THE ILIAD (Completed)

BOOK 11

Now rose Aurora from Tithonus' bed, To mortals and Immortals bringing light; When to the ships of Greece came Discord down, Despatch'd from Jove, with dire portents of war. Upon Ulysses' lofty ship she stood, The midmost, thence to shout to either side, Or to the tents of Ajax Telamon, Or of Achilles, who at each extreme, Confiding in their strength, had moor'd their ships. There stood the Goddess, and in accents loud And dread she call'd, and fix'd in ev'ry breast The fierce resolve to wage unwearied war; And dearer to their hearts than thoughts of home Or wish'd return, became the battle-field.

Atrides, loudly shouting, call'd the Greeks To arms: himself his flashing armour donn'd. First on his legs the well-wrought greaves he fix'd, Fasten'd with silver clasps; his ample chest A breastplate guarded, giv'n by Cinyras In pledge of friendship; for in Cyprus' isle He heard the rumour of the glorious fleet About to sail for Troy; and sought with gifts To win the favour of the mighty King. Ten bands were there inwrought of dusky bronze, Twelve of pure gold, twice ten of shining tin: Of bronze six dragons upwards tow'rds the neck Their length extended, three on either side: In colour like the bow, which Saturn's son Plac'd in the clouds, a sign to mortal men: Then o'er his shoulder threw his sword; bright flash'd The golden studs; the silver scabbard shone, With golden baldrick fitted; next his shield He took, full-siz'd, well-wrought, well-prov'd in fight; Around it ran ten circling rims of brass; With twenty bosses round of burnish'd tin, And, in the centre, one of dusky bronze. A Gorgon's head, with aspect terrible, Was wrought, with Fear and Flight encircled round: Depending from a silver belt it hung; And on the belt a dragon, wrought in bronze, Twin'd his lithe folds, and turn'd on ev'ry side, Sprung from a single neck, his triple head. Then on his brow his lofty helm he plac'd, Four-crested, double-peak'd, with horsehair plumes, That nodded,-fearful, from the warrior's head. Then took two weighty lances, tipp'd with brass, Which fiercely flash'd against the face of Heav'n: Pallas and Juno thund'ring from on high In honour of Mycenae's wealthy lord.

Forthwith they order'd, each his charioteer, To stay his car beside the ditch; themselves, On foot, in arms accoutred, sallied forth, And loud, ere early dawn, the clamour rose. Advanc'd before the cars, they lin'd the ditch; Follow'd the cars, a little space between: But Jove with dire confusion fill'd their ranks, Who sent from Heav'n a show'r of blood-stain'd rain. In sign of many a warrior's coming doom, Soon to the viewless shades untimely sent. Meanwhile upon the slope, beneath the plain, The Trojan chiefs were gather'd; Hector's self, Polydamas, AEneas, as a God In rev'rence held; Antenor's three brave sons, Agenor's godlike presence, Polybus, And, heav'nly fair, the youthful Acamas. In front was seen the broad circumference Of Hector's shield; and as amid the clouds Shines forth the fiery dog-star, bright and clear, Anon beneath the cloudy veil conceal'd; So now in front was Hector seen, and now Pass'd to the rear, exhorting; all in brass, His burnish'd arms like Jove's own lightning flash'd.

As in the corn-land of some wealthy Lord The rival bands of reapers mow the swathe, Barley or wheat; and fast the trusses fall; So Greeks and Trojans mow'd th' opposing ranks; Nor these admitted thought of faint retreat, But still made even head; while those, like wolves, Rush'd to the onset; Discord, Goddess dire, Beheld, rejoicing; of the heav'nly pow'rs She only mingled with the combatants; The others all were absent; they, serene, Repos'd in gorgeous palaces, for each Amid Olympus' deep recesses built. Yet all the cloud-girt son of Saturn blam'd, Who will'd the vict'ry to the arms of Troy. He heeded not their anger; but withdrawn Apart from all, in pride of conscious strength, Survey'd the walls of Troy, the ships of Greece, The flash of arms, the slayers and the slain.

While yet 'twas morn, and wax'd the youthful day, Thick flew the shafts, and fast the people fell On either side: but when the hour was come When woodmen, in the forest's deep recess, Prepare their food, and wearied with the toil Of felling loftiest trees, with aching arms Turn with keen relish to their midday meal; Then Grecian valour broke th' opposing ranks, As each along the line encourag'd each; First sprang the monarch Agamemnon forth, And brave Bienor slew, his people's guard; And, with the chief, his friend and charioteer, Oileus; he, down-leaping from the car, Stood forth defiant; but between his brows The monarch's spear was thrust; nor aught avail'd The brass-bound helm, to stay the weapon's point; Through helm and bone it pass'd, and all the brain Was shatter'd; forward as he rush'd, he fell. Them left he there, their bare breasts gleaming white, Stripp'd of their arms; and hasten'd in pursuit Of Antiphus and Isus, Priam's sons, A bastard one, and one legitimate, Both on one car; the bastard held the reins: Beside him stood the gallant Antiphus. Them, as they fed their flocks on Ida's heights, Achilles once had captive made, and bound With willow saplings, till for ransom freed. The mighty monarch, Agamemnon, drove Through Isus' breast his spear; his weighty sword Descended on the head of Antiphus Beside the ear, and hurl'd him from his car; These of their armour he despoil'd in haste, Known to him both; for he had seen them oft Beside the ships, when thither captive brought From Ida by Achilles, swift of foot. As when a lion in their lair hath seiz'd The helpless offspring of a mountain doe, And breaks their bones with ease, and with strong teeth Crushes their tender life; nor can their dam, Though close at hand she be, avail them aught; For she herself by deadly terror seiz'd, Through the thick coppice and the forest flies, Panting, and bath'd in sweat, the monster's rush; So dar'd no Trojan give those brethren aid, Themselves in terror of the warlike Greeks. Peisander next, and bold Hippolochus, Sons of Antimachus ('twas he who chief, Seduc'd by Paris' gold and splendid gifts, Advis'd the restitution to refuse Of Helen to her Lord), the King assail'd; Both on one car; but from their hands had dropp'd The broider'd reins; bewilder'd there they stood; While, with a lion's bound, upon them sprang The son of Atreus; suppliant, in the car, They clasp'd his knees; "Give quarter, Atreus' son, Redeem our lives; our sire Antimachus Possesses goodly store of brass and gold, And well-wrought iron; and of these he fain Would pay a noble ransom, could he hear That in the Grecian ships we yet surviv'd."