Part 25

"Nor could thy beauty, Cyllarus, avail "Aught in the contest! if to forms like thine "Beauty we grant. His beard to sprout began, "His beard of golden hue; golden the locks "That down his neck, and o'er his shoulders flow'd. "Cheerful his face; his shoulders, neck, and arms, "Approach'd the models which the artists praise. "Thus all that man resembled. Nor fell short "The horse's portion: beauteous for a beast. "A neck and head supply'd, a steed were form'd, "Of Castor worthy: so was for the seat "Fitted his back; so full outstood his chest: "His coat all blacker than the darkest pitch; "Save his white legs, and ample flowing tail. "Crowds of his race him lov'd; but one alone, "Hylonomé, could charm him; fairest nymph "Of all the two-form'd race that roam'd the groves. "She sole enraptur'd Cyllarus, with words "Of blandishment; beloved, and her love "For him confessing. Grace in all her limbs "And dress, for him was studied; smooth her hair "For him was comb'd; with rosemary now bound; "Now with the violet; with fresh roses now; "And oft the snow-white lily wore she; twice "Daily she bath'd her features in the stream, "That from Pagasis' woody summit falls; "Twice daily in the current lav'd her limbs. "Nor cloth'd she e'er her shoulders, or her side, "Save with the chosen spoils of beasts which best "Her form became. Most equal was their love: "As one they o'er the mountains stray'd; as one "The caves they sought; and both together then "The Lapithæan roof had enter'd; both "Now wag'd the furious war. By whom unknown, "From the left side a javelin came, and pierc'd "Thee deep, O Cyllarus! 'neath where thy chest "Joins to thy neck. Drawn from the small-form'd wound, "The weapon,--with the mangled heart, the limbs "Grew rigid all. Hylonomé supports "His dying body, and her aiding hand "Presses against the wound; leans face to face, "And tries his fleeting life awhile to stay. "When fled she saw it, with laments which noise "Drown'd ere my ears they reach'd, full on the dart "Which through him stuck she fell; and clasp'd in death "Her dear-lov'd husband's form. Before my eyes "Still stands Phæöcomes, whom, closely-join'd, "Six lions' hides protected; man and horse "Equal the covering shar'd. Phonoleus' son "Fierce on the skull he smote, with stump immense, "Huge as four oxen might with labor move. "Crush'd was the rounding broadness of the head; "And the soft brain gush'd forth at both his ears; "His mouth, his hollow nostrils, and his eyes. "So through the straining oaken twigs appears, "Coagulated milk: so liquid flows "Through the fine sieve, by supercumbent weights "Prest down, the thick curd at the small-form'd holes. "Deep in his lowest flank the foe I pierc'd, "As from our fallen friend the arms to strip "Prepar'd, he stoop'd. Thy father saw the deed. "Chthonius too fell beneath my sword, and fell "Teleboas. Chthonius bore a forky bough; "A javelin arm'd the other; with its steel "He pierc'd me. Lo! the mark the wound has left:-- "Still the old scar appears. Then was the time "They should have sent me to the siege of Troy: "Then had I power great Hector's arm to stay; "To check, if not to conquer. Hector then "Was born not, or a boy. Now age me robs "Of all my force. Why should I say how fell "Two-form'd Pyretus, by the strength o'erthrown "Of Periphantes? Why of Amphyx tell, "Who in Oëclus' hostile front deep sunk, "(Oëclus centaur-born) a pointless spear? "Macareus, Erigdupus, (near the hill "Of Pelethronus born, against his chest "Full-bearing,) prostrate laid. Nor should I pass, "How I the spear beheld, by Nessus' hands "Launch'd forth, and bury'd in Cymelus' groin. "Nor think you Mopsus, Amphyx' son, excell'd "Alone to teach the future. By the dart "Of Mopsus, fell Odites double-form'd. "To speak in vain he strove, for tongue to chin, "And chin to throat were by the javelin nail'd.

