The Placer herald., 1863-12-05
For the Placer Herald
Inklings Of the Incubus.

~ wv vi tuG llilS5
And saw them heave the anchor,
Saw them bounding on the shore,
Saw them rolling on the meadows.
Freed from labor ut the oar;
Saw them there like joyous children,
Milking ewes beneath the shade,
Quaffing drau9hts more sweet than nectar,
From the bowls that nature made;
Cndisturbed left them roaming;
Sleep at length came down OIL me:
Twas the influence OF the season,
Not the weight of Odessy.
But my spirit travelled onward,
With that old adventurous crew.
Ancient story hath its symbols,
That may we'll concern the new:
In my dream saw them lying,
Ten or twelve the last remains;
Ot the llhican persuasion,
Bound in most unpleasant chains:
Only one was free from letters,
He the fattest OF the whole.
For the hideous oneeyed giant,
Turned the spit and filled the bowl;
And | shnddered as l saw it,
For knew within my dream,
Twas Ulyssus the fund d-h0dcr,
Serving giant Polyphemc.
With Il chuckc said the monster,
~ yOu Ic WlSc YOU IL uOt pFOVOkc ue
Serve me up another dainty,
For the last did nearly choke me.
You're my cook. you re used to peeling;
Well then peel another fellow!
Don't suppose you discomposc me,
If you make the rascals below.
You began by cooking farmers,
From your S;hcan estate?
They were more digestive morsels
Than the food VOll'Vr served of late.
Mariners gladly swallow,
But they're somewhat tough and ropey;
And find that indigestion,
Must cngender misanlhropv
SO bid that from you comrades,
BE they under ones or upper,
You will straight select the proper
Subjects for my evening supper"
So spoke giant Polyphemus;
And by way Of oath, a snore
Issued from his bloated nostrils,
Shaking the Siciian shore:
BY the cracking fire he laid him;
Stretched his monster limbs supnc,
Then bctook him to his slumber,
Gorgcd with flesh and drunk with wine.
But wailing filed the cavern.
From the wretchcd creatures bound;
Oh Ulyssus come and help us:
Save US from that hell born hound.
Are we not thine own companions?
Have we not been true to thee?
Valiant offspring of Laerties.
Cut our bonds and set us free.
But Ulyssus slowly answered,
And his cheek was wan and white;
If you make so loud Il shrieking,
All OF us must die to ght:
Don't you see the giants sleeping?
Let him sleep little longer!
But in answer TO Ulysus,
Rose the cry Of Terror stronger:
Can it be our lord and chieftain,
Who such alject counsel speaks!
Is it thou indeed Ulysus?
Thou the wiscst Of the Greeks!
Oh! by all the tots we suffered;
Far with thee at windy Troy:
BY the honor OF thy princess;
BY the life blood OF thy boy:
Oh Ulysus come and save us.
Save US ere we perish wholly;
But the chief again responded
III u tone Of melancholy:
IF it 4eemeth to Athena,
And to Fuse correct and proper,
That the whole of US should perish,
On the spit or in the copper,
What availcth lamentations?
Cries are Of but little use
Therefore bow ye TO the sentence,
or Athena and of Zuse.
Ha! thou and tickle traitor,
Hast thou turned against thy kind?
Plunge that lre-braud in his eye ball:
Strength remains not with the blind!
That is not q bad idea,
Said Ulysus with a smile;
And perhaps | may adopt it,
But III wait little while:
For our friend the Cyclops yonder,
just before he broke his fast,
Pledged his tacred word of honor,
That he'd spare me till the last:
nSpeak thy namer' be freely beloved,
AS the mautling cup gave;
And said Jones Loides,
Is the title of thy slave:'
Gru11y then he said clones,
Be thou jocund in thy cheeri
Not until the rest are eaten,
Shall thy carcass disappear"
There arc ten Of you remaining;
He must work little harder:
If before week ut soonest,
He can finish all the larder;
When the week is past and over,
l may entertain the question,
Whether it will not be prudent,
Then to act on your suggestion;
Meanwhile make yourselves quite easy
Zounds think he's getting up?
One Of you my friends are wanted,
For at nine he's fixed to sup.
Then scream of mortal anguish,
Pierced me thought into my brain,
And the vision faded from me,
AS the mist fades DER the main:
Nothing more OF Polyphemus,
Or his victims did see;
But the clouds above were flying,
And the waves were rolling free:
Ere the tide had fairly reused me,
All the sea pinks were submerged;
And storm had swept the ocean,
With an undulating scourge.
All has vanished now excepting,
That by some erratic freak;
Still my fancy keeps the image,
OF that sly and selfish Greek
Then the roaring din aud clatter,
OF the elements at war;
We're less startling 10 this mortal,
Than to Plato in bis car:
Now the Sirens sing to HonsIins,
Soothing praises Of their orimeE