Part 8 (1/2)

What heart but melts to leave the tender train, And, one short ues removed, ish our peaceful seat, When the shi+p tosses, and the te stay provoke their tears, The tedious length of nine revolving years

Not for their grief the Grecian host I blame; But vanquish'd! baffled! oh, eternal shaiven

And try the faith of Chalcas and of heaven

What pass'd at Aulis, Greece can witness bear,(89) And all who live to breathe this Phrygian air

Beside a fountain's sacred brink we raised Our verdant altars, and the victims blazed: 'There the plane-tree spread its shades around, The altars heaved; and froon shot, of dire portent; Froht to the tree his sanguine spires he roll'd, And curl'd around infold; The topht callow infants fill'd the , Stretch'd his black jaws and crush'd the crying young; While hovering near, with one

Thewing, thesurvived: to y on Aulis' sands

Such was the will of Jove; and hence we dare Trust in his oazed ondering eyes, And treht the poith sacrifice, Full of his God, the reverend Chalcas cried,(90) 'Ye Grecian warriors! lay your fears aside

This wondrous signal Jove hi labours, but eternal praise

As many birds as by the snake were slain, So many years the toils of Greece remain; But wait the tenth, for Ilion's fall decreed:'

Thus spoke the prophet, thus the Fates succeed

Obey, ye Grecians! with subht avert the Trojan fate”

He said: the shores with loud applauses sound, The hollow shi+ps each deafening shout rebound

Then Nestor thus--”These vain debates forbear, Ye talk like children, not like heroes dare

Where now are all your high resolves at last?

Your leagues concluded, your engagements past?

Voith libations and with victims then, Now vanish'd like their smoke: the faith of men!

While useless words consu resists our powers

Rise, great Atrides! and with courage sway; We march to war, if thou direct the way

But leave the few that dare resist thy laws, The e the conquests hty Jove prepares, And vieith envy our successful wars

On that great day, when first the h'd the nal sent, And thunder rolling shook the firlorious strife, Till every soldier grasp a Phrygian wife, Till Helen's woes at full revenged appear, And Troy's proud matrons render tear for tear

Before that day, if any Greek invite His country's troops to base, inglorious flight, Stand forth that Greek! and hoist his sail to fly, And die the dastard first, who dreads to die

But now, O monarch! all thy chiefs advise:(91) Nor what they offer, thou thyself despise

A those counsels, let not mine be vain; In tribes and nations to divide thy train: His separate troops let every leader call, Each strengthen each, and all encourage all

What chief, or soldier, of the nuhts, or ill obeys command, When thus distinct they war, shall soon be known And what the cause of Ilion not o'erthrown; If fate resists, or if our arms are slow, If Gods above prevent, or : ”Howwell!

O would the Gods, in love to Greece, decree But ten such sages as they grant in thee; Such wisdom soon should Priahty towers of Troy!

But Jove forbids, who plunges those he hates In fierce contention and in vain debates: Now great Achilles from our aid withdraws, By me provoked; a captive maid the cause: If e'er as friends we join, the Trojan wall Must shake, and heavy will the vengeance fall!

But now, ye warriors, take a short repast; And, well refresh'd, to bloody conflict haste

His sharpen'd spear let every Grecian wield, And every Grecian fix his brazen shi+eld, Let all excite the fiery steeds of war, And all for co car

This day, this dreadful day, let each contend; No rest, no respite, till the shades descend; Till darkness, or till death, shall cover all: Let the war bleed, and let the hty fall; Till bathed in sweat be every e shi+eld each brawny ar nerve refuse the lance to throw, And each spent courser at the chariot blow

Who dares, inglorious, in his shi+ps to stay, Who dares to trenal day; That wretch, too le, and the dogs devour”

The es when the tempest blows, That dash'd on broken rocks tumultuous roar, And foaht to the tents the troops dispersing bend, The fires are kindled, and the smokes ascend; With hasty feasts they sacrifice, and pray, To avert the dangers of the doubtful day

A steer of five years' age, large liamemnon led: There bade the noblest of the Grecian peers; And Nestor first, as most advanced in years

Next came Idomeneus,(93) and Tydeus' son,(94) Ajax the less, and Ajax Telamon;(95) Then wise Ulysses in his rank was placed; And Menelaus came, unbid, the last(96) The chiefs surround the destined beast, and take The sacred offering of the salted cake: When thus the king prefers his solemn prayer; ”O thou! whose thunder rends the clouded air, Who in the heaven of heavens hast fixed thy throne, Supreme of Gods! unbounded, and alone!

Hear! and before the burning sun descends, Before the night her gloomy veil extends, Low in the dust be laid yon hostile spires, Be Priam's palace sunk in Grecian fires