"Cæneus ere this had five to death dispatch'd "Bromius, Antimachus with hatchet arm'd; "Pyracmon, Stiphelus, and Helimus. "What wounds them slew I know not; well their names, "And numbers I remember. Latreus big "In body and in limbs, sprung forth adorn'd "In the gay arms Halesus once had own'd; "Halesus of Thessalia by him slain: "'Twixt strong virility and age his years, "Still strong virility his arm could boast; "Gray hairs his temples sprinkled. Lofty seen "In helm and shield, and Macedonian spear, "Proudly between the adverse ranks he rode; "And clash'd his arms, and circling scower'd along. "These boasting words to the resounding air "Brave issuing--Cænis, shall I bear thee so? "Still will I think thee Cænis;--female still "By me thou'lt be consider'd. 'Bates it nought "Thy valor, when thy origin thy soul "Reflects on? When thy mind allows to own "What deed the grant obtained? What price was paid "To gain the false resemblance of a man? "What thou was born, remember: mark as well "Who has embrac'd thee. Go, the distaff take, "And carding basket. With thy fingers twirl "The flax, and martial contests leave to men. "The spear which Cæneus hurl'd, deep in his side "Bare as he cours'd, expos'd the blow to meet, "Pierc'd him when boasting thus, just where the man "Join'd the four-footed form. With smart he rag'd, "And to the Phyllian warrior's face his spear "Presented. Back the spear rebounded: so "Bound the hard hailstones from the roof; so leap "The paltry pebbles on the hollow drum. "Now hand to hand he rushes to engage, "And in his harden'd sides attempts to plunge "His weapon deep. Pervious his weapon finds "No spot. Then cry'd he,--still thou shalt not 'scape: "Though blunted is my point my edge shall slay;-- "And aim'd a blow oblique, to ope his side, "While round his flank was grasp'd his forceful arm. "Sounded the stroke as marble struck would sound; "The shiver'd steel rebounding from his neck. "His limbs unwounded, to the wondering foe "Thus long expos'd, loud Cæneus call'd;--Now try "Our arms thy limbs to pierce!--Up to the hilt "His deadly weapon 'twixt his shoulders plung'd; "Then thrust and dug with blows unseeing 'mid "His entrails deep; thus forming wounds on wounds.

"Now all the furious crowd of double forms "Rush raging round him; all their weapons hurl; "And all assail with blows this single foe. "Blunted their weapons fall, and Cæneus stands "Unpierc'd, unbleeding, from ten thousand strokes: "Astonish'd at the miracle they gaze; "But Monychus exclaims;--What blasting shame "A race o'erthrown by one; that one a man, "But dubious. Grant him man, our coward deeds "Prove us but what he has been. What avail "Our giant limbs? What boots our double strength; "Strength of created forms the mightiest two, "In us conjoin'd? A goddess-mother we "Assur'dly should not boast; nor boast for sire "Ixion, whose great daring soul him mov'd "To clasp the lofty Juno in his arms. "Now vanquish'd by a foe half-male. Him whelm "With trees, with rocks: whole mountains heap'd on high, "Whole falling forests, let that stubborn soul "Crush out. The woods upon his throat shall press, "And weight for wounds shall serve.--The centaur spoke, "Seizing a tree which lay by chance uptorn "By raging Auster; on his valiant foe "The bulk he hurl'd. All in like efforts join'd: "And quickly Othrys of his woods was stript: "Nor Pelion shade retain'd. Cæneus opprest "Beneath the pile immense--the woody load,-- "Hot pants, and with his forceful shoulders bears, "To heave th' unwieldy weight: but soon the heap "Reaches his face, and then o'ertops his head: "Nor breath is left his spirit can inhale. "Now faint he sinks, and struggles now in vain "To lift his head to air, and from him heave "The heap'd-up forests: then the pile but shakes, "As shakes the lofty Ida you behold, "When by an earthquake stirr'd. Doubtful his end. "His body, by the sylvan load down prest, "Some thought that shadowy Tartarus receiv'd. "But Mopsus this deny'd, who spy'd a bird "From 'mid the pile ascend, and mount the skies "On yellow pinions. I the bird beheld, "Then first, then last. As wide on buoyant wing "Our force surveying, Mopsus saw him fly, "And rustling round with mighty noise, his eyes "And soul close mark'd him, and he loud exclaim'd,-- "Hail, Cæneus! of the Lapithæan race "The glory! once of men the first, and now "Bird of thy kind unique!--The seer's belief "Made credible the fact. Grief spurr'd our rage. "Nor bore we calmly that a single youth "By hosts of foes should fall. Nor ceas'd our swords "In gore to rage 'till most to death were given: "The rest by favoring darkness say'd in flight."

