To lend his counfels, and affift cur hands?

It fits thee not, before thefe chiefs of fame, (Reply'd the fage) to praife me, or to blame: Praise from a friend, or cenfure from a foe, Are loft on hearers that our merits know. But let us hafte-Night rolls the hours away, 295 The reddening Orient shows the coming day, The stars fhine fainter on th' æthereal plains, And of Night's empire but a third remains.

Thus having spoke, with generous ardour preft,
In arms terrific their huge limbs they dreft. 300
A two-edg'd faulchion Thrafvmed the brave,
And ample buckler, to Tydides gave:
Then in a leathern helm he cas'd his head,
Short of its creft, and with no plume o'erfpread:
(Such as by youths unus'd to arms are worn; 305
No fpoils enrich it, and no ftuds adorn.)
Next him Ulyffes took a fhining fword,

A bow and quiver, with bright arrows stor'd :
A well-prov'd cafque, with leather braces bound,
(Thy gift, Meriones) his temples crown'd; 310
Soft wool within; without, in order spread,
A boar's white teeth grinn'd horrid o'er his head.
This from Amyntor, rich Ormenus' fon,
Autolychus by fraudful rapine won,

So ftill continue to the race thine aid!
A youthful steer shall fall beneath the ftroke,
Untam'd, unconfcious of the galling yoke,
With ample forehead, and with spreading horns,
Whofe taper tops refulgent gold adorns.
350

The heroes pray'd; and Pallas from the skies
Accords their vow, fucceeds their enterprize.
Now, like two lions panting for the prey,
With dreadful thoughts they trace the dreary way,
Through the black horrours of th' enfanguin'd
plain,

Through duft, through blood, o'er arms, and hills of flain.

Nor lefs bold Hector, and the fons of Troy, On high defigns the wakeful hours employ ; Th' affembled peers their lofty chief inclos'd; Who thus the counfels of his breaft propos'd: 360 What glorious man, for high attempts prepar'd, Dares greatly venture, for a rich reward, Of yonder fleet a bold difcovery make, What watch they keep, and what refolves they take?

365

Molus receiv'd, the pledge of focial ties;.

The helmet next by Merion was poffefs'd,
And now Ulyffes' thoughtful temples prefs'd.
Thus fheath'd in arms, the council they forfake,
And dark through paths oblique their progrefs
take.

Just then, in fign fhe favour'd their intent,
A long-wing'd heron great Minerva fent :
This, though furrounding fhades obfcur'd their
view,

By the thrill clang, and whistling wings, they knew.

As from the right she foar'd, Ulvffes pray'd, 325 Hail'd the glad omen, and addrefs'd the Maid:

330

O daughter of that God, whofe arm can wield Th' avenging bolt, and shake the dreadful shield! O thou! for ever present in my way, Who all my motions, all my toils, furvey! Safe may we pafs beneath the gloomy fhade, Safe by thy fuccour to our fhips convev'd; And let fome deed this fignal night adorn, To claim the tears of Trojans yet unborn. Then god-like Diomed preferr'd his prayer:

370

A youth there was among the tribes of Troy,
Dolon his name, Eumedes' only boy
(Five girls befide the reverend herald told)
Rich was the fon in brafs, and rich in gold;
Not bleft by nature with the charms of face, 375
But fwift of foot, and matchlefs in the race.
Hector! (he faid) my courage bids me meet
This high atchievement, and explore the fleet:
But firit exalt thy fceptre to the skies,
And swear to grant me the demanded prize; 380
Th' immortal courfers, and the glittering car,
That bear Pelides through the ranks of war,
Encourag'd thus, no idie fcout I go,

Fulfil thy with, their whole intention know,
Ev'n to the royal tent purfue my way,
And all their counfels, all their aims betray.
The chief then heav'd the golden fceptre high,
Attefting thus the monarch of the sky:

Be witness thou! immortal lord of all!
Whofe thunder fhakes the dark aerial hall: 390
By none but Dolon fhall this prize be borne,
And him alone th' immortal steeds adorn.

