Page:Aeneid (Conington 1866).djvu/46

22 There spreads and broadens on his sight

The portraiture of Greece in flight,

Pressed by the Trojan youth; while here

Troy flies, Achilles in her rear.

Not far removed with tears he knows

The tents of Rhesus, white as snows,

Through which, by sleep's first breath betrayed.

Tydides makes his murderous raid,

And camp-ward drives the fiery brood

Of coursers, ere on Trojan food

They browse, or drink of Xanthus' flood.

Here Troilus, shield and lance let go,

Poor youth, Achilles' ill-matched foe,

Fallen backward from the chariot seat,

Whirls on, yet clinging by his feet,

Still grasps the reins: his hair, his neck

Trail o'er the ground in helpless wreck,

And the loose spear he wont to wield

Makes dusty scoring on the field.

Meantime to partial Pallas' fane

Moved with slow steps a matron train,

With smitten breasts, dishevelled, pale,

Beseechingly they bore the veil:

She motionless as stone remained,

Her cruel eyes to earth enchained.

Thrice, to Achilles' chariot bound,

Had Hector circled Ilium round,

And now the satiate victor sold

His mangled enemy for gold.

Deep groaned the gazer to survey

The spoils, the arms, the lifeless clay,

And Priam, with weak hands outspread

In piteous pleading for the dead.

Himself too in the press he knows,

Mixed with the foremost line of foes,

And swarthy Memnon, armed for war,

With followers from the morning star.