Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  Yet this did Ajax rouse and throw, and all in sherds did drive

  Epicles' four-topped casque and skull; who (as ye see one dive

  In some deep river) left his height; life left his bones withal.

  Teucer shot Glaucus, rushing up yet higher on the wall,

  Where naked he discerned his arm, and made him steal retreat

  From that hot service, lest some Greek, with an insulting threat,

  Beholding it, might fright the rest. Sarpedon much was grieved

  At Glaucus' parting, yet fought on, and his great heart relieved

  A little with Alcmaon's blood, surnamed Thestorides,

  Whose life he hurled out with his lance; which following through the prease,

  He drew from him. Down from the tower Alcmaon dead it strook;

  His fair arms ringing out his death. Then fierce Sarpedon took

  In his strong hand the battlement, and down he tore it quite,

  The wall stripped naked, and broad way for entry and full fight

  He made the many. Against him Ajax and Teucer made.

  Teucer the rich belt on his breast did with a shaft invade;

  But Jupiter averted death, who would not see his son

  Die at the tails of th' Achive ships. Aja
  And, with his lance, struck through the targe of that brave Lycian king;

  Yet kept he it from further pass, nor did it anything

  Dismay his mind, although his men stood off from that high way

  His valour made them, which he kept, and hoped that stormy day

  Should ever make his glory clear. His men's fault thus he blamed :

  “O Lycian s, why are your hot spirits so quickly disinflamed?

  Suppose me ablest of you all, 'tis hard for me alone

  To ruin such a wall as this, and make confusion

  Way to their navy. Lend your hands. What many can dispatch,

  One cannot think. The noble work of many hath no match."

  The wise king's just rebuke did strike a reverence to his will

  Through all his soldiers: all stood in, and 'gainst all th' Achives still

  Made strong their squadrons, insomuch, that to the adverse side,

  The work showed mighty, and the wall, when 'twas within descried,

  No easy service; yet the Greeks could neither free the wall

  Of these brave Lycians, that held firm the place they first did scale;

  Nor could the Lycians from their fort the sturdy Grecians drive,

  Nor reach their fleet. But as two men about the limits strive

  Of land that toucheth in a field, their measures in their hands,

  They mete their parts out curiously, and either stiffly stands

  That so far is his right in law, both hugely set on fire

  About a passing little ground; so, greedily aspire

  Both these foes to their several ends, and all exhaust their most

  About the very battlements, for yet no more was lost.

  With sword and fire they vexed for them their targes hugely round,

  With ox-hides lined, and bucklers light; and many a ghastly wound

  The stern steel gave for that one prize; whereof though some received

  Their portions on their naked backs, yet others were bereaved

  Of brave lives, face-turned, through their shields; towers, bulwarks, everywhere

  Were freckled with the blood of men. Nor yet the Greeks did bear

  Base back-turned faces; nor their foes would therefore be out-faced.

  But as a spinster poor and just, ye sometimes see, strait-laced

  About the weighing of her web, who, careful, having charge

  For which she would provide some means, is loth to be too large

  In giving or in taking weight, but ever with her hand

  Is doing with the weights and wool, till both in just paise stand;

  So evenly stood it with these foes, till Jove to Hector gave

  The turning of the scales, who first against the rampire drave,

  And spake so loud that all might hear: " O stand not at the pale,

  Brave Trojan friends, but mend your hands; up, and break through the wall,

  And make a bonfire of their fleet." All heard, and all in heaps

  Got scaling-ladders, and aloft. In mean space, Hector leaps

  Upon the port, from whose out-part he tore a massy stone,

  Thick downwards, upward edged; it was so huge an one

  That two vast yeoman of most strength, such as these times beget,

  Could not from earth lift to a cart, yet he did brandish it

  Alone, Saturnius made it light; and swinging it as nought,

  He came before the planky gates, that for all strength were wrought,

  And kept the port; twofold they were, and with two rafters ba™red,

  High, and strong locked; he raised the stone, bent to the hurl so hard,

  And made it with so main a strength, that all the gates did crack,

  The rafters left them, and the folds one from another brake,

  The hinges piecemeal flew, and through the fervent little rojk

  Thund'red a passage; with his weight th' inwall his breast did knock,

  And in rushed Hector, fierce and grim as any stormy night;

  His brass arms round about his breast reflected terrible light;

  Each arm held up held each a dart; his presence called up all

  The dreadful spirits his being held, that to the threat'ned wall

  None but the Gods might check his way; his eyes were furnaces;

  And thus he looked back, called in all. All fired their courages,

  And in they flowed. The Grecians fled, their fleet now and their freight

  Asked all their rescue. Greece went down; tumult was at his height.

  BOOK XIII.

  ARGUMENT.

  Neptune (in pity of the Greeks' hard plight)

  Like Calchas, both th' Ajaces doth excite,

  And others, to repel the charging foe.

  Idomeneus bravely doth bestow

  His kingly forces, and doth sacrifice

  Othryoneus to the Destinies,

  With divers others. Fair Deiphobus,

  And his prophetic brother Helenas,

  Are wounded. But the great Priamides,

  Gathering his forces, heartens their address

  Against the enemy; and then the field

  A mighty death on either side doth yield.

