s: And in his friends' arms died in little space.


s: Then with his lance Idomeneus thrust out,


s: And by the right breast stabbed Bremusa.  Stilled


s: She fell, as falls a graceful-shafted pine


s: Sighing through all its boughs, it crashes down.


s: So with a wailing shriek she fell, and death


s: Unstrung her every limb: her breathing soul


s: Mingled with multitudinous-sighing winds.


s: Then, as Evandre through the murderous fray


s: Right to the heart of one he drave, and one


s: Stabbed with a lightning sword-thrust 'twixt the hips:


s: Leapt through the wounds the life, and fled away.


s: 'Twixt throat and shoulder with his ruthless spear;


s: Swooped, and on Derimacheia: head with neck


s: Clean from the shoulders of these twain he shore


s: With ruin-wreaking brand.  Together down


s: Fell they, as young calves by the massy axe


s: Of brawny flesher felled, that, shearing through


s: So, by the hands of Tydeus' son laid low


s: From their own highland-home, they fell.  Nor these


s: Down on them hurled Cabeirus' corse, who came


s: From Sestos, keen to fight the Argive foe,


s: Then was the heart of Paris filled with wrath


s: For a friend slain.  Full upon Sthenelus


s: Aimed he a shaft death-winged, yet touched him not,


s: Despite his thirst for vengeance: otherwhere


s: The arrow glanced aside, and carried death


s: Whither the stern Fates guided its fierce wing,


s: Who from Dulichium came to war with Troy.


s: Upon the flock, so swiftly rushed he: all


s: Shrank huddling back before that terrible man.


s: The god-like, and Amphimachus mighty-souled.


s: Rose Latmus' snowy crests, stretched the long glens


s: Maeander's flood deep-rolling swept thereby,


s: Which from the Phrygian uplands, pastured o'er


s: By myriad flocks, around a thousand forelands


s: Curls, swirls, and drives his hurrying ripples on


s: Down to the vine-clad land of Carian men


s: These mid the storm of battle Meges slew,


s: Nor these alone, but whomsoe'er his lance


s: Black-shafted touched, were dead men; for his breast


s: The glorious Trito-born with courage thrilled


s: To bring to all his foes the day of doom.


s: Spread was the bed of love beside the foot


s: Tears ever stream: high up, the rugged crag


s: Bows as one weeping, weeping, waterfalls


s: Cry from far-echoing Hermus, wailing moan


s: Of sympathy: the sky-encountering crests


s: To men that pass with feet fear-goaded: there


s: In depths of anguish sobbing, and her tears


s: Drop, as she mourns grief-stricken, endlessly.


s: Yea, thou wouldst say that verily so it was,


s: Thou standest, all the illusion vanishes;


s: And lo, a steep-browed rock, a fragment rent


s: Dreeing her weird, the debt of wrath divine,


s: A broken heart in guise of shattered stone.


s: All through the tangle of that desperate fray


s: Stalked slaughter and doom.  The incarnate Onset-shout


s: Raved through the rolling battle; at her side


s: Paced Death the ruthless, and the Fearful Faces,


s: The Fates, beside them strode, and in red hands


s: Bare murder and the groans of dying men.


s: That day the beating of full many a heart,


s: Trojan and Argive, was for ever stilled,


s: While roared the battle round them, while the fury


s: Springs on the kine with lightning leap, athirst


s: For blood wherein her fierce heart revelleth;


s: So on the Danaans leapt that warrior-maid.


s: And they, their souls were cowed: backward they shrank,


s: And fast she followed, as a towering surge


s: A flying bark, whose white sails strain beneath


s: The wind's wild buffering, and all the air


s: Maddens with roaring, as the rollers crash


s: Where long reefs fringe the surf-tormented shores.


s: So chased she, and so dashed the ranks asunder


s: Triumphant-souled, and hurled fierce threats before:


s: "Ye dogs, this day for evil outrage done


s: Shall from mine hands deliver his own life,


s: And win back home, to gladden parents eyes,


s: Or comfort wife or children.  Ye shall lie


s: Dead, ravined on by vultures and by wolves,


s: And none shall heap the earth-mound o'er your clay.


s: Where skulketh now the strength of Tydeus' son,


s: Where is Aias' bulk?  Ye vaunt them mightiest men


s: Of all your rabble.  Ha!  they will not dare


s: Forth from their fainting frames their craven souls!"


s: Then heart-uplifted leapt she on the foe,


s: Resistless as a tigress, crashing through


s: Ranks upon ranks of Argives, smiting now


s: With that huge halberd massy-headed, now


s: Hurling the keen dart, while her battle-horse


s: Flashed through the fight, and on his shoulder bare


s: Quiver and bow death-speeding, close to her hand,


s: If mid that revel of blood she willed to speed


s: The bitter-biting shaft.  Behind her swept


s: The charging lines of men fleet-footed, friends


s: And brethren of the man who never flinched


s: From close death-grapple, Hector, panting all


s: The hot breath of the War-god from their breasts,


s: All slaying Danaans with the ashen spear,


s: Who fell as frost-touched leaves in autumn fall


s: And aye went up a moaning from earth's breast


s: All blood-bedrenched, and heaped with corse on corse.


s: Horses pierced through with arrows, or impaled


s: On spears, were snorting forth their last of strength


s: With screaming neighings.  Men, with gnashing teeth


s: Biting the dust, lay gasping, while the steeds


s: Of Trojan charioteers stormed in pursuit,


s: Trampling the dying mingled with the dead


s: As oxen trample corn in threshing-floors.


s: On through the foes' array, like the black storm


s: That maddens o'er the sea, what time the sun


s: Allies his might with winter's Goat-horned Star;


s: And thus, puffed up with vain hope, shouted he:


s: "O friends, in manifest presence down from heaven


s: One of the deathless Gods this day hath come


s: To fight the Argives, all of love for us,


s: Yea, and with sanction of almighty Zeus,


s: Haply strong-hearted Priam, who may boast


s: For this, I trow, no mortal woman seems,


s: In splendour-flashing arms: nay, surely she


s: Mad-shrieking slaughter, see her set aflame


s: Yon ships wherein they came long years agone


s: Bringing us many sorrows, yea, they came


s: Ha!  to the home-land Hellas ne'er shall these


s: With joy return, since Gods on our side fight."


s: Vaunted a Trojan.  Fool!--he had no vision


s: And Troy, and Penthesileia's self withal.


s: Of that wild fray to Aias stormy-souled,


s: Nor to Achilles, waster of tower and town.


s: But on the grave-mound of Menoetius' son


s: They twain were lying, with sad memories


s: Each one the other's groaning.  One it was


s: Of the Blest Gods who still was holding back


s: Till many Greeks should fill the measure up


s: With murderous intent their rifled ranks,


s: While ever waxed her valour more and more,


s: And waxed her might within her: never in vain


s: She aimed the unswerving spear-thrust: aye she pierced


s: The backs of them that fled, the breasts of such


s: As charged to meet her.  All the long shaft dripped


s: With steaming blood.  Swift were her feet as wind


s: As down she swooped.  Her aweless spirit failed


s: For weariness nor fainted, but her might


s: Which roused unto the terrible strife not yet


s: Achilles, clothed her still with glory; still


s: Aloof the dread Power stood, and still would shed


s: Splendour of triumph o'er the death-ordained


s: But for a little space, ere it should quell


s: That Maiden 'neath the hands of Aeaeus' son.


s: In darkness ambushed, with invisible hand


s: Ever it thrust her on, and drew her feet


s: Destruction-ward, and lit her path to death


s: With glory, while she slew foe after foe.


s: Longing for its green springtide freshness, leaps


s: When none is by to stay her, treading down


s: All its green herbs, and all its wealth of bloom,


s: Devouring greedily this, and marring that


s: With trampling feet; so ranged she, Ares' child,


s: Through reeling squadrons of Achaea's sons,


s: Slew these, and hunted those in panic rout.


s: From Troy afar the women marvelling gazed


s: A fiery passion for the fray hath seized


s: Antimachus' daughter, Meneptolemus' wife,


s: Tisiphone.  Her heart waxed strong, and filled


s: With lust of fight she cried to her fellows all,


s: With desperate-daring words, to spur them on


s: To woeful war, by recklessness made strong.


s: "Friends, let a heart of valour in our breasts


s: Awake!  Let us be like our lords, who fight


s: With foes for fatherland, for babes, for us,


s: And never pause for breath in that stern strife!


s: Let us too throne war's spirit in our hearts!


s: Let us too face the fight which favoureth none!


s: In diverse mould from men: to us is given


s: Eyes have we like to theirs, and limbs: throughout


s: Fashioned we are alike: one common light


s: We look on, and one common air we breathe:


s: With like food are we nourished--nay, wherein


s: Than men?  Then let us shrink not from the fray


s: Men in the grapple of fight?  Yet is her blood


s: She warreth of her own heart's prompting, fears


s: The face of no man; for her soul is thrilled


s: But we--to right, to left, lie woes on woes


s: About our feet: this mourns beloved sons,


s: And that a husband who for hearth and home


s: Hath died; some wail for fathers now no more;


s: Some grieve for brethren and for kinsmen lost.


s: Not one but hath some share in sorrow's cup.


s: The day of bondage!  Therefore flinch not ye


s: In the stern grip of fate leaving behind


s: A burning city, and our husbands' graves."


s: So cried she, and with passion for stern war


s: Thrilled all those women; and with eager speed


s: They hasted to go forth without the wall


s: Mail-clad, afire to battle for their town


s: And people: all their spirit was aflame.


s: Is over and gone, loud hum the swarming bees


s: What time they make them ready forth to fare


s: To bright flower-pastures, and no more endure


s: To linger therewithin, but each to other


s: Crieth the challenge-cry to sally forth;


s: Even so bestirred themselves the women of Troy,


s: And kindled each her sister to the fray.


s: The weaving-wool, the distaff far they flung,


s: And to grim weapons stretched their eager hands.


s: In that wild battle, as their husbands died


s: And the strong Amazons died, had not one voice


s: Of wisdom cried to stay their maddened feet,


s: When with dissuading words Theano spake:


s: "Wherefore, ah wherefore for the toil and strain


s: Infatuate ones?  Never your limbs have toiled


s: Ye rush on all-unthinking; for your strength


s: Have joyed in ruthless fight, in charging steeds,


s: The spirit of the War-god thrills them through.


s: 'They fall not short of men in anything:


s: Their labour-hardened frames make great their hearts


s: For all achievement: never faint their knees


s: Nor tremble.  Rumour speaks their queen to be


s: A God come down in answer to our prayers.


s: Yea, of one blood be all the race of men,


s: Yet unto diverse labours still they turn;


s: Whereto he bringeth skill of use and wont.


s: Hold you aloof, and in your women's bowers


s: Before the loom still pace ye to and fro;


s: And war shall be the business of our lords.


s: The Achaeans falling fast: we see the might


s: Beleaguer not the town: no desperate need


s: There is that women should go forth to war."


s: So cried she, and they hearkened to the words


s: Of her who had garnered wisdom from the years;


s: So from afar they watched the fight.  But still


s: Before her quailed the Achaeans: still they found


s: Nor screen nor hiding-place from imminent death.


s: As bleating goats are by the blood-stained jaws


s: Of a grim panther torn, so slain were they.


s: In each man's heart all lust of battle died,


s: And fear alone lived.  This way, that way fled


s: The panic-stricken: some to earth had flung


s: The armour from their shoulders; some in dust


s: Grovelled in terror 'neath their shields: the steeds


s: Fled through the rout unreined of charioteers.


s: In rapture of triumph charged the Amazons,


s: With groan and scream of agony died the Greeks.


s: Withered their manhood was in that sore strait;


s: Brief was the span of all whom that fierce maid


s: As when with mighty roaring bursteth down


s: Uprendeth by the roots, and on the earth


s: Dashes them down, the tail stems blossom-crowned,


s: And snappeth some athwart the trunk, and high


s: Whirls them through air, till all confused they lie


s: A ruin of splintered stems and shattered sprays;


s: So the great Danaan host lay, dashed to dust


s: By doom of Fate, by Penthesileia's spear.


