by Homer
Unhurt within their iron roofs. Two men of special name,
Autilochus and Thrasymed, were yet unserved by Fame
With notice of Patroclus' death. They thought him still alive
In foremost tumult, and might well, for (seeing their fellows thrive
In no more comfortable sort than fight and death would yield)
They fought apart; for so their sire, old Nestor, strictly willed,
Enjoining fight more from the fleet. War here increased his heat
The whole day long, continually the labour and the sweat
The knees, calves, feets, hands, faces, smeared of men that Mars applied
About the good Achilles' friend. And as a huge ox-hide
A currier gives amongst his men, to supple and extend
With oil, till it be drank withal, they tug, stretch out, and spend
Their oil and liquor liberally, and chafe the leather so
That out they make a vapour breathe, and in their oil doth go;
A number of them set on work, and in an orb they pull,
That all ways all parts of the hide they may extend at full;
So here and there did both parts hale the corse in little place,
And wrought it all ways with their sweat; the Trojans hoped for grace
To make it reach for Ilion, the Grecians to their fleet.
A cruel tumult they stirred up, and such as should Mars see't
(That horrid hurrier of men) or She that betters him,
Minerva, never so incensed, they could not disesteem.
So baneful a contention did Jove that day extend
Of men and horse about the slain. Of whom his godlike friend
Had no instruction, so far off, and underneath the wall
Of Troy, that conflict was maintained; which was not thought at all
By great Achilles, since he charged, that having set his foot
Upon the ports, he would retire, well knowing Troy no boot
For his assaults without himself; since not by him, as well
He knew, it was to be subdued. His mother oft would tell
The mind of mighty Jove therein, oft hearing it in heaven.
But of that great ill to his friend was no instruction given
By careful Thetis. By degrees must ill events be known.
The foes cleft one to other still about the overthrown.
His death with death infected both. Even private Greeks would say
Either to other : " 'Twere a shame for us to go our way,
And let the Trojans bear to Troy the praise of such a prize!
Which let the black earth gasp and drink our blood for sacrifice
Before we suffer. 'Tis an act much less unfortunate,
And then would those of Troy resolve, though certainly our fate
Will fell us altogether here. Of all not turn a face."
Thus either side his fellows' strength excited past his place,
And thus through all th' unfruitful air an iron sound ascended
Up to the golden firmament; when strange affects contended
In these immortal heaven-bred horse of great Aeacides,
Whom, once removed from forth the fight, a sudden sense did seize
Of good Patroclus' death, whose hands they oft had undergone,
And bitterly they wept for him. Nor could Automedon
With any manage make them stir, oft use the scourge to them,
Oft use his fairest speech, as oft threats never so extreme,
They neither to the Hellespont would bear him, nor the fight,
But still as any tombstone lays his never stirred weight
On some good man or woman's grave for rites of funeral,
So unremoved stood these steeds, their heads to earth let fall,
And warm tears gushing from their eyes, with passionate desire
Of their kind manager; their manes, that flourished with the fire
Of endless youth allotted them, fell through the yoky sphere,
Ruthfully ruffled and defiled. Jove saw their heavy cheer,
And, pitying them, spake to his mind : " Poor wretched beasts," said he,
“Why gave we you t' a mortal king, when immortality
And incapacity of age so dignifies your states?
Was it to haste the miseries poured out on human fates?
Of all the miserablest things that breathe and creep on earth,
No one more wretched is than man. And for your deathless birth
Hector must fail to make you prize. Is't not enough he wears,
And glories vainly in those arms? Your chariots and rich gears,
Besides you, are too much for him. Your knees and spirits again
My care of you shall fill with strength, that so ye may sustain
Automedon,1 and bear him off. To Troy I still will give
The grace of slaughter, till at fleet their bloody feet arrive,
Till Phoebus drink the western sea, and sacred darkness throws
Her sable mantle 'twixt their points." Thus in the steeds he blows
Excessive spirit; and through the .Greeks and Ilians they rapt
The whirring chariot, shaking off the crumbled centre wrapt
Amongst their tresses. And with them, Automedon let fly
Amongst the Trojans, making way through all as frightfully
As through a jangling flock of geese a lordly vulture beats,
Given way with shrikes by every goose that comes but near his threats;
With such state fled he through the press, pursuing as he fled;
But made no slaughter, nor he could, alone being carried
Upon the sacred chariot. How could he both works do,
Direct his javelin and command his fiery horses too?
At length he came where he beheld his friend Alcimedon,
That was the good Laercius', the son of iEmon's, son,
Who close came to his chariot side, and asked : " What God is he
That hath so robbed thee of thy soul, to run thus franticly
Amongst these forefights, being alone, thy fighter being slain,
And Hector glorying in his arms? " He gave these words again :
“Alcimedon, what man is he of all the Argive race
So able as thyself to keep, in use of press and pace,
These deathless horse, himself being gone that like the Gods had th' art
Of their high manage? Therefore take to thy command his part,
And ease me of the double charge which thou hast blamed with right."
