590

The thoughts of glory past, and present shame,
A thoufand griefs fhall waken at the name !
May I lie cold before that dreadful day,
Prefs'd with a load of monumental clay !
Thy Hector, wrapt in everlasting fleep,
Shall neither hear thee figh, nor fee thee weep.
Thus having fpoke, th' illuftrious chief of Troy
Stretch'd his fond arms to clafp the lovely boy.
595

The babe clung crying to his nurse's breast,
Scar'd at the dazzling helm, and nodding creft.
With fecret pleafure each fond parent fmil'd,
And Hector hafted to relieve his child,
The glittering terrours from his brows unboun 1,

He fpoke, and fondly gazing on her charms,
Reftor'd the pleafing burthen to her arms;
Soft on her fragrant breast the babe the laid,
Hufh'd to repofe, and with a fmile furvey'd.
The troubled pleasure foon chaftis'd by fear, 620
She mingled with a fmile a tender tear.
The foften'd chief with kind compaffion view'd,
And dry'd the falling drops, and thus pursued :
Andromache! my foul's far better part,
Why with untimely forrows heaves thy heart?

No hoftile hand can antedate my doom,
Till fate condenins me to the filent tomb.
Fix'd is the term to all the race of earth;
And fuch the hard condition of our birth,
No force can then refift, no flight can fave;
All fink alike, the fearful and the brave.
No more but haften to thy tasks at home,
There guide the fpindle, and direct the loom;

625

630

635

Me glory fummons to the martial scene,
The field of combat is the fphere for men.
Where heroes war, the foremost place I claim,
The first in danger, as the first in fame.

Thus having faid, the glorious chief refumes
His towery helmet, black with fhading plumes.
His princess parts with a prophetic figh, 640
Unwilling parts, and oft reverts her eye,
That ftream'd at every look: then, moving
flow,

Sought her own palace, and indulg'd her woe.
There, while her tears deplor'd the god-like man,
Through all her train the foft infection ran, 645
The pious maids their mingled forrows shed,
And mourn the living Hector, as the dead.
But now, no longer deaf to honour's call,
Forth iffues Paris from the palace wall.
In brazen arms that caft a gleamy ray,
Swift through the town the warriour bends his

way.

650

The wanton courfer thus, with reins unbound, Breaks from his ftall, and beats the trembling ground;

Pamper'd and proud, he feeks the wonted tides, And laves, in height of blood, his fhining fides; 655

His head now freed, he toffes to the skies;
His mane difhevell'd o'er his fhoulders flies;
He fnuffs the females in the distant plain,
And fprings, exulting, to his fields again.
With equal triumph, fprightly, bold, and gay,

660

665

In arms refulgent as the God of day,
The fon of Priam, glorying in his might,
Rufh'd forth with Hector to the fields of fight.
And now, the warriours paffing on the way,
The graceful Paris firft excus'd his stay.
To whom the noble Hector thus reply'd:
O chief! in blood, and now in arms, ally'd!
Thy power in war with juftice none conteft;
Known is thy courage, and thy ftrength confest.
What pity floth fhould feize a foul so brave, 670
Or god-like Paris live a woman's flave!
My heart weeps blood at what the Trojans fay,
And hopes, thy deeds fhall wipe the stain away.
Hafte then, in all their glorious labours share;
For much they fuifer, for thy fake, in war. 675
Thefe ills fhall ceafe, whene'r by Jove's decree
We crown the bowl to Heaven and Liberty :
While the proud foe his fruftrate triumphs mourns,
And Greece indignant through her feas returns.

45

50

At this agreed, the heavenly powers withdrew; Sage Helenus their fecret counfels knew: Hector, infpir'd, he fought to him addreft, Thus told the dictates of his facred breast: O fon of Priam! let thy faithful ear Receive my words; thy friend and brother hear! Go forth perfuafive, and a while engage The warring nations to fufpend their rage; Then dare the boldeft of the hoftile train To mortal combat on the lifted plain. For not this day fhall end thy glorious date, The Gods have spoke it, and their voice is fate. He faid: the warriour heard the word with joy; Then with his fpear reftrain'd the youth of Troy,

55

85

Which when fome future mariner surveys,
Wath'd by broad Hellefpont's refounding feas, 100
Thus fhall he fay, "A valiant Greek lies there,
"By Hector flain, the mighty man of war.”
The ftone shall tell your vanquifh'd hero's name,
And diftant ages learn the victor's fame.

