William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works

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by William Cowper


  Or send me hence (for thou hast none to fear)

  Plainly refused; that I may know and feel

  By how much I am least of all in heaven. 635

  To whom the cloud-assembler at the last

  Spake, deep-distress’d. Hard task and full of strife

  Thou hast enjoined me; Juno will not spare

  For gibe and taunt injurious, whose complaint

  Sounds daily in the ears of all the Gods, 640

  That I assist the Trojans; but depart,

  Lest she observe thee; my concern shall be

  How best I may perform thy full desire.

  025 And to assure thee more, I give the sign

  Indubitable, which all fear expels 645

  At once from heavenly minds. Nought, so confirmed,

  May, after, be reversed or render’d vain.

  He ceased, and under his dark brows the nod

  Vouchsafed of confirmation. All around

  The Sovereign’s everlasting head his curls 650

  Ambrosial shook, and the huge mountain reeled.

  Their conference closed, they parted. She, at once,

  From bright Olympus plunged into the flood

  Profound, and Jove to his own courts withdrew.

  Together all the Gods, at his approach, 655

  Uprose; none sat expectant till he came,

  But all advanced to meet the Eternal Sire.

  So on his throne he sat. Nor Juno him

  Not understood; she, watchful, had observed,

  In consultation close with Jove engaged 660

  Thetis, bright-footed daughter of the deep,

  And keen the son of Saturn thus reproved.

  Shrewd as thou art, who now hath had thine ear?

  Thy joy is ever such, from me apart

  To plan and plot clandestine, and thy thoughts, 665

  Think what thou may’st, are always barred to me.

  To whom the father, thus, of heaven and earth.

  Expect not, Juno, that thou shalt partake

  My counsels at all times, which oft in height

  And depth, thy comprehension far exceed, 670

  Jove’s consort as thou art. When aught occurs

  Meet for thine ear, to none will I impart

  Of Gods or men more free than to thyself.

  But for my secret thoughts, which I withhold

  From all in heaven beside, them search not thou 675

  With irksome curiosity and vain.

  026 Him answer’d then the Goddess ample-eyed.

  What word hath passed thy lips, Saturnian Jove,

  Thou most severe! I never search thy thoughts,

  Nor the serenity of thy profound 680

  Intentions trouble; they are safe from me:

  But now there seems a cause. Deeply I dread

  Lest Thetis, silver-footed daughter fair

  Of Ocean’s hoary Sovereign, here arrived

  At early dawn to practise on thee, Jove! 685

  I noticed her a suitress at thy knees,

  And much misdeem or promise-bound thou stand’st

  To Thetis past recall, to exalt her son,

  And Greeks to slaughter thousands at the ships.

  To whom the cloud-assembler God, incensed. 690

  Ah subtle! ever teeming with surmise,

  And fathomer of my concealed designs,

  Thy toil is vain, or (which is worse for thee,)

  Shall but estrange thee from mine heart the more.

  And be it as thou sayest, — I am well pleased 695

  That so it should be. Be advised, desist,

  Hold thou thy peace. Else, if my glorious hands

  Once reach thee, the Olympian Powers combined

  To rescue thee, shall interfere in vain.

  He said, — whom Juno, awful Goddess, heard 700

  Appall’d, and mute submitted to his will.

  But through the courts of Jove the heavenly Powers

  All felt displeasure; when to them arose

  Vulcan, illustrious artist, who with speech

  Conciliatory interposed to sooth 705

  His white-armed mother Juno, Goddess dread.

  Hard doom is ours, and not to be endured,

  027 If feast and merriment must pause in heaven

  While ye such clamor raise tumultuous here

  For man’s unworthy sake: yet thus we speed 710

  Ever, when evil overpoises good.

  But I exhort my mother, though herself

  Already warn’d, that meekly she submit

  To Jove our father, lest our father chide

  More roughly, and confusion mar the feast. 715

  For the Olympian Thunderer could with ease

  Us from our thrones precipitate, so far

  He reigns to all superior. Seek to assuage

  His anger therefore; so shall he with smiles

  Cheer thee, nor thee alone, but all in heaven. 720

  So Vulcan, and, upstarting, placed a cup

  Full-charged between his mother’s hands, and said,

  My mother, be advised, and, though aggrieved,

  Yet patient; lest I see thee whom I love

  So dear, with stripes chastised before my face, 725

  Willing, but impotent to give thee aid.

  Who can resist the Thunderer? Me, when once

  I flew to save thee, by the foot he seized

  And hurl’d me through the portal of the skies.

  “From morn to eve I fell, a summer’s day,” 730

  And dropped, at last, in Lemnos. There half-dead

  The Sintians found me, and with succor prompt

  And hospitable, entertained me fallen.

  So He; then Juno smiled, Goddess white-arm’d,

  And smiling still, from his unwonted hand 735

  Received the goblet. He from right to left

  Rich nectar from the beaker drawn, alert

  Distributed to all the powers divine.

  028 Heaven rang with laughter inextinguishable

  Peal after peal, such pleasure all conceived 740

  At sight of Vulcan in his new employ.

