s: Lest haply the recoiling ploughshare light


s: On their leg-sinews, and hamstring his team;


s: So were the Danaans scared, so feared for them


s: Achilles' son, and shouted thunder-voiced:


s: "Cravens, why flee, like starlings nothing-worth


s: Scared by a hawk that swoopeth down on them?


s: Come, play the men!  Better it is by far


s: To die in war than choose unmanly flight!"


s: Then to his cry they hearkened, and straightway


s: Were of good heart.  Mighty of mood he leapt


s: The lightening spear: swept after him his host


s: Of Myrmidons with hearts swelled with the strength


s: Won breathing-space.  With fury like his sire's


s: Recoiling back they fell, as waves on-rolled


s: By Boreas foaming from the deep to the strand,


s: Are caught by another blast that whirlwind-like


s: Leaps, in a short lull of the north-wind, forth,


s: Smites them full-face, and hurls them back from the shore;


s: So them that erewhile on the Danaans pressed


s: Godlike Achilles' son now backward hurled


s: Let him not flee, but made him bide the fight


s: The battle's scales.  Yet not against Aeneas


s: Achilles' son upraised his father's spear,


s: But elsewhither turned his fury: in reverence


s: Turned from that man her mighty son's son's rage


s: And giant strength on other hosts of foes.


s: There slew he many a Trojan, while the ranks


s: Over the battle-slain the vultures joyed,


s: Hungry to rend the hearts and flesh of men.


s: But all the Nymphs were wailing, daughters born


s: So toiled they in the fight: the wind's breath rolled


s: Huge dust-clouds up; the illimitable air


s: Was one thick haze, as with a sudden mist:


s: Earth disappeared, faces were blotted out;


s: Yet still they fought on; each man, whomso he met,


s: Ruthlessly slew him, though his very friend


s: It might be--in that turmoil none could tell


s: Who met him, friend or foe: blind wilderment


s: Enmeshed the hosts.  And now had all been blent


s: All falling by their fellows' murderous swords,


s: Their sore strait, and he swept aside the dust


s: Of conflict, and he calmed those deadly winds.


s: Yet still the hosts fought on; but lighter far


s: Their battle-travail was, who now discerned


s: Whom in the fray to smite, and whom to spare.


s: The Danaans now forced back the Trojan host,


s: The Trojans now the Danaan ranks, as swayed


s: The dread fight to and fro.  From either side


s: Darts leapt and fell like snowflakes.  Far away


s: Shepherds from Ida trembling watched the strife,


s: Of supplication, praying that all their foes


s: Might perish, and that from the woeful war


s: Troy might win breathing-space, and see at last


s: The day of freedom: the Gods hearkened not.


s: Far other issues Fate devised, nor recked


s: Of Zeus the Almighty, nor of none beside


s: Cares naught what doom she spinneth with her thread


s: Or cities: all things wax and wane through her.


s: So by her hest the battle-travail swelled


s: 'Twixt Trojan chariot-lords and Greeks that closed


s: In grapple of fight--they dealt each other death


s: Ruthlessly: no man quailed, but stout of heart


s: Fought on; for courage thrusts men into war.


s: But now when many had perished in the dust,


s: Then did the Argive might prevail at last


s: The Greeks to lay waste Priam's glorious town.


s: And poured thick mist about him.  Fate forbade


s: With Argive foes without the high-built wall.


s: Yea, and his mother sorely feared the wrath


s: Of Pallas passing-wise, whose heart was keen


s: To help the Danaans now--yea, feared lest she


s: Might slay him even beyond his doom, who spared


s: Of fight, but all disheartened backward drew.


s: For like fierce ravening beasts the Argive men


s: Leapt on them, mad with murderous rage of war.


s: Choked with their slain the river-channels were,


s: Heaped was the field; in red dust thousands fell,


s: Were strewn there: blood was streaming all around


s: Like rain, for deadly Doom raged through the fray.


s: Men stabbed with swords, and men impaled on spears


s: Lay all confusedly, like scattered beams,


s: When on the strand of the low-thundering sea


s: Men from great girders of a tall ship's hull


s: Strike out the bolts and clamps, and scatter wide


s: Long planks and timbers, till the whole broad beach


s: Is paved with beams o'erplashed by darkling surge;


s: So lay in dust and blood those slaughtered men,


s: Rapture and pain of fight forgotten now.


s: A remnant from the pitiless strife escaped


s: Entered their stronghold, scarce eluding doom.


s: Children and wives from their limbs blood-besprent


s: Received their arms bedabbled with foul gore;


s: And baths for all were heated.  Leeches ran


s: Through all the town in hot haste to the homes


s: Of wounded men to minister to their hurts.


s: Here wives and daughters moaned round men come back


s: From war, there cried on many who came not


s: Here, men stung to the soul by bitter pangs


s: Groaned upon beds of pain; there, toil-spent men


s: Turned them to supper.  Whinnied the swift steeds


s: And neighed o'er mangers heaped.  By tent and ship


s: Far off the Greeks did even as they of Troy.


s: When o'er the streams of Ocean Dawn drove up


s: Her splendour-flashing steeds, and earth's tribes waked,


s: Then the strong Argives' battle-eager sons


s: Marched against Priam's city lofty-towered,


s: Save some that mid the tents by wounded men


s: Tarried, lest haply raiders on the ships


s: Might fall, to help the Trojans, while these fought


s: The foe from towers, while rose the flame of war.


s: Before the Scaean gate fought Capaneus' son


s: Deiphobus battle-staunch and strong Polites


s: With many comrades, stoutly held them back


s: With arrows and huge stones.  Clanged evermore


s: The smitten helms and shields that fenced strong men


s: Set in array the fight: around him toiled


s: Down-hailing darts, against them held the wall,


s: Aye cheering on their men.  No spurring these


s: Needed to fight hard for their country's walls.


s: Unresting on the gates that fated the plain


s: And looked to the swift ships.  From wall and tower


s: With huge stones brave Aeneas made defence.


s: In battle-stress by Simons Teucer toiled.


s: Each endured hardness at his several post.


s: Then round war-wise Odysseus men renowned,


s: By that great captain's battle cunning ruled,


s: Locked shields together, raised them o'er their heads


s: Ranged side by side, that many were made one.


s: Thou hadst said it was a great hall's solid roof,


s: Which no tempestuous wind-blast misty wet


s: Can pierce, nor rain from heaven in torrents poured.


s: So fenced about with shields firm stood the ranks


s: Of Argives, one in heart for fight, and one


s: The Trojans hailed great stones; as from a rock


s: Rolled these to earth.  Full many a spear and dart


s: And galling javelin in the pierced shields stood;


s: Some in the earth stood; many glanced away


s: With bent points falling baffled from the shields


s: Battered on all sides.  But that clangorous din


s: None feared; none flinched; as pattering drops of rain


s: They heard it.  Up to the rampart's foot they marched:


s: None hung back; shoulder to shoulder on they came


s: Like a long lurid cloud that o'er the sky


s: On that battalion moved, with thunderous tread


s: Of tramping feet: a little above the earth


s: Rose up the dust; the breeze swept it aside


s: Drifting away behind the men.  There went


s: A sound confused of voices with them, like


s: The hum of bees that murmur round the hives,


s: Of men hard-breathing.  Exceeding glad the sons


s: Of Atreus, glorying in them, saw that wall


s: They hurled themselves, with twibills strove to breach


s: The long walls, from their hinges to upheave


s: The gates, and dash to earth.  The pulse of hope


s: Beat strong in those proud hearts.  But naught availed


s: Swung in his hands a stone like a thunderbolt,


s: Hurled it with uttermost strength, and dashed to death


s: All whom it caught beneath the shields, as when


s: A mountain's precipice-edge breaks off and falls


s: On pasturing goats, and all that graze thereby


s: Tremble; so were those Danaans dazed with dread.


s: Stone after stone he hurled on the reeling ranks,


s: With thunderbolts and blazing lightnings rends


s: From their foundations crags that rim a peak,


s: And this way, that way, sends them hurtling down;


s: Then the flocks tremble, scattering in wild flight;


s: So quailed the Achaeans, when Aeneas dashed


s: To sudden fragments all that battle-wall


s: Moulded of adamant shields, because a God


s: Gave more than human strength.  No man of them


s: Could lift his eyes unto him in that fight,


s: Because the arms that lapped his sinewy limbs


s: Flashed like the heaven-born lightnings.  At his side


s: Stood, all his form divine in darkness cloaked,


s: Ares the terrible, and winged the flight


s: Of what bare down to the Argives doom or dread.


s: From heaven in wrath smote down the insolent bands


s: Of giants grim, and shook the boundless earth,


s: And sea, and ocean, and the heavens, when reeled


s: The knees of Atlas neath the rush of Zeus.


s: The Argive squadrons.  All along the wall


s: Wroth with the foeman rushed he: from his hands


s: Hurled he; for many a battle-staying bolt


s: Lay on the walls of those staunch Dardan men.


s: With such Aeneas stormed in giant might,


s: With such drave back the thronging foes.  All round


s: The Trojans played the men.  Sore travail and pain


s: Argives and Trojans.  Rang the battle-cries:


s: To fight for home, for wives, and their own souls


s: With a good heart: war-staunch Achilles' son


s: Shouted: "Flinch not, ye Argives, from the walls,


s: Till Troy be taken, and sink down in flames!"


s: And round these twain an awful measureless roar


s: Rang, daylong as they fought: no breathing-space


s: Came from the war to them whose spirits burned,


s: These, to smite Ilium, those, to guard her safe.


s: Fought Aias, speeding midst the men of Troy


s: Winged death; for now his arrow straight through air


s: Flew, now his deadly dart, and smote them down


s: The fight no more, but fenceless left the wall


s: Then one, of all the Locrians mightiest,


s: Fierce-souled Alcimedon, trusting in his prince


s: And his own might and valour of his youth,


s: Swift feet, to pave for friends a death-strewn path


s: Into the town.  Above his head he raised


s: The screening shield; up that dread path he went


s: Hardening his heart from trembling, in his hand


s: Now shook the threatening spear, now upward climbed


s: Fast high in air he trod the perilous way.


s: His head rose, and for the first time and the last


s: From her high rampart he looked down on Troy,


s: That bold assault, rushed on him, dashed on his head


s: So huge a stone that the hero's mighty strength


s: Shattered the ladder.  Down from on high he rushed


s: As arrow from the string: death followed him


s: As whirling round he fell; with air was blent


s: His lost life, ere he crashed to the stony ground.


s: Strong spear, broad shield, in mid fall flew from his hands,


s: And from his head the helm: his corslet came


s: Alone with him to earth.  The Locrian men


s: Groaned, seeing their champion quelled by evil doom;


s: For all his hair and all the stones around


s: Were brain-bespattered: all his bones were crushed,


s: And his once active limbs besprent with gore.


s: Marked where Aeneas stormed along the wall


s: In lion-like strength, and straightway shot a shaft


s: Aimed at that glorious hero, neither missed


s: The man: yet not through his unyielding targe


s: To the fair flesh it won, being turned aside


s: The buckler lightly: yet not all in vain


s: Fell earthward, but between the targe and helm


s: Smote Medon: from the tower he fell, as falls


s: A wild goat from a crag, the hunter's shaft


s: Deep in its heart: so nerveless-flung he fell,


s: And fled away from him the precious life.


s: Wroth for his friend, a stone Aeneas hurled,


s: Toxaechmes; for he shattered his head and crushed


s: Helmet and skull-bones; and his noble heart


s: Was stilled.  Loud shouted princely Poeas' son:


s: "Aeneas, thou, forsooth, dost deem thyself


s: A mighty champion, fighting from a tower


s: Whence craven women war with foes!  Now if


s: Thou be a man, come forth without the wall


s: In spear-craft and in bow-craft Poeas' son!"


