There to high Jove were public thanks assign'd

As first of Gods; to Nestor, of mankind. Such then I was, impell'd by youthful blood:

So prov'd my valour for my country's good. Achilles with inactive fury glows,

And gives to passion what to Greece he

owes.

How shall he grieve, when to th' eternal shade

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Her hosts shall sink, nor his the power to aid?

O friend! my memory recalls the day,
When, gath'ring aids along the Grecian sea,
I, and Ulysses, touch'd at Phthia's port,
And enter'd Peleus' hospitable court.
A bull to Jove he slew in sacrifice,
And pour'd libations on the flaming thighs.
Thyself, Achilles, and thy rev'rend sire
Menœtius, turn'd the fragments on the fire.
Achilles sees us, to the feast invites;
Social we sit, and share the genial rites.
We then explain'd the cause on which we

came,

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Urged you to arms, and found you fierce

for fame.

Your ancient fathers gen'rous precepts gave: Peleus said only this: "My son! be brave," Mencetius thus: "Tho' great Achilles shine In strength superior, and of race divine, Yet cooler thoughts thy elder years attend; Let thy just counsels aid, and rule thy friend."

Thus spoke your father at Thessalia's court;

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Resists she yet the raging Hector's hand? Or are her heroes doom'd to die with shame,

And this the period of our wars and fame ?'

Eurypylus replies: No more, my friend, Greece is no more! this day her glories end. Ev'n to the ships victorious Troy pursues, Her force increasing as her toil renews. Those Chiefs, that used her utmost rage to meet,

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Lie pierc'd with wounds, and bleeding in the fleet.

But thou, Patroclus! act a friendly part, Lead to my ships, and draw this deadly dart;

With lukewarm water wash the gore away,
With healing balms the raging smart allay,
Such as sage Chiron, sire of pharmacy,
Once taught Achilles, and Achilles thee.
Of two famed surgeons, Podalirius stands
This hour surrounded by the Trojan bands;
And great Machaon, wounded in his tent,
Now wants that succour which so oft he
lent.'

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To whom the Chief: 'What then remains to do?

The Greeks being retired into their entrenchments, Hector attempts to force them; but it proving impossible to pass the ditch, Polydamas advises to quit their chariots, and manage the attack on foot. The Trojans follow his counsel, and having divided their army into five bodies of foot, begin the assault. But upon the signal of an eagle with a serpent in his talons, which appeared on the left hand of the Trojans, Polydamas endeavours to withdraw them again. This Hector opposes, and continues the attack; in which, after many actions, Sarpedon makes the first breach in the wall: Hector also, casting a stone of a vast size, forces open one of the gates, and enters at the head of his troops, who victoriously pursue the Grecians even to their ships.

And whelms the smoky ruin in the waves. Now, smooth'd with sand, and levell'd by the flood,

No fragment tells where once the wonder stood;

In their old bounds the rivers roll again, Shine 'twixt the hills, or wander o'er the plain.

But this the Gods in later times perform; As yet the bulwark stood, and braved the storm!

The strokes yet echoed of contending

powers;

War thunder'd at the gates, and blood dis tain'd the towers.

Smote by the arm of Jove, and dire dismay,

Close by their hollow ships the Grecians lay;
Hector's approach in every wind they hear,
And Hector's fury every moment fear.
He, like a whirlwind, toss'd the scatt'ring
throng,

Mingled the troops, and drove the field along,

So, 'midst the dogs and hunters' daring

bands,

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Fierce of his might, a boar or lion stands;
Arm'd foes around a dreadful circle formn,
And hissing jav'lins rain an iron storm;
His powers untamed their bold assault defy,
And, where he turns, the rout disperse, or
die:

He foams, he glares, he bounds against them all,

And, if he falls, his courage makes him fall. With equal rage encompass'd Hector glows; Exhorts his armies, and the trenches shows. The panting steeds impatient fury breathe, But snort and tremble at the gulf beneath; Just on the brink, they neigh, and paw the ground,

And the turf trembles, and the skies resound.

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And one great day destroy, and bury all! But should they turn, and here oppress our train,

What hopes, what methods of retreat remain?

Wedg'd in the trench, by our own troops confused,

In one promiscuous carnage crush'd and bruis'd,

All Troy must perish, if their arms prevail,

Nor shall a Trojan live to tell the tale. Hear then, ye warriors! and obey with speed;

Back from the trenches let your steeds be led;

Then all alighting, wedg'd in firm array, Proceed on foot, and Hector lead the

balls roll,

Descend, and whiten all the fields below:
So fast the darts on either army pour,
So down the rampires rolls the rocky

Heavy, and thick, resound the batter'd

shields,

And the deaf echo rattles round the fields.

breath:

By Heav'n alarm'd, by prodigies amazed: A signal omen stopp'd the passing host, Their martial fury in their wonder lost. Jove's bird on sounding pinions beat the skies,

A bleeding serpent of enormous size His talons truss'd; alive, and curling round,

He stung the bird, whose throat receiv'd the wound:

Mad with the smart, he drops the fatal prey, In airy circles wings his painful way, Floats on the winds, and rends the Heav'ns with cries;

Amidst the host the fallen serpent lies: 240 They, pale with terror, mark its spires un

roll'd