Iliad

And now they reach'd the goodly swelling channel of the flood,

Gulf-eating Xanthus, whom Jove mix'd with his immortal brood;

And there Achilles cleft the host of Ilion; one side fell

On Xanthus, th' other on the town; and that did he impell

The same way that the last day's rage put all the Greeks in rout,

When Hector's fury reign'd; these now Achilles pour'd about

The scatter'd field. To stay the flight, Saturnia cast before

Their hasty feet a standing fog; and then flight's violence bore

The other half full on the flood. The silver-gulféd deep

Receiv'd them with a mighty cry, the billows vast and steep

Roar'd at their armours, which the shores did round about resound;

This way and that they swum, and shriek'd as in the gulfs they drown'd

And as in fir'd fields locusts rise, as the unwearied blaze

Plies still their rising, till in swarms all rush as in amaze,

For scape into some neighbour flood; so th' Achilleian stroke

Here drave the foe, the gulfy flood with men and horse did choke.

Then on the shore the Worthy hid and left his horrid lance

Amids the tamarisks, and sprite-like did with his sword advance

Up to the river; ill affairs took up his furious brain

For Troy's engagements; ev'ry way he doubled slain on slain.

A most unmanly noise was made, with those he put to sword,

Of groans and outcries. The flood blush'd, to be so much engor'd

With such base souls. And as small fish the swift-finn'd dolphin fly,

Filling the deep pits in the ports, on whose close strength they lie,

And there he swallows them in shoals; so here, to rocks and holes

About the flood, the Trojans fled, and there most lost their souls,

Ev'n till he tir'd his slaught'rous arm. Twelve fair young princes then

He chose of all to take alive, to have them freshly slain

On that most solemn day of wreak, resolv'd on for his friend.

These led he trembling forth the flood, as fearful of their end

As any hind calves. All their hands he pinioned behind

With their own girdles worn upon their rich weeds, and resign'd

Their persons to his Myrmidons to bear to fleet; and he

Plung'd in the stream again to take more work of tragedy.

He met, then issuing the flood with all intent of flight,

Lycaon, Dardan Priam's son; whom lately in the night

He had surpris'd, as in a wood of Priam's he had cut

The green arms of a wild fig-tree, to make him spokes to put

In naves of his new chariot. An ill then, all unthought,

Stole on him in Achilles' shape, who took him thence, and brought

To well-built Lemnos, selling him to famous Jason's son.

From whom a guest then in his house (Imbrius Eetion)

Redeem'd at high rate, and sent home t' Arisba, whence he fled,

And saw again his father's court; elev'n days banqueted

Amongst his friends; the twelfth God thrust his hapless head again

In t' hands of stern Æacides, who now must send him slain

To Pluto's court, and 'gainst his will. Him, when Achilles knew,

Naked of helmet, shield, sword, lance (all which for ease he threw

To earth, being overcome with sweat, and labour wearying

His flying knees) he storm'd, and said: “O heav'n, a wondrous thing

Invades mine eyes! Those Ilians, that heretofore I slew,

Rise from the dark dead quick again. This man Fate makes eschew

Her own steel fingers. He was sold in Lemnos, and the deep

Of all seas 'twixt this Troy, and that (that many a man doth keep

From his lov'd country) bars not him. Come then, he now shall taste

The head of Pelias, and try if steel will down as fast

As other fortunes, or kind earth can any surer seize

On his sly person, whose strong arms have held down Hercules.”

His thoughts thus mov'd, while he stood firm, to see if he, he spied,

Would offer flight (which first he thought) but when he had descried

He was descried and flight was vain, fearful, he made more nigh,

With purpose to embrace his knees, and now long'd much to fly

His black fate and abhorréd death by coming in. His foe

Observ'd all this, and up he rais'd his lance as he would throw;

And then Lycaon close ran in, fell on his breast, and took

Achilles' knees; whose lance, on earth now staid, did overlook

His still turn'd back, with thirst to glut his sharp point with the blood

That lay so ready. But that thirst Lycaon's thirst withstood

To save his blood; Achilles' knee in his one hand he knit,

His other held the long lance hard, and would not part with it,

But thus besought: “I kiss thy knees, divine Æacides!