s: But when the very ships were now at point


s: The panic-cries, and spake to Aeacus' son:


s: Of thunder of battle rolling nearer aye.


s: Let us go forth then, ere the Trojans win


s: Unto the ships, and make great slaughter there


s: Of Argive men, and set the ships aflame.


s: Foulest reproach such thing on thee and me


s: Should bring; for it beseems not that the seed


s: Of mighty Zeus should shame the sacred blood


s: To Troy, and smote her even at her height


s: Shall do the like: we too are mighty men."


s: He spake: the aweless strength of Aeacus' son


s: Then hasted both, and donned their warrior-gear


s: All splendour-gleaming: now, in these arrayed


s: Facing that stormy-tossing rout they stand.


s: Loud clashed their glorious armour: in their souls


s: Maddened; such might was breathed into these twain


s: As on they pressed.  With joy the Argives saw


s: The coming of that mighty twain: they seemed


s: Who in the old time made that haughty vaunt


s: A mountain-stair for their rebellious rage


s: To scale the highest heaven.  Huge as these


s: The sons of Aeacus seemed, as forth they strode


s: To stem the tide of war.  A gladsome sight


s: To friends who have fainted for their coming, now


s: Onward they press to crush triumphant foes.


s: Many they slew with their resistless spears;


s: From help of shepherds, and in heaps on heaps


s: Slay them, till they have drunken to the full


s: Of blood, and filled their maws insatiate


s: With flesh, so those destroyers twain slew on,


s: Spreading wide havoc through the hosts of Troy.


s: Hurling Harmothoe down on sisters slain.


s: Then hard on all their-reeling ranks he pressed


s: With Telamon's mighty-hearted son; and now


s: Before their hands battalions dense and strong


s: As when in mountain-folds the forest-brakes


s: These twain, as through the scourging storm of war


s: Like ravening beasts they rushed, to meet them there


s: She sped, as when a leopard grim, whose mood


s: Is deadly, leaps from forest-coverts forth,


s: Lashing her tail, on hunters closing round,


s: While these, in armour clad, and putting trust


s: In their long spears, await her lightning leap;


s: So did those warriors twain with spears upswung


s: Wait Penthesileia.  Clanged the brazen plates


s: About their shoulders as they moved.  And first


s: Leapt the long-shafted lance sped from the hand


s: Of goodly Penthesileia.  Straight it flew


s: To the shield of Aeacus' son, but glancing thence


s: This way and that the shivered fragments sprang


s: As from a rock-face: of such temper were


s: The cunning-hearted Fire-god's gifts divine.


s: Then in her hand the warrior-maid swung up


s: Aias, and with fierce words defied the twain:


s: "Ha, from mine hand in vain one lance hath leapt!


s: To quell the strength and courage of two foes,--


s: Ay, though ye vaunt you mighty men of war


s: Amid your Danaans!  Die ye shall, and so


s: Lighter shall be the load of war's affliction


s: That lies upon the Trojan chariot-lords.


s: Draw nigh, come through the press to grips with me,


s: So shall ye learn what might wells up in breasts


s: Of Amazons.  With my blood is mingled war!


s: Therefore my might is more than any man's."


s: With scornful laughter spake she: then she hurled


s: Her second lance; but they in utter scorn


s: Laughed now, as swiftly flew the shaft, and smote


s: The silver greave of Aias, and was foiled


s: Thereby, and all its fury could not scar


s: The flesh within; for fate had ordered not


s: That any blade of foes should taste the blood


s: Recked of the Amazon naught, but turned him thence


s: Alone, for well he knew his heart within


s: That she, for all her prowess, none the less


s: Would cost Achilles battle-toil as light,


s: As effortless, as doth the dove the hawk.


s: Then groaned she an angry groan that she had sped


s: Her shafts in vain; and now with scoffing speech


s: "Woman, with what vain vauntings triumphing


s: Hast thou come forth against us, all athirst


s: Than earthborn heroes?  We from Cronos' Son,


s: The Thunder-roller, boast our high descent.


s: Ay, even Hector quailed, the battle-swift,


s: Our onrush to grim battle.  Yea, my spear


s: Slew him, for all his might.  But thou--thine heart


s: Is utterly mad, that thou hast greatly dared


s: To threaten us with death this day!  On thee


s: Thy latest hour shall swiftly come--is come!


s: Thee not thy sire the War-god now shall pluck


s: Out of mine hand, but thou the debt shalt pay


s: Of a dark doom, as when mid mountain-folds


s: A pricket meets a lion, waster of herds.


s: What, woman, hast thou heard not of the heaps


s: Of slain, that into Xanthus' rushing stream


s: Were thrust by these mine hands?--or hast thou heard


s: In vain, because the Blessed Ones have stol'n


s: Wit and discretion from thee, to the end


s: That Doom's relentless gulf might gape for thee?"


s: He spake; he swung up in his mighty hand


s: And sped the long spear warrior-slaying, wrought


s: By Chiron, and above the right breast pierced


s: The battle-eager maid.  The red blood leapt


s: Forth, as a fountain wells, and all at once


s: Fainted the strength of Penthesileia's limbs;


s: Dropped the great battle-axe from her nerveless hand;


s: And anguish thrilled her soul.  Yet even so


s: Still drew she difficult breath, still dimly saw


s: Her from the swift steed's back.  Confusedly


s: She thought: "Or shall I draw my mighty sword,


s: Hastily cast me from my fleet horse down


s: To earth, and kneel unto this godlike man,


s: And with wild breath promise for ransoming


s: Great heaps of brass and gold, which pacify


s: For blood, if haply so the murderous might


s: Of Aeacus' son may hearken and may spare,


s: Mine home again?--for O, I long to live!"


s: So surged the wild thoughts in her; but the Gods


s: Ordained it otherwise.  Even now rushed on


s: In terrible anger Peleus' son: he thrust


s: With sudden spear, and on its shaft impaled


s: Even as a man in haste to sup might pierce


s: Flesh with the spit, above the glowing hearth


s: A hunter sends the shaft of death clear through


s: The body of a stag with such winged speed


s: That the fierce dart leaps forth beyond, to plunge


s: So that death-ravening spear of Peleus' son


s: Clear through the goodly steed rushed on, and pierced


s: Penthesileia.  Straightway fell she down


s: Into the dust of earth, the arms of death,


s: In grace and comeliness fell, for naught of shame


s: Dishonoured her fair form.  Face down she lay


s: On the long spear outgasping her last breath,


s: Stretched upon that fleet horse as on a couch;


s: Like some tall pine snapped by the icy mace


s: Reared by a spring to stately height, amidst


s: Long mountain-glens, a glory of mother earth;


s: So from the once fleet steed low fallen lay


s: Penthesileia, all her shattered strength


s: Brought down to this, and all her loveliness.


s: Now when the Trojans saw the Warrior-queen


s: Struck down in battle, ran through all their lines


s: A shiver of panic.  Straightway to their walls


s: Turned they in flight, heart-agonized with grief.


s: As when on the wide sea, 'neath buffetings


s: Of storm-blasts, castaways whose ship is wrecked


s: With desperate conflict with the cruel sea:


s: Late and at last appears the land hard by,


s: With that grim struggle, through the surf they strain


s: To land, sore grieving for the good ship lost,


s: And shipmates whom the terrible surge dragged down


s: To nether gloom; so, Troyward as they fled


s: From battle, all those Trojans wept for her,


s: The Child of the resistless War-god, wept


s: For friends who died in groan-resounding fight.


s: Then over her with scornful laugh the son


s: Of Peleus vaunted: "In the dust lie there


s: A prey to teeth of dogs, to ravens' beaks,


s: Thou wretched thing!  Who cozened thee to come


s: Forth against me?  And thoughtest thou to fare


s: Home from the war alive, to bear with thee


s: Right royal gifts from Priam the old king,


s: Thy guerdon for slain Argives?  Ha, 'twas not


s: The Immortals who inspired thee with this thought,


s: Nay, but it was the darkness-shrouded Fates


s: And thine own folly of soul that pricked thee on


s: To leave the works of women, and to fare


s: To war, from which strong men shrink shuddering back."


s: So spake he, and his ashen spear the son


s: Of Peleus drew from that swift horse, and from


s: Then steed and rider gasped their lives away


s: Slain by one spear.  Now from her head he plucked


s: The helmet splendour-flashing like the beams


s: Of the great sun, or Zeus' own glory-light.


s: Then, there as fallen in dust and blood she lay,


s: Rose, like the breaking of the dawn, to view


s: 'Neath dainty-pencilled brows a lovely face,


s: Lovely in death.  The Argives thronged around,


s: And all they saw and marvelled, for she seemed


s: Upon the earth she lay, and seemed the Child


s: Sleeping, what time her feet forwearied are


s: With following lions with her flying shafts


s: Over the hills far-stretching.  She was made


s: By Aphrodite glorious-crowned, the Bride


s: Of the strong War-god, to the end that he,


s: The son of noble Peleus, might be pierced


s: The warriors gazed, and in their hearts they prayed


s: That fair and sweet like her their wives might seem,


s: Laid on the bed of love, when home they won.


s: With love's remorse to have slain a thing so sweet,


s: Who might have borne her home, his queenly bride,


s: Then Ares' heart was thrilled with grief and rage


s: For his child slain.  Straight from Olympus down


s: He darted, swift and bright as thunderbolt


s: Terribly flashing from the mighty hand Of


s: Zeus, far leaping o'er the trackless sea,


s: Or flaming o'er the land, while shuddereth


s: So through the quivering air with heart aflame


s: Swooped Ares armour-clad, soon as he heard


s: The dread doom of his daughter.  For the Gales,


s: The North-wind's fleet-winged daughters, bare to him,


s: As through the wide halls of the sky he strode,


s: Soon as he heard it, like a tempest-blast


s: Down to the ridges of Ida leapt he: quaked


s: Under his feet the long glens and ravines


s: Deep-scored, all Ida's torrent-beds, and all


s: Far-stretching foot-hills.  Now had Ares brought


s: Mid shattering thunders terror of levin-bolts


s: Which thick and fast leapt through the welkin down


s: Before his feet, blazing with fearful flames.


s: And Ares saw, and knew the stormy threat


s: Of the mighty-thundering Father, and he stayed


s: Of battle's turmoil.  As when some huge crag


s: Thrust from a beetling cliff-brow by the winds


s: And torrent rains, or lightning-lance of Zeus,


s: Leaps like a wild beast, and the mountain-glens


s: Fling back their crashing echoes as it rolls


s: In mad speed on, as with resistless swoop


s: And there perforce its stormy flight is stayed;


s: Was stayed, how loth soe'er; for all the Gods


s: To the Ruler of the Blessed needs must yield,


s: Seeing he sits high-throned above them all,


s: Clothed in his might unspeakable.  Yet still


s: Many a wild thought surged through Ares' soul,


s: Urging him now to dread the terrible threat


s: Heavenward, and now to reck not of his Sire,


s: But with Achilles' blood to stain those hands,


s: The battle-tireless.  At the last his heart


s: Nor in their fall had Zeus availed them aught.


s: Therefore he turned him from the Argives--else,


s: Down smitten by the blasting thunderbolt,


s: With Titans in the nether gloom he had lain,


s: Who dared defy the eternal will of Zeus.


s: Then did the warrior sons of Argos strip


s: With eager haste from corpses strown all round


s: The blood-stained spoils.  But ever Peleus' son


s: Gazed, wild with all regret, still gazed on her,


s: The strong, the beautiful, laid in the dust;


s: And all his heart was wrung, was broken down


s: With sorrowing love, deep, strong as he had known


s: When that beloved friend Patroclus died.


