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Vlysses here, is first made knowne;
Who tels the sterne contention,
His powres did gainst the Cicons trie;
And thence to the Lotophagie
Extends his conquest: and from them,
Assayes the Cyclop Polypheme;
And by the crafts, his wits apply,
He puts him out his onely eye.

Another.

Ιωτα

The strangely fed
Lotophagie.
The Cicons fled.
The Cyclops eye.

Vlysses thus resolu'd the Kings demands.
Alcinous! (in whom this Empire stands)
You should not of so naturall right disherit
Your princely feast, as take from it the spirit.
To heare a Poet, that in accent brings
The Gods brests downe; and breathes them as he sings,

He begins where Alcinous commanded Demodocus to end.

Is sweet, and sacred; nor can I conceiue,
In any common weale, what more doth giue
Note of the iust and blessed Empery,
Then to see Comfort vniuersally
Cheare vp the people. When in euery roofe,
She giues obseruers a most humane proofe
Of mens contents. To see a neighbours Feast
Adorne it through; and thereat, heare the breast
Of the diuine Muse; men in order set;
A wine-page waiting. Tables crownd with meate;

οινοχοος.

Set close to guests, that are to vse it skilld;
The Cup-boords furnisht; and the cups still filld.
This shewes (to my mind) most humanely faire.
Nor should you, for me, still the heauenly aire,
That stirrd my soule so; for I loue such teares,
As fall from fit notes; beaten through mine eares,
With repetitions of what heauen hath done;
And breake from heartie apprehension
Of God and goodnesse, though they shew my ill.
And therefore doth my mind excite me still,

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To tell my bleeding mone; but much more now,
To serue your pleasure; that, to ouer-flow
My teares with such cause, may by sighs be driuen;
Though ne're so much plagu'd, I may seeme by heauen.

And now my name; which, way shall leade to all
My miseries after: that their sounds may fall
Through your eares also; and shew (hauing fled
So much affliction) first, who rests his head
In your embraces; when (so farre from home)
I knew not where t'obtaine it resting roome.

I am Vlysses Laertiades;
The feare of all the world for policies;
For which, my facts as high as heauen resound.
I dwell in Ithaca, Earths most renownd:

εινοσιφυλλον. quatientem seu agitantem frondes.

All ouer-shadow'd with the Shake-leafe hill
Tree-fam'd Neritus; whose neare confines fill
Ilands a number, well inhabited,
That vnder my obseruance taste their bread.

quȩdam quibus corpus alitur & vita sustentatur υλη appellantur.

Dulichius, Samos, and the full-of-food
Zacynthus, likewise grac't with store of wood.
But Ithaca, (though in the seas it lie)
Yet lies she so aloft, she casts her eye
Quite ouer all the neighbour Continent.
Farre Norward situate; and (being lent
But litle fauour of the Morne, and Sunne)
With barren rocks and cliffes is ouer-runne.
And yet of hardie youths, a Nurse of Name.
Nor could I see a Soile, where ere I came,
More sweete and wishfull. Yet, from hence was I
Withheld with horror, by the Deitie
Diuine Calypso, in her cauie house;
Enflam'd to make me her sole Lord and Spouse.
Circe Ææa too, (that knowing Dame,
Whose veines, the like affections did inflame)
Detaind me likewise. But to neithers loue,
Could I be tempted; which doth well approue;

Amor patriæ.

Nothing so sweete is as our countries earth,
And ioy of those, from whom we claime our birth.
Though roofes farre richer, we farre off possesse,
Yet (from our natiue) all our more, is lesse.

To which, as I contended, I will tell
The much-distrest-conferring-facts, that fell
By Ioues diuine preuention; since I set,
From ruin'd Troy, my first foote in retreat.

From Ilion, ill winds cast me on the Coast
The Cicons hold; where I emploid mine hoast
For Ismarus, a Citie, built iust by
My place of landing; of which, Victory

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Made me expugner. I depeopl'd it,
Slue all the men, and did their wiues remit,
With much spoile taken; which we did diuide,
That none might need his part. I then applide
All speed for flight: but my command therein,
(Fooles that they were) could no obseruance win
Of many souldiers, who with spoile fed hie,
Would yet fill higher; and excessiuely
Fell to their wine; gaue slaughter on the shore,
Clouen-footed beeues and sheepe, in mightie store.
In meane space, Cicons did to Cicons crie;
When, of their nearest dwellers, instantly
Many and better souldiers made strong head,
That held the Continent, and managed
Their horse with high skill: on which they would fight,
When fittest cause seru'd; and againe alight,
(With soone seene vantage) and on foote contend.
Their concourse swift was, and had neuer end;
As thicke and sodaine twas, as flowres and leaues
Darke Spring discouers, when she Light receaues.
And then began the bitter Fate of Ioue

After Night, in the first of the Morning.