Respect me, and my fortunes rue. I now present th' access

Of a poor suppliant for thy ruth; and I am one that is

Worthy thy ruth, O Jove's belov'd. First hour my miseries

Fell into any hand, 'twas thine. I tasted all my bread

By thy gift since, O since that hour that thy surprisal led

From forth the fair wood my sad feet, far from my lov'd allies,

To famous Lemnos, where I found a hundred oxen's prize

To make my ransom; for which now I thrice the worth will raise.

This day makes twelve, since I arriv'd in Ilion, many days

Being spent before in sufferance; and now a cruel fate

Thrusts me again into thy hands. I should haunt Jove with hate,

That with such set malignity gives thee my life again.

There were but two of us for whom Laothoe suffer'd pain,

Laothoe, old Alte's seed; Alte, whose palace stood

In height of upper Pedasus, near Satnius' silver flood,

And rul'd the war-like Lelegi. Whose seed (as many more)

King Priam married, and begot the god-like Polydore,

And me accurs'd. Thou slaughter'dst him; and now thy hand on me

Will prove as mortal. I did think, when here I met with thee,

I could not 'scape thee; yet give ear, and add thy mind to it:

I told my birth to intimate, though one sire did beget

Yet one womb brought not into light Hector that slew thy friend,

And me. O do not kill me then, but let the wretched end

Of Polydore excuse my life. For half our being bred

Brothers to Hector, he (half) paid, no more is forfeited.”

Thus sued he humbly; but he heard, with this austere reply:

“Fool, urge not ruth nor price to me, till that solemnity,

Resolv'd on for Patroclus' death, pay all his rites to fate.

Till his death I did grace to Troy, and many lives did rate

At price of ransom; but none now, of all the brood of Troy,

(Whoever Jove throws to my hands) shall any breath enjoy

That death can beat out, specially that touch at Priam's race.

Die, die, my friend. What tears are these? What sad looks spoil thy face?

Patroclus died, that far pass'd thee. Nay, seest thou not beside,

Myself, ev'n I, a fair young man, and rarely magnified,

And, to my father being a king, a mother have that sits

In rank with Goddesses; and yet, when thou hast spent thy spirits,

Death and as violent a fate must overtake ev'n me,

By twilight, morn-light, day, high noon, whenever destiny

Sets on her man to hurl a lance, or knit out of his string

An arrow that must reach my life.” This said, a languishing

Lycaon's heart bent like his knees, yet left him strength t' advance

Both hands for mercy as he kneel'd. His foe yet leaves his lance,

And forth his sword flies, which he hid in furrow of a wound

Driv'n through the jointure of his neck; flat fell he on the ground,

Stretch'd with death's pangs, and all the earth imbru'd with timeless blood.

Then gript Æacides his heel, and to the lofty flood

Flung, swinging, his unpitied corse, to see it swim, and toss

Upon the rough waves, and said; “Go, feed fat the fish with loss

Of thy left blood, they clean will suck thy green wounds; and this saves

Thy mother tears upon thy bed. Deep Xanthus on his waves

Shall hoise thee bravely to a tomb, that in her burly breast

The sea shall open, where great fish may keep thy fun'ral feast

With thy white fat, and on the waves dance at thy wedding fate,

Clad in black horror, keeping close inaccessible state,

So perish Ilians, till we pluck the brows of Ilion

Down to her feet, you flying still, I flying still upon

Thus in the rear, and (as my brows were fork'd with rabid horns)

Toss ye together. This brave flood, that strengthens and adorns

Your city with his silver gulfs, to whom so many bulls

Your zeal hath offer'd, which blind zeal his sacred current gulls,

With casting chariots and horse quick to his pray'd-for aid,

Shall nothing profit. Perish then, till cruell'st death hath laid

All at the red feet of Revenge for my slain friend, and all

With whom the absence of my hands made yours a festival.”

