Below, fair Ilion's glittering fpires were seen,
The crowded ships, and fable feas between.
There, from the crystal chambers of the main 25
Emerg'd, he fate; and mourn'd his Argives flain.
At Jove incens'd, with grief and fury stung,
Prone down the rocky steep he rufh'd along;
Fierce as he paft, the lofty mountains nod,
The forest shakes! earth trembled as he trod, 30
And felt the footsteps of th' inmortal God.
From realm to realm three ample ftrides he took,
And, at the fourth, the diftant Egæ fhook.
Far in the bay his thining palace stands,
Eternal frame! not rais'd by mortal hands:
This having reach'd, his brafs-hoof'd steeds he
reins,

35

Fleet as the winds, and deck'd with golden manes.
Refulgent arms his mighty limbs infold,
Immortal arms of adamant and gold.

He mounts the car, the golden fcourge applies, 40
He fits fuperior, and the chariot flies:
His whirling wheels the glaffy surface sweep;
Th' enormous monfters, rolling o'er the deep,
Gambol around him on the watery way;
And heavy whales in aukward measures play: 45
The fea fubfiding spreads a level plain,
Exults, and owns the monarch of the main;
The parting waves before his courfers fly:
The wondering waters leave his axle dry.

Deep in the liquid regions lies a cave;
Between where Tenedos the furges lave,
And rocky Imbrus breaks the rolling wave:
There the great Ruler of the azure round

Stopp'd his fwift chariot, and his fteeds unbound,

Fed with ambrofial herbage from his hand,
And link'd their fetlocks with a golden band,
Infrangible, immortal: there they stay,
The Father of the floods purfues his way;
Where, like a tempeft darkening heaven around,
Or fiery deluge that devours the ground.

55

Th' impatient Trojans, in a gloomy throng,
Embattled roll'd as Hector rush'd along:
To the loud tumult and the barbarous cry,
The heavens re-echo, and the shores reply;
They vow deftruction to the Grecian name,
And in their hopes, the fleets already flame.

60

65

But Neptune, rifing from the feas profound, The God whofe earthquakes rock the folid ground, Now wears a mortal form; like Calchas feen, Such his loud voice, and fuch his manly mein; 70 His fhouts inceffant every Greek inspire, But most th' Ajaces, adding fire to fire.

75

'Tis yours, O warriours, all our hopes to raise; Oh, recollect your ancient worth and praise : 'Tis yours, to fave us, if you cease to fear; Flight, more than fhameful, is deftructive here. On other works though Troy with fury fall, And pour her armies o'er our batter'd wall; There, Greece has ftrength: but this, this part o'erthrown,

Her ftrength were vain; I dread for you

alone.

80

Here Hector rages like the force of fire,
Vaunts of his Gods, and calls high Jove his fire.
VOL. VI.

150

155

The foldier's bafenefs, or the general's fault?
Fools! will ye perish for your leader's vice;
The purchafe infamy, and life the price?
'Tis not your caufe, Achilles' injur'd fame :
Another's is the crime, but yours the fhame.
Grant that our chief offend through rage or luft,
Muft you be cowards if your king's unjust ?
Prevent this evil, and your country fave:
Small thought retrieves the fpirits of the brave.
Think, and fubdue! on daftards dead to fame
I waste no anger, for they feel no fhame:
But you, the pride, the flower of all our hoft,
My heart weeps blood to fee your glory lost! 160
Nor deem this day, this battle, all you lofe;
A day more black, a fate more vile, enfues.
Let cach reflect, who prizes fame or breath,
On endless infamy, on inftant death,

For lo! the fated time, th' appointed fhore; 165
Hark! the gates burst, the brazen barriers roar!
Impetuous Hector thunders at the wall;
The hour, the fpot, to conquer, or to fall.
These words the Grecians' fainting hearts in-
fpire,

170

And liftening armies catch te god-like fire.
Fix'd at his poft was each bold Ajax found,
With well-rang'd fquadrons ftrongly circled
round:

175

So close their order, fo difpos'd their fight,
As Pallas' felf might view with fix'd delight:
Or had the God of War inclin'd his eyes,
The God of War had own'd a juft furprize.
A chofen phalanx, firm, refolv'd as Fate,
Defcending Hector and his battle wait.
An iron fcene gleams dreadful o'er the fields,
Armour in armour 'lock'd, and fhields in fhields,
180
Spears lean on fpea:s, on targets targets throng,
Helms stuck to helms, and man drove man along.
The floating plumes unnumber'd wave above,
As when an earthquake ftirs the nodding grove;
And, level'd at the fkies with pointing rays, 185
Their brandifh'd lances at each motion blaze.

