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For that (faid Jove) fuffice another day;
But eager love denies the leaft delay.
Let fofter cares the prefent hour employ,
And be these moments facred all to joy.
Ne'er did my foul fo ftrong a paffion prove,
Or for an earthly or a heavenly love:
Not when I prefs'd Ixion's matchlefs dame
Whence rofe Pirithous like the gods in fame.
Not when fair Danaë felt the fhower of gold
Stream into life, when Perfeus brave and bold.
Not thus I burn'd for either Theban dame,
(Bacchus from this, from that Alcides came)
Nor Phoenix' daughter, beautiful and young,
Whence godlike Rhadamanth and Minos fprung.
Not thus I burn'd for fair Latonia's face,
Nor comelier Ceres' more majestic grace.
Not thus ev'n for thyfelf I felt defire,
As now my veins receive the pleafing fire.

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Thus having faid, the Power of Slumber flew,
On human lids to drop the balmy dew.
Neptune, with zeal increas'd, renews his care,
And towering in the foremost ranks of war, 420.
Indignant thus-Oh once of martial fame!
O Greeks! if yet ye can deferve the name!
This half-recover'd day, fhall Troy obtain?
Shall Hector thunder at your fhips again?

Lo ftill he vaunts, and threats the fleet with
fires,
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n

While ftern Achilles in his wrath retires.
One hero's lofs too tamely you deplore,
Be ftill yourselves, and we fhall need no more.
Oh yet, if glory any bofom warms,

Brace on your firmeft helms, and ftand to arms: 430
His ftrongeft fpear each valiant Grecian wield,
370 Each valiant Grecian feize his broadeft fhield;
Let to the weak, the lighter arms belong,
The ponderous targe be wielded by the strong.

He fpoke: the Goddefs with the charming eyes (Thusarm'd) not Hector fhall our prefence ftay: 435

Glows with celeftial red, and thus replies:

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380

Is this a fcene for love? Ou Ida's height
Expos'd to mortal and immortal fight;
Our joy profan'd by each familiar eye,
The sport of heaven, and fable of the sky.
How fhall I e'er review the bleft abodes,
Or mix among the fenate of the Gods?
Shall I not think, that, with diforder'd charms,
All heaven beholds me recent from thy arms?
With skill divine has Vulcan form'd thy bower,
Sacred to love and to the genial hour;
If fuch thy will, to that recefs retire,
And fecret there indulge thy foft defire.

385

She ceas'd; and, fmiling with fuperior love,
Thus anfwer'd mild the cloud-compelling Jove :
Nor yod nor mortal fhall our joys behold,
Shaded with clouds, and circumfus'd in gold; 390
Not ev'n the Sun, who darts through heaven his

rays,

And whole broad eye th' extended earth furveys.
Gazing he spoke, and kindling at the view,
His eager arms around the Goddess threw.
Glad earth perceives, and from her bofon pours 395
Unbidden herbs, and voluntary flowers:
Thick new-born violets a foft carpet spread
And cluftefing lotos fwell'd the rifing bed,
And fudden hyacinths the turf beftrow,
And flamy crocos made the mountain glow.
There golden clouds conceal'd the heavenly pair,
Steep'd in foft joys, and circumfus'd with air;
Celestial dews, defcending o'er the ground,
Perfume the mount, and breathe ambrofia round.
At length, with Love and Sleep's foft power op-
preft,

The panting Thunderer nods, and finks to reft.
Now to the navy borne on filent wings,
To Neptune's car foft Sleep his meffage brings;

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Myfelf, ye Greeks! myfelf will lead the way.

The troops affent; their martial arms they change,

The bufy chiefs their banded legions range.

The kings, though wounded, and oppreft with

pain,

With helpful hands themfelves affift the train. 440
The ftrong and cumbrous arms the valiant wield.
The weaker warrior takes a lighter fhield.
Thus fheath'd in fhining brafs, in bright array
The legions march, and Neptune leads the way:
His brandifh'd faulchion flames before their eyes, 445
Like lightning flashing through the frighted fkies.
Clad in his might, th' Earth-fhaking Power ap-

pears;

Pale mortars tremble, and confefs their fears.