This speech great Xanthus more enrag'd, and made his spirit contend

For means to shut up the op'd vein against him, and defend

The Trojans in it from his plague. In mean time Peleus' son,

And now with that long lance he hid, for more blood set upon

Asteropæus, the descent of Pelegon, and he

Of broad-stream'd Axius, and the dame, of first nativity

To all the daughters that renown'd Acesamenus' seed,

Bright Peribœa, whom the Flood, arm'd thick with lofty reed,

Compress'd. At her grandchild now went Thetis' great son, whose foe

Stood arm'd with two darts, being set on by Xanthus anger'd so

For those youths' blood shed in his stream by vengeful Thetis' son

Without all mercy. Both being near, great Thetides begun

With this high question; “Of what race art thou that dar'st oppose

Thy pow'r to mine thus? Curséd wombs they ever did disclose,

That stood my anger.” He replied: “What makes thy fury's heat

Talk, and seek pedigrees? Far hence lies my innative seat,

In rich Pæonia. My race from broad-stream'd Axius runs;

Axius, that gives earth purest drink, of all the wat'ry sons

Of great Oceanus, and got the famous for his spear,

Pelegonus, that father'd me; and these Pæonians here,

Arm'd with long lances, here I lead; and here th' elev'nth fair light

Shines on us since we enter'd Troy. Come now, brave man, let's fight.”

Thus spake he, threat'ning; and to him Pelides made reply

With shaken Pelias; but his foe with two at once let fly,

For both his hands were dexterous. One jav'lin strook the shield

Of Thetis' son, but strook not through; the gold, God's gift, repell'd

The eager point; the other lance fell lightly on the part

Of his fair right hand's cubit; forth the black blood spun; the dart

Glanc'd over, fast'ning on the earth, and there his spleen was spent

That wish'd the body. With which wish Achilles his lance sent,

That quite miss'd, and infix'd itself fast in steep-up shore;

Ev'n to the midst it enter'd it. Himself then fiercely bore

Upon his enemy with his sword. His foe was tugging hard

To get his lance out; thrice he pluck'd, and thrice sure Pelias barr'd

His wish'd evulsion; the fourth pluck, he bow'd and meant to break

The ashen plant, but, ere that act, Achilles' sword did check

His bent pow'r, and brake out his soul. Full in the navel-stead

He ripp'd his belly up, and out his entrails fell, and dead

His breathless body; whence his arms Achilles drew, and said:

“Lie there, and prove it dangerous to lift up adverse head

Against Jove's sons, although a Flood were ancestor to thee.

Thy vaunts urg'd him, but I may vaunt a higher pedigree

From Jove himself. King Peleüs was son to Æacus,

Infernal Æacus to Jove, and I to Peleüs.

Thunder-voic'd Jove far passeth floods, that only murmurs raise

With earth and water as they run with tribute to the seas;

And his seed theirs exceeds as far. A Flood, a mighty Flood,

Rag'd near thee now, but with no aid; Jove must not be withstood.

King Achelous yields to him, and great Oceanus,

Whence all floods, all the sea, all founts, wells, all deeps humorous,

Fetch their beginnings; yet ev'n he fears Jove's flash, and the crack

His thunder gives, when out of heav'n it tears atwo his rack.”

Thus pluck'd he from the shore his lance, and left the waves to wash

The wave-sprung entrails, about which fausens and other fish

Did shoal, to nibble at the fat which his sweet kidneys hid.

This for himself. Now to his men, the well-rode Pæons, did

His rage contend, all which cold fear shook into flight, to see

Their captain slain. At whose maz'd flight, as much enrag'd, flew he.

And then fell all these, Thrasius, Mydon, Astypylus,

Great Ophelestes, Ænius, Mnesus, Thersilochus.

