220

Your own refiftlefs eloquence employ,
And to the Immortals trust the fall of Troy.
The voice divine confefs'd the warlike maid,
Vlyffes heard, nor uninspir'd obey'd:
Then meeting first Atrides, from his hand
Receiv'd th' imperial fceptre of command.
Thus grac'd, attention and respect to gain,
He runs, he flies, through all the Grecian train,
Each prince of name, or chief in arms approv'de
225

He fir'd with praife, or with perfuafion mov'd. Warriours, like you, with strength and wifdom bleft,

By brave examples fhould confirm the rest.
The monarch's will not yet reveal'd appears;
He tries our courage, but refents our fears, 230
Th' unwary Greeks his fury may provoke;
Not thus the king in fecret council spoke.
Jove loves our chief, from Jove his honour
fprings,

Beware! for dreadful is the wrath of kings.
But if a clamorous vile plebeian rose,

235

The groaning banks are burst with bellowing found,

255

The rocks remurmur, and the deeps rebound.
At length the tumult finks, the noises cease,
And a still filence lulls the camp to peace,
Therfites only clamour'd in the throng,
Loquacious, loud, and turbulent of tongue:
Aw'd by no fhame, by no respects control'd,
In fcandal bufy, in reproaches bold;
With witty malice ftudious to defame :
Scorn all his joy, and laughter all his aim;
But chief he glory'd, with licentious ftile,
To lath the great, and monarchs to revile.
His figure fuch as might his foul proclaim;
One eye was blinking, and one leg was lame;
His mountain shoulders half his breaft o'erfpread,

Sharp was his voice, which, in the fhrilleft tone,
Thus with injurious taunts attack'd the throne:
Amidft the glories of fo bright a reign, 275
What moves the great Atrides to complain?
'Tis thine whate'er the warriour's breaft in-
flames,

The golden fpoil, and thine the lovely danes.
With all the wealth our war and blood beftow,
Thy tents are crowded, and thy chefts o'erflow,
280
Thus at full eafe in heaps of riches roll'd,
What grieves the monarch? Is it thirft of gold?
Say, hall we march with our unconquer'd

powers,

285

(The Greeks and I) to Ilion's hoftile towers,
And bring the race of royal baftards here,
For Troy to ranfom at a price too dear?
But fafer plunder thy own hoft fupplies;
Say, would't thou feize fome valiant leader's
prize?

Or, if thy heart to generous love be led,
Some captive fair, to blefs thy kingly bed? 290
Whate'er our mafter craves, fubmit we muft,
Plagued with his pride, or punish'd for his luft.
Oh women of Achaia! men no more!
Hence let us fly, and let him waste his store
In loves and pleasures on the Phrygian fhore.
295-

We may be wanted on fome bufy day,
When Hector comes: fo great Achilles may :
From him he forc'd the prize we jointly gave,
From him, the fierce, the fearless, and the brave:
And durft he, as he ought, refent that wrong,
300

This mighty tyrant were no tyrant long.
Fierce from his feat at this Ulyffes fprings,
In generous vengeance of the king of kings;
With indignation fparkling in his eyes,
He vies the wretch, and fternly thus replies: 305
Peace, factious monster, born to vex the state
With wrangling talents form'd for foul debate:
Curb that impetuous tongue, nor rafhly vain
And fingly mad, afperfe the fovereign reign.
Have we not known thee, flave! of ail our hoft,

310

265

270

Thin hairs beftrew'd his long mishapen head.
Spleen to mankind his envious heart poffeft,
And much he hated all, but most the best.
Ulyffes or Achilles ftill his theme;
But royal fcandal nis delight fupreme.
Long had he liv'd the fcorn of every Greek,
Vext when he spoke, yet ftill they heard him
fpeak.
VOL. VI.

320

325

He faid, and cowering as the daftard bends, The weighty fceptre on his back defcends: On the round bunch the bloody tumours rife ; The tears (pring starting from his haggard eyes:

What heart but melts to leave the tender train,
And, one fhort month, endure the wintery main?
Few leagues remov'd, we with our peaceful feat,
When the thip toffes, and the tempefts beat:
Then well may this long stay provoke their tears,
360

The tedious length of nine revolving years.
Not for their grief the Grecian hoft I blame;
But vanquish'd! baffled! oh, eternal shame!
Expect the time to Troy's deftruction given,
And try the faith of Chalcas and of Heaven. 365
What pafs'd at Aulis, Greece can witnels bear,
And all who live to breathe this Phrygian air.
Befide a fountain's facred brink we rais'd
Our verdant altars, and the victims blaz'd;
('Twas where the plane-tree fpreads its fhades
around)
370
The altars heav'd; and from the crumbling ground
A mighty dragon fhot, of dire portent;
From Jove himfelf the dreadful fign was fent.
Strait to the tree his fanguine fpire he roll'd,
And curl'd around in many a winding fold.
The topmoft branch a mother-bird poffeft;
Eight callow infants fill'd the moffy nest;
Herfelf the ninth: the ferpent, as he hung,
Stretch'd his black jaws, and crafh'd the crying
young;

