Alexander Pope - Delphi Poets Series

by Alexander Pope

  And now he shakes his great paternal spear, 420

  Pond’rous and huge! which not a Greek could rear:

  From Pelion’s cloudy top an ash entire

  Old Chiron fell’d, and shaped it for his sire;

  A spear which stern Achilles only wields,

  The death of heroes, and the dread of fields. 425

  Automedon and Alcimus prepare

  Th’ immortal coursers and the radiant car

  (The silver traces sweeping at their side);

  Their fiery mouths resplendent bridles tied;

  The iv’ry-studded reins, return’d behind, 430

  Waved o’er their backs, and to the chariot join’d.

  The charioteer then whirl’d the lash around,

  And swift ascended at one active bound.

  All bright in heav’nly arms, above his squire

  Achilles mounts, and sets the field on fire; 435

  Not brighter Phœbus in th’ ethereal way

  Flames from his chariot, and restores the day.

  High o’er the host, all terrible he stands,

  And thunders to his steeds these dread commands:

  ‘Xanthus and Balius! of Podarges’ strain 440

  (Unless ye boast that heav’nly race in vain),

  Be swift, be mindful of the load ye bear,

  And learn to make your master more your care:

  Thro’ falling squadrons bear my slaught’ring sword,

  Nor, as ye left Patroclus, leave your lord.’ 445

  The gen’rous Xanthus, as the words he said,

  Seem’d sensible of woe, and droop’d his head:

  Trembling he stood before the golden wain,

  And bow’d to dust the honours of his mane;

  When, strange to tell (so Juno will’d!), he broke 450

  Eternal silence, and portentous spoke:

  ‘Achilles! yes! this day at least we bear

  Thy rage in safety thro’ the files of war:

  But come it will, the fatal time must come,

  Not ours the fault, but God decrees thy doom. 455

  Not thro’ our crime, or slowness in the course,

  Fell thy Patroclus, but by heav’nly force:

  The bright far-shooting God who gilds the day

  (Confess’d we saw him) tore his arms away.

  No: could our swiftness o’er the winds prevail, 460

  Or beat the pinions of the western gale,

  All were in vain: the Fates thy death demand,

  Due to a mortal and immortal hand.’

  Then ceas’d for ever, by the Furies tied,

  His fateful voice. Th’ intrepid Chief replied 465

  With unabated rage: ‘So let it be!

  Portents and prodigies are lost on me.

  I know my fates: to die, to see no more

  My much-lov’d parents, and my native shore —

  Enough: when Heav’n ordains, I sink in night; 470

  Now perish Troy!’ He said, and rush’d to fight.

  Iliad Book XX. The Battle of the Gods, and the Acts of Achilles

  THE ARGUMENT

  Jupiter, upon Achilles’ return to the battle, calls a council of the gods, and permits them to assist either party. The terrors of the combat described when the deities are engaged. Apollo encourages Æneas to meet Achilles. After a long conversation, these two heroes encounter; but Æneas is preserved by the assistance of Neptune. Achilles falls upon the point of killing Hector, but Apollo conveys him away in a cloud. Achilles pursues the Trojans with is upon the point of killing Hector, but Apollo conveys him away in a cloud. Achilles pursues the Trojans with a great slaughter.

  The same day continues. The scene is in the field before Troy.

  THUS round Pelides breathing war and blood,

  Greece, sheathed in arms, beside her vessels stood;

  While, near impending from a neighb’ring height,

  Troy’s black battalions wait the shock of fight.

  Then Jove to Themis gives command, to call 5

  The Gods to council in the starry hall:

  Swift o’er Olympus’ hundred hills she flies,

  And summons all the Senate of the Skies.

  These, shining on, in long procession come

  To Jove’s eternal adamantine dome. 10

  Not one was absent, not a rural Power

  That haunts the verdant gloom, or rosy bower;

  Each fair-hair’d Dryad of the shady wood,

  Each azure sister of the silver flood;

  All but old Ocean, hoary Sire! who keeps 15

  His ancient seat beneath the sacred deeps.