s: So cried he; but Anchises' valiant seed,


s: How fain soe'er, naught answered, for the stress


s: Of desperate conflict round that wall and burg


s: Ceaselessly raging: pause from fight was none:


s: Yea, for long time no respite had there been


s: For the war-weary from that endless toil.


s: When round the walls of Troy the Danaan host


s: Had borne much travail, and yet the end was not,


s: By Calchas then assembled were the chiefs;


s: For his heart was instructed by the hests


s: Of Phoebus, by the flights of birds, the stars,


s: And all the signs that speak to men the will


s: Of Heaven; so he to that assembly cried:


s: "No longer toil in leaguer of yon walls;


s: Some other counsel let your hearts devise,


s: A falcon chased a dove, and she, hard pressed,


s: Entered a cleft of the rock; and chafing he


s: Tarried long time hard by that rift, but she


s: Abode in covert.  Nursing still his wrath,


s: He hid him in a bush.  Forth darted she,


s: And to the hapless dove dealt wretched death.


s: Therefore by force essay we not to smite Troy,


s: He spake; but no man's wit might find a way


s: To escape their grievous travail, as they sought


s: Discerned it of his wisdom, and he spake:


s: "Friend, in high honour held of the Heavenly Ones,


s: If doomed it be indeed that Priam's burg


s: By guile must fall before the war-worn Greeks,


s: A great Horse let us fashion, in the which


s: Our mightiest shall take ambush.  Let the host


s: Burn all their tents, and sail from hence away


s: To Tenedos; so the Trojans, from their towers


s: Gazing, shall stream forth fearless to the plain.


s: Let some brave man, unknown of any in Troy,


s: With a stout heart abide without the Horse,


s: Crouching beneath its shadow, who shall say:


s: "`Achaea's lords of might, exceeding fain


s: Safe to win home, made this their offering


s: The wrath of Pallas for her image stolen


s: From Troy.'  And to this story shall he stand,


s: How long soe'er they question him, until,


s: Though never so relentless, they believe,


s: And drag it, their own doom, within the town.


s: Then shall war's signal unto us be given--


s: To them at sea, by sudden flash of torch,


s: To the ambush, by the cry, `Come forth the Horse!'


s: When unsuspecting sleep the sons of Troy."


s: He spake, and all men praised him: most of all


s: Extolled him Calchas, that such marvellous guile


s: For them assurance of triumph, but for Troy


s: Ruin; and to those battle-lords he cried:


s: "Let your hearts seek none other stratagem,


s: Friends; to war-strong Odysseus' rede give ear.


s: His wise thought shall not miss accomplishment.


s: Yea, our desire even now the Gods fulfil.


s: Hark!  for new tokens come from the Unseen!


s: Lo, there on high crash through the firmament


s: Zeus' thunder and lightning!  See, where birds to right


s: Dart past, and scream with long-resounding cry!


s: Go to, no more in endless leaguer of Troy


s: Linger we.  Hard necessity fills the foe


s: With desperate courage that makes cowards brave;


s: For then are men most dangerous, when they stake


s: Their lives in utter recklessness of death,


s: All round their burg, mad with the lust of fight."


s: "Calchas, brave men meet face to face their foes!


s: Who skulk behind their walls, and fight from towers,


s: Are nidderings, hearts palsied with base fear.


s: Hence with all thought of wile and stratagem!


s: The great war-travail of the spear beseems


s: True heroes.  Best in battle are the brave."


s: "Bold-hearted child of aweless Aeacus' son,


s: This as beseems a hero princely and brave,


s: Dauntlessly trusting in thy strength, thou say'st.


s: Yet thine invincible sire's unquailing might


s: Availed not to smite Priam's wealthy burg,


s: Nor we, for all our travail.  Nay, with speed,


s: As counselleth Calchas, go we to the ships,


s: And fashion we the Horse by Epeius' hands,


s: Who in the woodwright's craft is chiefest far


s: Of Argives, for Athena taught his lore."


s: Then all their mightiest men gave ear to him


s: And Philoctetes mighty-souled; for these


s: Still were insatiate for the bitter fray,


s: Still longed for turmoil of the fight.  They bade


s: Their own folk bear against that giant wall


s: What things soe'er for war's assaults avail,


s: In hope to lay that stately fortress low,


s: Seeing Heaven's decrees had brought them both to war.


s: Yea, they had haply accomplished all their will,


s: But from the sky Zeus showed his wrath; he shook


s: The earth beneath their feet, and all the air


s: Shuddered, as down before those heroes twain


s: He hurled his thunderbolt: wide echoes crashed


s: Through all Dardania.  Unto fear straightway


s: Turned were their bold hearts: they forgat their might,


s: And Calchas' counsels grudgingly obeyed.


s: So with the Argives came they to the ships


s: In reverence for the seer who spake from Zeus


s: Or Phoebus, and they obeyed him utterly.


s: What time round splendour-kindled heavens the stars


s: From east to west far-flashing wheel, and when


s: Man doth forget his toil, in that still hour


s: Athena left the high mansions of the Blest,


s: Clothed her in shape of a maiden tender-fleshed,


s: And came to ships and host.  Over the head


s: And bade him build a Horse of tree: herself


s: Stand by his side, to the work enkindling him.


s: Hearing the Goddess' word, with a glad laugh


s: Leapt he from careless sleep: right well he knew


s: The Immortal One celestial.  Now his heart


s: Could hold no thought beside; his mind was fixed


s: Upon the wondrous work, and through his soul


s: Marched marshalled each device of craftsmanship.


s: When rose the dawn, and thrust back kindly night


s: To Erebus, and through the firmament streamed


s: And hearkening joyed they with exceeding joy.


s: Straightway to tall-tressed Ida's leafy glades


s: The sons of Atreus sent swift messengers.


s: These laid the axe unto the forest-pines,


s: And hewed the great trees: to their smiting rang


s: The echoing glens.  On those far-stretching hills


s: All bare of undergrowth the high peaks rose:


s: Open their glades were, not, as in time past,


s: Haunted of beasts: there dry the tree-trunks rose


s: Wooing the winds.  Even these the Achaeans hewed


s: With axes, and in haste they bare them down


s: From those shagged mountain heights to Hellespont's shores.


s: Strained with a strenuous spirit at the work


s: Young men and mules; and all the people toiled


s: For with the keen steel some were hewing beams,


s: Some measuring planks, and some with axes lopped


s: Branches away from trunks as yet unsawn:


s: Each wrought his several work.  Epeius first


s: Fashioned the feet of that great Horse of Wood:


s: Moulded the back and the great loins behind,


s: The throat in front, and ridged the towering neck


s: With waving mane: the crested head he wrought,


s: The streaming tail, the ears, the lucent eyes--


s: All that of lifelike horses have.  So grew


s: Like a live thing that more than human work,


s: For a God gave to a man that wondrous craft.


s: Finished was all.  Rejoiced thereat the host


s: Of Argos, marvelling how the wood expressed


s: Mettle, and speed of foot--yea, seemed to neigh.


s: To Pallas, and for that huge Horse he prayed:


s: "Hear, great-souled Goddess: bless thine Horse and me!"


s: Which saw, or heard its fame in days to be.


s: Joyed, and their routed foes within the walls


s: Tarried, and shrank from death and pitiless doom,


s: Then, when imperious Zeus far from the Gods


s: Had gone to Ocean's streams and Tethys' caves,


s: Strife rose between the Immortals: heart with heart


s: Was set at variance.  Riding on the blasts


s: Of winds, from heaven to earth they swooped: the air


s: Crashed round them.  Lighting down by Xanthus' stream


s: Arrayed they stood against each other, these


s: For the Achaeans, for the Trojans those;


s: And all their souls were thrilled with lust of war:


s: There gathered too the Lords of the wide Sea.


s: These in their wrath were eager to destroy


s: The Horse of Guile and all the ships, and those


s: Held them therefrom, and turned their hearts to strife


s: Rose first, and on Athena rushed.  Thereat


s: Fell each on other: clashed around their limbs


s: The golden arms celestial as they charged.


s: Round them the wide sea thundered, the dark earth


s: Quaked 'neath immortal feet.  Rang from them all


s: Far-pealing battle-shouts; that awful cry


s: Rolled up to the broad-arching heaven, and down


s: Trembled the Titans there in depths of gloom.


s: Ida's long ridges sighed, sobbed clamorous streams


s: Far-furrowed, Argive ships, and Priam's towers.


s: Yet men feared not, for naught they knew of all


s: That strife, by Heaven's decree.  Then her high peaks


s: The Gods' hands wrenched from Ida's crest, and hurled


s: Against each other: but like crumbling sands


s: Shivered they fell round those invincible limbs,


s: Shattered to small dust.  But the mind of Zeus,


s: At the utmost verge of earth, was ware of all:


s: Straight left he Ocean's stream, and to wide heaven


s: The East, the North, the West-wind, and the South:


s: For Iris rainbow-plumed led 'neath the yoke


s: The ear which Time the immortal framed for him


s: His wrath shook all the firmament, as crashed


s: From east to west his thunders; lightnings gleamed,


s: As thick and fast his thunderbolts poured to earth,


s: And flamed the limitless welkin.  Terror fell


s: Upon the hearts of those Immortals: quaked


s: The limbs of all--ay, deathless though they were!


s: Then Themis, trembling for them, swift as thought


s: Leapt down through clouds, and came with speed to them--


s: And stood between the fighters, and she cried:


s: "Forbear the conflict!  O, when Zeus is wroth,


s: Should fight for men's sake, creatures of a day:


s: Else shall ye be all suddenly destroyed;


s: For Zeus will tear up all the hills, and hurl


s: Upon you: sons nor daughters will he spare,


s: But bury 'neath one ruin of shattered earth


s: All.  No escape shall ye find thence to light,


s: In horror of darkness prisoned evermore."


s: Dreading Zeus' menace gave they heed to her,


s: From strife refrained, and cast away their wrath,


s: Some heavenward soared, some plunged into the sea,


s: On earth stayed some.  Amid the Achaean host


s: "O valorous-hearted lords of the Argive host,


s: Now prove in time of need what men ye be,


s: How passing-strong, how flawless-brave!  The hour


s: Is this for desperate emprise: now, with hearts


s: So to attain the goal of this stern war.


s: Now to destroy this city, for whose sake


s: Come then, and let your hearts be stout and strong


s: For he who in stress of fight hath turned to bay


s: And snatched a desperate courage from despair,


s: Oft, though the weaker, slays a mightier foe.


s: For courage, which is all men's glory, makes


s: The heart great.  Come then, set the ambush, ye


s: Which be our mightiest, and the rest shall go


s: To Tenedos' hallowed burg, and there abide


s: Until our foes have haled within their walls


s: Us with the Horse, as deeming that they bring


s: One whom the Trojans know not, yet we lack,


s: To harden his heart as steel, and to abide


s: Near by the Horse.  Let that man bear in mind


s: And let none other thought be in his heart,


s: Lest to the foe our counsel be revealed."


s: Then, when all others feared, a man far-famed


s: To bring the great work to accomplishment.


s: Therefore with worship all men looked on him,


s: The loyal of heart, as in the midst he spake:


s: This work for which ye crave will I perform--


s: Yea, though they torture me, though into fire


s: Living they thrust me; for mine heart is fixed


s: Not to escape, but die by hands of foes,


s: Stoutly he spake: right glad the Argives were;


s: And one said: "How the Gods have given to-day


s: High courage to this man!  He hath not been


s: Heretofore valiant.  Heaven is kindling him


s: Salvation.  Now full soon, I trow, we reach


s: The goal of grievous war, so long unseen."


s: So a voice murmured mid the Achaean host.


s: Then, to stir up the heroes, Nestor cried:


s: "Now is the time, dear sons, for courage and strength:


s: Now do the Gods bring nigh the end of toil:


s: Now give they victory to our longing hands.