And on these many more had fall'n, unless the angry Flood

Had took the figure of a man, and in a whirlpit stood,

Thus speaking to Æacides: “Past all, pow'r feeds thy will,

Thou great grandchild of Æacus, and, past all, th' art in ill,

And Gods themselves confederates, and Jove, the best of Gods,

All deaths gives thee, all places not. Make my shores periods

To all shore service. In the field let thy field-acts run high,

Not in my waters. My sweet streams choke with mortality

Of men slain by thee. Carcasses so glut me, that I fail

To pour into the sacred sea my waves; yet still assail

Thy cruel forces. Cease, amaze affects me with thy rage,

Prince of the people.” He replied: “Shall thy command assuage,

Gulf-fed Scamander, my free wrath? I'll never leave pursu'd

Proud Ilion's slaughters, till this hand in her fill'd walls conclude

Her flying forces, and hath tried in single fight the chance

Of war with Hector; whose event with stark death shall advance

One of our conquests.” Thus again he like a fury flew

Upon the Trojans; when the flood his sad plaint did pursue

To bright Apollo, telling him he was too negligent

Of Jove's high charge, importuning by all means vehement

His help of Troy till latest even should her black shadows pour

On Earth's broad breast. In all his worst, Achilles yet from shore

Leapt to his midst. Then swell'd his waves, then rag'd, then boil'd again

Against Achilles. Up flew all, and all the bodies slain

In all his deeps (of which the heaps made bridges to his waves)

He belch'd out, roaring like a bull. The unslain yet he saves

In his black whirlpits vast and deep. A horrid billow stood

About Achilles. On his shield the violence of the Flood

Beat so, it drave him back, and took his feet up, his fair palm

Enforc'd to catch into his stay a broad and lofty elm,

Whose roots he toss'd up with his hold, and tore up all the shore.

With this then he repell'd the waves, and those thick arms it bore

He made a bridge to bear him off; (for all fell in) when he

Forth from the channel threw himself. The rage did terrify

Ev'n his great spirit, and made him add wings to his swiftest feet,

And tread the land. And yet not there the Flood left his retreat,

But thrust his billows after him, and black'd them all at top,

To make him fear, and fly his charge, and set the broad field ope

For Troy to 'scape in. He sprung out a dart's cast, but came on

Again with a redoubled force. As when the swiftest flown,

And strong'st of all fowls, Jove's black hawk, the huntress, stoops upon

A much lov'd quarry; so charg'd he; his arms with horror rung

Against the black waves. Yet again he was so urg'd, he flung

His body from the Flood, and fled; and after him again

The waves flew roaring. As a man that finds a water-vein,

And from some black fount is to bring his streams through plants and groves,

Goes with his mattock, and all checks, set to his course, removes;

When that runs freely, under it the pebbles all give way,

And, where it finds a fall, runs swift; nor can the leader stay

His current then, before himself full-pac'd it murmurs on;

So of Achilles evermore the strong Flood vantage won;

Though most deliver, Gods are still above the pow'rs of men.

As oft as th' able god-like man endeavour'd to maintain

His charge on them that kept the flood, and charg'd as he would try

If all the Gods inhabiting the broad unreachéd sky

Could daunt his spirit; so oft still, the rude waves charg'd him round,

Rampt on his shoulders; from whose depth his strength and spirit would bound

Up to the free air, vex'd in soul. And now the vehement Flood

Made faint his knees; so overthwart his waves were, they withstood

All the denied dust, which he wish'd, and now was fain to cry,

Casting his eyes to that broad heav'n, that late he long'd to try,

And said: “O Jove, how am I left! No God vouchsafes to free

Me, miserable man. Help now, and after torture me

With any outrage. Would to heaven, Hector, the mightiest

Bred in this region, had imbru'd his jav'lin in my breast,

That strong may fall by strong! Where now weak water's luxury

Must make my death blush, one, heav'n-born, shall like a hog-herd die,

Drown'd in a dirty torrent's rage. Yet none of you in heav'n

I blame for this, but She alone by whom this life was giv'n

That now must die thus. She would still delude me with her tales,

Affirming Phœbus' shafts should end within the Trojan walls

My curs'd beginning.” In this strait, Neptune and Pallas flew,

To fetch him off. In men's shapes both close to his danger drew,

And, taking both both hands, thus spake the Shaker of the world:

“Pelides, do not stir a foot, nor these waves, proudly curl'd

Against thy bold breast, fear a jot; thou hast us two thy friends,

Neptune and Pallas, Jove himself approving th' aid we lend.

'Tis nothing as thou fear'st with Fate; she will not see thee drown'd.

This height shall soon down, thine own eyes shall see it set aground.

