Oh, let not headlong pailion bear the fway
These reconciling Goddeffes obey:

Due honours to the feed of Jove belong;

Due honours calm the fierce, and bend the strong.

640

Were thefe not paid thee by the terms we bring,
Were rage ftill harbour'd in the haughty king:
Nor Greece, nor all her fortunes, fhould engage
Thy friend to plead against to juft a rage.
But fince what honours afk, the general fends,
645
And fends by thofe whom moft the heart com-
mends,

The best and nobleft of the Grecian train;
Permit not thefe to fue, and fue in vain!
Let me (my fon) an ancient fact unfold,
A great example drawn from times of old; 650
Hear what our fathers were, and what their praife,
Who conquer'd their revenge in former days.

Where Calydon on rocky mountains stands,
Once fought th' Ætolian and Curetian bands;
To guard it thofe, to conquer thefe advance; 655
And mutual deaths were dealt with mutual chance.
The filver Cynthia bade Contention rife,
In vengeance of neglected facrifice;
On Oencus' field the fent a monstrous boar,
That levell'd harvests, and whole foreits tore:

660

This beat (when many a chief his turks had flain)

Great Meleager stretch'd along the plain.
Then, for his fpoils, a new debate arose,
The neighbour nations thence commencing foes.
Strong as they were, the bold Curetes fail'd, 665
While Meleager's thundering arm prevail'd:
Till rage at length inflam'd his lofty breaft
(For rage invades the wifeft and the best).

Curs'd by Althæa, to his wrath he yields, And in his wife's embrace forgets the fields. 670 "She from Marpeffa fprung, divinely fair, "And matchlefs Idas, more than man in war; "The God of day ador'd the mother's charms: Against the God the father bent his arms: "Th afflicted pair, their forrows to proclaim, 675 "From Cleopatra chang'd this daughter's name, "And call'd Alcyone; a name to fhow "The father's grief, the mourning mother's "woe.")

To her the chief retir'd from ftern debate,
But found no peace from fierce Althea's hate :

680

Althaa's hate th' unhappy warrior drew,
Whofe lucklefs hand his royal uncle flew ;
She beat the ground, and call'd the powers be-
neath

On her own fon to wreak her brother's death:
Hell heard her curfes from the realms profound,

Their prayers were urgent, and their proffers great :

(Full fifty acres of the richeft ground,

Half pafture green, and half with vineyards crown'd.)

695

His fuppliant father, aged Oencus, came;
His fifters follow'd; ev'n the vengeful dame
Althea fues; his friends before him fall:
He ftands relentless, and rejects them all.
Meanwhile the victor's fhouts afcend the skies;
The walls are fcal'd; the rolling flames arise;
700
At length his wife (a form divine) appears,
With piercing cries, and fupplicating tears;
She paints the horrours of a conquer'd town,
The heroes flain, the palaces o'erthrown,
The matrons ravish'd, the whole raçe enflav'd :

705

The warriour heard, he vanquish'd, and he fav'd, Th' Etolians, long difdain'd, now took their turn,

And left the chief their broken faith to mourn.
Learn hence, betimes to curb pernicious ire,
Nor ftay, till yonder fleets afcend in fire: 710
Accept the prefents; draw thy conquering fword;
And be amongst our guardian Gods ador'd.
Thus he. The ftern Achilles thus reply'd :
My fecond father, and my reverend guide:
Thy friend, believe me, no fuch gift demands,
715

And afks no honours from a mortal's hands:
Jove honours me, and favours my designs;
His pleasure guides me, and his will confines:
And here I ftay (if fuch his high beheft)
While life's warm fpirit beats within my breast.
720

Yet hear one word, and lodge it in thy heart;
No more moleft me on Atrides' part:
Is it for him thefe tears are taught to flow,
For him thefe forrows for my mortal foe?
A generous friendship no cold medium knows,

725 Burns with one love, with one refentment glows; One fhould our interests aud our paffions be; My friend muft hate the man that injures me. Do this, my Phoenix, 'tis a generous part; And share my realms, my honours, and my heart. 730

Let these return: our voyage, or our stay,
Reft undetermin'd till the dawning day.

