Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  (Fool that he was) but all to fleet, and little knew how near

  An ill death sat him, and a sure, and that he never more

  Must look on lofty Ilion; but looks, and all, before,

  Put on th' all-covering mist of fate, that then did hang upon

  The lance of great Deuculiiles; he fatally rushed on

  The left hand way, by which the Greeks, with horse and chariot,

  Came usually from field to fleet; olose to the gates he got,

  Which both unbarred and ope he found, that so the easier might

  An entry be for any friend that was behind in flight;

  Yet not much easier for a foe, because there was a guard

  Maintained upon it, past his thought; who still put for it hard,

  Eagerly shouting; and with him were five more friends of name,

  That would not leave him, though none eilse would hunt that way for fame

  (In their free choice) but he himself. Orestes, Iamenus,

  And Acamas Asiades, Thoon, Oenomaus,

  Were those that followed Asius. Within the gates they found

  Two eminently valorous, that from the race renowned

  Of the right valiant Lapithes derived their high descent;

  Fierce Leonteus was the one, like Mars in detriment,

  The other mighty Polypset, the great Pirithous' son.

  These stood within the lofty gates, and nothing more did shun

  The charge of Asius and his friends, than two high hill-bred oaks,

  Well-rooted in the binding earth, obey the airy strokes

  Of wind and weather, standing firm 'gainst every season's spite.

  Yet they pour on continued shouts, and bear their shields upright;

  When in the mean space Polypset and Leonteus cheered

  Their soldiers to the fleet's defence. But when the rest had heard

  The Trojans in attempt to scale, clamour and flight did flow

  Amongst the Grecians; and then, the rest.dismayed, these two

  Met Asius entering, thrust him back, and fought before their doors.

  Nor fared they then like oaks that stood, but as a brace of boars,

  Couched in their own bred hill, that hear a sort of hunters' shout,

  And hounds in hot trail coming on, then from their dens break out,

  Traverse their force, and suffer not, in wildness of their way,

  About them any plant to stand, but thickets offering stay

  Break through, and rend up by the roots, whet gnashes into air,

  Which tumult fills with shouts, hounds, horns, and all the hot affair

  Beats at their bosoms; so their arms rung with assailing blows,

  And so they stirred them in repulse^right well assured that those

  Who were within, and on the wall, would add their parts, who knew

  They now fought for their tents, fleet, lives, and fame, and therefore threw

  Stones from the walls and towers, as thick as when a drift wind shakes

  Black clouds in pieces, and plucks snow, in great and plumy flakes,

  From their soft bosoms, till the ground be wholly clothed in white;

  So earth was hid with stones and darts, darts from the Trojan fight,

  Stones from the Greeks, that on the helms and bossy Trojan shields

  Kept such a rapping, it amazed great Asius, who now yields

  Sighs, beats his thighs, and in a rage his fault to Jove applies :

  “O Jove," said he, " now clear thou show'st thou art a friend to lies,

  Pretending, in the flight of Greece, the making of it good,

  To all their ruins, which I thought could never be withstood;

  Yet they, as yellow wasps, or bees (that having made their nest

  The gasping cranny of a hill) when for a hunter's feast

  Hunters come hot and hungry in, and dig for honeycombs,

  They fly upon them, strike and sting and from their hollow homes

  Will not be beaten, but defend their labour's fruit, and brood;

  No more will these be from their port, but either lose their blood

  (Although but two against all us) or he our prisoners made."

  All this, to do his action grace, could not firm Jove persuade,

  Who for the general counsel stood, and, 'gainst his singular brave,

  Bestowed on Hector that day's fame. Yet he and these behave

  Themselves thus nobly at this port; but how at other ports

  And all alongst the stony wall, sole force, 'gainst force and forts,

  Raged in contention 'twixt both hosts, it were no easy thing,

  Had I the bosom of a God, to tune to life and sing.

  The Trojans fought not of themselves, a fire from heaven was thrown

  That ran amongst them, through the wall, mere added to their own.

  The Greeks held not their own; weak grief went with her withered hand,

  And dipped it deeply in their spirits; since they could not command

  Their forces to abide the field, whom harsh necessity,

  To save those ships should briug them home, and their good forts' supply,

  Drave to th' expulsive fight they made; and this might stoop them more

  Than need itself could elevate, for even Gods did deplore

  Their dire estates, and all the Gods that were their aids in war,

  Who, though they could not clear their plights, yet were their friends thus far,

  Still to uphold the better sort; for then did Polypset pass

  A lance at Damasus, whose helm was made with cheeks of brass,

  Yet had not proof enough, the pile drave through it and his skull,

  His brain in blood drowned, and the man, so late so spiritful,

  Fell now quite spiritless to earth. So emptied he the veins

  Of Pylon, and Ormenus' lives. And then Leonteus gains

  The life's, end of Hippomachus, Antimachus's son;

  His lance fell at his girdle-stead, and with his end begun

  Another end. Leonteus left him, and through the prease

  (His keen sword drawn) ran desperately upon Antiphates,

  And lifeless tumbled him to earth. Nor could all these lives quench

  His fiery spirit, that his flame in Menon's blood did drench,

  And raged up even to Iamen's, and young Orestes' life;

  All heaped together made their peace in that red field of strife.

