From council straight the assenting peerage ceased, And in the dome prepared the genial feast. Disrobed, their vests apart in order lay, Then all with speed succinct the victims slay: With sheep and shaggy goats the porkers bled, And the proud steer was on the marble spread. With fire prepared, they deal the morsels round, Wine, rosy-bright, the brimming goblets crown’d, By sage Eumaeus borne; the purple tide Melanthius from an ample jar supplied: High canisters of bread Philaetius placed; And eager all devour the rich repast. Disposed apart, Ulysses shares the treat; A trivet table, and ignobler seat, The prince appoints; but to his sire assigns The tasteful inwards, and nectareous wines. “Partake, my guest (he cried), without control The social feast, and drain the cheering bowl: Dread not the railer’s laugh, nor ruffian’s rage; No vulgar roof protects thy honour’d age; This dome a refuge to thy wrongs shall be, From my great sire too soon devolved to me! Your violence and scorn, ye suitors, cease, Lest arms avenge the violated peace.” Awed by the prince, so haughty, brave, and young, Rage gnaw’d the lip, amazement chain’d the tongue. “Be patient, peers! (at length Antinous cries,) The threats of vain imperious youth despise: Would Jove permit the meditated blow, That stream of eloquence should cease to flow.” Without reply vouchsafed, Antinous ceased: Meanwhile the pomp of festival increased: By heralds rank’d; in marshall’d order move The city tribes, to pleased Apollo’s grove: Beneath the verdure of which awful shade, The lunar hecatomb they grateful laid; Partook the sacred feast, and ritual honours paid. But the rich banquet, in the dome prepared (An humble sideboard set) Ulysses shared. Observant of the prince’s high behest, His menial train attend the stranger-guest; Whom Pallas with unpardoning fury fired, By lordly pride and keen reproach inspired. A Samian peer, more studious than the rest Of vice, who teem’d with many a dead-born jest; And urged, for title to a consort queen, Unnumber’d acres arable and green (Ctesippus named); this lord Ulysses eyed, And thus burst out the imposthumate with pride: “The sentence I propose, ye peers, attend: Since due regard must wait the prince’s friend, Let each a token of esteem bestow: This gift acquits the dear respect I owe; With which he nobly may discharge his seat, And pay the menials for a master’s treat.”