  So spent they in festivity the day,

  And all were cheered; nor was Apollo’s harp

  Silent, nor did the Muses spare to add

  Responsive melody of vocal sweets. 745

  But when the sun’s bright orb had now declined,

  Each to his mansion, wheresoever built

  By the lame matchless Architect, withdrew.

  Jove also, kindler of the fires of heaven,

  His couch ascending as at other times 750

  When gentle sleep approach’d him, slept serene,

  With golden-sceptred Juno at his side.

  The first book contains the preliminaries to the commencement of serious action. First, the visit of the priest of Apollo to ransom his captive daughter, the refusal of Agamemnon to yield her up, and the pestilence sent by the god upon the Grecian army in consequence. Secondly, the restoration, the propitiation of Apollo, the quarrel of Agamemnon and Achilles, and the withdrawing of the latter from the Grecian army. Thirdly, the intercession of Thetis with Jupiter; his promise, unwillingly given, to avenge Achilles; and the assembly of the gods, in which the promise is angrily alluded to by Juno, and the discussion peremptorily checked by Jupiter. The poet, throughout this book, maintains a simple, unadorned style, but highly descriptive, and happily adapted to the nature of the subject. — Felton.

  ARGUMENT OF THE SECOND BOOK.

  Jupiter, in pursuance of his purpose to distress the Grecians in answer to the prayer of Thetis, deceives Agamemnon by a dream. He, in consequence of it, calls a council, the result of which is that the army shall go forth to battle. Thersites is mutinous, and is chastised by Ulysses. Ulysses, Nestor, and Agamemnon, harangue the people; and preparation is made for battle. An exact account follows of the forces on both sides.

  BOOK II.

  All night both Gods and Chiefs equestri
an slept,

  But not the Sire of all. He, waking soon,

  Mused how to exalt Achilles, and destroy

  No few in battle at the Grecian fleet.

  This counsel, at the last, as best he chose 5

  And likeliest; to dispatch an evil Dream

  To Agamemnon’s tent, and to his side

  The phantom summoning, him thus addressed.

  Haste, evil Dream! Fly to the Grecian fleet,

  And, entering royal Agamemnon’s tent, 10

  His ear possess thou thus, omitting nought

  Of all that I enjoin thee. Bid him arm

  His universal host, for that the time

  When the Achaians shall at length possess

  Wide Ilium, hath arrived. The Gods above 15

  No longer dwell at variance. The request

  Of Juno hath prevail’d; now, wo to Troy!

  So charged, the Dream departed. At the ships

  Well-built arriving of Achaia’s host,

  He Agamemnon, son of Atreus, sought. 20

  032 Him sleeping in his tent he found, immersed

  In soft repose ambrosial. At his head

  The shadow stood, similitude exact

  Of Nestor, son of Neleus; sage, with whom

  In Agamemnon’s thought might none compare. 25

  His form assumed, the sacred Dream began.

  Oh son of Atreus the renown’d in arms

  And in the race! Sleep’st thou? It ill behoves

  To sleep all night the man of high employ,

  And charged, as thou art, with a people’s care. 30

  Now, therefore, mark me well, who, sent from Jove,

  Inform thee, that although so far remote,

  He yet compassionates and thinks on thee

  With kind solicitude. He bids thee arm

  Thy universal host, for that the time 35

  When the Achaians shall at length possess

  Wide Ilium, hath arrived. The Gods above

  No longer dwell at variance. The requests

  Of Juno have prevail’d. Now, wo to Troy

  From Jove himself! Her fate is on the wing. 40

  Awaking from thy dewy slumbers, hold

  In firm remembrance all that thou hast heard.

  So spake the Dream, and vanishing, him left

  In false hopes occupied and musings vain.

  Full sure he thought, ignorant of the plan 45

  By Jove design’d, that day the last of Troy.

  Fond thought! For toils and agonies to Greeks

  And Trojans both, in many a bloody field

  To be endured, the Thunderer yet ordain’d.

  Starting he woke, and seeming still to hear 50

  The warning voice divine, with hasty leap

  Sprang from his bed, and sat. His fleecy vest

  033 New-woven he put on, and mantle wide;

  His sandals fair to his unsullied feet

  He braced, and slung his argent-studded sword. 55

  Then, incorruptible for evermore

  The sceptre of his sires he took, with which

  He issued forth into the camp of Greece.

  Aurora now on the Olympian heights

  Proclaiming stood new day to all in heaven, 60

  When he his clear-voiced heralds bade convene

  The Greeks in council. Went the summons forth

  Into all quarters, and the throng began.

  First, at the ship of Nestor, Pylian King,

  The senior Chiefs for high exploits renown’d 65

  He gather’d, whom he prudent thus address’d.

  My fellow warriors, hear! A dream from heaven,

  Amid the stillness of the vacant night

  Approach’d me, semblance close in stature, bulk,

  And air, of noble Nestor. At mine head 70

  The shadow took his stand, and thus he spake.

