The Whole Works of Homer :: :: University of Virginia Library

The vpper rags, that wise Vlysses wore,
Cast off; he rusheth to the great Hall dore
With Bow and Quiuer full of shafts; wc downe
He pour'd before his feet; & thus made known
His true state to the wooers: This strife, thus
Hath harmlesse bene decided: Now for vs.
There rests another marke, more hard to hit,
And such as neuer man before hath smit;
VVhose full point likewise, my hands shall assay,
And try if Phœbus will giue me his day.

He said; and off his bitter Arrow thrust
Right, at Antinous; that strooke him iust
As he was lifting vp the Bolle; to show,
That 'twixt the cup, & lip, much ill may grow.
Death toucht not at his thoughts, at Feast: for who
VVould thinke, that he alone could perish so
Amongst so many? And he, best of all?
The Arrow in his throate tooke full his fall;
And thrust his head farre through the other side:
Downe fell his cup; downe he; downe all his pride.
Straight from his Nostrils gusht the humane gore:
And as he fell. his feete farre ouerbore
The feastfull Table; all the Rost, and Bread
About the house strew'd. VVhen his high-born head
The rest beheld so low, vp rusht they all,

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And ransack't euery Corner of the Hall
For Shields and Darts: but all fled farre their reach;
Then fell they foule on him with terrible speach,
And told him, it should proue the deerest shaft
That euer past him; and that now was saf't
No shift for him, but sure and sodaine death:
For he had slaine a man, whose like did breath
In no part of the Kingdome: and that now
He should no more for Game, striue with his Bow,
But Vultures eate him there. These threats they spent;
Yet euery man beleeu'd, that sterne euent
Chanc't 'gainst the authors will: O Fooles, to thinke
That all their rest, had any cup to drinke,
But what their great Antinous began.

He (frowning) saide; Dogs, see in me the man
Ye all held dead at Troy: My house it is
That thus ye spoile; that thus your Luxuries
File with my womens rapes: in which, ye woo
The wife of one that liues; and no thought show
Of mans fit feare, or Gods: your present Fame,
Or any faire sence of your future name.
And therefore, present and eternal death
Shall end your base life, This made fresh feares breath
Their former boldnesse: euery man had eye
On all the meanes, and studied wayes to flye
So deepe deaths imminent. But, seeing none,
Eurymachus began with suppliant mone
To mooue his pitty, saying; If you be
This Iles Vlysses, we must all agree
In grant of your reproofes integrity.
The Greekes haue done you many a wrong at home;
At field as many: But of all, the summe
Lies heere contract in death: For onely he
Imposd the whole ill Offices that we
Are now made guilty of: and not so much
Sought his endeuours; or in thought did touch
At any Nuptials; but a greater thing
Employ'd his forces: For, to be our King
VVas his cheefe obiect: his sole plot it was
To kil your Son: which Ioues hand would not passe,
But set it to his owne most merited end.
In which, end your iust anger; nor extend
Your sterne wreake further: Spend your royal pow'rs
In milde ruth of your people; we are yours.
And whatsoeuer waste of wine; or food,
Our Liberties haue made; wee'le make all good
In restitutions: call a Court, and passe
A fine of twenty Oxen, Gold, and Brasse,

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On euery Head; and raise your most rates still,
Till you are pleasd with your confessed fill:
VVhich if we faile to tender: all your wrath,
It shalbe iustice in our bloods to bathe.

Eurymachus (saide he) if you would giue
All that your Fathers hoord, to make ye liue;
And all that euer you your selues possesse,
Or shal by any industry increase:
I would not cease from slaughter, till your bloods
Had bought out your intemperance in my Goods.
It tests now for you, that you either fight
That will scape death, or make your way by flight:
In whose best choise, my thoughts conceiue, not one
Shall shun the death, your first hath vndergone.

