240

My brother once, before my days of shame ;
And oh that still he bore a brother's name!
With wonder Prian view'd the god-like man,
Extoll'd the happy prince, and thus began:
O bleft Atrides! born to profperous fate,
Successful monarch of a mighty ftate!
How vaft thy empire! Of yon matchless train
What numbers loft, what numbers yet remain ?
In Phrygia once were gal ant armies known, 245
In ancient time, when Otreus fill'd the throne,
When god-like Mygdon led their troops of horse,
And I, to join them, rais'd the Trojan force :
Against the manlike Amazons we stood,
And Sangar's stream ran purple with their blood.

Then Helen thus: Whom your difcerning eyes Have fingled out, is Ithacus the wife: A barren island boasts his glorious birth: His fame for wisdom fills the spacious earth. Antenor took the word, and thus began: 265 Myfelf, O king! have feen that wond'rous man: When, trufting Jove and hofpitable laws, To Troy he came, to plead the Grecian cause ; (Great Menelaus urg'd the fame request) My houfe was honour'd with each royal gueft:

270 I knew their perfons, and admir'd their parts, Both brave in arms, and both approv'd in arts. Erect, the Spartan most engag'd our view; Ulyffes feated greater reverence drew. When Atreus' fon harangu'd the liftening train,

275

Juft was his fenfe, and his expreffion plain,
His words fuccinct, yet full, without a fault;
He spoke no more than just the thing he ought.
But when Ulyffes rofe, in thought profound,
His mode it eyes he fixt upon the ground,
As one unskill'd or dumb, he feem'd to ftand,
Nor rais'd his head, nor ftretch'd his fcepter'd
hand;

280

But, when he speaks, what elocution flows!

295

Ajax the great (the beauteous queen replied)
Himself a hoft: the Grecian ftrength and pride.
See! bold Idomeneus fuperior towers
Amidft yon circle of his Cretan powers,
Great as a God! 1 faw him once before,
With Menelaus, on the Spartan fhore.
The rest I know, and could in order name;
All valiant chiefs, and men of mighty fame. 300
Yet two are wanting of the numerous train,
Whom long my eyes have fought, but fought in
vain ;

Caftor and Pollux, firft in martial force,
One bold on foot, and one renown'd for horse.
My brothers thefe; the fame our native fhore,
305

One houfe contain'd us, as one mother bore.
Perhaps the chiefs, from warlike toils at eafe,
For diftant Troy refus'd to fail the feas:
Perhaps their fwords fome nobler quarrel draws,
Afham'd to combat in their fifter's cause.

310

So fpoke the fair, nor knew her brothers' doom,

Wrapt in the cold embraces of the tomb;
Adorn'd with honours in their native fhore,
Silent they flept, and heard of wars no more.
Meantime the heralds, through the crowded
town,
315
Bring the rich wine and deftin'd victims down.
Idæus' arms the golden goblets prest,
Who thus the venerable king addreft:
Arife, O father of the Trojan state!
The nations call, thy joyful people wait, 320
To feal the truce, and end the dire debate.
Paris thy fon, and Sparta's king advance,
In meafur'd lifts to tofs the weighty lance;
And who his rival fhall in arms fubdue
His be the dame, and his the treasure too.
Thus with a lafting league our toils may ceafe,
And Troy poffefs her fertile fields in peace;
So fhall the Greeks review their native shore,
Much fam'd for generous fteeds, for beauty

more.

}

325

The wine they mix, and on each monarch's hands

Pour the full urn; then draws the Grecian lord
His cutlace fheath'd befide his ponderous fword,
From the fign'd victims crops the curling hair,
The heralds part it, and the princes fhare;
Then loudly thus before th' attentive bands
He calls the Gods, and fpreads his lifted hands:

345

O first and greatest power! whom all obey, Who high on Ida's holy mountain fway, Eternal Jove! and you bright orb that roll From east to weft, and view from pole to pole !

E

350

Thou mother Earth! and all ye living Floods !
Infernal Furies and Tartarian Gods,
Who rule the dead, and horrid woes prepare
For perjur'd kings, and all who falfely fwear!
Hear, and be witnefs. If, by Paris flain,,
Great Menelaus prefs the fatal plain ;
The dame and treafures let the Trojan keep,
And Greece returning plow the watery deep.
If by my brother's lance the Trojan bleed;
Be his the wealth and beauteous dame decreed :
Th' appointed fine let Ilion juitly pay,
And every age record the signal day.
Thus if the Phrygians fhall refuse to yield,
Arms must revenge, and Mars decide the field.
With that the chief the tender victims flew,
And in the du their bleeding bodies threw. 365
The vital fpirit iffued at the wound,

360

And left the members quivering on the ground. From the fame urn they drink the mingled wine, And add libations to the powers divine.

