Delphi Complete Works of Quintus Smyrnaeus

by Quintus Smyrnaeus

  Wretchedly — but the Gods would not fulfil 230

  Thy wish. For all thy might invincible,

  My father’s massy spear hath now subdued

  Thee under me, that spear no man shall ‘scape,

  Though he be brass all through, who faceth me.”

  He spake, and tore the long lance from the corse,

  While shrank the Trojans back in dread, at sight

  Of that strong-hearted man. Straightway he stripped

  The armour from the dead, for friends to bear

  Fast to the ships Achaean. But himself

  To the swift chariot and the tireless steeds 240

  Sprang, and sped onward like a thunderbolt

  That lightning-girdled leaps through the wide air

  From Zeus’s hands unconquerable — the bolt

  Before whose downrush all the Immortals quail

  Save only Zeus. It rusheth down to earth,

  It rendeth trees and rugged mountain-crags;

  So rushed he on the Trojans, flashing doom

  Before their eyes; dashed to the earth they fell

  Before the charge of those immortal steeds:

  The earth was heaped with slain, was dyed with gore. 250

  As when in mountain-glens the unnumbered leaves

  Down-streaming thick and fast hide all the ground,

  So hosts of Troy untold on earth were strewn

  By Neoptolemus and fierce-hearted Greeks,

  Shed by whose hands the blood in torrents ran

  ‘Neath feet of men and horses. Chariot-rails

  Were dashed with blood-spray whirled up from the tyres.

  Now had the Trojans fled within their gates

  As calves that flee a lion, or as swine

  Flee from a storm — but murderous Ares came, 260

  Unmarked of other Gods, down from the heavens,

  Eager to help the warrior sons of Troy.

  Red-fire and Flame, Tumult and Panic-fear,

  His car-steeds, bare him down into the fight,

  The coursers which to roaring Boreas

  Grim-eyed Erinnys bare, coursers that breathed

  Life-blasting flame: groaned all the shivering air,

  As battleward they sped. Swiftly he came

  To Troy: loud rang the earth beneath the feet

  Of that wild team. Into the battle’s heart 270

  Tossing his massy spear, he came; with a shout

  He cheered the Trojans on to face the foe.

  They heard, and marvelled at that wondrous cry,

  Not seeing the God’s immortal form, nor steeds,

  Veiled in dense mist. But the wise prophet-soul

  Of Helenus knew the voice divine that leapt

  Unto the Trojans’ ears, they knew not whence,

  And with glad heart to the fleeing host he cried:

  “O cravens, wherefore fear Achilles’ son,

  Though ne’er so brave? He is mortal even as we; 280

  His strength is not as Ares’ strength, who is come

  A very present help in our sore need.

  That was his shout far-pealing, bidding us

  Fight on against the Argives. Let your hearts

  Be strong, O friends: let courage fill your breasts.

  No mightier battle-helper can draw nigh

  To Troy than he. Who is of more avail

  For war than Ares, when he aideth men

  Hard-fighting? Lo, to our help he cometh now!

  On to the fight! Cast to the winds your fears!” 290

  They fled no more, they faced the Argive men,

  As hounds, that mid the copses fled at first,

  Turn them about to face and fight the wolf,

  Spurred by the chiding of their shepherd-lord;

  So turned the sons of Troy again to war,

  Casting away their fear. Man leapt on man

  Valiantly fighting; loud their armour clashed

  Smitten with swords, with lances, and with darts.

  Spears plunged into men’s flesh: dread Ares drank

  His fill of blood: struck down fell man on man, 300

  As Greek and Trojan fought. In level poise

  The battle-balance hung. As when young men

  In hot haste prune a vineyard with the steel,

  And each keeps pace with each in rivalry,

  Since all in strength and age be equal-matched;

  So did the awful scales of battle hang

  Level: all Trojan hearts beat high, and firm

  Stood they in trust on aweless Ares’ might,

  While the Greeks trusted in Achilles’ son.

