To these the glorious artist added next,
With various skill delineated exact,
A labyrinth for the dance, such as of old735
In Crete’s broad island Dædalus composed
For bright-hair’d Ariadne.[13] There the youths
And youth-alluring maidens, hand in hand,
Danced jocund, every maiden neat-attired
In finest linen, and the youths in vests740
Well-woven, glossy as the glaze of oil.
These all wore garlands, and bright falchions, those,
Of burnish’d gold in silver trappings hung:—[14]
They with well-tutor’d step, now nimbly ran
The circle, swift, as when, before his wheel745
Seated, the potter twirls it with both hands
For trial of its speed,[15] now, crossing quick
They pass’d at once into each other’s place.
On either side spectators numerous stood
Delighted, and two tumblers roll’d themselves750
Between the dancers, singing as they roll’d.
Last, with the might of ocean’s boundless flood
He fill’d the border of the wondrous shield.
When thus the massy shield magnificent
He had accomplish’d, for the hero next755
He forged, more ardent than the blaze of fire,
A corselet; then, a ponderous helmet bright
Well fitted to his brows, crested with gold,
And with laborious art divine adorn’d.
He also made him greaves of molten tin.760
The armor finish’d, bearing in his hand
The whole, he set it down at Thetis’ feet.
She, like a falcon from the snowy top
Stoop’d of Olympus, bearing to the earth
The dazzling wonder, fresh from Vulcan’s hand.765
BOOK XIX.
ARGUMENT OF THE NINETEENTH BOOK.
Achilles is reconciled to Agamemnon, and clothed in new armor forged by Vulcan, leads out the Myrmidons to battle.