nor unobserv'd lay sretch'd upon the marle Tityus earth-born, whose body, long and large, Cover'd nine acres: there two vultures sat Of appetite insatiate, and with beaks For ravine bent, unintermitting gor'd His liver, pow'rless he to put to flight The fierce devourers! to this penance judg'd For intended on Latona fair,
The paramour of Jove, as she sojourn'd To Pytho o'er the Panopeian lawns, Delicious landscape '---In a limpid lake Next Tantalus a doleful lot abides; Chin-deep he stands, yet with afflictive drought Incessant pines, while ever as he bows To sip refreshment, from his parching thirst The guileful water glides. Around the pool Fruit trees of various kinds umbrageous spread Their pamper'd boughs; racy the olive green, The ripe pomegranate, big with vinous pulp, The luscious fig sky-dy'd, the tasteful pear Vermilion'd half, and apples mellowing sweet In burnish'd gold, luxuriant o'er him, wave Exciting hunger, and fallacious hope Of food ambrosial---when he tries to seize The copious fruitage fair, a sudden gust Whirls it aloof amid th' incumbent gloom. Then Sisyphus, the nearest mate in woe, Drew my regard; he with distended nerves
Aye rolls a pond'rous stone up a rugged rock; Urg'd up the steep cliff slow with hand and foot It mounts; but bordering on the cloudy peak, Precipitous adown the slopy side
The rapid orb devolving back renews Eternal toil, which he, with dust besmear'd, And dew'd with smoaking sweat, incessant plies. I last the visionary semblance view'd Of Hercules, a shadowy form; for he, The real son of Jove, in heav'n's high court Abides, associate with the gods, and shares Celestial banquets; where, with soft' disport Of love, bright Hebe in her radiant dome Treats him nocturnal. With terrific clang Surrounding ghosts, like fowl, the region wing Vexatious, while the threat'ning image stands Gloomy as night, from his bent battle-bow In act to let th' aërial arrow fly. Athwart his breast a military zone
Dreadful he wore, where grinn'd in fretted gold Grim woodland savages, with various scenes Of war, fierce jousting knights, and havock dire, With matchless art pourtray'd; me straight he knew, And, piteous of my state, address'd me thus: " "O exercis'd in grief! illustrious son "Of good Laertes, fam'd for warlike wiles! "Fated thou art (like me, what time I breath'd "Ethereal draught) beneath unnumber'd toils
"To groan oppress'd: ev'n I, the seed of Jove, "Combated various ills and was adjudg'd
"By an inferior wretch (what could he more?) "To drag to light the triple-crested dog "That guards hell's massy portal: I atchiev'd "The task enjoin'd thro' the propitious aid "Of Mercury and Pallas, who vouchsaf'd "Their friendly guidance;" then without reply "To Pluto's court majestic he retir'd.
Meantime for others of heroic note
I waited, in the lists of ancient fame Enroll'd illustrious; and had haply seen Great Theseus, and Pirithöus his compeer, The race of gods; but at the hideous scream Of spectres issuing from the dark profound I wax'd infirm of purpose, sore dismay'd Lest Proserpine should send Medusa, curl'd With snaky locks, to fix me in her realm Stiff with Gorgonian horror. To the ship Retreating speedy thence, I bade my mates To shove from shore: joyous they straight began To stem the tide, and brush'd the whitening seas Till the fresh gales reliev'd the lab'ring oar.
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