The Iliad and the Odyssey (Classics of World Literature) (54 page)

Out shriek’d the Trojans when they saw the body borne to fleet,

And rush’d on, as at any boar, gash’d with the hunter’s wounds,

A kennel of the sharpest set and sorest bitten hounds

Before their youthful huntsmen haste, and eagerly a while

Pursue, as if they were assur’d of their affected spoil.

But when the savage (in his strength as confident as they)

Turns head amongst them, back they fly, and every one his way:

So troop-meal’d Troy pursu’d a while, laying on with swords and darts;

But when th’ Ajaces turn’d on them, and made their stand, their hearts

Drunk from their faces all their bloods, and not a man sustain’d

The forechace, nor the after fight. And thus Greece nobly gain’d

The person towards home: but thus the changing war was rack’d

Out to a passing bloody length. For as, once put in act,

A fire invading city roofs is suddenly ingross’d

And made a wondrous mighty flame, in which is quickly lost

A house long building, all the while a boist’rous gust of wind

Lumb’ring amongst it: so the Greeks (in bearing off their friend)

More and more foes drew, at their heels a tumult thund’ring still

Of horse and foot. Yet as when mules, in haling from a hill

A beam or mast, through foul deep way, well clapp’d and heartened, close

Lie to their labour, tug and sweat, and passing hard it goes

(Urg’d by their drivers to all haste), so dragg’d they on the corse,

Still both th’ Ajaces at their backs, who back still turn’d the force,

Though after it grew still the more: yet as a sylvan hill

Thrusts back a torrent that hath kept a narrow channel still,

Till at his oaken breast it beats, but there a check it takes,

That sends it over all the vale with all the stir it makes,

Nor can with all the confluence break through his rooty sides:

In no less firm and brave repulse th’ Ajaces curb’d the prides

Of all the Trojans; yet all held the pursuit in his strength,

Their chiefs being Hector, and the son of Venus, who at length

Put all the youths of Greece besides in most amazeful rout,

Forgetting all their fortitudes, distraught, and shrieking out,

A number of their rich arms lost, fall’n from them here and there,

About and in the dike; and yet, the war concludes not here.

The end of the seventeenth book

Book 18

The Argument

Achilles mourns, told of Patroclus’ end;

When Thetis doth from forth the sea ascend

And comfort him, advising to abstain

From any fight, till her request could gain

Fit arms of Vulcan. Juno yet commands

To show himself. And at the dike he stands

In sight of th’ enemy, who with his sight

Flies; and a number perish in the flight.

Patroclus’ person (safe brought from the wars)

His soldiers wash. Vulcan the arms prepares.

Another Argument

Sigma
continues the alarms,

And fashions the renowned arms.

Book 18

They fought still like the rage of fire. And now Antilochus

Came to Aeacides, whose mind was much solicitous

For that which (as he fear’d) was fall’n. He found him near the fleet

With upright sail-yards, uttering this to his heroic conceit:

‘Ay me, why see the Greeks themselves thus beaten from the field,

And routed headlong to their fleet. O let not heaven yield

Effect to what my sad soul fears; that (as I was foretold)

The strongest Myrmidon (next me), when I should still behold

The sun’s fair light, must part with it. Past doubt Menoetius’ son

Is he on whom that fate is wrought. O wretch, to leave undone

What I commanded, that the fleet once freed of hostile fire,

(Not meeting Hector) instantly he should his pow’rs retire.’

As thus his troubled mind discours’d, Antilochus appear’d,

And told with tears the sad news thus: ‘My lord, that must be heard

Which would to heav’n I might not tell: Menoetius’ son lies dead,

And for his naked corse (his arms already forfeited,

And worn by Hector) the debate is now most vehement.’

This said, grief darken’d all his pow’rs. With both his hands he rent

The black mould from the forced earth, and pour’d it on his head,

Smear’d all his lovely face; his weeds (divinely fashioned)

All ’fil’d and mangled; and himself he threw upon the shore,

Lay as laid out for funeral, then tumbled round, and tore

His gracious curls; his extasy he did so far extend,

That all the ladies won by him and his now slaughter’d friend

(Afflicted strangely for his plight) came shrieking from the tents,

And fell about him; beat their breasts, their tender lineaments

Dissolv’d with sorrow. And with them wept Nestor’s warlike son,

Fell by him, holding his fair hands, in fear he would have done

His person violence; his heart (extremely straiten’d) burn’d,

Beat, swell’d, and sigh’d as it would burst. So terribly he mourn’d

That Thetis, sitting in the deeps of her old father’s seas,

Heard, and lamented. To her plaints the bright Nereides

Flock’d all, how many those dark gulfs soever comprehend.