To alter vs vnhappie; which, euen stroue
To giue vs suffrance. At our Fleet we made
Enforced stand; and there did they inuade
Our thrust vp Forces: darts encountred darts,
With blowes on both sides: either making parts
Good vpon either, while the Morning shone,
And sacred Day her bright increase held on;
Though much out-matcht in number. But as soone
As Phœbus Westward fell, the Cicons wonne
Much hand of vs; sixe proued souldiers fell
(Of euery ship) the rest they did compell
To seeke of Flight escape from Death and Fate.

Thence (sad in heart) we saild: and yet our State
Was something chear'd; that (being ouer-matcht so much
In violent number) our retreate was such,
As sau'd so many. Our deare losse the lesse,
That they suruiu'd; so like for like successe.
Yet left we not the Coast, before we calld
Home to our country earth, the soules exhald,
Of all the friends, the Cicons ouercame.
Thrice calld we on them, by their seuerall name,
And then tooke leaue. Then from the angry North,

The ancient custome of calling home the dead.

Cloud-gathering Ioue, a dreadfull storme calld forth
Against our Nauie; couerd shore and all,
With gloomie vapors. Night did headlong fall
From frowning Heauen. And then hurld here and there
Was all our Nauie; the rude winds did teare,

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In three, in foure parts, all their sailes; and downe
Driuen vnder hatches were we, prest to drowne.
Vp rusht we yet againe; and with tough hand
(Two daies, two nights entoild) we gat nere land;
Labours and sorrowes, eating vp our minds.
The third cleare day yet, to more friendly winds
We masts aduanc't, we white sailes spred, and sate.
Forewinds, and guides, againe did iterate,
Our ease and home-hopes; which we cleare had reacht;
Had not, by chance, a sodaine North-wind fetcht,
With an extreame sea, quite about againe,
Our whole endeuours; and our course constraine
To giddie round; and with our bowd sailes greete
Dreadfull Maleia; calling backe our fleete,
As farre forth as Cythæra. Nine dayes more,
Aduerse winds tost me; and the tenth, the shore,
Where dwell the blossome-fed Lotophagie,
I fetcht: fresh water tooke in; instantly
Fell to our food aship-boord; and then sent
Two of my choice men to the Continent,
(Adding a third, a Herald) to discouer,
What sort of people were the Rulers ouer

The Lotophagie.

The land next to vs. Where, the first they met,
Were the Lotophagie; that made them eate
Their Country diet; and no ill intent,
Hid in their hearts to them: and yet th' euent,
To ill conuerted it; for, hauing eate
Their daintie viands; they did quite forget
(As all men else, that did but taste their feast)
Both country-men and country; nor addrest
Any returne, t'informe what sort of men
Made fixt abode there; but would needs maintaine,
Abode themselues there; and eate that food euer.
I made out after; and was faine to seuer
Th' enchanted knot; by forcing their retreate;
That striu'd, and wept, and would not leaue their meate
For heauen it selfe. But, dragging them to fleete;
I wrapt in sure bands, both their hands and feete,
And cast them vnder hatches; and away
Commanded all the rest, without least stay;
Lest they should taste the Lote too; and forget
With such strange raptures, their despisde retreate.

All then aboord, we beate the sea with Ores;
And still with sad hearts saild by out-way shores;
Till th' out-lawd Cyclops land we fetcht; a race

The idle Cyclops.

Of proud-liu'd loiterers, that neuer sow,
Nor put a plant in earth, nor vse a Plow;
But trust in God for all things; and their earth,

