“Nor could thy beauty, Cyllarus, avail
“Aught in the contest! if to forms like thine
“Beauty we grant. His beard to sprout began,
“His beard of golden hue; golden the locks
“That down his neck, and o'er his shoulders flow'd.
“Cheerful his face; his shoulders, neck, and arms,
“Approach'd the models which the artists praise.
“Thus all that man resembled. Nor fell short
“The horse's portion: beauteous for a beast.
“A neck and head supply'd, a steed were form'd,
“Of Castor worthy: so was for the seat
“Fitted his back; so full outstood his chest:
“His coat all blacker than the darkest pitch;
“Save his white legs, and ample flowing tail.
“Crowds of his race him lov'd; but one alone,
“Hylonomé, could charm him; fairest nymph
“Of all the two-form'd race that roam'd the groves.
“She sole enraptur'd Cyllarus, with words
“Of blandishment; beloved, and her love
“For him confessing. Grace in all her limbs
“And dress, for him was studied; smooth her hair
“For him was comb'd; with rosemary now bound;
“Now with the violet; with fresh roses now;
“And oft the snow-white lily wore she; twice
“Daily she bath'd her features in the stream,
“That from Pagasis' woody summit falls;
“Twice daily in the current lav'd her limbs.
“Nor cloth'd she e'er her shoulders, or her side,
“Save with the chosen spoils of beasts which best
“Her form became. Most equal was their love:
“As one they o'er the mountains stray'd; as one
“The caves they sought; and both together then
“The Lapithæan roof had enter'd; both
“Now wag'd the furious war. By whom unknown,
“From the left side a javelin came, and pierc'd
“Thee deep, O Cyllarus! 'neath where thy chest
“Joins to thy neck. Drawn from the small-form'd wound,
“The weapon,—with the mangled heart, the limbs
“Grew rigid all. Hylonomé supports
“His dying body, and her aiding hand
“Presses against the wound; leans face to face,
“And tries his fleeting life awhile to stay.
“When fled she saw it, with laments which noise
“Drown'd ere my ears they reach'd, full on the dart
“Which through him stuck she fell; and clasp'd in death
“Her dear-lov'd husband's form. Before my eyes
“Still stands Phæöcomes, whom, closely-join'd,
“Six lions' hides protected; man and horse
“Equal the covering shar'd. Phonoleus' son
“Fierce on the skull he smote, with stump immense,
“Huge as four oxen might with labor move.
“Crush'd was the rounding broadness of the head;
“And the soft brain gush'd forth at both his ears;
“His mouth, his hollow nostrils, and his eyes.
“So through the straining oaken twigs appears,
“Coagulated milk: so liquid flows
“Through the fine sieve, by supercumbent weights
“Prest down, the thick curd at the small-form'd holes.
“Deep in his lowest flank the foe I pierc'd,
“As from our fallen friend the arms to strip
“Prepar'd, he stoop'd. Thy father saw the deed.
“Chthonius too fell beneath my sword, and fell
“Teleboas. Chthonius bore a forky bough;
“A javelin arm'd the other; with its steel
“He pierc'd me. Lo! the mark the wound has left:—
“Still the old scar appears. Then was the time
“They should have sent me to the siege of Troy:
“Then had I power great Hector's arm to stay;
“To check, if not to conquer. Hector then
“Was born not, or a boy. Now age me robs
“Of all my force. Why should I say how fell
“Two-form'd Pyretus, by the strength o'erthrown
“Of Periphantes? Why of Amphyx tell,
“Who in Oëclus' hostile front deep sunk,
“(Oëclus centaur-born) a pointless spear?
“Macareus, Erigdupus, (near the hill
“Of Pelethronus born, against his chest
“Full-bearing,) prostrate laid. Nor should I pass,
“How I the spear beheld, by Nessus' hands
“Launch'd forth, and bury'd in Cymelus' groin.
“Nor think you Mopsus, Amphyx' son, excell'd
“Alone to teach the future. By the dart
“Of Mopsus, fell Odites double-form'd.
“To speak in vain he strove, for tongue to chin,
“And chin to throat were by the javelin nail'd.
“Cæneus ere this had five to death dispatch'd
“Bromius, Antimachus with hatchet arm'd;
“Pyracmon, Stiphelus, and Helimus.
“What wounds them slew I know not; well their names,
“And numbers I remember. Latreus big
“In body and in limbs, sprung forth adorn'd
“In the gay arms Halesus once had own'd;
“Halesus of Thessalia by him slain:
“'Twixt strong virility and age his years,
“Still strong virility his arm could boast;
“Gray hairs his temples sprinkled. Lofty seen
“In helm and shield, and Macedonian spear,
“Proudly between the adverse ranks he rode;
“And clash'd his arms, and circling scower'd along.
“These boasting words to the resounding air
“Brave issuing—Cænis, shall I bear thee so?
“Still will I think thee Cænis;—female still
“By me thou'lt be consider'd. 'Bates it nought
“Thy valor, when thy origin thy soul
“Reflects on? When thy mind allows to own
“What deed the grant obtained? What price was paid
“To gain the false resemblance of a man?
