William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works

by William Cowper

  All-dazzling, and he grasp’d two quivering spears. 565

  Him entering with a leap the gates, no force

  Whate’er of opposition had repress’d,

  Save of the Gods alone. Fire fill’d his eyes;

  Turning, he bade the multitude without

  Ascend the rampart; they his voice obey’d; 570

  Part climb’d the wall, part pour’d into the gate;

  The Grecians to their hollow galleys flew

  Scatter’d, and tumult infinite arose.

  ARGUMENT OF THE THIRTEENTH BOOK.

  Neptune engages on the part of the Grecians. The battle proceeds. Deiphobus advances to combat, but is repulsed by Meriones, who losing his spear, repairs to his tent for another. Teucer slays Imbrius, and Hector Amphimachus. Neptune, under the similitude of Thoas, exhorts Idomeneus. Idomeneus having armed himself in his tent, and going forth to battle, meets Meriones. After discourse held with each other, Idomeneus accommodates Meriones with a spear, and they proceed to battle. Idomeneus slays Othryoneus, and Asius. Deiphobus assails Idomeneus, but, his spear glancing over him, kills Hypsenor. Idomeneus slays Alcathoüs, son-in-law of Anchises. Deiphobus and Idomeneus respectively summon their friends to their assistance, and a contest ensues for the body of Alcathoüs.

  BOOK XIII.

  When Jove to Hector and his host had given

  Such entrance to the fleet, to all the woes

  And toils of unremitting battle there

  He them abandon’d, and his glorious eyes

  Averting, on the land look’d down remote 5

  Of the horse-breeding Thracians, of the bold

  Close-fighting Mysian race, and where abide

  On milk sustain’d, and blest with length of days,

  The Hippemolgi, justest of mankind.

  No longer now on Troy his eyes he turn’d, 10

  For expectation none within his breast

  Survived, that God or Goddess would the Greeks

  Approach with succor, or the Trojans more.

  Nor Neptune, sovereign of the boundless Deep,

  Look’d forth in vain; he on the summit sat 15

  Of Samothracia forest-crown’d, the stir

  Admiring thence and tempest of the field;

  312 For thence appear’d all Ida, thence the towers

  Of lofty Ilium, and the fleet of Greece.

  There sitting from the deeps uprisen, he mourn’d 20

  The vanquished Grecians, and resentment fierce

  Conceived and wrath against all-ruling Jove.

  Arising sudden, down the rugged steep

  With rapid strides he came; the mountains huge

  And forests under the immortal feet 25

  Trembled of Ocean’s Sovereign as he strode.

  Three strides he made, the fourth convey’d him home

  To Ægæ. At the bottom of the abyss,

  There stands magnificent his golden fane,

  A dazzling, incorruptible abode. 30

  Arrived, he to his chariot join’d his steeds

  Swift, brazen-hoof’d, and maned with wavy gold;

  Himself attiring next in gold, he seized

  His golden scourge, and to his seat sublime

  Ascending, o’er the billows drove; the whales 35

  Leaving their caverns, gambol’d on all sides

  Around him, not unconscious of their King;

  He swept the surge that tinged not as he pass’d

  His axle, and the sea parted for joy.

  His bounding coursers to the Grecian fleet 40

  Convey’d him swift. There is a spacious cave

  Deep in the bottom of the flood, the rocks

  Of Imbrus rude and Tenedos between;

  There Neptune, Shaker of the Shores, his steeds

  Station’d secure; he loosed them from the yoke, 45

  Gave them ambrosial food, and bound their feet

  With golden tethers not to be untied

  Or broken, that unwandering they might wait

  Their Lord’s return, then sought the Grecian host.

  The Trojans, tempest-like or like a flame, 50

  Now, following Priameïan Hector, all

  Came furious on and shouting to the skies.

  Their hope was to possess the fleet, and leave

  Not an Achaian of the host unslain.

