Part 15 (1/2)

A broken rock the force of Pyrus threw, (Who from cold aenus led the Thracian crew,)(142) Full on his ankle dropp'd the ponderous stone, Burst the strong nerves, and crash'd the solid bone

Supine he tumbles on the crimson sands, Before his helpless friends, and native bands, And spreads for aid his unavailing hands

The foe rush'd furious as he pants for breath, And through his navel drove the pointed death: His gushi+ng entrails s from the wound

His lance bold Thoas at the conqueror sent, Deep in his breast above the pap it went, A in his heaving boso near, The aetolian warrior tugg'd his weighty spear: Then sudden waved his flahastly wound; The corpse now breathless on the bloody plain, To spoil his arainst the victor press'd, A grove of lances glitter'd at his breast

Stern Thoas, glaring with revengeful eyes, In sullen fury slowly quits the prize

Thus fell two heroes; one the pride of Thrace, And one the leader of the Epeian race; Death's sable shade at once o'ercast their eyes, In dust the vanquish'd and the victor lies

With copious slaughter all the fields are red, And heap'd with growing mountains of the dead

Had souarded through the dreadful field; Might darts be bid to turn their points away, And swords around him innocently play; The war's whole art onder had he seen, And counted heroes where he counted lory fired, And crowds on crowds triumphantly expired

[Illustration: Map of the Plain of Troy]

Map of the Plain of Troy

BOOK V

ARGUMENT

THE ACTS OF DIOMED

Diomed, assisted by Pallas, performs wonders in this day's battle

Pandarus wounds him with an arrow, but the Goddess cures him, enables him to discern Gods fro with any of the for Venus aeneas joins Pandarus to oppose hier but for the assistance of Venus; who, as she is reht, is wounded on the hand by Dioth carries off aeneas to Troy, where he is healed in the teamus Mars rallies the Trojans, and assists Hector to make a stand In the meantime aeneas is restored to the field, and they overthrow several of the Greeks; a the rest Tlepolemus is slain by Sarpedon Juno and Minerva descend to resist Mars; the latter incites Dioroaning to heaven

The first battle continues through this book The scene is the same as in the former

But Pallas now Tydides' soul inspires,(143) Fills with her force, and warms with all her fires, Above the Greeks his deathless fauish'd praise

High on his hels play, His bea ray; The unwearied blaze incessant streams supplies, Like the red star that fires the autuht, And, bathed in ocean, shoots a keener light

Such glories Pallas on the chief bestow'd, Such, froence flow'd: Onward she drives hiht burns, and where the thickest rage

The sons of Dares first the coht, A wealthy priest, but rich without a fault; In Vulcan's fane the father's days were led, The sons to toils of glorious battle bred; These singled froht maintain, These, from their steeds, Tydides on the plain

Fierce for renown the brother-chiefs draw near, And first bold Phegeus cast his sounding spear, Which o'er the warrior's shoulder took its course, And spent in e force

Not so, Tydides, flew thy lance in vain, But pierced his breast, and stretch'd him on the plain

Seized with unusual fear, Idaeus fled, Left the rich chariot, and his brother dead

And had not Vulcan lent celestial aid, He too had sunk to death's eternal shade; But in a smoky cloud the God of fire Preserved the son, in pity to the sire

The steeds and chariot, to the navy led, Increased the spoils of gallant Diomed

Struck with amaze and shame, the Trojan crew, Or slain, or fled, the sons of Dares view; When by the blood-stain'd hand Minerva press'd The God of battles, and this speech address'd:

”Stern power of war! by whohty fall, Who bathe in blood, and shake the lofty wall!

Let the brave chiefs their glorious toils divide; And whose the conquest, hty Jove decide: While we from interdicted fields retire, Nor te sire”