Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

By any Trojan, that my powers should bid them any blows;

In nothing bear they blame of me: Phthia, whose bosom flows

With corn and people, never felt impair of her increase By their invasion; resounding seas, Pour out their shades and deeps between; but thee, thou frontless man, We follow, and thy triumphs make with bonfires of our bane:

hills enow, and far

Thine, and thy brother's vengeance sought, thou dog's eyes, of this Troy By our exposed lives; whose deserts thou neither dost employ

With honour nor with care.

And now, thou threat'st to force from me The fruit of my sweat, which the Greeks gave all; and though it be, Compared with thy part, then snatch'd up, nothing; nor ever is

At any sack'd town; but of fight, the fetcher in of this,

My hands have most share; in whose toils when I have emptied me

Of all my forces, my amends in liberality, Though it be little, I accept, and turn

pleased to my tent;

And yet that little thou esteem'st too great a continent

In thy incontinent avarice. For Phthia therefore now

My course is; since 'tis better far, than

here t' endure that thou Should'st still be ravishing my right, draw my whole treasure dry, And add dishonour.' He replied: "If thy heart serve thee, fly;

Stay not for my cause; others here will aid and honour me;

If not, yet Jove I know is sure; that counsellor is he That I depend on. Jove-kept kings Thou still art most my enemy; strifes, battles, bloody things, Make thy blood-feasts still. But if strength, that these moods build upon, Flow in thy nerves, God gave thee it; and so 'tis not thine own,

As for thee, of all our

But in his hands still. What then lifts thy pride in this so high? Home with thy fleet, and Myrmidons; use there their empery ; Command not here. I weigh thee not, nor mean to magnify

Thy rough-hewn rages, but, instead, I thus far threaten thee:

Since Phoebus needs will force from me Chryseis, she shall go;

My ships and friends shall waft her home; but I will imitate so

His pleasure, that mine own shall take, in person, from thy tent

Bright-cheek'd Briseis; and so tell thy strength how eminent

My power is, being compared with thine; all other making fear

To vaunt equality with me, or in this proud kind bear

Their beards against me." Thetis' son at this stood vex'd, his heart

Bristled his bosom, and two ways drew his discursive part;

If, from this thigh his sharp sword drawn, he should make room about

Atrides' person, slaughtering him, or sit his anger out,

And curb his spirit. While these thoughts
strived in his blood and mind,
And he his sword drew, down from heaven
Athenia stoop'd, and shined

About his temples, being sent by th' ivorywristed Queen, 6

Saturnia, who out of her heart had ever loving been,

And careful for the good of both. She stood behind, and took

Achilles by the yellow curls, and only gave her look

To him appearance; not a man of all the rest could see.

He turning back his eye, amaze strook every faculty;

Yet straight he knew her by her eyes, so terrible they were,

Sparkling with ardour, and thus spake: "Thou seed of Jupiter,

Why comest thou? to behold his pride, that boasts our empery?

Then witness with it my revenge, and see that insolence die

That lives to wrong me." She replied: "I come from heaven to see Thy anger settled, if thy soul will use her sovereignty

In fit reflection. I am sent from Juno,

whose affects [give us both respects, Stand heartily inclined to both. Come, And cease contention; draw no sword; use words, and such as may

Be bitter to his pride, but just; for, trust in what I say,

A time shall come when thrice the worth of that he forceth now,

He shall propose for recompense of these wrongs; therefore throw

225

Reins on thy passions, and serve us." He
answer'd: "Though my heart
Burn in just anger, yet my soul must con-
quer th' angry part,
And yield you conquest.

Who subdues
his earthly part for heaven,
Heaven to his prayers subdues his wish."
This said, her charge was given

Fit honour; in his silver hilt he held his
able hand,

And forced his broad sword up; and up
to heaven did re-ascend
Minerva, who, in Jove's high roof, that
bears the rough shield, took
Her place with other deities. She gone,
again forsook

Patience his passion, and no more his
silence could confine

His wrath, that this broad language gave:
"Thou ever steep'd in wine,
Dog's-face, with heart but of a hart, that
nor in th' open eye

Of fight darest thrust into a prease, nor
with our noblest lie

In secret ambush These works seem too
full of death for thee;

'Tis safer far in th' open host to dare an
injury

Of all thy army." Thus, he threw his
sceptre 'gainst the ground,

With golden studs stuck, and took seat.
Atrides' breast was drown'd
In rising choler. Up to both sweet-spoken
Nestor stood,

The cunning Pylian orator; whose tongue
pour'd forth a flood

Of more-than-honey-sweet discourse; two ages were increased

Of divers-languaged men, all born in his time and deceased,

In sacred Pylos, where he reign'd amongst the third-aged men.