He took the scourge and reins in hand, Automedon the fight.
Which Hector seeing, instantly, iEneas standing near,
He told him, he discerned the horse that mere immortal were
Addressed to fight with coward guides, and therefore hoped to make
A rich prize of them, if his mind would help to undertake,
For those two could not stand their charge. He granted, and both cast
Dry solid hides upon their necks, exceeding' soundly brast;
And forth they went, associate with two more godlike men,
Aretus and bold Chromius; nor made they question then
To prize the goodly-crested horse, and safely send to hell
The soul of both their guardians. O fools, that could not tell
They could not work out their return from fierce Automedon
Without the liberal cost of blood; who first made orison
To father Jove, and then was filled with fortitude and strength,
When (counselling Alcimedon to keep at no great length
The horse from him, but let them breathe upon his back, because
He saw th' advance that Hector made, whose fury had no laws
Proposed to it, but both their lives and those horse made his prize,
Or his life theirs) he called to friend these well-approved supplies,
Th' Ajaces, and the Spartan king, and said: " Come, princes, lea
ve
A sure guard with the corse, and then to your kind care receive
Our threatened safeties. I discern the two chief props of Troy
Prepared against us. But herein, what best men can enjoy
Lies in the free knees of the Gods. My dart shall lead ye all.
The sequel to the care of Jove I leave, whatever fall."
All this spake good Automedon; then, brandishing his lance..
He threw, and struck Aretus' shield, that gave it enterance
Through all the steel, and, by his belt, his belly's inmost part
It pierced, and all his trembling limbs gave life up to his dart.
Then Hector at Automedon a brazen lance let fly,
Whose flight he saw, and falling flat, the compass was too high,
And made it stick beyond in earth, th' extreme part burst, and there
Mars buried all his violence. The sword then for the spear
Had changed the conflict, had not haste sent both th' Ajaces in,
Both serving close their fellows' call, who, where they did begin,
There drew the end. Priamides, iEneas, Chromius
(In doubt of what such aid might work) left broken-hearted thus
Aretus to Automedon, who spoiled his arms, and said :
“A little this revives my life for him so lately dead;
Though by this nothing countervailed." And with this little vent
Of inward grief, he took the spoil, with which he made ascent
Up to his chariot, hands and feet of bloody stains so full
That lion-like he looked, new turned from tearing up a bull.
And now another bitter fight about Patroclus grew,
Tear-thirsty, and of toil enough; which Pallas did renew,
Descending from the cope of stars, dismissed by sharp-eyed Jove
To animate the Greeks, for now inconstant change did move
His mind from what he held of late. And as the purple bow
Jove bends at mortals, when of war he will the signal show,
Or make it a presage of cold, in such tempestuous sort
That men are of their labours eased, but labouring cattle hurt;
So Pallas in a purple cloud involved herself, and went
Amongst the Grecians, stirred up all; but first encouragement
She breathed in Atreus' younger son, and, for disguise, made choice
Of aged Phoenix' shape, and spake with his unwearied voice :
“O Menelaus, much defame and equal heaviness
Will touch at thee, if this true friend of great Aeacides
Dogs tear beneath the Trojan walls, and therefore bear thee well,
Toil through the host, and every man with all thy spirit impel."
He answered : " O thou long-since born, O Phoenix, that hast won
The honoured foster-father's name of Thetis' godlike son,
I would Minerva would but give strength to me, and but keep
These busy darts off; I would then make in indeed, and steep
My income in their bloods, in aid of good Patroclus; much
His death afflicts me, much. But yet, this Hector's grace is such
With Jove, and such a fiery strength and spirit he has, that still
His steel is killing, killing still." The king's so royal will
Minerva joyed to hear, since she did all the Gods outgo
In his remembrance. For which grace she kindly did bestow
Strength on his shoulders, and did fill his knees as liberally
With swiftness, breathing in his breast the courage of a fly,
Which loves to bite so, and doth bear man's blood so much good will,
That still though beaten from a man she flies upon him still;
With such a courage Pallas filled the black parts near his heart,
And then he hasted to the slain, cast off a shining dart,
And took one Podes, that was heir to old Eetion,
A rich man and a strenuous, and by the people done
Much honour, and by Hector too, being consort and his guest;
And him the yellow-headed king laid hold on at his waist;
In offering flight, his iron pile strook through him, down he fell,
And up Atrides drew his corse. Then Phoebus did impel
The spirit of Hector, Phsenops like, sumamed, Asiades,
Whom Hector used of all his guests with greatest friendliness,
And in Abydus stood his house; in whose form thus he spake :
“Hector! What man of all the Greeks will any terror make
Of meeting thy strength any more, when thou art terrified
By Menelaus, who, before he slew thy friend, was tried
A passing easy soldier, where now (besides his end
Imposed by him) he draws him off, and not a man to friend,
From all the Trojans? This friend is Podes, Eetion's son."