“What thou was born, remember: mark as well
“Who has embrac'd thee. Go, the distaff take,
“And carding basket. With thy fingers twirl
“The flax, and martial contests leave to men.
“The spear which Cæneus hurl'd, deep in his side
“Bare as he cours'd, expos'd the blow to meet,
“Pierc'd him when boasting thus, just where the man
“Join'd the four-footed form. With smart he rag'd,
“And to the Phyllian warrior's face his spear
“Presented. Back the spear rebounded: so
“Bound the hard hailstones from the roof; so leap
“The paltry pebbles on the hollow drum.
“Now hand to hand he rushes to engage,
“And in his harden'd sides attempts to plunge
“His weapon deep. Pervious his weapon finds
“No spot. Then cry'd he,—still thou shalt not 'scape:
“Though blunted is my point my edge shall slay;—
“And aim'd a blow oblique, to ope his side,
“While round his flank was grasp'd his forceful arm.
“Sounded the stroke as marble struck would sound;
“The shiver'd steel rebounding from his neck.
“His limbs unwounded, to the wondering foe
“Thus long expos'd, loud Cæneus call'd;—Now try
“Our arms thy limbs to pierce!—Up to the hilt
“His deadly weapon 'twixt his shoulders plung'd;
“Then thrust and dug with blows unseeing 'mid
“His entrails deep; thus forming wounds on wounds.
“Now all the furious crowd of double forms
“Rush raging round him; all their weapons hurl;
“And all assail with blows this single foe.
“Blunted their weapons fall, and Cæneus stands
“Unpierc'd, unbleeding, from ten thousand strokes:
“Astonish'd at the miracle they gaze;
“But Monychus exclaims;—What blasting shame
“A race o'erthrown by one; that one a man,
“But dubious. Grant him man, our coward deeds
“Prove us but what he has been. What avail
“Our giant limbs? What boots our double strength;
“Strength of created forms the mightiest two,
“In us conjoin'd? A goddess-mother we
“Assur'dly should not boast; nor boast for sire
“Ixion, whose great daring soul him mov'd
“To clasp the lofty Juno in his arms.
“Now vanquish'd by a foe half-male. Him whelm
“With trees, with rocks: whole mountains heap'd on high,
“Whole falling forests, let that stubborn soul
“Crush out. The woods upon his throat shall press,
“And weight for wounds shall serve.—The centaur spoke,
“Seizing a tree which lay by chance uptorn
“By raging Auster; on his valiant foe
“The bulk he hurl'd. All in like efforts join'd:
“And quickly Othrys of his woods was stript:
“Nor Pelion shade retain'd. Cæneus opprest
“Beneath the pile immense—the woody load,—
“Hot pants, and with his forceful shoulders bears,
“To heave th' unwieldy weight: but soon the heap
“Reaches his face, and then o'ertops his head:
“Nor breath is left his spirit can inhale.
“Now faint he sinks, and struggles now in vain
“To lift his head to air, and from him heave
“The heap'd-up forests: then the pile but shakes,
“As shakes the lofty Ida you behold,
“When by an earthquake stirr'd. Doubtful his end.
“His body, by the sylvan load down prest,
“Some thought that shadowy Tartarus receiv'd.
“But Mopsus this deny'd, who spy'd a bird
“From 'mid the pile ascend, and mount the skies
“On yellow pinions. I the bird beheld,
“Then first, then last. As wide on buoyant wing
“Our force surveying, Mopsus saw him fly,
“And rustling round with mighty noise, his eyes
“And soul close mark'd him, and he loud exclaim'd,—
“Hail, Cæneus! of the Lapithæan race
“The glory! once of men the first, and now
“Bird of thy kind unique!—The seer's belief
“Made credible the fact. Grief spurr'd our rage.
“Nor bore we calmly that a single youth
“By hosts of foes should fall. Nor ceas'd our swords
“In gore to rage 'till most to death were given:
“The rest by favoring darkness say'd in flight.”
While thus the Pylian sage, the wars narrates
Wag'd by the Lapithæan race, and foe
Centaurs half-human; his splenetic ire
Tlepolemus could hide not, when he found
Alcides' deeds past o'er; but angry spoke.—
“Old sire, astonish'd, I perceive the praise
“The deeds of Hercules demand, has 'scap'd
“Your mind. My father has been wont to tell
“Whom, he of cloud-begotten race o'erthrew:
“Oft have I heard him.” Nestor sad reply'd;
“Why force me thus my miseries to recal
“To recollection; freshening up the woes
“Long years have blunted; and confess the hate
“I bear thy sire for injuries receiv'd.
“He, (O, ye gods!) has deeds atchiev'd which far
“All faith surpass; and has the wide world fill'd
“With his high fame. Would I could this deny!
“For praise we e'er Deïphobus? or praise
“Give we Polydamas, or Hector's self?
