Ulysses Last Voyage

I launched her with my small remaining bandand, putting out to sea, we set the mainon that lone ship and said farewell to land.

Far to starboard rose the coast of Spain,astern was Sardi,

Islas at our bow,and soon we saw Morocco port abeam.

Though I and comrades now were old and slow,we hauled till nightfall for the narrow soundwhere Hercules had shown what not to do, by setting marks for men to stay behind.

At dawn the starboard lookout made Seville,and at the straits stood Ceuta t'other hand. "Brothers," I shouted, "who have had the willto come through danger, and have reached the west!our time awake is brief from now until the senses die, and so I say we testthe sun's own motion and do not foregothe worlds beyond, unknown and peopleless.

Think of the roots from which you sprang, and showthat you are human: not unconscious brutesbut made to follow virtue and to know."