s: Come, bravely enter ye this cavernous Horse.


s: When Aeson's son for heroes called, to man


s: Swift Argo, when of the heroes foremost I


s: Would gladly have entered her, but Pelias


s: Ah me, but now the burden of years--O nay,


s: Fearlessly!  Glory and strength shall courage give."


s: Answered him golden-haired Achilles' son:


s: "Nestor, in wisdom art thou chief of men;


s: But cruel age hath caught thee in his grip:


s: No more thy strength may match thy gallant will;


s: Therefore thou needs must unto Tenedos' strand.


s: We will take ambush, we the youths, of strife


s: Insatiate still, as thou, old sire, dost bid."


s: Then strode the son of Neleus to his side,


s: And kissed his hands, and kissed the head of him


s: Who offered thus himself the first of all


s: To enter that huge horse, being peril-fain,


s: And bade the elder of days abide without.


s: "Thy father's son art thou!  Achilles' might


s: And chivalrous speech be here!  O, sure am I


s: That by thine hands the Argives shall destroy


s: The stately city of Priam.  At the last,


s: After long travail, glory shall be ours,


s: Ours, after toil and tribulation of war;


s: The Gods have laid tribulation at men's feet


s: But happiness far off, and toil between:


s: Where feet must press right on through painful toil."


s: He spake: replied Achilles' glorious son:


s: "Old sire, as thine heart trusteth, be it vouchsafed


s: In answer to our prayers; for best were this:


s: But if the Gods will otherwise, be it so.


s: Ay, gladlier would I fall with glory in fight


s: Than flee from Troy, bowed 'neath a load of shame."


s: Then in his sire's celestial arms he arrayed


s: His shoulders; and with speed in harness sheathed


s: Stood the most mighty heroes, in whose healers


s: Was dauntless spirit.  Tell, ye Queens of Song,


s: Now man by man the names of all that passed


s: Into the cavernous Horse; for ye inspired


s: My soul with all my song, long ere my cheek


s: Grew dark with manhood's beard, what time I fed


s: My goodly sheep on Smyrna's pasture-lea,


s: From Hermus thrice so far as one may hear


s: First entered, strong Menelaus followed then,


s: Yea, more, even all their chiefest, entered in,


s: So many as that carven Horse could hold.


s: The fashioner of the Horse; in his breast lay


s: And of their closing: therefore last of all


s: Whereby they clomb: then made he all secure,


s: And set himself beside the bolt.  So all


s: In silence sat 'twixt victory and death.


s: But the rest fired the tents, wherein erewhile


s: They slept, and sailed the wide sea in their ships.


s: Two mighty-hearted captains ordered these,


s: Fain had they also entered that great Horse,


s: But all the host withheld them, bidding stay


s: With them a-shipboard, ordering their array:


s: For men far better work the works of war


s: When their kings oversee them; therefore these


s: So came they swiftly unto Tenedos' shore,


s: And dropped the anchor-stones, then leapt in haste


s: Forth of the ships, and silent waited there


s: Keen-watching till the signal-torch should flash.


s: But nigh the foe were they in the Horse, and now


s: Looked they for death, and now to smite the town;


s: And on their hopes and fears uprose the dawn.


s: Then marked the Trojans upon Hellespont's strand


s: The smoke upleaping yet through air: no more


s: Saw they the ships which brought to them from Greece


s: Destruction dire.  With joy to the shore they ran,


s: But armed them first, for fear still haunted them


s: Then marked they that fair-carven Horse, and stood


s: Marvelling round, for a mighty work was there.


s: A hapless-seeming man thereby they spied,


s: Sinon; and this one, that one questioned him


s: Touching the Danaans, as in a great ring


s: They compassed him, and with unangry words


s: First questioned, then with terrible threatenings.


s: Then tortured they that man of guileful soul


s: Long time unceasing.  Firm as a rock abode


s: The unquivering limbs, the unconquerable will.


s: His ears, his nose, at last they shore away


s: He should declare the truth, whither were gone


s: The Danaans in their ships, what thing the Horse


s: Concealed within it.  He had armed his mind


s: Recked not; his soul endured their cruel stripes,


s: Yea, and the bitter torment of the fire;


s: For strong endurance into him Hera breathed;


s: And still he told them the same guileful tale:


s: "The Argives in their ships flee oversea


s: This horse by Calchas' counsel fashioned they


s: Her stern wrath for that guardian image stol'n


s: From Troy.  And by Odysseus' prompting I


s: Was marked for slaughter, to be sacrificed


s: To the sea-powers, beside the moaning waves,


s: To win them safe return.  But their intent


s: I marked; and ere they spilt the drops of wine,


s: And sprinkled hallowed meal upon mine head,


s: Swiftly I fled, and, by the help of Heaven,


s: I flung me down, clasping the Horse's feet;


s: And they, sore loth, perforce must leave me there


s: Dreading great Zeus's daughter mighty-souled."


s: In subtlety so he spake, his soul untamed


s: By pain; for a brave man's part is to endure


s: To the uttermost.  And of the Trojans some


s: Wisely he spake: "A deadly fraud is this,"


s: He said, "devised by the Achaean chiefs!"


s: And cried to all straightway to burn the Horse,


s: And know if aught within its timbers lurked.


s: Yea, and they had obeyed him, and had 'scaped


s: With him, the Trojans, and their city, shook


s: Earth's deep foundations 'neath Laocoon's feet.


s: Straight terror fell on him, and trembling bowed


s: The knees of the presumptuous: round his head


s: Horror of darkness poured; a sharp pang thrilled


s: His eyelids; swam his eyes beneath his brows;


s: His eyeballs, stabbed with bitter anguish, throbbed


s: Even from the roots, and rolled in frenzy of pain.


s: Clear through his brain the bitter torment pierced


s: Now bloodshot were his eyes, now ghastly green;


s: Anon with rheum they ran, as pours a stream


s: Down from a rugged crag, with thawing snow


s: Made turbid.  As a man distraught he seemed:


s: All things he saw showed double, and he groaned


s: The men of Troy, and recked not of his pain.


s: Then did the Goddess strike him utterly blind.


s: Stared his fixed eyeballs white from pits of blood;


s: And all folk groaned for pity of their friend,


s: And dread of the Prey-giver, lest he had sinned


s: In folly against her, and his mind was thus


s: Warped to destruction yea, lest on themselves


s: Like judgment should be visited, to avenge


s: The outrage done to hapless Sinon's flesh,


s: Whereby they hoped to wring the truth from him.


s: So led they him in friendly wise to Troy,


s: Pitying him at the last.  Then gathered all,


s: And o'er that huge Horse hastily cast a rope,


s: And made it fast above; for under its feet


s: That, dragged by Trojan hands, it might glide on


s: Into their fortress.  One and all they haled


s: With multitudinous tug and strain, as when


s: Down to the sea young men sore-labouring drag


s: A ship; hard-crushed the stubborn rollers groan,


s: As, sliding with weird shrieks, the keel descends


s: Into the sea-surge; so that host with toil


s: Dragged up unto their city their own doom,


s: Epeius' work.  With great festoons of flowers


s: They hung it, and their own heads did they wreathe,


s: While answering each other pealed the flutes.


s: Of that dire war; Hera rejoiced on high;


s: Unto their city, brake they down the walls,


s: Their city's coronal, that the Horse of Death


s: Might be led in.  Troy's daughters greeted it


s: With shouts of salutation; marvelling all


s: Gazed at the mighty work where lurked their doom.


s: His countrymen to burn the Horse with fire:


s: They would not hear, for dread of the Gods' wrath.


s: A cave there was, beneath a rugged cliff


s: Dwelt fearful monsters of the deadly brood


s: Of Typhon, in the rock-clefts of the isle


s: Calydna that looks Troyward from the sea.


s: Thence stirred she up the strength of serpents twain,


s: And summoned them to Troy.  By her uproused


s: They shook the island as with earthquake: roared


s: The sea; the waves disparted as they came.


s: Onward they swept with fearful-flickering tongues:


s: Shuddered the very monsters of the deep:


s: Xanthus' and Simois' daughters moaned aloud,


s: The River-nymphs: the Cyprian Queen looked down


s: In anguish from Olympus.  Swiftly they came


s: Whither the Goddess sped them: with grim jaws


s: Whetting their deadly fangs, on his hapless sons


s: Sprang they.  All Trojans panic-stricken fled,


s: Seeing those fearsome dragons in their town.


s: No man, though ne'er so dauntless theretofore,


s: Dared tarry; ghastly dread laid hold on all


s: Shrinking in horror from the monsters. Screamed


s: The women; yea, the mother forgat her child,


s: Fear-frenzied as she fled: all Troy became


s: One shriek of fleers, one huddle of jostling limbs:


s: The streets were choked with cowering fugitives.


s: For death's doom and the Goddess chained their feet.


s: Then, even as from destruction shrank the lads,


s: Those deadly fangs had seized and ravined up


s: The twain, outstretching to their sightless sire


s: Agonized hands: no power to help had he.


s: Trojans far off looked on from every side


s: Weeping, all dazed.  And, having now fulfilled


s: Those monsters vanished 'neath the earth; and still


s: Stands their memorial, where into the fane


s: The hallowed.  Therebefore the sons of Troy


s: Gathered, and reared a cenotaph for those


s: Their father from his blind eyes rained the tears:


s: Over the empty tomb their mother shrieked,


s: Boding the while yet worse things, wailing o'er


s: Whose fledglings, ere they learned her plaintive song,


s: A hideous serpent's fangs have done to death,


s: And left the mother anguish, endless woe,


s: And bootless crying round her desolate home;


s: So groaned she for her children's wretched death,


s: So moaned she o'er the void tomb; and her pangs


s: Were sharpened by her lord's plight stricken blind.


s: While she for children and for husband moaned--


s: These slain, he of the sun's light portionless--


s: The Trojans to the Immortals sacrificed,


s: Pouring the wine.  Their hearts beat high with hope


s: To escape the weary stress of woeful war.


s: Howbeit the victims burned not, and the flames


s: Died out, as though 'neath heavy-hissing rain;


s: And writhed the smoke-wreaths blood-red, and the thighs


s: Quivering from crumbling altars fell to earth.


s: Drink-offerings turned to blood, Gods' statues wept,


s: And temple-walls dripped gore: along them rolled


s: Echoes of groaning out of depths unseen;


s: And all the long walls shuddered: from the towers


s: Came quick sharp sounds like cries of men in pain;


s: And, weirdly shrieking, of themselves slid back


s: The gate-bolts.  Screaming "Desolation!" wailed


s: The birds of night.  Above that God-built burg


s: A mist palled every star; and yet no cloud


s: Was in the flashing heavens.  By Phoebus' fane


s: Withered the bays that erst were lush and green.


s: Wolves and foul-feeding jackals came and howled


s: Within the gates.  Ay, other signs untold


s: Appeared, portending woe to Dardanus' sons


s: And Troy: yet no fear touched the Trojans' hearts


s: Who saw all through the town those portents dire:


s: Fate crazed them all, that midst their revelling


s: Slain by their foes they might fill up their doom.


s: One heart was steadfast, and one soul clear-eyed,


s: Cassandra.  Never her words were unfulfilled;


s: Yet was their utter truth, by Fate's decree,


s: That no bar to Troy's ruin might be set.


s: She saw those evil portents all through Troy


s: Conspiring to one end; loud rang her cry,


s: A hunter has stabbed or shot, whereat her heart


s: Maddens, and down the long hills rolls her roar,


s: And her might waxes tenfold; so with heart


s: Aflame with prophecy came she forth her bower.


s: Over her snowy shoulders tossed her hair


s: Streaming far down, and wildly blazed her eyes.


