Τ Η Ε

Ι Ι Ι Α A D

BOOK XIII.

W

HEN now the Thunderer on the sea-beat coast

Had fix'd great Hector and his conquering holt; He left them to the Fates, in bloody fray To toil and struggle through the well-fought day ; Then turn’d to Thracia from the field of fight S Those

eyes

that shed insufferable light :
To where the Mysians prove their inartial force,
And hardy Thracians tame the savage horse ;
And where the far-fam'd Hippemolgian ftrays,
Renown'd for justice and for length of days;
Thrice happy race ! that, innocent of blood,
From milk, innoxious, seek their simple food :
Jove sees delighted; and avoids the scene
Of guilty Troy, of arms, and dying men ::
No aid, he deems, to either hoft is given,

15 While his high law suspends the powers of Heaven.

Mean-time the * Monarch of the watery main
Obsery'd the Thunderer, nor observ'd in vain.
In Samothracia, on a mountain's brow,
Whose waving woods o'erhung the deeps below,
He fate; and round him cast his azure eyes,
Where Ida's misty tops confus’dly rise ;

Below, • Neptune.

20

B 2

}

Below, fair Ilion's glittering spires were seen,
The crouded ships, and sable seas between.
There, from the crystal chambers of the main 25
Emergod, he fate; and mourn'd his Argives Nain.
At Jove incens'd, with grief and fury ftung,
Prone down the rocky steep he rush'd along;
Fierce as he past, the lofty mountains nod,
The forest shakes ! earth trembled as he trod, 30
And felt the footiteps of th' immortal God.
From realm to realm three ample strides he took,
And, at the fourth, the distant Ægæ fhook.

Far in the bay his shining palace stands,
Eternal frame ! not rais’d by mortal liands : 35
This having reachd, his brass-hoofd steeds he reins,
Fleet as the winds, and deck'd with golden manes.
Refulgent arms his mighty limbs infold,
Immortal arins of adamant and gold.
He mounts the car, the golden scourge applies,
He fits superior, and the chariot Aies :
His whirling wheels the glasly surface sweep;
Th' enormous monsters, rolling o'er the deep,
Gambol around him on the watery way;
And heavy whales in aukward measures play: 45.
The sea subsiding spreads a level plain,
Exults, and owns the monarch of the main

រ The parting waves before his coursers fy: The wondering waters leave his axle dry, Deep in the liquid regions lies a cave;

50 Between where Tenedos the surges lave, And rocky Imbrus breaks the rolling wave :

There

*}

60

65

There the great Ruler of the azure round Stopp'd his swift chariot, and his steeds unbound, Fed with ambrosial herbage from his hand, 55 And link'd their fetlocks with a golden band, Infrangible, immortal : there they stay, The Father of the floods pursues his way ; Where, like a tempest darkening heaven around, Or fiery deluge that devours the ground, 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 destruction to the Grecian name, And in their hopes, the fleets already. Aame.

But Neptune, rising from the seas profound, The God whose earthquakes rock the solid ground, Now wears a mortal form ; like Chalcas seen, Such his loud voice, and such his manly mien; 70 His shouts incessant every Greek infpire, But most th’ Ajaces, adding fire to fire.

'Tis yours, O warriours, all our hopes to raise ; Oh, recollect your ancient worth and praise: Tis yours to save us, if you cease to fear ; 75 Flight, more than Thameful, is destructive, here. On other works though Troy with fury fall, And pour

her armies o'er our batter'd wall; There, Greece has strength : but this, this part o'er.

thrown, Her strength 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 Gre.

B: 3

If yet some heavenly Power your breast excite,
Breathe in your hearts, and string your arms to fight,
Greece yet may live, her threaten'd fleet remain; 85
And Hector's force, and Jove's own aid, be vain :

Then with his sceptre, that the deep controls,
He touch'd the chiefs, and steeld their manly fouls :
Strength, not their own, the touch divine imparts,
Prompts their light limbs, and wells their daring hearts.
Then, as a falcon from the rocky height,
Her quarry seen, impetuous at the sight
Forth-Springing instant, darts herself from high,
Shoots on the wing, and skims along the sky :
Such, and so swift, the power of Ocean flew 95
The wide horizon shut him from their view.

Th’inspiring God, Oileus' active son Perceiv'd the first, and thus to Telamon :

Some God, my friend, fome God in human form Favouring descends, and wills to stand the storm. 100 Not Calchas this, the venerable feer; Short as he turn'd, I faw the Power appear : I mark'd his parting, and the steps he trod; His own bright evidence reveals a God. Ev'n now some energy divine I share,

· 103 And seem to walk on wings, and tread in air !

With equal ardour (Telamon returns)
My soul is kindled, and my bosom burns :
New rising spirits all my force alarm,
Lift each impatient limb, and brace my arm.
This ready arm, unthinking, shakes the dart;
The blood pours back, and fortifies my heart;

3

Singly,

120

Singly, miethinks, yon towering chief I meet,
And stretch the dreadful Hector at my feet. ;

Full of the God that urg'd their burning breaft, 11)
The heroes thus their mutual warmth express'd.
Neptune mean-while the routed Greeks inspir'd,
Who, breathless, pale, with length of labours tird,
Pant in the ships; while Troy to conqueft calls,
And swarms victorious o'er their yielding walls:
Trembling before th' impending storm they lie,
While tears of rage Atand burning in their eye.
Greece funk they thought, and this their fatal hours
But breathe new courage as they feel the Power.
Teucer and Leitus firft his words excite;

125 Then stern Peneleus rises to the fight; Thoas, Deïpyrus, in arms renown'd, And Merion next, th' impulsive fury found; Last Neftor's son the same bold ardour takes, While thus the God the martial fire awakes:

Oh lasting infamy, oh dire disgrace To chiefs of vigorous youth and manly race! I trusted in the Gods, and you, to see Brave Greece victorious, and her navy free an Ah no- -the glorious combat you disclaim, 135 And one black day clouds all her fornier fame. Heavens! what a prodigy these eyes survey, Unseen, unthought, till this amazing day! Fly we at length from Troy's oft-conquerid bands ? And falls our feet by such inglorious hands ? 149 A rout undisciplin'd, a straggling train, Not born to glories of the dutty plain;

B 4

Like