There Glauce and Cymodoce and Spyo did attend,

Nesaea and Cymothoa, and calm Amphithoë;

Thalia, Thoa, Panope, and swift Dynamene;

Actaea and Lymnoria, and Halia the fair,

Fam’d for the beauty of her eyes, Amathia for her hair;

Iaera, Proto, Clymene, and curl’d Dexamene;

Pherusa, Doris; and with these the smooth Amphinome;

Chaste Galathea so renown’d; and Callianira came

With Doto and Orythia, to cheer the mournful dame;

Apseudes likewise visited; and Callianassa gave

Her kind attendance; and with her Agave grac’d the cave.

Nemertes, Maera followed; Melita, Ianesse,

With Ianira, and the rest of those Nereides

That in the deep seas made abode; all which together beat

Their dewy bosoms, and to all thus Thetis did repeat

Her cause of mourning: ‘Sisters, hear how much the sorrows weigh

Whose cries now call’d ye: hapless I brought forth unhappily

The best of all the sons of men, who like a well-set plant

In best soils, grew and flourished, and when his spirit did want

Employment for his youth and strength, I sent him with a fleet

To fight at Ilion; from whence his fate-confined feet

Pass all my deity to retire. The court of his high birth,

The glorious court of Peleus, must entertain his worth

Never hereafter. All the life he hath to live with me

Must waste in sorrows; and this son I now am bent to see,

Being now afflicted with some grief, not usually grave,

Whose knowledge and recure I seek.’ This said, she left her cave,

Which all left with her; swimming forth, the green waves as they swom,

Cleft with their bosoms, curl’d, and gave quick way to Troy. Being come,

They all ascended, two and two, and trod the honour’d shore,

Till where the fleet of Myrmidons (drawn up in heaps) it bore.

There stay’d they at Achilles’ ship, and there did Thetis lay

Her fair hand on her son’s curl’d head, sigh’d, wept, and bade him say

What grief drew from his eyes those tears: ‘Conceal it not,’ said she;

‘Till this hour thy uplifted hands have all things granted thee.

The Greeks (all thrust up at their sterns) have pour’d out tears enow,

And in them seen how much they miss remission of thy vow.

He said, ‘Tis true, Olympius hath done me all that grace:

But what joy have I of it all, when thus thrusts in the place

Loss of my whole self, in my friend? Whom, when his foe had slain,

He spoil’d of those profaned arms that Peleus did obtain

From heaven’s high pow’rs, solemnizing thy sacred nuptial bands,

As th’ only present of them all; and fitted well their hands,

Being lovely, radiant, marvellous. O would to heaven thy throne,

With these fair deities of the sea, thou still hadst sat upon,

And Peleus had a mortal wife, since by his means is done

So much wrong to thy grieved mind, my death being set so soon,

And never suf
f
’
ring my return to grace of Peleus’ court;

Nor do I wish it, nor to live in any man’s resort,

But only that the crying blood for vengeance of my friend,

Mangled by Hector, may be still’d, his foe’s death paying his end.’

She, weeping, said: ‘That hour is near, and thy death’s hour then nigh,

Which in thy wish, serv’d of thy foe, succeedeth instantly.’

‘And instantly it shall succeed,’ he answer’d, ‘since my fate

Allow’d not to my will a pow’r to rescue (ere the date

Of his late slaughter) my true friend. Far from his friends he died,

Whose wrong therein my eyes had light and right to see denied.

Yet now I neither light myself, nor have so spent my light,

That either this friend or the rest (in numbers infinite

Slaughter’d by Hector) I can help, nor grace with wish’d repair

To our dear country, but breathe here unprofitable air,

And only live a load to earth, with all my strength, though none

Of all the Grecians equal it. In counsel many a one

Is my superior. What I have no grace gets; what I want

Disgraceth all. How, then, too soon can hastiest death supplant

My fate-curst life? Her instrument to my indignity

Being that black fiend Contention, who would to god might die

To gods and men, and Anger too, that kindles tyranny

In men most wise, being much more sweet than liquid honey is

To men of pow’r, to satiate their watchful enmities;

And like a pliant fume it spreads through all their breasts, as late

It stole stern passage thorough mine, which he did instigate

That is our general. But the fact so long past, the effect

Must vanish with it, though both griev’d, nor must we still respect

Our soothed humours. Need now takes the rule of either’s mind.

And when the looser of my friend his death in me shall find,

Let death take all. Send him, ye gods, I’ll give him my embrace.

Not Hercules himself shunn’d death, though dearest in the grace

Of Jupiter; ev’n him Fate stoop’d, and Juno’s cruelty.

And if such fate expect my life, where death strikes, I will lie.

Meantime I wish a good renown, that these deep-breasted dames

Of Ilion and Dardania may for th’ extinguish’d flames

Of their friends’ lives with both their hands wipe miserable tears

From their so curiously kept cheeks, and be the officers

To execute my sighs on Troy, when (seeing my long retreat

But gather’d strength, and gives my charge an answerable heat)

They well may know ’twas I lay still, and that my being away

Presented all their happiness. But any further stay

(Which your much love perhaps may wish) assay not to persuade;

All vows are kept, all pray’rs heard, now free way for fight is made.’

