Page:The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer (IA iliadodysseyofho02home).pdf/589

Rh He prick'd Psycharpax at the waist; the whole Keen-pointed rush transpierced his belly, and all His bowels following the retracted point, O'erspread the ensanguin'd herbage at his side. Soon as Sitophagus, a crippled mouse, That fight beheld, limping, as best he could, He left the field, and, to avoid a fate Not less tremendous, dropp'd into a ditch. Troxartes grazed the instep of the bold Physignathus, who at the sudden pang Startled, at once leap'd down into the lake. Prassæus, at the sight of such a Chief Floating in mortal agonies enraged, Sprang through his foremost warriors, and dismiss'd His pointed rush, but reach'd not through his shield Troxartes, baffled by the stubborn disk. There was a Mouse, young, beautiful, and brave Past all on earth, son of the valiant Chief Artepibulus. Like another Mars He fought, and Meridarpax was his name, A Mouse, among all Mice without a peer. Glorying in his might on the lake's verge He stood, with other Mouse none at his side, And swore t' extirpate the whole croaking race. Nor doubted any but he should perform His dreadful oath, such was his force in arms,