s: Loud jeered Thersites, mocking to his face:


s: "Thou sorry-souled Achilles!  art not shamed


s: To let some evil Power beguile thine heart


s: Whose furious spirit purposed naught but ill


s: To us and ours?  Ha, woman-mad art thou,


s: And thy soul lusts for this thing, as she were


s: Some lady wise in household ways, with gifts


s: And pure intent for honoured wedlock wooed!


s: Good had it been had her spear reached thine heart,


s: The heart that sighs for woman-creatures still!


s: Thou carest not, unmanly-souled, not thou,


s: For valour's glorious path, when once thine eye


s: Lights on a woman!  Sorry wretch, where now


s: Is all thy goodly prowess?  where thy wit?


s: And where the might that should beseem a king


s: All-stainless?  Dost not know what misery


s: This self-same woman-madness wrought for Troy?


s: Than lust for woman's beauty; it maketh fools


s: Of wise men.  But the toil of war attains


s: Glory of victory and the War-god's works


s: Are sweet.  'Tis but the battle-blencher craves


s: So railed he long and loud: the mighty heart


s: Of Peleus' son leapt into flame of wrath.


s: Smote 'neath the railer's ear, and all his teeth


s: Were dashed to the earth: he fell upon his face:


s: Forth of his lips the blood in torrent gushed:


s: Rejoiced thereat, for aye he wont to rail


s: On each and all with venomous gibes, himself


s: A scandal and the shame of all the host.


s: Then mid the warrior Argives cried a voice:


s: The Lady of Justice sits on high; and she


s: Even Ate, punisheth the shameless tongue."


s: So mid the Danaans cried a voice: nor yet


s: Lulled was the storm of wrath, but fiercely he spake:


s: "Lie there in dust, thy follies all forgot!


s: 'Tis not for knaves to beard their betters: once


s: Thou didst provoke Odysseus' steadfast soul,


s: Babbling with venomous tongue a thousand gibes,


s: And didst escape with life; but thou hast found


s: The son of Peleus not so patient-souled,


s: Unkennels thy dog's soul!  A bitter doom


s: Hath swallowed thee: by thine own rascalry


s: Thy life is sped.  Hence from Achaean men,


s: And mouth out thy revilings midst the dead!"


s: So spake the valiant-hearted aweless son


s: Of all the Argives was with anger stirred


s: Seeing these twain were of the self-same blood,


s: The one, proud Tydeus' battle-eager son,


s: Was he for slain Thersites, yea, had raised


s: Against the son of Peleus vengeful hands,


s: Had thronged around him, and besought him sore,


s: And held him back therefrom.  With Peleus' son


s: Also they pleaded; else those mighty twain,


s: The mightiest of all Argives, were at point


s: To close with clash of swords, so stung were they


s: With bitter wrath; yet hearkened they at last


s: To prayers of comrades, and were reconciled.


s: Then of their pity did the Atreid kings--


s: For these too at the imperial loveliness


s: Asking this boon for Priam; for the king


s: Longed with deep yearning of the heart to lay


s: That battle-eager maiden, with her arms,


s: And with her war-horse, in the great earth-mound


s: A high broad pyre without the city wall:


s: Upon the height thereof that warrior-queen


s: They laid, and costly treasures did they heap


s: Around her, all that well beseems to burn


s: And so the Fire-god's swift-upleaping might,


s: The ravening flame, consumed her.  All around


s: The people stood on every hand, and quenched


s: The pyre with odorous wine.  Then gathered they


s: The bones, and poured sweet ointment over them,


s: Shed they the rich fat of a heifer, chief


s: Among the herds that grazed on Ida's slope.


s: All round the Trojan men's heart-stricken wail,


s: On an outstanding tower, beside the bones


s: A king.  This honour for the War-god's sake


s: They rendered, and for Penthesileia's own.


s: To battle, and by Argive spears were slain.


s: For Atreus' sons begrudged not these the boon


s: Of tear-besprinkled graves, but let their friends,


s: The warrior Trojans, draw their corpses forth,


s: Yea, and their own slain also, from amidst


s: The swath of darts o'er that grim harvest-field.


s: Wrath strikes not at the dead: pitied are foes


s: When life has fled, and left them foes no more.


s: Far off across the plain the while uprose


s: Smoke from the pyres whereon the Argives laid


s: By Trojan hands what time the sword devoured;


s: Mourned they o'er brave Podarces, who in fight


s: Was no less mighty than his hero-brother


s: Struck down by Penthesileia's spear, hath cast


s: Over all Argive hearts the pall of grief.


s: Wherefore apart from him they laid in clay


s: The common throng of slain; but over him


s: Toiling they heaped an earth-mound far-descried


s: The niddering Thersites' wretched corse.


s: Then to the ships, acclaiming Aeacus' son,


s: Returned they all.  But when the radiant day


s: Had plunged beneath the Ocean-stream, and night,


s: Feasted the might of Peleus' son, and there


s: Sat at the feast those other mighty ones


s: All through the dark, till rose the dawn divine.


s: How Memnon, Son of the Dawn, for Troy's sake fell in the Battle.


s: When o'er the crests of the far-echoing hills


s: The splendour of the tireless-racing sun


s: Poured o'er the land, still in their tents rejoiced


s: Achaea's stalwart sons, and still acclaimed


s: Still mourned her people, still from all her towers


s: Seaward they strained their gaze; for one great fear


s: Gripped all their hearts--to see that terrible man


s: At one bound overleap their high-built wall,


s: Then smite with the sword all people therewithin,


s: And burn with fire fanes, palaces, and homes.


s: And old Thymoetes spake to the anguished ones:


s: "Friends, I have lost hope: mine heart seeth not


s: Or help, or bulwark from the storm of war,


s: Now that the aweless Hector, who was once


s: Troy's mighty champion, is in dust laid low.


s: Not all his might availed to escape the Fates,


s: But overborne he was by Achilles' hands,


s: The hands that would, I verily deem, bear down


s: From whom all other Argives shrank in fear.


s: Ah, she was marvellous!  When at the first


s: From heaven had come down hitherward to bring


s: Light to our darkness--ah, vain hope, vain dream!


s: Were best for us.  Or shall we still maintain


s: A hopeless fight against these ruthless foes,


s: Or shall we straightway flee a city doomed?


s: Ay, doomed!--for never more may we withstand


s: Argives in fighting field, when in the front


s: Then spake Laomedon's son, the ancient king:


s: "Nay, friend, and all ye other sons of Troy,


s: And ye our strong war-helpers, flinch we not


s: Faint-hearted from defence of fatherland!


s: To battle with yon foe.  Nay, from our towers


s: And from our ramparts let us make defence,


s: Till our new champion come, the stormy heart


s: Hosts numberless, Aethiopia's swarthy sons.


s: By this, I trow, he is nigh unto our gates;


s: Promised me, gladly promised me, to come


s: To Troy, and make all end of all our woes.


s: And now, I trust, he is nigh.  Let us endure


s: It is like brave men in the fight to die


s: Than flee, and live in shame mid alien folk."


s: The prudent-hearted, thought not good to war


s: Thus endlessly, and spake his patriot rede:


s: "If Memnon have beyond all shadow of doubt


s: Pledged him to thrust dire ruin far from us,


s: Our walls--yet, ah, mine heart misgives me, lest,


s: Though he with all his warriors come, he come


s: But to his death, and unto thousands more,


s: Our people, nought but misery come thereof;


s: Of the Achaeans' might.  But now, go to,


s: To wander to some alien land, and there,


s: In the exile's pitiful helplessness, endure


s: All flouts and outrage; nor in our own land


s: O'erwhelm us.  Nay, even now, late though it be,


s: Even all that glory of women brought with her


s: From Sparta, and add other treasure--yea,


s: And our own souls, while yet the spoiler's hand


s: Is laid not on our substance, and while yet


s: Troy hath not sunk in gulfs of ravening flame.


s: I pray you, take to heart my counsel!  None


s: Shall, well I wot, be given to Trojan men


s: Better than this.  Ah, would that long ago


s: Hector had hearkened to my pleading, when


s: I fain had kept him in the ancient home!"


s: So spake Polydamas the noble and strong,


s: And all the listening Trojans in their hearts


s: The word, for all with trembling held in awe


s: Their prince and Helen, though for her sole sake


s: Turned Paris, and reviled him to his face:


s: That bides the fight, but only fear and panic.


s: Yet dost thou vaunt thee--quotha!--still our best


s: In counsel!--no man's soul is base as thine!


s: Go to, thyself shrink shivering from the strife!


s: Cower, coward, in thine halls!  But all the rest,


s: We men, will still go armour-girt, until


s: We wrest from this our truceless war a peace


s: That shall not shame us!  'Tis with travail and toil


s: Of strenuous war that brave men win renown;


s: But flight?--weak women choose it, and young babes!


s: Thy spirit is like to theirs.  No whit I trust


s: Thee in the day of battle--thee, the man


s: Who maketh faint the hearts of all the host!"


s: Wrathfully answered; for he shrank not, he,


s: From answering to his face.  A caitiff hound,


s: Before their faces, while his heart is black


s: With malice, and, when they be gone, his tongue


s: Flung back upon the prince his taunt and scoff:


s: Thine heart endures, and will endure, that strife


s: Should have no limit, save in utter ruin


s: Ne'er may such wantwit valour craze my soul!


s: A warder that shall keep mine house in peace."


s: No word to answer him, for conscience woke


s: Remembrance of all woes he had brought on Troy,


s: And should bring; for his passion-fevered heart


s: Would rather hail quick death than severance


s: For her sake was it that the sons of Troy


s: Even then were gazing from their towers to see


s: But no long time thereafter came to them


s: Memnon the warrior-king, and brought with him


s: From all the streets of Troy the Trojans flocked


s: See through wide-parting clouds the radiance


s: So joyed the Troyfolk as they thronged around,


s: And more than all Laomedon's son, for now


s: Leapt in his heart a hope, that yet the ships


s: Might by those Aethiop men be burned with fire;


s: So giantlike their king was, and themselves


s: So huge a host, and so athirst for fight.


s: Therefore with all observance welcomed he


s: With goodly gifts and with abundant cheer.


s: And talked, this telling of the Danaan chiefs,


s: And all the woes himself had suffered, that


s: Of Ocean fathomless-rolling, of the bounds


s: Of Earth that wearieth never of her travail,


s: Of where the Sun-steeds leap from orient waves,


s: From Ocean's verge to Priam's wall, and spurs


s: Of Ida.  Yea, he told how his strong hands


s: Who barred his way, whose deed presumptuous brought


s: Upon their own heads crushing ruin and woe.


s: So told he all that marvellous tale, and told


s: Of countless tribes and nations seen of him.


s: And Priam heard, and ever glowed his heart


s: Within him; and the old lips answering spake:


s: "Memnon, the Gods are good, who have vouchsafed


s: Here in mine halls.  O that their grace would so


s: Crown this their boon, that I might see my foes


s: All thrust to one destruction by thy spears.


s: That well may be, for marvellous-like art thou


s: To some invincible Deathless One, yea, more


s: I trust, shalt hurl wild havoc through their host.


s: But now, I pray thee, for this day do thou


s: Cheer at my feast thine heart, and with the morn


s: Shalt thou go forth to battle worthy of thee."


s: Then in his hands a chalice deep and wide


s: He raised, and Memnon in all love he pledged


s: In that huge golden cup, a gift of Gods;


s: For this the cunning God-smith brought to Zeus,


s: His masterpiece, what time the Mighty in Power


s: To Hephaestus gave for bride the Cyprian Queen;


s: Gave it, and he with all his treasure-store


s: To Priam, who had thought to leave the same


s: To his own son.  Fate ordered otherwise.


s: And Memnon clasped his hands about that cup


s: So peerless-beautiful, and all his heart


s: Marvelled; and thus he spake unto the King:


s: "Beseems not with great swelling words to vaunt


s: Be brave and strong, or whether I be not,


s: Battle, wherein a man's true might is seen,


s: Shall prove to thee.  Now would I rest, nor drink


s: The long night through.  The battle-eager spirit


s: By measureless wine and lack of sleep is dulled."