Be rul'd then, we'll advise thee well; take not thy hand away

From putting all, indiff'rently, to all that it can lay

Upon the Trojans, till the walls of haughty Ilion

Conclude all in a desp'rate flight. And when thou hast set gone

The soul of Hector, turn to fleet; our hands shall plant a wreath

Of endless glory on thy brows.” Thus to the free from death

Both made retreat. He, much impell'd by charge the Godheads gave,

The field, that now was overcome with many a boundless wave,

He overcame. On their wild breasts they toss'd the carcasses,

And arms, of many a slaughter'd man. And now the wingéd knees

Of this great captain bore aloft; against the Flood he flies

With full assault; nor could that God make shrink his rescu'd thighs.

Nor shrunk the Flood, but, as his foe grew pow'rful, he grew mad,

Thrust up a billow to the sky, and crystal Simoïs bad

To his assistance: “Simoïs, ho, brother,” out he cried,

“Come, add thy current, and resist this man half-deified,

Or Ilion he will pull down straight; the Trojans cannot stand

A minute longer. Come, assist, and instantly command

All fountains in thy rule to rise, all torrents to make in,

And stuff thy billows; with whose height, engender such a din,

With trees torn up and justling stones, as so immane a man

May shrink beneath us; whose pow'r thrives do my pow'r all it can;

He dares things fitter for a God. But, nor his form, nor force,

Nor glorious arms shall profit it; all which, and his dead corse,

I vow to roll up in my sands, nay, bury in my mud,

Nay, in the very sinks of Troy, that, pour'd into my flood,

Shall make him drowning work enough; and, being drown'd, I'll set

A fort of such strong filth on him, that Greece shall never get

His bones from it. There, there shall stand Achilles' sepulchre,

And save a burial for his friends.” This fury did transfer

His high-ridg'd billows on the prince, roaring with blood and foam

And carcasses. The crimson stream did snatch into her womb

Surpris'd Achilles; and her height stood, held up by the hand

Of Jove himself. Then Juno cried, and call'd (to countermand

This wat'ry Deity) the God that holds command in fire,

Afraid lest that gulf-stomach'd Flood would satiate his desire

On great Achilles: “Mulciber, my best lov'd son!” she cried,

“Rouse thee, for all the Gods conceive this Flood thus amplified

Is rais'd at thee, and shows as if his waves would drown the sky,

And put out all the sphere of fire. Haste, help thy empery.

Light flames deep as his pits. Ourself the west wind and the south

Will call out of the sea, and breathe in either's full-charg'd mouth

A storm t' enrage thy fires 'gainst Troy; which shall (in one exhal'd)

Blow flames of sweat about their brows, and make their armours scald.

Go thou then, and, 'gainst these winds rise, make work on Xanthus' shore,

With setting all his trees on fire, and in his own breast pour

A fervor that shall make it burn; nor let fair words or threats

Avert thy fury till I speak, and then subdue the heats

Of all thy blazes.” Mulciber prepar'd a mighty fire,

First in the field us'd; burning up the bodies that the ire

Of great Achilles reft of souls; the quite-drown'd field it dried,

And shrunk the flood up. And as fields, that have been long time cloy'd

With catching weather, when their corn lies on the gavel heap,

Are with a constant north wind dried, with which for comfort leap

Their hearts that sow'd them; so this field was dried, the bodies burn'd,

And ev'n the flood into a fire as bright as day was turn'd.

Elms, willows, tam'risks, were inflam'd; the lote trees, sea-grass reeds,

And rushes, with the galingale roots, of which abundance breeds

About the sweet flood, all were fir'd; the gliding fishes flew

Upwards in flames; the grov'lling eels crept upright; all which slew

Wise Vulcan's unresisted spirit. The Flood out of a flame

Cried to him: “Cease, O Mulciber, no Deity can tame

Thy matchless virtue; nor would I, since thou art thus hot, strive.

Cease then thy strife; let Thetis' son, with all thy wish'd haste, drive

Ev'n to their gates these Ilians. What toucheth me their aid,

Or this contention?” Thus in flames the burning River pray'd.

