To whom Achilles matchless in the race.
Iris divine! of all the Gods, who sent thee?225
Then, thus, the swift ambassadress of heaven.
By Juno sent I come, consort of Jove.
Nor knows Saturnian Jove high-throned, himself,
My flight, nor any of the Immortal Powers,
Tenants of the Olympian heights snow-crown’d.230
Her answer’d then Pelides, glorious Chief.
How shall I seek the fight? they have my arms.
My mother charged me also to abstain
From battle, till she bring me armor new
Which she hath promised me from Vulcan’s hand.235
Meantime, whose armor else might serve my need
I know not, save perhaps alone the shield
Of Telamonian Ajax, whom I deem
Himself now busied in the stormy van,
Slaying the Trojans in my friend’s defence.240
To whom the swift-wing’d messenger of heaven,
Full well we know thine armor Hector’s prize
Yet, issuing to the margin of the foss,
Show thyself only. Panic-seized, perchance,
The Trojans shall from fight desist, and yield245
To the o’ertoil’d though dauntless sons of Greece
Short respite; it is all that war allows.
So saying, the storm-wing’d Iris disappear’d.
Then rose at once Achilles dear to Jove,
Athwart whose shoulders broad Minerva cast250
Her Ægis fringed terrific, and his brows
Encircled with a golden cloud that shot
Fires insupportable to sight abroad.
As when some island, situate afar
On the wide waves, invested all the day255
By cruel foes from their own city pour’d,
Upsends a smoke to heaven, and torches shows
On all her turrets at the close of eve
Which flash against the clouds, kindled in hope
Of aid from neighbor maritime allies,260
So from Achilles’ head light flash’d to heaven.
Issuing through the wall, beside the foss
He stood, but mix’d not with Achaia’s host,
Obedient to his mother’s wise command.
He stood and shouted; Pallas also raised265
A dreadful shout and tumult infinite
Excited throughout all the host of Troy.
Clear as the trumpet’s note when it proclaims
A numerous host approaching to invest
Some city close around, so clear the voice270
Rang of Æacides, and tumult-toss’d
Was every soul that heard the brazen tone.
With swift recoil the long-maned coursers thrust
The chariots back, all boding wo at hand,
And every charioteer astonish’d saw275
Fires that fail’d not, illumining the brows
Of Peleus’ son, by Pallas kindled there.
Thrice o’er the trench Achilles sent his voice
Sonorous, and confusion at the sound
Thrice seized the Trojans, and their famed allies.280
Twelve in that moment of their noblest died
By their own spears and chariots, and with joy
The Grecians from beneath a hill of darts
Dragging Patroclus, placed him on his bier.
Around him throng’d his fellow-warriors bold,285
All weeping, after whom Achilles went
Fast-weeping also at the doleful sight
Of his true friend on his funereal bed
Extended, gash’d with many a mortal wound,
Whom he had sent into the fight with steeds290
And chariot, but received him thence no more.
And now majestic Juno sent the sun,
Unwearied minister of light, although
Reluctant, down into the Ocean stream.[5]
So the sun sank, and the Achaians ceased295
From the all-wasting labors of the war.
On the other side, the Trojans, from the fight
Retiring, loosed their steeds, but ere they took
Thought of refreshment, in full council met.
It was a council at which no man sat,300
Or dared; all stood; such terror had on all
Fallen, for that Achilles had appear’d,
After long pause from battle’s arduous toil.
First rose Polydamas the prudent son
Of Panthus, above all the Trojans skill’d305
Both in futurity and in the past.
He was the friend of Hector, and one night
Gave birth to both. In council one excell’d
And one still more in feats of high renown.
Thus then, admonishing them, he began.310
My friends! weigh well the occasion. Back to Troy
By my advice, nor wait the sacred morn
Here, on the plain, from Ilium’s walls remote
So long as yet the anger of this Chief
’Gainst noble Agamemnon burn’d, so long315
We found the Greeks less formidable foes,
And I rejoiced, myself, spending the night
Beside their oary barks, for that I hoped
To seize them; but I now tremble at thought
Of Peleus’ rapid son again in arms.320
A spirit proud as his will scorn to fight
Here, on the plain, where Greeks and Trojans take
Their common share of danger and of toil,
And will at once strike at your citadel,
Impatient till he make your wives his prey.325
Haste—let us home—else thus shall it befall;
Night’s balmy influence in his tent detains
Achilles now, but rushing arm’d abroad
To-morrow, should he find us lingering here,
None shall mistake him then; happy the man330
Who soonest, then, shall ’scape to sacred Troy!
Then, dogs shall make and vultures on our flesh
Plenteous repast. Oh spare mine ears the tale!