Thus Hector fuore: the Gods were call'd in

vain,

But the rath youth prepares to scour the plain,
Acrofs his back the bended bow he flung,
395
A wolf's grey hide around his fhoulders hung,
A ferret's downy fur his helmet lin'd,
And in his hand a pointed javelin shin'd.
Then (never to return) he fought the shore,
And trod the path his feet muft tread no more, 400
Scarce had he pafs'd the feeds and Trojan throng
(Still bending forward as he cours'd along),

When, on the hollow way, th' approaching tread Ulyffes mark'd, and thus to Diomed:

O friend! I hear fome fiep of hoftile feet, 405 Moving this way, or haftening to the fleet; Some spy perhaps, to lurk befide the main; Or nightly pillager that ftrips the flain. Yet let him pafs, and win a little space; Then rush behind him, and prevent his pace. 410 But if too fwift of foot he flies before, Confine his courfe along the fleet and shore, Betwixt the camp and him our fpears employ, And intercept his hop'd return to Trov.

With that they ftepp'd afide, and stoop'd their

head

(As Dolon pafs'd) behind a heap of dead : Along the path the fpy unwary flew : Soft, at just distance, both the chiefs pursue. So diftant they, and fuch the space between, As when two tearns of mules divide the green 420 (To whom the hind like shares of land allows), When now new furrows part th' approaching ploughs.

Now Dolon liftening heard them as they paft; Hector (he thought) had fent, and check'd his hafte,

425

Till fcarce at diftance of a javelin's throw,
No voice fucceeding, he perceiv'd the foe.
As when two fkilful hounds the leveret wind;
Or chace through woods obfcure the trembling
hind;

Now loft, now seen, they intercept his way,
And from the herd still turn the flying prey: 430
So faft, and with fuch fears, the Trojan flew ;
So close, so constant, the bold Greeks purfue.
Now almoft on the fleet the daftard falls,
And mingles with the guards that watch the walls;
When brave Tydides stopp'd; a generous thought

450

O fpare my youth, and for the breath I owe,
Large gifts of price my father shall beftow.
Vaft heaps of brafs fhall in your fhips be told,
And steel well-temper'd, and refulgent gold.
To whom Ulyffes made this wife reply;
Whoe'er thou art, be bold, nor fear to die.
What moves thee, fay, when fleep has clos'd the
fight,

To roam the filent fields in dead of night
Cam'st thou the fecrets of our camp to find,
By Hector prompted, or thy daring mind?
Or art fome wretch by hopes of plunder led
Through heaps of carnage to defpoil the dead?

460

Safe in their cares, th' auxiliar forces fleep, Whose wives and infants, from the danger far, Discharge their fouls of half the fears of war.

Then fleep thofe aids among the Trojan train, (Enquir'd the chief) or scatter'd o'er the plain? 495 To whom the fpy: Their powers they thus difpofe :

500

505

The Prons, dreadful with their bended bows,
The Carians, Caucons, the Pelafgian host,
And Leleges, encamp along the coast.
Not diftant far, lie higher on the land
The Lycian, Myfian, and Mæonian band,
And Phrygia's horfe, by Thymbras' ancient wall;
The Thracians utmost, and apart from all.
Thefe Troy but lately to her fuccour won,
Led on by Rhefus, great Eioneus' fon :
I faw his courfers in proud triumph go,
Swift as the wind, and white as winter fnow:
Rich filver plates his fhining car infold;
His folid arms, refulgent, flame with gold;
No mortal fhoulders fuit the glorious load,
Celestial Panoply, to grace a God!
Let me, unhappy, to your fleet be borne,
Or leave me here, a captive's fate to mourn,
In cruel chains; till your return revcal,
The truth or falfehood of the news I tell.
To this Tydides, with a gloomy frown:
Think not to live, though all the truth be shown

510

515

One inftant fnatch'd his trembling foul to hell,
The head, yet fpeaking, mutter'd as it fell.
The furry helmet from his brow they tear,
The wolf's grey hide, th' unbended bow and
ípear;

530

Thefe great Ulyffes lifting to the skies,
To favouring Pallas dedicates the prize :
Great Queen of arms! receive this hoftile spoil,
And let the Thracian steeds reward our toil:
Thee first of all the heavenly hoft we praise ;
O ípeed our labours, and direct our ways! 535
This faid, the fpoils with dropping gore defac'd,
High on a fpreading tamarifk he plac'd;
Then heap'd with reeds and gather'd boughs the
plain,

To guide their footsteps to the place again.

