Page:Homer - Iliad, translation Pope, 1909.djvu/88



now Olympus' shining gates unfold;

The gods, with Jove, assume their thrones of gold:

Immortal Hebé, fresh with bloom divine,

The golden goblet crowns with purple wine:

While the full bowls flow round, the powers employ

Their careful eyes on long-contended Troy.

When Jove, disposed to tempt Saturnia's spleen,

Thus waked the fury of his partial queen:

"Two powers divine the son of Atreus aid,

Imperial Juno, and the martial Maid:

But high in heaven they sit, and gaze from far,

The tame spectators of his deeds of war.

Not thus fair Venus helps her favoured knight;

The queen of pleasures shares the toils of fight,

Each danger wards, and, constant in her care,

Saves in the moment of the last despair.

Her act has rescued Paris' forfeit life,

Though great Atrides gained the glorious strife.

Then say, ye Powers! what signal issue waits

To crown this deed, and finish all the Fates?

Shall heaven by peace the bleeding kingdoms spare,

Or rouse the Furies, and awake the war?

Yet, would the gods for human good provide,

Atrides soon might gain his beauteous bride,

Still Priam's walls in peaceful honours grow,

And through his gates the crowding nations flow."

Thus while he spoke, the queen of heaven, enraged,