So sang the bard illustrious, at whose song

Ulysses melted, and tear after tear

Fell on his cheeks. As when a woman weeps,

Her husband, who hath fallen in defence

Of his own city and his babes before

The gates; she, sinking, folds him in her arms

And, gazing on him as he pants and dies,

Shrieks at the sight; meantime, the enemy

Smiting her shoulders with the spear to toil

Command her and to bondage far away,

And her cheek fades with horror at the sound;

Ulysses, so, from his moist lids let fall,

The frequent tear. Unnoticed by the rest

Those drops, but not by King Alcinoüs, fell

Who, seated at his side, his heavy sighs

Remark’d

So sang the famous bard. And Odysseus’ heart melted, and tears poured from his eyes. He wept pitifully, as a woman weeps who throws herself on her husband’s dying body, fallen in front of his city and people, trying to ward off that evil moment from the city and his own children: watching him gasping for breath in dying, she clings to him and screams aloud, while behind her the enemy beat her back and shoulders with their spears: then she is led into captivity to endure a life of toil and suffering, her cheeks wasted pitifully with grief. He hid the falling tears from all except Alcinous, who, aware because he sat by him, noticed all, and heard him sighing deeply.