"Merciless war this devaftation wrought,
"And their ftrong nerves to diffolution brought.
"Still one was left, in whom was all my hope,

66

My age's comfort, and his country's prop ;

“Hector, my darling, and my last defence,
"Whofe life alone, their deaths could recompenfe;
"And, to complete my ftore of countless woe,
"Him you
have flain-of him bereav'd me too!
"For his fake only, hither am I come ;

“Rich gifts I bring, and wealth, an endless fum;
"All to redeem that fatal prize you won,
"A worthless ransom for fo brave a fon.
"Fear the juft gods, Achilles; and on me
"With pity look, think you your father see ;
"Such as I am, he is; alone in this,

"I can no equal have in miferies;

"Of all mankind moft wretched and forlorn,

"Bow'd with fuch weight as never has been borne;
"Reduc'd to kneel and pray to you, from whom
"The fpring and fource of all my forrows come;

With gifts, to court mine and my country's bane, "And kifs thofe hands which have my children flain." He fpake..

Now fadnefs o'er Achilles' face appears,
Priam he views, and for is father fears;
That, and compassion melt him into tears.
Then, gently with his hand he put away
Old Priam's face; but he ftill proftrate lay,
And there, with tears and sighs, afresh begun
To mourn the fall of his ill-fated fon.

}

But

But paffion different ways Achilles turns,
Now, he Patroclus, now, his father mourns:
Thus both with lamentations fill'd the place,
Till forrow feem'd to wear one common face.

THE

LAMENTATIONS

O F

HECUBA, ANDROMACHE, AND HELEN,

OVER THE

DEAD BODY OF HECTOR,

Tranflated from the Greek of Homer, Iliad w.

Beginning at this Line,

Ἠὼς δὲ κροκόπεπλΘ- ἐκίδναλο πᾶσαν ἐπ ̓ αἶαν.

Connection of this with the former Tranflation. Priam, at laft, moves Achilles to compaffion, and, after having made him prefents of great value, obtains the body of his fon. Mercury awakens Priam early in the orning, and advises him to haste away with the body, Agamemnon fhould be informed of his being in camp: he himself helps to harness the mules and es, and conveys him fafely, and without noife,

chariot and all, from among the Grecian tents; then flies up to heaven, leaving Priam and Idæus to travel on with the body toward Troy.

OW did the faffron morn her beams difplay,

N Gilding the face of univerfal day;

When mourning Priam to the town return'd;
Slowly his chariot mov'd, as that had mourn'd;
The mules, beneath the mangled body go,
As bearing (now) unusual weight of woe,
To Pergamus' high top Caffandra flies,
Thence the afar the fad proceffion spies
Her father and Idæus firft appear,
Then Hector's corpfe extended on a bier;

At which, her boundless grief loud cries began,
And, thus lamenting, through the street she ran :
"Hither, ye wretched Trojans, hither all!
"Behold the godlike Hector's funeral !

"If e'er you went with joy, to fe him come
"Adorn'd with conqueft and with laurels home,
"Affemble now, his ranfom'd body fee,

"What once was all your joy, now all your mifery!"

She spake, and ftrait the numerous crowd obey'd,
Nor man, nor woman, in the city stay'd;
Common confent of grief had made them one,
With clamorous moan to Scæa's gate they run,
There the lov'd body of their Hector meet,
Which they, with loud and fresh lamentings, greet.
His reverend mother, and his tender wife,
Equal in love, in grief had equal ftrife:

In

In forrow they no moderation knew,
But, wildly wailing, to the chariot flew ;

There ftrove the rolling wheels to hold, while each
Attempted first his breathlefs corpse to reach ;
Aloud they beat their breafts, and tore their hair,
Rending around with fhrieks the fuffering air.
Now had the throng of people stopt the way,
Who would have there lamented all the day;
But Priam from his chariot rofe, and fpake,

Trojans, enough; truce with your forrows make; "Give way to me, and yield the chariot room: "Firft let me bear my Hector's body home,

"Then mourn your fill." At this the crowd gave way, Yielding, like waves of a divided fea.

Idæus to the palace drove, then laid
With care the body on a sumptuous bed,
And round about were fkilful fingers plac'd,
Who wept, and figh'd, and in fad notes exprefs'd
Their moan; all in a Chorus did agree

Of univerfal mournful Harmony,

When firft Andromache her paffion broke,
And thus (clofe preffing his pale cheeks) fhe spoke:

ANDROMACHE'S LAMENTATION.

my loft husband! let me ever mourn
Thy early fate, and too untimely urn:
In the full pride of youth thy glories fade,
And thou in afhes muft with them be laid.

Why is my heart thus miferably torn Why am I thus diftrefs'd! why thus forlorn! Am I that wretched thing a widow left? Why do I live, who am of thee bereft! Yet I were bleft, were I alone undone; Alas, my child! where can an infant run? Unhappy orphan! thou in woes art nurs'd; Why were you born? I am with bleffings curs'd! For long ere thou fhall be to manhood grown, Wide desolation will lay waste this town: Who is there now that can protection give, Since he, who was her ftrength, no more doth live? Who of her reverend matrons will have care? Who fave her children from the rage of war? For he to all father and husband was,

--

And all are orphans now, and widows, by his lofs.
Soon will the Grecians, now, infulting come,
And bear us captives to their diftant home;
I, with my child, muft the fame fortune share,
And all alike, be prifoners of the war;
'Mongst base-born wretches he his lot must have,
And be to fome inhuman lord a slave.
Elfe fome avenging Greek, with fury fill❜d,
Or for an only fon or father kill'd

By Hector's hand, on him will vent his rage,
And with his blood his thirfty grief affuage;
For many fell by his relentless hand,

Biting that ground, with which their blood was ftain'd.
Fierce was thy father (O my child) in war,

And never did his foes in battle spare;

Thence