He ceas'd: then order'd for the fage's bed
A warmer couch with numerous carpets spread.
With that, stern Ajax his long filence broke, 735
And thus, impatient, to Ulyffes spoke :

685

Hence let us go-why waste we time in vain? See what effect our low fubmiffions gain! Lik'd or not lik'd, his words we must relate, The Greeks expect them, and our heroes wait, Proud as he is, that iron-heart retains Its stubborn purpofe, and his friends difdains. Stern and unpitying! if a brother bleed, On juft atonement, we remit the deed; A fire the flaughter of his fon forgives; The price of blood discharg'd, the murderer lives:

740

745

And the red fiends that walk the nightly round,
In vain Etolia her deliverer waits,
War fhakes her walls, and thunders at her gates.
She fent ambaffadors, a chofen band,

Priests of the Gods, and elders of the land; 690

The haughtieft hearts at length their rage refign,
And gifts can conquer every foul but thine.
The Gods that unrelenting breast have steel'd,
And curs'd thee with a mind that cannot yield.
750

755

760

One woman-flave was ravifh'd from thy arms:
Lo, seven are offer'd, and of equal charms.
Then hear, Achilles! be of better mind;
Revere thy roof, and to thy guests be kind;
And know the men, of all the Grecian hoft,
Who honour worth, and prize thy valour most.
Oh foul of battles, and thy people's guide!
(To Ajax thus the first of Greeks reply'd)
Well haft thou spoke; but at the tyrant's name
My rage rekindles, and my foul's on flame:
'Tis juft refentment, and becomes the brave;
Difgrac'd, dishonour'd, like the vileft flave!
Return then, heroes! and our anfwer bear,
The glorious combat is no more my care;
Not till, amidst yon finking navy flain,
The blood of Greeks fhall dye the fable main;
Not till the flames, by Hector's fury thrown,
Confume your veffels, and approach my own;
Juft there, th' impetuous homicide fhall stand,
There ceafe his battle, and there feel our hand.

765

770

775

This faid, each prince a double goblet crown'd, And caft a large libation on the ground; Then to their veffels, through the gloomy fhades, The chiefs return; divine Ulyffes leads. Meantime Achilles' flaves prepar'd a bed, With fleeces, carpets, and foft linen spread: There, till the facred morn restor❜d the day, In lumber fweet the rererend Phoenix lay, But in his inner tent, an ampler space, Achilles flept; and in his warm embrace 780 Fair Diomede of the Lesbian race. Laft, for Patroclus was the couch prepar'd, Whofe nightly joys the beauteous Iphis fhar'd; Achilles to his friend confign'd her charms, When Scyros fell before his conquering arms. 785 And now th' elected chiefs, whom Greece had fent,

}

| Achilles' high refolves declare to all; Returns the chief, or muft our navy fall?

Great king of nations! (Ithacus reply'd) Fix'd is his wrath, unconquer'd is his pride; 795 He flights thy friendship, thy proposals fcorns, And, thus implor'd, with fiercer fury burns: To fave our army, and our fleets to free, Is not his care: but left to Greece and thee. Your eyes fhall view, when morning paints the fky,

805

Beneath his oars the whitening billows fly,
U's too he bids our oars and fails employ,
Nor hope the fall of heaven-protected Troy;
For Jove o'erfhades her with his arm divine,
Inspires her war, and bids her glory thine.
Such was his word: what farther he declar'd,
Thefe facred heralds and great Ajax heard.
But Phoenix in his tent the chief retains,
Safe to transport him to his native plains,
When morning dawns: if other he decree, 810
His age is facred, and his choice is free.

Ulyffes ceas'd: the great Achaian hoft,
With forrow feiz'd, in confternation loft,
Attend the ftern reply. Tydides broke
The general filence, and undaunted fpoke: 815
Why should we gifts to proud Achilles fend?
Or ftrive with prayers his haughty foul to bend?
His country's woes he glories to deride,
And pravers will burft that fwelling heart with
pride.

Be the fierce impulfe of his rage obey'd;
Our battles let him, or defert or aid;

820

Then let him arm when Jove or he think fit;
That, to his madnefs, or to Heaven commit:
What for ourselves we can, is always ours;
This night, let due repaft refresh our powers 825
(For frength confifts in fpirits and in blood,
And thofe are ow'd to generous wine and food);
But when the rofy meffenger of day
Strikes the blue mountains with her golden ray,
Rang'd at the fhips, let all our fquadrons shine,

830

In flaming arms, a long extended line:
In the dread front let great Atrides ftand,
The firft in danger, as in high command.
Shouts of acclaim the liftening heroes raise,
Then each to Heaven the due libations pays; 835
Till fleep, defcending o'er the tents, bestows
The grateful bleffings of defir'd repofe.

