Page:Homer - Iliad, translation Pope, 1909.djvu/162

160 The next rich honorary gift be thine:

Some golden tripod, or distinguished car,

With coursers dreadful in the ranks of war;

Or some fair captive whom thy eyes approve,

Shall recompense the warrior's toils with love."

To this the chief: "With praise the rest inspire,

Nor urge a soul already filled with fire.

What strength I have, be now in battle tried,

Till every shaft in Phrygian blood be dyed.

Since, rallying, from our wall we forced the foe,

Still aimed at Hector have I bent my bow;

Eight forky arrows from this hand have fled,

And eight bold heroes by their points lie dead:

But sure some god denies me to destroy

This fury of the field, this dog of Troy."

He said, and twanged the string. The weapon flies

At Hector's breast, and sings along the skies:

He missed the mark; but pierced Gorgythio's heart,

And drenched in royal blood the thirsty dart.

Fair Castianira, nymph of form divine,

This offspring added to king Priam's line.

As full-blown poppies overcharged with rain

Decline the head, and drooping kiss the plain;

So sinks the youth: his beauteous head, depressed

Beneath his helmet, drops upon his breast.

Another shaft the raging archer drew:

That other shaft with erring fury flew,

(From Hector Phœbus turned the flying wound,)

Yet fell not dry or guiltless to the ground:

Thy breast, brave Archeptolemus! it tore,

And dipped its feathers in no vulgar gore.

Headlong he falls: his sudden fall alarms

The steeds, that startle at his sounding arms.

Hector with grief his charioteer beheld

All pale and breathless on the sanguine field.

Then bids Cebriones direct the rein,

Quits his bright car, and issues on the plain.

Dreadful he shouts: from earth a stone he took,

And rushed on Teucer with the lifted rock.

The youth already strained the forceful yew;

The shaft already to his shoulder drew;

The feather in his hand, just winged for flight,

Touched where the neck and hollow chest unite;

There, where the juncture knits the channel bone,

The furious chief discharged the craggy stone;

The bow-string burst beneath the ponderous blow,

And his numbed hand dismissed his useless bow.

He fell; but Ajax his broad shield displayed,

And screened his brother with a mighty shade;