The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman

by George Chapman

Add all your aids; mix earth and heav’n together with the fight

  Achilles urgeth.” These his words did such a war excite

  As no man’s pow’r could wrastle down; the Gods with parted hearts

  Departed heav’n, and made earth war. To guide the Grecian darts,

  Juno and Pallas, with the God that doth the earth embrace,

  And most-for-man’s-use Mercury (whom good wise inwards grace)

  Were partially and all employ’d; and with them halted down

  (Proud of his strength) lame Mulciber, his walkers quite misgrown,

  But made him tread exceeding sure. To aid the Ilian side,

  The changeable in arms went, Mars; and him accompanied

  Diana that delights in shafts, and Phœbus never shorn,

  And Aphrodite laughter-pleas’d, and She of whom was born

  Still young Apollo, and the Flood that runs on golden sands

  Bright Xanthus. All these aided Troy; and, till these lent their hands,

  The Grecians triumph’d in the aid Æacides did add;

  The Trojans trembling with his sight; so gloriously clad

  He overshin’d the field, and Mars no harmfuller than he,

  He bore the iron stream on clear. But when Jove’s high decree

  Let fall the Gods amongst their troops, the field swell’d, and the fight

  Grew fierce and horrible. The Dame, that armies doth excite,

  Thunder’d with clamour, sometimes set at dike without the wall,

  And sometimes on the bellowing shore. On th’ other side, the call

  Of Mars to fight was terrible, he cried out like a storm,

  Set on the city’s pinnacles; and there he would inform

  Sometimes his heart’nings, other times where Simois pours on

  His silver current at the foot of high Callicolon.

  And thus the bless’d Gods both sides urg’d; they all stood in the mids,

  And brake contention to the hosts. And over all their heads

  The Gods’ King in abhorréd claps his thunder rattled out.

  Beneath them Neptune toss’d the earth; the mountains round about

  Bow’d with affright and shook their heads; Jove’s hill the earthquake felt,

  (Steep Ida) trembling at her roots, and all her fountains spilt,

  Their brows all crannied; Troy did nod; the Grecian navy play’d

  As on the sea; th’ Infernal King, that all things frays, was fray’d,

  And leap’d affrighted from his throne, cried out, lest over him

  Neptune should rend in two the earth, and so his house, so dim,

  So loathsome, filthy, and abhorr’d of all the Gods beside,

  Should open both to Gods and men. Thus all things shook and cried,

  When this black battle of the Gods was joining. Thus array’d

  ‘Gainst Neptune, Phœbus with wing’d shafts; ‘gainst Mars, the blue-ey’d Maid;

  ‘Gainst Juno, Phœbe, whose white hands bore singing darts of gold,

  Her side arm’d with a sheaf of shafts, and (by the birth twofold

  Of bright Latona) sister twin to Him that shoots so far.

  Against Latona, Hermes stood, grave guard, in peace and war,

  Of human beings. ‘Gainst the God, whose empire is in fire,

  The wat’ry Godhead, that great Flood, to show whose pow’r entire

  In spoil as th’ other, all his stream on lurking whirlpits trod,

  Xanthus by Gods, by men Scamander, call’d. Thus God ‘gainst God

  Enter’d the field. Æacides sustain’d a fervent mind

  To cope with Hector; past all these, his spirit stood inclin’d

  To glut Mars with the blood of him. And at Æacides

  Apollo sent Anchises’ son; but first he did impress

  A more than natural strength in him, and made him feel th’ excess

  Infus’d from heav’n; Lycaon’s shape gave show to his address,

  (Old Priam’s son) and thus he spake: “Thou counsellor of Troy,

  Where now fly out those threats that late put all our peers in joy

  Of thy fight with Æacides? Thy tongue once, steep’d in wine,

  Durst vaunt as much.” He answer’d him: “But why wouldst thou incline

  My pow’rs ‘gainst that proud enemy, and ‘gainst my present heat?