  Oh son of Atreus the renown’d in arms

  And in the race, sleep’st thou? It ill behoves

  To sleep all night the man of high employ,

  And charged as thou art with a people’s care. 75

  Now, therefore, mark me well, who, sent from Jove,

  Inform thee, that although so far remote,

  He yet compassionates and thinks on thee

  With kind solicitude. He bids thee arm

  Thy universal host; for that the time 80

  When the Achaians shall at length possess

  Wide Ilium, hath arrived. The Gods above

  No longer dwell at variance. The requests

  Of Juno have prevail’d. Now, wo to Troy

  From Jove himself! Her fate is on the wing. 85

  Charge this on thy remembrance. Thus he spake,

  Then vanished suddenly, and I awoke.

  Haste therefore, let us arm, if arm we may,

  034 The warlike sons of Greece; but first, myself

  Will prove them, recommending instant flight 90

  With all our ships, and ye throughout the host

  Dispersed, shall, next, encourage all to stay.

  He ceased, and sat; when in the midst arose

  Of highest fame for wisdom, Nestor, King

  Of sandy Pylus, who them thus bespake. 95

  Friends, Counsellors, and Leaders of the Greeks!

  Had any meaner Argive told his dream,

  We had pronounced it false, and should the more

  Have shrunk from battle; but the dream is his

  Who boasts himself our highest in command. 100

  Haste, arm we, if we may, the sons of Greece.

  So saying, he left the council; him, at once

  The sceptred Chiefs, obedient to his voice,

  Arising, follow’d; and the throng began.

  As from the hollow rock bees stream abroad, 105

  And in succession endless seek the fields,

  Now clustering, and now scattered far and near,

  In spring-time, among all the new-blown flowers,

  So they to council swarm’d, troop after troop,

  Grecians of every tribe, from camp and fleet 110

  Assembling orderly o’er all the plain

  Beside the shore of Ocean. In the midst

  A kindling rumor, messenger of Jove,

  Impell’d them, and they went. Loud was the din

  Of the assembling thousands; groan’d the earth 115

  When down they sat, and murmurs ran around.

  Nine heralds cried aloud — Will ye restrain

  Your clamors, that your heaven-taught Kings may speak?

  Scarce were they settled, and the clang had ceased,

  When Agamemnon, sovereign o’er them all, 120

  Sceptre in hand, arose. (That sceptre erst

  Vulcan with labor forged, and to the hand

  Consign’d it of the King, Saturnian Jove;

  035 Jove to the vanquisher of Ino’s guard,

  And he to Pelops; Pelops in his turn, 125

  To royal Atreus; Atreus at his death

  Bequeath’d it to Thyestes rich in flocks,

  And rich Thyestes left it to be borne

  By Agamemnon, symbol of his right

  To empire over Argos and her isles) 130

  On that he lean’d, and rapid, thus began.

  Friends, Grecian Heroes, ministers of Mars!

  Ye see me here entangled in the snares

  Of unpropitious Jove. He promised once,

  And with a nod confirm’d it, that with spoils 135

  Of Ilium laden, we should hence return;

  But now, devising ill, he sends me shamed,

  And with diminished numbers, home to Greece.

  So stands his sovereign pleasure, who hath laid

  The bulwarks of full many a city low, 140

  And more shall level, matchless in his might.

  That such a numerous host of Greeks as we,

  Warring with fewer than ourselves, should find

  No fruit of all our toil, (and none appears)


  Will make us vile with ages yet to come. 145

  For should we now strike truce, till Greece and Troy

  Might number each her own, and were the Greeks

  Distributed in bands, ten Greeks in each,

  Our banded decads should exceed so far

  Their units, that all Troy could not supply 150

  For every ten, a man, to fill us wine;

  So far the Achaians, in my thought, surpass

  The native Trojans. But in Troy are those

  Who baffle much my purpose; aids derived

  From other states, spear-arm’d auxiliars, firm 155

  In the defence of Ilium’s lofty towers.

  036 Nine years have passed us over, nine long years;

  Our ships are rotted, and our tackle marr’d,

  And all our wives and little-ones at home

  Sit watching our return, while this attempt 160

  Hangs still in doubt, for which that home we left.

  Accept ye then my counsel. Fly we swift

  With all our fleet back to our native land,

  Hopeless of Troy, not yet to be subdued.

  So spake the King, whom all the concourse heard 165

  With minds in tumult toss’d; all, save the few,

  Partners of his intent. Commotion shook

  The whole assembly, such as heaves the flood

  Of the Icarian Deep, when South and East

  Burst forth together from the clouds of Jove. 170

  And as when vehement the West-wind falls

  On standing corn mature, the loaded ears

  Innumerable bow before the gale,

  So was the council shaken. With a shout

  All flew toward the ships; uprais’d, the dust 175

  Stood o’er them; universal was the cry,

  “Now clear the passages, strike down the props,

  Set every vessel free, launch, and away!”

  Heaven rang with exclamation of the host

  All homeward bent, and launching glad the fleet. 180

  Then baffled Fate had the Achaians seen

  Returning premature, but Juno thus,

  With admonition quick to Pallas spake.

  Unconquer’d daughter of Jove Ægis-arm’d!

  Ah foul dishonor! Is it thus at last 185

  That the Achaians on the billows borne,

  Shall seek again their country, leaving here,

 

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