600

While War's fierce Goddess fires the Grecian foe, 595
And fhouts and thunders in the fields below.
Then great Diores fell, by doom divine,
In vain his valour, and illuftrious line.
A broken rock the force of Pirus threw
(Who from cold Ænus led the Thracian crew);
Full on his ankle dropt the ponderous stone,
Burft the ftrong nerves, and crafh'd the folid bone.
Supine he tumbles on the crimson fands,
Before his helpless friends and native bands,
And spreads for aid his unavailing hands.
The foe rush'd furious as he pants for breath,
And through his navel drove the pointed death :
His gufhing entrails fmok'd upon the ground,
And the warm life came ifluing from the wound.
His lance bold Thoas at the conqueror fent,
Deep in his breaft above the pap it went.
Amid the lungs was fix'd the winged wood,
And quivering in his heaving bosom stood:
Till from the dying chief, approaching near,

605

610

Th' Ætolian warriour tugg'd his weighty spear: 615
Then fudden way'd his flaming faulchion round,
And gash'd his belly with a ghastly wound,
The corpfe now breathlefs on the bloody plain,.
To spoil his arms the victor ftrove in vain;
The Thracian bands against the victor prest ;
A grove of lances glitter'd at his breast.
Stern Thoas, glaring with revengeful eyes,,
In fullen fury flowly quits the prize..

Le 2

620

Thus

Thus fell two heroes; one the pride of Thrace,
And one the leader of the Epian race:

Death's fable fhade at once o'ercast their eyes,
In duft the vanquish'd, and the victor lies.
With copious flaughter all the fields are red,
And heap'd with growing mountains of the dead.
Had fome brave chief this martial scene beheld,
By Pallas guarded through the dreadful field;
Might darts be bid to turn their points away,
And fwords around him innocently play ;
The war's whole art with wonder had he feen,
And counted heroes where he counted men.

So fought each host with thirst of glory fir'd,
And crouds on crouds triumphantly expir'd.

625

(635

THE

ARGUMEN T.

The Acts of Diomed.

DIOMED, affifted by Pallas, performs wonders in this day's battle. Pandarus wounds him with an arrow, but the Goddefs cures him, enables him to difcern Gods from mortals, and prohibits him from contending with any of the former, excepting Venus. Æneas joins Pandarus to oppofe him: Pandarus is killed, and Æneas in great danger, but for the affiftance of Venus; who, as fhe is removing her fon from the fight, is wounded on the hand by Diomed. Apollo feconds her in his refcue, and at length carries off Eneas to Troy, where he is healed in the temple of Pergamus. Mars rallies the Trojans, and affifts Hector to make a ftand. In the mean time Æneas is restored to the field, and they overthrow several of the Greeks; among the reft Tlepolemus is flain by Sarpedon. Juno and Minerva defcend to refift Mars; the latter incites Diomed to go against that God; he wounds him, and fends him groaning to heaven.

The first battle continues through this book. The fcene is the fame as in the former.

B

THE

ILIA D.

BOOK V.

OUT Pallas now Tydides' foul inspires,

Fills with her force, and warms with all her fires,

Above the Greeks his deathless fame to raise,

And crown her hero with distinguish'd praise.
High on his helm celestial lightnings play,
His beamy fhield emits a living ray;
'Th' unweary'd blaze incessant streams supplies,
Like the red ftar that fires th' autumnal skies,
When fresh he rears his radiant orb to fight,
And, bath'd in Ocean, shoots a keener light.
Such glories Pallas on the chief bestow'd,

Such, from his arms, the fierce effulgence flow'd:
Onward the drives him, furious to engage,
Where the fight burns, and where the thickest rage.
The fons of Dares firft the combat fought,

A wealthy prieft, but rich without a fault;
In Vulcan's fane the father's days were led,
The fons to toils of glorious battle bred;

These fingled from their troops the fight maintain,
These from their feeds, Tydides on the plain.
Fierce for renown the brother chiefs draw near,
And first bold Phegus caft his founding spear,

14

5.

15.

20

Which