"Of Ilion had receiv'd the final stroke

600

"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:

610

620

"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.

M

630

640

650

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,

rape

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

660

670

680

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

6до

700

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

Fenton.]

Mij

710

"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.

720

730