Thus breathing death in terrible array,
The clofe-compacted legions urg'd their way:
Fierce they drove on, impatient to deftroy;
Troy charg'd the first, and Hector first of Troy.
190

As from fome mountain's craggy forehead torn, A rock's round fragment flics, with fury borne (Which from the stubborn stone a torrent rends) Precipitate the ponderous mass descends:

| From steep to fteep the rolling ruin bounds; 195 At every fhock the crackling wood refounds; Still gathering force, it fmokes; and, urg'd aniain,

Whirls, leaps, and thunders down, impetuous to the plain:

There ftops-So Hector. Their whole force he prov'd,

Refiftlefs when he rag'd, and when he stopt, unmov'd.

On him the war is bent, the darts are shed, And all their falchions wave around his head: Repuls'd he ftands, nor from his stand retires; But with repeated shouts his army fires. Trojans! be firm; this arm fhall make your way 205

Through yon fquare body, and that black array. Stand, and my fpear fhall rout their scattering

215

The glittering javelin pierc'd the tough bull-hide;
But pierc'd not through: unfaithful to his hand,
The point broke fhort, and sparkled in the fand.
The Trojan warriour, touch'd with timely fear,
On the rais'd orb to distance bore the fpear: 220
The Greek retreating mourn'd his fruftrate blow,
And curs'd the treacherous lance that fpar'da foe
Then to the fhips with furly fpeed he went,
To feek a furer javelin in his tent.

Meanwhile with rifing rage the battle glows, 125
The tumult thickens, and the clamour grows.
By Teucer's arm the warlike Imbrius bleeds,
The fon of Mentor, rich in generous steeds.
Ere yet to Troy the fons of Greece were led,
In fair Pedæus' verdant paftures bred,

230

The youth had dwelt; remote from war's alarms,
And blefs'd in bright Medeficafte's arms:
(This nymph, the fruit of Priam's ravish'd joy,
Ally'd the warriour to the house of Troy.)
To Troy, when glory call'd his arms, he came,

235

240

And match'd the braveft of her chiefs in fame:
With Priam's fons, a guardian of the throne,
He liv'd, belov'd and honour'd as his own.
Him Teucer pierc'd between the throat and ear:
He groans beneath the Telamonian spear.
As from fome far-feen mountain's airy crown,
Subdued by steel, a tall afh tumbles down,
And foils its verdant treffes on the ground:
So falls the youth; his arms the fall refound.
Then Teucer rushing to defpoil the dead,
From Hector's hand a fhining javelin fled :
He faw, and fhunn'd the death; the forceful dart
Sung on, and pierc'd Amphimachus's heart,
Cteatus' fon, of Neptune's forceful line;
Vain was his courage, and his race divine!
Proftrate he falls; his clanging arms refound,
And his broad buckler thunders on the ground.

245

250

255

To feize his beamy helm the victor flies,
And just had fasten'd on the dazzling prize,
When Ajax' manly arm a javelin flung;
Full on the fhield's round bofs the weapon rung;
He felt the fhock, nor more was doom'd to feel,
Secure in mail, and sheath'd in shining steel.
Repuls'd, he yields; the victor Greek's obtain
The fpoils contefted, and bear off the flain. 260
Between the leaders of th' Athenian line
(Stichius the brave, Meneftheus the divine)
Deplor'd Amphimachus, fad object! lies;
Imbrius remains the fierce Ajaces' prize.
As two grim lions bear across the lawn,
Snatch'd from devouring hounds, a flaughter'd
fawn,

265

In Thoas' voice, Andræmon's valiant fon,
Who rul'd where Calydon's white rocks arife,
And Pleuron's chalky cliffs emblaze the skies:
Where's now th' imperious vaunt, the daring
boast,

Of Greece victorious, and proud Ilion loft? 290 To whom the king: On Greece no blame be thrown,

Arms are her trade, and war is all her own.
Her hardy heroes from the well-fought plains
Nor fear withholds, nor fhameful floth detains.
'Tis Heaven, alas! and Jove's all-powerful doom,

310

Not vain the weakeft, if their force unite;
But ours, the bravest have confefs'd in fight.
This faid, he rushes where the combat burns;
Swift to his tent the Cretan king returns:
From thence, two javelins glittering in his hand,
315

And clad in arms that lighten'd all the strand,
Fierce on the foe th' impetuous hero drove;
Like lightning burfting from the arm of Jove,
Which to pale man the wrath of Heaven declares,
Or terrifies th' offending world with wars; 320
In ftreamy sparkles, kindling all the fkies,
From pole to pole the trail of glory flies.
Thus his bright armour o'er the dazzled throng
Gleam'd dreadful, as the monarch flash'd along.'
Him near his tent, Meriones attends;
325
Whom thus he questions: Ever beft of friends!
O fay, in every art of battle skill'd,
What holds thy courage from to brave a field?
On fome important message art thou bound,
Or bleeds my friend by fome unhappy wound?

