Page:Masterpieces of Greek Literature (1902).djvu/68

38 38 HOMER

Round me my comrades wait. The gods inbreathe Fierce ardor. In his eye we thrust the brand, I twirling from above and they beneath. As when a shipwright at his work doth stand Boring ship-timber, and on either hand 455

His fellows, kneeling at their toil below, Whirl the swift auger with a leathern band For ever ; — we the weapon keep whirling so, While round the fiery point red blood doth bubbling flow.

And from the burning eyeball the fierce steam 46o Singed all his brows, and the deep roots of sight Crackled with fire. As when in the cold stream Some smith the axe untempered, fiery- white. Dips hissing ; for thence comes the iron's might ; So did his eye hiss, and he roared again. 465

Loudly the vault rebellowed. We in flight Rushed diverse. He the stake wrenched forth

amain. Soaked in the crimson gore, and hurled it mad with

pain ;

Then, bursting forth into a mighty yell. Called the Cyclopes, who in cave and lair 470

'Mid the deep glens and windy hill-tops dwell. They, trooping to the shriek from far and near, Ask from without what ails him : " In what fear Or trouble, Polyphemus, dost thou cry Through night ambrosial, and our slumbers scare ? 475 Thee of thy flocks doth mortal violently Despoil, or strive to kill by strength or treachery ? "

And frenzied Polyphemus from the cave

This answer in his pain with shrieks out-threw :