This fierce defiance Greece aftonifh'd heard, to5
Blufh'd to refufe, and to accept it fear'd.
Stern Menelaus firft the filence broke,
And, inly groaning, thus opprobrious fpoke:
Women of Greece! Oh fcandal of your race,
Whofe coward fouls your manly form difgrace'

Thefe words fcarce fpoke, with generous ar dour preft,

His manly limbs in azure arms he dreft:
That day, Atrides! a fuperiour hand

120

Had ftretch'd thee breathlefs on the hoftile strand,
But all at once, thy fury to compofe,
The kings of Greece, an awful band, arofe:
Ev'n he their chief, great Agamemnon, prefs'd

125

Thy daring hand, and this advice addrefs'd:
Whither, O Menelaus! wouldst thou run,
And tempt a fate, which prudence bids thee fhun?
Griev'd though thou art, forbear the rafh defign;
Great Hector's arm is mightier far than thine. 130
Ev'n fierce Achilles learn'd its force to fear,
And trembling met this dreadful fon of war.
Sit thou fecure amidst thy focial band;
Greece in our cause shall arm fome powerful hand,
The mightiest warriour of th' Achaian name, 135
Though bold, and burning with defire of fame,
Content, the doubtful honour might forego,
So great the danger, and fo brave the foe.

140

He faid, and turn'd his brother's vengeful mind He ftoop'd to reason, and his rage refign'd, No longer bent to rush on certain harms; His joyful friends unbrace his azure arms. He, from whofe lips divine perfuafion flows, Grave Neftor, then, in graceful act arofe. Thus to the kings he fpoke: What grief, what fhame,

Attend on Greece, and all the Grecian name!
How fhall, alas! her hoary heroes mourn
Their fons degenerate, and their race a fcorn?
What tears shall down thy filver beard be roll'd,
Oh Peleus, old in arms, in wisdom old !

90

Great Jove, averfe our warfare to compose,
O'erwhelms the nations with new toils and woes;
War with a fiercer tide once more returns,
Till Ilion falls, or till yon navy burns.
You then, O princes of the Greeks appear;
'Tis Hector fpeaks, and calls the Gods to hear:
From all your troops felect the boldeft knight,
And him, the boldeft, Hector dares to fight.
Here if I fall, by chance of battle flain,
Be his my fpoil, and his thefe arms remain ;
But let my body, to my friends return'd,
By Trojan hands and Trojan flames be burn'd.
And if Apollo, in whofe aid I truft,

Shall stretch your daring champion in the duft:
If mine the glory to defpoil the foe;

On Phœbus' temple I'll his arms beftow;

The breathlefs carcafe to four navy fent,

Greece on the thore thall raife a monument;

95

150

Once with what joy the generous prince would

hear

Of every chief who fought this glorious war ;
Participate their fame, and pleas'd enquire
Each name, each action, and each hero's fire!
Gods! fhould he fee our warriours trembling

ftand,

And trembling all before one hoftile hand; 155
How would he lift his aged arms on high,
Lament inglorious Greece, and beg to die!

170

Where Celadon rolls down his rapid tide,
There Ereuthalion brav'd us in the field,
Proud, Areïthous' dreadful arms to wield;
Great Areithous, known from fhore to thore
By the huge, knotted, iron mace he bore;
No lance he fhook, nor bent the twanging bow,
But broke, with this, the battle of the foe.
Him not by manly force i ycurgus flew,
Whofe guileful javelin from the thicket flew,
Deep in a winding way his breast affail'd,
175
Nor aught the warriour's thundering mace a-

vail'd.

180

185

Supine he fell thofe arms which Mars before
Had given the vanquifh'd, now the victor bore:
But when old age had dimm'd Lycurgus' eyes,
To Ereuthalion he confign'd the prize.
Furious with this, he crush'd our level'd bands,
And dar'd the trial of the strongest hands;
Nor could the strongest hands his fury stay;
All faw, and fear'd, his huge tempeftuous fway.
Till I, the youngest of the hoft appear'd,
And, youngest, met whom all our army fear'd.
I fought the chief: my arms Minerva crown'd:
Prone fell the giant o'er a length of ground.
What then he was, Oh were you Neftor now!
Not Hector's felf fhould want an equal foe.
But, warriours, you, that youthful vigour boatt,
The flower of Greece, th' examples of our host,
Sprung from fuch fathers, who fuch numbers
fway,

190

Can you stand trembling, and desert the day? His warm reproofs the listening kings inflame;

295

200

And nine, the nobleft of the Grecian name,
Up-ftarted fierce but far before the rest
The king of men advanc'd his dauntless breast:
Then bold Tydides, great in arms appear'd;
And next his bulk gigantic Ajax rear'd;
Oileus followed; Idomen was there,
And Merion dreadful as the God of War:
With thefe Eurypylus and Thoas stand,
And wife Ulyffes clos'd the daring band.
All thefe, alike infpir'd with noble rage,
Demand the fight. To whom the Pylian fage:
Left thirst of glory your brave fouls divide;
What chief fhall combat, let the lots decide.
Whom heaven shall chufe, be his the chance to
raife

205

Old Neftor fhook the cafque. By heaven in

fpir'd,

225

Leap'd forth the lot, of every Greek defir'd. 220
This from the right to left the herald bears,
Held out in order to the Grecian peers;
Each to his rival yields the mark unknown,
Till god-like Ajax finds the lot his own ;
Surveys th' infcription with rejoicing eyes,
Then cafts before him, and with transport cries:
Warriours! I claim the lot, and arm with joy;
Be mine the conqueft of this chief of Troy.
Now while my brighteft arms my limbs inveft,
To Saturn's fon be all your vows addrest: 230
But pray in fecret, left the foes should hear,
And deem your prayers the mean effects of fear.
Said I in fecret? No, your vows declare,
In fuch a voice as fills the earth and air.
Lives the e a chief whom Ajax ought to dread,