s: Marvelled at him the old King, and he said:


s: "As seems thee good touching the banquet, do


s: After thy pleasure.  I, when thou art loth,


s: Will not constrain thee.  Yea, unmeet it is


s: To hold back him who fain would leave the board,


s: Or hurry from one's halls who fain would stay.


s: So is the good old law with all true men."


s: Then rose that champion from the board, and passed


s: Thence to his sleep--his last!  And with him went


s: All others from the banquet to their rest:


s: And gentle sleep slid down upon them soon.


s: But in the halls of Zeus, the Lightning-lord,


s: Feasted the gods the while, and Cronos' son,


s: All-father, of his deep foreknowledge spake


s: "Be it known unto you all, to-morn shall bring


s: By yonder war affliction swift and sore;


s: In either host beside their chariots slain,


s: And many heroes perishing.  Therefore ye


s: Remember these my words, howe'er ye grieve


s: For dear ones.  Let none clasp my knees in prayer,


s: Since even to us relentless are the fates."


s: So warned he them, which knew before, that all


s: Should from the battle stand aside, howe'er


s: Heart-wrung; that none, petitioning for a son


s: Or dear one, should to Olympus vainly come.


s: The Son of Cronos, all they steeled their hearts


s: To bear, and spake no word against their king;


s: Yet to their several mansions and their rest


s: With sore hearts went they.  O'er their deathless eyes


s: The blessing-bringer Sleep his light veils spread.


s: When o'er precipitous crests of mountain-walls


s: Leapt up broad heaven the bright morning-star


s: Who rouseth to their toils from slumber sweet


s: The binders of the sheaf, then his last sleep


s: Unclasped the warrior-son of her who brings


s: Light to the world, the Child of Mists of Night.


s: Now swelled his mighty heart with eagerness


s: To battle with the foe forthright.  And Dawn


s: Heaven's broad highway.  Then did the Trojans gird


s: Their battle-harness on; then armed themselves


s: The Aethiop men, and all the mingled tribes


s: Of those war-helpers that from many lands


s: To Priam's aid were gathered.  Forth the gates


s: Swiftly they rushed, like darkly lowering clouds


s: Which Cronos' Son, when storm is rolling up,


s: Herdeth together through the welkin wide.


s: Swiftly the whole plain filled.  Onward they streamed


s: Like harvest-ravaging locusts drifting on


s: In fashion of heavy-brooding rain-clouds o'er


s: Wide plains of earth, an irresistible host


s: So in their might and multitude they went.


s: The city streets were all too strait for them


s: Marching: upsoared the dust from underfoot.


s: From far the Argives gazed, and marvelling saw


s: Their onrush, but with speed arrayed their limbs


s: In brass, and in the might of Peleus' son


s: Put their glad trust.  Amidst them rode he on


s: In steeds and chariot, while his armour flashed


s: Splendour around in sudden lightning-gleams.


s: It was as when the sun from utmost bounds


s: Of earth-encompassing ocean comes, and brings


s: Light to the world, and flings his splendour wide


s: Through heaven, and earth and air laugh all around.


s: So glorious, mid the Argives Peleus' son


s: Rode onward.  Mid the Trojans rode the while


s: The eager host arrayed about their lord.


s: Then in the grapple of war on either side


s: Closed the long lines, Trojan and Danaan;


s: But chief in prowess still the Aethiops were.


s: Crashed they together as when surges meet


s: On the wild sea, when, in a day of storm,


s: From every quarter winds to battle rush.


s: Foe hurled at foe the ashen spear, and slew:


s: Screams and death-groans went up like roaring fire.


s: As when down-thundering torrents shout and rave


s: On-pouring seaward, when the madding rains


s: Stream from God's cisterns, when the huddling clouds


s: Are hurled against each other ceaselessly,


s: And leaps their fiery breath in flashes forth;


s: So 'neath the fighters' trampling feet the earth


s: Thundered, and leapt the terrible battle-yell


s: Through frenzied air, for mad the war-cries were.


s: For firstfruits of death's harvest Peleus' son


s: Dashed he to dust.  As in its furious swoop


s: A whirlwind shakes dark chasms underground,


s: And earth's foundations crumble and melt away


s: Around the deep roots of the shuddering world,


s: So the ranks crumbled in swift doom to the dust


s: Before the spear and fury of Peleus's son.


s: Of the Dawn-goddess slew the Argive men,


s: Like to a baleful Doom which bringeth down


s: First slew he Pheron; for the bitter spear


s: Plunged through his breast, and down on him he hurled


s: Which followed Nestor to the god-built burg


s: Of Ilium.  But when he had laid these low,


s: Strode forth to meet him, sped the long spear's flight,


s: Yet missed him, for a little he swerved, but slew


s: Upon a boar, the beast that flincheth not


s: From fight with man or brute, whose charge is a flash


s: Of lightning; so was his swift leap.  His foe


s: Antilochus caught a huge stone from the ground,


s: Hurled, smote him; but unshaken abode his strength,


s: For the strong helm-crest fenced his head from death;


s: But rang the morion round his brows.  His heart


s: Like seething cauldron boiled his maddened might.


s: He stabbed, for all his cunning of fence, the son


s: Of Nestor above the breast; the crashing spear


s: Plunged to the heart, the spot of speediest death.


s: Came grief; but anguish-stricken was the heart


s: Slain in his sight; for no more bitter pang


s: Smiteth the heart of man than when a son


s: Therefore, albeit unused to melting mood,


s: His soul was torn with agony for the son


s: By black death slain.  A wild cry hastily


s: "Hither to me, Thrasymedes war-renowned!


s: Help me to thrust back from thy brother's corse,


s: Yea, from mine hapless son, his murderer,


s: That so ourselves may render to our dead


s: All dues of mourning.  If thou flinch for fear,


s: No son of mine art thou, nor of the line


s: Hercules' self.  Come, to the battle-toil!


s: The very coward with courage of despair."


s: Then at his cry that brother's heart was stung


s: With bitter grief.  Swift for his help drew nigh


s: Phereus, on whom for his great prince's fall


s: Came anguish.  Charged these warriors twain to face


s: Strong Memnon in the gory strife.  As when


s: Two hunters 'mid a forest's mountain-folds,


s: A wild boar or a bear, with hearts afire


s: To slay him, but in furious mood he leaps


s: On them, and holds at bay the might of men;


s: So swelled the heart of Memnon.  Nigh drew they,


s: Yet vainly essayed to slay him, as they hurled


s: The long spears, but the lances glanced aside


s: Far from his flesh: the Dawn-queen turned them thence.


s: Yet fell their spears not vainly to the ground:


s: The lance of fiery-hearted Phereus, winged


s: With eager speed, dealt death to Meges' son,


s: By the wrath of Nestor's son for a brother dead,


s: The dear one Memnon slew in battle-rout,


s: And whom the slayer's war-unwearied hands


s: Now stripped of his all-brazen battle-gear,


s: Nought recking, he, of Thrasymedes' might,


s: But weaklings.  A great lion seemed he there


s: That, howso hungry, dare not come too nigh.


s: But hard thereby the father gazed thereon


s: Against the foe.  Himself too burned to fight


s: From his war-car; for yearning for the dead


s: Goaded him to the fray beyond his strength.


s: Ay, and himself had been on his dear son


s: Laid, numbered with the dead, had not the voice


s: Of Memnon stayed him even in act to rush


s: Upon him, for he reverenced in his heart


s: The white hairs of an age-mate of his sire:


s: "Ancient," he cried, "it were my shame to fight.


s: That this was some young warrior, when I saw


s: Thee facing thus the foe.  My bold heart hoped


s: For contest worthy of mine hand and spear.


s: Nay, draw thou back afar from battle-toil


s: And bitter death.  Go, lest, how loth soe'er,


s: I smite thee of sore need.  Nay, fall not thou


s: Fighting, lest men with folly thee should charge,


s: For folly it is that braves o'ermastering might."


s: He spake, and answered him that warrior old:


s: "Nay, Memnon, vain was that last word of thine.


s: None would name fool the father who essayed,


s: Battling with foes for his son's sake, to thrust


s: The ruthless slayer back from that dear corpse,


s: But ah that yet my strength were whole in me,


s: That thou might'st know my spear!  Now canst thou vaunt


s: Proudly enow: a young man's heart is bold


s: And light his wit.  Uplifted is thy soul


s: And vain thy speech.  If in my strength of youth


s: Thou hadst met me--ha, thy friends had not rejoiced,


s: For all thy might!  But me the grievous weight


s: A cur may boldly drive back from the fold,


s: For that he cannot, in his wrath's despite,


s: Maintain his own cause, being toothless now,


s: And strengthless, and his strong heart tamed by time.


s: So well the springs of olden strength no more


s: Now in my breast.  Yet am I stronger still


s: Than many men; my grey hairs yield to few


s: That have within them all the strength of youth."


s: So drew he back a little space, and left


s: Lying in dust his son, since now no more


s: Lived in the once lithe limbs the olden strength,


s: For the years' weight lay heavy on his head.


s: Back leapt Thrasymedes likewise, spearman good,


s: Their comrades; for that slaughter-dealing man


s: Pressed hard on them.  As when from mountains high


s: Sweeps down its fathomless whirlpools through the gloom,


s: Hath palled the sky in cloud from verge to verge,


s: When thunders crash all round, when thick and fast


s: Gleam lightnings from the huddling clouds, when fields


s: Are flooded as the hissing rain descends,


s: And all the air is filled with awful roar


s: Of torrents pouring down the hill-ravines;


s: So Memnon toward the shores of Hellespont


s: Before him hurled the Argives, following hard


s: Behind them, slaughtering ever.  Many a man


s: Fell in the dust, and left his life in blood


s: 'Neath Aethiop hands.  Stained was the earth with gore


s: As on the ranks of foemen ever he rushed,


s: And heaped with dead was all the plain of Troy.


s: And still from fight refrained he not; he hoped


s: Stood baleful Doom beside him, and spurred on


s: To strife, with flattering smile.  To right, to left


s: His stalwart helpers wrought in battle-toil,


s: Of Asius furious-souled; Meneclus' spear,


s: Eager to chase the foe, men who in fight


s: Quit them like men, exulting in their king.


s: Then, as Meneclus on the Danaans charged,


s: The son of Neleus slew him.  Wroth for his friend,


s: Whole throngs of foes fierce-hearted Memnon slew.


s: As when a hunter midst the mountains drives


s: Swift deer within the dark lines of his toils--


s: Presses the huddled throng into the snares


s: Of death: the dogs are wild with joy of the chase


s: Ceaselessly giving tongue, the while his darts


s: Leap winged with death on brocket and on hind;


s: Rejoiced, the while in panic stricken rout


s: Before that glorious man the Argives fled.


s: As when from a steep mountain's precipice-brow


s: Leaps a huge crag, which all-resistless Zeus


s: By stroke of thunderbolt hath hurled from the crest;


s: Crash oakwood copses, echo long ravines,


s: Shudders the forest to its rattle and roar,


s: And flocks therein and herds and wild things flee


s: Scattering, as bounding, whirling, it descends


s: With deadly pitiless onrush; so his foes


s: Fled from the lightning-flash of Memnon's spear.


s: Came Nestor.  Anguished for his son he cried:


s: "Achilles, thou great bulwark of the Greeks,


s: Slain is my child!  The armour of my dead


s: Hath Memnon, and I fear me lest his corse


s: Be cast a prey to dogs.  Haste to his help!


s: A friend though slain, and grieves for one no more."


s: Achilles heard; his heart was thrilled with grief:


s: He glanced across the rolling battle, saw


s: Memnon, saw where in throngs the Argives fell


s: Beneath his spear.  Forthright he turned away


s: From where the rifted ranks of Troy fell fast


s: Before his hands, and, thirsting for the fight,


s: Wroth for Antilochus and the others slain,


s: Came face to face with Memnon.  In his hands


s: That godlike hero caught up from the ground


s: A stone, a boundary-mark 'twixt fields of wheat,


s: And hurled.  Down on the shield of Peleus' son


s: It crashed.  But he, the invincible, shrank not


s: Before the huge rock-shard, but, thrusting out


s: His long lance, rushed to close with him, afoot,


s: For his steeds stayed behind the battle-rout.