“Who can a foe applaud? This sire of thine
“Messenia's walls laid prostrate, and destroy'd
“Elis and Pylos, unoffending towns;
“Rushing with fire and sword in our abode.
“To pass the rest who 'neath his fury fell,—
“Twice six of Neleus' sons were we beheld;
“Twice six save me beneath Alcides' arm,
“There dy'd. With ease were conquer'd all but one;
“Strange was of Periclymenos the death;
“Whom Neptune, founder of our line, had given,
“What form he will'd to take; that form thrown off.
“His own again resume. When vainly chang'd
“To multifarious shapes; he to the bird
“Most dear to heaven's high sovereign, whose curv'd claws
“The thunders bear, himself transform'd; the strength
“That bird possesses, using, with bow'd wings,
“His crooked beak and talons pounc'd his face.
“'Gainst him Tyrinthius his unerring bow
“Bent, and as high amid the clouds he tower'd,
“And poising hung, pierc'd where his side and wing
“Just met: nor deep the hurt; the sinew torn
“Still him disabled, and deny'd the power
“To move his wing, or strength to urge his flight.
“To earth he fell; his pinions unendow'd
“With power to gather air: and the light dart
“Fixt superficial in the wing, his fall
“Deep in his body pierc'd; out his left side,
“Close by his throat the pointed mischief stood.
“Now, valiant leader of the Rhodian fleet,
“Judge what from me the great Alcides' deeds
“Of blazonry can claim? Yet the revenge
“I give my brethren, is on his brave acts
“Silent to rest: to thee still firm ally'd
“In friendship.” Thus his eloquent discourse
The son of Neleus ended, and the gift
Of Bacchus, oft repeated, circled round
To the old senior's words; then from the board
They rose, and night's remainder gave to sleep.
But now the deity, whose trident rules
The ocean waters, with a father's grief
Mourns for his offspring to a bird transform'd.
Savage 'gainst fierce Achilles, he pursues
His well-remember'd ire with hostile rage.
And now the war near twice ten years had seen,
When long-hair'd Phœbus, thus the god address'd;
“O power! to me most dear, of all the sons
“My brother boasts! whose hands with mine uprear'd
“In vain the walls of Troy! griev'st thou not now
“Those towers beholding as they ruin'd fall?
“Griev'st thou not now such thousands to behold
“Slain, those high towers attempting to defend?
“Griev'st thou not (more I need not speak) to think
“Of Hector's body round his own Troy dragg'd,
“When still the fierce Achilles, ev'n than war
“More ruthless, of our works destroyer, lives?
“Would it to me were given—my trident's power,
“Well know I, he should prove; but since deny'd
“To rush, and hand to hand this foe engage,
“Slay him with unsuspected secret dart.”
The Delian god consented, and at once
His uncle's vengeance and his own indulg'd.
Veil'd in a cloud amid the Ilian host
He darts, and 'mid a slaughter'd crowd beholds
Where Paris, on plebeïan foes his shafts
Unerring hurls: to him confess'd, the god
Exclaims;—“Why wast'st thou in ignoble blood
“Thy weapons? If thy friends employ thy care,
“Turn on Pelides every dart, revenge
“Thy murder'd brothers.”—Phœbus spoke, and shew'd
Where with his steel Achilles ranks on ranks
Of Troy o'erthrew. On him the bow he turns;
To him he guides the sure, the deadly dart.
Now may old Priam joy for Hector slain;
For thou, Achilles, victor o'er such hosts,
Fall'st by the coward's hand, who stole from Greece
The ravish'd wife. O! if foredoom'd thy lot
By woman-warrior to be slain, to fall
By Amazonian weapon had'st thou chos'n.
Now burns Æäcides, the Phrygians' dread;
The pride, the guardian of the Grecian name;
The chief in war unconquer'd: and the god
Who arm'd him once, consumes him. Ashes now;
Nought of the great Pelides can be found,
Save what with ease a little urn contains.
But still his glory lives, and fills all earth:
Such bounds alone the hero suit; his fame
Equals himself, nor sinks he to the shades.
His shield itself, as conscious whose the shield,
Fomented wars; and quarrels for his arms
Arose. Tydides fear'd to urge his claim;
Ajax, Oïleus' son; Atrides' each,
Him youngest, and the monarch who surpass'd
In age and warlike skill; and all the crowd.
Laërtes' son, and Telamon's alone
Try'd the bold glorious contest. From himself
All blame invidious Agamemnon mov'd:
The Grecian chiefs amid the camp he plac'd,
And bade the host around the cause decide.
The Thirteenth Book.
Contest of Ajax and Ulysses for the arms of Achilles. Success of Ulysses and death of Ajax. Sack of Troy. Sacrifice of Polyxena to the ghost of Achilles. Lamentation of Hecuba. She tears out the eyes of Polymnestor, and is changed into a bitch. Birds arise from the funeral pile of Memnon, and kill each other. Escape of Æneas from Troy, and voyage to Delos. The daughters of Anius transformed to doves. Voyage to Crete and Italy. Story of Acis and Galatea. Love of Glaucus for Scylla.