William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works

by William Cowper

  To make me downy-cheek’d as in my youth;

  Such as when erst from Hellas beauty-famed

  I fled, escaping from my father’s wrath 555

  Amyntor, son of Ormenus, who loved

  A beauteous concubine, and for her sake

  Despised his wife and persecuted me.

  My mother suppliant at my knees, with prayer

  Perpetual importuned me to embrace 560

  The damsel first, that she might loathe my sire.

  I did so; and my father soon possess’d

  224 With hot suspicion of the fact, let loose

  A storm of imprecation, in his rage

  Invoking all the Furies to forbid 565

  That ever son of mine should press his knees.

  Tartarian Jove and dread Persephone

  Fulfill’d his curses; with my pointed spear

  I would have pierced his heart, but that my wrath

  Some Deity assuaged, suggesting oft 570

  What shame and obloquy I should incur,

  Known as a parricide through all the land.

  At length, so treated, I resolved to dwell

  No longer in his house. My friends, indeed,

  And all my kindred compass’d me around 575

  With much entreaty, wooing me to stay;

  Oxen and sheep they slaughter’d, many a plump

  Well-fatted brawn extended in the flames,

  And drank the old man’s vessels to the lees.

  Nine nights continual at my side they slept, 580

  While others watch’d by turns, nor were the fires

  Extinguish’d ever, one, beneath the porch

  Of the barr’d hall, and one that from within

  The vestibule illumed my chamber door.

  But when the tenth dark night at length arrived, 585

  Sudden the chamber doors bursting I flew

  That moment forth, and unperceived alike

  By guards and menial woman, leap’d the wall.

  Through spacious Hellas flying thence afar,

  I came at length to Phthia the deep-soil’d, 590

  Mother of flocks, and to the royal house

  Of Peleus; Peleus with a willing heart

  Receiving, loved me as a father loves

  His only son, the son of his old age,

  225 Inheritor of all his large demesnes. 595

  He made me rich; placed under my control

  A populous realm, and on the skirts I dwelt

  Of Phthia, ruling the Dolopian race.

  Thee from my soul, thou semblance of the Gods,

  I loved, and all illustrious as thou art, 600

  Achilles! such I made thee. For with me,

  Me only, would’st thou forth to feast abroad,

  Nor would’st thou taste thy food at home, ‘till first

  I placed thee on my knees, with my own hand

  Thy viands carved and fed thee, and the wine 605

  Held to thy lips; and many a time, in fits

  Of infant frowardness, the purple juice

  Rejecting thou hast deluged all my vest,

  And fill’d my bosom. Oh, I have endured

  Much, and have also much perform’d for thee, 610

  Thus purposing, that since the Gods vouchsaf’d

  No son to me, thyself shouldst be my son,

  Godlike Achilles! who shouldst screen perchance

  From a foul fate my else unshelter’d age.

  Achilles! bid thy mighty spirit down. 615

  Thou shouldst not be thus merciless; the Gods,

  Although more honorable, and in power

  And virtue thy superiors, are themselves

  Yet placable; and if a mortal man

  Offend them by transgression of their laws, 620

  Libation, incense, sacrifice, and prayer,

  In meekness offer’d turn their wrath away.

  Prayers are Jove’s daughters, wrinkled, lame, slant-eyed,

  Which though far distant, yet with constant pace

  Follow Offence. Offence, robust of limb, 625

  226 And treading firm the ground, outstrips them all,

  And over all the earth before them runs

  Hurtful to man. They, following, heal the hurt.

  Received respectfully when they approach,

  They help us, and our prayers hear in return. 630

  But if we slight, and with obdurate heart

  Resist them, to Saturnian Jove they cry

  Against us, supplicating that Offence

  May cleave to us for vengeance of the wrong.

  Thou, therefore, O Achilles! honor yield 635

  To Jove’s own daughters, vanquished, as the brave

  Have ofttimes been, by honor paid to thee.

  For came not Agamemnon as he comes

  With gifts in hand, and promises of more

  Hereafter; burn’d his anger still the same, 640

  I would not move thee to renounce thy own,

  And to assist us, howsoe’er distress’d.

  But now, not only are his present gifts

  Most liberal, and his promises of more

  Such also, but these Princes he hath sent 645

  Charged with entreaties, thine especial friends,

  And chosen for that cause, from all the host.

  Slight not their embassy, nor put to shame

  Their intercession. We confess that once

  Thy wrath was unreprovable and just. 650

  Thus we have heard the heroes of old times

  Applauded oft, whose anger, though intense,

  Yet left them open to the gentle sway

  Of reason and conciliatory gifts.

  I recollect an ancient history, 655

  Which, since all here are friends, I will relate.

  The brave Ætolians and Curetes met

  Beneath the walls of Calydon, and fought

  With mutual slaughter; the Ætolian powers

  In the defence of Calydon the fair, 660

  And the Curetes bent to lay it waste:

  That strife Diana of the golden throne

  Kindled between them, with resentment fired

  227 That Oeneus had not in some fertile spot

  The first fruits of his harvest set apart 665

  To her; with hecatombs he entertained

  All the Divinities of heaven beside,

  And her alone, daughter of Jove supreme,

  Or through forgetfulness, or some neglect,

  Served not; omission careless and profane! 670

  She, progeny of Jove, Goddess shaft-arm’d,

  A savage boar bright-tusk’d in anger sent,

  Which haunting Oeneus’ fields much havoc made.