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(Vnsowne, vnplowd) giues euery of-spring birth,
That other lands haue. Wheate, and Barley; Vines
That beare in goodly Grapes, delicious wines;
And Ioue sends showres for all: no counsels there,
Nor counsellers, nor lawes; but all men beare
Their heads aloft on mountaines, and those steepe,
And on their tops too: and there, houses keepe
In vaultie Caues; their housholds gouernd all
By each mans law, imposde in seuerall;
Nor wife, nor child awd; but as he thinks good.
None for another caring. But there stood
Another litle Ile, well stor'd with wood,
Betwixt this and the entry; neither nie
The Cyclops Ile, nor yet farre off doth lie.
Mens want it sufferd; but the mens supplies,
The Goates made with their inarticulate cries.
Goates beyond number, this small Iland breeds,
So tame, that no accesse disturbs their feeds.
No hunters (that the tops of mountaines scale,
And rub through woods with toile) seeke them at all.
Nor is the soile with flocks fed downe, nor plowd;
Nor euer in it any seed was sowd.
Nor place the neighbour Cyclops their delights,
In braue Vermilion prow-deckt ships; nor wrights
Vsefull and skilfull, in such works, as need
Perfection to those trafficks, that exceed
Their naturall confines: to flie out and see
Cities of men; and take in, mutually
The prease of others; To themselues they liue,
And to their Iland, that enough would giue
A good inhabitant; and time of yeare
Obserue to all things Art could order there.
There, close vpon the sea, sweet medowes spring,
That yet of fresh streames want no watering
To their soft burthens: but of speciall yeeld,
Your vines would be there; and your common field,
But gentle worke make for your plow; yet beare
A loftie haruest when you came to sheare.
For passing fat the soile is. In it lies
A harbor so opportune, that no ties,
Halsers, or gables need; nor anchors cast.
Whom stormes put in there, are with stay embrac't;

The description of all these countries, haue admirable allegories, besides their artly and pleasing relation.

Or to their full wils safe; or winds aspire
To Pilots vses their more quicke desire.
At entry of the hauen, a siluer foord
Is from a rock-impressing fountaine powr'd,
All set with sable Poplars; and this Port
Were we arriu'd at, by the sweet resort

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Of some God guiding vs: for twas a night
So gastly darke, all Port was past our sight,
Clouds hid our ships, and would not let the Moone
Affoord a beame to vs; the whole Ile woune,
By not an eye of ours. None thought the Blore
That then was vp, shou'd waues against the shore,
That then to an vnmeasur'd height put on.
We still at sea esteemd vs, till alone
Our fleet put in it selfe. And then were strooke
Our gatherd sailes: our rest ashore we tooke,
And day expected. When the Morne gaue fire,
We rose, and walkt, and did the Ile admire.
The Nymphs, Ioues daughters, putting vp a heard
Of mountaine Goates to vs, to render cheard
My fellow souldiers. To our Fleet we flew;
Our crooked bowes tooke, long-pil'd darts, and drew
Our selues in three parts out; when, by the grace
That God vouch-saft, we made a gainfull chace.
Twelue ships we had, and euery ship had nine
Fat Goates allotted; ten onely mine.
Thus all that day, euen till the Sunne was set,
We sate and feasted; pleasant wine and meate,
Plenteously taking; for we had not spent
Our ruddie wine aship-boord: supplement
Of large sort, each man to his vessell drew,
When we the sacred Citie ouerthrew,
That held the Cicons. Now then saw we neare,
The Cyclops late-praisd Iland; and might heare
The murmure of their sheepe and goates; and see
Their smokes ascend. The Sunne then set, and we
(When Night succeeded) tooke our rest ashore.
And when the world the Mornings fauour wore,
I calld my friends to councell; charging them
To make stay there, while I tooke ship and streame,
With some associates; and explor'd what men
The neighbour Ile held: if of rude disdaine,
Churlish and tyrannous, or minds bewraid
Pious and hospitable. Thus much said,
I boorded, and commanded to ascend
My friends and souldiers, to put off, and lend
Way to our ship. They boorded, sate, and beate
The old sea forth, till we might see the seate,
The greatest Cyclop held for his abode;
Which was a deepe Caue, neare the common rode
Of ships that toucht there; thicke with Lawrels spred,
Where many sheepe and goates lay shadowed:
And neare to this, a Hall of torne-vp stone,
High built with Pines, that heauen and earth attone;