  On marble thrones with lucid columns crown’d

  (The work of Vulcan) sat the Powers around.

  Ev’n he, whose trident sways the wat’ry reign,

  Heard the loud summons, and forsook the main, 20

  Assumed his throne amid the bright abodes,

  And question’d thus the Sire of men and Gods:

  ‘What moves the God who Heav’n and earth commands,

  And grasps the thunder in his awful hands,

  Thus to convence the whole ethereal state? 25

  Is Greece and Troy the subject in debate?

  Already met, the low’ring hosts appear,

  And death stands ardent on the edge of war.’

  ‘‘T is true’ (the Cloud-compelling Power replies),

  ‘This day we call the Council of the skies 30

  In care of human race; ev’n Jove’s own eye

  Sees with regret unhappy mortals die.

  Far on Olympus’ top in secret state

  Ourself will sit, and see the hand of Fate

  Work out our will. Celestial Powers! descend, 35

  And, as your minds direct, your succour lend

  To either host. Troy soon must lie o’erthrown,

  If uncontroll’d Achilles fights alone:

  Their troops but lately durst not meet his eyes;

  What can they now, if in his rage he rise? 40

  Assist them, Gods! or Ilion’s sacred wall

  May fall this day, tho’ Fate forbids the fall.’

  He said, and fired their Heav’nly breasts with rage;

  On adverse parts the warring Gods engage.

  Heav’n’s awful Queen; and he whose azure round 45

  Girds the vast globe; the Maid in arms renown’d;

  Hermes, of profitable arts the sire,

  And Vulcan, the black Sov’reign of the Fire:

  These to the fleet repair with instant flight;

  The vessels tremble as the Gods alight. 50

  In aid of Troy, Latona, Phœbus came,

  Mars fiery-helm’d, the Laughter-loving Dame,

  Xanthus, whose streams in golden currents flow,

  And the chaste Huntress of the Silver Bow.

  Ere yet the Gods their various aid employ, 55

  Each Argive bosom swell’d with manly joy,

  While great Achilles (terror of the plain)

  Long lost to battle, shone in arms again.

  Dreadful he stood in front of all his host;

  Pale Troy beheld, and seem’d already lost; 60

  Her bravest heroes pant with inward fear,

  And trembling see another God of War.

  But when the Powers descending swell’d the fight,

  Then tumult rose; fierce rage and pale affright

  Varied each face; then discord sounds alarms, 65

  Earth echoes, and the nations rush to arms.

  Now thro’ the trembling shores Minerva calls,

  And now she thunders from the Grecian walls.

  Mars, hov’ring o’er his Troy, his terror shrouds

  In gloomy tempests, and a night of clouds: 70

  Now thro’ each Trojan heart he fury pours

  With voice divine from Ilion’s topmost towers;

  Now shouts to Simois, from her beauteous hill;

  The mountain shook, the rapid stream stood still.

>   Above, the Sire of Gods his thunder rolls, 75

  And peals on peals redoubled rend the poles.

  Beneath, stern Neptune shakes the solid ground;

  The forests wave, the mountains nod around;

  Thro’ all their summits tremble Ida’s woods,

  And from their sources boil her hundred floods. 80

  Troy’s turrets totter on the rocking plain;

  And the toss’d navies beat the heaving main.

  Deep in the dismal regions of the dead,

  Th’ Infernal Monarch rear’d his horrid head,

  Leap’d from his throne, lest Neptune’s arm should lay 85

  His dark dominions open to the day,

  And pour in light on Pluto’s drear abodes,

  Abhorr’d by men, and dreadful ev’n to Gods.

  Such war th’ Immortals wage: such horrors rend

  The world’s vast concave, when the Gods contend. 90

  First silver-shafted Phœbus took the plain

  Against blue Neptune, Monarch of the Main:

  The God of Arms his giant bulk display’d,

  Opposed to Pallas, War’s triumphant Maid.

  Against Latona march’d the son of May; 95

  The quiver’d Dian, sister of the Day

  (Her golden arrows sounding at her side),

  Saturnia, Majesty of Heav’n, defied.

