The Fall of Troy [78]
through sun-scorched brakes -- loud as the voice Of many waters, when the wide sea raves Beneath the howling blast, with thunderous crash Of waves, when shake the fearful shipman's knees; So thundered earth beneath their charging feet. Strife swooped on them: foe hurled himself on foe.
First did Aeneas of the Danaans slay Harpalion, Arizelus' scion, born In far Boeotia of Amphinome, Who came to Troy to help the Argive men With godlike Prothoenor. 'Neath his waist Aeneas stabbed, and reft sweet life from him. Dead upon him he cast Thersander's son, For the barbed javelin pierced through Hyllus' throat Whom Arethusa by Lethaeus bare In Crete: sore grieved Idomeneus for his fall.
By this Peleides' son had swiftly slain Twelve Trojan warriors with his father's spear. First Cebrus fell, Harmon, Pasitheus then, Hysminus, Schedius, and Imbrasius, Phleges, Mnesaeus, Ennomus, Amphinous, Phasis, Galenus last, who had his home
By Gargarus' steep -- a mighty warrior he Among Troy's mighties: with a countless host To Troy he came: for Priam Dardanus' son Promised him many gifts and passing fair. Ah fool! his own doom never he foresaw, Whose weird was suddenly to fall in fight Ere he bore home King Priam's glorious gifts.
Doom the Destroyer against the Argives sped Valiant Aeneas' friend, Eurymenes. Wild courage spurred him on, that he might slay Many -- and then fill death's cup for himself. Man after man he slew like some fierce beast, And foes shrank from the terrible rage that burned On his life's verge, nor reeked of imminent doom. Yea, peerless deeds in that fight had he done, Had not his hands grown weary, his spear-head Bent utterly: his sword availed him not, Snapped at the hilt by Fate. Then Meges' dart Smote 'neath his ribs; blood spurted from his mouth, And in death's agony Doom stood at his side.
Even as he fell, Epeius' henchmen twain, Deileon and Amphion, rushed to strip His armour; but Aeneas brave and strong Chilled their hot hearts in death beside the dead. As one in latter summer 'mid his vines Kills wasps that dart about his ripening grapes, And so, ere they may taste the fruit, they die; So smote he them, ere they could seize the arms.
Menon and Amphinous Tydeides slew, Both goodly men. Paris slew Hippasus' son Demoleon, who in Laconia's land Beside the outfall of Eurotas dwelt, The stream deep-flowing, and to Troy he came With Menelaus. Under his right breast The shaft of Paris smote him unto death, Driving his soul forth like a scattering breath.
Teucer slew Zechis, Medon's war-famed son, Who dwelt in Phrygia, land of myriad flocks, Below that haunted cave of fair-haired Nymphs Where, as Endymion slept beside his kine, Divine Selene watched him from on high, And slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love Drew down the immortal stainless Queen of Night. And a memorial of her couch abides Still 'neath the oaks; for mid the copses round Was poured out milk of kine; and still do men Marvelling behold its whiteness. Thou wouldst say Far off that this was milk indeed, which is A well-spring of white water: if thou draw A little nigher, lo, the stream is fringed As though with ice, for white stone rims it round.
Rushed on Alcaeus Meges, Phyleus' son, And drave his spear beneath his fluttering heart. Loosed were the cords of sweet life suddenly, And his sad parents longed in vain to greet That son returning from the woeful war To Margasus and Phyllis lovely-girt, Dwellers by lucent streams of Harpasus, Who pours the full blood of his clamorous flow Into Maeander madly rushing aye.
With Glaucus' warrior-comrade Scylaceus Odeus' son closed in the fight, and stabbed Over the shield-rim, and the cruel spear Passed through his shoulder, and drenched his shield with blood. Howbeit he slew him not, whose day of doom Awaited him afar beside the wall Of his own city; for when Illium's towers Were brought low by that swift avenging host Fleeing the war to Lycia then he came Alone; and when he drew nigh to the town, The thronging women met and questioned him Touching their sons and husbands; and
First did Aeneas of the Danaans slay Harpalion, Arizelus' scion, born In far Boeotia of Amphinome, Who came to Troy to help the Argive men With godlike Prothoenor. 'Neath his waist Aeneas stabbed, and reft sweet life from him. Dead upon him he cast Thersander's son, For the barbed javelin pierced through Hyllus' throat Whom Arethusa by Lethaeus bare In Crete: sore grieved Idomeneus for his fall.
By this Peleides' son had swiftly slain Twelve Trojan warriors with his father's spear. First Cebrus fell, Harmon, Pasitheus then, Hysminus, Schedius, and Imbrasius, Phleges, Mnesaeus, Ennomus, Amphinous, Phasis, Galenus last, who had his home
By Gargarus' steep -- a mighty warrior he Among Troy's mighties: with a countless host To Troy he came: for Priam Dardanus' son Promised him many gifts and passing fair. Ah fool! his own doom never he foresaw, Whose weird was suddenly to fall in fight Ere he bore home King Priam's glorious gifts.
Doom the Destroyer against the Argives sped Valiant Aeneas' friend, Eurymenes. Wild courage spurred him on, that he might slay Many -- and then fill death's cup for himself. Man after man he slew like some fierce beast, And foes shrank from the terrible rage that burned On his life's verge, nor reeked of imminent doom. Yea, peerless deeds in that fight had he done, Had not his hands grown weary, his spear-head Bent utterly: his sword availed him not, Snapped at the hilt by Fate. Then Meges' dart Smote 'neath his ribs; blood spurted from his mouth, And in death's agony Doom stood at his side.
Even as he fell, Epeius' henchmen twain, Deileon and Amphion, rushed to strip His armour; but Aeneas brave and strong Chilled their hot hearts in death beside the dead. As one in latter summer 'mid his vines Kills wasps that dart about his ripening grapes, And so, ere they may taste the fruit, they die; So smote he them, ere they could seize the arms.
Menon and Amphinous Tydeides slew, Both goodly men. Paris slew Hippasus' son Demoleon, who in Laconia's land Beside the outfall of Eurotas dwelt, The stream deep-flowing, and to Troy he came With Menelaus. Under his right breast The shaft of Paris smote him unto death, Driving his soul forth like a scattering breath.
Teucer slew Zechis, Medon's war-famed son, Who dwelt in Phrygia, land of myriad flocks, Below that haunted cave of fair-haired Nymphs Where, as Endymion slept beside his kine, Divine Selene watched him from on high, And slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love Drew down the immortal stainless Queen of Night. And a memorial of her couch abides Still 'neath the oaks; for mid the copses round Was poured out milk of kine; and still do men Marvelling behold its whiteness. Thou wouldst say Far off that this was milk indeed, which is A well-spring of white water: if thou draw A little nigher, lo, the stream is fringed As though with ice, for white stone rims it round.
Rushed on Alcaeus Meges, Phyleus' son, And drave his spear beneath his fluttering heart. Loosed were the cords of sweet life suddenly, And his sad parents longed in vain to greet That son returning from the woeful war To Margasus and Phyllis lovely-girt, Dwellers by lucent streams of Harpasus, Who pours the full blood of his clamorous flow Into Maeander madly rushing aye.
With Glaucus' warrior-comrade Scylaceus Odeus' son closed in the fight, and stabbed Over the shield-rim, and the cruel spear Passed through his shoulder, and drenched his shield with blood. Howbeit he slew him not, whose day of doom Awaited him afar beside the wall Of his own city; for when Illium's towers Were brought low by that swift avenging host Fleeing the war to Lycia then he came Alone; and when he drew nigh to the town, The thronging women met and questioned him Touching their sons and husbands; and