While thus the Pylian sage, the wars narrates Wag'd by the Lapithæan race, and foe Centaurs half-human; his splenetic ire Tlepolemus could hide not, when he found Alcides' deeds past o'er; but angry spoke.-- "Old sire, astonish'd, I perceive the praise "The deeds of Hercules demand, has 'scap'd "Your mind. My father has been wont to tell "Whom, he of cloud-begotten race o'erthrew: "Oft have I heard him." Nestor sad reply'd; "Why force me thus my miseries to recal "To recollection; freshening up the woes "Long years have blunted; and confess the hate "I bear thy sire for injuries receiv'd. "He, (O, ye gods!) has deeds atchiev'd which far "All faith surpass; and has the wide world fill'd "With his high fame. Would I could this deny! "For praise we e'er Deïphobus? or praise "Give we Polydamas, or Hector's self? "Who can a foe applaud? This sire of thine "Messenia's walls laid prostrate, and destroy'd "Elis and Pylos, unoffending towns; "Rushing with fire and sword in our abode. "To pass the rest who 'neath his fury fell,-- "Twice six of Neleus' sons were we beheld; "Twice six save me beneath Alcides' arm, "There dy'd. With ease were conquer'd all but one; "Strange was of Periclymenos the death; "Whom Neptune, founder of our line, had given, "What form he will'd to take; that form thrown off. "His own again resume. When vainly chang'd "To multifarious shapes; he to the bird "Most dear to heaven's high sovereign, whose curv'd claws "The thunders bear, himself transform'd; the strength "That bird possesses, using, with bow'd wings, "His crooked beak and talons pounc'd his face. "'Gainst him Tyrinthius his unerring bow "Bent, and as high amid the clouds he tower'd, "And poising hung, pierc'd where his side and wing "Just met: nor deep the hurt; the sinew torn "Still him disabled, and deny'd the power "To move his wing, or strength to urge his flight. "To earth he fell; his pinions unendow'd "With power to gather air: and the light dart "Fixt superficial in the wing, his fall "Deep in his body pierc'd; out his left side, "Close by his throat the pointed mischief stood.

"Now, valiant leader of the Rhodian fleet, "Judge what from me the great Alcides' deeds "Of blazonry can claim? Yet the revenge "I give my brethren, is on his brave acts "Silent to rest: to thee still firm ally'd "In friendship." Thus his eloquent discourse The son of Neleus ended, and the gift Of Bacchus, oft repeated, circled round To the old senior's words; then from the board They rose, and night's remainder gave to sleep.

But now the deity, whose trident rules The ocean waters, with a father's grief Mourns for his offspring to a bird transform'd. Savage 'gainst fierce Achilles, he pursues His well-remember'd ire with hostile rage. And now the war near twice ten years had seen, When long-hair'd Phoebus, thus the god address'd; "O power! to me most dear, of all the sons "My brother boasts! whose hands with mine uprear'd "In vain the walls of Troy! griev'st thou not now "Those towers beholding as they ruin'd fall? "Griev'st thou not now such thousands to behold "Slain, those high towers attempting to defend? "Griev'st thou not (more I need not speak) to think "Of Hector's body round his own Troy dragg'd, "When still the fierce Achilles, ev'n than war "More ruthless, of our works destroyer, lives? "Would it to me were given--my trident's power, "Well know I, he should prove; but since deny'd "To rush, and hand to hand this foe engage, "Slay him with unsuspected secret dart." The Delian god consented, and at once His uncle's vengeance and his own indulg'd. Veil'd in a cloud amid the Ilian host He darts, and 'mid a slaughter'd crowd beholds Where Paris, on plebeïan foes his shafts Unerring hurls: to him confess'd, the god Exclaims;--"Why wast'st thou in ignoble blood "Thy weapons? If thy friends employ thy care, "Turn on Pelides every dart, revenge "Thy murder'd brothers."--Phoebus spoke, and shew'd Where with his steel Achilles ranks on ranks Of Troy o'erthrew. On him the bow he turns; To him he guides the sure, the deadly dart.