  Whose fair arms while the victors spoiled, the youth of Uion

  (Of which there served the most and best) still boldly built upon

  The wisdom of Polydamas, and Hector's matchless strength,

  And followed, filled with wondrous spirit, with wish and hope at length,

  The Greeks' wall won, to fire their fleet. But, having passed the dike,

  And willing now to pass the wall, this prodigy did strike

  Their hearts with some deliberate stay: A high-flown eagle soared

  On their troops' left hand, and sustained a dragon, all engored,

  In her strong seres, of wondrous size, and yet had no such check

  In life and spirit hut still she fought, and turning back her neck

  So stung the eagle's gorge, that down she cast her fervent prey

  Amongst the multitude, and took upon the winds her way,

  Crying with anguish. When they saw a branded serpent sprawl

  So full amongst them from above, and from Jove's fowl let fall.

  They took it an ostent from him, stood frighted, and their cause

  Polydamas thought just, and spake : " Hector, you know, applause

  Of humour hath been far from me; nor fits it, or in war,

  Or in affairs of court, a man employed in public care

  To blanch things further than their truth, or flatter any power;

  And therefore for that simple course your strength hath oft been sour

  To me in counsels; yet again, what shows in my thoughts best,

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bsp; I must discover. Let us cease, and' make their flight our rest

  For this day's honour, and not now attempt the Grecian fleet,

  For this, I fear, will be th'' event, the prodigy doth meet

  So full with our affair in hand. As this high-flying fowl

  Upon the left wing of our host, implying our control,

  Hovered above us, and did truss within her golden seres

  A serpent so embrued and big, which yet, in all her fears,

  Kept life and fervent spirit to fight, and wrought her own release,

  Nor did the eagle's eyrie feed; so though we thus far prease

  Upon the Grecians, and perhaps may overturn their wall,

  Our high minds aiming at their fleet, and that we much appal

  Their trussed spirits, yet are they so serpent-like disposed

  That they will fight, though in our seres, and will at length be losed

  With all our outcries, and the life of many a Trojan breast

  Shall with the eagle fly, before we cany to our nest

  Them or their navy." Thus expounds the augur this ostent,

  Whose depth he knows, and these should fear. Hector, with countenance bent

  Thus answered him : " Polydamas, your depth in augury

  I like not, and know passing well thou dost not satisfy

  Thyself in this opinion; or if thou think'st it true,

  Thy thoughts the Gods blind, to advise, and urge that as our due,

  That breaks our duties, and to Jove, whose vow and sign to me

  Is past directly for our speed, yet light-winged birds must be,

  By thy advice, our oracles, whose feathers little stay

  My serious actions. What caxe I, if this, or th' other, way

  Their wild wings sway them, if the right, on which the sun doth rise,

  Or, to the left hand, where he sets? 'Tis Jove's high counsel flies

  With those wings that shall bear up us; Jove, that both earth and heaven,

  Both men and Gods, sustains and rules. One augury is given

  To order all men, best of all: Fight for thy country's right.

  But why fear'st thou our farther charge? For thou the dangerous fight

  Strew all men here about the fleet, yet thou need'st never fear

  To bear their fates; thy wary heart will never trust thee where

  An enemy's look is; and yet fight, for, if thou dar'st abstain,

  Or whisper into any ear an abstinence so vain

  As thou advisest, never fear that any foe shall take

  Thy life from thee, for 'tis this lance." This said, all forwards make,

  Himself the first; yet before him exulting clamour flew,

  And thunder-loving Jupiter from lofty Ida blew

  A storm that ushered their assault, and made them charge like him.

  It drave directly on the fleet a dust so fierce and dim

  That it amazed the Grecians, but was a grace divine

  To Hector and his following troops, who wholly did incline

  To him, being now in grace with Jove, and so put boldly on

  To raze the rampire; in whose height they fiercely set upon

  The parapets, and pulled them down, razed every foremost fight,

  And all the buttresses of stone that held their tow'rs upright

  They tore away with crows of iron, and hoped to ruin all.

  The Greeks yet stood, and still repaired the fore-fights of their wall

  With hides of oxen, and from thence they poured down stones in showers

  Upon the underminers' heads. Within the foremost towers

  Both the Ajaces had command, who answered every part,

  Th' assaulters, and their soldiers, repressed, and put in heart;

  Repairing valour as their wall; spake some fair, some reproved,

  Whoever made not good his place; and thus they all sorts moved :

  “O countrymen, now need in aid would have excess be spent,

  The excellent must be admired, the meanest excellent,

  The worst do well. In changing war all should not be alike,

  Nor any idle; which to know fits all, lest Hector strike

  Your minds with frights, as ears with threats. Forward be all your hands,

  Urge one another. This doubt down, that now betwixt us stauds,

  Jove will go with us to' their walls." To this effect aloud

  Spake both the princes; and as high, with this, th' expulsion flowed.

