William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works

by William Cowper

  Much admonition, ere ye went, received.

  Old Peleus charged Achilles to aspire 950

  To highest praise, and always to excel.

  But thee, thy sire Menœtius thus advised.

  “My son! Achilles boasts the nobler birth,

  But thou art elder; he in strength excels

  Thee far; thou, therefore, with discretion rule 955

  His inexperience; thy advice impart

  With gentleness; instruction wise suggest

  Wisely, and thou shalt find him apt to learn.”

  So thee thy father taught, but, as it seems,

  In vain. Yet even now essay to move 960

  Warlike Achilles; if the Gods so please,

  Who knows but that thy reasons may prevail

  To rouse his valiant heart? men rarely scorn

  The earnest intercession of a friend.

  But if some prophecy alarm his fears, 965

  And from his Goddess mother he have aught

  Received, who may have learnt the same from Jove,

  Thee let him send at least, and order forth

  With thee the Myrmidons; a dawn of hope

  Shall thence, it may be, on our host arise. 970

  And let him send thee to the battle clad

  In his own radiant armor; Troy, deceived

  289 By such resemblance, shall abstain perchance

  From conflict, and the weary Greeks enjoy

  Short respite; it is all that war allows. 975

  Fresh as ye are, ye, by your shouts alone,

  May easily repulse an army spent

  With labor from the camp and from the fleet.

  Thus Nestor, and his mind bent to his words.

  Back to Æacides through all the camp 980

  He ran; and when, still running, he arrived

  Among Ulysses’ barks, where they had fix’d

  The forum, where they minister’d the laws,

  And had erected altars to the Gods,

  There him Eurypylus, Evæmon’s son, 985

  Illustrious met, deep-wounded in his thigh,

  And halting-back from battle. From his head

  The sweat, and from his shoulders ran profuse,

  And from his perilous wound the sable blood

  Continual stream’d; yet was his mind composed. 990

  Him seeing, Menœtiades the brave

  Compassion felt, and mournful, thus began.

  Ah hapless senators and Chiefs of Greece!

  Left ye your native country that the dogs

  Might fatten on your flesh at distant Troy? 995

  But tell me, Hero! say, Eurypylus!

  Have the Achaians power still to withstand

  The enormous force of Hector, or is this

  The moment when his spear must pierce us all?

  To whom Eurypylus, discreet, replied. 1000

  Patroclus, dear to Jove! there is no help,

  No remedy. We perish at our ships.

  The warriors, once most strenuous of the Greeks,

  Lie wounded in the fleet by foes whose might

  Increases ever. But thyself afford 1005

  To me some succor; lead me to my ship;

  Cut forth the arrow from my thigh; the gore

  With warm ablution cleanse, and on the wound

  Smooth unguents spread, the same as by report

  Achilles taught thee; taught, himself, their use 1010

  290 By Chiron, Centaur, justest of his kind

  For Podalirius and Machaon both

  Are occupied. Machaon, as I judge,

  Lies wounded in his tent, needing like aid

  Himself, and Podalirius in the field 1015

  Maintains sharp conflict with the sons of Troy.

  To whom Menœtius’ gallant son replied.

  Hero! Eurypylus! how shall we act

  In this perplexity? what course pursue?

  I seek the brave Achilles, to whose ear 1020

  I bear a message from the ancient chief

  Gerenian Nestor, guardian of the Greeks.

  Yet will I not, even for such a cause,

  My friend! abandon thee in thy distress.

  He ended, and his arms folding around 1025

  The warrior bore him thence into his tent.

  His servant, on his entrance, spread the floor

  With hides, on which Patroclus at his length

  Extended him, and with his knife cut forth

  The rankling point; with tepid lotion, next, 1030

  He cleansed the gore, and with a bitter root

  Bruised small between his palms, sprinkled the wound.

  At once, the anodyne his pain assuaged,

  The wound was dried within, and the blood ceased.

  It will be well here to observe the position of the Greeks. All human aid is cut off by the wounds of their heroes, and all assistance from the Gods forbidden by Jupiter. On the contrary, the Trojans see their general at their head, and Jupiter himself fights on their side. Upon this hinge turns the whole poem. The distress of the Greeks occasions first the assistance of Patroclus, and then the death of that hero brings back Achilles.

  The poet shows great skill in conducting these incidents. He gives Achilles the pleasure of seeing that the Greeks could not carry on the war without his assistance, and upon this depends the great catastrophe of the poem.

  ARGUMENT OF THE TWELFTH BOOK.

  The Trojans assail the ramparts, and Hector forces the gates.

  BOOK XII.

  So was Menœtius’ gallant son employ’d

  Healing Eurypylus. The Greeks, meantime,

  And Trojans with tumultuous fury fought.

  Nor was the foss ordain’d long time to exclude

  The host of Troy, nor yet the rampart built 5

  Beside it for protection of the fleet;

  For hecatomb the Greeks had offer’d none,

  Nor prayer to heaven, that it might keep secure

  Their ships with all their spoils. The mighty work

  As in defiance of the Immortal Powers 10

  Had risen, and could not therefore long endure.

