by Homer
Ran thick the wales red with the blood ready to start out. Both
Longed for the conquest and the prize, yet showed no play, being loth
To lose both. Nor could Ithacus stir Ajax; nor could he
Hale down Ulysses, being more strong than with mere strength to be
Hurled from all vantage of his sleight. Tired then with tugging play
Great Aj ax Telamonius said: " Thou wisest man, or lay
My face up, or let me lay thine; let Jove take care for these."
This said, he hoised him up to air, when Laertiades-
His wiles forgat not, Ajax' thigh he struck behind, and flat
He on his back fell; on his breast Ulysses. Wondered at
Was this of all; all stood amazed, Then the much-suffering man
Divine Ulysses, at next close the Telamonian
A little raised from earth, not quite, but with his knee implied
Locked legs; and down fell both on earth, close by each other's side,
Both filed with dust; but starting up, the third close they had made,
Had not Achilles' self stood up, restraining them, and bade :
“No more tug one another thus, nor moil yourselves; receive
Prize equal; conquest crowns ye both; the lists to others leave."
They heard, and yielded willingly, brushed off the dust, and on
Put other vests. Pelides then, to those that swiftest run,
Proposed another prize; a bowl, beyond comparison,
Both for the size and workmanship, past all the bowls of earth.
It held six measures, silver all, but had his special worth
For workmanship, receiving form from those ingenious men
Of Sidon. The Phoenicians made choice, and brought it then
Along the green sea, giving it to Thoas; by degrees
It came t' Eunseus, Jason's son, who young Priamides,
Lycaon, of Achilles' friend bought with it; and this here
Achilles made best game for him that best his feet could bear.
For second he proposed an ox, a huge one, and a fat;
And half a talent gold for last. These thus he set them at:
"Rise, you that will assay for these." Forth stepped Oiliades;
Ulysses answered; and the third was, one esteemed past these
For footmanship, Antilochus. All ranked, Achilles showed
The race-scope. From the start they glid. Oiliades bestowed
His feet the swiftest; close to him flew godlike Ithacus.
And as a lady at her loom, being young and beauteous,
Her silk-shuttle close to her breast, with grace that doth inflame, >
And her white hand, lifts quick and oft, in drawing from her frame
Her gentle thread, which she unwinds with ever at her breast
Gracing her fair hand; so close still, and with such interest
In all men's likings, Ithacus unwound, and spent the race
By him before, took out his steps with putting in their place
Promptly and gracefully his own, sprinkled the dust before,
And clouded with his breath his head. So facilie he bore
His royal person that he struck shouts from the Greeks with thirst
That he should conquer, though he flew: " Yet come, come, O come first,"
Ever they cried to him. And this even his wise breast did move
To more desire of victory, it made him pray, and prove,
Minerva's aid, his fautress still: " O goddess, hear," said he,
“And to my feet stoop with thy help, now happy fautress be."
She was, and light made all his limbs. And now, both near their crown,
Minerva tripped up Ajax' heels, and headlong he fell down
Amids the ordure of the beasts, there negligently left
Since they were slain there; and by this Minerva's friend bereft
Oiliades of that rich bowl, and left his lips, nose, eyes,
Ruthfully smeared. The fat ox yet he seized for second prize,
Held by the horn, spit out the tail, and thus spake all besmeared :
“O villainous chance! This Ithacus so highly is endeared
To this Minerva, that her hand is ever in his deeds.
She, like his mother, nestles him, for from her it proceeds,
I know, that I am used thus." This all in light laughter cast;
Amongst whom quick Antilochus laughed out his coming last
Thus wittily : " Know, all my friends, that all times past, and now,
The Gods must honour most-lived men. Oiliades ye know
More old than I, but Ithacus is of the foremost race,
First generation of men. Give the old man his grace,
They count him of the green-haired eld; they may; or in his flow'r,
For not our greatest flourisher can equal him in pow'r
Of foot-strife, but Aeacides." Thus soothed he Thetis' son,
Who thus accepted it: " Well, youth, your praises shall not run
With unrewarded feet on mine, your half a talent's prize
I'll make a whole one. Take you, sir." He took, and joyed. Then flies
Another game forth. Thetis' son set in the lists a lance,
A shield, and helmet, being the arms Sarpedon did advance
Against Patroclus, and he prized. And thus he named th' address :
“Stand forth, two the most excellent, armed, and before all these
Give mutual onset to the touch and wound of either's flesh.
Who first shall wound, through other's arms his blood appearing fresh,
Shall win this sword,silvered, and hatched; the blade is right of Thrace;
Asteropasus yielded it. These arms shall part their grace
With either's valour; and the men I'll liberally feast
At my pavilion." To this game the first man that addressed
Was Ajax Telamonius; to him king Diomed.
Both, in opposed parts of the press, full armed, both entered
The lists amids the multitude, put looks on so austere,
And joined so roughly, that amaze surprised the Greeks in fear
Of either's mischief. Thrice they threw their fierce darts, and closed thrice.