50

To whom the king: In such distress we stand, No vulgar counfels our affairs demand; Greece to preferve, is now no eafy part, But asks high wisdom, deep design, and art: For Jove averfe our humble prayer denies, And bows his head to Hector's facrifice. What eye has witness'd, or what ear believ'd, 55 In one great day, by one great arm atchiev'd, Such wondrous deeds as Hector's hand has done, And we beheld, the last revolving fun? What honours the belov'd of Jove adorn! Sprung from no God, and of no Goddefs born, to Yet fuch his acts, as Greeks unborn shall tell, And curfe the battle where their fathers fell.

65

Now speed thy hafty courfe along the fleet, There call great Ajax, and the prince of Crete; Ourfelf to hoary Neftor will repair; To keep the guards on duty, be his care; (For Neftor's influence beft that quarter guides, Whofe fon with Merion o'er the watch prefides.) To whom the Spartan: These thy orders borne, Say fhall I ftay, or with dispatch return? There fhalt thou stay (the king of men reply'd) Elfe may we mifs to meet, without a guide, The paths fo many, and the camp fo wide. Still, with your voice, the flothful foldiers raife, Urge, by their father's fame, their future praife.

70

75

Forget we now our state and lofty birth;
Not titles here, but works must prove our worth.
To labour is the lot of man below;
And when Jove gave us life, he gave us woe.

85

This faid, each parted to his feveral cares; 80 The king to Neftor's fable fhip repairs; The fage protector of the Greeks he found Stretch'd in his bed with all his arms around; The various-colour'd fcarf, the shield he rears, The fhining helmet, and the pointed fpears: The dreadful weapon of the warrior's rage, That, old in arms, difdain'd the peace of age. Then, leaning on his hand his watchful head, The hoary monarch rais'd his eyes and faid: What art thou, fpeak, that on defigns unknown,

90

95

While others fleep thus range the camp alone?
Seek'st thou fome friend, or nightly centinel?
Stand off, approach not, but thy purpose tell.
O fon of Neleus (thus the king rejoin'd)
Pride of the Greeks, and glory of thy kind!
Lo here the wretched Agamemnon stands,
Th' unhappy general of the Grecian bands;
Whom Jove decrees with daily cares to bend,
And woes, that only with his life shall end!
Scarce can my knees these trembling limbs fuf-
tain,

100

105

And scarce my heart fupport its load of pain.
No tafte of fleep these heavy eyes have known;
Confus', and fad, I wander thus alone,
With fears diftracted, with no fix'd defign;
And all my people's miferies are mine.
If aught of ufe thy waking thoughts suggest,
(Since cares, like mine, deprive thy foul of reft)
Impart thy counsel, and affift thy friend;
Now let us jointly to the trench descend,
At every gate the fainting guard excite,
Tir'd with the toils of day and watch of night:

110

Elfe may the fudden foe our works invade,
So near, and favour'd by the gloomy fhade.
To him thus Neftor: Traft the powers above,
Nor think proud Hector's hopes confirm'd by
Jove:

How ill agree the views of vain mankind,
And the wife counfels of th' Eternal Mind!
Audacious Hector! if the Gods ordain
That great Achilles rife and rage again.
What toils attend thee, and what woes remain!

120

Lo faithful Neftor thy command obeys ; ·
The care is next our other chiefs to raise :
Ulyffes, Diomed, we chiefly need;
Meges for ftrength, Oileus fam'd for speed.
Some other be difpatch'd of nimbler feet, 125)
To thofe tall hips, remoteft of the fleet,
Where lie great Ajax, and the king of Crete.
To roufe the Spartan I myfelf decree;
Dear as he is to us, and dear to thee,

Yet must I tax his floth, that claims no fhare 130
With his great brother in this martial care :
Him it behov'd to every chief to fue,
Preventing every part perform'd by you;
For ftrong neceffity our toils demands,
Claims all our hearts, and urges all our hands.
135

To whom the king: With reverence we allow
Thy juft rebukes, yet learn to fpare them now.
My generous brother is of gentle kind,
He feems remifs, but bears a valiant mind;
Through too much deference to our fovereign
fway,

Content to follow when we lead the way.
But now, our ills induftrious to prevent,
Long ere the reft, he rofe, and fought my tent.
The chiefs you nam'd, already at his call,
Prepare to meet us near the navy wall;
Affembling there, between the trench and gates,
Near the night-guards, our chofen council waits.
Then none (faid Neftor) fhall his rule with-
stand,