He, well-seen in the world, advised, and thus express'd it then :

"O Gods, our Greek earth will be drown'd in just tears; rapeful Troy, Her king, and all his sons, will make as just a mock, and joy,

Of these disjunctions; if of you, that all our host excel

In counsel and in skill of fight, they hear
this. Come, repel

These young men's passions. Y'are not
both, put both your years in one,
So old as I. I lived long since, and was
companion

To any crosser of thy lust. Thou subject-With
eating king,

Base spirits thou govern'st, or this wrong
had been the last foul thing
Thou ever author'd'st; yet I vow, and by
a great oath swear,

Even by this sceptre, that, as this never
again shall bear*

Green leaves or branches, nor increase
with any growth his size,

Nor did since first it left the hills, and had
his faculties

And ornaments bereft with iron; which
now to other end

Judges of Greece bear, and their laws, re-
ceived from Jove, defend;

(For which my oath to thee is great); so,
whensoever need

Shall burn with thirst of me thy host, no
prayers shall ever breed

Affection in me to their aid, though well-
deserved woes

Afflict thee for them, when to death man

slaughtering Hector throws
Whole troops of them, and thou torment'st
thy vex'd mind with conceit

Of thy rude rage now, and his wrong that
most deserved the right

* This simile Virgil directly translates.

My

men superior to you both, who yet would ever hear

counsels with respect. My eyes yet
never witness were,

Nor ever will be, of such men as then
delighted them;
[pheme,
Pirithous, Exadius, and god-like Poly-
Cæneus, and Dryas, prince of men, Ægean
Theseus,

A man like heaven's immortals form'd;
all, all most vigorous,

Of all men that even those days bred;
most vigorous men, and fought
With beasts most vigorous, mountain beasts,

(for men in strength were nought
Match'd with their forces) fought with them,
and bravely fought them down.
Yet even with these men I conversed, being
call'd to the renown

Of their societies, by their suits from Pylos far, to fight

In the Asian kingdom; and I fought, to a
degree of might

That help'd even their mights, against such
as no man now would dare
To meet in conflict; yet even these my
counsels still would hear,

And with obedience crown my words. Give
you such palm to them;
'Tis better then to wreak your wraths.
Atrides, give not stream

To all thy power, nor force his prize, but yield her still his own,

As all men else do. Nor do thou encounter with thy crown,

Great son of Peleus, since no king that ever Jove allow'd

Grace of a sceptre equals him. Suppose thy nerves endow'd

With strength superior, and thy birth a very goddess gave,

Yet he of force is mightier; since what his own nerves have

Is amplified with just command of many

other. King of men,

Command thou then thyself; and I with my prayers will obtain

Grace of Achilles to subdue his fury; whose parts are

Worth our intreaty, being chief check to all our ill in war.'

"All this, good father," said the king, "is comely and good right; But this man breaks all such bounds; he affects, past all men, height; All would in his power hold, all make his subjects, give to all

His hot will for their temperate law; all which he never shall Persuade at my hands.

If the Gods have given him the great style

Of ablest soldier, made they that his licence to revile

Men with vile language?"

Thetis' son

prevented him, and said: "Fearful and vile I might be thought, if the exactions laid

By all means on me I should bear. Others command to this,

Thou shalt not me; or if thou dost, far my free spirit is From serving thy command. Beside, this I affirm (afford [my sword Impression of it in thy soul) I will not use On thee or any for a wench; unjustly though thou takest

The thing thou gavest; but all things else, that in my ship thou makest Greedy survey of, do not touch without my leave; or do

Add that act's wrong to this, that these may see that outrage too;

And then comes my part; then be sure, thy blood upon my lance

Shall flow in vengeance."