s: Her neck writhed, like a sapling in the wind


s: Shaken, as moaned and shrieked that noble maid:


s: "O wretches!  into the Land of Darkness now


s: We are passing; for all round us full of fire


s: Gods show: destruction yawns before your feet.


s: Fools!  ye know not your doom: still ye rejoice


s: With one consent in madness, who to Troy


s: Have brought the Argive Horse where ruin lurks!


s: Oh, ye believe not me, though ne'er so loud


s: I cry!  The Erinyes and the ruthless Fates,


s: For Helen's spousals madly wroth, through Troy


s: Dart on wild wings.  And ye, ye are banqueting there


s: In your last feast, on meats befouled with gore,


s: When now your feet are on the Path of Ghosts!"


s: Then cried a scoffing voice an ominous word:


s: "Why doth a raving tongue of evil speech,


s: With purity veils thee: thou art compassed round


s: With ruinous madness; therefore all men scorn


s: Thee, babbler!  Hence, thine evil bodings speak


s: To the Argives and thyself!  For thee doth wait


s: Anguish and shame yet bitterer than befell


s: In folly to destroy the Immortals' gift."


s: So scoffed a Trojan: others in like sort


s: Cried shame on her, and said she spake but lies,


s: Saying that ruin and Fate's heavy stroke


s: Were hard at hand.  They knew not their own doom,


s: And mocked, and thrust her back from that huge Horse


s: For fain she was to smite its beams apart,


s: Or burn with ravening fire.  She snatched a brand


s: Of blazing pine-wood from the hearth and ran


s: A two-edged halberd: on that Horse of Doom


s: She rushed, to cause the Trojans to behold


s: With their own eyes the ambush hidden there.


s: But straightway from her hands they plucked and flung


s: Afar the fire and steel, and careless turned


s: To the feast; for darkened o'er them their last night.


s: Within the horse the Argives joyed to hear


s: The uproar of Troy's feasters setting at naught


s: Cassandra, but they marvelled that she knew


s: So well the Achaeans' purpose and device.


s: Which from the steading hounds and shepherd-folk


s: Drive with fierce rush, with savage heart turns back


s: Even in departing, galled albeit by darts:


s: So from the great Horse fled she, anguish-racked


s: For Troy, for all the ruin she foreknew.


s: So feasted they through Troy, and in their midst


s: Loud pealed the flutes and pipes: on every hand


s: Were song and dance, laughter and cries confused


s: Of banqueters beside the meats and wine.


s: They, lifting in their hands the beakers brimmed,


s: Recklessly drank, till heavy of brain they grew,


s: Till rolled their fluctuant eyes.  Now and again


s: Some mouth would babble the drunkard's broken words.


s: The household gear, the very roof and walls


s: Seemed as they rocked: all things they looked on seemed


s: Whirled in wild dance.  About their eyes a veil


s: Of mist dropped, for the drunkard's sight is dimmed,


s: And the wit dulled, when rise the fumes to the brain:


s: "For naught the Danaans mustered that great host


s: Hither!  Fools, they have wrought not their intent,


s: But with hopes unaccomplished from our town


s: Like silly boys or women have they fled."


s: So cried a Trojan wit-befogged with wine,


s: Fool, nor discerned destruction at the doors.


s: When sleep had locked his fetters everywhere


s: Through Troy on folk fulfilled of wine and meat,


s: To show the Argive men the splendour of fire.


s: But fearfully the while his heart beat, lest


s: The men of Troy might see it, and the plot


s: Be suddenly revealed.  But on their beds


s: Sleeping their last sleep lay they, heavy with wine.


s: The host saw, and from Tenedos set sail.


s: Then nigh the Horse drew Sinon: softly he called,


s: Full softly, that no man of Troy might hear,


s: But only Achaea's chiefs, far from whose eyes


s: Sleep hovered, so athirst were they for fight.


s: They heard, and to Odysseus all inclined


s: Their ears: he bade them urgently go forth


s: That battle-summons, pressing in hot haste


s: He stayed them from all thrusting eagerly forth.


s: But first himself with swift unfaltering hands,


s: Helped of Epeius, here and there unbarred


s: The ribs of the Horse of beams: above the planks


s: A little he raised his head, and gazed around


s: With hunger stung to the heart, comes from the hills,


s: And ravenous for flesh draws nigh the flock


s: Penned in the wide fold, slinking past the men


s: And dogs that watch, all keen to ward the sheep,


s: Then o'er the fold-wall leaps with soundless feet;


s: So stole Odysseus down from the Horse: with him


s: Followed the war-fain lords of Hellas' League,


s: Orderly stepping down the ladders, which


s: For entering and for passing forth the Horse,


s: Who down them now on this side, that side, streamed


s: As fearless wasps startled by stroke of axe


s: From the tree-bole, at sound of woodman's blow;


s: So battle-kindled forth the Horse they poured


s: Into the midst of that strong city of Troy


s: With hearts that leapt expectant.  [With swift hands


s: Snatched they the brands from dying hearths, and fired


s: Temple and palace.  Onward then to the gates


s: Sped they,] and swiftly slew the slumbering guards,


s: Fast rowed the host the while; on swept the ships


s: Over the great flood: Thetis made their paths


s: Straight, and behind them sent a driving wind


s: Speeding them, and the hearts Achaean glowed.


s: Swiftly to Hellespont's shore they came, and there


s: Beached they the keels again, and deftly dealt


s: With whatso tackling appertains to ships.


s: Then leapt they aland, and hasted on to Troy


s: So without sound of voices marched they on


s: To help those mighty chiefs with foes begirt.


s: Now these--as famished wolves fierce-glaring round


s: Fall on a fold mid the long forest-hills,


s: While sleeps the toil-worn watchman, and they rend


s: In darkness, and all round [are heaped the slain;


s: So these within the city smote and slew,


s: As swarmed the awakened foe around them; yet,


s: Fast as they slew, aye faster closed on them


s: Those thousands, mad to thrust them from the gates.]


s: Slipping in blood and stumbling o'er the dead


s: Though Danaan thousands near and nearer drew.


s: But when the whole host reached the walls of Troy,


s: Of fight, with reckless battle-lust they poured;


s: And all that fortress found they full of war


s: And slaughter, palaces, temples, horribly


s: Blazing on all sides; glowed their hearts with joy.


s: In deadly mood then charged they on the foe.


s: Blood ran in torrents, drenched was all the earth,


s: As Trojans and their alien helpers died.


s: Here were men lying quelled by bitter death


s: All up and down the city in their blood;


s: Others on them were falling, gasping forth


s: Their life's strength; others, clutching in their hands


s: Their bowels that looked through hideous gashes forth,


s: Wandered in wretched plight around their homes:


s: Others, whose feet, while yet asleep they lay,


s: Had been hewn off, with groans unutterable


s: Crawled mid the corpses.  Some, who had rushed to fight,


s: Lay now in dust, with hands and heads hewn off.


s: Some were there, through whose backs, even as they fled,


s: The spear had passed, clear through to the breast, and some


s: Whose waists the lance had pierced, impaling them


s: Where sharpest stings the anguish-laden steel.


s: Of strong men stricken to death; and every home


s: With awful cries was echoing.  Rang the shrieks


s: Of women, like to screams of cranes, which see


s: Which have no courage to resist, but scream


s: Long terror-shrieks in dread of Zeus's bird;


s: So here, so there the Trojan women wailed,


s: Some starting from their sleep, some to the ground


s: Of robe and zone; in naught but tunics clad


s: Distraught they wandered: others found nor veil


s: Nor cloak to cast about them, but, as came


s: Onward their foes, they stood with beating hearts


s: Trembling, as lettered by despair, essaying,


s: All-hapless, with their hands alone to hide


s: Their nakedness.  And some in frenzy of woe:


s: Their tresses tore, and beat their breasts, and screamed.


s: Others against that stormy torrent of foes


s: Through mad desire to aid the perishing,


s: Husbands or children; for despair had given


s: High courage.  Shrieks had startled from their sleep


s: Soft little babes whose hearts had never known


s: Gasping their lives out!  Some there were whose dreams


s: Changed to a sudden vision of doom.  All round


s: The fell Fates gloated horribly o'er the slain.


s: And even as swine be slaughtered in the court


s: Of a rich king who makes his folk a feast,


s: So without number were they slain.  The wine


s: Left in the mixing-bowls was blent with blood


s: Gruesomely.  No man bare a sword unstained


s: With murder of defenceless folk of Troy,


s: Though he were but a weakling in fair fight.


s: And as by wolves or jackals sheep are torn,


s: What time the furnace-breath of midnoon-heat


s: Darts down, and all the flock beneath the shade


s: Are crowded, and the shepherd is not there,


s: But to the homestead bears afar their milk;


s: And the fierce brutes leap on them, tear their throats,


s: Gorge to the full their ravenous maws, and then


s: Lap the dark blood, and linger still to slay


s: All in mere lust of slaughter, and provide


s: So through the city of Priam Danaans slew


s: One after other in that last fight of all.


s: No Trojan there was woundless, all men's limbs


s: With blood in torrents spilt were darkly dashed.


s: Nor seetheless were the Danaans in the fray:


s: With beakers some were smitten, with tables some,


s: Thrust in the eyes of some were burning brands


s: Snatched from the hearth; some died transfixed with spits


s: Yet left within the hot flesh of the swine


s: Whereon the red breath of the Fire-god beat;


s: Others struck down by bills and axes keen


s: Gasped in their blood: from some men's hands were shorn


s: The fingers, who, in wild hope to escape


s: The imminent death, had clutched the blades of swords.


s: And here in that dark tumult one had hurled


s: A stone, and crushed the crown of a friend's head.


s: Like wild beasts trapped and stabbed within a fold


s: On a lone steading, frenziedly they fought,


s: Mad with despair-enkindled rage, beneath


s: That night of horror.  Hot with battle-lust


s: Here, there, the fighters rushed and hurried through


s: The palace of Priam.  Many an Argive fell


s: Spear-slain; for whatso Trojan in his halls


s: Might seize a sword, might lift a spear in hand,


s: Slew foes--ay, heavy though he were with wine.


s: Upflashed a glare unearthly through the town,


s: To know in that dim battle friends from foes.


s: And 'neath the left ribs pierced him with the lance


s: Where run the life-ways of man's meat and drink;


s: So met him black death borne upon the spear:


s: Down in dark blood he fell mid hosts of slain.


s: Ah fool!  the bride he won not, Priam's child


s: Cassandra, yea, his loveliest, for whose sake


s: And vaunted he would thrust the Argives back


s: His hope: the Fates hurled doom upon his head.


s: And flashed his terrible sword forth.  All the limbs


s: Of that grey sire were palsied with his fear:


s: He put forth trembling hands, with one he caught


s: The swift avenging sword, with one he clasped


s: The hero's knees.  Despite his fury of war,


s: A moment paused his wrath, or haply a God


s: Held back the sword a space, that that old man


s: Might speak to his fierce foe one word of prayer.


s: My suppliant hands!  Abate thy wrath!  To slay


s: The young and valiant is a glorious thing;


s: But if thou smite an old man, small renown


s: Waits on thy prowess.  Therefore turn from me


s: Thine hands against young men, if thou dost hope


s: Ever to come to grey hairs such as mine."


s: So spake he; but replied strong Tydeus' son:


s: "Old man, I look to attain to honoured age;


s: But while my Strength yet waxeth, will not I


s: The brave man makes an end of every foe."


s: Then through his throat that terrible warrior drave


s: The deadly blade, and thrust it straight to where


s: The paths of man's life lead by swiftest way


s: Blood-paved to doom: death palsied his poor strength


s: By Diomedes' hands.  Thence rushed he on


s: Slaying the Trojans, storming in his might


s: All through their fortress: pierced by his long spear


s: Eurycoon fell, Perimnestor's son renowned.