This quite dissolu'd their knees: Eurymachus
Enforcing all their feares, yet counsail'd thus:

O Friends 'This man, now he hath got the Bow
And Quiuer by him, euer will bestow
His most inaccessible hands at vs
And neuer leaue, if we auoide him thus,
Til he hath strew'd the pauement with vs all:
And therefore, ioyne we swords, and on him fall
With Tables forc't vp; and borne in opposd
Against his sharpe shafts; when being round enclosd
By all our on-sets, we shall either take
His horrid person, or for safety make
His rage retire from out the Hall, and Gates:
And then, if he escape, wee'l make our states
Knowne to the City, by our generall cry:
And thus this man shal let his last shaft fly,
That euer his hand vanted. Thus he drew
His sharpe edg'd sword; and with a table, flew
In, on Vlysses with a terrible throte,
His fierce charge vrging. But Vlysses smote
The boord, and cleft it through, from end to end
Borne at his breast, and made his shaft extend
His sharp head to his Liuer: his broad breast
Pierc't at his Nipple: when, his hand releast
Forthwith his sword, that fel and kist the ground;
VVith cups and victles, lying scattered round
About the pauement: amongst which, his brow
Knockt the embrued earth; while in paines did flow
His vitall spirits, til his heeles shooke out
His feastful life; and hurl'd a Throne about,
That way-laide deaths convulsions in his feete;
When from his tender eyes, the light did fleet.

Then charg'd Amphinomus with his drawne blade
The glorious King, in purpose to haue made

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His feete forsake the house: But his assay
The Prince preuented; and his Lance gaue way
Quite through his shoulder, at his backe: his brest
The fierce pile letting forth. His ruine, prest
Grones from the pauement; which his forhead strook.

Telemachus his long Lance then forsooke
(Left in Amphinomus) and to his Sire
Made fiery passe; not staying to acquire
His Lance againe; in doubt that while he drew
The fixed pile, some other might renew
Fierce charge vpon him; and his vnarm'd head
Cleaue with his back-drawne sword: for which he fled
Close to his Father; bad him arme, and he
Would bring him Shield and Iauelins instantly;
His owne head arming; more armes laying by
To serue the Swine-herd, and the Oxen-herd.
Valour well arm'd, is euer most preferd.

Run then (saide he) and come, before the last
Of these auxilliary shafts are past:
For feare, lest (left alone) they force my stand
From forth the Ports. He flew, and brought to hand
Eight Darts, foure Shields, 4. Helmes. His owne parts then
First put in armes, he furnisht both his men,
That to their King stood close. But he, as long
As he had shafts to friend, enough was strong
For all the wooers: and some one man still
He made make euen with earth. Till all, a hill
Had raisd in th' euen floor'd Hall. His last shaft spent,
He set his Bow against a beame, and went
To arme at all parts, while the other three
Kept off the wooers: who, vnarm'd, could be
No great assailants. In the well-built wall
A window was thrust out, at end of all
The houses Entry: on whose vtter side
There lay a way to Towne; and in it, wide
And two leau'd folds were forg'd, that gaue fit meane
For flyers out; and therefore, at it then
Vlysses plac't Eumæus in close guard:
One onely passe ope to it: which (prepar'd
In this sort by Vlysses, 'gainst all passe)
By Agelaus tardy memorie, was
In question call'd: who bad, some one ascend
At such a window; and bring straight to frend
The City with his clamor; that this man
Might quickly shoot his last. This, no one can
Make safe accesse to (saide Melanthius)
For 'tis too neere the Hals faire doores: whence thus
The man afflicts ye: For from thence, there lies

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But one streight passage to it; that denies
Accesse to all; if any one man stand
(Being one of courage) and will countermand
Our offer to it. But I know a way
To bring you armes, from where the King doth lay
His whole munition: and, beleeue there is
No other place, to all the Armories
Both of himselfe and Sonne. This saide: a paire
Of lofty Staires he climb'd; and to th' affaire,
Twelue Shields, twelue Lances broght; as many casks,
VVith horse-haire Plumes; and set to bitter tasks
Both Son and Sire. Then shrunke Vlysses knees,
And his lou'd heart; when thus in armes he sees
So many wooers; and their shaken darts:
For then the worke shew'd, as it askt more parts
To safe performance: and he tolde his Sonne,
That or Melanthius, or his maides had done
A deed, that foule warre, to their hands conferd.

