The Fall of Troy [67]
or silver fir Uprooted by the fury of Boreas; Such space of earth Eurypylus' giant frame Covered in falling: rang again the floor And plain of Troyland. Grey death-pallor swept Over the corpse, and all the flush of life Faded away. With a triumphant laugh Shouted the mighty hero over him: "Eurypylus, thou saidst thou wouldst destroy The Danaan ships and men, wouldst slay us all Wretchedly -- but the Gods would not fulfil Thy wish. For all thy might invincible, My father's massy spear hath now subdued Thee under me, that spear no man shall 'scape, Though he be brass all through, who faceth me."
He spake, and tore the long lance from the corse, While shrank the Trojans back in dread, at sight Of that strong-hearted man. Straightway he stripped The armour from the dead, for friends to bear Fast to the ships Achaean. But himself To the swift chariot and the tireless steeds Sprang, and sped onward like a thunderbolt That lightning-girdled leaps through the wide air From Zeus's hands unconquerable -- the bolt Before whose downrush all the Immortals quail Save only Zeus. It rusheth down to earth, It rendeth trees and rugged mountain-crags; So rushed he on the Trojans, flashing doom Before their eyes; dashed to the earth they fell Before the charge of those immortal steeds: The earth was heaped with slain, was dyed with gore. As when in mountain-glens the unnumbered leaves Down-streaming thick and fast hide all the ground, So hosts of Troy untold on earth were strewn By Neoptolemus and fierce-hearted Greeks, Shed by whose hands the blood in torrents ran 'Neath feet of men and horses. Chariot-rails Were dashed with blood-spray whirled up from the tyres.
Now had the Trojans fled within their gates As calves that flee a lion, or as swine Flee from a storm -- but murderous Ares came, Unmarked of other Gods, down from the heavens, Eager to help the warrior sons of Troy. Red-fire and Flame, Tumult and Panic-fear, His car-steeds, bare him down into the fight, The coursers which to roaring Boreas Grim-eyed Erinnys bare, coursers that breathed Life-blasting flame: groaned all the shivering air, As battleward they sped. Swiftly he came To Troy: loud rang the earth beneath the feet Of that wild team. Into the battle's heart Tossing his massy spear, he came; with a shout He cheered the Trojans on to face the foe. They heard, and marvelled at that wondrous cry, Not seeing the God's immortal form, nor steeds, Veiled in dense mist. But the wise prophet-soul Of Helenus knew the voice divine that leapt Unto the Trojans' ears, they knew not whence, And with glad heart to the fleeing host he cried: "O cravens, wherefore fear Achilles' son, Though ne'er so brave? He is mortal even as we; His strength is not as Ares' strength, who is come A very present help in our sore need. That was his shout far-pealing, bidding us Fight on against the Argives. Let your hearts Be strong, O friends: let courage fill your breasts. No mightier battle-helper can draw nigh To Troy than he. Who is of more avail For war than Ares, when he aideth men Hard-fighting? Lo, to our help he cometh now! On to the fight! Cast to the winds your fears!"
They fled no more, they faced the Argive men, As hounds, that mid the copses fled at first, Turn them about to face and fight the wolf, Spurred by the chiding of their shepherd-lord; So turned the sons of Troy again to war, Casting away their fear. Man leapt on man Valiantly fighting; loud their armour clashed Smitten with swords, with lances, and with darts. Spears plunged into men's flesh: dread Ares drank His fill of blood: struck down fell man on man, As Greek and Trojan fought. In level poise The battle-balance hung. As when young men In hot haste prune a vineyard with the steel, And each keeps pace with each in rivalry, Since all in strength and age be equal-matched; So did the awful scales of battle hang Level: all Trojan hearts beat high, and firm Stood they in trust on aweless Ares' might, While the Greeks trusted in Achilles' son. Ever they slew and slew: stalked through the midst Deadly Enyo, her
He spake, and tore the long lance from the corse, While shrank the Trojans back in dread, at sight Of that strong-hearted man. Straightway he stripped The armour from the dead, for friends to bear Fast to the ships Achaean. But himself To the swift chariot and the tireless steeds Sprang, and sped onward like a thunderbolt That lightning-girdled leaps through the wide air From Zeus's hands unconquerable -- the bolt Before whose downrush all the Immortals quail Save only Zeus. It rusheth down to earth, It rendeth trees and rugged mountain-crags; So rushed he on the Trojans, flashing doom Before their eyes; dashed to the earth they fell Before the charge of those immortal steeds: The earth was heaped with slain, was dyed with gore. As when in mountain-glens the unnumbered leaves Down-streaming thick and fast hide all the ground, So hosts of Troy untold on earth were strewn By Neoptolemus and fierce-hearted Greeks, Shed by whose hands the blood in torrents ran 'Neath feet of men and horses. Chariot-rails Were dashed with blood-spray whirled up from the tyres.
Now had the Trojans fled within their gates As calves that flee a lion, or as swine Flee from a storm -- but murderous Ares came, Unmarked of other Gods, down from the heavens, Eager to help the warrior sons of Troy. Red-fire and Flame, Tumult and Panic-fear, His car-steeds, bare him down into the fight, The coursers which to roaring Boreas Grim-eyed Erinnys bare, coursers that breathed Life-blasting flame: groaned all the shivering air, As battleward they sped. Swiftly he came To Troy: loud rang the earth beneath the feet Of that wild team. Into the battle's heart Tossing his massy spear, he came; with a shout He cheered the Trojans on to face the foe. They heard, and marvelled at that wondrous cry, Not seeing the God's immortal form, nor steeds, Veiled in dense mist. But the wise prophet-soul Of Helenus knew the voice divine that leapt Unto the Trojans' ears, they knew not whence, And with glad heart to the fleeing host he cried: "O cravens, wherefore fear Achilles' son, Though ne'er so brave? He is mortal even as we; His strength is not as Ares' strength, who is come A very present help in our sore need. That was his shout far-pealing, bidding us Fight on against the Argives. Let your hearts Be strong, O friends: let courage fill your breasts. No mightier battle-helper can draw nigh To Troy than he. Who is of more avail For war than Ares, when he aideth men Hard-fighting? Lo, to our help he cometh now! On to the fight! Cast to the winds your fears!"
They fled no more, they faced the Argive men, As hounds, that mid the copses fled at first, Turn them about to face and fight the wolf, Spurred by the chiding of their shepherd-lord; So turned the sons of Troy again to war, Casting away their fear. Man leapt on man Valiantly fighting; loud their armour clashed Smitten with swords, with lances, and with darts. Spears plunged into men's flesh: dread Ares drank His fill of blood: struck down fell man on man, As Greek and Trojan fought. In level poise The battle-balance hung. As when young men In hot haste prune a vineyard with the steel, And each keeps pace with each in rivalry, Since all in strength and age be equal-matched; So did the awful scales of battle hang Level: all Trojan hearts beat high, and firm Stood they in trust on aweless Ares' might, While the Greeks trusted in Achilles' son. Ever they slew and slew: stalked through the midst Deadly Enyo, her