But if, though troubled, ye can yet receive
My counsel, thus assembled we will keep335
Strict guard to-night; meantime, her gates and towers
With all their mass of solid timbers, smooth
And cramp’d with bolts of steel, will keep the town.
But early on the morrow we will stand
All arm’d on Ilium’s towers. Then, if he choose,340
His galleys left, to compass Troy about,
He shall be task’d enough; his lofty steeds
Shall have their fill of coursing to and fro
Beneath, and gladly shall to camp return.
But waste the town he shall not, nor attempt345
With all the utmost valor that he boasts
To force a pass; dogs shall devour him first.
To whom brave Hector louring, and in wrath.
Polydamas, I like not thy advice
Who bidd’st us in our city skulk, again350
Imprison’d there. Are ye not yet content?
Wish ye for durance still in your own towers?
Time was, when in all regions under heaven
Men praised the wealth of Priam’s city stored
With gold and brass; but all our houses now355
Stand emptied of their hidden treasures rare.
Jove in his wrath hath scatter’d them; our wealth
Is marketed, and Phrygia hath a part
Purchased, and part Mæonia’s lovely land.
But since the son of wily Saturn old360
Hath given me glory now, and to inclose
The Grecians in their fleet hemm’d by the sea,
Fool! taint not with such talk the public mind.
For not a Trojan here will thy advice
Follow, or shall; it hath not my consent.365
But thus I counsel. Let us, band by band,
Throughout the host take supper, and let each,
Guarded against nocturnal danger, watch.
And if a Trojan here be rack’d in mind
Lest his possessions perish, let him cast370
His golden heaps into the public maw,[6]
Far better so consumed than by the Greeks.
Then, with the morrow’s dawn, all fair array’d
In battle, we will give them at their fleet
Sharp onset, and if Peleus’ noble son375
Have risen indeed to conflict for the ships,
The worse for him. I shall not for his sake
Avoid the deep-toned battle, but will firm
Oppose his utmost. Either he shall gain
Or I, great glory. Mars his favors deals380
Impartial, and the slayer oft is slain.
So counsell’d Hector, whom with shouts of praise
The Trojans answer’d:—fools, and by the power
Of Pallas of all sober thought bereft!
For all applauded Hector, who had given385
Advice pernicious, and Polydamas,
Whose counsel was discreet and wholesome none.
So then they took repast. But all night long
The Grecians o’er Patroclus wept aloud,
While, standing in the midst, Pelides led390
The lamentation, heaving many a groan,
And on the bosom of his breathless friend
Imposing, sad, his homicidal hands.
As the grim lion, from whose gloomy lair
Among thick trees the hunter hath his whelps395
Purloin’d, too late returning mourns his loss,
Then, up and down, the length of many a vale
Courses, exploring fierce the robber’s foot,
Incensed as he, and with a sigh deep-drawn
Thus to his Myrmidons Achilles spake.400
How vain, alas! my word spoken that day
At random, when to soothe the hero’s fears
Menœtius, then our guest, I promised him
His noble son at Opoeis again,
Living and laden with the spoils of Troy!405
But Jove performs not all the thoughts of man,
For we were both destined to tinge the soil
Of Ilium with our blood, nor I shall see,
Myself, my father in his mansion more
Or Thetis, but must find my burial here.410
Yet, my Patroclus! since the earth expects
Me next, I will not thy funereal rites
Finish, till I shall bring both head and arms
Of that bold Chief who slew thee, to my tent.
I also will smite off, before thy pile,415
The heads of twelve illustrious sons of Troy,
Resentful of thy death. Meantime, among
My lofty galleys thou shalt lie, with tears
Mourn’d day and night by Trojan captives fair
And Dardan compassing thy bier around,420
Whom we, at price of labor hard, ourselves
With massy spears toiling in battle took
From many an opulent city, now no more.
So saying, he bade his train surround with fire
A tripod huge, that they might quickly cleanse425
Patroclus from all stain of clotted gore.
They on the blazing hearth a tripod placed
Capacious, fill’d with water its wide womb,
And thrust dry wood beneath, till, fierce, the flames
Embraced it round, and warm’d the flood within.430
Soon as the water in the singing brass
Simmer’d, they bathed him, and with limpid oil
Anointed; filling, next, his ruddy wounds
With unguent mellow’d by nine circling years,
They stretch’d him on his bed, then cover’d him435
From head to feet with linen texture light,
And with a wide unsullied mantle, last.[7]
All night the Myrmidons around the swift
Achilles stood, deploring loud his friend,
And Jove his spouse and sister thus bespake.440