  But earth-encircler Neptune from the gulf 55

  313 Emerging, in the form and with the voice

  Loud-toned of Calchas, roused the Argive ranks

  To battle — and his exhortation first

  To either Ajax turn’d, themselves prepared.

  Ye heroes Ajax! your accustomed force 60

  Exert, oh! think not of disastrous flight,

  And ye shall save the people. Nought I fear

  Fatal elsewhere, although Troy’s haughty sons

  Have pass’d the barrier with so fierce a throng

  Tumultuous; for the Grecians brazen-greaved 65

  Will check them there. Here only I expect

  And with much dread some dire event forebode,

  Where Hector, terrible as fire, and loud

  Vaunting his glorious origin from Jove,

  Leads on the Trojans. Oh that from on high 70

  Some God would form the purpose in your hearts

  To stand yourselves firmly, and to exhort

  The rest to stand! so should ye chase him hence

  All ardent as he is, and even although

  Olympian Jove himself his rage inspire. 75

  So Neptune spake, compasser of the earth,

  And, with his sceptre smiting both, their hearts

  Fill’d with fresh fortitude; their limbs the touch

  Made agile, wing’d their feet and nerved their arms.

  Then, swift as stoops a falcon from the point 80

  Of some rude rock sublime, when he would chase

  A fowl of other wing along the meads,

  So started Neptune thence, and disappear’d.

  Him, as he went, swift Oïliades

  First recognized, and, instant, thus his speech 85

  To Ajax, son of Telamon, address’d.

  Since, Ajax, some inhabitant of heaven

  Exhorts us, in the prophet’s form to fight

  (For prophet none or augur we have seen;

  This was not Calchas; as he went I mark’d 90

  His steps and knew him; Gods are known with ease)

  I feel my spirit in my bosom fired

  Afresh for battle; lightness in my limbs,

  314 In hands and feet a glow unfelt before.

  To whom the son of Telamon replied. 95

  I also with invigorated hands

  More firmly grasp my spear; my courage mounts,

  A buoyant animation in my feet

  Bears me along, and I am all on fire

  To cope with Priam’s furious son, alone. 100

  Thus they, with martial transport to their souls

  Imparted by the God, conferr’d elate.

  Meantime the King of Ocean roused the Greeks,

  Who in the rear, beside their gallant barks

  Some respite sought. They, spent with arduous toil, 105

  Felt not alone their weary limbs unapt

  To battle, but their hearts with grief oppress’d,

  Seeing the numerous multitude of Troy

  Within the mighty barrier; sad they view’d

  That sight, and bathed their cheeks with many a tear, 110

  Despairing of escape. But Ocean’s Lord

  Entering among them, soon the spirit stirr’d

  Of every valiant phalanx to the fight.

  Teucer and Leïtus, and famed in arms

  Peneleus, Thoas and Deipyrus, 115

  Meriones, and his compeer renown’d,

  Antilochus; all these in accents wing’d

  With fierce alacrity the God address’d.

  Oh shame, ye Grecians! vigorous as ye are

  And in life’s
prime, to your exertions most 120

  I trusted for the safety of our ships.

  If ye renounce the labors of the field,

  Then hath the day arisen of our defeat

  And final ruin by the powers of Troy.

  Oh! I behold a prodigy, a sight 125

  Tremendous, deem’d impossible by me,

  The Trojans at our ships! the dastard race

  Fled once like fleetest hinds the destined prey

  Of lynxes, leopards, wolves; feeble and slight

  And of a nature indisposed to war 130

  They rove uncertain; so the Trojans erst

  315 Stood not, nor to Achaian prowess dared

  The hindrance of a moment’s strife oppose.

  But now, Troy left afar, even at our ships

  They give us battle, through our leader’s fault 135

  And through the people’s negligence, who fill’d

  With fierce displeasure against him, prefer

  Death at their ships, to war in their defence.