This hid him in a cloud of grief, and set him foremost on.
And then Jove took his snake-fringed shield, and Ida covered all
With sulphury clouds, from whence he let abhorred lightnings fall,
And thundered till the mountain shook, and with this dreadful state
He ushered victory to Troy, to Argus flight and fate.
Peneleus Boeotius was he that foremost fled,
Being wounded in his shoulder's height; but there the lance's head
Strook lightly, glancing to his mouth, because it strook him near,
Thrown from Polydamas. Leitus next left the fight in fear
(Being hurt by Hector in the hand) because he doubted sore
His hand in wished fight with Troy would hold his lance no more.
Idomeneus sent a dart at Hector (rushing in,
And following Leitus) that strook his bosom near his chin,
And brake at top. The Ilians for his escape did shout.
When Hector at Deucalides another lance sent out
As in his chariot he stood; it missed him narrowly,
For, as it fell, Cceranus drave his speedy chariot by,
And took the Trojan lance himself; he was the charioteer
Of stern Meriones, and first on foot did service there,
Which well he left to govern horse, for saving now his king,
With driving 'twixt him and his death, though thence his own did spring,
Which kept a mighty victory from Troy, in keeping death
From his great sovereign. The fierce dart did enter him beneath
His ear, betwixt his jaw and it, drave down, cut through his tongue,
And strook his teeth out; from his hands the horses' reins he flung,
Which 'now Meriones received as they bestrewed the field,
And bade his sovereign scourge away, he saw that day would yield
No hope of victory for them. He feared the same, and fled.
Nor from the mighty-minded son of Telamon lay hid,
For all his clouds, high Jove himself, nor from the Spartan king.
They saw Him in the victory, He still was varying
For Troy. For which sight Ajax said : " O heavens, what fool is he
That sees not Jove's hand in the grace now done our enemy?
Nor any dart they touch hut takes, from whomsoever thrown,
Valiant or coward; what he wants Jove adds, not any one
Wants his direction to strike sure, nor ours to miss as sure.
But come, let us he sure of this, to put the best in ure
That lies in us; which twofold is, both to fetch off our friend,
And so to fetch him off as we may likeliest contend
To fetch ourselves off, that our friends surviving may have right
In joy of our secure retreat, as he that fell in fight,
Being kept as sure from further wrong. Of which perhaps they doubt,
And looking this way, grieve for us, not able to work out
Or pass from this man-slaughterer, great Hector, and his hand
s,
That are too hot for men to touch, hut tha,t these thirsty sands
Before our fleet will be enforced"to drink our headlong death.
Which to prevent by all fit means, I would the parted breath
Of good Patroclus to his friend with speed imparted were
By some he loves, for, I believe, no heavy messenger
Hath yet informed him. But alas! I see no man to send,
Both men and horse are hid in mists that every way descend.
O father Jupiter, do thou the sons of Greece release
Of this felt darkness, grace this day with fit transparences,
And give the eyes thou giv'st their use, destroy us in the light,
And work thy will with us, since needs thou wilt against us fight."
This spake he weeping, and his tears Saturnius pity showed,
Dispersed the darkness instantly, and drew away the cloud
From whence it fell; the sun shined out, and all the host appeared;
And then spake Ajax, whose heard prayer his spirits highly cheered :
“Brave Menelaus, look about, and if thou canst descry
Nestor's Antilochus alive, incite him instantly
To tell Achilles that his friend, most dear to him, is dead."
He said, nor Menelaus stuck at any thing he said,.
As loth to do it, but he went. As from a grazier's stall
A lion goes, when overlaid with men, dogs, darts, and all
Not easely losing a fat ox, but strong watch all night held,
His teeth yet watering, oft he comes, and is as oft repelled,
The adverse darts so thick axe poured before his brow-hid eyes,
And burning firebrands which, for all his great heart's heat, he flies,
And, grumbling, goes his way betimes; so from Patroclus went
Atrides, much against his mind, his doubts being vehement
Lest he, gone from his guard, the rest would leave for very fear
The person to the spoil of Greece. And yet his guardians were
Th' Ajaces and Meriones, whom much his care did press,
And thus exhort: " Ajaces both, and you Meriones,
Now let some true friend call to mind the gentle and sweet nature
Of poor Patroclus, let him think, how kind to every creature
His heart was living, though now dead." Thus urged the fair-haired king,
And parted, casting round his eye. As when upon her wing
An eagle is, whom men affirm to have the sharpest sight
Of all air's region of fowls, and, though of mighty height,
Sees yet within her leavy form of humble shrubs, close laid,
A light-foot hare, which straight she stoops, trusses, and strikes her dead;