This said, he seiz'd (while yet the carcass heav'd)

The bloody armour, which his train receiv'd:

Then sudden mix'd among the warring crew,
And the bold son of Pylæmenes slew.
Harpalion had thro' Asia travell'd far,
Following his martial father to the war;
Thro' filial love he left his native shore,
Never, ah never, to behold it more!
His unsuccessful spear he chanc'd to fling
Against the target of the Spartan king; 810
Thus of his lance disarm'd, from death he
flies,

And turns around his apprehensive eyes.
Him, thro' the hip transpiercing as he fled,
The shaft of Merion mingled with the
dead.

Beneath the bone the glancing point descends,

And, driving down, the swelling bladder

rends:

But, join'd, repel not Hector's fiery course. The flower of Athens, Stichius, Phidas led, Bias and great Menestheus at their head. Meges the strong th' Epeian bands controll'd,

And Dracius prudent, and Amphion bold; The Phthians Medon, famed for martial might,

And brave Podarces, active in the fight. This drew from Phylacus his noble line, Iphiclus' son; and that, Oïleus, thine (Young Ajax' brother, by a stol'n embrace;

870

He dwelt far distant from his native place;

But sage Polydamas, discreetly brave, Address'd great Hector, and this counsel gave:

'Tho' great in all, thou seem'st averse to lend

Impartial audience to a faithful friend: To Gods and men thy matchless worth is known,

And ev'ry art of glorious war thy own; 910 But in cool thought and counsel to excel, How widely differs this from warring well! Content with what the bounteous Gods have giv'n,

Seek not alone t'engross the gifts of Heav'n.

To some the powers of bloody war belong, To some, sweet music, and the charm of song;

To few, and wondrous few, has Jove assign'd

A wise, extensive, all-consid'ring mind; Their guardians these the nations round confess,

And towns and empires for their safety

To Panthus' son, at Hector's high command,

Haste the bold leaders of the Trojan band: But round the battlements, and round the plain,

For many a Chief he look'd, but look'd in vain;

Deïphobus, nor Helenus the seer,

Nor Asius' son, nor Asius' self appear. For these were pierc'd with many a ghastly wound,

Some cold in death, some groaning on the ground;

Some low in dust (a mournful object) lay, High on the wall some breathed their souls

The waves behind impel the waves before, Wide-rolling, foaming high, and tumbling to the shore:

Thus rank on rank the chief battalions throng,

Chief urged on Chief, and man drove mas along:

Far o'er the plains in dreadful order bright,

The brazen arms reflect a beamy light. Full in the blazing van great Hector shined,

Like Mars commission'd to confound mankind.

The tow'ring Ajax, with an ample stride, Advanc'd the first, and thus the Chief defied:

'Hector! come on, thy empty threats forbear:

'Tis not thy arm, 't is thund'ring Jove, we fear:

The skill of war to us not idly giv'n,
Lo! Greece is humbled, not by Troy, but
Heav'n.

Vain are the hopes that haughty mind imparts

To force our fleet: the Greeks have hands and hearts.

Long ere in flames our lofty navy fall, Your boasted city, and your god-built wall, Shall sink beneath us, smoking on the ground;

1030

And spread a long unmeasured ruin round. The time shall come, when, chased along the plain,

Ev'n thou shalt call on Jove, and call in

But such as those of Jove's high lineage born,

The Blue-eyed Maid, or He that gilds the morn),

As this decisive day shall end the fame 1050 Of Greece, and Argos be no more a name. And thou, imperious! if thy madness wait The lance of Hector, thou shalt meet thy fate:

That giant-corpse, extended on the shore, Shall largely feast the fowls with fat and gore.'

He said, and like a lion stalk'd along: With shouts incessant earth and ocean

Nestor, sitting at the table with Machaon, is alarmed with the increasing clamour of the war, and hastens to Agamemnon: on his way he meets that Prince with Diomed and Ulysses, whom he informs of the extremity of the danger. Agamemnon proposes to make their escape by night, which Ulysses withstands; to which Diomed adds his advice, that, wounded as they were, they should go forth and encourage the army with their presence; which advice is pursued. Juno seeing the partiality of Jupiter to the Trojans, forms a design to overreach him; she sets off her charms with the utmost care, and (the more surely to enchant him) obtains the magic girdle of Venus. She then applies herself to the God of Sleep, and with some difficulty persuades him to seal the eyes of Jupiter; this done, she goes to Mount Ida, where the God, at first sight, is ravished with her beauty, sinks in her embraces, and is laid asleep. Neptune takes advantage of his slumber, and succours the