  Ever they slew and slew: stalked through the midst 310

  Deadly Enyo, her shoulders and her hands

  Blood-splashed, while fearful sweat streamed from her limbs.

  Revelling in equal fight, she aided none,

  Lest Thetis’ or the War-god’s wrath be stirred.

  Then Neoptolemus slew one far-renowned,

  Perimedes, who had dwelt by Smintheus’ grove;

  Next Cestrus died, Phalerus battle-staunch,

  Perilaus the strong, Menalcas lord of spears,

  Whom Iphianassa bare by the haunted foot

  Of Cilla to the cunning craftsman Medon. 320

  In the home-land afar the sire abode,

  And never kissed his son’s returning head:

  For that fair home and all his cunning works

  Did far-off kinsmen wrangle o’er his grave.

  Deiphobus slew Lycon battle-staunch:

  The lance-head pierced him close above the groin,

  And round the long spear all his bowels gushed out.

  Aeneas smote down Dymas, who erewhile

  In Aulis dwelt, and followed unto Troy

  Arcesilaus, and saw never more 330

  The dear home-land. Euryalus hurled a dart,

  And through Astraeus’ breast the death-winged point

  Flew, shearing through the breathways of man’s life;

  And all that lay within was drenched with blood.

  And hard thereby great-souled Agenor slew

  Hippomenes, hero Teucer’s comrade staunch,

  With one swift thrust ‘twixt shoulder and neck: his soul

  Rushed forth in blood; death’s night swept over him.

  Grief for his comrade slain on Teucer fell;

  He strained his bow, a swift-winged shaft he sped, 340

  But smote him not, for slightly Agenor swerved.

  Yet nigh him Deiophontes stood; the shaft

  Into his left eye plunged, passed through the ball,

  And out through his right ear, because the Fates

  Whither they willed thrust on the bitter barbs.

  Even as in agony he leapt full height,

  Yet once again the archer’s arrow hissed:

  It pierced his throat, through the neck-sinews cleft

  Unswerving, and his hard doom came on him.

  So man to man dealt death; and joyed the Fates 350

  And Doom, and fell Strife in her maddened glee

  Shouted aloud, and Ares terribly

  Shouted in answer, and with courage thrilled

  The Trojans, and with panic fear the Greeks,

  And shook their reeling squadrons. But one man

  He scared not, even Achilles’ son; he abode,

  And fought undaunted, slaying foes on foes.

  As when a young lad sweeps his hand around

  Flies swarming over milk, and nigh the bowl

  Here, there they lie, struck dead by that light touch, 360

  And gleefully the child still plies the work;

  So stern Achilles’ glorious scion joyed

  Over the slain, and recked not of the God

  Who spurred the Trojans on: man after man

  Tasted his vengeance of their charging host.

  Even as a giant mountain-peak withstands

  On-rushing hurricane-blasts, so he abode

  Unqua
iling. Ares at his eager mood

  Grew wroth, and would have cast his veil of cloud

  Away, and met him face to face in fight, 370

  But now Athena from Olympus swooped

  To forest-mantled Ida. Quaked the earth

  And Xanthus’ murmuring streams; so mightily

  She shook them: terror-stricken were the souls

  Of all the Nymphs, adread for Priam’s town.

  From her immortal armour flashed around

  The hovering lightnings; fearful serpents breathed

  Fire from her shield invincible; the crest

  Of her great helmet swept the clouds. And now

  She was at point to close in sudden fight 380

  With Ares; but the mighty will of Zeus

  Daunted them both, from high heaven thundering

  His terrors. Ares drew back from the war,

  For manifest to him was Zeus’s wrath.

  To wintry Thrace he passed; his haughty heart

  Reeked no more of the Trojans. In the plain

  Of Troy no more stayed Pallas; she was gone

  To hallowed Athens. But the armies still

  Strove in the deadly fray; and fainted now

  The Trojans’ prowess; but all battle-fain 390

  The Argives pressed on these as they gave ground.