  And as in winter time, when Jove his cold sharp javelins throws

  Amongst us mortals, and is moved to white earth with his snows,

  The winds asleep, he freely pours, till highest prominents,

  Hill tops, low meadows, and the fields that crown with most contents

  The toils of men, seaports, and shores, are hid, and every place,

  But floods, that snow's fair tender flakes, as their own brood, embrace;

  So both sides covered earth with stones, so both for life contend,

  To show their sharpness; through the wall uproar stood up on end.

  Nor had great Hector and his friends the rampire overrun,

  If heaven's great Counsellor, high Jove, had not inflamed his son

  Sarpedon (like the forest's king when he on oxen flies)

  Against the Grecians; his round targe he to his arm applies,

  Brass-leaved without, and all within thick ox-hides quilted hard,

  The verge nailed round with rods of gold; and, with two darts prepared,

  He leads his people. As ye see a mountain-lion fare,

  Long kept from prey, in forcing which, his high mind makes him dare

  Assault upon the whole full fold, though guarded never so

  With well-armed men, and eager dogs; away he will not go,

  But venture on, and either snatch a prey, or be a prey;

  So fared divine Sarpedon's mind, resolved to force his way

  Through all the fore-fights, and the wall; yet since he did not see

  Others as great as he in name, as great in mind as he,

  He spake to Glaucus: " Glaucus, say, why are we honoured more

  Than other men of Lycia, in place; with greater store

  Of meats and cups; with goodlier roofs; delightsome gardens; walks;

  More lands and better; so much wealth, that court and country talks

  Of us and our possessions, and every way we go,

  Gaze on us as we were their Gods? This where we dwell is so;

  The shores of Xanthus ring of this; and shall we not exceed

  As much in merit as in noise? Come, be we great in deed

  As well as look; shine not in gold, but. in the flames of fight;

  That so our neat-armed Lycians may say: ' See, these are right

  Our kings, our rulers; these deserve to eat and drink the best;

  These govern not ingloriously; these, thus exceed the rest,

  Do more than they command to do.' O friend, if keeping back

  Would keep back age from us, and death, and that we might not wrack

  In this life's human sea at all, but that deferring now

  We shunned death ever, nor would I half this vain valour show,

  Nor glorify a folly so, to wish thee to advance;

  But since we must go, though not here, and that, besides the chance

  Proposed now, there are infinite fates of other sort in death,

  Which, neither to be fled nor''scaped, a man must sink beneath;

  Come, try we, if this sort be ours, and either render thus

  Glory to others, or make them resign the like to us."

  This motion Glaucus shifted not, but without words obeyed.

  Foreright went both, a mighty troop of Lycians followed.

  Which by Menestheus observed, his hair stood up on end,

  For, at the tower where he had charge, he saw calamity bend

  Her horrid brows in their approach. He threw his looks abou t

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p; The whole fights near, to see what chief might help the misery out

  Of his poor soldiers, and beheld where both th' Ajaces fought,

  And Teucer newly come from fleet; whom it would profit nought

  To c.all, since tumult on their helms, shields, and upon the ports,

  Laid such loud claps; for every way, defences of all sorts

  Were adding, as Troy took away; and clamour flew so high

  Her wings struck heaven, and drowned all voice. The two dukes yet so nigh

  And at the offer of assault, he to th' Ajaces sent

  Thoos the herald with this charge : " Run to the regiment

  Of both th' Ajaces, and call both, for both were better here,

  Since here will slaughter, instantly, be more enforced than there.

  The Lycian captains this way make, who in the fights of stand

  Have often showed much excellence. Yet if laborious hand

  Be there more needful than I hope, at least afford us some,

  Let Ajax Telamonius and th' archer Teucer come."

  The herald hasted, and arrived; and both th' Ajaces told,

  That Peteus' noble son desired their little labour would

  Employ himself in succouring him. Both their supplies were best,

  Since death assailed his quarter most; for on it fiercely pressed

  The well-proved mighty Lycian chiefs. Yet if the service there

  Allowed not both, he prayed that one part of his charge would bear,

  And that was Ajax Telamon, with whom he wished would come

  The archer Teucer. Telamon left instantly his room

  To strong Lycomedes, and willed Ajax Oiliades

  With him to make up his supply, and fill with courages

  The Grecian hearts till his return, which should be instantly

  When he had well relieved his friend. With this the company

  Of Teucer he took to his aid; Teucer, that did descend

  (As Ajax did) from Telamon. With these two did attend

  Pandion, that bore Teucer's bow. When to Menestheus' tower

  They came, alongst the wall, they found him, and his heart'ned power

  Toiling in making strong their fort. The Lycian princes set

  Black whirlwind-like, with both their powers, upon the parapet.

  Ajax and all, resisted them. Clamour amongst them rose.

  The slaughter Ajax led; who first the last dear sight did close

  Of strong Epicles, that was friend to Jove's great Lycian son.

  Amongst the high munition heap, a mighty marble stone

  Lay highest, near the pinnacle, a stone of such a paise

  That one of this time's strongest men with both hands could not raise,