375

Full of his God, the reverend Chalcas cried, 390
Ye Grecian warriors! lay your fears afide.
This wonderous fignal Jove himself displays,
Of long, long labours, but eternal praise.
As many birds as by the fnake were flain,
So many years the toils of Greece remain,
But wait the tenth, for Ilion's fate decreed;
Thus fpoke the prophet, thus the fates fucceed.
Obey, ye Grecians! with fubmiffion wait,
Nor let your flight avert the Trojan fate.
He faid the thores with loud applauses found,

395

Vow'd with libations and with victims then,
Now vanifh'd like their smoke: the faith of men!
While ufelefs words confume th' unactive hours,
No wonder Troy fo long refifts our powers.
Rife, great Atrides! and with courage fway; 410
We march to war, if thou dire&t the way.
But leave the few that dare refift thy laws,
The mean deferters of the Grecian cause,
To grudge the conquefts mighty Jove prepares,
And view with envy our fuccefsful wars.
On that great day when first the martial train,
Big with the fate of Ilion, plow'd the main,
Jove on the right, a profperous fignal fent,
And thunder rolling thook the firmament.
Encourag'd hence, maintain the glorious ftrife,

41-3

420

Till every foldier grasp a Phrygian wife,
Till Helen's woes at full reveng'd appear,
And Troy's proud matrons render tear for tear.
Before that day, if any Greek invite

His country's troops to bafe, inglorious flight; 425
Stand forth that Greek! and hoift his fail to fly,
And die the daftard first, who dreads to die.
But now, O monarch! all thy chiefs advise:
Nor what they offer, thou thy felf defpife.
Among thofe councils, let not mine be vain; 430
In tribes and nations to divide thy train;
His feparate troops let every leader call,
Each strengthen each, and all encourage all.
What chief, or foldier, of the numerous band,
Or bravely fights, or ill obeys command, 435
When thus diftinct they war, fhall foon be known,
And what the caufe of Ilion not o'er-thrown;
If fate refifts, or if our arms are flow,
If Gods above prevent, or men below.

To him the king: How much thy years excel

440

In arts of council, and in fpeaking well?
O would the Gods, in love to Greece, decree
But ten fuch fages as they grant in thee;
Such wisdom foon fhould Priam's force deftroy,
And foon fhould fall the haughty towers of Troy!
446

But Jove forbids, who plunges those he hates
In fierce contention and in vain debates.
Now great Achilles from our aid withdraws,
By me provok'd: a captive maid the cause:

450

455

If e'er as friends we join, the Trojan wall
Muft fhake, and heavy will the vengeance fall!
But now, ye warriours, take a fhort repast:
And, well-refresh'd, to bloody conflict haste.
His tharpen'd fpear let every Grecian wield,
And every Grecian fix his brazen shield:
Let all excite the fiery fteeds of war,
And all for combat fit the rattling car.
This day, this dreadful day, let each contend;
No reft, no refpite, till the fhades defcend;
Till darkness, or till death, fhail cover all :
Let the war bleed, and let the mighty fall!
Till bath'd in fweat be every manly breast,
With the huge fhield each brawny arm depreft,
Each aching nerve refufe the lance to throw,
And each spent courfer at the chariot blow.
Who dares, inglorious, in his ships to stay,
Who dares to tremble on this fignal day;
That wretch, too mean to fall by martial power,
The birds fhall mangle, and the dogs devour.

460

465

The monarch spoke; and ftrait a murmur rofe,

470

Loud as the furges when the tempeft blows,
That dafh'd on broken rocks tumultuous roar,
And foam and thunder on the ftony fhore.
Straight to the tents the troops difperfing bend,
The fires are kindled, and the fmokes afcend; 475
With hafty feaft they facrifice, and pray,
T'avert the dangers of the doubtful day.

A fteer of five years' age, large limb'd, and fed,
To Jove's high altars Agamemnon led:
There bade the nobleft of the Grecian peers; 480
And Neftor first, as most advanc'd in years.
Next came Idomeneus, and Tydeus' fon,
Ajax the lefs, and Ajax Telamon;

Soon as the rage of hunger was fuppreft,
The generous Neftor thus the prince addreft: 515
Now bid thy heralds found the loud alarms,
And call the iquadrons fheath'd in brazen arms:
Now feize th' occafion, now the troops furvey,
And lead to war when Heaven direct the way.

