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Lyeomede

Exhort the Greeks the struggle to maintain; While I go yonder, to affront the war, To aid their need, and back return in haste.ā€

 

Thus saying, Ajax Telamon set forth,

And with him Teucer went, his fatherā€™s son, While by Pandion Teucerā€™s bow was borne.

At brave Menestheusā€™ towā€™r, within the wall, Arrivā€™d, sore pressā€™d they found the garrison; For like a whirlwind on the ramparts pourā€™d The Lyciansā€™ valiant councillors and chiefs.

They quickly joinā€™d the fray, and loud arose The battle-cry; first Ajax Telamon

Sarpedonā€™s comrade, brave Epicles, slew, Struck by a rugged stone, within the wall Which lay, the topmost of the parapet, Of size prodigious; which with both his hands A man in youthā€™s full vigour scarce could raise, As men are now; he lifted it on high,

And downward hurlā€™d; the four-peakā€™d helm it broke, Crushing the bone, and shattā€™ring all the skull; He, like a diver, from the lofty towā€™r Fell headlong down, and life forsook his bones, Teucer, meanwhile, from off the lofty wall The valiant Glaucus, pressing to the fight, Struck with an arrow, where he saw his arm Unguarded; he no longer brookā€™d the fray; Back from the wall he sprang, in hopes to hide From Grecian eyes his wound, that none might see, And triumph oā€™er him with insulting words.

With grief Sarpedon saw his friend withdraw, Yet not relaxā€™d his efforts; Thestorā€™s son, Alcmaon, with his spear he stabbā€™d, and back The weapon drew; he, following, prostrate fell, And loudly rang his arms of polishā€™d brass.

Then at the parapet, with stalwart hand, Sarpedon tuggā€™d; and yielding to his force Down fell the block entire; the wall laid bare, To many at once the breach gave open way.

Ajax and Teucer him at once assailā€™d;

This with an arrow struck the glittā€™ring belt Around his breast, whence hung his pondā€™rous shield; But Jove, who willā€™d not that his son should fall Before the ships, the weapon turnā€™d aside.

Then forward Ajax sprang, and with his spear Thrust at the shield; the weapon passā€™d not through, Yet checkā€™d his bold advance; a little space Back he recoilā€™d, but not the more withdrew, His soul on glory intent; and rallying quick, Thus to the warlike Lycians shouted loud: ā€œWhy, Lycians, thus your wonted might relax?

ā€˜Tis hard for one alone, how brave soeā€™er, Eā€™en though he break the rampart down, to force A passage to the ships; but on with me!

For work is here for many hands to do.ā€

 

He said; and by the Kingā€™s rebuke abashā€™d, With fiercer zeal the Lycians pressā€™d around Their King and councillor; on thā€™ other side Within the wall the Greeks their squadrons massā€™d; Then were great deeds achievā€™d; nor throā€™ the breach Could the brave troops of Lycia to the ships Their passage force; nor could the warrior Greeks Repel the Lycians from the ground, where they, Before the wall, had made their footing good.

As when two neighbours, in a common field, Each line in hand, within a narrow space, About the limits of their land contend; Between them thus the rampart drew the line; Oā€™er which the full-orbā€™d shields of tough bullā€™s-hide, And lighter bucklers on the warriorsā€™ breasts On either side they clove; and many a wound The pitiless weapons dealt, on some who, turnā€™d, Their neck and back laid bare; on many more, Who full in front, and through their shields were struck.

On evā€™ry side the parapet and towā€™rs

With Greek and Trojan blood were spatterā€™d oā€™er.

Nor yet, eā€™en so, the Greeks to flight were drivā€™n; But as a woman that for wages spins,

Honest and true, with wool and weights in hand, In even balance holds the scales, to mete Her humble hire, her childrenā€™s maintenance; So even hung the balance of the war,

Till Jove with highest honour Hector crownā€™d, The son of Priam; he, the foremost, scalā€™d The wall, and loudly on the Trojans callā€™d: ā€œOn, valiant Trojans, on! the Grecian wall Break down, and wrap their ships in blazing fires.ā€

 

Thus he, exhorting, spoke; they heard him all, And to the wall rushā€™d numberless, and swarmā€™d Upon the ramparts, bristling thick with spears.