Troy's great defender ftands alone unaw'd,
Arms his proud hoft, and dares oppofe a God: 450
And lo! the God and wondrous man appear:
The feas ftern Ruler there, and Hector here.
The roaring main, at her great mafter's call,
Rofe in huge ranks, and form'd a watery wall
Around the fhips; feas hanging o'er the fhores, 455
Both armies join: Earth thunders, Ocean roars.
Not half fo loud the bellowing deeps refound,
When ftormy winds difclofe the dark profound;
Lefs loud the winds, that from th' Æolian hall
Roar through the woods, and make whole forefte
fall;
460
Lefs loud the woods, when flames in torrents pour,
Catch the dry mountain, and its fhades devour:
With fuch a rage the meeting hofts are driven :
And fuch a clamour thakes the founding heaven.
The firft bold javelin urg'd by Hector's force, 465
Direct at Ajax' bofom wing'd its courfe;
But there no pafs the croffing belts afford,
(One brac'd his field, and one fuftain'd his fword.)

470

Then back the disappointed Trojan drew,
And curs'd the lance that unavailing flew :
But 'fcap'd not Ajax, his tempefluous hand
A ponderous ftone upheaving from the fand,
(Where heaps, laid loose beneath the warrior's feet,
Or ferv'd to ballaft, or to prop the fleet)
T'ofs'd round and round, the miffive marble flings;
475

On the raz'd sheld the falling ruin rings,
Full on his breast and throat with force defcends;
Nor deaden'd there its giddy fury fpends,
But whirling on, with many a fiery round,
Smokes in the dust, and ploughs into the ground.

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As when the bolt, red-hiffing from above,
Darts on the confecrated plant of Jove,
The mountain oak in flaming ruin lies,
Black from the blow, and fmokes of fulphur rife;
Stiff with amaze the pale beholder's stand, 485
And own the terrors of th' Almighty hand!
So lies great Hector proftrate on the fhore;
His flacken'd hand deserts the lance it bore;
His following fhield the fallen chief o'erfpread;
Beneath his helinet dropp'd his fainting head; 490
His load of armour finking to the ground,
Clanks on the field; a dead and hollow found.
Loud fhouts of triumph fill the crowded plain :
Greece fees, in hope, Troy's great defender flain:
All spring to feize him; ftorms of arrows fly, 495
And thicker javelins intercept the sky.
In vain an iron tempeft hiffes round:
He lies protected, and without a wound.
Polydamas, Agenor the divine,
The pious warrior of Anchifes' line,
And each bold leader of the Lycian band,
With covering fhields (a friendly circle) stand.
His mournful followers, with affistant care,
The groaning hero to his chariot bear :
His foaming courfers, swifter than the wind, 505
Speed to the town, and leave the war behind.

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510

When now they touch'd the meads enamell'd fide, Where gentle Xanthus rolls his easy tide, With watery drops the chief they fprinkle round, Plac'd on the margin of the flowery ground, Rais'd on his knees, he now ejects the gore; Now faints anew, low-finking on the shore; By fits he breathes, half views the fleeting skies, And feals again, by fits, his fwimming eyes. Soon as the Greeks the chief's retreat beheld, 515 With double fury each invades the field. Oilean Ajax first his javelin fped, Pierc'd by whofe point the fon of Enops bled; (Satnius the brave, whom beauteous Neïs bore Amidst her flocks, on Satnio's filver shore) Struck through the belly's rim, the warrior lies Supine, and fhades eternal veil his eyes. An arduous battle rofe around the dead; By turns the Greeks, by turns the Trojans fled, Fir'd with revenge, Polydamas drew near, 525 And at Prothaner fhook the trembling spear; The driving javelin through his shoulder thrust, He finks to earth, and grafps the bloody duft. Lo thus (the victor cries) we rule the field, Andthus their arms the race of Panthus wield: 530 From this unerring hand there flies no dart But bathes its point within a Grecian heart,

520

Prompt on that fpear to which thou ow'st thy fail Go, guide thy darkfome fteps to Pluto's dreary hall!

He faid, and forrow touch'd each Argive breaft!

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The foul of Ajax burn'd above the reft,
As by his fide the groaning warrior fell,
At the fierce foe he launch'd his piercing fteel:
The foe reclining, fhunn'd the flying death;
But Fate, Archilochus, demands thy breath: 540
Thy lofty birth no fuccour could impart,
The wings of death o'ertook thee on the dart.
Swift to perform Heaven's fatal will it fled,
Full on the juncture of the neck and head,
And took the joint, and cut the nerves in
twain:
545
The dropping head first tumbled to the plain.
So just the ftroke, that yet the body stood
Erect, then roll'd along the fands in blood.