s: On the right shoulder above the shield he smote


s: And staggered him; but he, despite the wound,


s: Fought on with heart unquailing.  Swiftly he thrust


s: And pricked with his strong spear Achilles' arm.


s: Forth gushed the blood: rejoicing with vain joy


s: To Aeacus' son with arrogant words he cried:


s: "Now shalt thou in thy death fill up, I trow,


s: Thy dark doom, overmastered by mine hands.


s: Thou shalt not from this fray escape alive!


s: Fool, wherefore hast thou ruthlessly destroyed


s: Trojans, and vaunted thee the mightiest man


s: Of men, a deathless Nereid's son?  Ha, now


s: Thy doom hath found thee!  Of birth divine am I,


s: The Dawn-queen's mighty son, nurtured afar


s: The Ocean-river.  Therefore not from thee


s: Nor from grim battle shrink I, knowing well


s: How far my goddess-mother doth transcend


s: A Nereid, whose child thou vauntest thee.


s: To Gods and men my mother bringeth light;


s: Works great and glorious in Olympus wrought


s: Whereof comes blessing unto men.  But thine--


s: She sits in barren crypts of brine: she dwells


s: Deedless, unseen!  Nothing I reck of her,


s: Nor rank her with the immortal Heavenly Ones."


s: In stern rebuke spake Aeacus' aweless son:


s: "Memnon, how wast thou so distraught of wit


s: That thou shouldst face me, and to fight defy


s: Me, who in might, in blood, in stature far


s: Surpass thee?  From supremest Zeus I trace


s: My glorious birth; and from the strong Sea-god


s: Nereus, begetter of the Maids of the Sea,


s: The Nereids, honoured of the Olympian Gods.


s: And chiefest of them all is Thetis, wise


s: With wisdom world-renowned; for in her bowers


s: Yea, and the cunning God-smith welcomed she


s: Within her mansion, when from heaven he fell.


s: Ay, and the Lightning-lord she once released


s: From bonds.  The all-seeing Dwellers in the Sky


s: Remember all these things, and reverence


s: Ay, that she is a Goddess shalt thou know


s: When to thine heart the brazen spear shall pierce


s: Sped by my might.  Patroclus' death I avenged


s: Will I avenge.  No weakling's friend thou hast slain!


s: But why like witless children stand we here


s: Babbling our parents' fame and our own deeds?


s: Now is the hour when prowess shall decide."


s: Then from the sheath he flashed his long keen sword,


s: And Memnon his; and swiftly in fiery fight


s: Closed they, and rained the never-ceasing blows


s: Upon the bucklers which with craft divine


s: Hephaestus' self had fashioned.  Once and again


s: Clashed they together, and their cloudy crests


s: Touched, mingling all their tossing storm of hair.


s: And Zeus, for that he loved them both, inspired


s: With prowess each, and mightier than their wont


s: He made them, made them tireless, nothing like


s: To men, but Gods: and gloated o'er the twain


s: The Queen of Strife.  In eager fury these


s: Thrust swiftly out the spear, with fell intent


s: To reach the throat 'twixt buckler-rim and helm,


s: Thrust many a time and oft, and now would aim


s: The point beneath the shield, above the greave,


s: Now close beneath the corslet curious-wrought


s: That lapped the stalwart frame: hard, fast they lunged,


s: And on their shoulders clashed the arms divine.


s: Roared to the very heavens the battle-shout


s: And Argives mighty-hearted, while the dust


s: Rolled up from 'neath their feet, tossed to the sky


s: In stress of battle-travail great and strong.


s: As when a mist enshrouds the hills, what time


s: Roll up the rain-clouds, and the torrent-beds


s: Roar as they fill with rushing floods, and howls


s: Each gorge with fearful voices; shepherds quake


s: To see the waters' downrush and the mist,


s: Screen dear to wolves and all the wild fierce things


s: Nursed in the wide arms of the forest; so


s: Around the fighters' feet the choking dust


s: Hung, hiding the fair splendour of the sun


s: And darkening all the heaven.  Sore distressed


s: With dust and deadly conflict were the folk.


s: Then with a sudden hand some Blessed One


s: Swept the dust-pall aside; and the Gods saw


s: The deadly Fates hurling the charging lines


s: Together, in the unending wrestle locked


s: Of that grim conflict, saw where never ceased


s: Ares from hideous slaughter, saw the earth


s: Crimsoned all round with rushing streams of blood,


s: Saw where dark Havoc gloated o'er the scene,


s: Saw the wide plain with corpses heaped, even all


s: Bounded 'twixt Simois and Xanthus, where


s: But when long lengthened out the conflict was


s: Of those two champions, and the might of both


s: In that strong tug and strain was equal-matched,


s: Then, gazing from Olympus' far-off heights,


s: The Gods joyed, some in the invincible son


s: Thundered the heavens on high from east to west,


s: And roared the sea from verge to verge, and rocked


s: The dark earth 'neath the heroes' feet, and quaked


s: Proud Nereus' daughters all round Thetis thronged


s: In grievous fear for mighty Achilles' sake;


s: And trembled for her son the Child of the Mist


s: As in her chariot through the sky she rode.


s: Marvelled the Daughters of the Sun, who stood


s: Near her, around that wondrous splendour-ring


s: Traced for the race-course of the tireless sun


s: And death, the dally round that maketh up


s: The eternal circuit of the rolling years.


s: The twin Fates suddenly stood beside these twain,


s: One dark--her shadow fell on Memnon's heart;


s: One bright--her radiance haloed Peleus' son.


s: And filled with sorrow they of the one part were,


s: Still in the midst of blood-stained battle-rout


s: Those heroes fought, unknowing of the Fates


s: Now drawn so nigh, but each at other hurled


s: His whole heart's courage, all his bodily might.


s: Thou hadst said that in the strife of that dread day


s: Huge tireless Giants or strong Titans warred,


s: So fiercely blazed the wildfire of their strife,


s: Now, when they clashed with swords, now when they leapt


s: Hurling huge stones.  Nor either would give back


s: Before the hail of blows, nor quailed.  They stood


s: Like storm-tormented headlands steadfast, clothed


s: With might past words, unearthly; for the twain


s: Alike could boast their lineage of high Zeus.


s: Therefore 'twixt these Enyo lengthened out


s: The even-balanced strife, while ever they


s: In that grim wrestle strained their uttermost,


s: They and their dauntless comrades, round their kings


s: With ceaseless fury toiling, till their spears


s: Stood shivered all in shields of warriors slain,


s: And of the fighters woundless none remained;


s: But from all limbs streamed down into the dust


s: The blood and sweat of that unresting strain


s: Of fight, and earth was hidden with the dead,


s: As heaven is hidden with clouds when meets the sun


s: The Goat-star, and the shipman dreads the deep.


s: As charged the lines, the snorting chariot-steeds


s: Trampled the dead, as on the myriad leaves


s: Of winter, when the autumn-tide is past.


s: Still mid the corpses and the blood fought on


s: Those glorious sons of Gods, nor ever ceased


s: From wrath of fight.  But Eris now inclined


s: The fatal scales of battle, which no more


s: Were equal-poised.  Beneath the breast-bone then


s: Of godlike Memnon plunged Achilles' sword;


s: Clear through his body all the dark-blue blade


s: Leapt: suddenly snapped the silver cord of life.


s: Down in a pool of blood he fell, and clashed


s: Then turned to flight his comrades panic-struck,


s: And of his arms the Myrmidons stripped the dead,


s: While fled the Trojans, and Achilles chased,


s: As whirlwind swift and mighty to destroy.


s: Then groaned the Dawn, and palled herself in clouds,


s: And earth was darkened.  At their mother's hest


s: All the light Breathings of the Dawn took hands,


s: And slid down one long stream of sighing wind


s: To Priam's plain, and floated round the dead,


s: And softly, swiftly caught they up, and bare


s: Through silver mists the Dawn-queen's son, with hearts


s: Sore aching for their brother's fall, while moaned


s: Around them all the air.  As on they passed,


s: Fell many blood-gouts from those pierced limbs


s: Down to the earth, and these were made a sign


s: Gathered them up from many lands, and made


s: Of all that dwell beneath long Ida's flanks


s: 'Twixt fertile acres, once a year they turn


s: To blood, when comes the woeful day whereon


s: Died Memnon.  Thence a sick and choking reek


s: Steams: thou wouldst say that from a wound unhealed


s: Corrupting humours breathed an evil stench.


s: Ay, so the Gods ordained: but now flew on


s: Bearing Dawn's mighty son the rushing winds


s: Skimming earth's face and palled about with night.


s: Suddenly winged those eager souls with speed


s: Such as should soon be theirs for ever, changed


s: To flying fowl, the children of the air.


s: Wailing their King in the winds' track they sped.


s: And now his sorrowing friends take up the corse,


s: And bear it heavy-hearted; and the hounds


s: Follow low-whimpering, pining for their lord


s: In that disastrous hunting lost; so they


s: Left far behind that stricken field of blood,


s: And fast they followed after those swift winds


s: With multitudinous moaning, veiled in mist


s: And Danaans marvelled, seeing that great host


s: Vanishing with their King.  All hearts stood still


s: Down by the deep flow of Aesopus' stream,


s: Where is a fair grove of the bright-haired Nymphs,


s: The which round his long barrow afterward


s: Aesopus' daughters planted, screening it


s: With many and manifold trees: and long and loud


s: Wailed those Immortals, chanting his renown,


s: The son of the Dawn-goddess splendour-throned.


s: Wailing her dear child from the heavens came down.


s: Twelve maidens shining-tressed attended her,


s: The warders of the high paths of the sun


s: And dawn, and each world-ordinance framed of Zeus,


s: Around whose mansion's everlasting doors


s: From east to west they dance, from west to east,


s: Whirling the wheels of harvest-laden years,


s: While rolls the endless round of winter's cold,


s: And flowery spring, and lovely summer-tide,


s: And heavy-clustered autumn.  These came down


s: From heaven, for Memnon wailing wild and high;


s: And mourned with these the Pleiads.  Echoed round


s: Far-stretching mountains, and Aesopus' stream.


s: Ceaseless uprose the keen, and in their midst,


s: Fallen on her son and clasping, wailed the Dawn;


s: "Dead art thou, dear, dear child, and thou hast clad


s: Thy mother with a pall of grief.  Oh, I,


s: Now thou art slain, will not endure to light


s: The Immortal Heavenly Ones!  No, I will plunge


s: Down to the dread depths of the underworld,


s: Where thy lone spirit flitteth to and fro,


s: And will to blind night leave earth, sky, and sea,


s: Till Chaos and formless darkness brood o'er all,


s: That Cronos' Son may also learn what means


s: Anguish of heart.  For not less worship-worthy


s: Than Nereus' Child, by Zeus's ordinance,


s: Am I, who look on all things, I, who bring


s: My light Zeus now despiseth!  Therefore I


s: Will pass into the darkness.  Let him bring


s: To hold for him light forth to Gods and men!


s: My sad soul loveth darkness more than day,


s: Lest I pour light upon thy slayer's head:


s: Thus as she cried, the tears ran down her face


s: Drenched was the dark earth round the corse.  The Night


s: Grieved in her daughter's anguish, and the heaven


s: And cloud, of love unto the Lady of Light.


s: Meanwhile within their walls the Trojan folk


s: For Memnon sorrowed sore, with vain regret


s: Yearning for that lost king and all his host.


s: Nor greatly joyed the Argives, where they lay


s: Camped in the open plain amidst the dead.


s: There, mingled with Achilles' praise, uprose


s: Wails for Antilochus: joy clasped hands with grief.