  But if the son of Atreus, our supreme,

  If Agamemnon, have indeed transgress’d 140

  Past all excuse, dishonoring the swift

  Achilles, ye at least the fight decline

  Blame-worthy, and with no sufficient plea.

  But heal we speedily the breach; brave minds

  Easily coalesce. It is not well 145

  That thus your fury slumbers, for the host

  Hath none illustrious as yourselves in arms.

  I can excuse the timid if he shrink,

  But am incensed at you. My friends, beware!

  Your tardiness will prove ere long the cause 150

  Of some worse evil. Let the dread of shame

  Affect your hearts; oh tremble at the thought

  Of infamy! Fierce conflict hath arisen;

  Loud shouting Hector combats at the ships

  Nobly, hath forced the gates and burst the bar. 155

  With such encouragement those Grecian chiefs

  The King of Ocean roused. Then, circled soon

  By many a phalanx either Ajax stood,

  Whose order Mars himself arriving there

  Had praised, or Pallas, patroness of arms. 160

  For there the flower of all expected firm

  Bold Hector and his host; spear crowded spear,

  Shield, helmet, man, press’d helmet, man and shield;

  The hairy crests of their resplendent casques

  Kiss’d close at every nod, so wedged they stood; 165

  No spear was seen but in the manly grasp

  It quiver’d, and their every wish was war.

  The powers of Ilium gave the first assault

  316 Embattled close; them Hector led himself

  Right on, impetuous as a rolling rock 170

  Destructive; torn by torrent waters off

  From its old lodgment on the mountain’s brow,

  It bounds, it shoots away; the crashing wood

  Falls under it; impediment or check

  None stays its fury, till the level found, 175

  There, settling by degrees, it rolls no more;

  So after many a threat that he would pass

  Easily through the Grecian camp and fleet

  And slay to the sea-brink, when Hector once

  Had fallen on those firm ranks, standing, he bore 180

  Vehement on them; but by many a spear

  Urged and bright falchion, soon, reeling, retired,

  And call’d vociferous on the host of Troy.

  Trojans, and Lycians, and close-fighting sons

  Of Dardanus, oh stand! not long the Greeks 185

  Will me confront, although embodied close

  In solid phalanx; doubt it not; my spear

  Shall chase and scatter them, if Jove, in truth,

  High-thundering mate of Juno, bid me on.

  So saying he roused the courage of them all 190

  Foremost of whom advanced, of Priam’s race

  Deiphobus, ambitious of renown.

  Tripping he came with shorten’d steps, his feet

  Sheltering behind his buckler; but at him

  Aiming, Meriones his splendid lance 195

  Dismiss’d, nor err’d; his bull-hide targe he struck

  But ineffectual; where the hollow wood

  Receives the inserted brass, the quivering beam

  Snapp’d; then, Deiphobus his shield afar

  Advanced before him, trembling at a spear 200

  Hurl’d by Meriones. He, moved alike

  With indignation for the victory lost

  And for his broken spear, into his band

  317 At first retired, but soon set forth again

  In prowess through the Achaian camp, to fetch 205

  Its fellow-spear within his tent reserved.

  The rest all fought, and dread the shouts arose

  On all sides. Telamonian Teucer, first,

  Slew valiant Imbrius, son of Mentor, rich

  In herds of sprightly steeds. He ere the Greeks 210

  Arrived at Ilium, in Pedæus dwelt,

  And Priam’s spurious daughter had espoused

  Medesicasta. But the barks well-oar’d

  Of Greece arriving, he return’d to Troy,

  Where he excell’d the noblest, and abode 215

  With Priam, loved and honor’d as his own.

  Him Teucer pierced beneath his ear, and pluck’d

  His weapon home; he fell as falls an ash

  Which on some mountain visible afar,

  Hewn from its bottom by the woodman’s axe, 220

  With all its tender foliage meets the ground

  So Imbrius fell; loud rang his armor bright

  With ornamental brass, and Teucer flew

  To seize his arms, whom hasting to the spoil

  Hector with his resplendent spear assail’d; 225

  He, marking opposite its rapid flight,

  Declined it narrowly and it pierced the breast,

  As he advanced to battle, of the son

  Of Cteatus of the Actorian race,

  Amphimachus; he, sounding, smote the plain, 230

  And all his batter’d armor rang aloud.