While thus their prayers united mount the sky;

But fpare the weak nefs of my feeble age:
In yonder walls that object let me thun,
Nor view the danger of fo dear a fon.
Whofe arms thall conquer, and what prince fhall
fall,

Heaven only knows, for Heaven difpofes all. 385
This faid, the hoary king no longer stay'd,
But on his car the flaughter'd victims laid;
Then feiz'd the reins his gentle steeds to guide,
And drove to Troy, Antenor at his fide.

Bold Hector and Ulyffes now difpofe
The lifts of combat, and the ground inclofe :
Next to decide by facred lots prepare,
Who first shall launch his pointed spear in air.
The people pray with elevated hands,

390

And words like thefe are heard through all the bands.

395

400

And thades eternal! let divifion cease,
And joyful nations join in leagues of peace.
With eves averted, Hector haftes to turn
The lots of fight, and fhakes the brazen urn.
Then, Paris, thine leap'd forth; by fatal chance
Ordain'd the first to whirl the weighty lance. 405
Both arms fat the combat to furvey,
Befide each chief his azure armour lay,
And round the lifts the generous courfers neigh.

The beauteous warriour now arrays for fight, In gilded arms magnificently bright:

410

415

The purple cuishes clafp his thighs around,
With flowers adorn'd, and filver buckles bound:
Lycaon's confelet his fair body dreft,
Brac'd in, and fitted to his fofter breast:
A radiant baldric, o'er his fhoulder ty'd,
Suftain'd the fword that glitter'd at his fide:
His youthful face a polifh'd helm o'erfpread;
The waving horfe-hair nodded on his head;
His figur'd thield, a fhining orb, he takes,
And in his hand a pointed javelin shakes.
With equal fpeed, and fir'd by equal charms,
The Spartan hero fheaths his limbs in arms.

420

Now round the lifts th' admiring armies stand, With javelins fix'd, the Greek and Trojan band. Amidst the dreadful vale, the chiefs advance 425 All pale with rage, and shake the threatening lance.

The Trojan first his fhining javelin threw ;
Full on Atrides' ringing fhield it flew ;
Nor pierc'd the brazen orb, but with a bound
Leap'd from the buckler, blunted on the ground.

430

Atrides then his maffy lance prepares,
In act to throw, but first prefers his prayers:
Give me, great Jove! to punish lawless lust,
And lay the Trojan gafping in the duft:
Destroy th' aggreffor, aid my righteous cause,435
Avenge the breach of hospitable laws,
Let this example future times reclaim,
And guard from wrong fair friendship's holy

The wary Trojan, bending from the blow,
Eludes the death, and disappoints his foe:
But fierce Atrides way'd his fword, and ftrook

445

Full on his cafque; the crested he'met fhook;
The brittle steel, unfaithful to his hand,
Broke fhort: the fragments glitter'd on the fand.
The raging warriour to the spacious skies
Rais'd his upbraiding voice, and angry eyes: 450
Then is it vain in Jove himself to truft?
And is it thus the Gods aflift the juft?

When crimes provoke us, Heaven fuccefs denies; The dart falls harmless, and the faulchion flies. Furious he faid, and tow'rd the Grecian crew 455 (Seiz'd by the creft) th' unhappy warriour drew; Struggling he follow'd, while th' embroider'd thong,

That ty'd his helmet, dragg'd the chief along.
Then had his ruin crown'd Atrides' joy,
But Venus trembled for the prince of Troy : 460
Unfeen the came, and burst the golden band;
And left an empty helmet in his hand.
The cafque, enrag'd, amidft the Greeks he
threw ;

The Greeks with fmiles the polish'd trophy view.
Then, as once more he lifts the deadly dart, 465
In thirft of vengeance, is rival's heart,

470

The queen of love her favour'd champion shrouds
(For Gods can all things) in a veil of clouds.
Rais'd from the field the panting youth fhe led,
And gently laid him on the bridal bed,
With pleafing fweets his fainting sense renews,
And all the dome perfumes with heavenly dews.
Meantime the brightest of the female kind,
The matchlefs Helen, o'er the walls reclin'd;
To her, befet with Trojan beauties, came
In borrow'd form he laughter-loving dame,
(She feem'd an ancient maid, well-fkill'd to cull
The fnowy fleece, and wind the twisted wool.)
The Goddess foftly shook her filken veft,
That thed perfumes, and whispering thus addreft:
480

475

Hafte, happy nymph! for thee thy Paris calls, Safe from the fight, in yonder lofty walls, Fair as a God! with odours round him fpread He lies, and waits thee on the well-known bed Not like a warrior parted from the foe, But fome gay dancer in the public fhow.

