And the same arm that led concludes the day; Then back to Pyle triumphant take my way. There to high Jove were public thanks assign'd, As first of gods ; to Nestor, of mankind. Such then I was, impellid by youthful blood; So proved my valor for my country's good. “ Achilles with unactive fury glows, And gives to passion what to Greece he owes. How shall he grieve, when to the eternal shade Her hosts shall sink, nor his the power to aid ! O friend ! my memory recalls the day, When, gathering aids along the Grecian sea, I, and Ulysses, touch'd at Phthia's port, And enter'd Peleus' hospitable court. A bull to Jove he slew in sacrifice, And pour'd libations on the flaming thighs. Thyself, Achilles, and thy reverend sire Menætius, turn'd the fragments on the fire. Achilles sees us, to the feast invites; Social we sit, and share the genial rites. We then explained the cause on which we came, Urged you to arms, and found you fierce for fame. Your ancient fathers generous precepts gave; Peleus said only this : “My son ! be brave.' Menætius thus: . Though great Achilles shine In strength superior, and of race divine, Yet cooler thoughts thy elder years attend; Let thy just counsels aid, and rule thy friend.' Thus spoke your father at Thessalia's court, Words now forgot, though now of vast import. Ah ! try the utmost that a friend can say: Such gentle force the fiercest minds obey; Some favoring god Achilles' heart may, move ; Though deaf to glory, he may yield to love. If some dire oracle his breast'alarm, If aught from Heaven withhold his saving arm, Some beam of comfort yet on Greece may shine, If thou but lead the Myrmidonian line : Clad in Achilles' arms, if thou appear, Proud Troy may tremble, and desist from war; Press'd by fresh es, her o'er-labor'd train Shall seek their walls, and Greece respire again.” This touch'd his generous heart, and from the tent Along the shore with hasty strides he went; Coon as he came, where, on the crowded strand, The public mart and courts of justice stand, Where the tall fleet of great Ulysses lies, And altars to the guardian gods arise ; Ah, hapless leaders of the Grecian host ! Eurypylus replies : “No more, my friend; Greece is no more ! this day her glories end; Even to the ships victorious Troy pursues, Her force increasing as her toil renews. Those chiefs, that used her utmost rage to meet, Lie pierced with wounds, and bleeding in the fleet. But, thou, Patroclus ! act a friendly part, Lead to my ships, and draw this deadly dart; With lukewarm water wash the gore away; With healing balms the raging smart allay, Such as sage Chiron, sire of pharmacy, Once taught Achilles, and Achilles thee. Of two famed surgeons, Podalirius stands This hour surrounded by the Trojan bands; And great Machaon, wounded in his tent, Now wants that succor which so oft he lent." To him the chief : “ What then remains to do The event of things the gods alone can view. Charged by Achilles' great command I fly, And bear with haste the Pylian King's reply: But thy distress this instant claims relief." He said, and in his arms upheld the chief. The slaves their master's slow approach survey'd, And hides of oxen on the floor display'd : There stretch'd at length the wounded hero lay; Patroclus cut the forky steel away; Then in his hands a bitter root he bruised ; The wound he wash'd, the styptic juice infused. The closing flesh that instant ceased to glow, The wound to torture, and the blood to flow. BOOK XII. ARGUMENT. THE BATTLE AT THE GRECIAN WALL. The Greeks having retired into their entrenchments, Hector attempts to force them ; but it proving impossible to pass the ditch, Polydamas advises to quit their chariots, and manage the attack on foot. The Trojans follow his counsel ; and liaving divided their army into five bodies of foot, begin the assault. But upon the signal of an eagle with a serpent in his talons, which appeared on the left hand of the Trojans, Polydamas endeavors to withdraw them again. This Hector opposes, and continues the attack; in which after many actions, Sarpedon makes the first breach in the wall. Hector also, casting a stone of vast size, forces open cne the gates, and enters at the head of his troops, who victoriously pursue the Grecians even to their ships. While thus the hero's pious cares attend Without the gods, how short a period stands Simois, rolling, &c. “ In those bloody fields Book XII.) THE ILIAD. 261 These, turn'd by Phoebus from their wonted ways, But this the gods in later times perform; “ Where yon disorder'd heap of ruin lies, Stones rent from stones,-where clouds of dust arise, Drydeu's Virgil, ii. 825. The foot alone this strong defence could force, “O thou, bold leader of the Trojan bands! This counsel pleased : the godlike Hector sprung Swift from his seat; his clanging armor rung. The chief's example follow'd by his train, Each quits his car, and issues on the plain, By orders strict the charioteers enjoin'd Compel the coursers to their ranks behind. The coursers part in five distinguish'd bands, And all obey their several chiefs' commands. The best and bravest in the first conspire, Pant for the fight, and threat the feet with fire: Great Hector, glorious in the van of these, Polydamas, and brave Cebriones. Before the next the graceful Paris shines, And bold Alcathous, and Agenor joins. The sons of Priam with the third appear, Deïphobus, and Helenus the seer; In arms with these the mighty Asius stood, Who drew from Hyrtactus his noble blood, And whom Arisba's yellow coursers bore, |