Page:Homer - Iliad, translation Pope, 1909.djvu/149

359—407 And joy the nations whom thy arm defends;

As I shall glad each chief, and Trojan wife,

Who wearies heaven with vows for Hector's life.

But let us, on this memorable day,

Exchange some gift; that Greece and Troy may say,

'Not hate, but glory, made these chiefs contend;

And each brave foe was in his soul a friend.'"

With that, a sword with stars of silver graced,

The baldrick studded, and the sheath enchased,

He gave the Greek. The generous Greek bestowed

A radiant belt that rich with purple glowed.

Then with majestic grace they quit the plain;

This seeks the Grecian, that the Phrygian train.

The Trojan bands returning Hector wait,

And hail with joy the champion of their state:

Escaped great Ajax, they surveyed him round,

Alive, unharmed, and vigorous from his wound.

To Troy's high gates the godlike man they bear,

Their present triumph, as their late despair.

But Ajax, glorying in his hardy deed,

The well-armed Greeks to Agamemnon lead.

A steer for sacrifice the king designed,

Of full live years, and of the nobler kind.

The victim falls; they strip the smoking hide,

The beast they quarter, and the joints divide;

Then spread the tables, the repast prepare.

Each takes his seat, and each receives his share.

The king himself, an honorary sign,

Before great Ajax placed the mighty chine.

When now the rage of hunger was removed,

Nestor, in each persuasive art approved,

The sage whose counsels long had swayed the rest,

In words like these his prudent thought expressed:

"How dear, O king! this fatal day has cost!

What Greeks are perished! what a people lost!

What tides of blood have drenched Scamander's shore!

What crowds of heroes sunk, to rise no more!

Then hear me, chief, nor let the morrow's light

Awake thy squadrons to new toils of fight:

Some space at least permit the war to breathe,

While we to flames our slaughtered friends bequeath,

From the red field their scattered bodies bear,

And nigh the fleet a funeral structure rear;

So decent urns their snowy bones may keep,

And pious children o'er their ashes weep.

Here, where on one promiscuous pile they blazed,

High o'er them all a general tomb be raised;

Next, to secure our camp, and naval powers,

Raise an embattled wall, with lofty towers;