Whose leafless summits to the skies aspire,

Scorch'd by the sun, or seared by heavenly fire

(Already dried). These pointing out to view,

The nymph just show'd him, and with tears withdrew.

Now toils the hero: trees on trees o'erthrown

Fall crackling round him, and the forests groan:

Sudden, full twenty on the plain are strow'd,

And lopp'd and lighten'd of their branchy load.

At equal angles these disposed to join,

He smooth'd and squared them by the rule and line,

(

The wimbles for the work Calypso found)

With those he pierced them and with clinchers bound.

Long and capacious as a shipwright forms

Some bark's broad bottom to out-ride the storms,

So large he built the raft; then ribb'd it strong

From space to space, and nail'd the planks along;

These form'd the sides: the deck he fashion'd last;

Then o'er the vessel raised the taper mast,

With crossing sail-yards dancing in the wind;

And to the helm the guiding rudder join'd

(With yielding osiers fenced, to break the force

Of surging waves, and steer the steady course).

Thy loom, Calypso, for the future sails

Supplied the cloth, capacious of the gales.

With stays and cordage last he rigged the ship,

133

The Odyssey of Homer