Then Ajax struck through Diomed's shield, but did no prejudice,
His curets saft him. Diomed's dart still over shoulders flew,
Still mounting with the spirit it bore. And now rough Ajax grew
So violent that the Greeks cried: " Hold, no more. Let them no more.
Give equal prize to either." Yet the sword, proposed before
For him did best, Achilles gave to Diomed. Then a stone,
In fashion of a sphere, he showed; of no invention,
But natural, only melted through with iron. 'Twas the bowl
That king Eetion used to hurl; but he bereft of soul
By great Achilles, to the fleet, with store of other prize,
He brought it, and proposed it now both for the exercise
And prize itself. He stood, and said : " Rise you that will approve
Your arms' strengths now in this brave strife. His vigour that can move
This furthest needs no game but this, for reach he ne'er so far
With large fields of his own, in Greece (and so needs for his car,
His plough, or other tools of thrift, much iron) I'll able this
For five revolved years; no need shall use his messages
To any town to furnish .him, this only bowl shall yield
Iron enough for all affairs." Thus said, to try this field,
First Polypcetes issued : next Leonteus; third
Great Ajax; huge Epeus fourth, yet he was first that stirred
That mine of iron. Up it went, and up he tossed it so,
That laughter took up all the field. The next man that did throw
Was Leonteus; Ajax third, who gave it such a hand
That far past both their marks it flew
. But now 'twas to be manned
By Polypcetes, and, as far as at an ox that strays
A herdsman can swing out his goad, so far did he outraise
The stone past all men; all the field rose in a shout to see't;
About him flocked his friends, and bore the royal game to fleet.
For archery he then set forth ten axes edged two ways,
And ten of one edge. On the shore, far-off, he caused to raise
A ship-mast, to whose top they tied a fearful dove by th' foot,
At which all shot, the game put thus : He that the dove could shoot,
Nor touch the string that fast'ned her, the two-edged tools should bear
All to the fleet. Who touched the string, and missed the dove, should share
The one-edged axes. This proposed, king Teucer's force arose,
And with him rose Meriones. And now lots must dispose
Their shooting first; both which let fall into a helm of brass,
First Teucer's came, and first he shot, and his cross fortune was
To shoot the string, the dove untouched; Apollo did envy
His skill, since not to him he vowed, being God of archery,
A first fall'n lamb. The bitter shaft yet cut in two the cord,
That down fell, and the d&ve aloft up to the welkin soared.
The Greeks gave shouts. Meriones first made a hearty vow
To sacrifice a first-fall'n lamb to Him that rules the bow,
And then fell to his aim, his shaft being ready nocked before.
He spied her in the clouds that here, there, everywhere, did soar,
Yet at her height he reached her side, struck her quite through, and down
The shaft fell at his feet; the dove the mast again did crown,
There hung the head, and all her plumes were ruffled, she stark dead,
And there, far off from him, she fell. The people wondered,
And stood astonished; th' archer pleased. Aeacides then shows
A long lance, and a caldron new, engrailed with twenty hues,
Prized at an ox. These games were showed for men at darts, and then
Up rose the General of all, up rose the King of men,
Up rose late-crowned Meriones. Achilles, seeing the king
Do him this grace, prevents more deed; his royal offering
Thus interrupting : " King of men, we well conceive how far
Thy worth superior is to all, how much most singular
Thy pow'r is, and thy skill in darts! Accept then this poor prize
Without contention, and (your will pleased with what I advise)
Afford Meriones the lance." The king was nothing slow
To that fit grace. Achilles then the brass lance did bestow
On good Meriones. The king his present would not save,
But to renowned Talthybius the goodly caldron gave.
BOOK XXIV.
ARGUMENT.
Jove, entertaining care of Hectors corse,
Sends Thetis to her son for his remorse,
And fit dismission of it. Iris then
He sends to Priam; willing him to gain
His son for ransom. He, by Hermes led,
Gets through Achilles' guards; sleeps deep and dead
Cast on them by his guide; when, with access
And humble suit made to Aeacides,
He gains the body, which to Troy he bears,
And buries it with feasts, buried in tears.
ANOTHER ARGUMENT.
Omega sings the Exequies,
And Hector's redemptory prise.
THE games performed, the soldiers wholly dispersed to fleet,
Supper and sleep their only care. Constant Achilles yet
Wept for his friend; nor sleep itself, that all things doth subdue,
Could touch at him; this way and that he turned, and did renew
His friend's dear memory, his grace in managing his strength,
And his strength's greatness, how life racked into their utmost length
Griefs, battles, and the wraths of seas, in their joint sufferance.