  I mean not now to bid him blows. That fear sounds my retreat,

  That heretofore discourag’d me, when after he had ras’d

  Lyrnessus, and strong Pedasus, his still breath’d fury chas’d

  Our oxen from th’ Idæan hill, and set on me; but Jove

  Gave strength and knees, and bore me off, that had not walk’d above

  This centre now but propp’d by him; Minerva’s hand (that held

  A light to this her favourite, whose beams show’d and impell’d

  His pow’rs to spoil) had ruin’d me, for these ears heard her cry:

  ‘Kill, kill the seed of Ilion, kill th’ Asian Lelegi.’

  Mere man then must not fight with him that still hath Gods to friend,

  Averting death on others’ darts, and giving his no end

  But with the ends of men. If God like fortune in the fight

  Would give my forces, not with ease wing’d victory should light

  On his proud shoulders, nor he ‘scape, though all of brass he boasts

  His plight consisteth.” He replied: “Pray thou those Gods of hosts,

  Whom he implores, as well as he; and his chance may be thine;

  Thou cam’st of Gods like him; the Queen that reigns in Salamine

  Fame sounds thy mother; he deriv’d of lower Deity,

  Old Nereus’ daughter bearing him. Bear then thy heart as high,

  And thy unwearied steel as right; nor utterly be beat

  With only cruelty of words, not proof against a threat.”

  This strengthen’d him, and forth he rush’d; nor could his strength’ning fly

  White-wristed Juno, nor his drifts. She ev’ry Deity

  Of th’ Achive faction called to her, and said: “Ye must have care,

  Neptune and Pallas, for the frame of this important war

  Ye undertake here. Venus’ son, by Phœbus being impell’d,

  Runs on Achilles; turn him back, or see our friend upheld

  By one of us. Let not the spirit of Æacides

  Be over-dar’d, but make him know the mightiest Deities

  Stand kind to him; and that the Gods, protectors of these tow’rs

  That fight against Greece, and were here before our eminent pow’rs,

  Bear no importance. And besides, that all we stoop from heav’n,

  To curb this fight, that no impair be to his person giv’n

  By any Trojans, nor their aids, while this day bears the sun.

  Hereafter, all things that are wrapp’d in his birth-thread, and spun

  By Parcas in that point of time his mother gave him air,

  He must sustain. But if report perform not the repair

  Of all this to him, by the voice of some Immortal State,

  He may be fearful (if some God should set on him) that Fate

  Makes him her minister. The Gods, when they appear to men,

  And manifest their proper forms, are passing dreadful then.”

  Neptune replied: “Saturnia, at no time let your care

  Exceed your reason; ’tis not fit. Where only humans are,

  We must not mix the hands of Gods, our odds is too extreme.

  Sit we by, in some place of height, where we may see to them,

  And leave the wars of men to men. But if we see from thence

  Or Mars or Phœbus enter fight, or offer least offence

  To Thetis’ son, not giving free way to his conqu’ring rage,

  Then comes the conflict to our cares; we soon shall disengage

  Achilles, and send them to heav’n, to settle their abode

  With equals, flying under-strifes.” Th
is said, the black-hair’d God

  Led to the tow’r of Hercules, built circular and high

  By Pallas and the Ilians, for fit security

  To Jove’s divine son ‘gainst the whale, that drave him from the shore

  To th’ ample field. There Neptune sat, and all the Gods that bore

  The Greeks good meaning, casting all thick mantles made of clouds

  On their bright shoulders. Th’ oppos’d Gods sat hid in other shrouds

  On top of steep Callicolon, about thy golden sides,

  O Phœbus, brandisher of darts, and thine, whose rage abides

  No peace in cities. In this state, these Gods in council sate,

  All ling’ring purpos’d fight, to try who first would elevate

  His heav’nly weapon. High-thron’d Jove cried out to set them on,

  Said, all the field was full of men, and that the earth did groan

  With feet of proud encounterers, burn’d with the arms of men

  And barbed horse. Two champions for both the armies then

  Met in their midst prepar’d for blows; divine Æacides,

  And Venus’ son. Æneas first stepp’d threat’ning forth the prease,

  His high helm nodding, and his breast barr’d with a shady shield,

  And shook his jav’lin. Thetis’ son did his part to the field.

