The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman

by George Chapman

  Wrought with his trident, and the stones, trunks, roots of trees, he tore

  Out of the rampire, toss’d them all into the Hellespont,

  Ev’n all the proud toil of the Greeks, with which they durst confront

  The to-be shunnéd Deities, and not a stone remain’d

  Of all their huge foundations, all with the earth were plain’d.

  Which done, again the Gods turn’d back the silver-flowing floods

  By that vast channel, through whose vaults they pour’d abroad their broods,

  And cover’d all the ample shore again with dusty sand.

  And this the end was of that wall, where now so many a hand

  Was emptiéd of stones and darts, contending to invade;

  Where Clamour spent so high a throat; and where he fell blows made

  The new-built wooden turrets groan. And here the Greeks were pent,

  Tam’d with the iron whip of Jove, that terrors vehement

  Shook over them by Hector’s hand, who was in ev’ry thought

  The terror-master of the field, and like a whirlwind fought,

  As fresh as in his morn’s first charge. And as a savage boar,

  Or lion, hunted long, at last, with hounds’ and hunters’ store

  Is compass’d round; they charge him close, and stand (as in a tow’r

  They had inchas’d him) pouring on of darts an iron show’r;

  His glorious heart yet nought appall’d, and forcing forth his way,

  Here overthrows a troop, and there a running ring doth stay

  His utter passage; when, again, that stay he overthrows,

  And then the whole field frees his rage; so Hector wearies blows,

  Runs out his charge upon the fort, and all his force would force

  To pass the dike; which, being so deep, they could not get their horse

  To venture on, but trample, snore, and on the very brink

  To neigh with spirit, yet still stand off. Nor would a human think

  The passage safe; or, if it were, ’twas less safe for retreat;

  The dike being ev’rywhere so deep, and, where ’twas least deep, set

  With stakes exceeding thick, sharp, strong, that horse could never pass,

  Much less their chariots after them; yet for the foot there was

  Some hopeful service, which they wish’d. Polydamas then spake:

  “Hector, and all our friends of Troy, we indiscreetly make

  Offer of passage with our horse; ye see the stakes, the wall,

  Impossible for horse to take; nor can men fight at all,

  The place being strait, and much more apt to let us take our bane

  Than give the enemy. And yet, if Jove decree the wane

  Of Grecian glory utterly, and so bereave their hearts

  That we may freely charge them thus, and then will take our parts,

  I would with all speed wish th’ assault, that ugly shame might shed

  (Thus far from home) these Grecians’ bloods. But, if they once turn head

  And sally on us from their fleet, when in so deep a dike

  We shall lie struggling, not a man of all our host is like

  To live and carry back the news. And therefore be it thus:

  Here leave we horse kept by our men, and all on foot let us

  Hold close together, and attend the grace of Hector’s guide,

  And then they shall not bear our charge, our conquest shall be dyed

  In their lives’ purples.” This advice pleas’d Hector, for ’twas sound;

  Who first obey’d it, and full-arm’d betook him to the ground.

  And then all left their chariots when he was seen to lead,

  Rushing about him, and gave up each chariot and steed

  To their directors to be kept, in all procinct of war,

  There, and on that side of the dike. And thus the rest prepare

  Their onset: In five regiments they all their pow’r divide,

  Each regiment allow’d three chiefs. Of all which ev’n the pride

  Serv’d in great Hector’s regiment; for all were set on fire

  (Their passage beaten through the wall) with hazardous desire

  That they might once but fight at fleet. With Hector captains were

  Polydamas, and Cebriones, who was his charioteer;

  But Hector found that place a worse. Chiefs of the second band

  Were Paris and Alcathous, Agenor. The command

  The third strong phalanx had, was giv’n to th’ augur Helenus,

  Deiphobus, that god-like man, and mighty Asius,

  Ev’n Asius Hyrtacides, that from Arisba rode

  The huge bay horse, and had his house where river Selleës flow’d.

  The fourth charge good Æneas led, and with him were combin’d

  Archelochus, and Acamas, Antenor’s dearest kind,

  And excellent at ev’ry fight. The fifth brave company

  Sarpedon had to charge, who choos’d, for his command’s supply,

  Asteropseus great in arms, and Glaucus; for both these

  Were best of all men but himself, but he was fellowless.

