Thus he, though conscious of the ethereal guest, Answer’d evasive of the sly request. Meantime the lyre rejoins the sprightly lay; Love-dittied airs, and dance, conclude the day But when the star of eve with golden light Adorn’d the matron brow of sable night, The mirthful train dispersing quit the court, And to their several domes to rest resort. A towering structure to the palace join’d; To this his steps the thoughtful prince inclined: In his pavilion there, to sleep repairs; The lighted torch, the sage Euryclea bears (Daughter of Ops, the just Pisenor’s son, For twenty beeves by great Laertes won; In rosy prime with charms attractive graced, Honour’d by him, a gentle lord and chaste, With dear esteem: too wise, with jealous strife To taint the joys of sweet connubial life. Sole with Telemachus her service ends, A child she nursed him, and a man attends). Whilst to his couch himself the prince address’d, The duteous dame received the purple vest; The purple vest with decent care disposed, The silver ring she pull’d, the door reclosed, The bolt, obedient to the silken cord, To the strong staple’s inmost depth restored, Secured the valves. There, wrapped in silent shade, Pensive, the rules the goddess gave he weigh’d; Stretch’d on the downy fleece, no rest he knows, And in his raptured soul the vision glows. BOOK II. ARGUMENT. THE COUNCIL OF ITHACA. Telemachus in the assembly of the lords of Ithaca complains of the injustice done him by the suitors, and insists upon their departure from his palace; appealing to the princes, and exciting the people to declare against them. The suitors endeavour to justify their stay, at least till he shall send the queen to the court of Icarius her father; which he refuses. There appears a prodigy of two eagles in the sky, which an augur expounds to the ruin of the suitors. Telemachus then demands a vessel to carry him to Pylos and Sparta, there to inquire of his father’s fortunes. Pallas, in the shape of Mentor (an ancient friend of Ulysses), helps him to a ship, assists him in preparing necessaries for the voyage, and embarks with him that night; which concludes the second day from the opening of the poem. The scene continues in the palace of Ulysses, in Ithaca. Now reddening from the dawn, the morning ray Glow’d in the front of heaven, and gave the day The youthful hero, with returning light, Rose anxious from the inquietudes of night. A royal robe he wore with graceful pride, A two-edged falchion threaten’d by his side, Embroider’d sandals glitter’d as he trod, And forth he moved, majestic as a god. Then by his heralds, restless of delay, To council calls the peers: the peers obey. Soon as in solemn form the assembly sate, From his high dome himself descends in state. Bright in his hand a ponderous javelin shined; Two dogs, a faithful guard, attend behind; Pallas with grace divine his form improves, And gazing crowds admire him as he moves,