O Father (he replyed) tis I haue err'd
In this caus'd labour: I, and none, but I;
That left the doore ope, of your Armory.
But some (it seemes) hath set a sharper eye
On that important place: Eumæus! hast
And shut the doore; obseruing who hath past
To this false action: any maide; or One
That I suspect more; which is Dolius Sonne.

VVhile these spake thus; Melanthius went againe
For more faire armes; whom the renowned Swaine
Eumæus saw: and tolde Vlysses straight,
It was the hatefull man, that his conceite
Before suspected; who had done that ill:
And (being againe there) askt if he should kill
(If his power seru'd) or he should bring the Swaine
To him; t'inflict on him a seuerall paine
For euery forfeite, he had made his house.

He answer'd: I and my Telemachus
VVill heere containe these proud ones, in despite,
How much soeuer, these stolne armes excite
Their guilty courages; while you two take
Possession of the Chamber: the doores make
Sure at your backe: and then (surprising him)
His feete and hands binde; wrapping euery lim cast
In pliant chaines; and with a halter (cast
Aboue the winde-beame (at himselfe made fast)
Aloft the Column draw him: where aliue
He long may hang; and paines enow, depriue
His vexed life, before his death succeede.

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This charge (soone heard) as soone they put to deed;
Stole on his stealth; and at the further end
Of all the chamber, saw him busily bend
His hands to more armes: when they (still at dore)
Watcht his returne. At last, he came, and bore
In one hand, a faire Helme: in th' other held
A broad, and ancient rusty-rested Shield,
That old Laertes in his youth had worne;
Of which, the cheeke-bands had with age bin torne.
They rusht vpon him, caught him by the haire,
And dragg'd him in againe: whom (crying out)
They cast vpon the pauement: wrapt about
With sure and pinching cords, both foote and hand;
And then (in full acte of their Kings command)
A pliant chaine bestow'd on him; and hal'd
His body vp the columne, till he scal'd
The highest wind-beame. Where, made firmly fast,
Eumæus on his iust infliction, past
This pleasurable cauill: Now you may,
All night keepe watch heere, and the earliest day
Discerne (being hung so high) to rouse from rest
Your dainty Cattle, to the wooers Feast.
There (as befits a man of meanes so faire)
Soft may you sleepe, nought vnder you but aire;
And so, long hang you. Thus they left him there,
Made fast the doore; and with Vlysses, were
All arm'd in th' instant. Then they all stood close;
Their minds fire breath'd in flames against their foes.
Foure in th' Entry fighting all alone;
VVhen from the Hall charg'd many a mighty one:

But to them then, Ioues seede (Minerua) came,
Resembling Mentor, both in voice and frame
Of manly person. Passing well apaide
Vlysses was; and saide, Now Mentor, aide
Gainst these odde mischiefes: call to memory now
My often good to thee; and that, we two
Of one yeares life are. Thus he said: but thought
It was Minerua, that had euer brought
To her side, safety. On the other part,
The wooers threatn'd: but the chiefe in heart
VVas Agelaus; who, to Mentor spake.

Mentor: Let no words of Vlysses make
Thy hand a fighter on his feeble side,
Gainst al vs wooers: for we firme abide
In this perswasion; That when Sire and Son
Our swords haue slaine, thy life is sure to ron
One fortune with them: what strange acts hast thou
Conceit to forme here: Thy head must bestow

