Page:Homer - Iliad, translation Pope, 1909.djvu/353

72—120 And e'en as Greece hath bled, let Dion bleed.

Now call the hosts, and try, if in our sight,

Troy yet shall dare to camp a second night?

I deem their mightiest, when this arm he knows,

Shall 'scape with transport, and with joy repose."

He said; his finished wrath with loud acclaim

The Greeks accept, and shout Pelides' name.

When thus, not rising from his lofty throne,

In state unmoved, the king of men begun:

"Hear me, ye sons of Greece I with silence hear,

And grant your monarch an impartial ear:

Awhile your loud untimely joy suspend,

And let your rash injurious clamours end:

Unruly murmurs, or ill-timed applause,

Wrong the best speaker, and the justest cause.

Nor charge on me, ye Greeks, the dire debate;

Know, angry Jove, and all-compelling Fate,

With fell Erinnys, urged my wrath that day,

When from Achilles' arms I forced the prey.

What then could I, against the will of heaven,

Not by myself, but vengeful At6 driven?

She, Jove's dread daughter, fated to infest

The race of mortals, entered in my breast;

Not on the ground that haughty Fury treads,

But prints her lofty footsteps on the heads

Of mighty men; inflicting as she goes

Long-festering wounds, inextricable woes.

Of old, she stalked amidst the bright abodes:

And Jove himself, the sire of men and gods,

The world's great ruler, felt her venomed dart;

Deceived by Juno's wiles and female art.

For when Alcmena's nine long months were run,

And Jove expected his immortal son,

To gods and goddesses the unruly joy

He showed, and vaunted of his matchless boy:

'From us,' he said, 'this day an infant springs,

Fated to rule, and born a king of kings.'

Saturnia asked an oath, to vouch the truth,

And fix dominion on the favoured youth.

The Thunderer, unsuspicious of the fraud,

Pronounced those solemn words that bind a god.

The peaceful goddess, from Olympus' height,

Swift to Achaian Argos bent her night;

Scarce seven moons gone, lay Sthenelus's wife;

She pushed her lingering infant into life:

Her charms Alcmena's coming labours stay,

And stop the babe just issuing to the day.

Then bids Saturnius bear his oath in mind;

'A youth,' said she, 'of Jove's immortal kind