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Here, proud Polydamas, here turn thy eyes (The towering Ajax loud insulting cries) Say, is this chief extended on the plain, A worthy vengeance for Prothanor flain? Mark well his port! his figure and his face Nor fpeak him vulgar, nor of vulgar race; Some lines, methinks, may make his lineage known,

Antenor s brother, or perhaps his fon,

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He spake and fmil'd fevere, for well he knew The bleeding youth: Troy fadden'd at the view. But furious Acamas aveng'd his caufe,

As Promachus his flaughter'd brother draws, 560,
He pierc'd his heart-Such fate attends you all,
Proud Argives! deftin'd by our arms to fall;
Not Troy alone, but haughty Greece shall share
The toils, the forrows, and the wounds of war.
Behold your Promachus depriv'd of breath, 565
A victim ow'd to my brave brother's death.
Not unappeas'd he enters Pluto's gate,
Who leaves a brother to revenge his fate.

Heart-piercing anguish ftruck the Grecian host,
But touch'd the breaft of bold Peneleus most: $70
At the proud boafter he directs his course:
The boafter flies, and fhuns fuperior force.
But young Ilioneus receiv'd the fpear,
Ilioneus, his father's only care.

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The fifth Battle, at the Ships; and the Acts of Ajax.

Jupiter, awaking, fees the Trojans repulfed from the trenches, Hector in a fwoon, and Neptune at the head of the Greeks. He is bigbly incenfed at the artifice of Juno, who appeases him by her fubmiffions: fee in then fent to Iris and Apollo. Juno, repairing to the affembly of the Gods, attempts, with extraordinary addrefs, to incenfe them against Jupiter; in particular, touches Mars with a violent resentment: be is ready to take arms, but is prevented by Minerva. Iris and Apollo obey the orders of Jupiter: Iris commands Neptune to leave the battle, to which, after much reluctance an I passion, be'confents. Apollo re-inspires Hector with vigour, brings him back to the battle, marches before him with his Ægis, and turns the fortune of the fight. He breaks down great part of the Grecian wall: the Trojans rufb in, and attempt to fire the firf line of the fleet, but are, as yet, repølled by the greater Ajax with a prodigious flaughter.

TOW in fwift flight they pass the trench profound,

Now

And many a chief lay gasping on the ground:
Then stopp'd and panted, where the chariots lie,
Fear on their cheek, and horror in their eye.
Mean while, awaken'd from his dream of love, 5
On Ida's fummit fat imperial Jove:
Round the wide fields he caft a careful view,
There faw the Trojans fly, the Greeks purfue;
These proud in arms, thofe fcatter'd o'er the
plain;

And, midst the war, the Monarch of the Main, 10
Not far, great Hector on the dust he spies
(His fad affociates round with weeping eyes)
Ejecting blood, and panting yet for breath,
His fenfes wandering to the verge of death.
The God beheld him with a pitying look,
And thus, incens'd, to fraudful Juno fpoke:
O thou, still adverfe to th' Eternal will,
For ever ftudious in promoting ill!
Thy arts have made the godlike Hector yield,
And driv'n his conquering fquadrons from

field.

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| For godlike Hercules thefe deeds were done,
Nor feem'd the vengeance worthy fuch a fon: 30
When, by thy wiles induc'd, fierce Boreas tost
The shipwreck'd hero on the Coan coast,
Him through a thousand forms of death I bore,
And fent to Argos, and his native shore.
Hear this, remember, and our fury dread,
Nor pull th' unwilling vengeance on thy head;
Left arts and blandifhments fuccefsiefs prove,
Thy foft deceits, and well-diffembled love.

the

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Canft thou, unhappy in thy wiles! withstand Our power immenfe, and brave th' Almighty hand?

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Haft thou forgot, when, bound and fix'd on high,|
From the vast concave of the spangled sky,
I hung thee trembling in a golden chain;
And all the raging Gods oppos'd in vain?
Headlong Hurl'd them from th' Olympian hall,
Stunn'd in the whirl, and breathlefs with the fall.