She fpoke, and Helen's fecret foul was mov'd;
She fcorn'd the champion, but the man fhe lov'd
Fair Venus' neck, her eyes that sparkled fire,
And breast, reveal'd the Queen of foft defire. 490
Struck with her prefence, ftraight the lively red
Forfook her cheek; and, trembling, thus fhe
faid:

Then is it ftill thy pleasure to deceive?
And woman's frailty always to believe?

Say, to new nations muft I cross the main, 495
Or carry wars to fome soft Afian plain ?
For whom muft Helen break her fecond vow?
What other Paris is thy darling now?
Jeft to Atrides (victor in the ftrife)
An odious conqueft, and a captive wife,
Hence let me fail: and if thy Paris bear
My abfence ill, let Venus eafe his care.
A hand-maid Goddess at his fide to wait,
Renounce the glories of thy heavenly state,
Be fix'd for ever to the Trojan fhore,

500

505

His fpoufe, or flave; and mount the skies no

more.

For me, to lawless love no longer led,

I fcorn the coward, and deteft his bed;
Elfe fhould I merit everlasting shame,
And keen reproach, from every Phrygian dame :

510

Ill fuits it now the joys of love to know,
Too deep my anguifh, and too wild my woe.
Then, thus incens'd, the Paphian queen re-
plies ;

Obey the power from whom thy glories rife: Should Venus leave thee, every charm muft Aly, 515

Fade from thy cheek, and languish in thy eye.
Ceafe to provoke me, left I make thee more
The world's averfion, than their love before;
Now the bright prize for which mankind engage,
Then the fad victim of the public rage.

* Venus.

520

525

At this, the fairest of her fex obey'd, And veil'd her blufhes in a filken fhade; Unfeen, and filent, from the train the moves, Led by the Goddess of the Smiles and Loves. Arriv'd, and enter'd at the palace-gate, The maids officious round their mistress wait; Then all, difperfing, various tasks attend; The queen and Goddess to the prince afcend. Ful in her Paris' fight, the Queen of Love Had plac'd the beauteous progeny of Jove; 530 Where as he view'd her charms, the turn'd away

Her glowing eyes, and thus began to fay:

Is this the chief, who, loft to sense of shame,
Late fled the field, and yet furvives his fame?
Oh hadft thou dy'd beneath the righteous fword
535

Of that brave man whom once I call'd my lord!
The boafter Paris oft defir'd the day
With Sparta's king to meet in fingle fray :
Go now, once more thy rival's rage excite,
Provoke Atrides, and renew the fight:
Yet Helen bids thee ftay, left thou unfkill'd
Should'ft fall an eafy conqueft on the field.

540

Nor add reproaches to the wound I bear;
The prince replies: Ah ceafe, divinely fair,
This day the foe prevail'd by Pallas's power; 545
We yet may vanquish in a happier hour:
There want not Gods to favour us above;
But let the bufinefs of our life be love:
These fofter moments let delight employ,
And kind embraces fnatch the hafty joy.
Not thus I lov'd thee, when from Sparta's fhore,
My forc'd, my willing, heavenly prize I bore,
When firft entranc'd in Cranae's ifle I lay,
Mix'd with thy foul, and all diffolv'd away!
Thus having fpoke, th' enamour'd Phrygian boy

550

555

Rush'd to the bed, impatient for the joy.
Him Helen follow'd flow with bashful charms,
And clafp'd the blooming hero in her arms.

560

While thefe to love's delicious rapture yield, The ftern Atrides rages round the field : So fome fell lion, whom the woods obey, Roars through the defart, and demands his prey. Paris he feeks, impatient to destroy, But feeks in vain along the troops of Troy; Ev'n thofe had yielded to a foe fo brave The recreant warriour, hateful as the grave. Then fpeaking thus, the king of kings arose! Ye Trojans, Dardans, all our generous foes! Hear, and atteft! from heaven with conquest crown'd,

565

Our brother's arms the juft fuccefs have found: 579

Be therefore now the Spartan wealth reftor'd,
Let Argive Helen own her lawful lord;
Th' appointed fine let Ilion juftly pay,
And age to age record this fignal day.

He ceas'd; his army's loud applaufes rife, 575 And the long fhout uns echoing through the fkies.

The Sire whofe thunder shakes the cloudy skies

45

Sighs from his inmoft foul, and thus replies:
Oh lafting rancour! oh infatiate hate
To Phrygia's monarch, and the Phrygian state!
What high offence has fir'd the wife of Jove,
Can wretched mortals harm the powers above? 50
That Troy and Troy's whole race thou would'it
confound.