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The wreake of theirs, on vs: And when thy powrs
Are taken downe by these fierce steeles of ours;
All thy possessions, in doores, and without
Must raise on heape with his; and all thy rout
Of sons and daughters, in thy Turrets bleed
Wreake offerings to vs; and our Towne stand freed,
Of all charge with thy wife. Mineruaes heart
Was fir'd with these Braues: the approu'd desert
Of her Vlysses, chiding: saying, No more
Thy force nor fortitude, as heretofore
Will gaine thee glory. VVhen nine yeares at Troy,
VVhite-wristed Hellens rescue, did imploy
Thy armes and wisedome; still, and euer vsde
The bloods of thousands, through the field diffusde
By thy vaste valor; Priams broad-waide Towne
By thy graue parts, was sackt, and ouerthrowne:
And now, amongst thy people, and thy goods,
Against the wooers base and petulant bloods,
Stint'st thou thy valour? Rather mourning here,
Then manly fighting? Come Friend, Stand we nere,
And note my labour, that thou maist discerne
Amongst thy foes, how Mentors Nerues will erne
All thy old Bounties. This she spake, but staide
Her hand from giuing each-way-often-swaide
Vncertaine conquest, to his certaine vse;
But still would try, what selfe-pow'rs would produce
Both in the Father, and the glorious Son.

Then, on the wind-beame, that along did ron
The smoaky roofe; transform'd Minerua sat
Like to a Swallow; sometimes cuffing at
The swords and Lances, rushing from her seate;
And vp and downe the troubl'd house, did beate
Her wing at euery motion. And as she
Had rouz'd Vlysses; so, the enemy
Damastors sonne excited; Polybus,
Amphinomus, and Demoptolemus,
Eurynomus, and Polyctorides;
For these were men, that of the wooing prease
VVere most egregious, and the clearly best
In strength of hand, of all the desperate rest
That yet suruiu'd, and now fought for their soules;
VVhich straight, swift arrowes sent among the Fouls.
But first, Damastors sonne had more spare breath
To spend on their excitements, ere his death;
And saide, That now Vlysses would forbeare
His dismall hand, since Mentors spirit was there,
And blew vaine vants about Vlysses eares;
In whose trust, he would cease his Massacres,
Rest him, and put his friends huge boasts in proofe:

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And so was he beneath the Entries roofe
Left with Telemachus, and th' other two:
At whom (saide he) discharge no Darts: but thro
All at Vlysses, rousing his faint rest;
Whom if we slaughter, by our interest
In Ioues assistance, all the rest may yield
Our pow'rs no care, when he strowes once the field.

As he then will'd: they all at randon threw,
VVhere they supposd he rested; and then flew
Minerua after euery Dart, and made
Some strike the threshold; some the wals inuade:
Some beate the doores; and all acts rendred vaine
Their graue steele offer'd: which escap't, Againe
Came on Vlysses, saying; O that we,
The wooers troope, with our ioynt Archerie
Might so assaile; that where their spirits dream
On our deaths first, we first may slaughter them.

Thus the much sufferer said; and all let fly,
VVhen euerie man strooke dead his enemy:
Vlysses slaughtred Demoptolemus:
Euryades by yong Telemachus
His death encounter'd. Good Eumæus slew
Elatus; And Philætius ouerthrew
Pysander: all which, tore the paued floore
Vp with their teeth: The rest retir'd before
Their second charge, to inner roomes; and then
Vlysses follow'd: from the slaughter'd men
Their darts first drawing. While wc worke was done,
The wooers threw, with huge contention
To kill them all; when with her Swallow wing,
Minerua cufft; and made their Iauelins ring
Against the doores, and thresholds, as before:
Some yet did graze vpon their markes. One tore
The Princes wrist, which was Amphimedon;
Th' extreame part of the skin, but toucht vpon.
Ctesippus, ouer good Eumæus Shield
His shoulders top did taint; which yet did yield
The Lance free passe, and gaue his hurt the ground.

Againe then charg'd the wooers, and girt round
Vlysses with their Lances; who turn'd head,
And with his Iauelin strooke Eurydamas dead.
Telemachus, disliu'd Amphimedon;
Eumæus, Polybus; Philætius won
Ctesippus bosome with his dart, and said;
(In quittance of the Iesters part he plaid,
The Neats-foot hurling at Vlysses) Now
Great Sonne of Podytherses; you that vow
Your wit to bitter taunts; and loue to wound

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The

φιλοκερτομος amans cor alicui scindere maledicentia.

heart of any with a iest; so crown'd
Your wit be with a laughter; neuer yeilding
To fooles in folly; but your glory building
On putting downe in fooling, spitting forth
Puft words at all sorts: Cease to scoffe at worth,
And leaue reuenge of vile words to the Gods,
Since their wits beare the sharper edge by ods:
And in the meane time, take the Dart I draue,
For that right hospitable foote you gaue
Diuine Vlysses, begging but his owne.