  As winds chase ships that fly with straining sails

  On to the outsea — as on forest-brakes

  Leapeth the fury of flame — as swift hounds drive

  Deer through the mountains, eager for the prey,

  So did the Argives chase them: Achilles’ son

  Still cheered them on, still slew with that great spear

  Whomso he overtook. On, on they fled

  Till into stately-gated Troy they poured.

  Then had the Argives a short breathing-space 400

  From war, when they had penned the hosts of Troy

  In Priam’s burg, as shepherds pen up lambs

  Upon a lonely steading. And, as when

  After hard strain, a breathing-space is given

  To oxen that, quick-panting ‘neath the yoke,

  Up a steep hill have dragged a load, so breathed

  Awhile the Achaeans after toil in arms.

  Then once more hot for the fray did they beset

  The city-towers. But now with gates fast barred

  The Trojans from the walls withstood the assault. 410

  As when within their steading shepherd-folk

  Abide the lowering tempest, when a day

  Of storm hath dawned, with fury of lightnings, rain

  And heavy-drifting snow, and dare not haste

  Forth to the pasture, howsoever fain,

  Till the great storm abate, and rivers, wide

  With rushing floods, again be passable;

  So trembling on their walls they abode the rage

  Of foes against their ramparts surging fast.

  And as when daws or starlings drop in clouds 420

  Down on an orchard-close, full fain to feast

  Upon its pleasant fruits, and take no heed

  Of men that shout to scare them thence away,

  Until the reckless hunger be appeased

  That makes them bold; so poured round Priam’s burg

  The furious Danaans. Against the gates

  They hurled themselves, they strove to batter down

  The mighty-souled Earth-shaker’s work divine.

  Yet did tim Troyfolk not, despite their fear,

  Flinch from the fight: they manned their towers, they toiled 430

  Unresting: ever from the fair-built walls

  Leapt arrows, stones, and fleet-winged javelins down

  Amidst the thronging foes; for Phoebus thrilled

  Their souls with steadfast hardihood. Fain was he

  To save them still, though Hector was no more.

  Then Meriones shot forth a deadly shaft,

  And smote Phylodamas, Polites’ friend,

  Beneath the jaw; the arrow pierced his throat.

  Down fell he like a vulture, from a rock

  By fowler’s barbed arrow shot and slain; 440

  So from the high tower swiftly down he fell:

  His life fled; clanged his armour o’er the corpse.

  With laughter of triumph stalwart Molus’ son

  A second arrow sped, with strong desire

  To smite Polites, ill-starred Priam’s son:

  But with a swift side-swerve did he escape

  The death, nor did the arrow touch his flesh.

  As when a shipman, as his bark flies on

  O’er sea-gulfs, spies amid the rushing tide

  A rock, and to escape it swiftly puts 450

  The helm about, and turns aside the ship

  Even as he listeth, that a little strength

  Averts a great disaster; so did he

  Foresee and shun the deadly shaft of doom.

  Ever they fought on; walls, towers, battlements

  Were blood-besprent, wherever Trojans fell

  Slain by the arrows of the stalwart Greeks.

  Yet these escaped not scatheless; many of them

  Dyed the earth red: aye waxed the havoc of death

  As friends and foes were stricken. O’er the strife 460

  Shouted for glee Enyo, sister of War.

  Now had the Argives burst the gates, had breached

  The walls of Troy, for boundless was their might;

  But Ganymedes saw from heaven, and cried,

  Anguished with fear for his own fatherland:

  “O Father Zeus, if of thy seed I am,

  If at thine best I left far-famous Troy

  For immortality with deathless Gods,

  O hear me now, whose soul is anguish-thrilled!

  I cannot bear to see my fathers’ town 470

  In flames, my kindred in disastrous strife ú

  Perishing: bitterer sorrow is there none!

