Page:Essays and Studies - Swinburne (1875).pdf/227

 After this discussion of Helen by the satyrs, Silenus returns with his plunder; his speech begins (v. 188) "See, here are sheep," &c. Shelley, following the older editions, puts into his mouth all this last answer of the Chorus to Ulysses, with its exquisite satyric moralising on feminine levity. At the entrance of the Cyclops there is some misconstruction:—

"What ho! assistance, comrades, haste, assistance!

What is this tumult?"

The line given to Silenus belongs to the Cyclops as he bursts in upon the stage, and might rather be rendered:—

"Hold hard, let's see here, lend a hand; what's this? What sloth? what rioting?"

At verse 220 there is another break; Silenus has said, "Anything you like, only don't drink me up;" and the Cyclops, as delicate a monster as Caliban, replies:—

"By no means, for you'd be the death of me Then, tumbling in my belly, with your tricks."

At verse 345, read, to fill up the gap at the end of the Cyclops' speech:—

"So creep in quick, to stand about the shrine O' the god o' the cave and feast me fairly full."

The god of the cave is explained to be, as above,

"Myself And this great belly, first of deities."

Half a line is missed at v. 381:—