Thus spake the black-Ox-herdsman; & straight down
Vlysses strooke another with his Dart,
(Damastors son.) Telemachus did part
Iust in the midst, the belly of the faire
Euenors sonne; his fierce Pile taking aire
Out at his backe. Flat fell he on his face;
His whole browes knocking, and did marke the place.

And now, man-slaughtering Pallas tooke in hand
Her Snake-frindg'd shield, & on that beam took stand
In her true forme, where Swallow-like she sat.
And then, in this way of the house, and that:
The wooers (wounded at the heart with feare)
Fled the encounter: As in Pastures, where
Fat Herds of Oxen feede, about the field
(As if wilde madnesse their instincts impeld)
The high-fed Bullockes flye: whom in the Spring
(When dayes are long) Gadbees, or Breezes sting.

Vlysses and his sonne, the Flyers chac'st;
As when with crooked Beakes and Seres, a cast
Of hill-bred Eagles, cast off at some game,
That yet their strengths keepe; But (put vp) in flame
The Eagles stoopes; From which, along the field
The poore Foules make wing: this and that way yield
Their hard-flowne Pinions: Then, the clouds assay
For scape or shelter; their forlorne dismay
All spirit exhaling, all wings strength to carry
Their bodies forth; and (trust vp) to the Quarry
Their Faulconers ride in, and reioyce to see
Their Hawkes performe a flight so feruently;
So (in their flight) Vlysses with his Heire,
Did stoope and cuffe the wooers, that the aire
Broke in vaste sighes: whose heads, they shot & cleft;
The Pauement boyling with the soules they reft:

Liodes (running to Vlysses) toke
His knees; and thus did on his name inuoke:
Vlysses: Let me pray thee, to my place
Affoord the reuerence; and to me the grace:
That neuer did, or saide, to any Dame

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Thy Court contain'd, or deede, or word to blame.
But others so affected, I haue made
Lay downe their insolence; and if the trade
They kept with wickednesse, haue made them still
Despise my speech, and vse their wonted ill;
They haue their penance by the stroke of death;
Which their desert, diuinely warranteth:
But I am Priest amongst them; and shall I,
That nought haue done worth death, amongst thē dy?
From thee, this Prouerbe then will men deriue;
Good turnes do neuer their meere deeds suruiue.

He (bending his displeased forehead) saide;
If you be Priest amongst them, as you pleade,
Yet you would marry; and with my wife too;
And haue descent by her: For all that woo
Wish to obtaine, which they should neuer doo
Dames husbands liuing. You must therefore pray
Of force, and oft in Court heere; that the day
Of my returne for home might neuer shine;
The death to me wish't, therefore shall be thine.

This said; he tooke a sword vp that was cast
From Agelaus, hauing strooke his last;
And on the Priests mid necke, he laide a stroke
That strooke his head off; tumbling as he spoke.

Then did the Poet Phœmius (whose sur-name
VVas call'd Terpiades; who thither came.
Forc't by the woo'rs) fly death; but being nere
The Courts great gate, he stood, and parted there
In two his counsailes; either to remoue
And take the Altar of Herceian Ioue;
(Made sacred to him; with a world of Art
Engrauen about it; where were wont t'impart
Laertes, and Vlysses, many a Thye
Of broad-brow'd Oxen to the Deity)
Or venture to Vlysses: claspe his knee,
And pray his ruth. The last was the decree
His choise resolu'd on. Twixt the royall Throne,
And that faire Table that the Bolle stood on
VVith which they sacrific'd; his Harpe he laide
Along the earth; the Kings knees hugg'd, and saide:

Vlysses! Let my prayers obtaine of thee
My sacred skils respect, and ruth to mee.
It will heereafter grieue thee to haue slaine
A Poet, that doth sing to Gods and men.
I, of my selfe am taught: for God alone,
All sorts of song hath in my bosome sowne:
And I, as to a God, will sing to thee;

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Then do not thou deale like the Priest, with me.
Thine owne lou'd sonne Telemachus will say,
That not to beg heere; nor with willing way
Was my accesse to thy high Court addrest,
To giue the wooers my song after Feast;
But being many, and so much more strong;
They forc't me hither, and compell'd my Song.