35

The Thunderer fpoke: imperial Juno mourn'd, And, trembling, thefe fubmiflive words return'd:

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By every oath that Powers immortal ties,
The foodful earth, and all-infolding skies;
By thy black waves, tremendous Styx that
flow

Through the drear realms of gliding ghosts be-
low;

45

By the dread honours of thy facred head,
And that unbroken vow, our virgin bed!
Not by my arts the Ruler of the Main
Steeps Troy in blood, and ranges round the plain:
By his own ardour, his own pity, fway'd
To help his Greeks; he fought, and disobey'd; so
Elfe had thy Juno better counfels given,
And taught fubmiffion to the Sire of Heaven.

Think'st thou with me? fair Empress of the
Skies!

(Th' immortal Father with a file replies!)
Then foon the haughty Sea-god fhall obey,
Nor dare to act but when we point the way.

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If truth infpires thy tongue, proclaim our will
To yon bright fynod on th' Olympian hill;
Our high decree let various Iris know,
And call the God that bears the filver bow.
Let her defcend, and from th' embattled plain
Command the Sea-god to his watery reign:
While Phobus hattes, great Hector to prepare
To rife afresh, and once more wake the war;
His labouring bofom re-infpires with breath,
And calls his fenfes from the verge of death.
Greece, chas'd by Troy ev'n to Achilles' fleet.
Shall fall by thoufands at the hero's feet,
He, not untouch'd with pity, to the plain
Shall fend Patroclus, but fhall fend in vain.
What youths he flaughters under Ilion's walls!
Ev'n my lov'd fon, divine Sarpedon, falls!
Vanquish'd at last by Hector's lance he lies,
Then, nor till then, fhall great Achilles rife ;
And lo! that inftant godlike Hector dies.
From that great hour the war's whole fortune
turns,

Pallas aflifts, and lofty Ilion burns:

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To join his rapid courfers for the fight:
Then, grim in arms, with hafty vengeance flies;
Arms, that reflect a radiance through the fkies.
And now had Jove, by bold rehellion driven,
80 Difcharg'd his wrath on half the host of heaven;
But Pallas, fpringing through the bright abode,

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Starts from her azure throne to calm the God. Struck for th' immortal race with timely fear, 85 From frantic Mars fhe fnatch'd the fhield and fpear;

Not till that day fhall Jove relax his rage,
Nor one of all the heavenly hoft engage
In aid of Greece. The promife of a God
I gave, and feal'd it with th' almighty nod,
Achilles' glory to the stars to raise:
Such was our word, and Fate the word obeys.
The trembling Queen (th' almighty order given)]
Swift from th' Idæan fummit fhot to heaven.
As fome way-faring man, who wanders o'er
In thought a length of lands he trod before,
Sends forth his active mind from place to place,
Joins hill to dale, and measures space with space;
So fwift flew Juno to the bleft abodes,
If thought of man can match the speed of Gods,
There fat the Powers in awful fynod plac'd:
They bow'd, and made obeifance as the pafs'd,
Through all the brazen dome with goblets
crown'd

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And one vaft ruin whelm th' Olympian state. 155
Ceafe then thy offspring's death unjust to call;
Heroes as great have dy'd, and yet shall fall,
Why fhould Heaven's law with foolish man com-
ply,

Exempted from the race ordain'd to die?

165

"This menace fix'd the warrior to his throne: 160
Sullen he fat, and curb'd the rising groan.
Then Juno call'd (Jove's orders to obey)
The winged Iris, and the God of Day.
Go wait the Thunderer's will (Saturnia cry'd)
On yon tall fummit of the fountful Ide:
There in the Father's awful presence stand,
Receive, and execute his dread command.
She faid, and fat: the God that gilds the day,
And various Iris, wing their airy way.
Swift as the wind, to Ida's hill they came
(Fair nurse of fountains and of favage game);
There fat th' Eternal; he, whofe nod controls
The trembling world, and fhakes the feeady poles.
Veil'd in a mist of fragrance him they found,
With clouds of gold and purple circled round: 175

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Well-pleas'd the Thunderer faw their earnest

care,

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And prompt obedience to the Queen of Air;
Then (while a smile ferenes his awful brow)
Commands the Goddess of the fhowery bow:
Iris! defcend, and what we here ordain
Report to yon mad Tyrant of the Main.
Bid him from fight to his own deeps repair,
Or breathe from flaughter in the fields of air,
If he refuse, then let him timely weigh
Our elder birthright, and fuperior fway.
How fhall his rafhnefs ftand the dire alarms,
If Heaven's omnipotence defcend in arms?
Strives he with me, by whom his power was given,
And is there equal to the Lord of Heaven?