  Thus fitted with their well-wrought shields, down the steep dike they go,

  And (thirsty of the wall’s assault) believe in overthrow,

  Not doubting but with headlong falls to tumble down the Greeks

  From their black navy. In which trust, all on; and no man seeks

  To cross Polydamas’ advice with any other course,

  But Asius Hyrtacides, who (proud of his bay horse)

  Would not forsake them, nor his man, that was their manager,

  (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-cov’ring mist of fate, that then did hang upon

  The lance of great Deucalides; he fatally rush’d on

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

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

  Which both unbarr’d 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

  Maintain’d 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 else would hunt that way for fame

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

  And Acamas Asiades, Thoon, Oenomaus,

  Were those that follow’d Asius. Within the gates they found

  Two eminently valorous, that from the race renown’d

  Of the right valiant Lapithes deriv’d their high descent;

  Fierce Leontëus was the one, like Mars in detriment. 1

  The other mighty Polypæt, 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 ev’ry season’s spite.

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

  When in the mean space Polypæt and Leonteus cheer’d

  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 dismay’d, these two

  Met Asius ent’ring, thrust him back, and fought before their doors.

  Nor far’d they then like oaks that stood, but as a brace of boars,

  Couch’d in their own bred hill, that hear a sort of hunter’s shout,

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

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

  About them any plant to stand, but thickets off’ring 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 stirr’d them in repulse, right well assur’d 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 tow’rs, 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 cloth’d 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 amaz’d 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 2

  The grasping cranny of a hill) when for a hunter’s feast

  Hunters come hot and hungry in, and dig for honey-combs,

  Then 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 be our pris’ners made.”

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

  Who for the gen’ral counsel stood, and ‘gainst his singular brave,

  Bestow’d 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,

  Rag’d 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 heav’n 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 wither’d hand,

  And dipp’d it deeply in their spirits, since they could not command

  Their forces to abide the field, whom harsh Necessity,

  To save those ships should bring them home, and their good fort’s supply,

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

  Than Need itself could elevate, for ev’n 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 Polypæt 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 drown’d, and the man, so late so spiritfull,

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

  Of Pylon, and Ormenus’ lives. And then Leonteüs gains

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

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

  Another end. Leonteüs left him, and through the prease

  (His keen sword drawn) ran desp’rately upon Antiphates,

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

  His fi’ry spirit, that his flame in Menon’s blood did drench,

  And rag’d up ev’n to Iamen’s, and young Orestes’ life;

  All heap’d together made their peace in that red field of strife.

  Whose-fair arms while the victors spoil’d, the youth of Ilion

  (Of which there serv’d the most and best) still boldly built upon

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

  And follow’d, fill’d with wondrous spirit, with wish and hope at length,

  The Greeks’ wall won, to fire their fleet. But, having pass’d the dike,

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

  Their hearts with some delib’rate stay: A high-flown eagle soar’d

  On their troops’ left hand, and sustain’d a dragon, all engor’d,

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

  In life and spirit but 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 employ’d in public care

  To blanch things further than their truth, or flatter any pow’r;

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

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

  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,

  Hover’d above us, and did truss within her golden seres

  A serpent so embru’d 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 eyry feed; so though we thus far prease

  Upon the Grecians, and perhaps may overrun their wall,

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

  Their trusséd spirits; yet are they so serpent-like dispos’d

  That they will fight, though in our seres, and will at length be los’d

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

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

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

  Whose depth he knows, and these should fear. Hector, with count’nance bent,

  Thus answer’d him: “Polydamus, 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 pass’d directly for our speed; yet light-wing’d birds must be,

  By thy advice, our oracles, whose feathers little stay

  My serious actions. What care 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 flys

  With those wings that shall bear up us; Jove’s, that both earth and heav’n,

  Both men and Gods, sustains and rules. One augury is giv’n

  To order all men, best of all; Fight for thy country’s right.

  But why fear’st thou our further
charge? For though the dang’rous 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 usher’d their assault, and made them charge like him.

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

  That it amaz’d 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 pull’d them down, raz’d ev’ry foremost fight,

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

  They tore away with crows of iron, and hop’d to ruin all.

  The Greeks yet stood, and still repair’d the fore-fights of their wall

  With hides of oxen, and from thence, they pour’d down stones in show’rs

  Upon the underminer’s heads. Within the foremost tow’rs

  Both the Ajaces had command, who answer’d ev’ry part,

  Th’ assaulters, and their soldiers, repress’d, and put in heart;

  Repairing valour as their wall; spake some fair, some reprov’d,

  Whoever made not good his place; and thus they all sorts mov’d:

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

  The excellent must be admir’d, 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 stands,

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

  Spake both the princes; and as high, with this, th’ expulsion flow’d.

  And as in winter time, when Jove his cold sharp jav’lins 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