These high

terms these two at variance Used to each other; left their seats; and after them arose

The whole court. To his tents and ships, with friends and soldiers, goes

Angry Achilles. Atreus' son the swift ship 65 launch'd and put

Within it twenty chosen rowers, within it
likewise shut

The hecatomb, t' appease the God; then
caused to come aboard
Fair-cheek'd Chryseis; for the chief, he in
whom Pallas pour'd

Her store of counsels, Ithacus, aboard went
last; and then

The moist ways of the sea they sail'd.
And now the king of men

Bade all the host to sacrifice. They sacri-
ficed, and cast

The offal of all to the deeps; the angry
God they graced

With perfect hecatombs; some bulls, some
goats, along the shore

Of the unfruitful sea, inflamed. To heaven the thick fumes bore

Enwrapped savours. Thus, though all the politic king made show

Respects to heaven, yet he himself all that time did pursue

His own affections; the late jar, in which he thunder'd threats

Against Achilles, still he fed, and his affec-
tions' heats

Thus vented to Talthybius, and grave
Eurybates,

Heralds, and ministers of trust, to all his
messages.

"Haste to Achilles' tent; where take Briseis' hand, and bring Her beauties to us. If he fail to yield her, say your king

Will come himself with multitudes, that shall the horribler

Make both his presence and your charge, that so he dares defer."

This said, he sent them with a charge of hard condition.

They went unwillingly, and trod the fruitless sea's shore; soon

They reach'd the navy and the tents, in
which the quarter lay

Of all the Myrmidons, and found the chief
Chief in their sway

Set at his black bark in his tent. Nor was
Achilles glad
[any glory had
To see their presence; nor themselves in
Their message, but with reverence stood,
and fear'd th' offended king,
Ask'd not the dame, nor spake a word.
He yet, well knowing the thing
That caused their coming, graced them
thus: "Heralds, ye men that bear
The messages of men and gods, y' are
welcome, come ye near.

30

S

A

H

425

I nothing blame you, but your king; 'tis he, I know, doth send

You for Briseis; she is his. Patroclus, honour'd friend,

Bring forth the damsel, and these men let lead her to their lord.

But, heralds, be you witnesses, before the most adored,

Before us mortals, and before your most ungentle king, [bring Of what I suffer, that, if war ever hereafter My aid in question, to avert any severest bane

It brings on others, I am 'scused to keep my aid in wane,

Since they mine honour. But your king, in tempting mischief, raves, Nor sees at once by present things the future; how like waves

Ills follow ills; injustices being never so

secure

In present times, but after-plagues even then are seen as sure.

Which yet he sees not, and so soothes his

present lust, which, check'd, Would check plagues future; and he might, in succouring right, protect Such as fight for his right at fleet. They still in safety fight,

That fight still justly." This speech used, Patroclus did the rite

His friend commanded, and brought forth Briseis from her tent,

Gave her the heralds, and away to th'
Achive ships they went.

She sad, and scarce for grief could go.
Her love all friends forsook,
And wept for anger. To the shore of th'
old sea he betook

Himself alone, and casting forth upon the purple seating in

His wet eyes, and his hands to heaven advancing, this sad plea

Made to his mother: Mother, since you brought me forth to breathe

So short a life, Olympius had good right to bequeath

My short life honour; yet that right he doth in no degree,

But lets Atrides do me shame, and force that prize from me

That all the Greeks gave."

This with

tears he utter'd, and she heard, Set with her old sire in his deeps, and instantly appear'd'

Up from the grey sea like a cloud, sate by his side, and said:

"Why weeps my son? What grieves

thee? speak, conceal not what hath laid

Such hard hand on thee, let both know." He, sighing like a storm,

Replied:

[ocr errors]

Thou dost know; why should I things known again inform? We march'd to Thebes, the sacred town of king Eetion,

Sack'd it, and brought to fleet the spoil, which every valiant son

Of Greece indifferently shared. Atrides had for share Fair-cheek'd Chryseis.

After which, his priest that shoots so far,

Chryses, the fair Chryseis' sire, arrived at th' Achive fleet,

With infinite ransom, to redeem the dear imprison'd feet Of his fair daughter.

In his hands he held Apollo's crown, [Grecian son, And golden sceptre; making suit to every But most the sons of Atreus, the others' orderers,

Yet they least heard him; all the rest received with reverend ears

The motion, both the priests and gifts gracing, and holding worth

His wish'd acceptance. Atreus' son yet (vex'd) commanded forth With rude terms Phoebus' reverend priest; who, angry, made retreat,

And pray'd to Phoebus, in whose grace he standing passing great

Got his petition. The God an ill shaft sent abroad

That tumbled down the Greeks in heaps. The host had no abode

That was not visited. We ask'd a prophet that well knew

The cause of all; and from his lips Apollo's prophecies flew, Telling his anger.

to appease

First myself exhorted

The anger'd God; which Atreus' son did at the heart displease,

And up he stood, used threats, perform'd. The black-eyed Greeks sent home Chryseis to her sire, and gave his God a hecatomb.

