Victor abes; nec fcire mihi, quæ caufa morandi,
Aut in quo lateas ferreusf orbe, licet.

Quifquis ad hæc vertit perigrinam littora puppim,

Ille mihi de te multa rogatus abit.

Quamque tibi reddat, fi te modo viderit ufquam,
Traditur huic digitis charta notata meis.

Nos Pylon' antiqui Neleïa Neftoris arva,
Miffimus: incerta eft fama remiffa Pylo.
Miffimus & Sparten: Sparte quoque nescia veri,
Quas habitas terras, aut ubi lentus abes.

This word in the original implies a strong suspicion in Penelope of the fincerity of Ulyffes, and that fome fecret amour or intrigue is the real caufe of his abfence.

f In what part of the world;-the whole, for a particular region of the globe.

This is finely expreffive of that anxiety and impatience natural to a fincere affection for the object of it.

The coafts of Ithaca.

i Sailors, in making to the fhore, turn of course the head of the veffel towards it.

k This is finely descriptive of that eagerness which is peculiar to fincere and intense affection.

1 There were three places of the name of Pylos or Pylus in the western parts of the Peleponnefus of Greece, but it is not clear which of them was the poffeffion of Neftor; some contend for one, and some for another; but the majority are for that which lies between the other two.

Utilius

Crown'd with fuccefs, You quit the Trojan coaft;
Uncertain I what keeps you from my arms;
Or where, in what sequester'd region loft,
You breathe regardless of your confort's charms.

No stranger comes, but with empaffion'd zeal
I afk what tidings of my Lord he knows;
Then give to paper all suspense can feel,
The lines infcribing "To my wand'ring spouse."

Thro' Neftor's realms my fond enquiries spread,
But no precife intelligence could gain;

From Sparta's Court I hop'd a safer thread;

But thence my hopes how impotent and vain!

"Neftor, it seems, knew as little of Ulyffes as the enquirer himself; "Neleïa arva" are put in appofition with "Pylon,"

n

Sparta or Lacedæmon, the dominion of Menelaus:-See page 67, note 2. Menelaus is alfo as great a stranger to the fate and refidence of Ulyffes, as Neftor.

• Heinfius, the editor of Ovid, contends, that "abes" is not Latin, and offers "agis" as a more claffical reading, and found in a copy belonging to Scriverius: Great men will have their whims fometimes, though at the expence of reason and judgment. "Lentus" feems to convey a tacit charge or imputation of voluntary abfence, and that he might have returned to his crown and friends in Ithaca, before this time, if he had been warmly bent upon it. At least it implies fupineness and indifference; which the infinuates to be owing to engagements with other ladies; to whom, (in the true spirit of poetry) the afterwards fufpects he reprefents her as an ordinary homely dowdy, fit only to be the subject of their contempt, or mirth and raillery, for the diverfion and amufement of a long winter's evening, when other fooleries have become disgustful, or conversation is grown dull and languid. See line 77, &c.

Utiliùs ftarent etiam nunc monia Phœbi.
Irascor votis heu levis ipfa meis!

Scirem ubi pugnares; & tantùm bella timerem;
Et mea cum multis juncta' querela foret.

Quid timeam' ignoro: timeo tamen omnia demens;
Et patet in curas area lata meas.

Quæcunque æquor habet, quæcunque pericula tellus ;
Tam longæ caufas fufpicor effe moræ.

Hæc ego dum ftultè meditor (quæ veftra' libido est)
Effe peregrino captus amore potes.

Forfitan & narres, quam fit tibi ruftica conjux ;"
Quæ tantùm lanas non finat effe rudes."

P That is to fay-" Had Troy been ftanding, I then fhould have "known for a certainty your fituation and engagements, and not have been left, as now, to the dreadful uncertainty of suspence and conjec"ture for years together."

a Penelope, it feems, at the beginning of the Trojan war, had eagerly wifhed a speedy termination of it, as the means of the speedy return of her husband from that unfortunate expedition. Though "votum" and "preces" are frequently of the fame import, and what is called synonymous; yet in reality are they fometimes different; and the latter may fubfift independent of the former, fo vice versa. The votum was a fort of religious agreement made with fuperior Powers, on condition, as "grant me this, and I will do fo." Hence if the prayers of the votary were granted, he was deemed "voti reus" or damnatus," and under an obligation to perform his promife or vow; the neglect of which was generally punished in some visible and exemplary manner, by the Power who had been neglected and offended.

Fallar,

Far happier I, were haughty Ilium fpar'd;
(What levity, when granted vows displease!)
Your station known, war only had been fear'd,
And grief divided is fuftain'd with ease.

But deep fufpence now aggravates my woes,
And opens ftill a larger field of care;
Whatever dangers earth or ocean knows,
As motives of your stay I fondly fear.

To fome new Fair

But care how weak! (fo apt is man to ftray!) you haply pay your court; For her diverfion my defects difplay,

And make my virtues topics of your sport.

r Company even in grief and distrefs affords fome relief, and mitigates the poignancy of affliction in ordinary minds, though it has little or no effect upon the spirited and determined.

That is, "My fears have no precife objects on which to spend their "force, but extend to all, and distract me with variety; which in turn "I blame as causes of Ulyffes' unreasonable delay."

"Vestra" by its generality, extending to the whole male fex, is most judiciously adopted by the Poet for "tua," which, as being perfonal and applying to Ulyffes solely, could not but have been exceptionable and offenfive; adding the words "cum reputem" makes the sense and grammar complete.

u This perhaps is an oblique stroke at the gallantries of Ulysses with Circe and Calypfo, of which she had probably been informed through fome channel or other.

W

This fufpicion is extremely natural and pathetic, and a striking proof of the poet's intimacy with the human heart, and the manners of the world,

Fallar, & hoc crimen tenues vanefcat in auras:
Néve revertendi liber abeffe velis.

Me pater Icarius viduo difcedere lecto
Cogit, & immenfas increpat ufque moras.
Increpet ufque licet: tua fum; tua dicar oportet.
Penelope conjux femper Ulyffis ero.

Ille tamen pietate1 meâ precibúfque pudicis
Frangitur, & vires temperat ipfe fuas.

x Penelope here recovers from her fit of jealousy and suspicion, and bids adieu to fears which had no existence but in her own imagination. The expreffion is beautiful and poetical even to Virgilian perfection.

y Virtually a widow.

z Cogit, according to paternal authority; for parental will was confidered by the ancients as abfolute law, and all reluctance, in the point of marriage more particularly, was difallowed, and held incapable of defence.

a The word "Pietas" is of great extent, and includes every fpecies of affection that subsists in the human heart; reverence to God, obedience and love to parents, husbands, wives, brothers, fifters, friends and country; in the paffage before us, it fignifies conjugal affection, and is a warm and passionate appeal to the humanity of her father Icarius, who had been exceedingly preffing and importunate with her to dispose of herfelf in marriage; and as history informs, he seems to have had a predilection for Eurymachus, to whom he wifhed her to give her hand. But what peculiar merit Eurymachus had beyond the reft of the gallants, to entitle him to fuch preference in the choice of Icarius, hiftory has not thought fit to inform us, and conjecture is unable to do it.

Dulichii,