William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works

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William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works Page 133

by William Cowper


  His force already, when he chased me down 115

  From Ida with his spear, what time he made

  Seizure of all our cattle, and destroy’d

  Pedasus and Lyrnessus; but I ‘scaped

  Unslain, by Jove himself empower’d to fly,

  Else had I fallen by Achilles’ hand, 120

  And by the hand of Pallas, who his steps

  Conducted, and exhorted him to slay

  Us and the Leleges. Vain, therefore, proves

  497 All mortal force to Peleus’ son opposed;

  For one, at least, of the Immortals stands 125

  Ever beside him, guardian of his life,

  And, of himself, he hath an arm that sends

  His rapid spear unerring to the mark.

  Yet, would the Gods more equal sway the scales

  Of battle, not with ease should he subdue 130

  Me, though he boast a panoply of brass.

  Him, then, Apollo answer’d, son of Jove.

  Hero! prefer to the immortal Gods

  Thy Prayer, for thee men rumor Venus’ son

  Daughter of Jove; and Peleus’ son his birth 135

  Drew from a Goddess of inferior note.

  Thy mother is from Jove; the offspring, his,

  Less noble of the hoary Ocean old.

  Go, therefore, and thy conquering spear uplift

  Against him, nor let aught his sounding words 140

  Appal thee, or his threats turn thee away.

  So saying, with martial force the Chief he fill’d,

  Who through the foremost combatants advanced

  Radiant in arms. Nor pass’d Anchises’ son

  Unseen of Juno, through the crowded ranks 145

  Seeking Achilles, but the Powers of heaven

  Convened by her command, she thus address’d.

  Neptune, and thou, Minerva! with mature

  Deliberation, ponder the event.

  Yon Chief, Æneas, dazzling bright in arms; 150

  Goes to withstand Achilles, and he goes

  Sent by Apollo; in despite of whom

  Be it our task to give him quick repulse,

  Or, of ourselves, let some propitious Power

  Strengthen Achilles with a mind exempt 155

  From terror, and with force invincible.

  So shall he know that of the Gods above

  The mightiest are his friends, with whom compared

  The favorers of Ilium in time past,

  Who stood her guardians in the bloody strife, 160

  Are empty boasters all, and nothing worth.

  498 For therefore came we down, that we may share

  This fight, and that Achilles suffer nought

  Fatal to-day, though suffer all he must

  Hereafter, with his thread of life entwined 165

  By Destiny, the day when he was born.

  But should Achilles unapprized remain

  Of such advantage by a voice divine,

  When he shall meet some Deity in the field,

  Fear then will seize him, for celestial forms 170

  Unveil’d are terrible to mortal eyes.

  To whom replied the Shaker of the shores.

  Juno! thy hot impatience needs control;

  It ill befits thee. No desire I feel

  To force into contention with ourselves 175

  Gods, our inferiors. No. Let us, retired

  To yonder hill, distant from all resort,

  There sit, while these the battle wage alone.

  But if Apollo, or if Mars the fight

  Entering, begin, themselves, to interfere 180

  Against Achilles, then will we at once

  To battle also; and, I much misdeem,

  Or glad they shall be soon to mix again

  Among the Gods on the Olympian heights,

  By strong coercion of our arms subdued. 185

  So saying, the God of Ocean azure-hair’d

  Moved foremost to the lofty mound earth-built

  Of noble Hercules, by Pallas raised

  And by the Trojans for his safe escape,

  What time the monster of the deep pursued 190

  The hero from the sea-bank o’er the plain.

  There Neptune sat, and his confederate Gods,

  Their shoulders with impenetrable clouds

  O’ermantled, while the city-spoiler Mars

  Sat with Apollo opposite on the hill 195

  Callicolone, with their aids divine.

  So, Gods to Gods in opposite aspect

  Sat ruminating, and alike the work

  All fearing to begin of arduous war,

  499 While from his seat sublime Jove urged them on. 200

  The champain all was fill’d, and with the blaze

  Illumined wide of men and steeds brass-arm’d,

  And the incumber’d earth jarr’d under foot

  Of the encountering hosts. Then, two, the rest

  Surpassing far, into the midst advanced 205

  Impatient for the fight, Anchises’ son

  Æneas and Achilles, glorious Chief!

  Æneas first, under his ponderous casque

  Nodding and menacing, advanced; before

  His breast he held the well-conducted orb 210

  Of his broad shield, and shook his brazen spear.

  On the other side, Achilles to the fight

  Flew like a ravening lion, on whose death

  Resolved, the peasants from all quarters meet;

  He, viewing with disdain the foremost, stalks 215

  Right on, but smitten by some dauntless youth

  Writhes himself, and discloses his huge fangs

  Hung with white foam; then, growling for revenge,

  Lashes himself to battle with his tail,

  Till with a burning eye and a bold heart 220

  He springs to slaughter, or himself is slain;

  So, by his valor and his noble mind

  Impell’d, renown’d Achilles moved toward

  Æneas, and, small interval between,

  Thus spake the hero matchless in the race. 225

  Why stand’st thou here, Æneas! thy own band

  Left at such distance? Is it that thine heart

  Glows with ambition to contend with me

  In hope of Priam’s honors, and to fill

  His throne hereafter in Troy steed-renown’d? 230

  But shouldst thou slay me, not for that exploit

  Would Priam such large recompense bestow,

  For he hath sons, and hath, beside, a mind

  And disposition not so lightly changed.

