He took his speech down: “Reach me that now, youth, You shall, and straight I think, have one such more, And one beyond it too. And now, whose core Stands sound and great within him, since ye have Thus put my spleen up, come again and brave The guest ye tempted, with such gross disgrace, At wrastling, buffets, whirlbat, speed o’ race; At all, or either, I except at none, But urge the whole state of you; only one, I will not challenge in my forced boast, And that’s Laodamas, for he’s mine host.[5] And who will fight, or wrangle, with his friend? Unwise he is, and base, that will contend With him that feeds him in a foreign place; And takes all edge off from his own sought grace. None else except I here, nor none despise, But wish to know, and prove his faculties, That dares appear now. No strife ye can name Am I unskill’d in; reckon any game Of all that are, as many as there are In use with men. For archery I dare Affirm myself not mean. Of all a troop I’ll make the first foe with mine arrow stoop, Though with me ne’er so many fellows bend Their bows at mark’d men, and affect their end. Only was Philoctetes with his bow Still my superior, when we Greeks would show Our archery against our foes of Troy. But all, that now by bread frail life enjoy, I far hold my inferiors. Men of old, None now alive shall witness me so bold, To vaunt equality with, such men as these, Œchalián Eurytus, Hercules, Who with their bows durst with the Gods contend; And therefore caught Eurytus soon his end, Nor died at home, in age, a rev’rend man. But by the great incenséd Delphian Was shot to death, for daring competence With him in all an archer’s excellence. A spear I’ll hurl as far as any man Shall shoot a shaft. How at a race I can Bestir my feet, I only yield to fear, And doubt to meet with my superior here. So many seas so too much have misus’d My limbs for race, and therefore have diffus’d A dissolution through my lovéd knees.” This said, he still’d all talking properties. Alcinous only answer’d: “O my guest, In good part take we what you have been prest With speech to answer. You would make appear Your virtues therefore, that will still shine where Your only look is. Yet must this man give Your worth ill language; when, he does not live In sort of mortals (whencesoe’er he springs, That judgment hath to speak becoming things) That will deprave your virtues. Note then now My speech, and what my love presents to you, That you may tell heroës, when you come To banquet with your wife and birth at home, (Mindful of our worth) what deservings Jove Hath put on our parts likewise, in remove From sire to son, as an inherent grace Kind, and perpetual. We must needs give place To other countrymen, and freely yield We are not blameless in our fights of field, Buffets, nor wrastlings; but in speed of feet, And all the equipage that fits a fleet, We boast us best; for table ever spread With neighbour feasts, for garments varied, For poesy, music, dancing, baths, and beds.