The Reconciliation of Achilles and Agamemnon.
THETIS brings to her fon the armour made by Vul. can. She preferves the body of his friend from corruption, and commands him to assemble the army, to declare his refentment at an end. Agamemnon and Achilles are folemnly reconciled: the fpeeches, prefents, and ceremonies, on that occafion. Achilles is with great difficulty perfuaded to refrain from the battle till the troops have refreshed themselves, by the advice of Ulyffes. The prefents are conveyed to the tent of Achilles; where Brifeïs laments over the body of Patroclus. The hero obftinately refufes all repaft, and gives himself up to lamentations for his friend. Minerva defcends to ftrengthen him, by the order of Jupiter. He arms for the fight: his appearance defcribed. He addreffes himself to his horfes, and reproaches them with the death of Patroclus. One of them is miraculoufiy endued with voice, and inspired to prophefy his fate; but the hero, not astonished by that prodigy, rushes with fury to the combat.
The thirtieth day. The fcene is on the fea-fhore.
OON as Aurora heav'd her orient head
Above the waves, that blush'd with early red
(With new-born day to gladden mortal fight,
And gild the courts of heaven with facred light)
Th' immortal arms the Goddess-mother bears
Swift to her fon: her fon fhe finds in tears
Stretch'd o'er Patroclus' corpfe; while all the reft
The fovereign's forrows in their own expreft.
A ray divine her heavenly prefence shed,
And thus, his hand foft-touching, Thetis faid:
Supprefs (my fon) this rage of grief, and know
It was not man, but Heaven, that gave the blow;
Behold what arms by Vulcan are bestow'd!
Arms worthy thee, or fit to grace a God.
Then drops the radiant burden on the ground;
Clang the strong arms, and ring the fhores around:
Back fhrink the Myrmidons with dread surprize,
And from the broad effulgence turn their eyes.
Unmov'd, the hero kindles at the show,
And feels with rage divine his bosom glow;
From his fierce eye-balls living flames expire,
And flash inceffant like a ftream of fire:
He turns the radiant gift; and feeds his mind
On all th' immortal artist had defign'd.
Goddess! (he cry'd) these glorious arms that shine 25
With matchless art, confess the hand divine.
Now to the bloody battle let me bend:
But ah! the relicks of my flaughter'd friend!
In those wide wounds through which his fpirit fled,
Shall flies, and worms obfcene, pollute the dead?
That unavailing care be laid afide,
(The azure Goddess to her fon reply'd)
Whole years untouch'd, uninjur'd, fhall remain,
Fresh as in life, the carcafe of the flain.
But go, Achilles (as affairs require)
Before the Grecian peers renounce thine ire :
Then uncontrol'd in boundless war engage,
And Heaven with ftrength fupply the mighty rage!
Then in the noftrils of the flain the pour'd
Nectareous drops, and rich ambrofia fhower'd
O'er all the corpfe. The flies forbid their prey,
Untouch'd it refts, and facred from decay.
Achilles to the ftrand obedient went :
The fhores refounded with the voice he fent.
The heroes heard, and all the naval train
That tend the fhips, or guide them o'er the main,
Alarm'd, transported, at the well-known found,
Frequent and full, the great affembly crown'd;
Studious to fee that terrour of the plain,
Long loft to battle, shine in arms again.
Tydides and Ulyffes first appear,
Lame with their wounds, and leaning on the fpear;
Thefe on the facred feats of council plac'd,
The king of men, Atrides, came the last :
He too fore wounded by Agenor's fon.
Achilles (rifing in the inidft) begun :
Oh Monarch! better far had been the fate
Of thee, of me, of all the Grecian state,
If, (ere the day when by mad paffion fway'd,
Rafh we contended for the black-ey'd maid)
Preventing Dian had dispatch'd her dart,
And fhot the shining mischief to the heart:
Then many a hero had not prefs'd the shore,
Nor Troy's glad fields been fatten'd with our gore:
Long, long fhall Greece the woes we caus'd bewail, 65
And fad pofterity repeat the tale.
But this, no more the fubject of debate,
Is paft, forgotten, and refign'd to fate :
Why fhould, alas! a mortal man, as I,
Burn with a fury that can never die?
Here then my anger ends: let war fucceed,
And ev❜n as Greece has bled, let Ilion bleed.
Now call the hosts, and try, if in our fight
Troy yet shall dare to camp a fecond night?
I deem their mightiest, when this arm he knows,
Shall 'fcape with transport, and with joy repose.
He faid: his finifh'd wrath with loud acclaim
The Greeks accept, and fhout Pelides' name.
When thus, not rifing from his lofty throne,
In ftate unmov'd, the king of men begun :
Hear me, ye fons of Greece! with filence hear!
And grant your monarch an impartial ear;'
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