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And loftie-fronted Okes: in which kept house,
A man in shape, immane, and monsterous,
Fed all his flocks alone; nor would affoord
Commerce with men; but had a wit abhord;
His mind, his body answering. Nor was he
Like any man, that food could possibly
Enhance so hugely; but (beheld alone)
Shewd like a steepe hils top, all ouergrowne
With trees and brambles; litle thought had I
Of such vast obiects. When, arriu'd so nie;
Some of my lou'd friends, I made stay aboord,
To guard my ship; and twelue with me I shor'd,
The choice of all. I tooke besides along,
A Goat-skin flagon of wine, blacke and strong,
That Maro did present; Euantheus sonne,
And Priest to Phœbus; who had mansion
In Thracian Ismarus (the Towne I tooke)
He gaue it me; since I (with reuerence strooke,
Of his graue place, his wife and childrens good)
Freed all of violence. Amidst a wood
Sacred to Phœbus, stood his house; from whence
He fetcht me gifts of varied excellence;
Seuen talents of fine gold; a boll all fram'd
Of massie siluer. But his gift, most fam'd,
Was twelue great vessels, filld with such rich wine,
As was incorruptible, and diuine.
He kept it as his iewell, which none knew
But he himselfe, his wife, and he that drew.
It was so strong, that neuer any filld
A cup, where that was but by drops instilld,
And drunke it off; but twas before allaid
With twentie parts in water; yet so swaid
The spirit of that litle, that the whole,
A sacred odour breath'd about the boll.

Vinum Maroneum memorabile.

Had you the odour smelt, and sent it cast,
It would haue vext you to forbeare the taste.
But then (the taste gaind too) the spirit it wrought,
To dare things high, set vp an end my thought.

Of this, a huge great flagon full I bore,
And in a good large knapsacke, victles store;
And longd to see this heape of fortitude,
That so illiterate was, and vpland rude,
That lawes diuine nor humane he had learnd.
With speed we reacht the Cauerne, nor discernd
His presence there. His flocks he fed at field.

Entring his den; each thing beheld, did yeeld
Our admiration: shelues with cheeses heapt;
Sheds stuft with Lambs and Goates, distinctly kept;

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Distinct the biggest; the more meane distinct;
Distinct the yongest. And in their precinct
(Proper and placefull) stood the troughs and pailes,
In which he milkt; and what was giuen at meales,
Set vp a creaming: in the Euening still,
All scouring bright, as deaw vpon the hill.

Then were my fellowes instant to conuay
Kids, cheeses, lambs, aship boord; and away
Saile the salt billow. I thought best, not so,
But better otherwise; and first would know,
What guest-gifts he would spare me. Little knew
My friends, on whom they would haue preyd: his view
Prou'd after, that his inwards were too rough
For such bold vsage: we were bold enough,
In what I sufferd; which was there to stay;
Make fire and feed there, though beare none away.
There sate we, till we saw him feeding come,
And on his necke a burthen lugging home,
Most highly huge of Sere-wood; which the pile
That fed his fire, supplide all supper while.
Downe by his den he threw it; and vp rose
A tumult with the fall. Afraid, we close
Withdrew our selues, while he into a Caue
Of huge receit, his high-fed cattell draue,
All that he milkt; the males he left without
His loftie roofes, that all bestrowd about
With Rams and buck-goates were. And then a rocke
He lift aloft, that damd vp to his flocke,
The doore they enterd: twas so hard to wield,
That two and twentie Waggons, all foure-wheeld,
(Could they be loaded, and haue teames that were
Proportion'd to them) could not stirre it there.
Thus, making sure, he kneeld and milkt his Ewes,
And braying Goates, with all a milkers dues.
Then let in all their yong: then, quicke did dresse,
His halfe milke vp for cheese, and in a presse
Of wicker prest it; put in bolls the rest,
To drinke, and eate, and serue his supping feast.

All works dispatcht thus; he began his fire;
Which blowne, he saw vs; and did thus enquire:

Ho! Guests! what are ye? whence saile ye these seas?
Trafficke, or roue ye? and like theeues oppresse
Poore strange aduenturers; exposing so
Your soules to danger, and your liues to wo?

This vtterd he; when Feare front our hearts tooke
The very life; to be so thunder-strooke
With such a voice, and such a monster see.
But thus I answerd: Erring Grecians we,

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From Troy were turning homewards; but by force

This his relation of Agamemnon, and his glory & theirs for Troyes sacke, with the pietie of suppliants receit, to him that was so barbarous and impious, must be intended spoken by Vlysses, with supposition that his hearers wold note, still as he spake; how vaine they would shew to the Cyclops: who respected litle Agamemnon, or their valiant exploit against Troy, or the Gods themselues. For otherwise, the serious obseruatiō of the words (though good & graue, if spoken to another) want their intentional sharpnesse and life.