s: All night in groans and sighs most pitiful


s: The Dawn-queen lay: a sea of darkness moaned


s: Around her.  Of the dayspring nought she recked:


s: She loathed Olympus' spaces.  At her side


s: Fretted and whinnied still her fleetfoot steeds,


s: Trampling the strange earth, gazing at their Queen


s: Grief-stricken, yearning for the fiery course.


s: Suddenly crashed the thunder of the wrath


s: Of Zeus; rocked round her all the shuddering earth,


s: Swiftly the dark-skinned Aethiops from her sight


s: Buried their lord lamenting.  As they wailed


s: Changed them to birds sweeping through air around


s: The barrow of the mighty dead.  And these


s: Still do the tribes of men "The Memnons" call;


s: And still with wailing cries they dart and wheel


s: Above their king's tomb, and they scatter dust


s: Down on his grave, still shrill the battle-cry,


s: Laugheth.  Divine Dawn comforteth her heart


s: Beholding them: but theirs is toil of strife


s: The vanquished dead, or one and all fill up


s: The measure of their doom around his grave.


s: The swift birds dree their weird.  But Dawn divine


s: Now heavenward soared with the all-fostering Hours,


s: Who drew her to Zeus' threshold, sorely loth,


s: Yet conquered by their gentle pleadings, such


s: As salve the bitterest grief of broken hearts.


s: Nor the Dawn-queen forgat her daily course,


s: But quailed before the unbending threat of Zeus,


s: Of whom are all things, even all comprised


s: Within the encircling sweep of Ocean's stream,


s: Earth and the palace-dome of burning stars.


s: Then she herself flung wide the ethereal gates,


s: And, scattering spray of splendour, flashed there-through.


s: How by the shaft of a God laid low was Hero Achilles.


s: When shone the light of Dawn the splendour-throned,


s: Then to the ships the Pylian spearmen bore


s: Antilochus' corpse, sore sighing for their prince,


s: With aching hearts.  Around him groaning stood


s: Of love for Nestor, shrouded o'er with grief.


s: But that grey hero's heart was nowise crushed


s: By sorrow; for the wise man's soul endures


s: Bravely, and cowers not under affliction's stroke.


s: His dear friend, armed for vengeance terrible


s: Upon the Trojans.  Yea, and these withal,


s: Despite their dread of mighty Achilles' spear,


s: Poured battle-eager forth their gates, for now


s: The Fates with courage filled their breasts, of whom


s: Whence there is no return, thrust down by hands


s: To perish that same day by Priam's wall.


s: Swift met the fronts of conflict: all the tribes


s: Of Troy's host, and the battle-biding Greeks,


s: Afire with that new-kindled fury of war.


s: Then through the foe the son of Peleus made


s: Wide havoc: all around the earth was drenched


s: With gore, and choked with corpses were the streams


s: Of Simois and Xanthus.  Still he chased,


s: Still slaughtered, even to the city's walls;


s: For panic fell on all the host.  And now


s: All had he slain, had dashed the gates to earth,


s: Rending them from their hinges, or the bolts,


s: Hurling himself against them, had he snapped,


s: That goodly town--but now was Phoebus wroth


s: Those countless troops of heroes slain of him.


s: He came: his quiver on his shoulders lay,


s: And shafts that deal the wounds incurable.


s: Facing Achilles stood he; round him clashed


s: Quiver and arrows; blazed with quenchless flame


s: His eyes, and shook the earth beneath his feet.


s: Then with a terrible shout the great God cried,


s: By the voice divine, and save from death the Trojans:


s: "Back from the Trojans, Peleus' son!  Beseems not


s: That longer thou deal death unto thy foes,


s: But nothing quailed the hero at the voice


s: Hovered the unrelenting Fates.  He recked


s: Naught of the God, and shouted his defiance.


s: "Phoebus, why dost thou in mine own despite


s: Stir me to fight with Gods, and wouldst protect


s: The arrogant Trojans?  Heretofore hast thou


s: By thy beguiling turned me from the fray,


s: When from destruction thou at the first didst save


s: Hector, whereat the Trojans all through Troy


s: Exulted.  Nay, thou get thee back: return


s: I smite thee--ay, immortal though thou be!"


s: Then on the God he turned his back, and sped


s: And harried still their flight; but wroth at heart


s: Thus Phoebus spake to his indignant soul:


s: "Out on this man!  he is sense-bereft!  But now


s: Shall save this madman who defies the Gods!"


s: From mortal sight he vanished into cloud,


s: And cloaked with mist a baleful shaft he shot


s: Which leapt to Achilles' ankle: sudden pangs


s: With mortal sickness made his whole heart faint.


s: He reeled, and like a tower he fell, that falls


s: Smit by a whirlwind when an earthquake cleaves


s: A chasm for rushing blasts from underground;


s: He glared, a murderous glance, to right, to left,


s: Shouted, a threat that could not be fulfilled:


s: "Who shot at me a stealthy-smiting shaft?


s: Let him but dare to meet me face to face!


s: So shall his blood and all his bowels gush out


s: About my spear, and he be hellward sped!


s: And quell in fight--of earth-born heroes none,


s: Though such an one should bear within his breast


s: A heart unquailing, and have thews of brass.


s: For lives of heroes.  Let him face me then!--


s: Ay! though he be a God whose anger burns


s: Against the Danaans!  Yea, mine heart forebodes


s: My mother told me how that by his shafts


s: A piteous death.  Her words were not vain words."


s: Then with unflinching hands from out the wound


s: In agonized pain.  Forth gushed the blood; his heart


s: Waxed faint beneath the shadow of coming doom.


s: Then in indignant wrath he hurled from him


s: The arrow: a sudden gust of wind swept by,


s: Zeus' threshold, to Apollo gave it back;


s: For it beseemed not that a shaft divine,


s: Sped forth by an Immortal, should be lost.


s: To the great gathering of immortal Gods,


s: Where all assembled watched the war of men,


s: These longing for the Trojans' triumph, those


s: For Danaan victory; so with diverse wills


s: Watched they the strife, the slayers and the slain.


s: Him did the Bride of Zeus behold, and straight


s: "What deed of outrage, Phoebus, hast thou done


s: To godlike Peleus' spousals gathered all


s: The Immortals?  Yea, amidst the feasters thou


s: And as thou harpedst all earth's children came


s: To hearken, beasts and birds, high craggy hills,


s: Rivers, and all deep-shadowed forests came.


s: All this hast thou forgotten, and hast wrought


s: A ruthless deed, hast slain a godlike man,


s: The nectar, praying that he might be the son


s: By Thetis given to Peleus.  But that prayer


s: Thou keptest.  He, a mortal, did despite


s: To thee, the deathless!  O, thou art wit-bereft!


s: Thou favourest Troy, thy sufferings all forgot.


s: Thou wretch, and doth thy false heart know not this,


s: Suffering, and who is honoured of the Gods?


s: Was of our race.  Ha, but the punishment


s: Of Troy, I ween, shall not be lighter, though


s: Right soon shall come from Scyros to the war


s: To help the Argive men, no less in might


s: Than was his sire, a bane to many a foe.


s: But thou--thou for the Trojans dost not care,


s: But for his valour enviedst Peleus' son,


s: Thou fool!  how wilt thou meet the Nereid's eyes,


s: When she shall stand in Zeus' hall midst the Gods,


s: Who praised thee once, and loved as her own son?"


s: Upbraiding, but he answered her not a word,


s: Of reverence for his mighty Father's bride;


s: Nor could he lift his eyes to meet her eyes,


s: But sat abashed, aloof from all the Gods


s: Scowled on him all the Immortals who maintained


s: The Danaans' cause; but such as fain would bring


s: Triumph to Troy, these with exultant hearts


s: Extolled him, hiding it from Hera's eyes,


s: Before whose wrath all Heaven-abiders shrank.


s: But Peleus' son the while forgat not yet


s: War's fury: still in his invincible limbs


s: The hot blood throbbed, and still he longed for fight.


s: Was none of all the Trojans dared draw nigh


s: The stricken hero, but at distance stood,


s: Mid forest-brakes afraid, and, though the shaft


s: Stands in his heart, yet faileth not in him


s: His royal courage, but with terrible glare


s: Roll his fierce eyes, and roar his grimly jaws;


s: His strength ebbed through the god-envenomed wound.


s: Yet leapt he up, and rushed upon the foe,


s: And flashed the lightning of his lance; it slew


s: Of Hector, through his temples crashing clear:


s: His helm stayed not the long lance fury-sped


s: Which leapt therethrough, and won within the bones


s: The heart of the brain, and spilt his lusty life.


s: Then stabbed he 'neath the brow Hipponous


s: Even to the eye-roots, that the eyeball fell


s: To earth: his soul to Hades flitted forth.


s: Then through the jaw he pierced Alcathous,


s: And shore away his tongue: in dust he fell


s: Gasping his life out, and the spear-head shot


s: Out through his ear.  These, as they rushed on him,


s: He spilt, for in his heart still leapt the blood.


s: But when his limbs grew chill, and ebbed away


s: His spirit, leaning on his spear he stood,


s: While still the Trojans fled in huddled rout


s: "Trojan and Dardan cravens, ye shall not


s: Even in my death, escape my merciless spear,


s: Shall pay--ay, one and all--destruction's debt!"


s: He spake; they heard and quailed: as mid the hills


s: Fawns tremble at a lion's deep-mouthed roar,


s: And terror-stricken flee the monster, so


s: The ranks of Trojan chariot-lords, the lines


s: Of battle-helpers drawn from alien lands,


s: Quailed at the last shout of Achilles, deemed


s: That he was woundless yet.  But 'neath the weight


s: Of doom his aweless heart, his mighty limbs,


s: At last were overborne.  Down midst the dead


s: He fell, as fails a beetling mountain-cliff.


s: Earth rang beneath him: clanged with a thundercrash


s: His arms, as Peleus' son the princely fell.


s: And still his foes with most exceeding dread


s: Stared at him, even as, when some murderous beast


s: Lies slain by shepherds, tremble still the sheep


s: And shrinking, as they pass him, far aloof


s: And, even as he were living, fear him dead;


s: So feared they him, Achilles now no more.


s: Yet Paris strove to kindle those faint hearts;


s: For his own heart exulted, and he hoped,


s: Now Peleus' son, the Danaans' strength, had fallen,


s: Wholly to quench the Argive battle-fire:


s: "Friends, if ye help me truly and loyally,


s: Let us this day die, slain by Argive men,


s: Or live, and hale to Troy with Hector's steeds


s: In triumph Peleus' son thus fallen dead,


s: The steeds that, grieving, yearning for their lord


s: To fight have borne me since my brother died.


s: Might we with these but hale Achilles slain,


s: Glory were this for Hector's horses, yea,


s: Devised but mischief for the sons of Troy;


s: And now Troy's daughters with exultant hearts


s: From all the city streets shall gather round,


s: Whose craft in hunting vexed them while he lived.


s: So round Achilles--a dead corpse at last!--


s: In hurrying throngs Troy's daughters then shall come


s: For parents wroth, for husbands slain, for sons,


s: For noble kinsmen.  Most of all shall joy


s: My father, and the ancient men, whose feet


s: Unwillingly are chained within the walls


s: By eld, if we shall hale him through our gates,


s: And give our foe to fowls of the air for meat."


s: Then they, which feared him theretofore, in haste


s: Closed round the corpse of strong-heart Aeacus' son,


s: The god-built burg.  But Aias failed him not.


s: Swiftly that godlike man bestrode the dead:


s: Back from the corpse his long lance thrust them all.