This did the Princes sacred vertue heare;
And to the King his Father, said: Forbeare
To mixe the guiltlesse, with the guilties blood.
And with him likewise, let our mercies saue
Medon the Herald; that did still behaue
Himselfe with care of my good, from a childe;
If by Eumæus yet he be not kild;
Or by Philætius; nor your fury met,
While all this blood about the house it swet.

This Medon heard, as lying hid beneath
A Throne set neere; halfe dead with feare of death;
A new-flead Oxe-hide (as but there throwne by)
His serious shroud made he lying there, to fly.
But hearing this, he quickly left the Throne;
His Oxe-hide cast as quickly, and as soone
The Princes knees seiz'd: saying, O my loue,
I am not slaine; but heere aliue, and moue.
Abstaine your selfe; and do not see your Sire
Quench with my cold blood, the vnmeasur'd fire
That flames in his strength, making spoile of me,
His wraths right, for the wooers iniury.

Vlysses smil'd, and said; Be confident
This man hath sau'd, and made thee different;
To let thee know, and say, and others see,
Good life, is much more safe then villany.
Go then, sit free without, from death within:
This much renowned Singer, from the sin
Of these men likewise quit. Both rest you there,
While I my house purge, as it fits me here.

This saide, they went and tooke their seat without
At Ioues high Altar, looking round about,
Expecting still their slaughter: VVhen the King
Searcht round the Hall, to try lifes hidden wing
Made from more death. But all, laid prostrate there
In blood and gore he saw: whole sholes they were;
And lay as thicke, as in a hollow creake
VVithout the white Sea, when the Fishers breake
Their many-meshed Draught-net vp, there lye
Fish frisking on the Sands; and faine the dry
VVould for the wet change. But th' al-seeing beam
The Sun exhales, hath suckt their liues from them;

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So, one by other, spraul'd the wooers there.
Vlysses, and his Son then, bid appeare
The Nurse Euryclea, to let her heare
His minde in something, fit for her affaire.

He op't the doore, and call'd; and said, Repaire
Graue Matron, long since borne; that art our Spy
To all this houses seruile huswifery:
My Father cals thee, to impart some thought
That askes thy action. His word, found in nought
Her slacke obseruance, who straight op't the dore
And enter'd to him; when himselfe before
Had left the Hall. But there, the King she view'd
Amongst the slaine, with blood and gore embrew'd:
And as a Lyon sculking all in Night,
Farre off in Pastures; and come home, all dight
In iawes and brest-lockes, with an Oxes blood,
New feasted on him, his lookes full of mood;
So look't Vlysses; all his hands and feete
Freckl'd with purple. When which sight did greete
The poore old woman (such workes being for eyes
Of no soft temper) out she brake in cries;
VVhose vent, though throughly opened; he yet closd,
Cal'd her more neere, and thus her plaints composd;
Forbeare; nor shrieke thus: But vent ioyes as loud;
It is no piety to bemone the proud:
Though ends befall them, mouing neere so much,
These are the portions of the Gods to such.
Mens owne impieties, in their instant act,
Sustaine their plagues; which are with stay but rackt.
But these men, Gods nor men had in esteeme:
Nor good, nor bad, had any sence in them.
Their liues directly ill, were therefore cause
That Death in these sterne formes, so deepely drawes.
Recount then to me, those licentious Dames,
That lost my honor, and their sexes shames.