Of aduerse winds, in far-diuerted course,
Such vnknowne waies tooke, and on rude seas tost,
(As Ioue decreed) are cast vpon this Coast.
Of Agamemnon (famous Atreus sonne)
We boast our selues the souldiers; who hath wonne
Renowme that reacheth heauen; to ouerthrow
So great a Citie, and to ruine so,
So many nations. Yet at thy knees lie
Our prostrate bosomes; forc't with praires to trie,
If any hospitable right, or Boone
Of other nature, (such as haue bin wonne
By lawes of other houses) thou wilt giue.
Reuerence the Gods, thou greatst of all that liue.
We suppliants are; and hospitable Ioue
Poures wreake on all, whom praires want powre to moue:
And with their plagues, together will prouide,
That humble Guests shall haue their wants supplide.

He cruelly answerd: O thou foole (said he)
To come so farre, and to importune me
With any Gods feare, or obserued loue;
We Cyclops care not for your Goat-fed Ioue;
Nor other Blest ones; we are better farre.
To Ioue himselfe, dare I bid open warre;
To thee, and all thy fellowes, if I please.
But tell me: where's the ship, that by the seas
Hath brought thee hither? If farre off, or neare;
Informe me quickly. These his temptings were.
But I, too much knew, not to know his mind;
And craft, with craft paid; telling him the wind
(Thrust vp from Sea, by him that shakes the Shore)
Had dasht our ships against his rocks, and tore
Her ribs in peeces, close vpon his Coast;
And we from high wracke sau'd; the rest were lost.

He answerd nothing; but rusht in, and tooke
Two of my fellowes vp from earth, and strooke
Their braines against it. Like two whelps they flew
About his shoulders; and did all embrew
The blushing earth. No mountaine Lion tore
Two Lambs so sternly; lapt vp all their gore,
Gusht from their torne-vp bodies; lim by lim,
(Trembling with life yet) rauisht into him.
Both flesh and marrow-stuffed bones he eate,
And euen th' vncleansed entrails made his meate.
We weeping, cast our hands to heauen, to view,
A sight so horrid. Desperation flew
With all our after liues, to instant death,
In our beleeu'd destruction. But when breath,

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The fury of his appetite had got,
Because the gulfe his belly, reacht his throte;
Mans flesh, and Goates milke, laying laire on laire,
Till neare chokt vp, was all the passe for aire.
Along his den, amongst his cattell, downe
He rusht, and streakt him. When my mind was growne
Desperate, to step in; draw my sword, and part
His bosome, where the strings about the heart
Circle the Liuer, and adde strength of hand.
But that rash thought, More staid, did countermand;
For there we all had perisht, since it past
Our powres to lift aside a log so vast,
As barrd all outscape; and so sigh'd away
The thought all Night, expecting actiue Day.
Which come, he first of all, his fire enflames,
Then milks his Goates and Ewes; then to their dams
Lets in their yong; and wondrous orderly,
With manly haste, dispatcht his houswifery.
Then to his Breakfast, to which, other two
Of my poore friends went: which eate; out then go
His heards and fat flocks; lightly putting by
The churlish barre, and closde it instantly;
For both those works, with ease, as much he did,
As you would ope and shut your Quiuer lid.

With stormes of whistlings then, his flocks he draue
Vp to the mountaines; and occasion gaue
For me to vse my wits; which to their height,
I striu'd to skrew vp; that a vengeance might
By some meanes fall from thence; and Pallas now
Affoord a full eare to my neediest vow.
This then, my thoughts preferd: a huge club lay
Close by his milk-house, which was now in way
To drie, and season; being an Oliue tree
Which late he feld; and being greene, must be
Made lighter for his manage. Twas so vast,
That we resembl'd it to some fit Mast,
To serue a ship of burthen, that was driuen
With twentie Ores; and had a bignesse giuen,
To beare a huge sea. Full so thicke, so tall
We iudg'd this club; which I, in part, hewd small,
And cut a fathome off. The peece I gaue
Amongst my souldiers, to take downe, and shaue;
Which done, I sharpn'd it at top, and then
(Hardn'd in fire) I hid it in the den,
Within a nastie dunghill reeking there,
Thicke, and so moist, it issude euery where.
Then made I lots cast, by my friends to trie,
Whose fortune seru'd to dare the bor'd out eie

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Of that man-eater: and the lot did fall
On foure I wisht to make my aid, of all;
And I, the fift made, chosen like the rest.