  Or have the Trojans of their richest soil 235

  For vineyard apt or plow assign’d thee part

  If thou shalt slay me? Difficult, I hope,

  500 At least, thou shalt experience that emprize.

  For, as I think, I have already chased

  Thee with my spear. Forgettest thou the day 240

  When, finding thee alone, I drove thee down

  Headlong from Ida, and, thy cattle left

  Afar, thou didst not dare in all thy flight

  Turn once, till at Lyrnessus safe arrived,

  Which city by Jove’s aid and by the aid 245

  Of Pallas I destroy’d, and captive led

  Their women? Thee, indeed, the Gods preserved

  But they shall not preserve thee, as thou dream’st

  Now also. Back into thy host again;

  Hence, I command thee, nor oppose in fight 250

  My force, lest evil find thee. To be taught

  By suffering only is the part of fools.

  To whom Æneas answer thus return’d.

  Pelides! hope not, as I were a boy,

  With words to scare me. I have also taunts 255

  At my command, and could be sharp as thou.

  By such reports as from the lips of men

  We oft have heard, each other’s birth we know

  And parents; but my parents to behold
<
br />   Was ne’er thy lot, nor have I thine beheld. 260

  Thee men proclaim from noble Peleus sprung

  And Thetis, bright hair’d Goddess of the Deep;

  I boast myself of lovely Venus born

  To brave Anchises; and his son this day

  In battle slain thy sire shall mourn, or mine; 265

  For I expect not that we shall depart

  Like children, satisfied with words alone.

  But if it please thee more at large to learn

  My lineage (thousands can attest it true)

  Know this. Jove, Sovereign of the storms, begat 270

  Dardanus, and ere yet the sacred walls

  Of Ilium rose, the glory of this plain,

  He built Dardania; for at Ida’s foot

  Dwelt our progenitors in ancient days.

  Dardanus was the father of a son, 275

  501 King Ericthonius, wealthiest of mankind.

  Three thousand mares of his the marish grazed,

  Each suckling with delight her tender foal.

  Boreas, enamor’d of no few of these,

  The pasture sought, and cover’d them in form 280

  Of a steed azure-maned. They, pregnant thence,

  Twelve foals produced, and all so light of foot,

  That when they wanton’d in the fruitful field

  They swept, and snapp’d it not, the golden ear;

  And when they wanton’d on the boundless deep, 285

  They skimm’d the green wave’s frothy ridge, secure.

  From Ericthonius sprang Tros, King of Troy,

  And Tros was father of three famous sons,

  Ilus, Assaracus, and Ganymede

  Loveliest of human kind, whom for his charms 290

  The Gods caught up to heaven, there to abide

  With the immortals, cup-bearer of Jove.

  Ilus begat Laomedon, and he

  Five sons, Tithonus, Priam, Clytius,

  Lampus, and Hicetaon, branch of Mars. 295

  Assaracus a son begat, by name

  Capys, and Capys in due time his son

  Warlike Anchises, and Anchises me.

  But Priam is the noble Hector’s sire.

  Such is my lineage, and such blood I boast; 300

  But valor is from Jove; he, as he wills,

  Increases or reduces it in man,

  For he is lord of all. Therefore enough —

  Too long like children we have stood, the time

  Consuming here, while battle roars around. 305

  Reproach is cheap. Easily might we cast

  Gibes at each other, till a ship that asks

  A hundred oars should sink beneath the load.

  The tongue of man is voluble, hath words

  For every theme, nor wants wide field and long, 310

  And as he speaks so shall he hear again.

  502 But we — why should we wrangle, and with taunts

  Assail each other, as the practice is

  Of women, who with heart-devouring strife

  On fire, start forth into the public way 315

  To mock each other, uttering, as may chance,

  Much truth, much falsehood, as their anger bids?

  The ardor of my courage will not slack

  For all thy speeches; we must combat first;

  Now, therefore, without more delay, begin, 320

  That we may taste each other’s force in arms.

  So spake Æneas, and his brazen lance

  Hurl’d with full force against the dreadful shield.

  Loud roar’d its ample concave at the blow.

  Not unalarm’d, Pelides his broad disk 325

  Thrust farther from him, deeming that the force

  Of such an arm should pierce his guard with ease.

  Vain fear! he recollected not that arms

  Glorious as his, gifts of the immortal Gods,

  Yield not so quickly to the force of man. 330

  The stormy spear by brave Æneas sent,

  No passage found; the golden plate divine

  Repress’d its vehemence; two folds it pierced,

  But three were still behind, for with five folds

  Vulcan had fortified it; two were brass; 335

  The two interior, tin; the midmost, gold;

  And at the golden one the weapon stood.

  503 Achilles next, hurl’d his long shadow’d spear,

  And struck Æneas on the utmost verge

  Of his broad shield, where thinnest lay the brass, 340

  And thinnest the ox-hide. The Pelian ash

  Started right through the buckler, and it rang.

