ΟΙ

HOMER.

TRANSLATED BY

ALEXANDER POPE.

VOL. II.

NEW YORK :

A. S. BARNES & BURR,

51 & 58 JOHN STREET.

1865.

HARVARD COLLEGE

OCT 7 1916

LIBRARY

BOOK XIII.

THE ARGUMENT.

The fourth Battle continued, in which Neptune assists the Greeks: the Acts of Idomeneus.

Neptune, concerned for the loss of the Grecians, upon seeing the fortification forced by Hector (who had entered the gat near the station of the Ajaxes,) assumes the shape of Chil chas, and inspires those heroes to oppose him; then, in t form of one of the generals, encourages the other Greeks who had retired to their vessels. The Ajaxes form their troops in a close phalanx, and put a stop to Hector and the Trojans. Several deeds of valour are performed; Meriones, losing his spear in the encounter, repairs to seek another at the tent of Idomeneus: this occasions a conversation between those two warriors, who return together to the battle. Idomeneus signalizes his courage above the rest; he kills Othryoneus, Asius, and Alcathous Deiphobus and neas march against him, and at length Idomeneus retires. Menelaus wounds Ilelenus and kills Pisander. The Trojans are repulsed in the left wing; Hector still keeps his grouad against the Ajaxes, till, being galled by the Locrian slingers and archers, Polydamas adses to call a council of war: Hector approves his advice, out goes first to rally the Trojans; upbraids Paris, rejoins Polydamas meets Ajax again, and renews the attack.

The eight-and-twentieth day still continues. The scene is between the Grecian wall and the seashore.

WHEN now the Thunderer on the sea-beat coast
Had fix'd great Hector and his conquering host
He left them to the Fates, in bloody fray
To toil and struggle through the well-fought day,
Then turn'd to Thracia from the field of fight
Those eyes that shed insufferable light

To where the Mysians prove their martial force,
And hardy Thracians tame the savage horse;
And where the far-fam'd Hippemolgian strays,
Renown'd for justice and for length of days:

Thrice happy race! that, innocent of blood,
From milk, innoxious, seek their simple food:
Jove sees delighted; and avoids the scene
Of guilty Troy, of arms, and dying men:
No aid, he deems, to either host is given,
While his high law suspends the powers of heaven.
Meantime the *Monarch of the watery main
Observ'd the Thunderer, nor observ'd in vain.
In Samothracia, on a mountain's brow,
Whose waving woods o'erhung the deeps below,
He sate; and round him cast his azure eyes,
Where Ida's misty tops confus'dly rise;
Below, fair Ilion's glittering spires were seen;
The crowded ships, and sable seas between.
There, from the crystal chambers of the main
Emerg'd, he sate; and mourn'd his Argives slain.
At Jove incens'd, with grief and fury stung,
Prone down the rocky steep he rush'd along;
Fierce as he past, the lofty mountains nod,
The forests shake! earth trembled as he trod,
And felt the footsteps of th' immortal God.
From realm to realm tree ample strides he took,
And, at the fourth, the distant Ege shook.
Far in the bay his shining palace stands,
Eternal frame! not rais'd by mortal hands:
This having reach'd, his brass-hoof'd steeds he reins
Fleet as the winds, and deck'd with golden manos.
Refulgent arms his mighty limbs infold,
Linmortal arms of adamant and gold.

He mounts the car, the golden scourge applies,
He sits superior, and the chariot flies:
His whirling wheels the glassy surface sweep;
Th' enormous monsters, rolling o'er the deep,
Gambol around him on the wat❜ry way;
And heavy whales in awkward measures play,
The sea subsiding spreads a level plain,
Exults, and owns the monarch of the main;
* Neptune.