Then came the Euen; and he came from the feast
Of his fat cattell; draue in all; nor kept
One male abroad: if, or his memory slept
By Gods direct will; or of purpose was
His driuing in of all then, doth surpasse
My comprehension. But he closde againe
The mightie barre; milkt, and did still maintaine
All other obseruation, as before.
His worke, all done; two of my souldiers more,
At once he snatcht vp; and to supper went.
Then dar'd I words to him, and did present
A boll of wine, with these words: Cyclop! take
A boll of wine from my hand, that may make
Way for the mans flesh thou hast eate; and show
What drinke our ship held; which in sacred vow,
I offer to thee; to take ruth on me
In my dismission home. Thy rages be
Now no more sufferable. How shall men
(Mad and inhumane that thou art) againe
Greet thy abode, and get thy actions grace,
If thus thou ragest, and eatst vp their race.

He tooke, and drunke; and vehemently ioyd
To taste the sweet cup; and againe employd
My flagons powre; entreating more, and said:
Good Guest, againe affoord my taste thy aid;
And let me know thy name; and quickly now;
That in thy recompence I may bestow
A hospitable gift on thy desert;
And such a one as shall reioyce thy heart;
For to the Cylops too, the gentle Earth
Beares generous wine; and Ioue augments her birth,
In store of such, with showres. But this rich wine,
Fell from the riuer that is meere diuine,
Of Nectar and Ambrosia. This againe
I gaue him; and againe; nor could the foole abstaine,
But drunke as often. When the noble Iuyce
Had wrought vpon his spirit; I then gaue vse
To fairer language; saying: Cylop! now
As thou demandst, Ile tell thee my name; do thou
Make good thy hospitable gift to me;
My name is No-Man; No-Man, each degree
Of friends, as well as parents, call my name.
He answerd, as his cruell soule became:
No-Man! Ile eate thee last of all thy friends;
And this is that, in which so much amends

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I vowd to thy deseruings; thus shall be
My hospitable gift, made good to thee.
This said; he vpwards fell; but then bent round
His fleshie necke; and Sleepe (with all crownes, crownd)
Subdude the Sauage. From his throte brake out
My wine, with mans flesh gobbets, like a spout;
When loded with his cups, he lay and snor'd.
And then tooke I the clubs end vp, and gor'd
The burning cole-heape, that the point might heate.
Confirmd my fellowes minds, lest Feare should let
Their vowd assay, and make them flie my aid.
Strait was the Oliue Leuer, I had laid
Amidst the huge fire, to get hardning, hot;
And glowd extremely, though twas greene; (which got
From forth the cinders) close about me stood
My hardie friends: but that which did the good,
Was Gods good inspiration, that gaue
A spirit beyond the spirit they vsde to haue:
Who tooke the Oliue sparre, made keene before,
And plung'd it in his eye: and vp I bore,
Bent to the top close; and helpt poure it in,

Simile.

With all my forces: And as you haue seene
A ship-wright bore a nauall beame; he oft
Thrusts at the Augurs Froofe; works still aloft;
And at the shanke, helpe others; with a cord
Wound round about, to make it sooner bor'd;
All plying the round still: So into his eye,
The firie stake, we labourd to imply.
Out gusht the blood that scalded; his eye-ball
Thrust out a flaming vapour, that scorcht all
His browes and eye-lids; his eye-strings did cracke,
As in, the sharpe and burning rafter brake.

Simile.

And as a Smith to harden any toole,
(Broad Axe, or Mattocke) in his Trough doth coole
The red-hote substance, that so feruent is,
It makes the cold waue strait to seethe and hisse:
So sod, and hizd his eye about the stake.
He roar'd withall; and all his Cauerne brake
In claps like thunder. We, did frighted flie,
Disperst in corners. He from forth his eie,
The fixed stake pluckt: after which, the blood
Flowd freshly forth; and, mad, he hurl'd the wood
About his houill. Out he then did crie
For other Cyclops, that in Cauernes by,
Vpon a windie Promontorie dwelld;
Who hearing how impetuously he yelld,
Rusht euery way about him; and enquir'd,
What ill afflicted him, that he expir'd

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Such horrid clamors; and in sacred Night,
To breake their sleepes so? Askt him, if his fright
Came from some mortall, that his flocks had driuen?
Or if by craft, or might, his death were giuen?
He answerd from his den; By craft, nor might,
No man hath giuen me death. They then said right;
If no man hurt thee, and thy selfe alone;
That which is done to thee, by Ioue is done.
And what great Ioue inflicts, no man can flie;
Pray to thy Father yet, a Deitie;

Neptune.

And proue, from him, if thou canst helpe acquire.