He faid; the monarch iffued his commands; 520
Straight the loud heralds call the gathering bands.
The chiefs inclo e their king: the host divide,
In tribes and nations rank'd on either fide.
High in the midst the blue-eyed Virgin flies;
From rank to rank the darts her ardent eves: 525
The dreadful ægis, Jove's immortal fhield,
Blaz'd on her arm, and lighten'd all the field:
Round the vaft orb an hundred ferpents roll'd,
Form'd the bright fringe, and feem'd to burn in

gold.

With this each Grecian's manly breaft the warms, 530 Swells their bold hearts, and ftrings their nervous

arms;

No more they figh, inglorious, to return,
But breathe revenge, and forthe combat burn.
As on fome mountain, through the lofty grove,
The crackling flames afcend, and blaze above; 535
The fires expanding as the winds arife,
Shoot their long beams, and kindle half the fkies:
So from the polish'd arms, and brazen fhields,
A gleamy fplendour flash'd along the fields.
Not lefs their puniber than th' embody'd cranes, 540
Or milk-white swans in Afius' watery plains,
That o'er the windings of Cävfter's fprings,
Stretch their long necks, and clap their rustling
wings,

Then wife Ulyffes in his rank was plac'd ;

Now tower aloft, and courfe in airy rounds;
Now light with noife; with noife the field refounds.
545
Thus numerous and confus'd, extending wide,
The legions crowd Scamander's flowery fide;
With rushing troops the plains are covered o'er,
And thundering footsteps shake the founding fhore.
Along the river's level meads they stand, 559
Thick as in fpring the flowers adorn the land,
Or leaves the trees; or thick as infects play,

490

495

500

Supreme of Gods! unbounded and alone!
Heard and before the burning fun defcends,
Before the night her gloomy veil extends,
Low in the dust be laid yon hoftile spires,
Be Priam's palace funk in Grecian fires,
In Hector's breast be plung'd this fhining fword,
And flaughter'd heroes groan around their lord!
Thus pray'd the chief; his unavailing prayer
Great Jove refus'd, and toft in empty air:
The God averfe, while yet the fumes arofe,
Prepar'd new toils, and doubled woes on woes.
Their prayers perform'd, the chiefs the rite purfue,
The barley fprinkled, and the victim flew,
The limbs they fever from th' inclofing hide,
The thighs, felected to the Gods, divide.
On the fe, in double cauls involv'd with art,
The choiceft morfels lie from every part.
From the cleft wood the crackling flames afpire,
While the fat victim feed the facred fire.
The thighs thus facrific'd, and entrails dreft, 510
Th' affiftants part, transfix, and roast the rest;
Then spread the cables, the repaft prepare,
Each takes his feat, and each receives his share.

505

The wandering nation of a fummer's day,
That, drawn by milky fteams, at evening hours,
In gather'd fwarms furround the rural bowers; 555
From pail to pail with bufy murmur run
The gilded legions, glittering in the fun.
So throng'd, to clofe, the Grecian squadrons stood
In radiant arms, and thirst for Trojan blood.
Each leader now his fcattered force conjoins 560
In close array, and forms the deepening lines.
Not with more ease, the skilful thepherd fwain
ollects his flocks from thousands on the plain.
The King of Kings, majeftically tall,
Towers o'er his armies, and outshines them all;
565

Like fome proud bull that round the pastures leads
His fubject-herds, the monarch of the meads.
Great as the Gods, th' exalted chief was feen,
His ftrength like Neptune, and like Mars his mien
Jove o'er his eyes celeftial glories fpread, 57
And dawning conqueft play'd around his head.
Say, Virgins, feated round the throne divine,
All-knowing Goddeffes! immortal nine!

High on the deck the king of men appears,
And his refulgent arms in triumph wears;
Proud of his hoft, unrivall'd in his reign,
In filent pon p he moves along the main.

