Their noble spirits agreed; nor yet so clear Could I bring all off, but Elpenor there His heedless life left. He was youngest man Of all my company, and one that wan Least fame for arms, as little for his brain; Who (too much steep’d in wine, and so made fain To get refreshing by the cool of sleep, Apart his fellows, plung’d in vapours deep, And they as high in tumult of their way) Suddenly wak’d and (quite out of the stay A sober mind had giv’n him) would descend A huge long ladder, forward, and an end Fell from the very roof, full pitching on The dearest joint his head was plac’d upon, Which, quite dissolv’d, let loose his soul to hell. I to the rest, and Circe’s means did tell Of our return, as crossing clean the hope I gave them first, and said: ‘You think the scope Of our endeavours now is straight for home; No; Circe otherwise design’d, whose doom Enjoin’d us first to greet the dreadful house Of austere Pluto and his glorious spouse, To take the counsel of Tiresias, The rev’rend Theban, to direct our pass.’ This brake their hearts, and grief made tear their hair. But grief was never good at great affair; It would have way yet. We went woful on To ship and shore, where was arriv’d as soon Circe unseen, a black ewe and a ram Binding for sacrifice, and, as she came, Vanish’d again unwitness’d by our eyes; Which griev’d not us, nor check’d our sacrifice, For who would see God, loth to let us see, This way or that bent; still his ways are free. FINIS DECIMI LIBRI HOM. ODYSS. [1] _Πόδα νηὸς_—He calls the stern the foot of the ship. [2] This place suffers different construction in all the Commentors: in which all err from the mind of the Poet, as in a hundred other places (which yet I want time to approve) especially about _ἐγγὺς γὰρ νυκτός,_ etc. _Prope enim noetis et diei sunt viœ_ (or _similiter,_ which _ἐγγὺς_ signifies) which they will have to be understood, that the days in that region are long, and the nights short; where Homer intends, that the equinoctial is there; for how else is the course of day and night near or equal? But therefore the night’s-man hath his double hire, being as long about his charge as the other; and the night being more dangerous, etc. And if the day were so long, why should the night’s-man be preferred in wages? [3] For being cast on the stays, as ships are by weather. [4] Antiphas was king there. [5] _Μερμαίρω, curiosè cogito._ [6] _Αἴθοπα καπνόν. Αι͒θοψ_ signifying _rutilus,_ by reason or the fire mixed with it. _Fumus qui fit dut aliquid accenditur._ [7] _᾿Ερικύδεα δαι̑τα._