Through the ftill night they cross the devious fields

Slippery with blood, o'er arms and heaps of fhields,

Arriving where the Thracian fquadrons lay,
And eas'd in fleep the labours of the day.
Rang'd in three lines they view the proftrate band:
The horfes yok'd befide each warriour stand; 545
Their arms in order on the ground reclin'd,
Through the brown fhade the fulgid weapons
fhin'd:

550

555

Amidft lay Rhefus, ftretch'd in fleep profound, And the white steeds behind his chariot bound. The welcome fight Ulyffes first defcries, And points to Diomed the tempting prize. The man, the courfers, and the car behold! Defcrib'd by Dolon, with the arms of gold. Now, brave Tydides! now thy courage try, Approach the chariot and the steeds untie; Or if thy foul afpire to fiercer deeds, Urge thou the flaughter, while I feize the feeds. Pallas (this faid) her hero's bofom warms, Breath'd in his heart, and ftrung his nervous arms; Where'er he pafs'd, a purple ftream purfued 560 His thirfty faulchion, fat with hostile blood; Bath'd all his footsteps, dy'd the fields with gore, And a low groan remurmur'd through the fhore. So the grim lion, from his nightly den, O'erleaps the fences, and invades the pen ; 565 On fheep or goats, refiftlefs in his way, He falls, and foaming rends the guardlefs prey. Nor ftopp'd the fury of his vengeful hand, Till twelve lay breathlefs of the Ti racian band. Ulyffes following, as his partner flew, 570 Back by the foot each flaughter'd wariour drew; The milk-white courfers ftudious to convey Safe to the ships, he wifely clear'd the way; Left the fierce fteeds, not yet to battles bred, Should ftart, and tremble at the heaps of dead.

575

So dream'd the monarch, and awak'd no more.
Ulyffes now the fnowy steeds detains,
And leads them, faften'd by the filver reins;
Thefe, with his bow unbent, he lash'd along;
(The fcourge forgot, on Rhefus' chariot hung.)
585

Then gave his friend the fignal to retire;
But him, new dangers, new atchievements fire:
Doubtful he stood, or with his reeking blade
To fend more heroes to th' infernal shade,
Drag off the car where Rhefus' armour lay, 590
Or heave with manly force, and lift away.
While unrefolv'd the fon of Tydeus ftands,
Pallas appears, and thus her chief commands:
Enough, my fon; from farther flaughter cease,
Regard thy fafety, and depart in peace;
Hafte to the fhips, the gotten fpoils enjoy,
Nor tempt too far the hoftile Gods of Troy.
The voice divine confefs'd the martial Maid,
In hafte he mounted, and her word obey'd;
The courfers fly before Ulyffes' bow,
Swift as the wind, and white as winter-fnow.
Not unobferved they pafs'd: the God of Light
Had watch'd his Troy, and mark'd Minerva's
flight,

595

600

605

Saw Tydeus' fon with heavenly fuccour bleft,
And vengeful anger fill'd his facred breast.
Swift to the Trojan camp defcends the Power,
And wakes Hippocoon in the morning hour
(On Rhefus' fide accuftom'd to attend,
A faithful kinfman, and inftructive friend).
He rofe, and faw the field deform'd with blood,
610
An empty space where late the courfers ftood,
The yet-warm Thracians panting on the coaft;
For each he wept, but for his Rhefus moft:
Now while on Rhefus' name he calls in vain,
The gathering tumult spreads o'er all the plain;
615

On heaps the Trojans rush, with wild affright,
And wondering view the flaughters of the night.
Meanwhile the chiefs arriving at the shade
Where late the spoils of Hector's fpy were laid,
Ulyffes ftopp'd: to him Tydides hore
The trophy, dropping yet with Dolon's gore:
Then mounts again; again their nimble feet
The courfers ply, and thunder tow'rds the fleet.

620

Old Neftor firft perceiv'd th' approaching found, Befpeaking thus the Grecian peers around: 625 Methinks the noife of trampling steeds I hear, Thickening this way, and gathering on my eat; Perhaps fome horfes of the Trojan breed (So may, ye Gods! my pious hopes fucceed) The great Tydides and Ulyffes bear, Return'd triumphant with this prize of war. Yet much I fear (oh may that fear be vain!) The chiefs out-number'd by the Trojan train; Perhaps, ev'n now purfurd, they feek the fhore; Or, oh! perhaps those heroes are no more. 635

630