IN HEXAMETERS

Sing , O daughter of heaven, of Peleus' son, of Achilles,
Him whose terrible wrath brought thousand woes on Achaia
Many a stalwart soul did it hurl untimely to Hades,
Souls of the heroes of old: and their bones lay strown on the sea-sands,
Prey to the vulture and dog. Yet was Zeus fulfilling a purpose;
Since that far-off day, when in hot strife parted asunder
Atreus' sceptred son, and the chos'n of heaven, Achilles.
Say then, which of the Gods bid arise up battle between them?

BOOK II.

S O all else — gods, and charioted chiefs —
Slept the night through. But sweet sleep bound not Zeus;
Pondering what way Achilles to exalt,
And by the Achaian ships make many fall

This to his soul the fairest counsel seemed;
To send to Atreus' son an evil Dream:
And to the Dream he spake with winged words.

" Go, evil Dream, to yon Greek war-ships; seek
The tent of Agamemnon, Atreus' son;

Book I

The wrath of Peleus' son, that evil wrath
Which on Achaia piled a myriad woes,
Oh Goddess, sing: which down to darkness hurled
Brave souls of mighty men, and made their flesh
A prey to dogs and every ravening fowl.
Yet Zeus his will was working: since the day
When first 'twixt Atreus' son, the King of men,
And proud Achilles there arose up war

What god, then, bade those twain stand forth and strive?
Zeus's and Leto's son. He, angered sore

THE LAST PARTING OF HECTOR AND ANDROMACHE

FROM THE SIXTH BOOK OF HOMER'S ILIADS

Thus having said, brave Hector went to see
His virtuous wife, the fair Andromache.
He found her not at home; for she was gone,
Attended by her maid and infant son,
To climb the steepy tow'r of Ilion:
From whence, with heavy heart, she might survey
The bloody business of the dreadful day.
Her mournful eyes she cast around the plain,
And sought the lord of her desires in vain.

Breathless she flew, with Joy and Passion wild,
The Nurse came lagging after with her Child.

The Royal Babe upon her Breast was laid;
Who, like the Morning Star, his beams display'd.
Scamandrius was his Name which Hector gave,
From that fair Flood which Ilion 's Wall did lave:
But him Astyanax the Trojans call,
From his great Father who defends the Wall.

Hector beheld him with a silent Smile,
His tender Wife stood weeping by, the while:
Prest in her own, his Warlike hand she took,

As when 'gainst murmuring shores a Western Breese
Drives frequent Billows on, which by degrees
At Sea first mustering, quickly after reach
The Land, wind-driven, with a thundring breach,
The trending Bayes congested waters charge,
And briny Mountaines troubled Foame disgorge.
So thick the Greeks were up in Bodyes drawn,
Each Captain leading his owne Squadron on:
So silent were they, you would say, among
Such numerous Bands, not any had a Tongue:
Their Officers obeying on they march

When, gently raising up his drooping Head,
Thus, with a Sigh, the sad Patroclus said.

Godlike Achilles, Peleus valiant Son!
Of all our Chiefs, the greatest in Renown:
Upbraid not thus th' afflicted with their Woes,
Nor Triumph now the Greeks sustain such loss!
To pity let thy generous Breast incline,
And show thy Mind is, like thy Birth, Divine.
For all the valiant Leaders of their Host,
Or Wounded lie, or are in Battel lost.
Ulysses great in Arms, and Diomede ,

i. 225

" Bibber besotted, with scowl of a cur, having heart of a deer, thou!
Never to join to thy warriors armed for the press of the conflict,
Never for ambush forth with the princeliest sons of Achaia
Dared thy soul, for to thee that thing would have looked as a death-stroke.
Sooth, more easy it seems, down the lengthened array of Achaians,
Snatch at the prize of the one whose voice has been lifted against thee.
Ravening king of the folk, for that thou has thy rule over abjects;

When now the Chief his valiant Friends beheld
Grov'ling in Dust, and gasping on the Field,
With this Reproach his flying Host he warms,
Oh Stain to Honour! oh Disgrace of Arms!
Forsake, inglorious, the contended Plain;
This Hand unaided shall the War sustain:
The Task be mine the Hero's Strength to try,
Who mows whole Troops, and makes whole Armies fly.
He said, and leap'd from off his lofty Car;
Patroclus lights, and sternly waits the War.
As when two Vulturs on the Mountain's Height

Translated from the Twelfth and Sixteenth Books of
HOMER 's ILIADS
Thus Hector , great in Arms, contends in vain
To fix the Fortune of the fatal Plain,
Nor Troy cou'd conquer, nor the Greeks wou'd yield,
'Till bold Sarpedon rush'd into the Field;
For mighty Jove inspir'd with Martial Flame
His God-like Son, and urg'd him on to Fame.
In Arms he shines, conspicuous from afar,
And bears aloft his ample Shield in Air,
Within whose Orb the thick Bull-hides were roll'd,
Pondrous with Brass, and bound with ductile Gold;