Thus spake they, leauing him. When all on fire,
My heart with ioy was; that so well my wit,
And name deceiu'd him; whom now paine did split;
And groning vp and downe, he groping tride,
To find the stone, which found, he put aside;
But in the doore sate, feeling if he could
(As his sheepe issude) on some man lay hold;
Esteeming me a foole, that could deuise
No stratageme to scape his grosse surprise.
But I, contending what I could inuent,
My friends and me, from death so imminent,
To get deliuerd: all my wiles I woue,
(Life being the subiect) and did this approue;
Fat fleecie Rams, most faire, and great, lay there,

Wooll of a violet colour.

That did a burthen like a Violet beare.
These (while this learn'd in villanie did sleepe)
I yokt with Osiers cut there, sheepe to sheepe;
Three in a ranke; and still the mid sheepe bore
A man about his belly: the two more,
Marcht on his each side for defence. I then,
Chusing my selfe the fairest of the den,
His fleecie belly vnder-crept; embrac't
His backe, and in his rich wooll wrapt me fast
With both my hands, arm'd with as fast a mind.
And thus each man hung, till the Morning shin'd;
Which come, he knew the houre, and let abroad
His male-flocks first: the females, vnmilkt stood
Bleating and braying; their full bags so sore,
With being vnemptied; but their shepheard more,
With being vnsighted; which was cause, his mind
Went not a milking. He (to wreake enclin'd)
The backs felt as they past, of those male dams:
(Grosse foole) beleeuing, we would ride his Rams.
Nor euer knew, that any of them bore
Vpon his belly, any man before.
The last Ram came to passe him, with his wooll,
And me together, loded to the full:

140

For there did I hang: and that Ram he staid;
And me withall had in his hands; my head
Troubl'd the while, not causlesly, nor least.
This Ram he grop't, and talkt to: Lazie beast!
Why last art thou now? thou hast neuer vsde
To lag thus hindmost: but still first hast brusde
The tender blossome of a flowre; and held
State in thy steps, both to the flood and field:
First still at Fold, at Euen; now last remaine?
Doest thou not wish I had mine eye againe,
Which that abhord man No-Man did put out,
Assisted by his execrable rout,
When he had wrought me downe with wine? but he
Must not escape my wreake so cunningly.
I would to heauen thou knewst, and could but speake,
To tell me where he lurks now; I would breake
His braine about my Caue, strewd here and there,
To ease my heart of those foule ils, that were
Th' inflictions of a man, I prisde at nought.

Thus let he him abroad; when I (once brought
A litle from his hold) my selfe first losde,
And next, my friends. Then draue we, and disposde,
His strait-leggd fat fleece-bearers ouer land,
Euen till they all were in my ships command;
And to our lou'd friends, shewd our praid-for sight,
Escap't from death. But for our losse, outright
They brake in teares; which with a looke I staid,
And bad them take our Boote in. They obaid;
And vp we all went; sate, and vsde our Ores,
But hauing left as farre the sauage shores,
As one might heare a voice; we then might see
The Cyclop at the hauen; when instantly
I staid our Ores, and this insultance vsde:

Vlysses insults ouer the Cyclop.

Cyclop! thou shouldst not haue so much abusde
Thy monstrous forces, to oppose their least,
Against a man immartiall, and a guest;
And eate his fellowes: thou mightst know there were
Some ils behind (rude swaine) for thee to beare;
That feard not to deuoure thy goests, and breake
All lawes of humanes: Ioue sends therefore wreake,
And all the Gods, by me. This blew the more
His burning furie; when the top he tore
From off a huge Rocke; and so right a throw
Made at our ship, that iust before the Prow,
It ouerflew and fell: mist Mast and all
Exceeding litle; but about the fall,
So fierce a waue it raisd, that backe it bore
Our ship so farre, it almost toucht the shore.

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A bead-hooke then (a far-extended one)
I snatcht vp, thrust hard, and so set vs gone
Some litle way; and strait commanded all
To helpe me with their Ores; on paine to fall
Againe on our confusion. But a signe,
I with my head made; and their Ores were mine,
In all performance. When we off were set,
(Then first, twice further) my heart was so great,
It would againe prouoke him: but my men
On all sides rusht about me, to containe;
And said: Vnhappie! why will you prouoke
A man so rude; that with so dead a stroke,
Giuen with his Rock-dart, made the sea thrust backe
Our ship so farre; and neare hand forc't our wracke?
Should he againe, but heare your voice resound,
And any word reach; thereby would be found
His Darts direction; which would, in his fall,
Crush peece-meale vs, quite split our ship and all;
So much dart weilds the monster. Thus vrg'd they
Impossible things, in feare; but I gaue way
To that wrath, which so long I held deprest,
(By great Necessitio conquerd) in my brest.