  While Hector lived, and while Achilles held

  His wrathful purpose; while the city yet

  Of royal Priam was unsack’d, so long

  The massy structure stood; but when the best 15

  And bravest of the Trojan host were slain,

  And of the Grecian heroes, some had fallen

  And some survived, when Priam’s towers had blazed

  In the tenth year, and to their native shores

  The Grecians with their ships, at length, return’d, 20

  Then Neptune, with Apollo leagued, devised

  Its ruin; every river that descends

  From the Idæan heights into the sea

  They brought against it, gathering all their force.

  Rhesus, Caresus, Rhodius, the wide-branch’d 25

  Heptaporus, Æsepus, Granicus,

  294 Scamander’s sacred current, and thy stream

  Simöis, whose banks with helmets and with shields

  Were strew’d, and Chiefs of origin divine;

  All these with refluent course Apollo drove 30

  Nine days against the rampart, and Jove rain’d

  Incessant, that the Grecian wall wave-whelm’d

  Through all its length might sudden disappear.

  Neptune with his tridental mace, himself,

  Led them, and beam and buttress to the flood 35

  Consigning, laid by the laborious Greeks,

  Swept the foundation, and the level bank

  Of the swift-rolling Hellespont restored.

  The structure thus effaced, the spacious beach

  He spread with sand as at the first; then bade 40

  Subside the streams, and in their channels wind

  With limpid course, and pleasant as before,

  Apollo thus and Neptune, from the first,

  Design’d its fall; but now the
battle raved

  And clamors of the warriors all around 45

  The strong-built turrets, whose assaulted planks

  Rang, while the Grecians, by the scourge of Jove

  Subdued, stood close within their fleet immured,

  At Hector’s phalanx-scattering force appall’d.

  He, as before, with whirlwind fury fought. 50

  As when the boar or lion fiery-eyed

  Turns short, the hunters and the hounds among,

  The close-embattled troop him firm oppose,

  And ply him fast with spears; he no dismay

  Conceives or terror in his noble heart, 55

  But by his courage falls; frequent he turns

  Attempting bold the ranks, and where he points

  Direct his onset, there the ranks retire;

  So, through the concourse on his rolling wheels

  Borne rapid, Hector animated loud 60

  His fellow-warriors to surpass the trench.

  But not his own swift-footed steeds would dare

  That hazard; standing on the dangerous brink

  They neigh’d aloud, for by its breadth the foss

  295 Deterr’d them; neither was the effort slight 65

  To leap that gulf, nor easy the attempt

  To pass it through; steep were the banks profound

  On both sides, and with massy piles acute

  Thick-planted, interdicting all assault.

  No courser to the rapid chariot braced 70

  Had enter’d there with ease; yet strong desires

  Possess’d the infantry of that emprize,

  And thus Polydamas the ear address’d

  Of dauntless Hector, standing at his side.

  Hector, and ye the leaders of our host, 75

  Both Trojans and allies! rash the attempt

  I deem, and vain, to push our horses through,

  So dangerous is the pass; rough is the trench

  With pointed stakes, and the Achaian wall

  Meets us beyond. No chariot may descend 80

  Or charioteer fight there; strait are the bounds,

  And incommodious, and his death were sure.

  If Jove, high-thundering Ruler of the skies,

  Will succor Ilium, and nought less intend

  Than utter devastation of the Greeks, 85

  I am content; now perish all their host

  Inglorious, from their country far remote.

  But should they turn, and should ourselves be driven

  Back from the fleet impeded and perplex’d

  In this deep foss, I judge that not a man, 90

  ‘Scaping the rallied Grecians, should survive

  To bear the tidings of our fate to Troy.

  Now, therefore, act we all as I advise.

  Let every charioteer his coursers hold

  Fast-rein’d beside the foss, while we on foot, 95

  With order undisturb’d and arms in hand,

  Shall follow Hector. If destruction borne

  On wings of destiny this day approach

  The Grecians, they will fly our first assault.

  So spake Polydamas, whose safe advice 100

  Pleased Hector; from his chariot to the ground

  All arm’d he leap’d, nor would a Trojan there

  296 (When once they saw the Hero on his feet)

  Ride into battle, but unanimous

  Descending with a leap, all trod the plain. 105

  Each gave command that at the trench his steeds

  Should stand detain’d in orderly array;

  Then, suddenly, the parted host became

  Five bands, each following its appointed chief.

  The bravest and most numerous, and whose hearts 110

  Wish’d most to burst the barrier and to wage

  The battle at the ships, with Hector march’d

  And with Polydamas, whom follow’d, third,

  Cebriones; for Hector had his steeds

  Consign’d and chariot to inferior care. 115

  Paris, Alcathoüs, and Agenor led

  The second band, and, sons of Priam both,

  Deïphobus and Helenus, the third;

  With them was seen partner of their command;

  The Hero Asius; from Arisba came 120

  Asius Hyrtacides, to battle drawn

  From the Selleïs banks by martial steeds

  Hair’d fiery-red and of the noblest size.

