Page:Homer - Iliad, translation Pope, 1909.djvu/210

208 And sacred night her awful shade extend."

He spoke, and Iris at his word obeyed;

On wings of wind descends the various Maid.

The chief she found amidst the ranks of war,

Close to the bulwarks, on his glittering car.

The goddess then: "O son of Priam, hear!

From Jove I come, and his high mandate bear.

While Agamemnon wastes the ranks around,

Fights in the front, and bathes with blood the ground,

Abstain from fight, yet issue forth commands,

And trust the war to less important hands:

But when, or wounded by the spear or dart,

The chief shall mount his chariot and depart;

Then Jove shall string thy arm, and fire thy breast,

Then to her ships shall flying Greece be pressed,

Till to the main the burning sun descend,

And sacred night her awful shade extend."

She said, and vanished: Hector with a bound,

Springs from his chariot on the trembling ground,

In clanging arms: he grasps in either hand

A pointed lance, and speeds from band to band;

Revives their ardour, turns their steps from flight,

And wakes anew the dying flames of fight.

They stand to arms: the Greeks their onset dare,

Condense their powers, and wait the coming war.

New force, new spirit, to each breast returns;

The fight renewed, with fiercer fury burns:

The king leads on; all fix on him their eye,

And learn, from him, to conquer, or to die.

Ye sacred nine, celestial Muses! tell,

Who faced him first, and by his prowess fell.

The great Iphidamas, the bold and young,

From sage Antenor and Theano sprung,

Whom from his youth his grandsire Cisseus bred,

And nursed in Thrace, where snowy flocks are fed.

Scarce did the down his rosy cheeks invest,

And early honour warm his generous breast,

When the kind sire consigned his daughter's charms,

Theano's sister, to his youthful arms:

But, called by glory to the wars of Troy,

He leaves untasted the first fruits of joy;

From his loved bride departs with melting eyes,

And swift to aid his dearer country flies.

With twelve black ships he reached Percope's strand,

Thence took the long laborious march by land.

Now fierce for fame, before the ranks he springs,

Towering in arms, and braves the king of kings.

Atrides first discharged the missive spear;

The Trojan stooped, the javelin passed in air.