Then, for Briseis, to my tents Atrides' heralds came,

And took her, that the Greeks gave, all.
If then thy powers can frame
Wreak for thy son, afford it. Scale Olym-
pus, and implore

Jove (if by either word, or fact, thou ever didst restore

Joy to his grieved heart) now to help. I

oft have heard thee vaunt, In court of Peleus, that alone thy hand

was conversant

In rescue from a cruel spoil the black

cloud-gathering Jove,

Whom other Godheads would have bound (the Power whose pace doth move The round earth, heaven's great Queen, and Pallas); to whose bands Thou camest with rescue, bringing up him with the hundred hands

To great Olympus, whom the Gods call Briareus, men

Ægaon, who his sire surpass'd, and was as strong again,

And in that grace sat glad by Jove. immortals stood dismay'd

Th' [his aid. At his ascension, and gave free passage to Of all this tell Jove; kneel to him, embrace his knee, and pray

If Troy's aid he will ever deign, that now their forces may

Beat home the Greeks to fleet and sea; embruing their retreat

In slaughter; their pains paying the wreak of their proud sovereign's heat; And that far-ruling king may know, from his poor soldier's harms

His own harm falls; his own and all in

mine, his best in arms."

Her answer she pour'd out in tears: "O me, my son," said she, "Why brought I up thy being at all, that brought thee forth to be

Sad subject of so hard a fate? O would to heaven, that since

Thy fate is little, and not long, thou might'st without offence

And tears perform it.

to so stern a fate

But to live, thrall

As grants thee least life, and that least so most unfortunate,

Grieves me t' have given thee any life. But what thou wishest now,

If Jove will grant, I'll up and ask; Olympus crown'd with snow

I'll climb; but sit thou fast at fleet, renounce all war, and feed

Thy heart with wrath, and hope o. wreak ; till which come, thou shalt need A little patience. Jupiter went yesterday to feast

Amongst the blameless Ethiops, in th' ocean's deepen'd breast,

All Gods attending him; the twelfth, high heaven again he sees,

And then his brass-paved court I'll scale, cling to his powerful knees, And doubt not but to win thy wish." Thus, made she her remove, And left wrath tyring on her son, for his enforced love.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Ulysses, with the hecatomb, arrived at Chrysa's shore;

And when amidst the haven's deep mouth, they came to use the oar,

They straight strook sail, then roll'd them up, and on the hatches threw ; The top-mast to the kelsine then, with halyards down they drew ;

Then brought the ship to port with oars; then forked anchor cast;

And, 'gainst the violence of storms, for drifting made her fast.

All come ashore, they all exposed the holy hecatomb

To angry Phoebus, and, with it, Chryseis welcomed home;

Whom to her sire, wise Ithacus, that did at th' altar stand,

For honour led, and, spoken thus, resign'd her to his hand :

[ocr errors]

'Chryses, the mighty king of men, great Agamemnon, sends

Thy loved seed by my hands to thine; and to thy God commends

A hecatomb, which my charge is to sacrifice, and seek

Our much-sigh-mix'd woe, his recure, invoked by every Greek."

Thus he resign'd her, and her sire received her, highly joy'd.

About the well-built altar, then, they orderly employ'd

The sacred offering, wash'd their hands,
took salt cakes; and the priest,
With hands held up to heaven, thus pray'd:
"O thou that all things seest,
Fautor of Chrysa, whose fair hand doth
guardfully dispose
[Tenedos,
Celestial Cilla, governing in all power
O hear thy priest, and as thy hand, in free
grace to my prayers,

Shot fervent plague-shafts through the
Greeks, now hearten their affairs
With health renew'd, and quite remove th'
infection from their blood.'

"

He pray'd; and to his prayers again the God propitious stood.

All, after prayer, cast on salt cakes, drew back, kill'd, flay'd the beeves, Cut out and dubb'd with fat their thighs, fair dress'd with doubled leaves, And on them all the sweetbreads prick'd. The priest, with small sere wood, Did sacrifice, pour'd on red wine; by whom the young men stood,

And turn'd, in five ranks, spits; on which (the legs enough) they eat The inwards; then in giggots cut the other fit for meat,

« AnteriorContinuar »