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Th' Almighty spoke: the Goddess wing'd her flight

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To facred Ilion from th' Idæan height.
Swift as the rattling hail, or fleecy fnows,
Drive through the fkies, when Boreas fiercely
blows;

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So from the clouds defcending Iris falls,

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Defifts at length his rebel war to wage,
Seeks his own feas, and trembles at our rage;
Elfe had my wrath, heaven's thrones all shaking
round,

Burn'd to the bottom of the feas profound;
And all the Gods that round old Saturn dwell
Had heard the thunders to the deeps of hell. 253
Well was the crime and well the vengeance fpar'd;
Ev'n power immenfe had found fuch battle hard.

And to blue Neptune thus the Goddefs calls: 195 Go thou, my fon! the trembling Greeks alarm,

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Shake my broad ægis on thy active arm;
Be godlike Hector thy peculiar care,
Swell his bold heart, and urge his ftrength to war:
Let ilion conquer, till th' Achaian train
200 Fly to their fhips, and Hellefpont again :

Attend the mandate of the Sire above,
In me behold the meffenger of Jove.
He bids thee from forbidden wars repair
To the own deeps, or to the fields of air.
This if reius'd, he bids thee timely weigh
His elder birthright, and fuperior sway.
How hall thy rafhnels ftand the dire alarms,
If Heaven's omnipotence defcend in arms?
Striv'ft thou with him, by whom all power
given?

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is Not half fo fwift the failing falcon flies,
That drives a turtle through the liquid (kies;
As Phœbus, fhooting from th' Idæan brow,
Glides down the mountain to the plain below.
There Hector feated by the stream he fees,
His fenfe returning with the coming breeze;
Again his pulfes beat, his fpirits rife;
Again his lov'd companions meet his eyes;
Jove thinking of his pains, they past away.
To whom the God who gives the golden day: 275
Why fits great Hector from the field fo far?
What grief, what wound, withholds thee from
the war?

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And art thou equal to the Lord of Heaven?
What means the haughty Sovereign of the Skies
(The King of Ocean thus, incens'd, replies)
Rule as he will his portion'd realms on high;
No vaffal God, nor of his train, am I.
Three brother Deities from Saturn came,
And ancient Rhea, Earth's immortal dame:
· Affign'd by lat, our triple rule we know ;
Infernal Pluto fways the fhades below;
O'er the wide clouds, and o'er the starry plain,
Ethereal Jove extends his high domain;
My court beneath the hoary waves I keep,
And buih the roarings of the facred deep:
Olympus, and this earth, in common lie;
What claim has here the Tyrant of the Sky?
Far in the diftant clouds let him control,
And awe the younger brothers of the pole;
There to his children his commands be given,
The trembling, fervile, fecond race of Heaven.

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And must I then (said she) O Sire of Floods!
Bear this fierce answer to the King of Gods? 225
Correct it yet, and change thy rafh intent;
A noble mind difdains not to repent.
To elder brothers guardian fiends are given,
Tofcourge the wretch infulting them and Heaven.
Great is the profit (thus the God rejoin'd) 230
When minifters are bleft with prudent mind:
Warn'd by thy words, to powerful Jove I yield,
And quit, though angry, the contended field.
Not but his threats with juftice I difclaim,
The fame our honours, and our birth the fame. 235
If yet, forgetful of his promise given

To Hermes, Pallas, and the Queen of Heaven ;
VOL. VI.

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To him Apollo: Be no more difmay'd;
See, and be ftrong! the Thunderer fends thee aid.
Behold! thy Phœbus fhall his arms employ, 290
Phœbus, propitious ftill to thee and Troy.
Infpire thy warriors then with manly force,
And to the fhips impel thy rapid horse :
Ev'n I will make thy fiery courfers way,
And drive the Grecians headlong to the sea. 295
Thus to bold Hector spoke the son of Jove,
And breath'd immortal ardour from above.
As when the pamper'd ftced, with reins unbound,
Breaks from his ftall, and pours along the ground;

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