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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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But haste, unhappy wretches, haste to fly! Your cables cut, and on your oars rely! Such, and so vast as Polypheme appears, A hundred more this hated island bears: Like him, in caves they shut their woolly sheep; Like him, their herds on tops of mountains keep; Like him, with mighty strides, they stalk from steep to steep And now three moons their sharpen'd horns renew, Since thus, in woods and wilds, obscure from view, I drag my loathsome days with mortal fright, And in deserted caverns lodge by night; Oft from the rocks a dreadful prospect see Of the huge Cyclops, like a walking tree: From far I hear his thund'ring voice resound, And trampling feet that shake the solid ground. Cornels and salvage berries of the wood, And roots and herbs, have been my meager food. While all around my longing eyes I cast, I saw your happy ships appear at last. On those I fix'd my hopes, to these I run; 'T is all I ask, this cruel race to shun; What other death you please, yourselves bestow.' "Scarce had he said, when on the mountain's brow We saw the giant shepherd stalk before His following flock, and leading to the shore: A monstrous bulk, deform'd, depriv'd of sight; His staff a trunk of pine, to guide his steps aright. His pond'rous whistle from his neck descends; His woolly care their pensive lord attends: This only solace his hard fortune sends. Soon as he reach'd the shore and touch'd the waves, From his bor'd eye the gutt'ring blood he laves: He gnash'd his teeth, and groan'd; thro' seas he strides, And scarce the topmost billows touch'd his sides. "Seiz'd with a sudden fear, we run to sea, The cables cut, and silent haste away; The well-deserving stranger entertain; Then, buckling to the work, our oars divide the main. The giant harken'd to the dashing sound: But, when our vessels out of reach he found, He strided onward, and in vain essay'd Th' Ionian deep, and durst no farther wade. With that he roar'd aloud: the dreadful cry |