145

150

For great examples juftify command.
With that the venerable warriour rofe;
The fhining greaves his manly legs inclofe;
His purple mantle golden buckles join'd,
Warm with the fofteft wool, and doubly lin'd.
Then, rushing from his tent, he fnatch'd in hafte
His fteely lance, that lighten'd as he past.
The camp he travers'd through the fleeping

croud,

155

Stopp'd at Ulyffes' tent, and call'd aloud.
Ulyfles, fudden as the voice was fent,
Awakes, ftarts up, and iffues from his tent.
What new distress, what fudden cause of fright,

160

Thus leads you wandering in the filent night?
O prudent chief! (the Pylian fage reply'd)
Wife as thou art, be now thy wisdom try'd ;
Whatever means of fafety can be fought,
Whatever counfels can infpire our thought, 165
Whatever methods, or to fly or fight;
All, all depend on this important night!

He heard, return'd, and took his painted fhield : Then join'd the chiefs, and follow'd through the field.

170

'Tis well, my fons! your nightly cares employ ; 225

Without his tent, bold Diomed they found,
All theath'd in arms, his brave companions round:
Each funk in fleep, extended on the field,
His head reclining on his boffy shield.
A wood of fpears stood by, that, fix'd upright,
Shot from their flashing points a quivering light,

175

A bull's black hide compos'd the hero's bed;
A fplendid carpet roil'd beneath his head.
Then, with his foot, old Neftor gently shakes
The 'umbering chief, and in thefe words awakes:
Rife, fon of Tydeus! to the brave and ftrong
180
Reft feems inglorious, and the night too lon".
But fleep't thou now? when from yon hill the
foe

Hangs o'er the fleet, and fhades our walls below?
At this, foft flumber from his eye-iids fled;
The warriour faw the hoary chief, and faid, 185
Wondrous oid man! whofe foul no refpite knows,
Though years and honours bid thee feek repofe.
Let younger Greeks our fleeping warriours wake;
I fits the age thefe toils to undertake.

My friend (he anfwer'd) generous is thy care, 190
Thefe toks, my fubiects and my fons might bear,
Their loyal thoughts and pious loves confpire
To ease a fovereign, and relieve a fire.
But now the laft defpair furrounds our hoft;"
No hour must país, no moment must be loft; 195
Fach fingle Greek, in this conclufive ftrife,
Stands on the fharpeft edge of death or life:
Yet, if my years thy kind regard engage,
Employ thy youth as I employ my age:
Succeed to thefe my cares, and rouze the reft;

Elfe muft our hoft become the fcorn of Troy.
Watch thus, and Greece fhall live-The hero faid;
Then o'er the trench the following chieftains led.
His fon, and god-like Merion march'd behind
(For these the princes to their council join'd);
230

The trenches paft, th' affembled kings around
In filent ftate the confiftory crown'd.
A place there was yet undefil'd with gore,
The spot where Hector stopp'd his rage before;
When night defcending, from his vengeful hand

235

Repriev'd the relicks of the Grecian band:
(The plain befide with mangled corpfe was fpread,
And all his progrefs mark'd by heaps of dead.)
There fat the mournful kings: when Neleus' fon
The council opening, in thefe words begun: 240
Is there (faid he) a chief fo greatly brave,
His life to hazard, and his country fave ?
Lives there a man, who fingly dares to go
To yonder camp, or feize some straggling foe?
Or, favour'd by the night, approach fo near, 245
Their fpeech, their counfels, and defigns, to hear?
If to befiege our navies they prepare,

Or Troy once more must be the feat of war?
This could he learn, and to our peers recite,
And pafs unharm'd the dangers of the night; 250
What fame were his through all fucceeding days,
While Phoebus fhines, or men have tongues to
praife?

Contending leaders at the word arose: Each generous breast with en ulation glows: 270 So brave a task each Ajax ftrove to share, Bold Merion ftrove, and Neftor's valiant heir; The Spartan wifh'd the fecond place to gain, And great Ulyffes wifh'd, nor with'd in vain. Then thus the king of men the conteft ends: 275 Thou first of warriours, and thou best of friends, Undaunted Diomed! what chief to join In this great enterprize, is only thine. Just be thy choice, without affection made; To birth, or office, no refpe&t be paid; Let worth determine here. The monarch spake, And inly trembled for his brother's fake.

Then thus (the god-like Diomed rejoin'd): • My choice declares the impulfe of my mind,

280