Part 14 (1/2)
The field shall prove how perjuries succeed, And chains or death avenge the i his course pursues, And next the troops of either Ajax views: In one fired around, A cloud of heroes blacken'd all the ground
Thus fro storm below; Slow from the main the heavy vapours rise, Spread in diht the swelling te as the ind blows: He dreads the i stor rock
Such, and so thick, the e iron wood: A shady light was shot fro shi+elds, And their brown arms obscured the dusky fields
”O heroes! worthy such a dauntless train, Whose Godlike virtue we but urge in vain, (Exclaireat examples, more than loud commands
Ah! would the Gods but breathe in all the rest Such souls as burn in your exalted breast, Soon should our arms with just success be crown'd, And Troy's proud walls lie seneral bends his course; (His heart exults, and glories in his force); There reverend Nestor ranks his Pylian bands, And with inspiring eloquence commands; With strictest order sets his train in arms, The chiefs advises, and the soldiers warms
Alastor, Chroreat
The horse and chariots to the front assign'd, The foot (the strength of war) he ranged behind; The middle space suspected troops supply, Inclosed by both, nor left the power to fly; He gives command to ”curb the fiery steed, Nor cause confusion, nor the ranks exceed: Before the rest let none too rashly ride; No strength nor skill, but just in tie once ht, or fall; a firm embodied train
He whom the fortune of the field shall cast From forth his chariot, mount the next in haste; Nor seek unpractised to direct the car, Content with javelins to provoke the war
Our great forefathers held this prudent course, Thus ruled their ardour, thus preserved their force; By laws like these immortal conquests made, And earth's proud tyrants low in ashes laid”
So spoke the reat Atrides' heart
”Oh! hadst thou strength to match thy brave desires, And nerves to second what thy soul inspires!
But wasting years, that wither human race, Exhaust thy spirits, and thy arhtst thou be!
And age the lot of any chief but thee”
Thus to the experienced prince Atrides cried; He shook his hoary locks, and thus replied: ”Well th which once in boiling youth I knew; Such as I hen Ereuthalion, slain Beneath this arifts not all at once bestows, These years isdom croith action those: The field of co and bold, The solelorious conflict I resign, Let sage advice, the pale, be mine”
He said With joy the monarch march'd before, And found Menestheus on the dusty shore, With whom the firm Athenian phalanx stands; And next Ulysses, with his subject bands
Reed, nor heard the sounds of war; The tuun, they stood intent To watch the , who saw their squadrons yet unmoved, With hasty ardour thus the chiefs reproved:
”Can Peleus' son forget a warrior's part
And fears Ulysses, skill'd in every art?
Why stand you distant, and the rest expect To lect?
Fro the first to dare The shock of armies, and commence the war; For this your names are call'd before the rest, To share the pleasures of the genial feast: And can you, chiefs! without a blush survey Whole troops before you labouring in the fray?
Say, is it thus those honours you requite?
The first in banquets, but the last in fight”
Ulysses heard: the hero's warmth o'erspread His cheek with blushes: and severe, he said: ”Take back the unjust reproach! Behold we stand Sheathed in bright arlorious deeds afford thy soul delight, Behold ive thy warrior-chief a warrior's due, Who dares to act whate'er thou dar'st to view”
Struck with his generous wrath, the king replies:
”O great in action, and in council wise!
With ours, thy care and ardour are the sae as thou art, and learn'd in huive the transport of a ht, secure of just amends; The Gods that make, shall keep the worthy, friends”
He said, and pass'd where great Tydides lay, His steeds and chariots wedged in firm array; (The warlike Sthenelus attends his side;)(135) To ith stern reproach the th could tahty na hosts descry, With hands unactive, and a careless eye?
Not thus thy sire the fierce encounter fear'd; Still first in front the lorious toils, onders they recite, Who view'd hiht?
I saw hiuest, he sought Mycenae's towers; Ariven, Not we denied, but Jove forbade fro from afar, Forewarn'd the horrors of the Theban war(136) Next, sent by Greece from where Asopus flows, A fearless envoy, he approach'd the foes; Thebes' hostile walls unguarded and alone, Dauntless he enters, and de with his chiefs he found, And dared to combat all those chiefs around: Dared, and subdued before their haughty lord; For Pallas strung his ar with the shae fifty warriors lay; Two heroes led the secret squadron on, Mason the fierce, and hardy Lycophon; Those fifty slaughter'd in the gloomy vale
He spared but one to bear the dreadful tale, Such Tydeus was, and such his enerates from the sire!”
No words the Godlike Diomed return'd, But heard respectful, and in secret burn'd: Not so fierce Capaneus' undaunted son; Stern as his sire, the boaster thus begun: