Alexander Pope - "Argus"

When wise Ulysses, from his native coast 
Long kept by wars, and long by tempests toss'd, 
Arrived at last, poor, old, disguised, alone, 
To all his friends, and ev'n his Queen unknown, 
Changed as he was, with age, and toils, and cares, 
Furrow'd his rev'rend face, and white his hairs, 
In his own palace forc'd to ask his bread, 
Scorn'd by those slaves his former bounty fed, 
Forgot of all his own domestic crew, 
The faithful Dog alone his rightful master knew! 

Unfed, unhous'd, neglected, on the clay 
Like an old servant now cashier'd, he lay; 
Touch'd with resentment of ungrateful man, 
And longing to behold his ancient lord again. 
Him when he saw he rose, and crawl'd to meet, 
('Twas all he could) and fawn'd and kiss'd his feet, 
Seiz'd with dumb joy; then falling by his side, 
Own'd his returning lord, look'd up, and died! 

Alexander Pope was an Augustan poet. Augustans were early-18th century poets marked by their political themes, satire, and revivals & translations of classical texts.

In "Argus," Pope draws on the story of Odysseus and his dog, Argus. When Odysseus returned home after many years at sea, he went unrecognized by everyone he once knew, even his own wife. Only his faithful old dog, Argos, recognized him. Argos mustered the last of his strength, walked over to his master (who could not acknowledge his old friend, as he was undercover) and died.

Pope takes a new, witty spin on the story by dedicating the second stanza to recounting Argos' viewpoint. Much of the irony and wit of this stanza comes from the dramatic & overwrought style in which the viewpoint of a dog is recounted - "longing to behold his ancient lord again" is absurdly grandiose language & in fact obscures the simplicity of Odysseus and Argos' relationship which is frequently viewed as central to the story's significance. Pope thus implicitly satirizes the tropes of his medium, applying its styles in a way which reveals what it lacks. There is also a possible political satire here - Argos sacrifices all of his strength & life for his "ancient lord", who barely acknowledges him. The directness with which Pope describes Argos' death - "look'd up, and died!" - satirizes the idea that such a death for a higher noble would be honorable and worthwhile. Indeed, this death is unglamorous and sudden. It seems Pope sees no honor in the sacrifice of self for an uncaring lord.

Stylistically the poem matches the patterns of Augustan poetry - it is written with heroic couplets in iambic pentameter.