by Homer
Retire, and be not tempted on (with pride, to see thy hand
Rain slaughter’d carcasses on earth) to run forth thy command
As far as Ilion, lest the gods that favour Troy come forth
To thy encounter; for the Sun much loves it, and my worth
(In what thou suffer’st) will be wrong’d, that I would let my friend
Assume an action of such weight without me, and transcend
His friend’s prescription. Do not then affect a further fight
Than I may strengthen: let the rest (when thou hast done this right)
Perform the rest. O would to Jove, thou Pallas, and thou Sun,
That not a man hous’d underneath those tow’rs of Ilion,
Nor any one of all the Greeks (how infinite a sum
Soever all together make) might live unovercome,
But only we two (’scaping death) might have the thund’ring down
Of every stone stuck in the walls of this so sacred town.’
Thus spake they only ’twixt themselves. And now the foe no more
Could Ajax stand, being so oppress’d with all the iron store
The Trojans pour’d on; with those darts, and with Jove’s will beside,
His pow’rs were cloy’d, and his bright helm did deaf’ning blows abide;
His plume and all head ornaments could never hang in rest,
His arm yet labour’d up his shield, and having done their best,
They could not stir him from his stand, although he wrought it out
With short respirings, and with sweat, that ceaseless flow’d about
His reeking limbs, no least time giv’n to take in any breath.
Ill strengthen’d ill; when one was up, another was beneath.
Now, Muses, you that dwell in heav’n, the dreadful mean inspire
That first enforc’d the Grecian fleet to take in Trojan fire:
First Hector, with his huge broad sword, cut off, at setting on,
The head of Ajax’ ashen lance; which Ajax seeing gone,
And that he shook a headless spear (a little while unware),
His wary spirits told him straight the hand of heav’n was there,
And trembled under his conceit; which was, that ’twas Jove’s deed:
Who, as he poll’d off his dart’s head, so, sure, he had decreed
That all the counsels of their war he would poll off like it,
And give the Trojans victory: so trusted he his wit,
And left his darts. And then the ship was heap’d with horrid brands
Of kindling fire, which instantly was seen through all the strands
In unextinguishable flames, that all the ship embrac’d:
And then Achilles beat his thighs, cried out: ‘Patroclus, haste;
Make way with horse: I see at fleet a fire of fearful rage.
Arm, arm, lest all our fleet it fire, and all our pow’r engage;
Arm quickly, I’ll bring up the troops.’ To these so dreadful wars
Patroclus, in Achilles’ arms, enlighten’d all with stars,
And richly ’ameld, all haste made: he wore his sword, his shield,
His huge-plum’d helm, and two such spears as he could nimbly wield.
But the most fam’d Achilles’ spear, big, solid, full of weight,
He only left of all his arms; for that far pass’d the might
Of any Greek to shake but his; Achilles’ only ire
Shook that huge weapon, that was given by Chiron to his sire,
Cut from the top of Pelion, to be heroës’ deaths.
His steeds Automedon straight join’d, like whom no man that breathes
(Next Peleus’ son) Patroclus lov’d; for like him, none so great
He found, in faith, at every fight, nor to out-look a threat.
Automedon did therefore guide (for him) Achilles’ steeds:
Xanthius and Balius swift as wind, begotten by the seeds
Of Zephyr and the harpy-born Podarge, in a mead
Close to the wavy ocean, where that fierce harpy fed.
