The Poem of Ulysses, or The Odyssey

The nighte was darke! O readers, Hark! And see Ulysses’ fleet! From trumpets sound back homeward bound He hopes his spouse to greet. Long he hath fought, put Troy to naught And leveled down its walls. But Neptune’s wrath obstructs his path And into snares he falls. After a storme that did much harme He comes upon an isle Where men do roam, forgetting home, And lotos doth beguile. From these mean snares his men he tears And puts them on the ships. No leave he grants, and lotos plants Must no more touch their lips. And now he comes to Cyclops homes Foul giants all are they. Each hath 1 eye, and hard they ply Great Vulcan to obey. A cyclop’s cave the wandrers brave And find much milk & cheese But as they eat, foul death they meet For them doth Cyclops seize. Each livelong day the Cyclops prey Is two most noble Greeks Ulysses brave he plans to save And quick escape he seeks. By crafty ruse he can confuse The stupid giant’s mind Puts out his eye with dreadful cry And leaves the wrench behind. Now next he finds the king of winds Great Aeolus’s home The windy king to him doth bring Wind bags to help him roam. He now remains in fair domains In Circes palace grand. His men do change in fashion strange To beasts at her command. But Mercury did set him free From witcheries like this Unhappy he his men to see Engaged in swinish bliss. He drew his sword and spake harsh word To Circe standing there “My men set free”, in wrath quoth he “Thy damage quick repair”!!! Then all the herd at her brief word Become like men once more Her magic beat, she gives all treat Within her palace door. And now Ulysses starts in bliss The Syrens for to pass No sound his crew’s sharp ears imbues For they are stop-ped fast. Now Scylla’s necks menace his decks Charybdis threats his ships Six men are lost—O! dreadful cost But he through danger slips. At last from waves no ship he saves But on Calypsos isle He drifts ashore and more & more He tarries for a while. At Jove’s command he’s sent to land To seek his patient wife, But his raft breaks, and now he takes His life from Neptune’s strife. He quickly lands on Scheria’s strands And goes unto the king. He tells his tale, all hold wassail; An ancient bard doth sing. Now does he roam unto his home Where suitors woo his spouse In beggar’s rags himself he drags Unknown into his house His arrows flew at that vile crew Who sought to win his bride Now all are killed and he is filled With great & happy pride. His swineherd first, then his old nurse Do recognize him well Then does he see Penelope With whom in peace he’ll dwell. Until black death doth stop his breath And take him from the earth; He’ll ne’er roam far from Ithaca, The island of his birth—