Part 25 (1/2)

The cloud-co God her suit approved, And smiled superior on his best beloved; Then call'd his coursers, and his chariot took; The stedfast firmament beneath them shook: Rapt by the ethereal steeds the chariot roll'd; Brass were their hoofs, their curling old the Gods array, Refulgent, flash'd intolerable day

High on the throne he shi+nes: his coursers fly Between the extended earth and starry sky

But when to Ida's topame,) Where o'er her pointed summits proudly raised, His fane breathed odours, and his altar blazed: There, from his radiant car, the sacred sire Of Gods and men released the steeds of fire: Blue ah on the cloudy point his seat he placed; Thence his broad eye the subject world surveys, The town, and tents, and navigable seas

Now had the Grecians snatch'd a short repast, And buckled on their shi+ning arms with haste

Troy roused as soon; for on this dreadful day The fate of fathers, wives, and infants lay

The gates unfolding pour forth all their train; Squadrons on squadrons cloud the dusky plain: Men, steeds, and chariots shake the treround, The tumult thickens, and the skies resound; And noith shouts the shocking armies closed, To lances lances, shi+elds to shi+elds opposed, Host against host with shadowy legends drew, The sounding darts in iron tempests flew; Victors and vanquish'd join proroans arise; With streahter'd heroes swell the dreadful tide

Long as the ht, O'er heaven's clear azure spread the sacred light, Coored with equal wounds

But when the sun the height of heaven ascends, The sire of Gods his golden scales suspends,(192) With equal hand: in these explored the fate Of Greece and Troy, and poised the ht: Press'd with its load, the Grecian balance lies Low sunk on earth, the Trojan strikes the skies

Then Jove from Ida's top his horrors spreads; The clouds burst dreadful o'er the Grecian heads; Thick lightnings flash; the th he withers, and un hosts retire; The Gods in terrors, and the skies on fire

Nor great Idoht could bear, Nor each stern Ajax, thunderbolts of war: Nor he, the king of war, the alarm sustain'd Nestor alone, a he remain'd, for Paris' dart Had pierced his courser in ahiins to rear, Paith his hoofs aloft, and lash the air

Scarce had his falchion cut the reins, and freed The encu steed, When dreadful Hector, thundering through the war, Pour'd to the tu car

That day had stretch'd beneath his matchless hand The hoary monarch of the Pylian band, But Diomed beheld; from forth the crowd He rush'd, and on Ulysses call'd aloud:

”Whither, oh whither does Ulysses run?

Oh, flight unworthy great Laertes' son!

Mix'd with the vulgar shall thy fate be found, Pierced in the back, a vile, dishonest wound?

Oh turn and save frolory of the Greeks, the Pylian sage”

His fruitless words are lost unheard in air, Ulysses seeks the shi+ps, and shelters there

But bold Tydides to the rescue goes, A single warriorHe leap'd, and anxious thus bespoke the king:

”Great perils, father! wait the unequal fight; These younger chaht

Thy veins no low, Weak is thy servant, and thy coursers slow

Then haste, ascend my seat, and from the car Observe the steeds of Tros, renown'd in war

Practised alike to turn, to stop, to chase, To dare the fight, or urge the rapid race: These late obey'd aeneas' guiding rein; Leave thou thy chariot to our faithful train; With these against yon Trojans e go, Nor shall great Hector want an equal foe; Fierce as he is, even hespear”

Thus said the chief; and Nestor, skill'd in war, Approves his counsel, and ascends the car: The steeds he left, their trusty servants hold; Eurymedon, and Sthenelus the bold: The reverend charioteer directs the course, And strains his aged ar how to fear, Fierce he drove on; Tydides whirl'd his spear

The spear with erring haste ed in Eniopeus' boso hand in death forsakes the rein; The steeds fly back: he falls, and spurns the plain

Great Hector sorrows for his servant kill'd, Yet unrevenged permits to press the field; Till, to supply his place and rule the car, Rose Archeptolemus, the fierce in war

And now had death and horror cover'd all;(193) Like timorous flocks the Trojans in their wall Inclosed had bled: but Jove with awful sound Roll'd the big thunder o'er the vast profound: Full in Tydides' face the lightning flew; The ground before hi steeds fell prostrate at the sight; And Nestor's treht: He dropp'd the reins: and, shook with sacred dread, Thus, turning, warn'd the intrepid Dio in thy friend's defence Retire advised, and urge the chariot hence

This day, averse, the sovereign of the skies assists great Hector, and our palm denies

Some other sun may see the happier hour, When Greece shall conquer by his heavenly power

'Tis not in lory to submit to Jove”

”O reverend prince! (Tydides thus replies) Thy years are awful, and thy words are wise

But ah, what grief! should haughty Hector boast I fled inglorious to the guarded coast

Before that dire disgrace shall blast my fame, O'erwhelm me, earth; and hide a warrior's shame!”

To whoe fear the Phrygian's pride?

Hector may vaunt, but who shall heed the boast?