Each thought of which turned to a tear. Sometimes he would advance,
In tumbling on the shore, his side, sometimes his face, then turn
Flat on his bosom, start upright. Although he saw the morn
Show sea and shore his ecstasy, he left not, till at last
Eage varied his distraction; horse, chariot, in haste
He called for, and, those joined, the corse was to his chariot tied,
And thrice about the sepulchre he made his fury ride,
Dragging the person. All this past, in his pavilion
Rest seized him, hut with Hector's corse his rage had never done,
Still suffering it t' oppress the dust. Apollo yet, even dead,
Pitied the prince, and would not see inhuman tyranny fed
With more pollution of his limbs, and therefore covered round
His person with his golden shield, that rude dogs might not wound
His manly lineaments, which threat Achilles cruelly
Had used in fury. But now Heaven let fall a general eye
Of pity on him; the hlest Gods persuaded Mercury,
Their good observer, to his stealth; and every deity
Stood pleased with it; Juno except, green Neptune, and the Maid
Graced with the blue eyes, all their hearts stood hatefully appaid
Long since, and held it, as at first, to Priam, Ilion,
And all his subjects, for the rape of his licentious son,
Proud Paris, that despised these dames in their divine access
Made to his cottage, and praised her that his sad wantonness
So costly nourished. The twelfth morn now shined on the delay
Of Hector's rescue, and then spake the deity of the- Day
Thus to th' Immortals: " Shameless Gods, authors of ill ye are
To suffer ill. Hath Hector's life at all times showed his care
Of all your rites, in burning thighs of beeves and goats to you,
And are your cares no more of him? Vouchsafe ye not even now,
Even dead, to keep him, that his wife, his mother, and his son,
Father, and subjects, may be moved to those deeds he hath done,
See'ng you preserve him that served you, and sending to their hands
His person for the rites of fire? Achilles, that withstands
All help to others, you can help; one that hath neither heart
Nor soul within him that will move or yield to any part
That fits a man, but lion-like, uplandish, and mere wild,
Slave to his pride, and all his nerves being naturally compiled
Of eminent strength, stalks out and preys upon a silly sheep.
And so fares this man, that fit ruth that now should draw so deep
In all the world being lost in him, and shame, a quality
Of so much weight that both it helps and hurts excessively
Men in their manners, is not known, nor hath the power to be,
In this man's being. Other men a greater loss than he
Have undergone, a son, suppose, or brother of one womb,
Yet, after dues of woes and tears, they bury in his tomb
All their deploring. Fates have given to all that are true men
True manly patience; but this man so soothes his bloody vein
That no blood serves it, he must have divine-souled Hector bound
To his proud chariot, and danced in a most barbarous round
About his loved friend's sepulchre, when he is slain. 'Tis vile,
And draws no profit after it. But let him now awhile
Mark but our angers; he is spent; let all his strength take heed
It tempts not our wraths; he begets in this outrageous deed
The dull earth with his fury's hate." White-wristed Juno said,
Being much incensed : " This doom is one that thou wouldst hav
e obeyed,
Thou bearer of the silver bow, that we in equal care
And honour should hold Hector's worth with him that claims a share
In our deservings. Hector sucked a mortal woman's breast,
Aeacides a Goddess's; ourself had interest
Both in his infant nourishment, and bringing up with state,
And to the human Peleus we gave his bridal mate,
Because he had th' Immortals' love. To celebrate the feast
Of their high nuptials, every God was glad to be a guest',
And thou fedd'st of thy father's cates, touching thy harp in grace
Of that beginning of our friend, whom thy perfidious face,
In his perfection, blusheth not to match with Priam's son,
O thou that to betray and shame art still companion! "
Jove thus received her : " Never give these broad terms to a God.
Those two men shall not be compared; and yet, of all that trod
The well-paved Ilion, none so dear to all the deities
As Hector was; at least to me, for off'rings most of prize
His hands would never pretermit. Our altars ever stood
Furnished with banquets fitting us, odours and every good
Smoked in our temples, and for this, foreseeing it, his fate
We marked with honour, which must stand. But, to give stealth estate
In his deliverance, shun we that; nor must we favour one
To shame another. Privily, with wrong to Thetis' son,
We must not work out Hector's right. There is a ransom due,
And open course, by laws of arms; in which must humbly sue
The friends of Hector. Which just means if any God would stay
And use the other, 'twould not serve, for Thetis night and day
Is guardian to him. But would one call Iris hither, I
Would give directions that for gifts the Trojan king should buy
His Hector's body, which the son of Thetis shall resign."
This said, his will was done; the dame that doth in vapours shine,
Dewy and thin, footed with storms, jumped to the sable seas
'Twixt Samos and sharp Imber's cliffs; the lake groaned with the press
Of her rough feet, and, plummet-like, put in an ox's horn
That bears death to the raw-fed fish, she dived, and found forlorn
Thetis lamenting her son's fate, who was in Troy to have,
Far from his country, his death served. Close to her Iris stood,
And said : " Rise, Thetis; prudent Jove, whose counsels thirst not blood,
Calls for thee." Thetis answered her with asking : " What's the cause