  As when the harmful king of beasts (sore threaten’d to be slain

  By all the country up in arms) at first makes coy disdain

  Prepare resistance, but at last, when anyone hath led

  Bold charge upon him with his dart, he then turns yawning head,

  Fell anger lathers in his jaws, his great heart swells, his stern

  Lasheth his strength up, sides and thighs waddled with stripes to learn

  Their own pow’r, his eyes glow, he roars, and in he leaps to kill,

  Secure of killing; so his pow’r then rous’d up to his will

  Matchless Achilles, coming on to meet Anchises’ son.

  Both near, Achilles thus inquir’d: “Why stand’st thou thus alone,

  Thou son of Venus? Calls thy heart to change of blows with me?

  Sure Troy’s whole kingdom is propos’d: some one hath promis’d thee

  The throne of Priam for my life; but Priam’s self is wise,

  And, for my slaughter, not so mad to make his throne thy prise.

  Priam hath sons to second him. Is’t then some piece of land,

  Past others fit to set and sow, that thy victorious hand

  The Ilians offer for my head? I hope that prise will prove

  No easy conquest. Once, I think, my busy jav’lin drove,

  With terror, those thoughts from your spleen. Retain’st thou not the time,

  When single on th’ Idæan hill I took thee with the crime

  Of runaway, thy oxen left, and when thou hadst no face

  That I could see; thy knees bereft it, and Lyrnessus was

  The mask for that? Then that mask, too, I open’d to the air

  (By Jove and Pallas’ help) and took the free light from the fair,

  Your ladies bearing prisoners; but Jove and th’ other Gods

  Then saft thee. Yet again I hope, they will not add their odds

  To save thy wants, as thou presum’st. Retire then, aim not at

  Troy’s throne by me; fly ere thy soul flies; fools are wise too late.”

  He answer’d him: “Hope not that words can child-like terrify

  My stroke-proof breast. I well could speak in this indecency,

  And use tart terms; but we know well what stock us both put out,

  Too gentle to bear fruits so rude. Our parents ring about

  The world’s round bosom, and by fame their dignities are blown

  To both our knowledges, by sight neither to either known,

  Thine to mine eyes, nor mine to thine. Fame sounds thy worthiness

  From famous Peleus; the sea-nymph, that hath the lovely tress,

  Thetis, thy mother; I myself affirm my sire to be

  Great-soul’d Anchises; she that holds the Paphian Deity,

  My mother. And of these this light is now t’ exhale the tears

  For their lov’d issue; thee or me; childish, unworthy, dares

  Are not enough to part our pow’rs; for if thy spirits want

  Due excitation, by distrust of that desert I vaunt,

  To set up all rests for my life, I’ll lineally prove

  (Which many will confirm) my race. First, cloud-commanding Jove

  Was sire to Dardanus, that built Dardania; for the walls

  Of sacred Ilion spread not yet these fields; those fair-built halls

  Of divers-languag’d men, not rais’d; all then made populous

  The foot of Ida’s fountful hill. This Jove-got Dardanus

  Begot king Erichthonius, for wealth past all compares

  Of living mortals; in his fens he fed three thousand mares,

  All neighing by their tender foals, of which twice-six were bred

  By lofty Boreas, their dams lov’d by him as they fed,

  He took the brave form of a horse that shook an azure mane,

  And slept with them. These twice-six colts had pace so swift, they ran

  Upon the top-ayles of corn-ears, nor bent them any whit;

  And when the broad back of the sea their pleasure was to sit,

  The superficies of his waves they slid upon, their hoves

  Not dipp’d in dank sweat of his brows. Of Erichthonius’ loves

  Sprang Tros, the king of Trojans. Tros three young princes bred,

  Ilus, renown’d Assaracus, and heav’nly Ganymed

  The fairest youth of all that breath’d, whom, for his beauty’s love,

  The Gods did ravish to their state, to bear the cup to Jove.