  ANOTHER ARGUMENT.

  The Greeks, with Troy's bold.power dismayed,

  Are cheered by Neptune's secret aid.

  JOVE helping Hector, and his host, thus close to th' Achive fleet

  He let them then their own strengths try, and season there then- sweat

  With ceaseless toils and grievances; for now he turned his face,

  Looked down, and viewed the far-off land of well-rode men in Thrace,

  Of the renowned milk-nourished men, the Hippeinolgians,

  Long-lived, most just, and innocent, and close-fought Mysians.

  Nor turned he any more to Troy his ever-shining eyes,

  Because he thought not any one of all the Deities,

  When his care left th' indifferent field, would aid on either side.

  But this security in Jove the great Sea-Rector spied,

  Who sat aloft on th' utmost top of shady Samothrace,

  And viewed the fight. His chosen seat stood in so brave a place,

  That Priam's city, th' Achive ships, all Ida, did appear

  To liis full view, who from the sea was therefore seated there.

  He took mueh ruth to see the Greeks by Troy sustain such ill,

  And, mightily incensed with Jove, stooped straight from that steep hill,

  That shook as he flew off, so hard his parting pressed the height.

  The woods, and all the great hills near, trembled beneath the weight

  Of his immortal moving feet.
Three steps he only took,

  Before he far-off iEgas reached, but, with the fourth, it shook

  With his dread entry. In the depth of those seas he did hold

  His bright and glorious palace, built of never-rusting gold;

  And there arrived, he put in eoaeh his brazen-footed steeds,

  All golden-maned, and paced with wings; and all in golden weeds

  He clothed liitnself. The golden scourge, most elegantly done,

  He took, and mounted to his seat; and then- the God begun

  To drive his chariot through the waves. From whirlpits every way

  The whales exulted under him, and knew their king; the sea

  For joy did open; and, his horse so swift and lightly flew,

  The under axletree of brass no drop of water drew;

  And thus these deathless coursers brought their king to th' Achive ships.

  'Twixt th' Imber cliffs and Tenedos a certain cavern creeps

  Into the deep sea's gulfy breast, and there th' Earth-shaker stayed

  His forward steeds, took them from coaeh, and heavenly fodder laid

  In reach before them; their brass hoves he girt with gyves of gold,

  Not to be broken, nor dissolved, to make them firmly hold

  A fit attendance on their king; who went to th' Achive host,

  Which, like to tempest or wild flames, the elust'ring Trojans tost,

  Insatiably valorous, in Heetor's like command,

  High sounding, and resounding, shouts; for hope cheered every hand,

  To make the Greek fleet now their prize, and all the Greeks destroy.

  But Neptune, eireler of the earth, with fresh heart did employ

  The Grecian hands. In strength of voice and body he did take

  Calchas' resemblance, and, of all, th' Ajaces first bespake,

  Who of themselves were,free enough : "Ajaces, you alone

  Sustain the common good of Greece in ever putting on

  The memory of fortitude, and flying shameful flight.

  Elsewhere the desperate hands of Troy could give me no affright,

  The brave Greeks have withstood their worst; but this our mighty wall

  Being thus transcended by their power, grave fear doth much appal

  My careful spirits, lest we feel some fatal mischief here,

  Where Hector, raging like a flame, doth in his eharge appear,

  And boasts himself the best God's son. Be you conceited so,

  And fire so, more than human spirits, that God may seem to do

  In your deeds, and, with such thoughts cheered, others to such exhort,

  And such resistance; these great minds will in as great a sort

  Strengthen your bodies, and force check to all great Hector's charge,

  Though ne'er so spirit-like, and though Jove still, past himself, enlarge

  His sacred actions." Thus he touched with his forked sceptre's point

  The breasts of both; filled both their spirits, and made up every joint

  With power responsive; when, hawk-like, swift, and set sharp to fly,

  That fiercely stooping from a rock, inaccessible and high,

  Cuts through a field, and sets a fowl (not being of her kind)

  Hard, and gets ground still; Neptune so left these two, either's mind

  Beyond themselves raised. Of both which, Oileus discerned

  The masking Deity, and said: " Ajax, some God hath warned

  Our powers to fight, and save our fleet. He put on him the hue

  Of th' augur Calchas. By his pace, in leaving us, I knew,

  Without all question, 'twas a God; the Gods are easily known;

  And in my tender breast I feel a greater spirit blown,

  To execute affairs of fight; I find my hands so free

  To all high motion, and my feet seemed feathered under me."

  This Telamonius thus received : " So, to my thoughts, my hands

  Burn with desire to toss my lance; each foot beneath me stands

  Bare on bright fire to use his speed; my heart is raised So high

  That to encounter Hector's self I long insatiately."