  Oh, if thine heart is fixed to do this thing,

  Let me be far hence! Less shall be my grief

  If I behold it not with these mine eyes.

  That is the depth of horror and of shame

  To see one’s country wrecked by hands of foes.”

  With groans and tears so pleaded Ganymede.

  Then Zeus himself with one vast pall of cloud

  Veiled all the city of Priam world-renowned; 480

  And all the murderous fight was drowned in mist,

  And like a vanished phantom was the wall

  In vapours heavy-hung no eye could pierce;

  And all around crashed thunders, lightnings flamed

  From heaven. The Danaans heard Zeus’ clarion peal

  Awe-struck; and Neleus’ son cried unto them:

  “Far-famous lords of Argives, all our strength

  Palsied shall be, while Zeus protecteth thus

  Our foes. A great tide of calamity

  On us is rolling; haste we then to the ships; 490

  Cease we awhile from bitter toil of strife,

  Lest the fire of his wrath consume us all.

  Submit we to his portents; needs must all

  Obey him ever, who is mightier far

  Than all strong Gods, all weakling sons of men.

  On the presumptuous Titans once in wrath

  He poured down fire from heaven: then burned all earth

  Beneath, and Ocean’s world-engirdling flood

  Boiled from its depths, yea, to its utmost bounds:

  Far-flowing mighty rivers were dried up: 500

  Perished all broods of life-sustaining earth,

  All fosterlings of the boundless sea, and all

  Dwellers in rivers: smoke and ashes veiled

  The air: earth fainted in the fervent heat.

  Therefore this day I dread the might of Zeus.

  Now, pass we to the ships, since for to-day

  He helpeth Troy. To us too shall he grant

  Glory hereafter; for the dawn
on men,

  Though whiles it frown, anon shall smile. Not yet,

  But soon, shall Fate lead us to smite yon town, 510

  If true indeed was Calchas’ prophecy

  Spoken aforetime to the assembled Greeks,

  That in the tenth year Priam’s burg should fall.”

  Then left they that far-famous town, and turned

  From war, in awe of Zeus’s threatenings,

  Hearkening to one with ancient wisdom wise.

  Yet they forgat not friends in battle slain,

  But bare them from the field and buried them.

  These the mist hid not, but the town alone

  And its unscaleable wall, around which fell 520

  Trojans and Argives many in battle slain.

  So came they to the ships, and put from them

  Their battle-gear, and strode into the waves

  Of Hellespont fair-flowing, and washed away

  All stain of dust and sweat and clotted gore.

  The sun drave down his never-wearying steeds

  Into the dark west: night streamed o’er the earth,

  Bidding men cease from toil. The Argives then

  Acclaimed Achilles’ valiant son with praise

  High as his father’s. Mid triumphant mirth 530

  He feasted in kings’ tents: no battle-toil

  Had wearied him; for Thetis from his limbs

  Had charmed all ache of travail, making him

  As one whom labour had no power to tire.

  When his strong heart was satisfied with meat,

  He passed to his father’s tent, and over him

  Sleep’s dews were poured. The Greeks slept in the plain

  Before the ships, by ever-changing guards

  Watched; for they dreaded lest the host of Troy,

  Or of her staunch allies, should kindle flame 540

  Upon the ships, and from them all cut off

  Their home-return. In Priam’s burg the while

  By gate and wall men watched and slept in turn,

  Adread to hear the Argives’ onset-shout.

  BOOK IX. HOW FROM HIS LONG LONE EXILE RETURNED TO THE WAR PHILOCTETES.

  When ended was night’s darkness, and the Dawn

  Rose from the world’s verge, and the wide air glowed

  With splendour, then did Argos’ warrior-sons

  Gaze o’er the plain; and lo, all cloudless-clear

  Stood Ilium’s towers. The marvel of yesterday

  Seemed a strange dream. No thought the Trojans had

  Of standing forth to fight without the wall.

  A great fear held them thralls, the awful thought