  Ilus begot Laomedon, God-like Laomedon

  Got Tithon, Priam, Clytius, Mars-like Hycetaon,

  And Lampus. Great Assaracus, Capys begot; and he

  Anchises. Prince Anchises, me. King Priam, Hector. We

  Sprang both of one high family. Thus fortunate men give birth,

  But Jove gives virtue; he augments, and he impairs the worth

  Of all men; and his will their rule; he, strong’st, all strength affords.

  Why then paint we, like dames, the face of conflict with our words?

  Both may give language that a ship, driv’n with a hundred oars,

  Would overburthen. A man’s tongue is voluble, and pours

  Words out of all sorts ev’ry way. Such as you speak you hear.

  What then need we vie calumnies, like women that will wear

  Their tongues out, being once incens’d, and strive for strife to part

  (Being on their way) they travel so? From words, words may avert;

  From virtue, not. It is your steel, divine Æacides,

  Must prove my proof, as mine shall yours.” Thus amply did he ease

  His great heart of his pedigree; and sharply sent away

  A dart that caught Achilles’ shield, and rung so it did fray

  The son of Thetis, his fair hand far-thrusting out his shield,

  For fear the long lance had driv’n through. O fool, to think

  ’twould yield,

  And not to know the God’s firm gifts want want to yield so soon

  To men’s poor pow’rs. The eager lance had only conquest won

  Of two plates, and the shield had five, two forg’d of tin, two brass,

  One, that was centre-plate, of gold; and that forbad the pass

  Of Anchisiades’s lance. Then sent Achilles forth

  His lance, that through the first fold strook, where brass of little worth

  And no great proof of hides was laid; through all which Pelias ran

  His iron head, and after it his ashen body wan

  Pass to the earth, and there it stuck, his top on th’ other side,

  And hung the shield up; which hard down Æneas pluck’d, to hider />
  His breast from sword blows, shrunk up round, and in his heavy eye

  Was much grief shadow’d, much afraid that Pelias stuck so nigh.

  Then prompt Achilles rushing in, his sword drew; and the field

  Rung with his voice. Æneas now, left and let hang his shield,

  And all-distracted, up he snatch’d a two-men’s strength of stone,

  And either at his shield or casque he set it rudely gone,

  Nor car’d where, so it strook a place that put on arms for death.

  But he (Achilles came so close) had doubtless sunk beneath

  His own death had not Neptune seen and interpos’d the odds

  Of his divine pow’r, utt’ring this to the Achaian Gods:

  “I grieve for this great-hearted man; he will be sent to hell,

  Ev’n instantly, by Peleus’ son, being only mov’d to deal

  By Phœbus’ words. What fool is he! Phœbus did never mean

  To add to his great words his guard against the ruin then

  Summon’d against him. And what cause, hath he to head him on

  To others’ mis’ries, he being clear of any trespass done

  Against the Grecians? Thankful gifts he oft hath giv’n to us.

  Let us then quit him, and withdraw this combat; for if thus

  Achilles end him, Jove will rage; since his escape in fate

  Is purpos’d, lest the progeny of Dardanus take date,

  Whom Jove, past all his issue, lov’d, begot of mortal dames.

  All Priam’s race he hates; and this must propagate the names

  Of Trojans, and their sons’ sons’ rule, to all posterity.”

  Saturnia said: “Make free your pleasure. Save, or let him die.

  Pallas and I have taken many, and most public, oaths,

  That th’ ill day never shall avert her eye, red with our wroths,

  From hated Troy; no, not when all in studied fire she flames

  The Greek rage, blowing her last coal.” This nothing turn’d his aims

  From present rescue, but through all the whizzing spears he pass’d,

  And came where both were combating; when instantly he cast

  A mist before Achilles’ eyes, drew from the earth and shield

  His lance, and laid it at his feet; and then took up and held

  Aloft the light Anchises’ son, who pass’d, with Neptune’s force,

  Whole orders of heroës’ heads, and many a troop of horse

  Leap’d over, till the bounds he reach’d of all the fervent broil,

  Where all the Caucons’ quarters lay. Thus, far freed from the toil,

  Neptune had time to use these words: “Æneas, who was he