  While these thus talked, as overjoyed with study for the fight

  Which God had stirred up in their spirits, the same God did excite

  The Greeks that were behind, at fleet, refreshing their free hearts

  And joints, being even dissolved with toil; and (seeing the desperate parts

  Played by the Trojans past their wall) grief struck them, and their eyes

  Sweat tears from under their sad lids, their instant destinies

  Never supposing they could 'scape. But Neptune, stepping in,

  With ease stirred up the able troops, and did at first begin

  With Teucer, and Peneleus, th' heroe Leitus,

  Deipyrus, Meriones, and young Antilochus,

  All expert in the deeds of arms : " O youths of Greece," said he,

  "What change is this? In your brave fight I only looked to see .

  Our fleet's whole safety, and, if you neglect the harmful field,

  Now shines the day when Greece to Troy must all her honours yield.

  O grief! So great a miracle, and horrible to sight,

  As now I see, I never thought could have profaned the light 1

  The Trojans brave us at our ships, that have been heretofore

  Like faint and fearful deer in woods, distracted evermore

  With every sound, and yet 'scape not, but prove the torn-up fare

  Of lynces, wolves, and leopards, as never born to war.

  Nor durst these Trojans at first siege, in any least degree,

  Expect your strength, or stand one shock of Grecian chivalry;

  Yet now, far from their walls, they dare fight at our fleet maintain,

  All by our General's cowardice, that doth infect his men

  Who, still at odds with him, for that will' needs themselves neglect,

  And suffer slaughter in their ships. Suppose there was defect,

  Beyond all question, in our king to wrong Aeacides,

  And he, for his particular wreak, from all assistance cease;

  We must not cease t' assist ourselves. Forgive our General then,

  And quickly too. Apt to forgive are all good-minded men.

  Yet you, quite void of their good minds, give good, in you quite lost,

  For ill in others, though ye be the worthiest of your host.

  As old as I am, I would scorn to fight with one that flies,

  Or leaves the fight as you do now. The General slothful lies,

  And you, though slothful too, maintain with him a fight of spleen.

  Out, out, I hate ye from my heart. Ye rotten-miuded men,

  In this ye add an ill that's worse than all your sloth's dislikes.

  But as I know to all your hearts my reprehension strikes,

  So thither let just shame strike too; for while you stand still here

  A mighty fight swarms at your fleet, great Hector rageth there,

  Hath burst the long bar and the gates." Thus Neptune roused those men.

  And round about th' Ajaces did their phalanxes maintain

  Their station firm, whom Mars himself, had he amongst them gone

  Could not disparage, nor Jove's Maid that sets men fiercer on;

  For now the best were chosen out, and they received th' advance

  Of Hector and his men so full, that lance was lined with lance,

  Shields thick'ned with ojpposed shields, targets to targets nailed,

  Helms stuck to helms, and man to man grew, they so close assailed.

  Plumed casques were hanged in either's plumes, all joined so close their stands,

  Their lances stood, thrust out so thick by such all-daring hands.

  All bent their firm breasts to the point, and made sad fight their joy

  Of both. Troy all in heaps struck first, and Hector first of Troy.

  And as a round piece of a rock, which
with a winter's flood

  Is from his top torn, when a shower, poured from a bursten cloud,

  Hath broke the natural bond it held within the rough steep rock,

  And, jumping, it flies down the woods, resounding every shock,

  And on, unchecked, it headlong leaps, till in a plain it stay,

  And then, though never so impelled, it stirs not any way;

  So Hector hereto throated threats, to go to sea in blood,

  And reach the Grecian ships and tents, without being once withstood.

  But when he fell into the strengths the Grecians did maintain,

  And that they fought upon the square, he stood as fettered then;

  And so the adverse sons of Greece laid on with swords and darts,

  Whose both ends hurt, that they repelled his worst; and he converts

  His threats, by all means, to retreats; yet made as he retired,

  Only t' encourage those behind; and thus those men inspired :

  “Trojans! Dardanians! Lycians! All warlike friends, stand close;

  The Greeks can never bear me long, though tow'r-like they oppose.

  This lance, be sure, will be their spoil; if even the best of Gods,

  High thund'ring Juno's husband, stirs my spirit with true abodes."

  With this all strengths and minds he moved; but young Deiphobus,

  Old Priam's son, amongst them all was chiefly virtuous.

  He bore before him his round shield, tripped lightly through the prease,

  At all parts covered with his shield; and him Meriones

  Charged with a glitt'ring dart, that took his bull-hide orby shield,

  Yet pierced it not, but in the top itself did piecemeal yield.

  Deiphobus thrust forth his targe, and feared the broken ends

  Of strong Meriones's lance, who now turned to his friends;

  The great heroe scorning much by such a chance to part

  With lance and conquest, forth he went to fetch another dart,

  Left at his tent. The rest fought on, the clamour height'ned there

  Was most unmeasured. Teucer first did flesh the massacre,

  And slew a goodly man at arms, the soldier Imbrius,

  The son of Mentor, rich in horse; he dwelt at Pedasus

  Before the sons of Greece sieged Troy, from whence he married

  Medesicaste, one that sprang of Priam's bastard-bed,

  But when the Greek ships, double-oared, arrived at Ilion,

  To Ilion he returned, and proved beyond comparison