|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
 |
||||
|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
|
|
||||
|
At length rebuff'd, they leave their mangled prey, And their stretch'd pinions to the skies display. Yet one remain'd-the messenger of Fate: High on a craggy cliff Celaeno sate, And thus her dismal errand did relate: 'What! not contented with our oxen slain, Dare you with Heav'n an impious war maintain, And drive the Harpies from their native reign? Heed therefore what I say; and keep in mind What Jove decrees, what Phoebus has design'd, And I, the Furies' queen, from both relate- You seek th' Italian shores, foredoom'd by fate: Th' Italian shores are granted you to find, And a safe passage to the port assign'd. But know, that ere your promis'd walls you build, My curses shall severely be fulfill'd. Fierce famine is your lot for this misdeed, Reduc'd to grind the plates on which you feed.' She said, and to the neighb'ring forest flew. Our courage fails us, and our fears renew. Hopeless to win by war, to pray'rs we fall, And on th' offended Harpies humbly call, And whether gods or birds obscene they were, Our vows for pardon and for peace prefer. But old Anchises, off'ring sacrifice, And lifting up to heav'n his hands and eyes, Ador'd the greater gods: 'Avert,' said he, 'These omens; render vain this prophecy, And from th' impending curse a pious people free!' "Thus having said, he bids us put to sea; We loose from shore our haulsers, and obey, And soon with swelling sails pursue the wat'ry way. Amidst our course, Zacynthian woods appear; And next by rocky Neritos we steer: We fly from Ithaca's detested shore, And curse the land which dire Ulysses bore. At length Leucate's cloudy top appears, And the Sun's temple, which the sailor fears. Resolv'd to breathe a while from labor past, Our crooked anchors from the prow we cast, And joyful to the little city haste. Here, safe beyond our hopes, our vows we pay To Jove, the guide and patron of our way. The customs of our country we pursue, |