His brother follows, and to vengeance warms
The hardy Spartans exercis'd in arms;
Phares and Bryfia's valiant troops, and those
Whom Lacedæmon's lofty hills inclofe :

710

Or Meffe's towers for filver doves renown'd, 705
Amycle, Laas, Augia's happy ground,
And those whom Oetylos' low walls contain,
And Helos, on the margin of the main :
Thefe, o'er the bending ocean, Helen's caufe,
In fixty fhips, with Menelaus draws:
Eager and loud from man to man he flies,
Revenge and fury flaming in his eyes;
While, vainly fond, in fancy oft he hears
The fair-one's grief, and tees her falling tears.
In ninety fail, from Pylos' fandy coaft,
Neftor the fage conducts his chosen host:
From Amphigenia's ever fruitful land;

715

Where Epy high, and little Pteleon stand; Where beauteous Arenè her structures shows, And Thryon's walls Alpheus' streams inclofe: 720

And Dorion, fam'd for Thamyris' difgrace,
Superior once of all the tuneful race,
Till, vain of mortals empty praise, he strove
To match the feed of cloud-compelling Jove!
Too daring bard! whofe unfuccefsful pride 725
Th' immortal Mufes in their art defy'd.
Th' avenging Mufes of the light of day
Depriv'd his eyes, and fnatch'd his voice away;
No more his heavenly voice was heard to fing,
His hand no more awak'd the filver string.
Where under high Cyllenè, crown'd with wood,
The fhaded tomb of old Ægyptus ftood;
From Ripè, Stratie, Tegea's bordering towns,
The Phenean fields, and Orchomenian downs,
Where the fat herds in plenteous pasture rove;

And Stymphelus with her furrounding grove,
Parrhafia, on her snowy cliffs reclin'd,
And high Enifpè shook by wintery wind,
And fair Mantinea's ever pleasing fite;

730

735

740

In fixty fail th' Arcadian bands unite.
Bold Agapenor, glorious at their head,
(Ancæus fon) the mighty fquadron led,
Their fhips, fupply'd by Agamemnon's care,
Through roaring feas the wondering warriours

bear;

The first to battle on th' appointed plain, But new to all the dangers of the main.

745

Thofe, where fair Elis and Buprafium join; Whom Hyrmin, here, and Myrfinus confine, And bounded there where o'er the valleys rofe Th' Olenian rock; and where Alifium flows; 750 Beneath four chiefs (a numerous army) came : The ftrength and glory of th' Epean name. In feparate fquadrons these their train divide, Each leads ten veffels through the yielding tide. One was Amphimachus, and Thalphius one 755 (Eurytus' this, and that Teätus fon); Diores fprung from Amarynceus' line; And great Polyxenus, of force divine.

Ulyffes follow'd through the watery road, 765
A chief, in wisdom equal to a God.
With those who Cephalenia's me inclos'd,
Or till their fields along the coast oppos'd;
Or where fair Ithaca o'erlooks the floods,
Where high Neritos shakes his waving woods, 770
Where Ægilipa's rugged fides are seen,
Crocylia rocky, and Zacynthus green.
Thefe in twelve galleys with vermillion prores,
Beneath his conduct fought the Phrygian shores.
Thoas came next, Andræmon's valiant fon, 775
From Pleuron's walls, and chalky Calydon,
And rough Pylenè, and th' Olenian steep,
And Chalcis beaten by the rolling deep.

He led the warriours from th' Ætolian fhore,
For now the fons of Oeneus were no more! 780
The glories of the mighty race were fled!
Oeneus himself, and Meleager dead!

To Thoas care now truft the martial train,
His forty veffels follow through the main.

Next eighty barks the Cretan king commands,

785

Of Gnoffus, Lycus, and Gortyna's bands,
And those who dwell where Rhytion's domes arife,
Or white Lycaftus glitters to the skies,
Or where by Phoeftus filver Jardan rune;
Crete's hundred cities pour forth all her fons. 790
These march'd, Idomeneus, beneath thy care,
And Merion, dreadful as the God of war.
Tlepolemus, the fon of Hercules,

Led nine fwift veffels through the foamy feas;
From Rhodes with everlafting funfhine bright, 795
Jalyffus, Lindus, and Camirus white.

His captive mother fierce Alcides bore,
From Ephyr's walls, and Selle's winding fhore,
Where mighty towns in ruins spread the plain,
And faw their blooming warriours early flain. Soo
The hero, when to manly years he grew,
Alcides' uncle, old Licymnius, flew;
For this, conftrain'd to quit his native place,
And fhun the vengeance of the Herculean race,
A fleet he built, and with a numerous train 805.
Of willing exiles, wander'd o'er the main ;
Where, many feas and many fufferings paft,
On happy Rhodes the chief arriv'd at laft:
There in three tribes divides his native band,
And rules them peaceful in a foreign land;
Encreas'd and profper'd in their new abodes,
By mighty Jove, the fire of men and Gods;
With joy they faw the growing empire rise,
And fhowers of wealth defcending from the skies.
Three fhips with Nireus fought the Trojan

shore,

810

Nireus, whom Agläe to Charopus bore,
Nireus, in faultlefs fhape and blooming grace,
The lovelieft yout of all the Grecian race;
Pelides only match'd his early charms;
But few his troops, and small his strength in arms.
820