Automedon join’d these before, and with the hindmost geres
He fasten’d famous Pedasus, whom from the massacres
Made by Achilles, when he took Eëtion’s wealthy town,
He brought, and (though of mortal race) yet gave him the renown
To follow his immortal horse. And now, before his tents,
Himself had seen his Myrmidons, in all habiliments
Of dreadful war. And when ye see (upon a mountain bred)
A den of wolves (about whose hearts unmeasur’d strengths are fed)
New come from currie of a stag, their jaws all blood-besmear’d,
And when from some black water-fount they all together herd,
There having plentifully lapp’d, with thin and thrust-out tongues,
The top and clearest of the spring, go belching from their lungs
The clotter’d gore, look dreadfully, and entertain no dread,
Their bellies gaunt all taken up with being so rawly fed:
Then say that such, in strength and look, were great Achilles’ men
Now order’d for the dreadful fight: and so with all them then
Their princes and their chiefs did show about their general’s friend –
His friend, and all about himself, who chiefly did intend
Th’ embattelling of horse and foot. To that siege, held so long,
Twice five and twenty sail he brought; twice five and twenty strong
Of able men was every sail: five colonels he made
Of all those forces, trusty men, and all of pow’r to lead,
But he of pow’r beyond them all. Menesthius was one,
That ever wore discolour’d arms; he was a river’s son
That fell from heav’n, and good to drink was his delightful stream:
His name, unwearied Sperchius. He lov’d the lovely dame,
Fair Polydora, Peleus’ seed, and dear in Borus’ sight;
And she, to that celestial flood, gave this Menesthius light,
A woman mixing with a god. Yet Borus bore the name
Of father to Menesthius, he marrying the dame,
And giving her a mighty dow’r; he was the kind descent
Of Perieris. The next man renown’d with regiment
Was strong Eudorus, brought to life by one suppos’d a maid,
Bright Polymela (Phylas’ seed) but had the wanton play’d
With Argus-killing Mercury, who (fir’d with her fair eyes
As she was singing in the quire of her that makes the cries
In clamorous hunting, and doth bear the crooked bow of gold)
Stole to her bed, in that chaste room that Phebe chaste did hold,
And gave her that swift-warlike son (Eudorus), brought to light
As she was dancing: but as soon as she that rules the plight
Of labouring women, eas’d her throes, and show’d her son the sun,
Strong Echelcaeus, Actor’s heir, woo’d earnestly, and won
Her second favour, seeing her with gifts of infinite prize,
And after brought her to his house, where in his grandsire’s eyes
(Old Phylas) Polymela’s son obtain’d exceeding grace,
And found as careful bringing up, as of his natural race
He had descended. The third chief was fair Memalides
Pysandrus, who in skill of darts obtain’d supremest praise
Of all the Myrmidons, except their lord’s companion:
The fourth charge aged Phoenix had. The fifth, Alcimedon,
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Son of Laercus, and much fam’d. All these digested thus
In fit place, by the mighty son of royal Peleus,
This stern remembrance he gave all: ‘You Myrmidons,’ said he,
‘Lest any of you should forget his threat’nings used to me
In this place, and through all the time that my just anger reign’d,
Attempting me with bitter words for being so restrain’d
(For my hot humour) from the fight, remember them, as these:
“Thou cruel son of Peleus, whom she that rules the seas
Did only nourish with her gall, thou dost ungently hold
Our hands against our wills from fight; we will not be controll’d,
But take our ships, and sail for home, before we loiter here,
And feed thy fury.” These high words exceeding often were
The threats that in your mutinous troops ye us’d to me for wrath
To be detain’d so from the field: now then, your spleens may bathe
In sweat of those great works ye wish’d; now he that can employ
A generous heart, go fight, and fright these bragging sons of Troy.’
This set their minds and strengths on fire, the speech enforcing well,
Being us’d in time – but being their king’s, it much more did impel,
And closer rush’d in all the troops. And as, for buildings high,
The mason lays his stones more thick, against th’ extremity
Of wind and weather; and ev’n then, if any storm arise,
He thickens them the more for that, the present act so plies
His honest mind to make sure work: so for the high estate
This work was brought to, these men’s minds (according to the rate)
Were rais’d, and all their bodies join’d; but their well-spoken king,
With his so timely-thought-on speech more sharp made valour’s sting,
And thicken’d so their targets’ host, so all their helmets then,
That shields propp’d shields, helms helmets knock’d, and men encourag’d men.
Patroclus and Automedon did arm before them all,
Two bodies with one mind inform’d; and then the general
Betook him to his private tent, where from a coffer wrought
Most rich and curiously, and given by Thetis, to be brought
In his own ship, top-fill’d with vests, warm robes to check cold wind,
And tapestries, all golden-fring’d, and curl’d with thrumbs behind,
He took a most unvalued bowl, in which none drank but he;
Nor he, but to the deities; nor any deity
But Jove himself was serv’d with that; and that he first did cleanse
With sulphur, then with fluences of sweetest water rense;
Then wash’d his hands, and drew himself a mighty bowl of wine,
Which (standing midst the place enclos’d for services divine,
And looking up to heaven and Jove, who saw him well) he pour’d
Upon the place of sacrifice, and humbly thus implor’d:
‘Great Dodonaeus, president of cold Dodonas’ towr’s;
Divine Pelasgicus, that dwell’st far hence, about whose bow’rs
Th’ austere prophetic Selli dwell, that still sleep on the ground,
Go bare, and never cleanse their feet – as I before have found
Grace to my vows, and hurt to Greece, so now my prayers intend.
I still stay in the gather’d fleet, but have dismiss’d my friend
Amongst my many Myrmidons to danger of the dart.
O grant his valour my renown, arm with my mind his heart,
That Hector’s self may know my friend can work in single war,
And not then only show his hands, so hot and singular,
When my kind presence seconds him: but fight he ne’er so well,
No further let him trust his fight, but, when he shall repel
Clamour and danger from our fleet, vouchsafe a safe retreat
To him and all his companies, with fames and arms complete.’
He pray’d, and heav’n’s great counsellor gave satisfying ear
To one part of his orisons, but left the other there:
He let him free the fleet of foes, but safe retreat denied.