s: Smote godlike Pammon; then his javelin pierced


s: Dead upon these he laid, all Priam's sons.


s: Agenor faced him in the fight, and fell:


s: Stalked at his side Death's black doom manifest:


s: Clad in his sire's might, whomso he met he slew.


s: Last, on Troy's king in murderous mood he came.


s: By Zeus the Hearth-lord's altar.  Seeing him,


s: Old Priam knew him and quaked not; for he longed


s: Himself to lay his life down midst his sons;


s: And craving death to Achilles' seed he spake:


s: "Fierce-hearted son of Achilles strong in war,


s: I have no will to see the sun's light more,


s: Who have suffered woes so many and so dread.


s: Anguish and horror of war.  Oh that thy sire


s: Had slain me, ere mine eyes beheld aflame


s: Illium, had slain me when I brought to him


s: Ransom for Hector, whom thy father slew.


s: He spared me--so the Fates had spun my thread


s: Of destiny.  But thou, glut with my blood


s: Thy fierce heart, and let me forget my pain."


s: "Fain am I, yea, in haste to grant thy prayer.


s: For naught is dearer unto men than life."


s: With one stroke swept he off that hoary head


s: In a parched cornfield at the harvest-tide.


s: With lips yet murmuring low it rolled afar


s: From where with quivering limbs the body lay


s: Amidst dark-purple blood and slaughtered men.


s: So lay he, chiefest once of all the world


s: In lineage, wealth, in many and goodly sons.


s: Ah me, not long abides the honour of man,


s: But shame from unseen ambush leaps on him


s: So clutched him Doom, so he forgat his woes.


s: Yea, also did those Danaan car-lords hurl


s: Dashing him out of life.  They tore the child


s: Out of his mother's arms, in wrathful hate


s: Of Hector, who in life had dealt to them


s: Such havoc; therefore hated they his seed,


s: And down from that high rampart flung his child--


s: A wordless babe that nothing knew of war!


s: As when amid the mountains hungry wolves


s: Chase from the mother's side a suckling calf,


s: And with malignant cunning drive it o'er


s: An echoing cliffs edge, while runs to and fro


s: Its dam with long moans mourning her dear child,


s: For suddenly lions seize her for a prey;


s: So, as she agonized for her son, the foe


s: To bondage haled with other captive thralls


s: Then, as on those three fearful deaths she thought


s: Of husband, child, and father, Andromaehe


s: Longed sore to die.  Yea, for the royally-born


s: The service of the thrall to baser folk.


s: Or down the cliff, or cast me midst the fire,


s: For Peleus' son smote down my noble father


s: In Thebe, and in Troy mine husband slew,


s: Who unto me was all mine heart's desire,


s: Who left me in mine halls one little child,


s: My darling and my pride--of all mine hopes


s: In him fell merciless Fate hath cheated me!


s: Oh therefore thrust this broken-hearted one


s: Mingled with spear-thralls; for my soul henceforth


s: Hath no more pleasure in life, since God hath slain


s: My nearest and my dearest!  For me waits


s: Trouble and anguish and lone homelessness!"


s: So cried she, longing for the grave; for vile


s: Is life to them whose glory is swallowed up


s: But, spite her prayers, to thraldom dragged they her.


s: The Argives rendered hospitality's debt,


s: For that in time past had his roof received


s: Therefore the mighty sons of Achaea showed


s: Grace to him, as to a friend, and spared his life


s: And substance, fearing Themis who seeth all.


s: Then also princely Anchises' noble son--


s: Hard had he fought through Priam's burg that night


s: With spear and valour, and many had he slain--


s: By hands of foes, saw her folk perishing


s: In multitudes, her treasures spoiled, her wives


s: And children dragged to thraldom from their homes,


s: No more he hoped to see the stately walls


s: Of his birth-city, but bethought him now


s: And as the helmsman of a ship, who toils


s: On the deep sea, and matches all his craft


s: Against the winds and waves from every side


s: Forspent at last, both hand and heart, when now


s: The ship is foundering in the surge, forsakes


s: The helm, to launch forth in a little boat,


s: And left her to her foes, a sea of fire.


s: His son and father alone he snatched from death;


s: The old man broken down with years he set


s: On his broad shoulders with his own strong hands,


s: And led the young child by his small soft hand,


s: Whose little footsteps lightly touched the ground;


s: And, as he quaked to see that work of deaths


s: His father led him through the roar of fight,


s: And clinging hung on him the tender child,


s: Tears down his soft cheeks streaming.  But the man


s: O'er many a body sprang with hurrying feet,


s: Earnest to save from that wild ruin her son,


s: His father, and his child.  As on he pressed,


s: The flames gave back before him everywhere:


s: The blast of the Fire-god's breath to right and left


s: Was cloven asunder.  Spears and javelins hurled


s: Against him by the Achaeans harmless fell.


s: Also, to stay them, Calchas cried aloud:


s: To hurl the bitter dart, the deadly spear!


s: To pass from Xanthus, and by Tiber's flood


s: Through all time, and to rule o'er tribes of men


s: Far-sundered.  Of his seed shall lords of earth


s: Rule from the rising to the setting sun.


s: Yea, with the Immortals ever shall he dwell,


s: From him too is it meet we hold our hands


s: Because he hath preferred his father and son


s: To gold, to all things that might profit a man


s: This one night hath revealed to us a man


s: Faithful to death to his father and his child."


s: Then hearkened they, and as a God did all


s: Whither his feet should bear him, while the foe


s: Made havoc still of goodly-builded Troy.


s: Found, heavy with wine, ill-starred Deiphobus,


s: And slew him with the sword: but she had fled


s: And hidden her in the palace.  O'er the blood


s: Of that slain man exulted he, and cried:


s: "Dog!  I, even I have dealt thee unwelcome death


s: This day!  No dawn divine shall meet thee again


s: Alive in Troy--ay, though thou vaunt thyself


s: Spouse of the child of Zeus the thunder-voiced!


s: Black death hath trapped thee slain in my wife's bower!


s: Ere this, and plucked his heart out!  So my grief


s: Had been a lighter load.  But he hath paid


s: Already justice' debt, hath passed beneath


s: Death's cold dark shadow.  Ha, small joy to thee


s: My wife was doomed to bring!  Ay, wicked men


s: Her eyes are on them, and the wide world through


s: Above the tribes of men she floats in air,


s: On passed he, dealing merciless death to foes,


s: For maddened was his soul with jealousy.


s: Against the Trojans was his bold heart full


s: Of thoughts of vengeance, which were now fulfilled


s: By the dread Goddess Justice, for that theirs


s: Was that first outrage touching Helen, theirs


s: That profanation of the oaths, and theirs


s: That trampling on the blood of sacrifice


s: When their presumptuous souls forgat the Gods.


s: Therefore the Vengeance-friends brought woes on them


s: Thereafter, and some died in fighting field,


s: Some now in Troy by board and bridal bower.


s: At last his wife, there cowering from the wrath


s: Of her bold-hearted lord.  He glared on her,


s: Hungering to slay her in his jealous rage.


s: But winsome Aphrodite curbed him, struck


s: Out of his hand the sword, his onrush reined,


s: Jealousy's dark cloud swept she away, and stirred


s: Love's deep sweet well-springs in his heart and eyes.


s: Swept o'er him strange amazement: powerless all


s: Was he to lift the sword against her neck,


s: Seeing her splendour of beauty.  Like a stock


s: Of dead wood in a mountain forest, which


s: No swiftly-rushing blasts of north-winds shake,


s: Nor fury of south-winds ever, so he stood,


s: So dazed abode long time.  All his great strength


s: Yea, all her sins against her spousal-troth;


s: From earth his sword, and made as he would rush


s: Even as he sprang: he did but feign, to cheat


s: Achaean eyes.  Then did his brother stay


s: His fury, and spake with pacifying words,


s: Fearing lest all they had toiled for should be lost:


s: "Forbear wrath, Menelaus, now: 'twere shame


s: To slay thy wedded wife, for whose sake we


s: Have suffered much affliction, while we sought


s: Vengeance on Priam.  Not, as thou dost deem,


s: Was Helen's the sin, but his who set at naught


s: The Guest-lord, and thine hospitable board;


s: So with death-pangs hath God requited him."


s: But the Gods, palled in dark clouds, mourned for Troy,


s: A ruined glory save fair-tressed Tritonis


s: And Hera: their hearts triumphed, when they saw


s: The burg of god-descended Priam destroyed.


s: Yet not the wise heart Trito-born herself


s: Was wholly tearless; for within her fane


s: Lust-maddened.  But grim vengeance upon him


s: Ere long the Goddess wreaked, repaying insult


s: With mortal sufferance.  Yea, she would not look


s: With shame and wrath as with a cloak: she turned


s: Her stern eyes to the temple-roof, and groaned


s: Quaked mightily.  Yet did he not forbear


s: His mad sin, for his soul was lust-distraught.


s: Here, there, on all sides crumbled flaming homes


s: In ruin down: scorched dust with smoke was blent:


s: Trembled the streets to the awful thunderous crash.


s: Here burned Aeneas' palace, yonder flamed


s: Antimachus' halls: one furnace was the height


s: Of fair-built Pergamus; flames were roaring round


s: And round the Hearth-lord's altar: flames licked up


s: Fair chambers of the sons' sons of a king;


s: Of Trojans some by Argos' sons were slain,


s: Some by their own roofs crashing down in fire,


s: Giving at once in death and tomb to them:


s: Some in their own throats plunged the steel, when foes


s: And fire were in the porch together seen:


s: Some slew their wives and children, and flung themselves


s: Dead on them, when despair had done its work


s: Of horror.  One, who deemed the foe afar,


s: Caught up a vase, and, fain to quench the flame,


s: Hasted for water.  Leapt unmarked on him


s: An Argive, and his spirit, heavy with wine,


s: Was thrust forth from the body by the spear.


s: Clashed the void vase above him, as he fell


s: Backward within the house.  As through his hall


s: Another fled, the burning roof-beam crashed


s: Down on his head, and swift death came with it.


s: They rushed forth, suddenly remembered babes


s: Left in their beds beneath those burning roofs:


s: With wild feet sped they back--the house fell in


s: Upon them, and they perished, mother and child.


s: Horses and dogs in panic through the town


s: Fled from the flames, trampling beneath their feet


s: To their sore hurt.  Shrieks rang through all the town.


s: In through his blazing porchway rushed a man


s: To rescue wife and child.  Through smoke and flame


s: Blindly he groped, and perished while he cried


s: Their names, and pitiless doom slew those within.


s: The fire-glow upward mounted to the sky,


s: The red glare o'er the firmament spread its wings,


s: And all the tribes of folk that dwelt around


s: Beheld it, far as Ida's mountain-crests,


s: And sea-girt Tenedos, and Thracian Samos.


s: And men that voyaged on the deep sea cried:


s: "The Argives have achieved their mighty task


s: After long toil for star-eyed Helen's sake.


s: All Troy, the once queen-city, burns in fire:


s: For all their prayers, no God defends them now;


s: For strong Fate oversees all works of men,


s: She raises, and brings low the exalted ones.


s: Oft out of good is evil brought, and good


s: From evil, mid the travail and change of life."


s: So spake they, who from far beheld the glare


s: Of Troy's great burning.  Compassed were her folk


s: With wailing misery: through her streets the foe


s: The boundless sea, what time the Altar ascends


s: To heaven's star-pavement, turned to the misty south


s: And with its rising leap the wild winds forth,


s: And ships full many are whelmed 'neath ravening seas;


s: Wild as those stormy winds Achaea's sons


s: Ravaged steep Ilium while she burned in flame.