s: Yet ceased they not from onslaught; thronging round,


s: Still with swift rushes fought they for the prize,


s: One following other, like to long-lipped bees


s: Which hover round their hive in swarms on swarms


s: To drive a man thence; but he, recking naught


s: Of all their fury, carveth out the combs


s: Of nectarous honey: harassed sore are they


s: By smoke-reek and the robber; spite of all


s: Ever they dart against him; naught cares he;


s: So naught of all their onsets Aias recked;


s: But first he stabbed Agelaus in the breast,


s: And slew that son of Maion: Thestor next:


s: The war-renowned, who came from Lycia-land


s: With mighty-hearted Glaucus, from his home


s: Anigh Chelidonia's headland, dreaded sore


s: Of scared seafarers, when its lowering crags


s: Must needs be doubled.  For his death the blood


s: Of famed Hippolochus' son was horror-chilled;


s: For this was his dear friend.  With one swift thrust


s: He pierced the sevenfold hides of Aias' shield,


s: Yet touched his flesh not; stayed the spear-head was


s: By those thick hides and by the corset-plate


s: Which lapped his battle-tireless limbs.  But still


s: From that stern conflict Glaucus drew not back,


s: And in his folly vaunting threatened him:


s: "Aias, men name thee mightiest man of all


s: The Argives, hold thee in passing-high esteem


s: Even as Achilles: therefore thou, I wot,


s: By that dead warrior dead this day shalt lie!"


s: So hurled he forth a vain word, knowing not


s: Whom his spear threatened.  Battle-bider Aias


s: Darkly and scornfully glaring on him, said


s: "Thou craven wretch, and knowest thou not this,


s: In war-craft?  yet before my might, my spear,


s: He shrank.  Ay, with his valour was there blent


s: Discretion.  Thou thy thoughts are deathward set,


s: A mightier far than thou!  Thou canst not say


s: That friendship of our fathers thee shall screen;


s: Nor me thy gifts shall wile to let thee pass


s: Scatheless from war, as once did Tydeus' son.


s: Though thou didst 'scape his fury, will not I


s: Who with thee, like so many worthless flies,


s: Flit round the noble Achilles' corpse?  To these


s: Death and black doom shall my swift onset deal."


s: Then on the Trojans this way and that he turned,


s: On hounds, and Trojans many and Lycians slew


s: That came for honour hungry, till he stood


s: Mid a wide ring of flinchers; like a shoal


s: Of darting fish when sails into their midst


s: Dolphin or shark, a huge sea-fosterling;


s: So shrank they from the might of Telamon's son,


s: As aye he charged amidst the rout.  But still


s: Swarmed fighters up, till round Achilles' corse


s: To right, to left, lay in the dust the slain


s: Countless, as boars around a lion at bay;


s: Then too Hippolochus' war-wise son was slain


s: So quelled by the spear on Peleus' son he fell.


s: But for his rescue Anchises' stalwart son


s: Strove hard, with all his comrades battle-fain,


s: And haled the corse forth, and to sorrowing friends


s: Gave it, to bear to Ilium's hallowed burg.


s: Himself to spoil Achilles still fought on,


s: Till warrior Aias pierced him with the spear


s: Through the right forearm.  Swiftly leapt he back


s: From murderous war, and hasted thence to Troy.


s: There for his healing cunning leeches wrought,


s: Who stanched the blood-rush, and laid on the gash


s: Balms, such as salve war-stricken warriors' pangs.


s: But Aias still fought on: here, there he slew


s: With thrusts like lightning-flashes.  His great heart


s: Ached sorely for his mighty cousin slain.


s: Fought at his side: before him blenched the foe,


s: As he smote down Peisander's fleetfoot son,


s: Whom Pegasis the bright-haired Nymph had borne


s: Proteus, who dwelt 'neath lofty Ida's folds.


s: That son from war, Panaceia beauty-famed!


s: He fell by Odysseus' hands, who spilt the lives


s: Of many more whom his death-hungering spear


s: Reached in that fight around the mighty dead.


s: Yet Alcon, son of Megacles battle-swift,


s: Hard by Odysseus' right knee drave the spear


s: Home, and about the glittering greave the blood


s: Dark-crimson welled.  He recked not of the wound,


s: For clear through his shield he stabbed him with his spear


s: Backward he dashed him by his giant might


s: And strength of hand: clashed round him in the dust


s: His armour, and his corslet was distained


s: With crimson life-blood.  Forth from flesh and shield


s: The hero plucked the spear of death: the soul


s: Followed the lance-head from the body forth,


s: And life forsook its mortal mansion.  Then


s: Rushed on his comrades, in his wound's despite,


s: Odysseus, nor from that stern battle-toil


s: Refrained him.  And by this a mingled host


s: The mighty dead, and many and many a foe


s: Slew they with those smooth-shafted ashen spears.


s: Even as the winds strew down upon the ground


s: The flying leaves, when through the forest-glades


s: Sweep the wild gusts, as waneth autumn-tide,


s: And the old year is dying; so the spears


s: Of dauntless Danaans strewed the earth with slain,


s: For loyal to dead Achilles were they all,


s: For like black Doom he blasted the ranks of Troy.


s: Then against Aias Paris strained his bow;


s: But he was ware thereof, and sped a stone


s: Swift to the archer's head: that bolt of death


s: Crashed through his crested helm, and darkness closed


s: Round him.  In dust down fell he: naught availed


s: His shafts their eager lord, this way and that


s: Scattered in dust: empty his quiver lay,


s: Flew from his hand the bow.  In haste his friends


s: Upcaught him from the earth, and Hector's steeds


s: Hurried him thence to Troy, scarce drawing breath,


s: And moaning in his pain.  Nor left his men


s: The weapons of their lord, but gathered up


s: All from the plain, and bare them to the prince;


s: While Aias after him sent a wrathful shout:


s: "Dog, thou hast 'scaped the heavy hand of death


s: To-day!  But swiftly thy last hour shall come


s: By some strong Argive's hands, or by mine own,


s: From murder's grip to rescue Achilles' corse."


s: Then turned he on the foe, hurling swift doom


s: 'These saw how many yielded up the ghost


s: Neath his strong hands, and, with hearts failing them


s: For fear, against him could they stand no more.


s: As rascal vultures were they, which the swoop


s: Of an eagle, king of birds, scares far away


s: From carcasses of sheep that wolves have torn;


s: So this way, that way scattered they before


s: The hurtling stones, the sword, the might of Aias.


s: In huddled rout, like starlings from the swoop


s: Of a death-dealing hawk, when, fleeing bane,


s: One drives against another, as they dart


s: All terror-huddled in tumultuous flight.


s: So from the war to Priam's burg they fled


s: Quailing from mighty Aias' battle-shout,


s: As with hands dripping blood-gouts he pursued.


s: Yea, all, one after other, had he slain,


s: Had they not streamed through city-gates flung wide


s: Hard-panting, pierced to the very heart with fear.


s: Pent therewithin he left them, as a shepherd


s: Leaves folded sheep, and strode back o'er the plain;


s: Yet never touched he with his feet the ground,


s: But aye he trod on dead men, arms, and blood;


s: For countless corpses lay o'er that wide stretch


s: Even from broad-wayed Troy to Hellespont,


s: Bodies of strong men slain, the spoil of Doom.


s: As when the dense stalks of sun-ripened corn


s: Fall 'neath the reapers' hands, and the long swaths,


s: Heavy with full ears, overspread the field,


s: All round face-downward men remembering not


s: The death-denouncing war-shout.  But the sons


s: Of fair Achaea left their slaughtered foes


s: In dust and blood unstripped of arms awhile


s: Till they should lay upon the pyre the son


s: Their banner of victory, charging in his might.


s: So the kings drew him from that stricken field


s: Straining beneath the weight of giant limbs,


s: And with all loving care they bore him on,


s: And laid him in his tent before the ships.


s: And round him gathered that great host, and wailed


s: Heart-anguished him who had been the Achaeans' strength,


s: And now, forgotten all the splendour of spears,


s: Lay mid the tents by moaning Hellespont,


s: Tityos, who sought to force Queen Leto, when


s: She fared to Pytho: swiftly in his wrath


s: Apollo shot, and laid him low, who seemed


s: There lay he, covering many a rood of ground,


s: On the broad earth, his mother; and she moaned


s: But Lady Leto laughed.  So grand of mould


s: There in the foemen's land lay Aeacus' son,


s: For joy to Trojans, but for endless grief


s: To Achaean men lamenting.  Moaned the air


s: With sighing from the abysses of the sea;


s: And passing heavy grew the hearts of all,


s: Thinking: "Now shall we perish by the hands


s: Of Trojans!"  Then by those dark ships they thought


s: Of white-haired fathers left in halls afar,


s: Of wives new-wedded, who by couches cold


s: Mourned, waiting, waiting, with their tender babes


s: For husbands unreturning; and they groaned


s: In bitterness of soul.  A passion of grief


s: Came o'er their hearts; they fell upon their faces


s: On the deep sand flung down, and wept as men


s: All comfortless round Peleus' mighty son,


s: And clutched and plucked out by the roots their hair,


s: And east upon their heads defiling sand.


s: Their cry was like the cry that goeth up


s: From folk that after battle by their walls


s: Are slaughtered, when their maddened foes set fire


s: To a great city, and slay in heaps on heaps


s: Her people, and make spoil of all her wealth;


s: So wild and high they wailed beside the sea,


s: Because the Danaans' champion, Aeacus' son,


s: Lay, grand in death, by a God's arrow slain,


s: As Ares lay, when She of the Mighty Father


s: With that huge stone down dashed him on Troy's plain.


s: Ceaselessly wailed the Myrmidons Achilles,


s: A ring of mourners round the kingly dead,


s: That kind heart, friend alike to each and all,


s: But ever tempering strength with courtesy.


s: Then Aias first, deep-groaning, uttered forth


s: His yearning o'er his father's brother's son


s: God-stricken--ay, no man had smitten him


s: Of all upon the wide-wayed earth that dwell!


s: Him glorious Aias heavy-hearted mourned,


s: Now wandering to the tent of Peleus' son,


s: Now cast down all his length, a giant form,


s: "Achilles, shield and sword of Argive men,


s: Thou hast died in Troy, from Phthia's plains afar,


s: For none who trusts in wielding the great shield,


s: None who for war can skill to set the helm


s: Upon his brows, and sway the spear in grip,


s: And cleave the brass about the breasts of foes,


s: Warreth with arrows, shrinking from the fray.


s: Not man to man he met thee, whoso smote;


s: Else woundless never had he 'scaped thy lance!


s: And maketh all our toil and travail vain--


s: Who from Achaea now hath reft her shield!


s: Ah me!  how shall old Peleus in his halls


s: Now in his joyless age!  His heart shall break


s: Ah, laden with sore sorrow eld shall come


s: Upon him, eating out his heart with grief


s: Once to the Blessed!  But the Gods vouchsafe


s: Then ancient Phoenix made heart-stricken moan,


s: Clasping the noble form of Aeacus' seed,


s: And in wild anguish wailed the wise of heart:


s: "Thou art reft from me, dear child, and cureless pain


s: Hath ever stabbed mine heart no, not that hour


s: And noble parents, fleeing Hellas through,


s: Till Peleus welcomed me with gifts, and lord


s: Thee through his halls one day he bare, and set


s: His babe, with all love, as mine own dear child:


s: I hearkened to him: blithely didst thou cling


s: About mine heart, and, babbling wordless speech,


s: Didst call me `father' oft, and didst bedew


s: Ofttimes with soul that laughed for glee I held


s: Thee in mine arms; for mine heart whispered me


s: `This fosterling through life shall care for thee,


s: Staff of thine age shall be.'  And that mine hope


s: Was for a little while fulfilled; but now


s: Thou hast vanished into darkness, and to me


s: Is left long heart-ache wild with all regret.


s: Ah, might my sorrow slay me, ere the tale


s: Falleth the heavy tidings, he shall weep


s: And wail without surcease.  Most piteous grief


s: We twain for thy sake shall inherit aye,


s: Thy sire and I, who, ere our day of doom,


s: Mourning shall go down to the grave for thee--


s: Ay, better this than life unholpen of thee!"


s: So moaned his ever-swelling tide of grief.