Achilles left that outer part, where he his zeal applied,
And turn’d into his inner tent, made fast his cup, and then
Stood forth, and with his mind beheld the foes fight, and his men,
That follow’d his great-minded friend, embattled till they brake
With gallant spirit upon the foe: and as fell wasps, that make
Their dwellings in the broad high way, which foolish children use
(Their cottages being near their nests) to anger and abuse
With ever vexing them, and breed (to soothe their childish war)
A common ill to many men, since if a traveller
(That would his journey’s end apply, and pass them unassay’d)
Come near and vex them, upon him the children’s faults are laid,
For on they fly, as he were such, and still defend their own:
So far’d it with the fervent mind of every Myrmidon,
Who pour’d themselves out of their fleet upon their wanton foes,
That needs would stir them, thrust so near, and cause the overthrows
Of many others that had else been never touch’d by them,
Nor would have touch’d. Patroclus then put his wind to the stream,
And thus exhorted: ‘Now, my friends, remember you express
Your late urg’d virtue and renown, our great Aeacides,
That he being strong’st of all the Greeks, his eminence may dim
All others likewise in our strengths that far off imitate him.
And Agamemnon now may see his fault as general
As his place high, dishonouring him that so much honours all.’
Thus made he sparkle their fresh fire, and on they rush’d; the fleet
Fill’d full her hollow sides with sounds, that terribly did greet
Th’ amazed Trojans, and their eyes did second their amaze
When great Menoetius’ son they saw, and his friend’s armour blaze;
All troops stood troubled with conceit that Peleus’ son was there,
His anger cast off at the ships, and each look’d every where
For some authority to lead the then prepared flight.
Patroclus greeted with a lance the region where the fight
Made strongest tumult, near the ship Protesilaus brought,
And struck Pyrechmen, who before the fair-helm’d Paeons fought,
Led from Amydon, near whose walls the broad-stream’d Axius flows.
Through his right shoulder flew the dart, whose blow struck all the blows
In his pow’r from his pow’rless arm, and down he groaning fell:
His men all flying, their leader fled. This one dart did repel
The whole guard placed about the ship, whose fire extinct, half burn’d,
The Paeons left her, and full cry to clamorous flight return’d.
Then spread the Greeks about their ships, triumphant tumult flow’d,
And as from top of some steep hill the Lightner strips a cloud,
And lets a great sky out from heav’n, in whose delightsome light
All prominent foreheads, forests, tow’rs, and temples clear the sight:
So clear’d these Greeks this Trojan cloud, and at their ships and tents
Obtain’d a little time to breathe, but found no present vents
To their inclusions; nor did Troy (though these Paeonians fled)
Lose any ground, but from this ship they needfully turn’d head.
Then every man a man subdu’d; Patroclus in the thigh
Struck Areïlicus; his dart the bone did break and fly
Quite through, and sunk him to the earth. Good Menelaus slew
Accomplish’d Thoas, in whose breast (being nak’d) his lance he threw
Above his shield, and freed his soul. Phylides (taking note
That bold Amphidus bent on him) prevented him, and smote
His thigh’s extreme part, where (of man) his fattest muscle lies,
The nerves torn with his lance’s pile, and darkness clos’d his eyes.
Antilochus Atymnius seiz’d; his steel lance did impress
His first three guts, and loos’d his life. At young Nestorides,
Maris, Atymnius’ brother flew, and at him, Thrasimed
(The brother to Antilochus); his eager javelin’s head
The muscles of his arm cut out, and shiver’d all the bone;
Night clos’d his eyes, his lifeless corse his brother fell upon,
And so by two kind brothers’ hands did two kind brothers bleed,
Both being divine Sarpedon’s friends, and were the darting seed
Of Amisodarus, that kept the bane of many men,
Abhorr’d Chimaera, and such bane now caught his childeren.
Ajax Oïleades did take Cleobulus alive,
Invading him (stay’d by the press), and at him then let drive
With his short sword, that cut his neck, whose blood warm’d all the steel,
And cold death, with a violent fate, his sable eyes did seal.
Peneleus and Lycon cast together off their darts;
Both miss’d, and both together then went with their swords; in parts
The blade and hilt went, laying on upon the helmet’s height.
Peneleus’ sword caught Lycon’s neck, and cut it thorough quite;
His head hung by the very skin. The swift Meriones
(Pursuing flying Acamas) just as he got access
To horse and chariot, overtook, and took him such a blow
On his right shoulder, that he left his chariot, and did strow
The dusty earth; life left his limbs, and night his eyes possess’d.
Idomenaeus his stern dart at Erymas address’d,
As (like to Acamas) he fled; he cut the sundry bones
Beneath his brain, betwixt his neck and foreparts, and so runs