Then Hector, stooping, seizā€™d a pondā€™rous stone That lay before the gates; ā€˜twas broad below, But sharp above; and scarce two labā€™ring men, The strongest, from the ground could raise it up, And load upon a wain; as men are now;

But he unaided lifted it with ease,

So light it seemā€™d, by grace of Saturnā€™s son.

As in one hand a shepherd bears with ease A full-sizā€™d fleece, and scarcely feels the weight; So Hector towā€™rd the portals bore the stone, Which closā€™d the lofty double-folding gates, Within defended by two massive bars

Laid crosswise, and with one cross bolt securā€™d.

Close to the gate he stood; and planting firm His foot, to give his arm its utmost powā€™r, Full on the middle dashā€™d the mighty mass.

The hinges both gave way; the pondā€™rous stone Fell inwards; widely gapā€™d the opā€™ning gates; Nor might the bars within the blow sustain: This way and that the severā€™d portals flew Before the crashing missile; dark as night His lowā€™ring brow, great Hector sprang within; Bright flashā€™d the brazen armour on his breast, As through the gates, two javā€™lins in his hand, He sprang; the Gods except, no powā€™r might meet That onset; blazā€™d his eyes with lurid fire.

Then to the Trojans, turning to the throng, He callā€™d aloud to scale the lofty wall; They heard, and straight obeyā€™d; some scalā€™d the wall: Some through the strong-built gates continuous pourā€™d; While in confusion irretrievable

Fled to their ships the panic-stricken Greeks.

 

END OF VOLUME I.

 

VOLUME II.

 

ARGUMENT.

 

THE FOURTH BATTLE CONTINUED, IN WHICH NEPTUNE ASSISTS THE GREEKS. THE

ACTS OF IDOMENEUS.

 

Neptune, concerned for the loss of the Grecians, upon seeing the fortification forced by Hector (who had entered the gate near the station of the Ajaces), assumes the shape of Calchas, and inspires those heroes to oppose him; then, in the form of one of the generals, encourages the other Greeks who had retired to their vessels. The Ajaces form their troops into a close phalanx, and put a stop to Hector and the Trojans. Several deeds of valour are performed; Meriones, losing his spear in the encounter, repairs to seek another at the tent of Idomeneus; this occasions a conversation between these two warriors, who return together to the battle. Idomeneus signalizes his courage above the rest; he kills Othryoneus, Asius, and Alcathous; Deiphobus and AEneas march against him, and at length Idomeneus retires. Menelaus wounds Helenus and kills Peisander. The Trojans are repulsed in the left wing. Hector still keeps his ground against the Ajaces, till, being galled by the Locrian slingers and archers, Polydamas advises to call a council of war: Hector approves his advice, but goes first to rally the Trojans; upbraids Paris, rejoins Polydamas, meets Ajax again, and renews the attack.

 

The eight-and-twentieth day still continues. The scene is between the Grecian wall and the seashore.

 

BOOK XIII.

 

When Jove had Hector and the Trojans brought Close to the ships, he left them there to toil And strife continuous; turning his keen glance To view far off thā€™ equestrian tribes of Thrace, The warlike Mysians, and the men who feed On milk of mares, thence Hippemolgi termā€™d; A peaceful race, the justest of mankind.

On Troy he turnā€™d not once his piercing glance; Nor deemā€™d he any God would dare to give To Trojans or to Greeks his active aid.

 

No careless watch the monarch Neptune kept: Wondā€™ring, he viewā€™d the battle, where he sat Aloft on wooded Samosā€™ topmost peak,

Samos of Thrace; whence Idaā€™s heights he saw, And Priamā€™s city, and the ships of Greece.

 

Thither ascended from the sea, he sat; And thence the Greeks, by Trojans overborne, Pitying he saw, and deeply wroth with Jove.