  With fiery Vulcan last in battle stands

  The sacred flood that rolls on golden sands; 100

  Xanthus his name with those of heav’nly birth,

  But call’d Scamander by the sons of earth.

  While thus the Gods in various league engage,

  Achilles glow’d with more than mortal rage:

  Hector he sought; in search of Hector turn’d 105

  His eyes around, for Hector only burn’d;

  And burst like lightning thro’ the ranks, and vow’d

  To glut the God of Battles with his blood.

  Æneas was the first who dared to stay;

  Apollo wedg’d him in the warrior’s way, 110

  But swell’d his bosom with undaunted might,

  Half-forc’d and half-persuaded to the fight.

  Like young Lycaon, of the royal line,

  In voice and aspect, seem’d the Power divine;

  And bade the Chief reflect, how late with scorn 115

  In distant threats he braved the Goddess-born.

  Then thus the hero of Anchises’ strain:

  ‘To meet Pelides you persuade in vain;

  Already have I met, nor void of fear

  Observ’d the fury of his flying spear; 120

  From Ida’s woods he chased us to the field,

  Our force he scatter’d, and our herds he kill’d.

  Lyrnessus, Pedasus in ashes lay;

  But (Jove assisting) I survived the day.

  Else had I sunk oppress’d in fatal fight, 125

  By fierce Achilles and Minerva’s might.

  Where’er he mov’d, the Goddess shone before,

  And bathed his brazen lance in hostile gore.

  What mortal man Achilles can sustain?

  Th’ Immortals guard him thro’ the dreadful plain, 130

  And suffer not his dart to fall in vain.

  Were God my aid, this arm should check his power,

  Tho’ strong in battle as a brazen tower.’

  To whom the Son of Jove: ‘That God implore,

  And be what great Achilles was before. 135

  From heav’nly Venus thou derivest thy strain,

  And he but from a Sister of the Main;

  An aged Sea-God father of his line,

  But Jove himself the sacred source of thine.

  Then lift thy weapon for a noble blow, 140

  Nor fear the vaunting of a mortal foe.’

  This said, and spirit breathed into his breast,

  Thro’ the thick troops th’ embolden’d hero press’d:

  His venturous act the White-arm’d Queen survey’d,

  And thus, assembling all the Powers, she said: 145

  ‘Behold an action, Gods! that claims your care,

  Lo, great Æneas rushing to the war;

  Against Pelides he directs his course;

  Phœbus impels, and Phœbus gives him force.

  Restrain his bold career; at least, t’ attend 150

  Our favour’d Hero, let some Power descend.

  To guard his life, and add to his renown,

  We, the great Armament of Heav’n, came down.

  Hereafter let him fall, as Fates design,

  That spun so short his life’s illustrious line; 155

  But lest some adverse God now cross his way,

  Give him to know what Powers assist this day:

  For how shall mortal stand the dire alarms,

  When Heav’n’s refulgent host appear in arms?’

  Thus she, and thus the God whose force can make 160

  The solid globe’s eternal basis shake:

  ‘Against the might of man, so feeble known,

  Why should celestial Powers exert their own?

  Suffice, from yonder mount to view the scene;

  And leave to war the fates of mortal men. 165

  But if th’ Armipotent, or God of Light,

  Obstruct Achilles, or commence the fight,

  Thence on the Gods of Troy we swift descend:

  Full soon, I doubt not, shall the conflict end;

  And these, in ruin and confusion hurl’d, 170

  Yield to our conquering arms the lower world.’

  Thus having said, the Tyrant of the Sea,

  Cœrulean Neptune, rose, and led the way.

  Advanc’d upon the field there stood a mound

  Of earth congested, wall’d, and trench’d around; 175

  In elder times to guard Alcides made

  (The work of Trojans with Minerva’s aid),

  What time a vengeful monster of the main

  Swept the wide shore, and drove him to the plain.

  Here Neptune and the Gods of Greece repair, 180

  With clouds encompass’d, and a veil of air:

  The adverse Powers, around Apollo laid,

  Crown the fair hills that silver Simois shade.

