The Fall of Troy [77]
all their horses. Then to these Spake Poeas' son with battle-kindling speech: "Up! let us make us ready for the war! Let no man linger mid the galleys, ere The glorious walls of Ilium stately-towered Be shattered, and her palaces be burned!"
Then at his words each heart and spirit glowed: They donned their armour, and they grasped their shields. Forth of the ships in one huge mass they poured Arrayed with bull-hide bucklers, ashen spears, And gallant-crested helms. Through all their ranks Shoulder to shoulder marched they: thou hadst seen No gap 'twixt man and man as on they charged; So close they thronged, so dense was their array.
BOOK X
How Paris was stricken to death, and in vain sought help of Oenone.
Now were the Trojans all without the town Of Priam, armour-clad, with battle-cars And chariot-steeds; for still they burnt their dead, And still they feared lest the Achaean men Should fall on them. They looked, and saw them come With furious speed against the walls. In haste They cast a hurried earth-mound o'er the slain, For greatly trembled they to see their foes. Then in their sore disquiet spake to them Polydamas, a wise and prudent chief: "Friends, unendurably against us now Maddens the war. Go to, let us devise How we may find deliverance from our strait. Still bide the Danaans here, still gather strength: Now therefore let us man our stately towers, And thence withstand them, fighting night and day, Until yon Danaans weary, and return To Sparta, or, renownless lingering here Beside the wall, lose heart. No strength of theirs Shall breach the long walls, howsoe'er they strive, For in the imperishable work of Gods Weakness is none. Food, drink, we shall not lack, For in King Priam's gold-abounding halls Is stored abundant food, that shall suffice For many more than we, through many years, Though thrice so great a host at our desire Should gather, eager to maintain our cause."
Then chode with him Anchises' valiant son: "Polydamas, wherefore do they call thee wise, Who biddest suffer endless tribulations Cooped within walls? Never, how long soe'er The Achaeans tarry here, will they lose heart; But when they see us skulking from the field, More fiercely will press on. So ours shall be The sufferance, perishing in our native home, If for long season they beleaguer us. No food, if we be pent within our walls, Shall Thebe send us, nor Maeonia wine, But wretchedly by famine shall we die, Though the great wall stand firm. Nay, though our lot Should be to escape that evil death and doom, And not by famine miserably to die; Yet rather let us fight in armour clad For children and grey fathers! Haply Zeus Will help us yet; of his high blood are we. Nay, even though we be abhorred of him, Better straightway to perish gloriously Fighting unto the last for fatherland, Than die a death of lingering agony!"
Shouted they all who heard that gallant rede. Swiftly with helms and shields and spears they stood In close array. The eyes of mighty Zeus From heaven beheld the Trojans armed for fight Against the Danaans: then did he awake Courage in these and those, that there might be Strain of unflinching fight 'twixt host and host. That day was Paris doomed, for Helen's sake Fighting, by Philoctetes' hands to die.
To one place Strife incarnate drew them all, The fearful Battle-queen, beheld of none, But cloaked in clouds blood-raining: on she stalked Swelling the mighty roar of battle, now Rushed through Troy's squadrons, through Achaea's now; Panic and Fear still waited on her steps To make their father's sister glorious. From small to huge that Fury's stature grew; Her arms of adamant were blood-besprent, The deadly lance she brandished reached the sky. Earth quaked beneath her feet: dread blasts of fire Flamed from her mouth: her voice pealed thunder-like Kindling strong men. Swift closed the fronts of fight Drawn by a dread Power to the mighty work. Loud as the shriek of winds that madly blow In early spring, when the tall woodland trees Put forth their leaves -- loud as the roar of fire Blazing
Then at his words each heart and spirit glowed: They donned their armour, and they grasped their shields. Forth of the ships in one huge mass they poured Arrayed with bull-hide bucklers, ashen spears, And gallant-crested helms. Through all their ranks Shoulder to shoulder marched they: thou hadst seen No gap 'twixt man and man as on they charged; So close they thronged, so dense was their array.
BOOK X
How Paris was stricken to death, and in vain sought help of Oenone.
Now were the Trojans all without the town Of Priam, armour-clad, with battle-cars And chariot-steeds; for still they burnt their dead, And still they feared lest the Achaean men Should fall on them. They looked, and saw them come With furious speed against the walls. In haste They cast a hurried earth-mound o'er the slain, For greatly trembled they to see their foes. Then in their sore disquiet spake to them Polydamas, a wise and prudent chief: "Friends, unendurably against us now Maddens the war. Go to, let us devise How we may find deliverance from our strait. Still bide the Danaans here, still gather strength: Now therefore let us man our stately towers, And thence withstand them, fighting night and day, Until yon Danaans weary, and return To Sparta, or, renownless lingering here Beside the wall, lose heart. No strength of theirs Shall breach the long walls, howsoe'er they strive, For in the imperishable work of Gods Weakness is none. Food, drink, we shall not lack, For in King Priam's gold-abounding halls Is stored abundant food, that shall suffice For many more than we, through many years, Though thrice so great a host at our desire Should gather, eager to maintain our cause."
Then chode with him Anchises' valiant son: "Polydamas, wherefore do they call thee wise, Who biddest suffer endless tribulations Cooped within walls? Never, how long soe'er The Achaeans tarry here, will they lose heart; But when they see us skulking from the field, More fiercely will press on. So ours shall be The sufferance, perishing in our native home, If for long season they beleaguer us. No food, if we be pent within our walls, Shall Thebe send us, nor Maeonia wine, But wretchedly by famine shall we die, Though the great wall stand firm. Nay, though our lot Should be to escape that evil death and doom, And not by famine miserably to die; Yet rather let us fight in armour clad For children and grey fathers! Haply Zeus Will help us yet; of his high blood are we. Nay, even though we be abhorred of him, Better straightway to perish gloriously Fighting unto the last for fatherland, Than die a death of lingering agony!"
Shouted they all who heard that gallant rede. Swiftly with helms and shields and spears they stood In close array. The eyes of mighty Zeus From heaven beheld the Trojans armed for fight Against the Danaans: then did he awake Courage in these and those, that there might be Strain of unflinching fight 'twixt host and host. That day was Paris doomed, for Helen's sake Fighting, by Philoctetes' hands to die.
To one place Strife incarnate drew them all, The fearful Battle-queen, beheld of none, But cloaked in clouds blood-raining: on she stalked Swelling the mighty roar of battle, now Rushed through Troy's squadrons, through Achaea's now; Panic and Fear still waited on her steps To make their father's sister glorious. From small to huge that Fury's stature grew; Her arms of adamant were blood-besprent, The deadly lance she brandished reached the sky. Earth quaked beneath her feet: dread blasts of fire Flamed from her mouth: her voice pealed thunder-like Kindling strong men. Swift closed the fronts of fight Drawn by a dread Power to the mighty work. Loud as the shriek of winds that madly blow In early spring, when the tall woodland trees Put forth their leaves -- loud as the roar of fire Blazing