To whom the Cretan: Enter, and receive The wanted weapons; thofe my tent can give; Spears I have ftore (and Trojan lances all) That shed a luftre round th' illumin'd wall. 340 Though I, difdainful of the diftant war, Nor trust the dart, nor aim th' uncertain fpear, Yet hand to hand I fight, and spoil the flain; And thence these trophies and thefe arms I gain. Enter, and fee on heaps the helmets roll'd, And high-hung fpears, and fhields that flam with gold.

345

359

Nor vain (faid Merion) are our martial toils; We too can boast of no ignoble spoils. But those my ship contains; whence distant far, I fight confpicuous in the van of war. What need I more? if any Greek there be Who knows not Merion, I appeal to thee. To this, Idomeneus: The fields of fight Have prov'd thy valour, and unconquer'd might; And were fome ambush for the foes defign'd, 355 Ev'n there, thy courage would not lag behind. In that sharp fervice, fingled from the rest, The fear of each, or valour, ftands confeft, No force, no firmness, the pale coward fhows; He fhifts his place; his colour comes and gocs;

360

A dropping sweat creeps cold on every part, Against his bofom beats his quivering heart; Terrour and death in his wild eye-balls ftare; With chattering teeth he stands, and stiffening

hair,

And looks a bloodless image of despair! 365.

Such as may teach, 'twas still thy brave delight
T' oppofe thy bofom where the foremoft fight.
But why, like infants, cold to honour's charms,
Stand we to talk, when glory calls to arms?
Go-from my conquer'd fpears the choiceft take,
380
And to their owners fend them nobly back.
Swift as the word bold Merion snatch'd a spear,
And breathing flaughter follow'd to the war.
So Mars armipotent invades the plain
(1 he wide deftroyer of the race of man).
Terrour, his beft lov'd fon, attends his courfe,
Arm'd with stern boldness, and enormous force;
The pride of haughty warriours to confound,
And lay the ftrength of tyrants on the ground:
From Thrace they fly, call'd to the dire alarms

385

390

Of warring Phlegyians, and Ephyrian arms;
Invok'd by both, relentless, they difpofe
To thefe glad conqueft, murderous rout to those.
So march'd the leaders of the Cretan train,
And their bright arms fhot horrour o'er the plain.

395

Then firft fpake Merion: Shall we join the right,

400

405

Or combat in the centre of the fight?
Or to the left our wanted fuccour lend?
Hazard and fame all parts alike attend.
Not in the centre (Idomen reply'd):
Our ableft chieftains the main battle guide;
Each god-like Ajax makes that poft his care,
And gallant Teucer deals deftruction there:
Skill'd, or with fhafts to gall the diftant field,
Or bear close battle on the founding fhield.
Thefe can the rage of haughty Hector tame:
Safe in their arms, the navy fears no flame;
Till Jove himself defcends, his bolts to shed,
And hurl the blazing ruin at our head.
Great must he be, of more than human birth, 410
Nor feed like mortals on the fruits of earth,
Him neither rocks can crush, nor fteel can wound,
Whom Ajax fells not on th' enfanguin'd ground:
In standing fight he mates Achilles' force,
Excell'd alone in fwiftnefs in the courfe.
Then to the left our ready arms apply,

415

And polish'd arms emblaz'd the flaming fields;
Tremendous fccne! that general horrour gave,
But touch'd with joy the bofoms of the brave. 435
Saturn's great fons in fierce contention vy'd,
And crouds of heroes in their anger dy'd.
The Sire of earth and heaven, by Thetis won
To crown with glory Peleus' god-like fon,
Will'd not deftruction to the Grecian powers,
440

But fpar'd a while the deftin'd Trojan towers:
While Neptune, rifing from his azure main,
Warr'd on the King of Heaven with fstern dif-
dain,

And breath'd revenge, and fir'd the Grecian train.

455

The bold Idomeneus controls the day.
First by his hand Othryoneus was flain,
Swell'd with falfe hopes, with mad ambition vain!
Call'd by the voice of war to martial fame,
From high Cabefus' diftant walls he came; 460
Caffandra's love he fought, with boasts of power,
And promis'd conqueft was the proffer'd dower.
The king confented, by his vaunts abus'd;
The king confented, but the Fates refus'd.
Proud of himself, and of th' imagin'd bride, 465
The field he meafur'd with a larger ftride.
Him, as he stalk'd, the Cretan javelin found;
Vain was his breast-plate to repel the wound:
His dream of glory loft, he plung'd to hell:
His arms refounded as the boafter fell.

470

The great Idomeneus beftrides the dead; And thus (he cries) behold thy promise sped! Such is the help thy arms to Ilion bring, And fuch the contract of the Phrygian king! Our offers now, illuftrious prince! receive; 475 For fuch an aid what will not Argos give? To conquer Troy, with ours thy forces join, And count Atrides' fairest daughter thine. Meantime, on farther methods to advife, Come, follow to the fleet thy new allies; There hear what Greece has on her part to say, He spoke, and dragg'd the gory corfe away, This Afius view'd, unable to contain, Before his chariot warring on the plain

480