239

Ajax in all the toils of battle bred?
From warlike Salamis I drew my birth,
And, born to combats, fear no force on earth.
He faid. The troops, with elevated eyes,
Implore the God, whofe thunder rends the skies:
240

O Father of mankind, fuperior Lord!
On lofty Ida's holy hill ador'd;

Who in the highest heaven haft fix'd thy throne,
Supreme of Gods! unbounded and alone :
Grant thou, that Telamon may bear away
The praife and conqueft of this doubtful day;
Or if illuftrious Hector be thy care,

245

That both may claim it, and that both may fhare. Now Ajax brac'd his dazzling armour on; Sheath'd in bright steel the giant-warriour fhone:

255

Grimly he fmil'd; earth trembled as he strode:
His maffy javelin, quivering in his hand,
He stood, the bulwark of the Grecian band.
Through every Argive heart new transport ran;
All Troy ftood trembling at the mighty man: 260
Ev'n Hector paus'd; and, with new doubt op-
preft,

Felt his great heart suspended in his breast:
'Twas vain to feek retreat, and vain to fear;
Himself had challeng'd, and the foe drew near.
Stern Telamon behind his ample shield,
As from a brazen tower, o'erlook 'd the field.
Huge was its orb, with feven thick folds o'er-
caft

265

270

Of tough bull-hides; of folid brass the last,
(The work of 1ychius, who in Hylè dwell'd,
And all in arts of armoury excell'd :)
This Ajax bore befo e his manly breast,
And, threatening, thus his adverse chief addrest:
Hector! approach my arm! and fingly know
What ftrength thou hast, and what the Grecian

foe.

Achilles fhuns the fight; yet fome there are, 278 Not void of foul, and not unskill'd in war;

285

O fon of Telamon, thy country's pride!
(To Ajax thus the Trojan prince reply'd)
Me as a boy or woman would't thou fright,
New to the field, and trembling at the fight?
Thou meet'ft a chief deferving of thy arms,
To combat born, and bred amidst alarms:
I know to fhift my ground, remount the car,
Turn, charge, and anfwer every call of war;
290

To right, to left, the dexterous lance I wield,
And bear thick battle on my founding fhield.
But open be our fight, and bold each blow;
I fteal no conqueft from a noble fee.

He faid; and, rifing high above the field, 295 Whirl'd the long lance against the fevenfold fhield.

Full on the brafs defcending from above
Through fix buil-hides the furious weapon drove,
Till in the feventh it fix'd. Then Ajax threw ;
Through Hector's fhield the forceful javelin flew,

300

His corflet enters, and his garment rends,
And glancing downwards near his flank defcends.
The wary Trojan shrinks, and, bending low
Beneath his buckler, difappoints the blow.
From their bor'd fhields the chiefs theirs javelins
drew,

Then clofe impetuous, and the charge renew:
Fierce as the mountain-lions bath'd in blood,
Or foaming boars, the terrour of the wood.
At Ajax, Hector his long lance extends;
The blunted point against the buckler bends: 310
But Ajax, watchful as his foe drew near,
Drove through the Trojan targe the knotty fpear;
It reach'd his neck, with matchlefs ftrength im-
pell'd;

Spouts the black gore, and dims his fhining fhield.

Yet ceas'd not Hector thus; but, stooping down,

Forbear, my fons! your farther force to prove, Both dear to men, and both belov'd of Jove. To either hoft your natchlefs worth is known, Each founds your praife, and war is all your own. 340

But now the night extends her awful shade; The Goddess parts you: be the night obey'd. To whom great Ajax his high foul express'd: "O Sage! to Hector be these words addrefs'd; "Let him who first provok'd our chiefs to fight,

345

Let him demand the fanction of the night;
If first he afk it, I content obey,
And cease the ftrife when Hector fhows the way."
Oh first of Greeks! (his noble foe rejoin'd)
Whom heaven adorns, fuperior to thy kind, 350
With ftrength of body, and with worth
mind!

355

Now martial law commands us to forbear;
Hereafter we fhall meet in glorious war,
Some future day fhall lengthen out our strife,
And let the Gods decide of death or life!
Since then the night extends her gloomy fhade,
And Heaven enjoins it, be the night obey’d.
Return, brave Ajax, to thy Grecian friends,
And joy the nations whom thy arm defends;
As I fhall glad each chief, and Trojan wife, 360
Who wearies Heaven with vows for Hector's life.
But let us, on this memorable day,

Exchange fome gift; that Greece and Troy may fay,

"Not hate, but glory, made these chiefs contend:

"And each brave foe was in his foul a friend."