Ile tell you truly (she replied,) There are
Twice fiue and twenty women here, that share
All worke amongst them; whom I taught to Spin,
And beare the iust bands that they suffer'd in:
Of all which, onely there were twelue, that gaue
Themselues to impudence, and light behaue;
Nor me respecting, nor herselfe (the Queene.)
And for your Son, he hath but lately bene
Of yeares to rule: Nor would his Mother beare
His Empire, where her womens labors were.
But let me go, and giue her notice now
Of your arriuall. Sure some God doth show
His hand vpon her, in this rest she takes,

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That all these vprores beares, and neuer wakes.
Nor wake her yet (said he) but cause to come
Those twelue light women, to this vtter roome.

She made all vtmost haste, to come and go,
And bring the women he had summon'd so.

Then, both his Swaines and Son, he bad, go call
The women to their aide, and cleere the Hall
Of those dead bodies: Clense each boord, & Throne
VVith werted Sponges: which, with fitnesse, done,
He bad take all the Strumpets, 'twixt the wall
Of his first Court; and that roome next the Hall;
In which, the vessell of the house were scour'd;
And in their bosomes sheath their euery sword,
Till all their soules were fled; and they had then,
Felt 'twas but paine to sport with lawlesse men.

This said; the women came, all drown'd in mone,
And weeping bitterly. But first, was done
The bearing thence the dead: all which, beneath
The Portico they stow'd, where death on death
They heap't together. Then tooke all, the paines
Vlysses will'd. His Sonne yet, and the Swaines
VVith paring-shouels wrought: The women bore
Their parings forth; and al the clotter'd gore.
The house then clensd, they brought the women out,
And put them in a roome, so wall'd about,
That no meanes seru'd their sad estates to flye.
Then saide Telemachus, These shall not dye
A death that lets out any wanton blood,
And vents the poison that gaue Lust her foode,
The body clensing; but a death that chokes
The breath, and all together, that prouokes
And seemes as Bellowes, to abhorred Lust;
That both on my head, pour'd depraues vniust,
And on my Mothers; scandaling the Court,
VVith men debaucht, in so abhorr'd a sort.

This said; a Halser of a ship they cast
About a crosse beame of the roofe; which fast
They made about their neckes, in twelue parts cut;
And hal'd them vp so high, they could not put
Their feete to any stay. As which was done
Looke how a Mauis, or a Pygeon
In any Groue, caught with a Sprindge, or Net;
VVith strugling Pinions 'gainst the ground doth beat
Her tender body; and that then-streight bed
Is sowre to that swindge, in which she was bred;
So striu'd these taken Birds, till euery one
Her pliant halter, had enforc't vpon
Her stubborne necke; and then aloft was haul'd

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To wretched death. A little space they sprauld
Their feet fast mouing; but were quickly still.

Then fetcht they downe Melanthius, to fulfill
The equall execution; which was done.
In Portall of the Hall; and thus begun:
They first slit both his Nosethrils, cropt each eare;
His Members tugg'd off, which the dogges did teare,
And chop vp bleeding sweet; and while red hot
The vice-abhorring blood was; off they smote
His hands and feet, and there that worke had end:
Then washt they hands & feet, that blood had steind;
And tooke the house againe. And then the King
(Euryclea calling) bad her quickly bring
All ill-expelling Brimstone, and some fire,
That with perfumes cast, he might make entire
The houses first integrity in all.
And then his timely will was, she should call
Her Queene and Ladies; still yet charging her,
That all the Handmaids she should first confer.

She said, he spake as fitted; But before,
She held it fit to change the weeds he wore,
And she would others bring him: that not so
His faire broad shoulders might rest clad; and show
His person to his seruants, was too blame.

First bring me Fire, said he. She went, and came
VVith fire, & sulphure straight; with which the hall,
And of the huge house, all roomes capitall
He throughly sweetned. Then went Nurse to call
The Handmaid seruants downe; & vp she went
To tell the newes, and will'd them to present
Their seruice to their Soueraigne Downe they came,
Sustaining Torches all, and pour'd a flame
Of Loue, about their Lord: with welcomes home,
VVith huggings of his hands, with laborsome
Both heads and fore-heads, kisses, and embraces;
And plyed him so, with all their louing graces,
That teares and sighes, tooke vp his whole desire;
For now he knew their hearts to him entire.

The End of the XXII. Booke of Homers Odysses.