And as a caldron, underput with store of fire, and wrought

With boiling of a well-fed brawn, up leaps his wave aloft,

Bavins of sere wood urging it, and spending flames apace,

Till all the caldron be engirt with a consuming blaze;

So round this Flood burn'd, and so sod his sweet and tortur'd streams,

Nor could flow forth, bound in the fumes of Vulcan's fi'ry beams;

Who, then not mov'd, his mother's ruth by all his means he craves,

And ask'd, why Vulcan should invade and so torment his waves

Past other floods, when his offence rose not to such degree

As that of other Gods for Troy; and that himself would free

Her wrath to it, if she were pleas'd; and pray'd her, that her son

Might be reflected; adding this, that he would ne'er be won

To help keep off the ruinous day, in which all Troy should burn,

Fir'd by the Grecians. This vow heard, she charg'd her son to turn

His fi'ry spirits to their homes, and said it was not fit

A God should suffer so for men. Then Vulcan did remit

His so unmeasur'd violence, and back the pleasant Flood

Ran to his channel. Thus these Gods she made friends; th' other stood

At weighty diff'rence; both sides ran together with a sound,

That earth resounded, and great heav'n about did surrebound,

Jove heard it, sitting on his hill, and laugh'd to see the Gods

Buckle to arms like angry men; and, he pleas'd with their odds,

They laid it freely. Of them all, thump-buckler Mars began,

And at Minerva with a lance of brass he headlong ran,

These vile words ushering his blows: “Thou dog-fly, what's the cause

Thou mak'st Gods fight thus? Thy huge heart breaks all our peaceful laws

With thy insatiate shamelessness, Rememb'rest thou the hour

When Diomed charg'd me, and by thee, and thou with all thy pow'r

Took'st lance thyself, and, in all sights, rush'd on me with a wound?

Now vengeance falls on thee for all.” This said, the shield fring'd round

With fighting adders, borne by Jove, that not to thunder yields,

He clapt his lance on; and this God, that with the blood of fields

Pollutes his godhead, that shield pierc'd, and hurt the arméd Maid,

But back she leapt, and with her strong hand rapt a huge stone, laid

Above the champain, black and sharp, that did in old time break

Partitions to men's lands; and that she dusted in the neck

Of that impetuous challenger. Down to the earth he sway'd,

And overlaid sev'n acres' land. His hair was all beray'd

With dust and blood mix'd; and his arms rung out. Minerva laugh'd,

And thus insulted: “O thou fool, yet hast thou not been taught

To know mine eminence? Thy strength opposest thou to mine?

So pay thy mother's furies then, who for these aids of thine,

(Ever afforded perjur'd Troy, Greece ever left) takes spleen,

And vows thee mischief.” Thus she turn'd her blue eyes, when love's Queen

The hand of Mars took, and from earth rais'd him with thick-drawn breath,

His spirits not yet got up again. But from the press of death

Kind Aphrodite was his guide. Which Juno seeing, exclaim'd:

“Pallas, see, Mars is help'd from field! Dog-fly, his rude tongue nam'd

Thyself ev'n now; but that his love, that dog-fly, will not leave

Her old consort. Upon her fly.” Minerva did receive

This excitation joyfully, and at the Cyprian flew,

Strook with her hard hand her soft breast, a blow that overthrew

Both her and Mars; and there both lay together in broad field.

When thus she triumph'd: “So lie all, that any succours yield

To these false Trojans 'gainst the Greeks; so bold and patient

As Venus, shunning charge of me; and no less impotent

Be all their aids, than hers to Mars. So short work would be made

In our depopulating Troy, this hardiest to invade

Of all earth's cities.” At this wish, white-wristed Juno smil'd.

Next Neptune and Apollo stood upon the point of field,

And thus spake Neptune: “Phœbus! Come, why at the lance's end

Stand we two thus? 'Twill be a shame, for us to re-ascend

Jove's golden house, being thus in field and not to fight. Begin;

For 'tis no graceful work for me; thou hast the younger chin,

I older and know more. O fool, what a forgetful heart

Thou bear'st about thee, to stand here, prest to take th' Ilian part,

And fight with me! Forgett'st thou then, what we two, we alone

Of all the Gods, have suffer'd here, when proud Laomedon

Enjoy'd our service a whole year, for our agreed reward?