s: As when a mountain clothed with shaggy woods


s: Burns swiftly in a fire-blast winged with winds,


s: And from her tall peaks goeth up a roar,


s: And all the forest-children this way and that


s: Rush through the wood, tormented by the flame;


s: So were the Trojans perishing: there was none


s: To save, of all the Gods.  Round these were staked


s: The nets of Fate, which no man can escape.


s: To meet them by some Blessed One, the while


s: 'Wildered from war and fire she fled.  They saw


s: Imperial-moulded, and they weened that this


s: Was Priam's queen, and with swift eagerness


s: Laid hands on her, to lead her captive thence


s: To the Danaans; but piteously she moaned:


s: "Ah, do not, noble sons of warrior Greeks,


s: I am not of Trojan birth: of Danaans came


s: My princely blood renowned.  In Troezen's halls


s: And of my womb sprang Theseus glory-crowned.


s: For great Zeus' sake, for your dear parents' sake,


s: Unto their yearning eyes.  I trow they be


s: Young men like you.  My soul shall be refreshed


s: If living I behold those chieftains twain."


s: Hearkening to her they called their sire to mind,


s: His deeds for Helen's sake, and how the sons


s: Of Zeus the Thunderer in the old time smote


s: Aphidnae, when, because these were but babes,


s: Their nurses hid them far from peril of fight;


s: And Aethra they remembered--all she endured


s: Through wars, as mother-in-law at first, and thrall


s: Till spake Demophoon to that wistful one:


s: "Even now the Gods fulfil thine heart's desire:


s: Thy noble son: thee shall our loving hands


s: Bear to the ships: with joy to Hellas' soil


s: Thee will we bring, where once thou wast a queen."


s: Then his great father's mother clasped him round


s: With clinging arms: she kissed his shoulders broad,


s: His head, his breast, his bearded lips she kissed,


s: And Acamas kissed withal, the while she shed


s: Glad tears on these who could not choose but weep.


s: He cometh home: his children see his face,


s: And break into glad weeping; yea, and he,


s: His arms around them, and their little heads


s: Upon his shoulders, sobs: echoes the home


s: With happy mourning's music-beating wings;


s: So wept they with sweet sighs and sorrowless moans.


s: Then, too, affliction-burdened Priam's child,


s: Laodice, say they, stretched her hands to heaven,


s: Praying the mighty Gods that earth might gape


s: To swallow her, ere she defiled her hand


s: With thralls' work; and a God gave ear, and rent


s: Deep earth beneath her: so by Heaven's decree


s: Did earth's abysmal chasm receive the maid


s: In Troy's last hour.  Electra's self withal,


s: The Star-queen lovely-robed, shrouded her form


s: In mist and cloud, and left the Pleiad-band,


s: Still riseth up in sight of toil-worn men


s: Their bright troop in the skies; but she alone


s: Hides viewless ever, since the hallowed town


s: When Zeus most high from heaven could help her not,


s: Because to Fate the might of Zeus must bow;


s: And by the Immortals' purpose all these things


s: Had come to pass, or by Fate's ordinance.


s: Still on Troy's folk the Argives wreaked their wrath,


s: And battle's issues Strife Incarnate held.


s: How the conquerors sailed from Troy unto judgment of tempest and


s: Then rose from Ocean Dawn the golden-throned


s: Up to the heavens; night into Chaos sank.


s: And now the Argives spoiled fair-fenced Troy,


s: And took her boundless treasures for a prey.


s: Like river-torrents seemed they, that sweep down,


s: By rain, floods swelled, in thunder from the hills,


s: And seaward hurl tall trees and whatsoe'er


s: Grows on the mountains, mingled with the wreck


s: Of shattered cliff and crag; so the long lines


s: Of Danaans who had wasted Troy with fire


s: Seemed, streaming with her plunder to the ships.


s: Troy's daughters therewithal in scattered bands


s: They haled down seaward--virgins yet unwed,


s: And new-made brides, and matrons silver-haired,


s: And mothers from whose bosoms foes had torn


s: Babes for the last time closing lips on breasts.


s: Forth of the burning city, having wrought


s: A mighty triumph--joy and shame were his.


s: Cassandra heavenly-fair was haled the prize


s: Odysseus dragged unto his ship.  The tears


s: Poured from her eyes as water from a spring;


s: Trembled her limbs, fear-frenzied was her heart;


s: Rent were her hoary tresses and besprent


s: With ashes of the hearth, cast by her hands


s: When she saw Priam slain and Troy aflame.


s: And aye she deeply groaned for thraldom's day


s: That trapped her vainly loth.  Each hero led


s: Here, there, uprose from these the wild lament,


s: The woeful-mingling cries of mother and babe.


s: As when with white-tusked swine the herdmen drive


s: Their younglings from the hill-pens to the plain


s: Each answereth each with mingled plaintive cries;


s: So moaned Troy's daughters by their foes enslaved,


s: Handmaid and queen made one in thraldom's lot.


s: Sat on her dark-blue eyes, and cast its flush


s: Over her lovely cheeks.  Her heart beat hard


s: With sore misgiving, lest, as to the ships


s: She passed, the Achaeans might mishandle her.


s: Therefore with fluttering soul she trembled sore;


s: And, her head darkly mantled in her veil,


s: Close-following trod she in her husband's steps,


s: With cheek shame-crimsoned, like the Queen of Love,


s: What time the Heaven-abiders saw her clasped


s: The marriage-bed, trapped in the myriad-meshed


s: Toils of Hephaestus: tangled there she lay


s: In agony of shame, while thronged around


s: The Blessed, and there stood Hephaestus' self:


s: For fearful it is for wives to be beheld


s: By husbands' eyes doing the deed of shame.


s: To the Argive ships.  But the folk all around


s: Marvelled to see the glory of loveliness


s: Of that all-flawless woman.  No man dared


s: After long time and passion of prayer, the sight


s: Of fatherland is given; from deadly deeps


s: Escaped, they stretch hands to her joyful-souled;


s: So joyed the Danaans all, no man of them


s: Remembered any more war's travail and pain.


s: Such thoughts Cytherea stirred in them, for grace


s: To Helen starry-eyed, and Zeus her sire.


s: Then, when he saw that burg beloved destroyed,


s: Xanthus, scarce drawing breath from bloody war,


s: Mourned with his Nymphs for ruin fallen on Troy,


s: Mourned for the city of Priam blotted out.


s: As when hail lashes a field of ripened wheat,


s: And beats it small, and smites off all the ears


s: With merciless scourge, and levelled with the ground


s: Are stalks, and on the earth is all the grain


s: Is stricken with deadly grief; so Xanthus' soul


s: Was utterly whelmed in grief for Ilium made


s: And long-ridged Ida: all who on Ida dwelt


s: Wailed from afar the ruin of Priam's town.


s: But with loud laughter of glee the Argives sought


s: Their galleys, chanting the triumphant might


s: Of victory, chanting now the Blessed Gods,


s: Ever renowned.  Their song soared up to heaven,


s: Like multitudinous cries of daws, when breaks


s: After a ruining storm: from their glad hearts


s: So rose the joyful clamour, till the Gods


s: Heard and rejoiced in heaven, all who had helped


s: With willing hands the war-fain Argive men.


s: But chafed those others which had aided Troy,


s: Beholding Priam's city wrapped in flame,


s: Fate; for not Cronos' Son can stay the hand


s: Of Destiny, whose might transcendeth all


s: The Immortals, and Zeus sanctioneth all her deeds.


s: Laid many thighs of oxen, and made haste


s: To spill sweet wine on their burnt offerings,


s: Thanking the Gods for that great work achieved.


s: And loudly at the feast they sang the praise


s: Of all the mailed men whom the Horse of Tree


s: Had ambushed.  Far-famed Sinon they extolled


s: For that dire torment he endured of foes;


s: Yea, song and honour-guerdons without end


s: All rendered him: and that resolved soul


s: Glad-hearted joyed for the Argives victory,


s: And for his own misfeaturing sorrowed not.


s: Is better far than gold, than goodlihead,


s: Than all good things men have or hope to win.


s: So, feasting by the ships all void of fear,


s: "We have touched the goal of this long war, have won


s: Glory, have smitten our foes and their great town!


s: Now grant, O Zeus, to our prayers safe home-return!"


s: But not to all the Sire vouchsafed return.


s: Then rose a cunning harper in their midst.


s: And sang the song of triumph and of peace


s: Re-won, and with glad hearts untouched by care


s: They heard; for no more fear of war had they,


s: And blissful, fleeting hours henceforth they dreamed.


s: He sang--how leagued peoples gathering met


s: At hallowed Aulis--how the invincible strength


s: Of Peleus' son smote fenced cities twelve


s: In sea-raids, how he marched o'er leagues on leagues


s: Of land, and spoiled eleven--all he wrought


s: Of war that through Achilles' wrath befell


s: The Achaeans--how he dragged dead Hector round


s: His own Troy's wall, and how he slew in fight


s: How Aias laid low Glaucus, lord of spears,


s: Then sang he how the child of Aeacus' son


s: Struck down Eurypylus, and how the shafts


s: Then the song named all heroes who passed in


s: To ambush in the Horse of Guile, and hymned


s: The feast he sang last, and peace after war;


s: Then many another, as they listed, sang.


s: But when above those feasters midnight's stars


s: Hung, ceased the Danaans from the feast and wine,


s: And turned to sleep's forgetfulness of care,


s: For that with yesterday's war-travail all


s: Were wearied; wherefore they, who fain all night


s: Had revelled, needs must cease: how loth soe'er,


s: Sleep drew them thence; here, there, soft slumbered they.


s: With bright-haired Helen spake; for on their eyes


s: Sleep had not fallen yet.  The Cyprian Queen


s: Brooded above their souls, that olden love


s: Might be renewed, and heart-ache chased away.


s: Helen first brake the silence, and she said:


s: Not of my will I left thy roof, thy bed,


s: Came upon me, and snatched away, when thou


s: Wast far thence.  Oftentimes did I essay


s: By the death-noose to perish wretchedly,


s: Or by the bitter sword; but still they stayed


s: Mine hand, and still spake comfortable words


s: To salve my grief for thee and my sweet child.


s: For her sake, for the sake of olden love,


s: And for thine own sake, I beseech thee now,


s: Forget thy stern displeasure against thy wife."


s: "No more remember past griefs: seal them up


s: Hid in thine heart.  Let all be locked within


s: What profits it to call ill deeds to mind?"


s: Glad was she then: fear flitted from her heart,


s: And came sweet hope that her lord's wrath was dead.


s: She cast her arms around him, and their eyes


s: With tears were brimming as they made sweet moan;


s: And side by side they laid them, and their hearts


s: Thrilled with remembrance of old spousal joy.


s: And as a vine and ivy entwine their stems


s: Each around other, that no might of wind


s: Avails to sever them, so clung these twain


s: Twined in the passionate embrace of love.


s: When came on these too sorrow-drowning sleep,


s: Even then above his son's head rose and stood


s: As when he lived, the Trojans' bane, the joy


s: Of Greeks, and kissed his neck and flashing eyes


s: "All hail, my son!  Vex not thine heart with grief


s: For thy dead sire; for with the Blessed Gods


s: Now at the feast I sit.  Refrain thy soul


s: From sorrow, and plant my strength within thy mind.


s: Before thine elders: so shall all acclaim


s: Thy courtesy.  Honour princely men and wise;


s: For the true man is still the true man's friend,


s: Even as the vile man cleaveth to the knave.


s: If good thy thought be, good shall be thy deeds:


s: But no man shall attain to Honour's height,


s: Except his heart be right within: her stem


s: Is hard to climb, and high in heaven spread


s: Her branches: only they whom strength and toil


s: Attend, strain up to pluck her blissful fruit,


s: Climbing the Tree of Honour glow-crowned.