Now may old Priam joy for Hector slain; For thou, Achilles, victor o'er such hosts, Fall'st by the coward's hand, who stole from Greece The ravish'd wife. O! if foredoom'd thy lot By woman-warrior to be slain, to fall By Amazonian weapon had'st thou chos'n. Now burns Æäcides, the Phrygians' dread; The pride, the guardian of the Grecian name; The chief in war unconquer'd: and the god Who arm'd him once, consumes him. Ashes now; Nought of the great Pelides can be found, Save what with ease a little urn contains. But still his glory lives, and fills all earth: Such bounds alone the hero suit; his fame Equals himself, nor sinks he to the shades.

His shield itself, as conscious whose the shield, Fomented wars; and quarrels for his arms Arose. Tydides fear'd to urge his claim; Ajax, Oïleus' son; Atrides' each, Him youngest, and the monarch who surpass'd In age and warlike skill; and all the crowd. Laërtes' son, and Telamon's alone Try'd the bold glorious contest. From himself All blame invidious Agamemnon mov'd: The Grecian chiefs amid the camp he plac'd, And bade the host around the cause decide.

*The Thirteenth Book.*

Contest of Ajax and Ulysses for the arms of Achilles. Success of Ulysses and death of Ajax. Sack of Troy. Sacrifice of Polyxena to the ghost of Achilles. Lamentation of Hecuba. She tears out the eyes of Polymnestor, and is changed into a bitch. Birds arise from the funeral pile of Memnon, and kill each other. Escape of Æneas from Troy, and voyage to Delos. The daughters of Anius transformed to doves. Voyage to Crete and Italy. Story of Acis and Galatea. Love of Glaucus for Scylla.

THE *Thirteenth Book* OF THE METAMORPHOSES OF OVID.