s: And Atreus' son beside him mourned and wept


s: With heart on fire with inly smouldering pain:


s: "Thou hast perished, chiefest of the Danaan men,


s: Hast perished, and hast left the Achaean host


s: Fenceless!  Now thou art fallen, are they left


s: An easier prey to foes.  Thou hast given joy


s: To Trojans by thy fall, who dreaded thee


s: As sheep a lion.  These with eager hearts


s: Even to the ships will bring the battle now.


s: Zeus, Father, thou too with deceitful words


s: Beguilest mortals!  Thou didst promise me


s: That Priam's burg should be destroyed; but now


s: That promise given dost thou not fulfil,


s: But thou didst cheat mine heart: I shall not win


s: The war's goal, now Achilles is no more."


s: So did he cry heart-anguished.  Mourned all round


s: The dark ships echoed back the voice of grief,


s: And sighed and sobbed the immeasurable air.


s: And as when long sea-rollers, onward driven


s: By a great wind, heave up far out at sea,


s: And strandward sweep with terrible rush, and aye


s: Headland and beach with shattered spray are scourged,


s: And roar unceasing; so a dread sound rose


s: Of moaning of the Danaans round the corse,


s: Ceaselessly wailing Peleus' aweless son.


s: And on their mourning soon black night had come,


s: Nestor, whose own heart bare its load of grief


s: Of Argives, from wide-shrilling lamentation


s: Refrain we for this day.  None shall withhold


s: Hereafter these from all their heart's desire


s: Wash we the foul blood-gouts, and lay we him


s: The dead by leaving them untended long."


s: So counselled Neleus' son, the passing-wise.


s: Then hasted he his men, and bade them set


s: Caldrons of cold spring-water o'er the flames,


s: And wash the corse, and clothe in vesture fair,


s: Sea-purple, which his mother gave her son


s: At his first sailing against Troy.  With speed


s: They did their lord's command: with loving care,


s: Laid they the mighty fallen, Peleus' son.


s: The Trito-born, the passing-wise, beheld


s: And pitied him, and showered upon his head


s: Taintless, men say, the flesh of warriors slain.


s: Like softly-breathing sleeper dewy-fresh


s: She made him: over that dead face she drew


s: A stern frown, even as when he lay, with wrath


s: Darkening his grim face, clasping his slain friend


s: And wonder seized the Argives, as they thronged


s: Where all the stately length of Peleus' son


s: Lay on the couch, and seemed as though he slept.


s: Around him all the woeful captive-maids,


s: He had ravaged hallowed Lemnos, and had scaled


s: The towered crags of Thebes, Eetion's town,


s: Wailed, as they stood and rent their fair young flesh,


s: And smote their breasts, and from their hearts bemoaned


s: Who honoured even the daughters of his foes.


s: And stricken most of all with heart-sick pain


s: Briseis, hero Achilles' couchmate, bowed


s: Over the dead, and tore her fair young flesh


s: With ruthless fingers, shrieking: her soft breast


s: She smote it thou hadst said that crimson blood


s: Had dripped on milk.  Yet, in her griefs despite,


s: Her winsome loveliness shone out, and grace


s: Hung like a veil about her, as she wailed:


s: "Woe for this grief passing all griefs beside!


s: Not when my brethren died, my fatherland


s: Was wasted--like this anguish for thy death!


s: Thou wast my day, my sunlight, my sweet life,


s: Mine hope of good, my strong defence from harm,


s: Dearer than all my beauty--yea, more dear


s: Than my lost parents!  Thou wast all in all


s: Thou tookest from me every bondmaid's task


s: And like a wife didst hold me.  Ah, but now


s: The bitter cup of thraldom shall I drain,


s: Severed, ah me, from thee!  Oh that the earth


s: Had veiled my dead face ere I saw thy doom!"


s: With woeful handmaids and heart-anguished Greeks,


s: Mourning a king, a husband.  Never dried


s: Her tears were: ever to the earth they streamed


s: Like sunless water trickling from a rock


s: While rime and snow yet mantle o'er the earth


s: Above it; yet the frost melts down before


s: The east-wind and the flame-shafts of the sun.


s: Now came the sound of that upringing wail


s: To Nereus' Daughters, dwellers in the depths


s: Unfathomed.  With sore anguish all their hearts


s: Were smitten: piteously they moaned: their cry


s: Then with dark mantles overpalled they sped


s: Swiftly to where the Argive men were thronged.


s: As rushed their troop up silver paths of sea,


s: The flood disported round them as they came.


s: With one wild cry they floated up; it rang,


s: A sound as when fleet-flying cranes forebode


s: A great storm.  Moaned the monsters of the deep


s: Plaintively round that train of mourners.  Fast


s: On sped they to their goal, with awesome cry


s: Wailing the while their sister's mighty son.


s: Heart-burdened with undying grief, for love


s: Then Zeus with courage filled the Argive men,


s: That-eyes of flesh might undismayed behold


s: Then those Divine Ones round Achilles' corse


s: Pealed forth with one voice from immortal lips


s: Their tears fell round the dead man, Aeacus' son;


s: For out of depths of sorrow rose their moan.


s: And all the armour, yea, the tents, the ships


s: Of that great sorrowing multitude were wet


s: With tears from ever-welling springs of grief.


s: His mother cast her on him, clasping him,


s: And kissed her son's lips, crying through her tears:


s: "Now let the rosy-vestured Dawn in heaven


s: Put by his wrath!  Let Priam's seed be glad


s: Will cast me, bitterly planning that he gave


s: To whom the Fates are near, with death for gift.


s: To make him glorious in the Aeacid halls,


s: In recompense for the bridal I so loathed


s: That into wild wind now I changed me, now


s: I was, now as the blast of flame; nor might


s: A mortal win me for his bride, who seemed


s: All shapes in turn that earth and heaven contain,


s: Until the Olympian pledged him to bestow


s: Of men.  But Zeus made brief his span of life


s: And wail my son, and will put Zeus in mind


s: In their sore stress, and sting his soul with shame."


s: So in her wild lament the Sea-queen cried.


s: She in whose heart was steadfast wisdom throned:


s: For thy lost son, provoke to wrath the Lord


s: Of Gods and men.  Lo, even sons of Zeus,


s: The Thunder-king, have perished, overborne


s: Mine own son Orpheus died, whose magic song


s: Drew all the forest-trees to follow him,


s: And blasts of winds shrill-piping stormy-breathed,


s: And birds that dart through air on rushing wings.


s: Ought not with anguished grief to vex their souls.


s: Therefore make end of sorrow-stricken wail


s: For thy brave child; for to the sons of earth


s: Minstrels shall chant his glory and his might,


s: Be crushed by dark grief, nor do thou lament


s: Like those frail mortal women.  Know'st thou not


s: That round all men which dwell upon the earth


s: Who recks not even of the Gods?  Such power


s: Soon shall destroy gold-wealthy Priam's town,


s: And Trojans many and Argives doom to death,


s: Whomso she will.  No God can stay her hand."


s: Then plunged the sun down into Ocean's stream,


s: And sable-vestured Night came floating up


s: O'er the wide firmament, and brought her boon


s: Of sleep to sorrowing mortals.  On the sands


s: There slept they, all the Achaean host, with heads


s: But upon Thetis sleep laid not his hand:


s: Still with the deathless Nereids by the sea


s: She sate; on either side the Muses spake


s: To make that sorrowing heart forget its pain.


s: But when with a triumphant laugh the Dawn


s: Soared up the sky, and her most radiant light


s: Shed over all the Trojans and their king,


s: Then, sorrowing sorely for Achilles still,


s: The Danaans woke to weep.  Day after day,


s: For many days they wept.  Around them moaned


s: Far-stretching beaches of the sea, and mourned


s: Great Nereus for his daughter Thetis' sake;


s: And mourned with him the other Sea-gods all


s: For dead Achilles.  Then the Argives gave


s: The corpse of great Peleides to the flame.


s: A pyre of countless tree-trunks built they up


s: Which, all with one mind toiling, from the heights


s: Of Ida they brought down; for Atreus' sons


s: Sped on the work, and charged them to bring thence


s: Wood without measure, that consumed with speed


s: Piled they about the pyre much battle-gear


s: Of strong men slain; and slew and cast thereon


s: And snorting steeds, and mighty bulls withal,


s: And sheep and fatling swine thereon they cast.


s: And wailing captive maids from coffers brought


s: Mantles untold; all cast they on the pyre:


s: Gold heaped they there and amber.  All their hair


s: The Myrmidons shore, and shrouded with the same


s: Her own shorn tresses on the corpse, her gift,


s: Her last, unto her lord.  Great jars of oil


s: Full many poured they out thereon, with jars


s: Of honey and of wine, rich blood of the grape


s: That breathed an odour as of nectar, yea,


s: Cast incense-breathing perfumes manifold


s: Marvellous sweet, the precious things put forth


s: By earth, and treasures of the sea divine.


s: Then, when all things were set in readiness


s: About the pyre, all, footmen, charioteers,


s: Compassed that woeful bale, clashing their arms,


s: While, from the viewless heights Olympian, Zeus


s: Rained down ambrosia on dead Aeacus' son.


s: For honour to the Goddess, Nereus' child,


s: Summon the sacred might of his swift winds,


s: For that the corpse of Aeacus' son must now


s: Be burned.  With speed he went, and Aeolus


s: Refused not: the tempestuous North in haste


s: He summoned, and the wild blast of the West;


s: And to Troy sped they on their whirlwind wings.


s: Fast in mad onrush, fast across the deep


s: They darted; roared beneath them as they flew


s: The sea, the land; above crashed thunder-voiced


s: Clouds headlong hurtling through the firmament.


s: Swooped they; upleapt the Fire-god's madding breath:


s: Then, though with whirlwind rushes toiled the winds,


s: All day, all night, they needs must fan the flames


s: Ere that death-pyre burned out.  Up to the heavens


s: Vast-volumed rolled the smoke.  The huge tree-trunks


s: Groaned, writhing, bursting, in the heat, and dropped


s: The dark-grey ash all round.  So when the winds


s: Had tirelessly fulfilled their mighty task,


s: Back to their cave they rode cloud-charioted.


s: Then, when the fire had last of all consumed


s: That hero-king, when all the steeds, the men


s: Slain round the pyre had first been ravined up,


s: With all the costly offerings laid around


s: The mighty dead by Achaia's weeping sons,


s: The glowing embers did the Myrmidons quench


s: With wine.  Then clear to be discerned were seen


s: His bones; for nowise like the rest were they,


s: But like an ancient Giant's; none beside


s: With these were blent; for bulls and steeds, and sons


s: Of Troy, with all that mingled hecatomb,


s: Lay in a wide ring round his corse, and he


s: Amidst them, flame-devoured, lay there alone.


s: Massy and deep, and banded and bestarred


s: With flashing gold; and Nereus' daughters shed


s: In old time of the Wine-god, glorious work


s: Of the craft-master Fire-god, in the which


s: They laid the casket that enclosed the bones


s: The Argives heaped a barrow, a giant sign,


s: The Hellespont's deep waters, wailing loud


s: Farewells unto the Myrmidons' hero-king.


s: Nor stayed the immortal steeds of Aeacus' son


s: Tearless beside the ships; they also mourned


s: Their slain king: sorely loth were they to abide


s: But fain were they to soar through air, afar


s: From wretched men, over the Ocean's streams,


s: Over the Sea-queen's caverns, unto where


s: Divine Podarge bare that storm-foot twain


s: Begotten of the West-wind clarion-voiced


s: Yea, and they had accomplished their desire,


s: But the Gods' purpose held them back, until


s: From Scyros' isle Achilles' fleetfoot son


s: Should come.  Him waited they to welcome, when


s: He came unto the war-host; for the Fates,


s: Had spun the life-threads of those deathless foals,


s: Peleus the dauntless king, Achilles then


s: The invincible, and, after these, the fourth,


s: They were to bear, unto the Blessed Land,


s: By Zeus' decree.  For which cause, though their hearts


s: Were pierced with bitter anguish, they abode


s: Still by the ships, with spirits sorrowing