The Iliad Part 30

The aetolians, long disdain'd, now took their turn, And left the chief their broken faith to mourn.

Learn hence, betimes to curb pernicious ire, Nor stay till yonder fleets ascend in fire; Accept the presents; draw thy conquering sword; And be amongst our guardian G.o.ds adored."

Thus he: the stern Achilles thus replied: "My second father, and my reverend guide: Thy friend, believe me, no such gifts demands, And asks no honours from a mortal's hands; Jove honours me, and favours my designs; His pleasure guides me, and his will confines; And here I stay (if such his high behest) While life's warm spirit beats within my breast.

Yet hear one word, and lodge it in thy heart: No more molest me on Atrides' part: Is it for him these tears are taught to flow, For him these sorrows? for my mortal foe?

A generous friendship no cold medium knows, Burns with one love, with one resentment glows; One should our interests and our pa.s.sions be; My friend must hate the man that injures me.

Do this, my Phoenix, 'tis a generous part; And share my realms, my honours, and my heart.

Let these return: our voyage, or our stay, Rest undetermined till the dawning day."

He ceased; then order'd for the sage's bed A warmer couch with numerous carpets spread.

With that, stern Ajax his long silence broke, And thus, impatient, to Ulysses spoke:

"Hence let us go--why waste we time in vain?

See what effect our low submissions gain!

Liked or not liked, his words we must relate, The Greeks expect them, and our heroes wait.

Proud as he is, that iron heart retains Its stubborn purpose, and his friends disdains.

Stern and unpitying! if a brother bleed, On just atonement, we remit the deed; A sire the slaughter of his son forgives; The price of blood discharged, the murderer lives: The haughtiest hearts at length their rage resign, And gifts can conquer every soul but thine.(213) The G.o.ds that unrelenting breast have steel'd, And cursed thee with a mind that cannot yield.

One woman-slave was ravish'd from thy arms: Lo, seven are offer'd, and of equal charms.

Then hear, Achilles! be of better mind; Revere thy roof, and to thy guests be kind; And know the men of all the Grecian host, Who honour worth, and prize thy valour most."

"O soul of battles, and thy people's guide!

(To Ajax thus the first of Greeks replied) Well hast thou spoke; but at the tyrant's name My rage rekindles, and my soul's on flame: 'Tis just resentment, and becomes the brave: Disgraced, dishonour'd, like the vilest slave!

Return, then, heroes! and our answer bear, The glorious combat is no more my care; Not till, amidst yon sinking navy slain, The blood of Greeks shall dye the sable main; Not till the flames, by Hector's fury thrown, Consume your vessels, and approach my own; Just there, the impetuous homicide shall stand, There cease his battle, and there feel our hand."

This said, each prince a double goblet crown'd, And cast a large libation on the ground; Then to their vessels, through the gloomy shades, The chiefs return; divine Ulysses leads.

Meantime Achilles' slaves prepared a bed, With fleeces, carpets, and soft linen spread: There, till the sacred morn restored the day, In slumber sweet the reverend Phoenix lay.

But in his inner tent, an ampler s.p.a.ce, Achilles slept; and in his warm embrace Fair Diomede of the Lesbian race.

Last, for Patroclus was the couch prepared, Whose nightly joys the beauteous Iphis shared; Achilles to his friend consign'd her charms When Scyros fell before his conquering arms.

And now the elected chiefs whom Greece had sent, Pa.s.s'd through the hosts, and reach'd the royal tent.

Then rising all, with goblets in their hands, The peers and leaders of the Achaian bands Hail'd their return: Atrides first begun:

"Say what success? divine Laertes' son!

Achilles' high resolves declare to all: "Returns the chief, or must our navy fall?"

"Great king of nations! (Ithacus replied) Fix'd is his wrath, unconquer'd is his pride; He slights thy friendship, thy proposals scorns, And, thus implored, with fiercer fury burns.

To save our army, and our fleets to free, Is not his care; but left to Greece and thee.

Your eyes shall view, when morning paints the sky, Beneath his oars the whitening billows fly; Us too he bids our oars and sails employ, Nor hope the fall of heaven-protected Troy; For Jove o'ershades her with his arm divine, Inspires her war, and bids her glory shine.

Such was his word: what further he declared, These sacred heralds and great Ajax heard.

But Phoenix in his tent the chief retains, Safe to transport him to his native plains When morning dawns; if other he decree, His age is sacred, and his choice is free."

Ulysses ceased: the great Achaian host, With sorrow seized, in consternation lost, Attend the stern reply. Tydides broke The general silence, and undaunted spoke.

"Why should we gifts to proud Achilles send, Or strive with prayers his haughty soul to bend?

His country's woes he glories to deride, And prayers will burst that swelling heart with pride.

Be the fierce impulse of his rage obey'd, Our battles let him or desert or aid; Then let him arm when Jove or he think fit: That, to his madness, or to Heaven commit: What for ourselves we can, is always ours; This night, let due repast refresh our powers; (For strength consists in spirits and in blood, And those are owed to generous wine and food;) But when the rosy messenger of day Strikes the blue mountains with her golden ray, Ranged at the ships, let all our squadrons shine In flaming arms, a long-extended line: In the dread front let great Atrides stand, The first in danger, as in high command."