Jove in his sway would have it so; and in that year I rear'd

This broad brave wall about this town, that (being a work of mine)

It might be inexpugnable. This service then was thine,

In Ida, that so many hills and curl'd-head forests crown,

To feed his oxen, crooked-shank'd, and headed like the moon.

But when the much-joy-bringing Hours brought term for our reward,

The terrible Laomedon dismiss'd us both, and scar'd

Our high deservings, not alone to hold our promis'd fee,

But give us threats too. Hands and feet he swore to fetter thee,

And sell thee as a slave, dismiss'd far hence to foreign isles.

Nay more, he would have both our ears. His vow's breach, and reviles,

Made us part angry with him then; and dost thou gratulate now

Such a king's subjects? Or with us not their destruction vow,

Ev'n to their chaste wives and their babes?” He answer'd: “He might hold,

His wisdom little, if with him, a God, for men he would

Maintain contention; wretched men that flourish for a time

Like leaves, eat some of that earth yields, and give earth in their prime

Their whole selves for it. Quickly then, let us fly fight for them,

Nor show it offer'd. Let themselves bear out their own extreme.”

Thus he retir'd, and fear'd to change blows with his uncle's hands;

His sister therefore chid him much, the Goddess that commands

In games of hunting, and thus spake: “Fly'st thou, and leav'st the field

To Neptune's glory, and no blows? O fool, why dost thou wield

Thy idle bow? No more my ears shall hear thee vaunt in skies

Dares to meet Neptune, but I'll tell thy coward's tongue it lies.”

He answer'd nothing; yet Jove's wife could put on no such reins,

But spake thus loosely: “How dar'st thou, dog, whom no fear contains,

Encounter me? 'Twill prove a match of hard conditión.

Though the great Lady of the bow and Jove hath set thee down

For lion of thy sex, with gift to slaughter any dame

Thy proud will envies; yet some dames will prove th' had'st better tame

Wild lions upon hills than them. But if this question rests

Yet under judgment in thy thoughts, and that thy mind contests,

I'll make thee know it.” Suddenly with her left hand she catch'd

Both Cynthia's palms, lock'd fingers fast, and with her right she snatch'd

From her fair shoulders her gilt bow, and, laughing, laid it on

About her ears, and ev'ry way her turnings seiz'd upon,

Till all her arrows scatter'd out, her quiver emptied quite.

And as a dove, that, flying a hawk, takes to some rock her flight,

And in his hollow breasts sits safe, her fate not yet to die;

So fled she mourning, and her bow left there. Then Mercury

His opposite thus undertook: “Latona, at no hand

Will I bide combat. 'Tis a work right dangerous to stand

At diff'rence with the wives of Jove. Go, therefore, freely vaunt

Amongst the Deities, th' hast subdu'd, and made thy combatant

Yield with plain pow'r.” She answer'd not, but gather'd up the bow

And shafts fall'n from her daughter's side, retiring. Up did go

Diana to Jove's starry hall, her incorrupted veil

Trembling about her so she shook. Phœbus, lest Troy should fail

Before her fate, flew to her walls; the other Deities flew

Up to Olympus, some enrag'd, some glad. Achilles slew

Both men and horse of Ilion. And as a city fir'd

Casts up a heat that purples heav'n, clamours and shrieks expir'd

In ev'ry corner, toil to all, to many misery,

Which fire th' incenséd Gods let fall; Achilles so let fly

Rage on the Trojans, toils and shrieks as much by him impos'd.

Old Priam in his sacred tow'r stood, and the flight disclos'd

Of his forc'd people, all in rout, and not a stroke return'd

By fled resistance. His eyes saw in what a fury burn'd

The son of Peleüs, and down went weeping from the tow'r

To all the port-guards, and their chiefs told of his flying pow'r.

Commanding th' op'ning of the ports, but not to let their hands

Stir from them, for Æacides would pour in with his bands.