  Æneas crouch’d terrified, and his shield

  Thrust farther from him; but the rapid beam

  Bursting both borders of the ample disk, 345

  Glanced o’er his back, and plunged into the soil.

  He ‘scaped it, and he stood; but, as he stood,

  With horror infinite the weapon saw

  Planted so near him. Then, Achilles drew

  His falchion keen, and with a deafening shout 350

  Sprang on him; but Æneas seized a stone

  Heavy and huge, a weight to overcharge

  Two men (such men as are accounted strong

  Now) but he wielded it with ease, alone.

  Then had Æneas, as Achilles came 355

  Impetuous on, smitten, although in vain,

  His helmet or his shield, and Peleus’ son

  Had with his falchion him stretch’d at his feet,

  But that the God of Ocean quick perceived

  His peril, and the Immortals thus bespake. 360

  I pity brave Æneas, who shall soon,

  Slain by Achilles, see the realms below,

  By smooth suggestions of Apollo lured

  To danger, such as he can ne’er avert.

  But wherefore should the Chief, guiltless himself, 365

  Die for the fault of others? at no time

  His gifts have fail’d, grateful to all in heaven.

  Come, therefore, and let us from death ourselves

  Rescue him, lest if by Achilles’ arm

  This hero perish, Jove himself be wroth; 370

  For he is destined to survive, lest all

  The house of Dardanus (whom Jove beyond

  All others loved, his sons of woman born)

  Fail with Æneas, and be found no more.

  Saturnian Jove hath hated now long time 375

  504 The family of Priam, and henceforth

  Æneas and his son, and his sons’ sons,

  Shall sway the sceptre o’er the race of Troy.

  To whom, majestic thus the spouse of Jove.

  Neptune! deliberate thyself, and choose 380

  Whether to save Æneas, or to leave

  The hero victim of Achilles’ ire.

  For Pallas and myself ofttimes have sworn

  In full assembly of the Gods, to aid

  Troy never, never to avert the day 385

  Of her distress, not even when the flames

  Kindled by the heroic sons of Greece,

  Shall climb with fury to her topmost towers.

  She spake; then Neptune, instant, through the throng

  Of battle flying, and the clash of spears, 390

  Came where Achilles and Æneas fought.

  At once with shadows dim he blurr’d the sight

  Of Peleus’ son, and from the shield, himself,

  Of brave Æneas the bright-pointed ash

  Retracting, placed it at Achilles’ feet. 395

  Then, lifting high Æneas from the ground,

  He heaved him far remote; o’er many a rank

  Of heroes and of bounding steeds he flew,

  Launch’d into air from the expanded palm

  Of Neptune, and alighted in the rear 400

  Of all the battle where the Caucons stood.

  Neptune approach’d him there, and at his side

  Standing, in accents wing’d, him thus bespa
ke.

  What God, Æneas! tempted thee to cope

  Thus inconsiderately with the son 405

  Of Peleus, both more excellent in fight

  Than thou, and more the favorite of the skies?

  From him retire hereafter, or expect

  A premature descent into the shades.

  But when Achilles shall have once fulfill’d 410

  His destiny, in battle slain, then fight

  Fearless, for thou canst fall by none beside.

  So saying, he left the well-admonish’d Chief,

  505 And from Achilles’ eyes scatter’d the gloom

  Shed o’er them by himself. The hero saw 415

  Clearly, and with his noble heart incensed

  By disappointment, thus conferring, said.

  Gods! I behold a prodigy. My spear

  Lies at my foot, and he at whom I cast

  The weapon with such deadly force, is gone! 420

  Æneas therefore, as it seems, himself

  Interests the immortal Gods, although

  I deem’d his boast of their protection vain.

  I reck not. Let him go. So gladly ‘scaped

  From slaughter now, he shall not soon again 425

  Feel an ambition to contend with me.

  Now will I rouse the Danaï, and prove

  The force in fight of many a Trojan more.

  He said, and sprang to battle with loud voice,

  Calling the Grecians after him. — Ye sons 430

  Of the Achaians! stand not now aloof,

  My noble friends! but foot to foot let each

  Fall on courageous, and desire the fight.

  The task were difficult for me alone,

  Brave as I boast myself, to chase a foe 435

  So numerous, and to combat with them all.

  Not Mars himself, immortal though he be,

  Nor Pallas, could with all the ranks contend

  Of this vast multitude, and drive the whole.

  With hands, with feet, with spirit and with might, 440

  All that I can I will; right through I go,

  And not a Trojan who shall chance within

  Spear’s reach of me, shall, as I judge, rejoice.

  Thus he the Greeks exhorted. Opposite,

  Meantime, illustrious Hector to his host 445

  Vociferated, his design to oppose

  Achilles publishing in every ear.

  Fear not, ye valiant men of Troy! fear not

  The son of Peleus. In a war of words

  I could, myself, cope even with the Gods; 450

  But not with spears; there they excel us all.

  506 Nor shall Achilles full performance give

  To all his vaunts, but, if he some fulfil,

 

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