This is the shore of Lemnos' lonely isle, By man untrodden, where, O worthy son Of great Achilles, by our Hellas deemed Her mightiest chief, Neoptolemus, erewhile The Melian son of Poeas I cast forth, The Princes having so commanded me, Since in his foot he had a wasting sore, And would not let us sacrifice or pour Libations undisturbed, but filled the camp With lamentations wild and blasphemous, Yelling in agony. Yet why dilate, On what has happened? We will stint our words; He may espy my presence, and my plan Of capturing him be ruined utterly. Now must thy part be done; look round and see Where is a rocky cave with double mouth, So formed that in the winter twice the sun Falls on the sitter, and in summer time The breeze wafts slumber through two apertures. A little way below, on the left hand, Thou'lt find a spring, if it is running still. Approach, and signal to me silently Whether he is near by or is gone forth, That I may then impart the rest to thee, And we may jointly execute my plan. NEOPTOLEMUS. My work, Ulysses, has been quickly done. Methinks I see the cave of which you speak. ULYSSES. Is it above us, tell me, or below? NEOPTOLEMUS. Above us here, and sound of step is none. ULYSSES. See that he is not sleeping in his lair. NEOPTOLEMUS. I look, and none in the retreat appears. ULYSSES. And is there naught to show that man dwells there? NEOPTOLEMUS. A bed of leaves, as though one couched thereon. ULYSSES. Is all else bare? Is there no garniture? NEOPTOLEMUS. There is a wooden cup, the handiwork Of some rough workman, and these kindling-sticks. ULYSSES. Thy inventory shows that he is here. NEOPTOLEMUS. Faugh! here are rags left in the sun to dry, Full of the running of some putrid sore. ULYSSES. 'Tis plain enough that here his dwelling is. Himself, too, must be near; for how could one, Lame with an ancient ulcer, travel far? He has gone forth either for provender, Or to bring home some herb which soothes his pain. Send thy attendant to explore the coast, Lest unawares I should fall in with him: All Hellas were not such a prize as I. NEOPTOLEMUS. The attendant is despatched; watch will be kept. Go on and tell me what thou dost desire. ULYSSES. Son of Achilles, what thou cam'st to do. Thou must do bravely, not with hand alone, But with thy heart, and if I ask aught new Blench not; it is to aid me thou art here. NEOPTOLEMUS. What wouldst thou have me do? ULYSSES.