And yon fair ftructures level with the ground?
Hafte, leave the fkies, fulfil thy ftern defire,
Burit all her gates, and wrap her walls in fire!
Let Priam bleed! If vet thou thirst for more, 55
Bleed all his fons, and Ilion float with gore,
To boundless vengeance the wide realm be given,
Till vaft deftruction glut the Queen of Heaven!
So let it be, and Jove his peace enjoy,

When Heaven no longer hears the name of Troy:
60
But fhould this arm prepare to wreak our hate
On thy lov'd realms, whofe guilt demands their fate,
Prefume not thou the lifted bolt to stay;
Remember Troy, and give the vengeance way.
For know, of all the numerous towns that rife 65
Beneath the rolling fun and ftarry skies,
Which Gods have rais'd, or earth-born men enjoy,
None ftands fo dear to Jove as facred Troy.
No mortals merit more diftinguish'd grace
Than God-like Priam, or than Priam's race,
Still to our name their hecatombs expire,
And altars blaze with unextinguifh'd fire.

70

At this the Goddefs roll'd her radiant eyes, Then on the Thunderer fix'd them, and replies: Three towns are Juno's on the Grecian plains, 75 More dear than all th' extended earth contains, Mycene, Argos, and the Spartan wall;

85

Thefe thou may'st raze, nor I forbid their fall:
'Tis not in me the vengeance to remove;
The crime's fufficient, that they fhare my love. 80
Of power fuperiour why fhould I complain?
Refent I may, but muft refent in vain.
Yet fome diftinction Juno might require,
Sprung with thyself from one celestial fire,
A Goddefs born to share the realms above,
And ftyl'd the confort of the thundering Jove;
Nor thou a wife and fifter's right deny;
Let both confent, and both by turns comply;
So fhall the Gods our joint decrees obey,
And Heaven fhall act as we direct the way.
See ready Pallas waits thy high commands,
To raife in arms the Greek and Phrygian bands;
Their fudden friendship by her arts may ceafe,
And the proud Trojans firft infringe the peace.
The Sire of men and Monarch of the fky, 95
Th' advice approv'd, and bade Minerva fly,
Diffolve the league, and all her arts employ
To make the breach the faithlefs act of Troy.
Fir'd with the charge, the headlong urg'd her
flight,

90

And fhot like lightning from Olympus' height. 100
As the red comet, from Saturnius fent
To fright the nations with a dire portent
(A fatal fign to armies on the plain,

Or trembling failors on the wintery main) With fweeping glories glides along in air,

And shakes the sparkles from its blazing hair :

Between both armies thus, in open fight,
Shot the bright Goddess in a trail of light.
With eyes erect the gazing hosts admire
The power defcending, and the heavens on fire!

110

The Gods (they cried) the Gods this fignal fent,
And fate now labours with fome vast event:
Jove feals the league, or bloodier scenes prepares;
Jove the great arbiter of peace and wars!

They faid, while Pallas through the Trojan throng

(In fhape a mortal) pafs'd disguis'd along.
Like bold Laödocus, her course the bent,
Who from Antenor trac'd his high defcent.
Amidst the ranks Lycaon's fon the found,
The warlike Pandarus, for ftrength renown'd; 120
Whofe fquadrons, led from black fepus' flood,
With flaming fhields in martial circle ftood.

To him the Goddess: Phrygian! can't thou hear
A well-tim'd counfel with a willing ear?
What praise were thine, could'ft thou direct thy
dart,

Amidst his triumph, to the Spartan's heart! What gifts from Troy, from Paris would'st thou gain,

Thy country's foe, the Grecian glory flain!
Then feize th' occafion, dare the mighty deed,
Aim at his breaft, and may that aim fucceed! 130
But first, to speed thy fhaft, addrefs thy vow
To Lycian Phoebus with the filver bow,
And fwear the firftlings of thy flock to pay
On Zelia's altars, to the God of Day.

He heard, and madly, at the motion pleas'd, 135 His polifh'd bow with hafty rafhness feiz'd. 'Twas form'd of horn, and fmooth'd with artful

toil,

145

There meditates the mark; and couching low,
Fits the fharp arrow to the well-strung bow.
One from a hundred feather'd deaths he chofe,
Fated to wound; and cause of future woes,
Then offers vows with hecatombs to crown 150
Apollo's altars in his native town.

Now with full force the yielding horn he bends,
Drawn to an arch, and joins the doubling ends;
Close to his breast he strains the nerve below,
Till the barb'd point approach the circling bow;
155

Th' impatient weapon whizzes on the wing: Sounds the tough horn, and twangs the quivering ftring.

105