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

These were the things the great bard sang of. Odysseus meanwhile was greatly moved, and down from his eyes the tears came coursing over his cheeks. It was as when a woman weeps with her arms around her darling husband, one who has been defending his country and countrymen, striving to keep the day of mercilessness far from his city and his children, but now has fallen and is dying and gasping out his life. She gazes at him, she clings to him and she shrieks aloud, but the victors behind her, with their spears, beat her on back and shoulders and lead her away into captivity to suffer lamentable oppression; her cheeks are wasted with piteous sorrow. So from Odysseus’ eyes the tears fell piteously. This went unheeded by the rest; only Alcinous, sitting beside him, both saw the tears and heard the deep groans.