Ah—I behold a warrior dear to me195
Around the walls of Ilium driven, and grieve
For Hector, who the thighs of fatted bulls
On yonder heights of Ida many-valed
Burn’d oft to me, and in the heights of Troy:[9]
But him Achilles, glorious Chief, around200
The city walls of Priam now pursues.
Consider this, ye Gods! weigh the event.
Shall we from death save Hector? or, at length,
Leave him, although in battle high renown’d,
To perish by the might of Peleus’ son?205
Whom answer’d thus Pallas cerulean-eyed.
Dread Sovereign of the storms! what hast thou said?
Wouldst thou deliver from the stroke of fate
A mortal man death-destined from of old?
Do it; but small thy praise shall be in heaven.210
Then answer thus, cloud-gatherer Jove return’d.
Fear not, Tritonia, daughter dear! that word
Spake not my purpose; me thou shalt perceive
Always to thee indulgent. What thou wilt
That execute, and use thou no delay.215
So roused he Pallas of herself prepared,
And from the heights Olympian down she flew.
With unremitting speed Achilles still
Urged Hector. As among the mountain-height
The hound pursues, roused newly from her lair220
The flying fawn through many a vale and grove;
And though she trembling skulk the shrubs beneath,
Tracks her continual, till he find the prey,
So ’scaped not Hector Peleus’ rapid son.
Oft as toward the Dardan gates he sprang225
Direct, and to the bulwarks firm of Troy,
Hoping some aid by volleys from the wall,
So oft, outstripping him, Achilles thence
Enforced him to the field, who, as he might,
Still ever stretch’d toward the walls again.230
As, in a dream,[10] pursuit hesitates oft,
This hath no power to fly, that to pursue,
So these—one fled, and one pursued in vain.
How, then, had Hector his impending fate
Eluded, had not Phœbus, at his last,235
Last effort meeting him, his strength restored,
And wing’d for flight his agile limbs anew?
The son of Peleus, as he ran, his brows
Shaking, forbad the people to dismiss
A dart at Hector, lest a meaner hand240
Piercing him, should usurp the foremost praise.
But when the fourth time to those rivulets.
They came, then lifting high his golden scales,
Two lots the everlasting Father placed
Within them, for Achilles one, and one245
For Hector, balancing the doom of both.
Grasping it in the midst, he raised the beam.
Down went the fatal day of Hector, down
To Ades, and Apollo left his side.
Then blue-eyed Pallas hasting to the son250
Of Peleus, in wing’d accents him address’d.
Now, dear to Jove, Achilles famed in arms!
I hope that, fierce in combat though he be,
We shall, at last, slay Hector, and return
Crown’d with great glory to the fleet of Greece.255
No fear of his deliverance now remains,
Not even should the King of radiant shafts,
Apollo, toil in supplication, roll’d
And roll’d again[11] before the Thunderer’s feet.
But stand, recover breath; myself, the while,260
Shall urge him to oppose thee face to face.
So Pallas spake, whom joyful he obey’d,
And on his spear brass-pointed lean’d. But she,
(Achilles left) to noble Hector pass’d,
And in the form, and with the voice loud-toned265
Approaching of Deiphobus, his ear
In accents, as of pity, thus address’d.
Ah brother! thou art overtask’d, around
The walls of Troy by swift Achilles driven;
But stand, that we may chase him in his turn.[12]270
To whom crest-tossing Hector huge replied.
Deiphobus! of all my father’s sons
Brought forth by Hecuba, I ever loved
Thee most, but more than ever love thee now,
Who hast not fear’d, seeing me, for my sake275
To quit the town, where others rest content.
To whom the Goddess, thus, cerulean-eyed.
Brother! our parents with much earnest suit
Clasping my knees, and all my friends implored me
To stay in Troy, (such fear hath seized on all)280
But grief for thee prey’d on my inmost soul.
Come—fight we bravely—spare we now our spears
No longer; now for proof if Peleus’ son
Slaying us both, shall bear into the fleet
Our arms gore-stain’d, or perish slain by thee.285
So saying, the wily Goddess led the way.
They soon, approaching each the other, stood
Opposite, and huge Hector thus began.