Shouts of acclaim the listening heroes raise, Then each to Heaven the due libations pays; Till sleep, descending o'er the tents, bestows The grateful blessings of desired repose."(214)

[Ill.u.s.tration: ACHILLES.]

ACHILLES.

BOOK X.

ARGUMENT.

THE NIGHT-ADVENTURE OF DIOMED AND ULYSSES.

Upon the refusal of Achilles to return to the army, the distress of Agamemnon is described in the most lively manner. He takes no rest that night, but pa.s.ses through the camp, awaking the leaders, and contriving all possible methods for the public safety. Menelaus, Nestor, Ulysses, and Diomed are employed in raising the rest of the captains. They call a council of war, and determine to send scouts into the enemies' camp, to learn their posture, and discover their intentions. Diomed undertakes this hazardous enterprise, and makes choice of Ulysses for his companion. In their pa.s.sage they surprise Dolon, whom Hector had sent on a like design to the camp of the Grecians. From him they are informed of the situation of the Trojan and auxiliary forces, and particularly of Rhesus, and the Thracians who were lately arrived. They pa.s.s on with success; kill Rhesus, with several of his officers, and seize the famous horses of that prince, with which they return in triumph to the camp.

The same night continues; the scene lies in the two camps.

All night the chiefs before their vessels lay, And lost in sleep the labours of the day: All but the king: with various thoughts oppress'd,(215) His country's cares lay rolling in his breast.

As when by lightnings Jove's ethereal power Foretels the rattling hail, or weighty shower, Or sends soft snows to whiten all the sh.o.r.e, Or bids the brazen throat of war to roar; By fits one flash succeeds as one expires, And heaven flames thick with momentary fires: So bursting frequent from Atrides' breast, Sighs following sighs his inward fears confess'd.

Now o'er the fields, dejected, he surveys From thousand Trojan fires the mounting blaze; Hears in the pa.s.sing wind their music blow, And marks distinct the voices of the foe.

Now looking backwards to the fleet and coast, Anxious he sorrows for the endangered host.

He rends his hair, in sacrifice to Jove, And sues to him that ever lives above: Inly he groans; while glory and despair Divide his heart, and wage a double war.

A thousand cares his labouring breast revolves; To seek sage Nestor now the chief resolves, With him, in wholesome counsels, to debate What yet remains to save the afflicted state.

He rose, and first he cast his mantle round, Next on his feet the shining sandals bound; A lion's yellow spoils his back conceal'd; His warlike hand a pointed javelin held.

Meanwhile his brother, press'd with equal woes, Alike denied the gifts of soft repose, Laments for Greece, that in his cause before So much had suffer'd and must suffer more.

A leopard's spotted hide his shoulders spread: A brazen helmet glitter'd on his head: Thus (with a javelin in his hand) he went To wake Atrides in the royal tent.

Already waked, Atrides he descried, His armour buckling at his vessel's side.

Joyful they met; the Spartan thus begun: "Why puts my brother his bright armour on?

Sends he some spy, amidst these silent hours, To try yon camp, and watch the Trojan powers?

But say, what hero shall sustain that task?

Such bold exploits uncommon courage ask; Guideless, alone, through night's dark shade to go, And midst a hostile camp explore the foe."

To whom the king: "In such distress we stand, No vulgar counsel our affairs demand; Greece to preserve, is now no easy part, But asks high wisdom, deep design, and art.

For Jove, averse, our humble prayer denies, And bows his head to Hector's sacrifice.

What eye has witness'd, or what ear believed, In one great day, by one great arm achieved, Such wondrous deeds as Hector's hand has done, And we beheld, the last revolving sun What honours the beloved of Jove adorn!

Sprung from no G.o.d, and of no G.o.ddess born; Yet such his acts, as Greeks unborn shall tell, And curse the battle where their fathers fell.

"Now speed thy hasty course along the fleet, There call great Ajax, and the prince of Crete; Ourself to h.o.a.ry Nestor will repair; To keep the guards on duty be his care, (For Nestor's influence best that quarter guides, Whose son with Merion, o'er the watch presides.") To whom the Spartan: "These thy orders borne, Say, shall I stay, or with despatch return?"

"There shall thou stay, (the king of men replied,) Else may we miss to meet, without a guide, The paths so many, and the camp so wide.

Still, with your voice the slothful soldiers raise, Urge by their fathers' fame their future praise.

Forget we now our state and lofty birth; Not t.i.tles here, but works, must prove our worth.

To labour is the lot of man below; And when Jove gave us life, he gave us woe."

This said, each parted to his several cares: The king to Nestor's sable ship repairs; The sage protector of the Greeks he found Stretch'd in his bed with all his arms around The various-colour'd scarf, the shield he rears, The shining helmet, and the pointed spears; The dreadful weapons of the warrior's rage, That, old in arms, disdain'd the peace of age.

Then, leaning on his hand his watchful head, The h.o.a.ry monarch raised his eyes and said:

"What art thou, speak, that on designs unknown, While others sleep, thus range the camp alone; Seek'st thou some friend or nightly sentinel?

Stand off, approach not, but thy purpose tell."