“Destruction comes, O shut them strait, when we are in,” he pray'd,

“For not our walls I fear will check this violent man.” This said,

Off lifted they the bars, the ports hal'd open, and they gave

Safety her entry with the host; which yet they could not save,

Had not Apollo sallied out, and strook destructión,

Brought by Achilles in their necks, back; when they right upon

The ports bore all, dry, dusty, spent; and on their shoulders rode

Rabid Achilles with his lance, still glory being the goad

That prick'd his fury. Then the Greeks high-ported Ilion

Had seiz'd, had not Apollo stirr'd Antenor's famous son,

Divine Agenor, and cast in an undertaking spirit

To his bold bosom, and himself stood by to strengthen it,

And keep the heavy hand of death from breaking in. The God

Stood by him, leaning on a beech, and cover'd his abode.

With night-like darkness; yet for all the spirit he inspir'd,

When that great city-razer's force his thoughts strook, he retir'd,

Stood, and went on; a world of doubts still falling in his way;

When, angry with himself, he said: “Why suffer I this stay

In this so strong need to go on? If, like the rest, I fly,

'Tis his best weapon to give chace, being swift, and I should die

Like to a coward. If I stand, I fall too. These two ways

Please not my purpose; I would live. What if I suffer these

Still to be routed, and, my feet affording further length,

Pass all these fields of Ilion, till Ida's sylvan strength

And steep heights shroud me, and at even refresh me in the flood,

And turn to Ilion? O my soul? why drown'st thou in the blood

Of these discourses? If this course, that talks of further flight,

I give my feet, his feet more swift have more odds. Get he sight

Of that pass, I pass least; for pace, and length of pace, his thighs

Will stand out all men. Meet him then; my steel hath faculties

Of pow'r to pierce him; his great breast but one soul holds, and that

Death claims his right in, all men say; but he holds special state

In Jove's high bounty; that's past man, that ev'ry way will hold,

And that serves all men ev'ry way.” This last heart made him bold

To stand Achilles, and stirr'd up a mighty mind to blows.

And as a panther, having heard the hounds' trail, doth disclose

Her freckled forehead, and stares forth from out some deep-grown wood

To try what strength dares her abroad; and when her fi'ry blood

The hounds have kindled, no quench serves of love to live or fear,

Though strook, though wounded, though quite through she feels the mortal spear,

But till the man's close strength she tries, or strows earth with his dart,

She puts her strength out; so it far'd with brave Agenor's heart,

And till Achilles he had prov'd, no thoughts, no deeds, once stirr'd

His fixéd foot. To his broad breast his round shield he preferr'd,

And up his arm went with his aim, his voice out with this cry:

“Thy hope is too great, Peleus' son, this day to show thine eye

Troy's Ilion at thy foot. O fool! the Greeks with much more woes,

More than are suffer'd yet, must buy great Ilion's overthrows.

We are within her many strong, that for our parents' sakes,

Our wives and children, will save Troy; and thou, though he that makes

Thy name so terrible, shalt make a sacrifice to her

With thine own ruins.” Thus he threw, nor did his jav'lin err,

But strook his foe's leg near his knee; the fervent steel did ring

Against his tin greaves, and leapt back; the fire's strong-handed king

Gave virtue of repulse. And then Æacides assail'd

Divine Agenor; but in vain, Apollo's pow'r prevail'd,

And rapt Agenor from his reach; whom quietly he plac'd

Without the skirmish, casting mists to save from being chac'd

His tender'd person; and (he gone) to give his soldiers 'scape,

The Deity turn'd Achilles still, by putting on the shape

Of him he thirsted; evermore he fed his eye, and fled,

And he with all his knees pursu'd. So cunningly he led,

That still he would be near his reach, to draw his rage, with hope,

Far from the conflict; to the flood maintaining still the scope

Of his attraction. In mean time, the other frighted pow'rs

Came to the city, comforted; when Troy and all her tow'rs

Strooted with fillers; none would stand to see who stay'd without,

Who scap'd, and who came short. The ports cleft to receive the rout

That pour'd itself in. Ev'ry man was for himself. Most fleet

Most fortunate. Whoever scap'd, his head might thank his feet.