He either had obey’d my fond desire,
Or seen his mother pierced with grief expire. 
Bid Dolius quick attend, the faithful slave
Whom to my nuptial train Icarius gave
To tend the fruit groves:  with incessant speed
He shall this violence of death decreed
To good Laertes tell.  Experienced age
May timely intercept the ruffian rage. 
Convene the tribes the murderous plot reveal,
And to their power to save his race appeal.”

Then Euryclea thus:  “My dearest dread;
Though to the sword I bow this hoary head,
Or if a dungeon be the pain decreed,
I own me conscious of the unpleasing deed;
Auxiliar to his flight, my aid implored,
With wine and viands I the vessel stored;
A solemn oath, imposed, the secret seal’d,
Till the twelfth dawn the light of day reveal’d. 
Dreading the effect of a fond mother’s fear,
He dared not violate your royal ear. 
But bathe, and, in imperial robes array’d,
Pay due devotions to the martial maid,
And rest affianced in her guardian aid. 
Send not to good Laertes, nor engage
In toils of state the miseries of age: 
Tis impious to surmise the powers divine
To ruin doom the Jove-descended line;
Long shall the race of just Arcesius reign,
And isles remote enlarge his old domain.”

The queen her speech with calm attention hears,
Her eyes restrain the silver-streaming tears: 
She bathes, and robed, the sacred dome ascends;
Her pious speed a female train attends: 
The salted cakes in canisters are laid,
And thus the queen invokes Minerva’s aid;

“Daughter divine of Jove, whose arm can wield
The avenging bolt, and shake the dreadful shield
If e’er Ulysses to thy fane preferr’d
The best and choicest of his flock and herd;
Hear, goddess, hear, by those oblations won;
And for the pious sire preserve the son;
His wish’d return with happy power befriend,
And on the suitors let thy wrath descend.”

She ceased; shrill ecstasies of joy declare
The favouring goddess present to the prayer;
The suitors heard, and deem’d the mirthful voice
A signal of her hymeneal choice;
Whilst one most jovial thus accosts the board: 

“Too late the queen selects a second lord;
In evil hour the nuptial rite intends,
When o’er her son disastrous death impends.” 
Thus he, unskill’d of what the fates provide! 
But with severe rebuke Antinous cried: 

“These empty vaunts will make the voyage vain: 
Alarm not with discourse the menial train: 
The great event with silent hope attend,
Our deeds alone our counsel must commend.” 
His speech thus ended short, he frowning rose,
And twenty chiefs renowned for valour chose;
Down to the strand he speeds with haughty strides,
Where anchor’d in the bay the vessel rides,
Replete with mail and military store,
In all her tackle trim to quit the shore. 
The desperate crew ascend, unfurl the sails
(The seaward prow invites the tardy gales);
Then take repast till Hesperus display’d
His golden circlet, in the western shade.