  In circle close each heav’nly party sat,

  Intent to form the future scheme of Fate; 185

  But mix not yet in fight, tho’ Jove on high

  Gives the loud signal, and the Heav’ns reply.

  Meanwhile the rushing armies hide the ground;

  The trampled centre yields a hollow sound:

  Steeds cased in mail, and Chiefs in armour bright, 190

  The gleamy champaign glows with brazen light.

  Amidst both hosts (a dreadful space!) appear

  There, great Achilles; bold Æneas here.

  With tow’ring strides Æneas first advanc’d;

  The nodding plumage on his helmet danc’d; 195

  Spread o’er his breast the fencing shield he bore,

  And, as he mov’d, his jav’lin flamed before.

  Not so Pelides: furious to engage,

  He rush’d impetuous. Such the lion’s rage,

  Who, viewing first his foes with scornful eyes, 200

  Tho’ all in arms the peopled city rise,

  Stalks careless on, with unregarding pride;

  Till at the length, by some brave youth defied,

  To his bold spear the savage turns alone;

  He murmurs fury with a hollow groan: 205

  He grins, he foams, he rolls his eyes around;

  Lash’d by his tail, his heaving sides resound;

  He calls up all his rage, he grinds his teeth,

  Resolv’d on vengeance, or resolv’d on death.

  So fierce Achilles on Æneas flies; 210

  So stands Æneas, and his force defies.

  Ere yet the stern encounter join’d, begun

  The seed of Thetis thus to Venus’ son:

  ‘Why comes Ænea
s thro’ the ranks so far?

  Seeks he to meet Achilles’ arm in war, 215

  In hope the realms of Priam to enjoy,

  And prove his merits to the throne of Troy?

  Grant that beneath thy lance Achilles dies,

  The partial Monarch may refuse the prize;

  Sons he has many: those thy pride may quell; 220

  And ‘t is his fault to love those sons too well.

  Or, in reward of thy victorious hand,

  Has Troy proposed some spacious tract of land?

  An ample forest, or a fair domain,

  Of hills for vines, and arable for grain? 225

  Ev’n this, perhaps, will hardly prove thy lot.

  But can Achilles be so soon forgot?

  Once (as I think) you saw this brandish’d spear,

  And then the great Æneas seem’d to fear.

  With hearty haste from Ida’s mount he fled, 230

  Nor, till he reach’d Lyrnessus, turn’d his head.

  Her lofty walls not long our progress stay’d;

  Those, Pallas, Jove, and we, in ruins laid:

  In Grecian chains her captive race were cast;

  ‘T is true, the great Æneas fled too fast. 235

  Defrauded of my conquest once before,

  What then I lost, the Gods this day restore.

  Go; while thou may’st, avoid the threaten’d fate;

  Fools stay to feel it, and are wise too late.’

  To this Anchises’ son: ‘Such words employ 240

  To one that fears thee, some unwarlike boy;

  Such we disdain; the best may be defied

  With mean reproaches, and unmanly pride:

  Unworthy the high race from which we came,

  Proclaim’d so loudly by the voice of Fame; 245

  Each from illustrious fathers draws his line;

  Each Goddess-born; half human, half divine.

  Thetis’ this day, or Venus’ offspring dies,

  And tears shall trickle from celestial eyes:

  For when two heroes, thus derived, contend, 250

  ‘T is not in words the glorious strife can end.

  If yet thou farther seek to learn my birth

  (A tale resounded thro’ the spacious earth),

  Hear how the glorious origin we prove

  From ancient Dardanus, the first from Jove: 255

  Dardania’s walls he rais’d; for Ilion then

  (The city since of many-languaged men)

  Was not. The natives were content to till

  The shady foot of Ida’s fountful hill.

  From Dardanus, great Erichthonius springs, 260

  The richest once of Asia’s wealthy Kings;

  Three thousand mares his spacious pastures bred,

  Three thousand foals beside their mothers fed.

  Boreas, enamour’d of the sprightly train,

  Conceal’d his Godhead in a flowing mane, 265