The silver-footed dame replied: ‘It fits thee well, my son,

To keep destruction from thy friends; but those fair arms are won

And worn by Hector that should keep thyself in keeping them,

Though their fruition be but short, a long death being near him,

Whose cruel glory they are yet: by all means then forbear

To tread the massacres of war till I again appear

From Mulciber with fit new arms; which, when thy eye shall see

The sun next rise, shall enter here, with his first beams and me.’

Thus to her sisters of the sea she turn’d, and bade them ope

The doors and deeps of Nereus; she in Olympus’ top

Must visit Vulcan for new arms, to serve her wreakful son,

And bade inform her father so, with all things further done.

This said, they underwent the sea, herself flew up to heav’n;

In mean space, to the Hellespont and ships the Greeks were driv’n

In shameful rout; nor could they yet, from rage of Priam’s son,

Secure the dead of new assaults, both horse and men made on

With such impression: thrice the feet the hands of Hector seiz’d,

And thrice th’ Ajaces thump’d him off. With whose repulse displeas’d,

He wreak’d his wrath upon the troops, then to the corse again

Made horrid turnings, crying out of his repulsed men,

And would not quit him quite for death. A lion almost sterv’d

Is not by upland herdsmen driv’n from urging to be serv’d

With more contention than his strength, by those two of a name,

And had perhaps his much prais’d will, if th’ airy-footed dame

(Swift Iris) had not stoop’d in haste, ambassadress from heav’n

To Peleus’ son, to bid him arm, her message being giv’n

By Juno, kept from all the gods; she thus excited him:

‘Rise, thou most terrible of men, and save the precious limb

Of thy belov’d, in whose behalf the conflict now runs high

Before the fleet; the either host fells other mutually,

These to retain, those to obtain; amongst whom most of all

Is Hector prompt, he’s apt to drag thy friend home, he your pall

Will make his shoulders, his head forc’d; he’ll be most famous. Rise,

No more lie idle, set the foe a much more costly prize

Of thy friend’s value; then let dogs make him a monument

Where thy name will be grav’n.’ He ask’d, ‘What deity hath sent

Thy presence hither?’ She replied: ‘Saturnia; she alone,

Not high Jove knowing, nor one god that doth inhabit on

Snowy Olympus.’ He again: ‘How shall I set upon

The work of slaughter, when mine arms are worn by Priam’s son?

How will my goddess-mother grieve, that bade I should not arm

Till she brought arms from Mulciber? But should I do such harm

To her and duty, who is he (but Ajax) that can vaunt

The fitting my breast with his arms? And he is conversant

Amongst the first in use of his, and rampiers of the foe

(Slain near Patroclus) builds to him.’ ‘All this,’ said she, ‘we know,

And wish thou only wouldst but show thy person to the eyes

Of these hot Ilians, that (afraid of further enterprise)

The Greeks may gain some little breath.’ She woo’d, and he was won,

And straight Minerva honour’d him, who Jove’s shield clapp’d upon

His mighty shoulders, and his head girt with a cloud of gold,

That cast beams round about his brows. And as when arms enfold

A city in an isle, from thence a fume at first appears

(Being in the day), but when the even her cloudy forehead rears,

Thick show the fires, and up they cast their splendour, that men nigh,

Seeing their distress, perhaps may set ships out to their supply:

So (to show such aid) from his head a light rose, scaling heav’n,

And forth the wall he stept and stood, nor brake the precept giv’n

By his great mother (mix’d in fight), but sent abroad his voice,

Which Pallas far-off echoed; who did betwixt them hoise

Shrill tumult to a topless height. And as a voice is heard

With emulous affection, when any town is spher’d

With siege of such a foe as kills men’s minds, and for the town

Makes sound his trumpet: so the voice from Thetis’ issue thrown

Won emulously th’ ears of all. His brazen voice once heard,

The minds of all were startled so, they yielded, and so fear’d

The fair-man’d horses that they flew back, and their chariots turn’d,

Presaging in their augurous hearts the labours that they mourn’d

A little after, and their guides a repercussive dread

Took from the horrid radiance of his refulgent head,

Which Pallas set on fire with grace. Thrice great Achilles spake,

And thrice (in heat of all the charge) the Trojans started back:

Twelve men, of greatest strength in Troy, left with their lives exhal’d

Their chariots and their darts to death, with his three summons call’d.

And then the Grecians spritefully drew from the darts the corse,

And hearst it, bearing it to fleet, his friends, with all remorse,

Marching about it. His great friend, dissolving then in tears

To see his truly-lov’d return’d so hors’d upon a hearse,

Whom with such horse and chariot he set out safe and whole,

Now wounded with unpitying steel, now sent without a soul,

Never again to be restor’d, never receiv’d but so,

He follow’d mourning bitterly. The sun (yet far to go)

Juno commanded to go down, who in his pow’r’s despite

Sunk to the ocean, over earth dispersing sudden night.

And then the Greeks and Trojans both gave up their horse and darts.

The Trojans all to council call’d, ere they refresh’d their hearts