Then down the mountainā€™s craggy side he passā€™d With rapid step; and as he movā€™d along, Beneath thā€™ immortal feet of Oceanā€™s Lord Quakā€™d the huge mountain and the shadowy wood.

Three strides he took; the fourth, he reachā€™d his goal, AEgae; where on the margin of the bay

His temple stood, all glittā€™ring, all of gold, Imperishable; there arrivā€™d, he yokā€™d

Beneath his car the brazen-footed steeds, Of swiftest flight, with manes of flowing gold.

All clad in gold, the golden lash he graspā€™d Of curious work, and mounting on his car, Skimmā€™d oā€™er the waves; from all the depths below Gambollā€™d around the monsters of the deep, Acknowledging their King; the joyous sea Parted her waves; swift flew the bounding steeds, Nor was the brazen axle wet with spray, When to the ships of Greece their Lord they bore.

 

Down in the deep recesses of the sea

A spacious cave there is, which lies midway ā€˜Twixt Tenedos and Imbrosā€™ rocky isle: Thā€™ Earth-shaking Neptune there his coursers stayā€™d, Loosā€™d from the chariot, and before them placā€™d Ambrosial provender; and round their feet Shackles of gold, which none might break nor loose, That there they might await their Lordā€™s return; Then to the Grecian army took his way.

 

Meantime, by Hector, son of Priam, led, Like fire, or whirlwind, pressā€™d the Trojans on, With furious zeal, and shouts and clamour hoarse; In hopes to take the ships, and all the chiefs To slay beside them; but from Oceanā€™s depths Uprose thā€™ Earth-shaker, Circler of the Earth, To Calchasā€™ likeness and deep voice conformā€™d, And rousā€™d the fainting Greeks; thā€™ Ajaces first, Themselves with ardour fillā€™d, he thus addressā€™d: ā€œā€˜Tis yours, Ajaces, fillā€™d with courage high, Discarding chilly fear, to save the Greeks: Elsewhere I dread not much the Trojan force, Though they in crowds have scalā€™d the lofty wall; The well-greavā€™d Greeks their onset may defy.

Yet greatly fear I lest we suffer loss, Where that fierce, fiery madman, Hector, leads.

Who boasts himself the son of Jove most high.

But may some God your hearts inspire, yourselves Firmly to stand, and cheer your comrades on; So from your swiftly-sailing ships ye yet May drive the foe, how bold soeā€™er he be, Though by Olympian Jove himself upheld.ā€

 

So spake thā€™ Earth-shaker, Circler of the Earth, And with his sceptre touching both the chiefs, Fillā€™d them with strength and courage, and their limbs, Their feet and hands, with active vigour strung; Then like a swift-wingā€™d falcon sprang to flight, Which down the sheer face of some lofty rock Swoops on the plain to seize his featherā€™d prey: So swiftly Neptune left the chiefs; him first Departing, knew Oileusā€™ active son,

And thus the son of Telamon addressā€™d: ā€œAjax, since some one of thā€™ Olympian Gods, In likeness of a seer, hath hither come To urge us to the war (no Calchas he,

Our augur Heavā€™n-inspirā€™d; for well I markā€™d His movements, as he went; and of a God ā€˜Tis easy to discern the outward signs), I feel fresh spirit kindled in my breast, And new-born vigour in my feet and hands.ā€

 

Whom answerā€™d thus the son of Telamon: ā€œMy hands too grasp with firmer hold the spear, My spirit like thine is stirrā€™d; I feel my feet Instinct with fiery life; nor should I fear With Hector, son of Priam, in his might Alone to meet, and grapple to the death.ā€

 

Such was their mutual converse, as they joyā€™d In the fierce transport by the God inspirā€™d.

Neptune, meanwhile, the other Greeks arousā€™d, Who, to the ships withdrawn, their wasted strength Recruited; for their limbs were faint with toil, And grief was in their hearts, as they beheld The Trojan hosts that scalā€™d the lofty wall; They saw, and from their eyes the teardrops fell, Of safety despā€™rate; but thā€™ Earth-shaking God Amid their ranks appearing, soon restorā€™d Their firm array; to Teucer first he

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