s: Thou therefore follow fame, and let thy soul


s: Nor in prosperity over-glad.  To friends,


s: To comrades, child and wife, be kindly of heart,


s: Remembering still that near to all men stand


s: The gates of doom, the mansions of the dead:


s: For humankind are like the flower of grass,


s: The blossom of spring; these fade the while those bloom:


s: Round Priam's walls, and those sea-raids I led


s: Be in their hearts remembered, to my tomb


s: Whom as my portion of the spoil I claim--


s: And sacrificed thereon: else shall my wrath


s: Against them more than for Briseis burn.


s: The waves of the great deep will I turmoil


s: To bar their way, upstirring storm on storm,


s: That through their own mad folly pining away


s: They pour drink-offerings, yearning sore for home.


s: But, when they have slain the maiden, I grudge not


s: That whoso will may bury her far from me."


s: Then as a wind-breath swift he fleeted thence,


s: Then the son started up from sleep, and called


s: His sire to mind, and glowed the heart in him.


s: When to wide heaven the Child of Mist uprose,


s: Scattering night, unveiling earth and air,


s: Then from their rest upsprang Achaea's sons


s: Yearning for home.  With laughter 'gan they hale


s: Down to the sea the keels: but lo, their haste


s: He assembled them, and told his sire's behest:


s: "Hearken, dear sons of Argives battle-staunch,


s: To this my glorious father's hest, to me


s: Spoken in darkness slumbering on my bed:


s: He saith, he dwells with the Immortal Gods:


s: To bring, as his war-guerdon passing-fair,


s: To his dim dark tomb Polyxeina queenly-robed,


s: To slay her there, but far thence bury her.


s: The sea, he threateneth to stir up the waves


s: To bar your path upon the deep, and here


s: Storm-bound long time to hold you, ships and men."


s: Then hearkened they, and as to a God they prayed;


s: Upheaved the waves, broad-backed and thronging fast


s: More than before beneath the madding wind.


s: Tossed the great deep, smit by Poseidon's hands


s: For a grace to strong Achilles.  All the winds


s: Swooped on the waters.  Prayed the Dardans all


s: To Achilles, and a man to his fellow cried:


s: Dwelt among us; for lapse of dateless time


s: Makes not the sons of Heaven to fade away."


s: Then to Achilles' tomb the host returned,


s: And led the maid, as calf by herdmen dragged


s: For sacrifice, from woodland pastures torn


s: From its mother's side, and lowing long and loud


s: It moans with anguished heart; so Priam's child


s: Wailed in the hands of foes.  Down streamed her tears


s: Olives clear-skinned, ne'er blotched by drops of storm,


s: Pour out their oil, when the long levers creak


s: As strong men strain the cords; so poured the tears


s: Of travail-burdened Priam's daughter, haled


s: To stern Achilles' tomb, tears blent with moans.


s: Drenched were her bosom-folds, glistened the drops


s: Then, to crown all her griefs, yet sharper pain


s: Then did her soul recall that awful dream,


s: The vision of sleep of that night overpast:


s: Herseemed that on Achilles' tomb she stood


s: Moaning, her hair down-streaming to the ground,


s: And from her breasts blood dripped to earth the while,


s: And drenched the tomb.  Fear-haunted touching this,


s: Utters long howls, her teats with milk distent,


s: Whose whelps, ere their eyes opened to the light,


s: Her lords afar have flung, a prey to kites;


s: And now with short sharp cries she plains, and now


s: Long howling: the weird outcry thrills the air;


s: So wailed and shrieked for her child Hecuba:


s: "Ah me! what sorrows first or last shall I


s: Lament heart-anguished, who am full of woes?


s: Have suffered?  or my city, or daughters shamed?


s: Oh, the grim fates have caught me in a net


s: Of manifold ills!  O child, they have spun for thee


s: They have thrust thee away, when near was Hymen's hymn,


s: From thine espousals, marked thee for destruction


s: For lo, a dead man's heart, Achilles' heart,


s: Is by our blood made warm with life to-day!


s: O child, dear child, that I might die with thee,


s: That earth might swallow me, ere I see thy doom!"


s: So cried she, weeping never-ceasing tears,


s: For grief on bitter grief encompassed her.


s: But when these reached divine Achilles' tomb,


s: Then did his son unsheathe the whetted sword,


s: His left hand grasped the maid, and his right hand


s: Was laid upon the tomb, and thus he cried:


s: "Hear, father, thy son's prayer, hear all the prayers


s: Of Argives, and be no more wroth with us!


s: Lo, unto thee now all thine heart's desire


s: Will we fulfil.  Be gracious to us thou,


s: And to our praying grant sweet home-return."


s: Into the maid's throat then he plunged the blade


s: Of death: the dear life straightway sobbed she forth,


s: With the last piteous moan of parting breath.


s: Face-downward to the earth she fell: all round


s: Her flesh was crimsoned from her neck, as snow


s: Stained on a mountain-side with scarlet blood


s: Rushing, from javelin-smitten boar or bear.


s: The maiden's corpse then gave they, to be borne


s: For that, when Troy yet stood, he nurtured her


s: In his fair halls, a bride for his own son


s: King Priam's princess-child, nigh his own house,


s: Then were the waves stilled, and the blast was hushed


s: To sleep, and all the sea-flood lulled to calm.


s: Swift with glad laughter hied they to the ships,


s: A feast they made, first severing thighs of kine


s: Steamed on all sides: in cups of silver and gold


s: They drank sweet wine: their hearts leaped up with hope


s: But when with meats and wine all these were filled,


s: Then in their eager ears spake Neleus' son:


s: "Hear, friends, who have 'scaped the long turmoil of war,


s: Now is the hour of heart's delight, the hour


s: Hath ceased from ruinous wrath; Earth-shaker stills


s: The stormy wave, and gentle breezes blow;


s: No more the waves toss high.  Haste, hale the ships


s: Down to the sea.  Now, ho for home-return!"


s: Eager they heard, and ready made the ships.


s: Then was a marvellous portent seen of men;


s: For all-unhappy Priam's queen was changed


s: And all men gathered round in wondering awe.


s: Then all her body a God transformed to stone--


s: At Calchas' bidding this the Achaeans bore


s: In a swift ship to Hellespont's far side.


s: Then down to the sea in haste they ran the keels:


s: Their wealth they laid aboard, even all the spoil


s: From conquered neighbour peoples; therewithal


s: Whatso they took from Ilium, wherein most


s: They joyed, for untold was the sum thereof.


s: And followed with them many a captive maid


s: With anguished heart: so went they aboard the ships.


s: But Calchas would not with that eager host


s: Launch forth; yea, he had fain withheld therefrom


s: Foreboded dread destruction looming o'er


s: Fate Deluded men's souls: only Amphilochus


s: The wise in prophet-lore, the gallant son


s: Of princely Amphiaraus, stayed with him.


s: Fated were these twain, far from their own land,


s: And this the Gods thereafter brought to pass.


s: But now the Achaeans cast the hawsers loose


s: From shore: in haste they heaved the anchor-stones.


s: Roared Hellespont beneath swift-flashing oars;


s: Crashed the prows through the sea.  About the bows


s: Much armour of slain foes was lying heaped:


s: Along the bulwarks victory-trophies hung


s: Countless.  With garlands wreathed they all the ships,


s: Their heads, the spears, the shields wherewith they had fought


s: Against their foes.  The chiefs stood on the prows,


s: And poured into the dark sea once and again


s: Wine to the Gods, to grant them safe return.


s: But with the winds their prayers mixed; far away


s: Vainly they floated blent with cloud and air.


s: With anguished hearts the captive maids looked back


s: On Ilium, and with sobs and moans they wailed,


s: Striving to hide their grief from Argive eyes.


s: Clasping their knees some sat; in misery some


s: Veiled with their hands their faces; others nursed


s: Young children in their arms: those innocents


s: Not yet bewailed their day of bondage, nor


s: Their country's ruin; all their thoughts were set


s: On comfort of the breast, for the babe's heart


s: Sat with unbraided hair and pitiful breasts


s: Scored with their fingers.  On their cheeks there lay


s: Stains of dried tears, and streamed thereover now


s: Fresh tears full fast, as still they gazed aback


s: On the lost hapless home, wherefrom yet rose


s: The flames, and o'er it writhed the rolling smoke.


s: But at their tears she laughed in bitter scorn,


s: Such Trojans as had scaped from pitiless war


s: To that sad work: one pyre for all they raised.


s: But laughed with triumphing hearts the Argive men,


s: As now with oars they swept o'er dark sea-ways,


s: Now hastily hoised the sails high o'er the ships,


s: And Hero Achilles' tomb.  But now their hearts,


s: How blithe soe'er, remembered comrades slain,


s: And sorely grieved, and wistfully they looked


s: Back to the alien's land; it seemed to them


s: Aye sliding farther from their ships.  Full soon


s: By Tenedos' beaches slipt they: now they ran


s: By Chrysa, Sminthian Phoebus' holy place,


s: And hallowed Cilla.  Far away were glimpsed


s: Was Lecton's foreland, where is the last peak


s: Of Ida.  In the sails loud hummed the wind,


s: Crashed round the prows the dark surge: the long waves


s: Showed shadowy hollows, far the white wake gleamed.


s: Now had the Argives all to the hallowed soil


s: The Thunderer, and her indignation's wrath.


s: When nigh Euboea's windy heights they drew,


s: Crushing and pitiless, and drew nigh to Zeus


s: Lord of the Gods, and spake to him apart


s: In wrath that in her breast would not be pent:


s: Is men's presumption!  They reck not of thee,


s: Of none of the Blessed reck they, forasmuch


s: As vengeance followeth after sin no more;


s: And ofttimes more afflicted are good men


s: Than evil, and their misery hath no end.


s: Therefore no man regardeth justice: shame


s: Lives not with men!  And I, I will not dwell


s: My might, nor reverenced in his wicked heart


s: He did.  Therefore let not thy spirit divine


s: Begrudge mine heart's desire, that so all men


s: May quake before the manifest wrath of Gods."


s: Answered the Sire with heart-assuaging words:


s: "Child, not for the Argives' sake withstand I thee;


s: But all mine armoury which the Cyclops' might


s: To win my favour wrought with tireless hands,


s: To thy desire I give.  O strong heart, hurl


s: A ruining storm thyself on the Argive fleet."


s: Then down before the aweless Maid he cast


s: Swift lightning, thunder, and deadly thunderbolt;


s: And her heart leapt, and gladdened was her soul.


s: She donned the stormy Aegis flashing far,


s: Adamantine, massy, a marvel to the Gods,


s: Whereon was wrought Medusa's ghastly head,


s: Fearful: strong serpents breathing forth the blast


s: Of ravening fire were on the face thereof.


s: Crashed on the Queen's breast all the Aegis-links,


s: As after lightning crashes the firmament.


s: Then grasped she her father's weapons, which no God


s: Save Zeus can lift, and wide Olympus shook.


s: Then swept she clouds and mist together on high;


s: Night over earth was poured, haze o'er the sea.


s: Zeus watched, and was right glad as broad heaven's floor


s: Rocked 'neath the Goddess's feet, and crashed the sky,


s: As though invincible Zeus rushed forth to war.


s: To bid him send forth all his buffering winds


s: O'er iron-bound Caphereus' cliffs to sweep


s: Ceaselessly, and with ruin of madding blasts


s: To upheave the sea.  And Iris heard, and swift


s: She darted, through cloud-billows plunging down--


s: Thou hadst said: "Lo, in the sky dark water and fire!"


s: With rugged ribs of mountain overarched,


s: Hippotas' son.  Him found she therewithin


s: With wife and twelve sons; and she told to him


s: Athena's purpose toward the homeward-bound


s: Achaeans.  He denied her not, but passed


s: Forth of his halls, and in resistless hands


s: Upswung his trident, smiting the mountain-side


s: Within whose chasm-cell the wild winds dwelt


s: Weird roarings of their voices round its vaults.