  Trees numerous on the earth in heaps he cast

  Uprooting them, with all their blossoms on. 675

  But Meleager, Oeneus’ son, at length

  Slew him, the hunters gathering and the hounds

  Of numerous cities; for a boar so vast

  Might not be vanquish’d by the power of few,

  And many to their funeral piles he sent. 680

  Then raised Diana clamorous dispute,

  And contest hot between them, all alike,

  Curetes and Ætolians fierce in arms

  The boar’s head claiming, and his bristly hide.

  So long as warlike Meleager fought, 685

  Ætolia prosper’d, nor with all their powers

  Could the Curetes stand before the walls.

  But when resentment once had fired the heart

  Of Meleager, which hath tumult oft

  Excited in the breasts of wisest men, 690

  (For his own mother had his wrath provoked

  Althæa) thenceforth with his wedded wife

  He dwelt, fair Cleopatra, close retired.

  She was Marpessa’s daughter, whom she bore

  To Idas, bravest warrior in his day 695

  Of all on earth. He fear’d not ‘gainst the King

&nb
sp; Himself Apollo, for the lovely nymph

  Marpessa’s sake, his spouse, to bend his bow.

  Her, therefore, Idas and Marpessa named

  Thenceforth Alcyone, because the fate 700

  Of sad Alcyone Marpessa shared,

  228 And wept like her, by Phœbus forced away.

  Thus Meleager, tortured with the pangs

  Of wrath indulged, with Cleopatra dwelt,

  Vex’d that his mother cursed him; for, with grief 705

  Frantic, his mother importuned the Gods

  To avenge her slaughter’d brothers on his head.

  Oft would she smite the earth, while on her knees

  Seated, she fill’d her bosom with her tears,

  And call’d on Pluto and dread Proserpine 710

  To slay her son; nor vain was that request,

  But by implacable Erynnis heard

  Roaming the shades of Erebus. Ere long

  The tumult and the deafening din of war

  Roar’d at the gates, and all the batter’d towers 715

  Resounded. Then the elders of the town

  Dispatch’d the high-priests of the Gods to plead

  With Meleager for his instant aid,

  With strong assurances of rich reward.

  Where Calydon afforded fattest soil 720

  They bade him choose to his own use a farm

  Of fifty measured acres, vineyard half,

  And half of land commodious for the plow.

  Him Oeneus also, warrior grey with age,

  Ascending to his chamber, and his doors 725

  Smiting importunate, with earnest prayers

  Assay’d to soften, kneeling to his son.

  Nor less his sisters woo’d him to relent,

  Nor less his mother; but in vain; he grew

  Still more obdurate. His companions last, 730

  The most esteem’d and dearest of his friends,

  The same suit urged, yet he persisted still

  Relentless, nor could even they prevail.

  But when the battle shook his chamber-doors

  And the Curetes climbing the high towers 735

  Had fired the spacious city, then with tears

  The beauteous Cleopatra, and with prayers

  229 Assail’d him; in his view she set the woes

  Numberless of a city storm’d — the men

  Slaughter’d, the city burnt to dust, the chaste 740

  Matrons with all their children dragg’d away.

  That dread recital roused him, and at length

  Issuing, he put his radiant armor on.

  Thus Meleager, gratifying first

  His own resentment from a fatal day 745

  Saved the Ætolians, who the promised gift

  Refused him, and his toils found no reward.

  But thou, my son, be wiser; follow thou

  No demon who would tempt thee to a course

  Like his; occasion more propitious far 750

  Smiles on thee now, than if the fleet were fired.

  Come, while by gifts invited, and receive

  From all the host, the honors of a God;

  For shouldst thou, by no gifts induced, at last

  Enter the bloody field, although thou chase 755

  The Trojans hence, yet less shall be thy praise.

  Then thus Achilles, matchless in the race.

  Phœnix, my guide, wise, noble and revered!

  I covet no such glory! the renown

  Ordain’d by Jove for me, is to resist 760

  All importunity to quit my ships

  While I have power to move, or breath to draw.

  Hear now, and mark me well. Cease thou from tears.

  Confound me not, pleading with sighs and sobs

  In Agamemnon’s cause; O love not him, 765

  Lest I renounce thee, who am now thy friend.

  Assist me rather, as thy duty bids,

  Him to afflict, who hath afflicted me,

  So shalt thou share my glory and my power.

  These shall report as they have heard, but here 770

  Rest thou this night, and with the rising morn

  We will decide, to stay or to depart.

  He ceased, and silent, by a nod enjoin’d

  Patroclus to prepare an easy couch

  For Phœnix, anxious to dismiss the rest 775

  230 Incontinent; when Ajax, godlike son

  Of Telamon, arising, thus began.