  Then Hector swift approaching, would have torn

  The well-forged helmet from the brows away

  Of brave Amphimachus; but Ajax hurl’d

  Right forth at Hector hasting to the spoil 235

  His radiant spear; no wound the spear impress’d,

  For he was arm’d complete in burnish’d brass

  Terrific; but the solid boss it pierced

  Of Hector’s shield, and with enormous force

  So shock’d him, that retiring he resign’d 240

  318 Both bodies, which the Grecians dragg’d away.

  Stichius and Menestheus, leaders both

  Of the Athenians, to the host of Greece

  Bore off Amphimachus, and, fierce in arms

  The Ajaces, Imbrius. As two lions bear 245

  Through thick entanglement of boughs and brakes

  A goat snatch’d newly from the peasants’ cogs,

  Upholding high their prey above the ground,

  So either Ajax terrible in fight,

  Upholding Imbrius high, his brazen arms 250

  Tore off, and Oïliades his head

  From his smooth neck dissevering in revenge

  For slain Amphimachus, through all the host

  Sent it with swift rotation like a globe,

  Till in the dust at Hector’s feet it fell. 255

  Then anger fill’d the heart of Ocean’s King,

  His grandson slain in battle; forth he pass’d

  Through the Achaian camp and fleet, the Greeks

  Rousing, and meditating wo to Troy.

  It chanced that brave Idomeneus return’d 260

  That moment from a Cretan at the knee

  Wounded, and newly borne into his tent;

  His friends had borne him off,
and when the Chief

  Had given him into skilful hands, he sought

  The field again, still coveting renown. 265

  Him therefore, meeting him on his return,

  Neptune bespake, but with the borrow’d voice

  Of Thoas, offspring of Andræmon, King

  In Pleuro and in lofty Calydon,

  And honor’d by the Ætolians as a God. 270

  Oh counsellor of Crete! our threats denounced

  Against the towers of Troy, where are they now?

  To whom the leader of the Cretans, thus,

  Idomeneus. For aught that I perceive

  Thoas! no Grecian is this day in fault! 275

  For we are all intelligent in arms,

  319 None yields by fear oppress’d, none lull’d by sloth

  From battle shrinks; but such the pleasure seems

  Of Jove himself, that we should perish here

  Inglorious, from our country far remote 280

  But, Thoas! (for thine heart was ever firm

  In battle, and thyself art wont to rouse

  Whom thou observ’st remiss) now also fight

  As erst, and urge each leader of the host.

  Him answered, then, the Sovereign of the Deep. 285

  Return that Grecian never from the shores

  Of Troy, Idomeneus! but may the dogs

  Feast on him, who shall this day intermit

  Through wilful negligence his force in fight!

  But haste, take arms and come; we must exert 290

  All diligence, that, being only two,

  We yet may yield some service. Union much

  Emboldens even the weakest, and our might

  Hath oft been proved on warriors of renown.

  So Neptune spake, and, turning, sought again 295

  The toilsome field. Ere long, Idomeneus

  Arriving in his spacious tent, put on

  His radiant armor, and, two spears in hand,

  Set forth like lightning which Saturnian Jove

  From bright Olympus shakes into the air, 300

  A sign to mortal men, dazzling all eyes;

  So beam’d the Hero’s armor as he ran.

  But him not yet far distant from his tent

  Meriones, his fellow-warrior met,

  For he had left the fight, seeking a spear, 305

  When thus the brave Idomeneus began.

  Swift son of Molus! chosen companion dear!

  Wherefore, Meriones, hast thou the field

  Abandon’d? Art thou wounded? Bring’st thou home

  Some pointed mischief in thy flesh infixt? 310