s: Cleft by his might was the hill-side; forth they poured.


s: He bade them on their wings bear blackest storm


s: To upheave the sea, and shroud Caphereus' heights.


s: Swiftly upsprang they, ere their king's command


s: Was fully spoken.  Mightily moaned the sea


s: As they rushed o'er it; waves like mountain-cliffs


s: From all sides were uprolled.  The Achaeans' hearts


s: Were terror-palsied, as the uptowering surge


s: Now swung the ships up high through palling mist,


s: Now hurled them rolled as down a precipice


s: To dark abysses.  Up through yawning deeps


s: Some power resistless belched the boiling sand


s: From the sea's floor.  Tossed in despair, fear-dazed,


s: Men could not grasp the oar, nor reef the sail


s: Ere the winds rent it, could not with the sheets


s: Trim the torn canvas, buffeted so were they


s: By ruining blasts.  The helmsman had no power


s: To guide the rudder with his practised hands,


s: For those ill winds hurled all confusedly.


s: No hope of life was left them: blackest night,


s: Fury of tempest, wrath of deathless Gods,


s: Raged round them.  Still Poseidon heaved and swung


s: The merciless sea, to work the heart's desire


s: Of his brother's glorious child; and she on high


s: Stormed with her lightnings, ruthless in her rage.


s: Thundered from heaven Zeus, in purpose fixed


s: And mainlands round were lashed by leaping seas


s: Scourged most with unrelenting stroke on stroke


s: The Argives.  Groan and shriek of perishing men


s: Rang through the ships; started great beams and snapped


s: With ominous sound, for ever ship on ship


s: With shivering timbers crashed.  With hopeless toil


s: Men strained with oars to thrust back hulls that reeled


s: Down on their own, but with the shattered planks


s: Were hurled into the abyss, to perish there


s: By pitiless doom; for beams of foundering ships


s: From this, from that side battered out their lives,


s: And crushed were all their bodies wretchedly.


s: Some in the ships fell down, and like dead men


s: Lay there; some, in the grip of destiny,


s: Clinging to oars smooth-shaven, tried to swim;


s: Some upon planks were tossing.  Roared the surge


s: From fathomless depths: it seemed as though sea, sky,


s: Wielded her Father's power unshamed, and still


s: The welkin shrieked around.  Her ruin of wrath


s: Dashed she a thunderbolt, and shivered it


s: While earth and air yelled o'er the wreck, and whirled


s: And plunged and fell the whole sea down thereon.


s: They in the ship were all together flung


s: Forth: all about them swept the giant waves,


s: Round them leapt lightnings flaming through the dark.


s: Choked with the strangling surf of hissing brine,


s: Gasping out life, they drifted o'er the sea.


s: But even in death those captive maids rejoiced,


s: As some ill-starred ones, clasping to their breasts


s: Their babes, sank in the sea; some flung their arms


s: Round Danaans' horror-stricken heads, and dragged


s: These down with them, so rendering to their foes


s: Looked down on all this, and her heart was glad.


s: But Aias floated now on a galley's plank,


s: Now through the brine with strong hands oared his path,


s: Like some old Titan in his tireless might.


s: Cleft was the salt sea-surge by the sinewy hands


s: And marvelled at his courage and his strength.


s: But now the billows swung him up on high


s: Through misty air, as though to a mountain's peak,


s: Now whelmed him down, as they would bury him


s: In ravening whirlpits: yet his stubborn hands


s: Toiled on unwearied.  Aye to right and left


s: Flashed lightnings down, and quenched them in the sea;


s: Purposed to smite him dead, despite her wrath,


s: Ere he had drained the cup of travail and pain


s: Down to the dregs; so in the deep long time


s: Affliction wore him down, tormented sore


s: On every side.  Grim Fates stood round the man


s: Unnumbered; yet despair still kindled strength.


s: He cried: "Though all the Olympians banded come


s: In wrath, and rouse against me all the sea,


s: I will escape them!"  But no whit did he


s: Elude the Gods' wrath; for the Shaker of Earth


s: Where his hands clung to the Gyraean Rock,


s: And in stern anger with an earthquake shook


s: Both sea and land.  Around on all sides crashed


s: Caphereus' cliffs: beneath the Sea-king's wrath


s: The surf-tormented beaches shrieked and roared.


s: The broad crag rifted reeled into the sea,


s: The rock whereto his desperate hands had clung;


s: Yet did he writhe up round its jutting spurs,


s: While flayed his hands were, and from 'neath his nails


s: The blood ran.  Wrestling with him roared the waves,


s: And the foam whitened all his hair and beard.


s: Yet had he 'scaped perchance his evil doom,


s: Had not Poseidon, wroth with his hardihood,


s: Cleaving the earth, hurled down the chasm the rock,


s: As in the old time Pallas heaved on high


s: Dashed down the isle, which burns with the burning yet


s: Fire underground; so did the mountain-crag,


s: Hurled from on high, bury the Locrian king,


s: Pinning the strong man down, a wretch crushed flat.


s: And so on him death's black destruction came


s: Whom land and sea alike were leagued to slay.


s: Still over the great deep were swept the rest


s: Of those Achaeans, crouching terror-dazed


s: Down in the ships, save those that mid the waves


s: For some with heavily-plunging prows drave on,


s: With keels upturned some drifted.  Here were masts


s: Snapped from the hull by rushing gusts, and there


s: Were tempest-rifted wrecks of scattered beams;


s: And some had sunk, whelmed in the mighty deep,


s: Swamped by the torrent downpour from the clouds:


s: For these endured not madness of wind-tossed sea


s: Leagued with heaven's waterspout; for streamed the sky


s: Ceaselessly like a river, while the deep


s: Raved round them.  And one cried: "Such floods on men


s: When earth was drowned, and all was fathomless sea!"


s: That wild storm.  Thousands perished; corpses thronged


s: The great sea-highways: all the beaches were


s: Too strait for them: the surf belched multitudes


s: Forth on the land.  The heavy-booming sea


s: With weltering beams of ships was wholly paved,


s: And here and there the grey waves gleamed between.


s: So found they each his several evil fate,


s: Some whelmed beneath broad-rushing billows, some


s: Wretchedly perishing with their shattered ships


s: Wroth for that son whom they had done to death,


s: He; when the storm rose and the Argives died,


s: Gave to his hands revenge, which now he wreaked


s: Upon the host he hated, as o'er the deep


s: They tossed sore-harassed.  To his sea-god sire


s: He prayed that all might perish, ships and men


s: Whelmed in the deep.  Poseidon heard his prayer,


s: And on the dark surge swept them nigh his land.


s: A blazing torch, and so by guile he trapped


s: The Achaean men, who deemed that they had won


s: A sheltering haven: but sharp reefs and crags


s: Who, dashed to pieces on the cruel rocks


s: In the black night, crowned ills with direr ills.


s: Some few escaped, by a God or Power unseen


s: Plucked from death's hand.  Athena now rejoiced


s: Her heart within, and now was racked with fears


s: For prudent-souled Odysseus; for his weird


s: Was through Poseidon's wrath to suffer woes


s: Burned against those long walls and towers uppiled


s: By the strong Argives for a fence against


s: The Trojans' battle-onset.  Swiftly then


s: That rolls from Euxine down to Hellespont,


s: And hurled it on the shore of Troy: and Zeus,


s: For a grace unto the glorious Shaker of Earth,


s: Poured rain from heaven: withal Far-darter bare


s: In that great work his part; from Ida's heights


s: Into one channel led he all her streams,


s: And flooded the Achaeans' work.  The sea


s: Dashed o'er it, and the roaring torrents still


s: Rushed on it, swollen by the rains of Zeus;


s: And the dark surge of the wide-moaning sea


s: Still hurled them back from mingling with the deep,


s: Till all the Danaan walls were blotted out


s: Beneath their desolating flood.  Then earth


s: Deluge of water, slime and sand, while quaked


s: Sigeum with the mighty shock, and roared


s: The beach and the foundations of the land


s: Dardanian.  So vanished, whelmed from sight,


s: That mighty rampart.  Earth asunder yawned,


s: And all sank down, and only sand was seen,


s: When back the sea rolled, o'er the beach outspread


s: Far down the heavy-booming shore.  All this


s: The Immortals' anger wrought.  But in their ships


s: The Argives storm-dispersed went sailing on.


s: So came they home, as heaven guided each,


s: Even all that 'scaped the fell sea-tempest blasts.


s: Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so


s: that no man went through thee, I will make thee an


s: eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.


s: While the snow-drops still were sleeping


s: And builds the fanes of prayer and praise


s: And furl the banners stained with blood,


s: Dedication Poem on the reception of the annex to


s: the home for aged colored people, from the bequest of


s: Can you blame me that my heart grew cold


s: Would you blame the world if it should press


s: Can you blame me if I've learned to think


s: Smote and chilled our hearts with dread.


s: "What means this badge?" said her father,


s: Who marshals the splendid stars of night.


s: More calm than its mother's downy breast


s: Came the words that brought them nearer,


s: When the clouds drop down their fatness,


s: They shall see Him when the lips of health,


s: When pestilence clasps hands with death,


s: They shall see Him when the trembling earth


s: They shall see Him when the storms of war


s: The hands whose touch sent thrills of joy


s: That all the wandering world would gain.


s: But the reapers had left the stubble bare,


s: The fields of my Lord are wide and broad,


s: And vineyards that drink the golden light


s: Which flows from the sun's bright sheen.


s: Sadly I turned from the sun's fierce glare,


s: I dreamed I joined with a restless throng,


s: When a voice rang sadly through my soul,


s: You must staunch these wounds that bleed.


s: My hands were weak, but I reached them out


s: And when the reapers shall lay their grain


s: I feel that mine with its broken sheaves


s: Stood frowning 'gainst the earth and sky,


s: And from her throne the dark-browed Night


s: Fell trembling at that stern rock's base,


s: Till, spreading round some mighty wrong,


s: The brightest blooms and fairest leaves.


s: 'Twas a fearful night--the tempest raved


s: The storm-king harnessed his lightning steeds,


s: The sluggish blood in the old man's veins


s: "I hear them call," cried the dying man,


s: Oh! wild and bright was the stormy light


s: As they bore him from the couch of death


s: Take back your pledge--ye come too late!


s: When every street with snares is spread,


s: These bloodshot eyes were once so bright;


s: This sin-crushed heart was glad and light;


s: Take from your streets those traps of hell


s: In draughts that charm and then degrade,


s: With a careless toss of her pretty head;


s: From the cup you say is fraught with pain.


s: When her eyes were drenched with burning


s: And she watched in lonely grief and dread,


s: And startled to hear a staggering tread.


s: It was something to her when that only son


s: It is nothing to me, the young man cried:


s: In his eye was a flash of scorn and pride;


s: It was something to him when in prison he lay


s: And thought of his wretched child and wife,


s: And the mournful wreck of his wasted life.


s: It was something to him when over the wire


s: A drunken conductor had wrecked a train,


s: And his wife and child were among the slain.


s: Then gave his vote for the liquor trade,


s: Though hearts were crushed and drunkards


s: When his daughter became a drunkard's wife


s: And her hungry children cried for bread,


s: And trembled to hear their father's tread.


s: While the cohorts of death their vigils keep?


s: It is something, yes, all, for us to stand


s: On the side of God and changeless light.


s: "Go back!" she cried, and waved her hand,


s: "Then, gracious King, sign with thy hand


s: to dance for the amusement of some white


s: toughs.  He refused, saying he was a church


s: down with a club and then danced upon his


s: prostrate form. He then shot the boy in the


s: hip. The boy is dead; his murderer is still at


s: That war should close his wrathful lips,


s: "Come dance for us," the rough men said;


s: And rocks and stones, if ye could speak,