  Laertes’ noble son, for wiles renown’d:

  Depart we now; for I perceive that end

  Or fruit of all our reasonings shall be none. 780

  It is expedient also that we bear

  Our answer back (unwelcome as it is)

  With all dispatch, for the assembled Greeks

  Expect us. Brave Achilles shuts a fire

  Within his breast; the kindness of his friends, 785

  And the respect peculiar by ourselves

  Shown to him, on his heart work no effect.

  Inexorable man! others accept

  Even for a brother slain, or for a son

  Due compensation; the delinquent dwells 790

  Secure at home, and the receiver, soothed

  And pacified, represses his revenge.

  But thou, resentful of the loss of one,

  One virgin (such obduracy of heart

  The Gods have given thee) can’st not be appeased 795

  Yet we assign thee seven in her stead,

  The most distinguish’d of their sex, and add

  Large gifts beside. Ah then, at last relent!

  Respect thy roof; we are thy guests; we come

  Chosen from the multitude of all the Greeks, 800

  Beyond them all ambitious of thy love.

  To whom Achilles, swiftest of the swift.

  My noble friend, offspring of Telamon!

  Thou seem’st sincere, and I believe thee such.

  But at the very mention of the name 805

  Of Atreus’ son, who shamed me in the sight

  Of all Achaia’s host, bearing me down

  As I had been some vagrant at his door,

  231 My bosom boils. Return ye and report

  Your answer. I no thought will entertain 810

  Of crimson war, till the illustrious son

  Of warlike Priam, Hector, blood-embrued,

  Shall in their tents the Myrmidons assail

  Themselves, and fire my fleet. At my own ship,

  And at my own pavilion it may chance 815

  That even Hector’s violence shall pause.

  He ended; they from massy goblets each

  Libation pour’d, and to the fleet their course

  Resumed direct, Ulysses at their head.

  Patroclus then his fellow-warriors bade, 820

  And the attendant women spread a couch

  For Phœnix; they the couch, obedient, spread

  With fleeces, with rich arras, and with flax

  Of subtlest woof. There hoary Phœnix lay

  In expectation of the sacred dawn. 825

  Meantime Achilles in the interior tent,

  With beauteous Diomeda by himself

  From Lesbos brought, daughter of Phorbas, lay.

  Patroclus opposite reposed, with whom

  Slept charming Iphis; her, when he had won 830

  The lofty towers of Scyros, the divine

  Achilles took, and on his friend bestow’d.

  But when those Chiefs at Agamemnon’s tent

  Arrived, the Greeks on every side arose

  With golden cups welcoming their return. 835

  All question’d them, but Agamemnon first.

  Oh worthy of Achaia’s highest praise,

  And her chief ornament, Ulysses, speak!

  Will he defend the fleet? or his big heart

  Indulging wrathful, doth he still refuse? 840

  To whom renown’d Ulysses thus replied.

  Atrides, Agamemnon, King of men!

  232 He
his resentment quenches not, nor will,

  But burns with wrath the more, thee and thy gifts

  Rejecting both. He bids thee with the Greeks 845

  Consult by what expedient thou may’st save

  The fleet and people, threatening that himself

  Will at the peep of day launch all his barks,

  And counselling, beside, the general host

  To voyage homeward, for that end as yet 850

  Of Ilium wall’d to heaven, ye shall not find,

  Since Jove the Thunderer with uplifted arm

  Protects her, and her courage hath revived.

  Thus speaks the Chief, and Ajax is prepared,

  With the attendant heralds to report 855

  As I have said. But Phœnix in the tent

  Sleeps of Achilles, who his stay desired,

  That on the morrow, if he so incline,

  The hoary warrior may attend him hence

  Home to his country, but he leaves him free. 860

  He ended. They astonish’d at his tone

  (For vehement he spake) sat silent all.

  Long silent sat the afflicted sons of Greece,

  When thus the mighty Diomede began.

  Atrides, Agamemnon, King of men! 865

  Thy supplications to the valiant son

  Of Peleus, and the offer of thy gifts

  Innumerous, had been better far withheld.

  He is at all times haughty, and thy suit

  Hath but increased his haughtiness of heart 870

  Past bounds: but let him stay or let him go

  As he shall choose. He will resume the fight

  When his own mind shall prompt him, and the Gods

  Shall urge him forth. Now follow my advice.

  Ye have refresh’d your hearts with food and wine 875

  Which are the strength of man; take now repose.

  And when the rosy-finger’d morning fair

  Shall shine again, set forth without delay

  The battle, horse and foot, before the fleet,

  And where the foremost fight, fight also thou. 880

  233 He ended; all the Kings applauded warm

  His counsel, and the dauntless tone admired

  Of Diomede. Then, due libation made,

  Each sought his tent, and took the gift of sleep.

  There is much in this book which is worthy of close attention. The consummate genius, the varied and versatile power, the eloquence, truth, and nature displayed in it, will always be admired. Perhaps there is no portion of the poem more remarkable for these attributes. — Felton.

  ARGUMENT OF THE TENTH BOOK.

  Diomede and Ulysses enter the Trojan host by night, and slay Rhesus.