The princes sate; the common troops in crowds Circled them round; when Ajax in the midst, Lord of the seven-fold shield, arose, with rage Uncurb'd. Sigæum's shores he fiercely view'd; And ship-clad beach, while with extended arms, "O, Jupiter!" he cry'd, "before this fleet "Must then our cause be try'd? With me contends "Ulysses? He who yielded all a prey "To Hector's fires; whom I alone repell'd? "Fires which I from that fleet drove far? More safe "'Tis sure with artful language to contend, "Than battle hand to hand. Hard 'tis for me "To speak; for him 'tis no less hard to fight. "And much as I in keen-urg'd blows excel, "And arduous contest, such in words is he. "My deeds, O Grecians! to rehearse what need? "Have you not seen them? Let Ulysses tell "His actions, feats without a witness done; "Night only privy. Mighty is the prize, "I own; but Ajax' glory suffers much, "Striving with such a rival. Granted, great "Its value; where the boast to have obtain'd "What this Ulysses hop'd for? He ev'n now "Enjoys th' advantage of the contest. Foil'd, "His pride will be to boast with me he strove. "But I, if doubtful is my valor deem'd, "Have claims most potent in my noble race: "Sprung from great Telamon, who Troy's proud town, "'Neath brave Alcides captur'd; and explor'd "The shores of Colchis in th' Hæmonian bark. "His sire was Æäcus, who equal law "Dispenses 'mid the silent shades; where toils "Æölian Sisyphus beneath his stone. "Well mighty Jove knows Æäcus, and owns "Him son. Thus Ajax ranks but third from Jove. "Nor yet, O, Greeks! should this descent my cause "Assist, save that Achilles claim'd the same. "Of brothers born, a kinsman's right I ask. "Why should one sprung of Sisyphæan blood, "Like his progenitor in theft and fraud, "Ingraft an alien name upon the stock "Of Æäcus? Am I the arms refus'd "That first I join'd the warriors? join'd your host "Betray'd not by informers? Worthier he, "That last his arms he took? with madness feign'd "Shunning the warfare; till more crafty came "Naupliades, though luckless for himself;-- "Who shew'd his coward soul's devices plain; "And hither dragg'd him to the hated wars? "Now let him arms most glorious take, who arms "To wear refus'd. Let me unhonor'd go, "Robb'd of my kindred right, who first arriv'd "To face the perils. Would, ye gods! that true, "Or thought so, his insanity had been. "Then, counsellor of cruel deeds, he ne'er "Had join'd our camp before the Phrygian walls. "Then thou, O Pæän's son! had Lemnos ne'er "Known--to our shame abandon'd on the shore. "Thou now, so fame reports, in woody caves "Shelter'd, ev'n rocks mov'st with thy rending groans; "Pray'st that Laërtes' son his justest meeds "May gain. Ye gods! ye gods! grant ye his prayers "A favoring ear! Now he, by oath combin'd "With us in war;--O, heavens! a leader too! "Heir to employ Alcides' faithful darts, "Sinks both by famine and disease opprest: "By birds sustain'd, and cloth'd by birds, he spends "Upon his feather'd prey, the darts design'd "To end the fate of Troy. Yet still he lives: "For here he never with Ulysses came. "Content had hapless Palamedes been "Deserted so. Life might he have enjoy'd "Perchance; and blameless sure to death had sunk. "He whom this wretch, too mindful of the time "His counterfeited madness was expos'd, "Feign'd had betray'd the Greeks; and prov'd the crime "By forg'd assistance: shewing forth the gold "First bury'd by himself. Thus he destroys "The strength of Greece, by exile or by death. "Thus fights Ulysses; thus must he be fear'd "Who, though old faithful Nestor he surpass'd "In eloquence, not all would e'er avail, "To prove deserting Nestor was no shame: "Who press'd with age, and with a wounded horse "Delay'd, Ulysses' aid besought: behind "His coward comrade left him. Well, this deed "Tydides can declare, by me not feign'd, "Who oft him reprimanded by his name, "And curs'd the flying of his trembling friend. "Gods with just eyes all mortal actions view. "Lo! he who aid would give not, aid requires! "Who Nestor left, deserted was himself: "Himself prescrib'd the treatment which he found. "Loud call'd he to his friends. I come, I see, "Pale trembling, where he lies, with dread to view "Impending death. My mighty shield I fling; "Beneath it shade him, and his coward breast "(My smallest claim to glory) I protect. "If still persisting, thou the strife wilt urge, "Thither again return. Recal the foe; "Thy wound; thy wonted terror; and lie hid "Beneath my shield. 'Neath that with me contend. "Lo! him I snatch'd from death, whose wounds refus'd "Ev'n power to stand; retarded not by wounds, "In agile flight sped on. Now Hector comes, "Whom in the fight the deities attend. "Where'er he swept, not thou Ulysses sole "Wast struck with dread; the bravest of our host "Shrunk, such the terror which then fill'd the field. "When hand to hand engag'd, him prone I laid, "Proud of his slaughter, on th' ensanguin'd plain, "With a huge stone. I singly him oppos'd, "All single challeng'd; all the Greeks to me "Pray'd for the lot: nor vain your prayers were found. "Enquire ye, what the fortune of the fight? "I stood, by him unconquer'd, when all Troy "Rush'd on the fleet of Greece, with fire, with sword, "And aiding Jove: Where was Ulysses then? "The eloquent Ulysses? I alone, "A thousand ships, the hopes of your return, "Defended with my breast: this crowd of ships "Deserves those arms. Nay, if with truth to speak "You grant, those arms more glory gain from me "Than I from them; our honor is conjoin'd. "Ajax the arms demand, not Ajax arms. "Let Ithacus compare his Rhæsus slain; "And slain unwarlike Dolon; and trepann'd "Helenus, Priam's son; and Pallas' form. "In open day nought done, and nought perform'd, "Save Diomed' assisted. Grant for once, "Such paltry service could the armour claim; "Divide the prize, and lo! the largest share "Tydides must demand. But why this prize "Seeks Ithacus? who all his deeds performs "In private; traversing unarm'd; the foe, "While unsuspecting, conquering by deceit. "This helmet's radiance from the glittering gold "Darting, would shew his plots, and open lay "The latent spy. But his Dulichian head, "Cas'd in Achilles' casque, the weight would 'whelm, "And for his languid arms, the Pelian spear "Too weighty would be found. That shield engrav'd, "With all earth's various scenes, but ill would grace "His arm, for stealthy deeds alone design'd. "Presumptuous fool! to seek a prize, which gain'd "Would only mar thy power. By erring votes "Of Grecians giv'n to thee, cause would it be "The foe would strip thee; not thy prowess fear. "And flight, in which, O trembler! erst alone "Thou all surpass'd, slow would'st thou then pursue; "Such ponderous armor dragging. Those, thy shield "Which bears so rare the brunt of battle, shines "Yet whole: a new successor mine demands, "Which gash'd by weapons, shews a thousand rents. "To end, what need of words? let actions shew "Each one's deserts. Amid the foe be thrown "The valiant warrior's arms. Thence bid us bring "The prize;--who brings it, let him wear the spoil."