Cyclop! if any aske thee, who imposde

Vlysses continued insolence, no more to repeate what he said to the Cyclop, then to let his hearers know Epithetes, and estimation in the world.

Th' vnsightly blemish that thine eye enclosde;
Say that Vlysses (old Laertes sonne,
Whose seate is Ithaca; and who hath wonne
Surname of Citie-racer) bor'd it out.

At this, he braid so loud, that round about
He draue affrighted Ecchoes through the Aire;
And said: O beast! I was premonisht faire,
By aged Prophecie, in one that was
A great, and good man; this should come to passe;
And how tis prou'd now? Augur Telemus,
Surnam'd Eurymedes (that spent with vs
His age in Augurie; and did exceed
In all presage of Truth) said all this deed,
Should this euent take; author'd by the hand
Of one Vlysses; who I thought was mand
With great and goodly personage; and bore
A vertue answerable: and this shore
Should shake with weight of such a conqueror,
When now a weakling came, a dwarfie thing,
A thing of nothing; who yet wit did bring,
That brought supply to all; and with his wine,
Put out the flame, where all my light did shine.
Come, land againe, Vlysses! that my hand,
May Guest-rites giue thee; and the great command,
That Neptune hath at sea, I may conuert

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To the deduction, where abides thy heart,
With my sollicitings; whose Sonne I am;
And whose fame boasts to beare my Fathers name.
Nor thinke my hurt offends me; for my Sire
Can soone repose in it the visuall fire,
At his free pleasure; which no powre beside
Can boast: of men, or of the Deifide.

I answerd: Would to God I could compell
Both life and soule from thee; and send to hell
Those spoiles of nature. Hardly Neptune then
Could cure thy hurt, and giue thee all again.

Polyphems imprecation against Vlysses.

Then flew fierce vowes to Neptune; both his hands
To starre-borne heauen cast: O thou that all lands
Girdst in thy ambient Circle; and in aire
Shak'st the curld Tresses of thy Saphire haire;
If I be thine, or thou maist iustly vant,
Thou art my Father: heare me now, and grant
That this Vlysses (old Laertes sonne,
That dwels in Ithaca; and name hath wonne
Of Citie-ruiner) may neuer reach
His naturall region. Or if to fetch,
That, and the sight of his faire roofes and friends,
Be fatall to him; let him that Amends
For all his miseries, long time and ill,
Smart for, and faile of: nor that Fate fulfill,
Till all his souldiers quite are cast away
In others ships. And when, at last, the day
Of his sole-landing, shall his dwelling show,
Let Detriment prepare him wrongs enow.

Thus praid he Neptune; who, his Sire appeard;
And all his praire, to euery syllable heard.
But then a Rocke, in size more amplified
Then first, he rauisht to him; and implied
A dismall strength in it; when (wheeld about)
He sent it after vs; nor flew it out
From any blind aime; for a litle passe
Beyond our Fore-decke, from the fall there was:
With which the sea, our ship gaue backe vpon,
And shrunke vp into billowes from the stone;
Our ship againe repelling, neare as neare
The shore as first. But then our Rowers were
(Being warnd, more armd) and stronglier stemd the flood
That bore backe on vs, till our ship made good
The other Iland, where our whole Fleet lay;
In which our friends lay mourning for our stay;
And euery minute lookt when we should land.
Where (now arriu'd) we drew vp to the sand;
The Cyclops sheepe diuiding, that none there

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(Of all our priuates) might be wrung, and beare
Too much on powre. The Ram yet was alone,
By all my friends, made all my portion,
Aboue all others; and I made him then,
A sacrifice for me, and all my men,
To cloud-compelling Ioue, that all commands.

No occasion let passe to Vlysses pietie, in our Poets singular wit and wisedome.

To whom I burnd the Thighs: but my sad hands,
Receiu'd no grace from him; who studied how
To offer, men and fleete to Ouerthrow.

All day, till Sun-set yet, we sate and eate;
And liberall store tooke in, of wine and meate.
The Sunne then downe, and place resign'd to shade,
We slept; Morne came, my men I raisd, and made
All go aboord; weigh Anker, and away.
They boorded, sate and beate the aged sea;
And forth we made saile; sad for losse before,
And yet had comfort, since we lost no more.

Finis libri noni Hom. Odyss.