Part 66 (1/2)
Thus at the panting dove a falcon flies (The swiftest racer of the liquid skies), Just when he holds, or thinks he holds his prey, Obliquely wheeling through the aerial way, With open beak and shrilling cries he springs, And aiht the rapid chase they held, One urged by fury, one by fear i round the walls their course h watch-tower overlooks the plain; Nohere the fig-trees spread their u the road
Next by Scamander's double source they bound, Where two fah scorching clefts is seen to rise, With exhalations steareen banks in summer's heat o'erflows, Like crystal clear, and cold as winter snows: Each gushi+ng fount arills; Where Trojan daarments in the days of peace(276) By these they pass'd, one chasing, one in flight: (The ht:) Sas the course; no vulgar prize they play, No vulgar victim must reward the day: (Such as in races crown the speedy strife:) The prize contended was great Hector's life
As when sohty dead; Where high rewards the vigorous youth infla coursers swiftly turn the goal, And with them turns the raised spectator's soul: Thus three ti Gods lean forward froer on the chase they look, The sire of ht! the lorious round yon city driven!
My heart partakes the generous Hector's pain; Hector, whose zeal whole hecatorateful fumes the Gods received with joy, Fro; to his fears resign'd, And fate, and fierce Achilles, close behind
Consult, ye powers! ('tis worthy your debate) Whether to snatch hi fate, Or let him bear, by stern Pelides slain, (Good as he is) the lot ieance forms The forky bolt, and blackens heaven with stor one Trojan's forfeit breath?
A man, a mortal, pre-ordain'd to death!
And will no nant blame their partial Jove?”
”Go then (return'd the sire) without delay, Exert thy will: I give the Fates their way
Swift at the mandate pleased Tritonia flies, And stoops ih the forest, o'er the vale and lawn, The well-breath'd beagle drives the flying fawn, In vain he tries the covert of the brakes, Or deep beneath the tre thicket shakes; Sure of the vapour in the tainted dews, The certain hound his various maze pursues
Thus step by step, where'er the Trojan wheel'd, There swift Achilles coates he bends, And hopes the assistance of his pitying friends, (Whose showering arrows, as he coursed below, Froht oppress the foe,) So oft Achilles turns him to the plain: He eyes the city, but he eyes in vain
As men in slumbers seem with speedy pace, One to pursue, and one to lead the chase, Their sinking limbs the fancied course forsake, Nor this can fly, nor that can overtake: No less the labouring heroes pant and strain: While that but flies, and this pursues in vain
What God, Oto hold the course?
Phoebus it ho, in his latest hour, Endued his knees with strength, his nerves with power: And great Achilles, lest solory fron'd to the troops to yield his foe the way, And leave untouch'd the honours of the day
Jove lifts the golden balances, that show The fates ofhero's lot he tries, And weighs, with equal hand, their destinies
Low sinks the scale surcharged with Hector's fate; Heavy with death it sinks, and hell receives the weight
Then Phoebus left hi, cries: ”O loved of Jove! this day our labours cease, And conquest blazes with full beams on Greece
Great Hector falls; that Hector famed so far, Drunk with renown, insatiable of war, Falls by thy hand, and ht, Shall ht
See, where in vain he supplicates above, Roll'd at the feet of unrelenting Jove; Rest here: e to meet the fate he cannot shun”
Her voice divine the chief with joyful mind Obey'd; and rested, on his lance reclined While like Deiphobus the esture, and her arms the same), In show an aid, by hapless Hector's side Approach'd, and greets hi, O Hector! have I borne the sight Of this distress, and sorrow'd in thy flight: It fits us now a noble stand to make, And here, as brothers, equal fates partake”
Then he: ”O prince! allied in blood and fame, Dearer than all that own a brother's na loved: much loved, but honoured more!
Since you, of all our nuardless of your own”
Again the Goddess: ”Much my father's prayer, And much my mother's, press'd me to forbear: My friends eer love ilorious conflict let us try, Let the steel sparkle, and the javelin fly; Or let us stretch Achilles on the field, Or to his arm our bloody trophies yield”
Fraudful she said; then swiftly march'd before: The Dardan hero shuns his foe no more
Sternly they e nodded as he spoke:
”Enough, O son of Peleus! Troy has view'd Her walls thrice circled, and her chief pursued
But now some God within me bids me try Thine, or e of battle let us stay, And for a h powers be call'd to arbitrate The just conditions of this stern debate, (Eternal witnesses of all below, And faithful guardians of the treasured vow!) To them I swear; if, victor in the strife, Jove by these hands shall shed thy noble life, No vile dishonour shall thy corse pursue; Stripp'd of its arms alone (the conqueror's due) The rest to Greece uninjured I'll restore: Now plight thy mutual oath, I ask no more”
”Talk not of oaths (the dreadful chief replies, While anger flash'd froht to be, Nor oath nor pact Achilles plights with thee: Such pacts as laues as men and furious lions join, To such I call the Gods! one constant state Of lasting rancour and eternal hate: No thought but rage, and never-ceasing strife, Till death extinguish rage, and thought, and life
Rouse then thy forces this important hour, Collect thy soul, and call forth all thy power