  The fourth, Anchises’ mighty son controll’d,

  Æneas; under him Antenor’s sons, 125

  Archilochus and Acamas, advanced,

  Adept in all the practice of the field.

  Last came the glorious powers in league with Troy

  Led by Sarpedon; he with Glaucus shared

  His high control, and with the warlike Chief 130

  Asteropæus; for of all his host

  Them bravest he esteem’d, himself except

  Superior in heroic might to all.

  And now (their shields adjusted each to each)

  With dauntless courage fired, right on they moved 135

  Against the Grecians; nor expected less

  Than that beside their sable ships, the host

  Should self-abandon’d fall an easy prey.

  The Trojans, thus with their confederate powers,

  The counsel of the accomplish’d Prince pursued, 140

  297 Polydamas, one Chief alone except,

  Asius Hyrtacides. He scorn’d to leave

  His charioteer and coursers at the trench,

  And drove toward the fleet. Ah, madly brave!

  His evil hour was come; he was ordain’d 145

  With horse and chariot and triumphant shout

  To enter wind-swept Ilium never more.

  Deucalion’s offspring, first, into the shades

  Dismiss’d him; by Idomeneus he died.

  Leftward he drove furious, along the road 150

  By which the steeds and chariots of the Greeks

  Return’d from battle; in that track he flew,

  Nor found the portals by the massy bar

  Secured, but open for reception safe

  Of fugitives, and to a guard consign’d. 155

  Thither he drove direct, and in his rear

  His band shrill-shouting follow’d, for they judged

  The Greeks no longer able to withstand

  Their foes, but sure to perish in the camp.

  Vain hope! for in the gate two Chiefs they found 160

  Lapithæ-born, courageous offspring each

  Of dauntless father; Polypœtes, this,

  Sprung from Pirithöus; that, the warrior bold

  Leonteus, terrible as gore-tainted Mars.

  These two, defenders of the lofty gates, 165

  Stood firm before them. As when two tall oaks

  On the high mountains day by day endure

  Rough wind and rain, by deep-descending roots

  Of hugest growth fast-founded in the soil;

  So they, sustain’d by conscious valor, saw, 170

  Unmoved, high towering Asius on his way,

  Nor fear’d him aught, nor shrank from his approach

  Right on toward the barrier, lifting high

  Their season’d bucklers and with clamor loud

  The band advanced, King Asius at their head, 175

  With whom Iämenus, expert in arms,

  Orestes, Thöon, Acamas the son

  Of Asius, and Oenomäus, led them on.

  298 Till now, the warlike pair, exhorting loud

  The Grecians to defend the fleet, had stood 180

  Within the gates; but soon as they perceived

  The Trojans swift advancing to the wall,

  And heard a cry from all the flying Greeks,

  Both sallying, before the gates they fought

  Like forest-boars, which hearing in the hills 185

  The crash of hounds and huntsmen nigh at hand,

  With start oblique lay many a sapling fl
at

  Short-broken by the root, nor cease to grind

  Their sounding tusks, till by the spear they die;

  So sounded on the breasts of those brave two 190

  The smitten brass; for resolute they fought,

  Embolden’d by their might who kept the wall,

  And trusting in their own; they, in defence

  Of camp and fleet and life, thick battery hurl’d

  Of stones precipitated from the towers; 195

  Frequent as snows they fell, which stormy winds,

  Driving the gloomy clouds, shake to the ground,

  Till all the fertile earth lies cover’d deep.

  Such volley pour’d the Greeks, and such return’d

  The Trojans; casques of hide, arid and tough, 200

  And bossy shields rattled, by such a storm

  Assail’d of millstone masses from above.

  Then Asius, son of Hyrtacus, a groan

  Indignant utter’d; on both thighs he smote

  With disappointment furious, and exclaim’d, 205

  Jupiter! even thou art false become,

  And altogether such. Full sure I deem’d

  That not a Grecian hero should abide

  One moment force invincible as ours,

  And lo! as wasps ring-streaked, or bees that build 210

  Their dwellings in the highway’s craggy side

  Leave not their hollow home, but fearless wait

  The hunter’s coming, in their brood’s defence,

  So these, although two only, from the gates

  299 Move not, nor will, till either seized or slain. 215

  So Asius spake, but speaking so, changed not

  The mind of Jove on Hector’s glory bent.

  Others, as obstinate, at other gates

  Such deeds perform’d, that to enumerate all

  Were difficult, unless to power divine. 220

  For fierce the hail of stones from end to end

  Smote on the barrier; anguish fill’d the Greeks.

  Yet, by necessity constrain’d, their ships

  They guarded still; nor less the Gods themselves,

  Patrons of Greece, all sorrow’d at the sight. 225

  At once the valiant Lapithæ began

  Terrible conflict, and Pirithous’ son

  Brave Polypœtes through his helmet pierced

  Damasus; his resplendent point the brass

  Sufficed not to withstand; entering, it crush’d 230

  The bone within, and mingling all his brain

  With his own blood, his onset fierce repress’d.

  Pylon and Ormenus he next subdued.