II.

Hark! couched on her ill-omened nest, Fell murderess of her son, in varied strains Near Simois’ banks the nightingale complains: What sounds melodious heave her throbbing breast! The flocks on Ida wont to feed Still browse o’er that airy height, Soothing the cold ear of night, Hark to the murmurs of the pastoral reed. Sleep on our closing eyelids gently steals; Sweet are its dews when morn her earliest dawn reveals.

SEMICHOR. But wherefore doth not he draw near whom Hector Sent to explore the fleet?

SEMICHOR. He hath so long Been absent that I tremble.

SEMICHOR. If he fell Into some ambush, and is slain, we soon Shall have sufficient cause for fear.

SEMICHOR. But haste, Rouse Lycia’s warriors as by lot ordained.

[_Exit_ CHORUS.

ULYSSES, DIOMEDE.

ULY. Heard’st thou, O Diomede, the sound of arms, Or in these ears did empty murmurs ring?

DIO. No; but the steely trappings which are linked To yonder chariots, rattled, and I too With vain alarm was seized, till I perceived The coursers, who their clanging harness shook.

ULY. Beware, lest in this gloom of night thou stumble Upon the sentinels.

DIO. Though in the dark We tread, I with such caution will direct My steps as not to err.

ULY. But, should’st thou wake them, Thou know’st the watchword of their host.

DIO. I know It is Apollo; this I heard from Dolon.

ULY. Ha! I perceive our foes have left these chambers.

DIO. Here, Dolon told us, is the tent of Hector: ’Gainst him I wield this javelin.

ULY. What hath happened? Is the whole squadron too elsewhere removed?

DIO. Perchance they too ’gainst us may have contrived Some stratagem.

ULY. For Hector now is brave Since he hath conquered.

DIO. How shall we proceed? For in this chamber him we cannot find, And all our hopes are vanished.

ULY. To the fleet Let us in haste return: for him some god Protects, and crowns him with triumphant wreaths: We must not strive ’gainst Fortune’s dread behests.

DIO. Then to Æneas will we go, or Paris That Phrygian most abhorred, and with our swords Lop off their heads.

ULY. But how, in darkness wrapt, Canst thou direct thy passage through the troops, To slay them without danger?

DIO. Yet ’twere base, Back to the Grecian fleet should we return, No fresh exploit performing ’gainst the foe.

ULY. What means this language? hast thou not performed A great exploit? have we not slain the spy Who to our navy went, and are not these The spoils of Dolon? how canst thou expect To spread a general havoc through their troops? Comply; let us retire: may Fortune speed Our progress homeward.

MINERVA, ULYSSES, DIOMEDE.

MIN. With affliction stung, Why from the Trojan camp do ye retire? Although the gods forbid you to destroy Hector or Paris, heard ye not that Rhesus, A mighty chief, with numerous troops is come To Troy? If he outlives this night, nor Ajax, Nor can Achilles hinder him from wasting The camp of Greece, demolishing your walls, And forcing a wide passage through your gates With his victorious spear: him slay, and all Is yours; but go not to the couch of Hector, Nor hope to leave that chief a weltering trunk, For he must perish by another hand.

ULY. Dread goddess, O Minerva, I distinguished Thy well-known voice: for midst unnumbered toils Thou ever dost support me: but, oh say, Where sleeps the mighty warrior thou hast named, And in what part of the barbarian host Have they assigned his station?

MIN. Near at hand, And separate from the Phrygian troops, he lies; Hector hath placed him just without the lines Till morn arise; conspicuous in the gloom Of night, and close beside their sleeping lord, Yoked to the car his Thracian coursers stand, White as the glossy plumage of the swan: Them bear away when ye have slain their lord, A glorious prize, for the whole world can boast No car beside drawn by such beauteous steeds.

ULY. Either do thou, O Diomede, transpierce The Thracian soldiers, or to me consign That task; meanwhile seize thou the steeds.

DIO. To slay The foe be mine; do you the coursers guide, For you are practised in each nicer art, And quick of apprehension. To each man Should that peculiar station be assigned In which he can be useful.

MIN. But to us Paris I see is coming, who hath heard A doubtful rumour from the watch, that foes Enter the trenches.

DIO. Hath he any comrade, Or marches he alone?

MIN. Alone he seems To go to Hector’s chamber, to announce That there are foes discovered in the camp.

DIO. Is it not first ordained that he shall die?

MIN. You can no more, the Destinies forbid: For Hector must not perish by your hand; But haste to him on whom ye came to wreak Fate’s dreadful purposes: myself meanwhile Assuming Venus’ form, who ’midst the toils Of battle by her tutelary care Protects him, will with empty words detain Paris your foe. Thus much have I declared: Yet he, whom you must smite, though near at hand, Nor knows, nor hears, the words which I have uttered.

[_Exeunt_ ULYSSES _and_ DIOMEDE.

PARIS, MINERVA.

PAR. General and brother, Hector, thee I call: Yet sleep’st thou? doth not this important hour Demand thy vigilance? some foes approach, Robbers or spies.

MIN. Be of good cheer; for Venus Protects you: I in all your battles feel An interest, mindful of the prize I gained Favoured by you, and am for ever grateful: Now to the host of Ilion I conduct Your noble Thracian friend, who from the Muse, Harmonious goddess, and from Strymon springs.

PAR. To Troy and me thou ever art a friend. In thy behalf when I that judgment gave, I boast that for this city I obtained The greatest treasure life affords. But hither, Hearing an indistinct account, I come; For ’mong the guards there hath prevailed a rumour, That Grecian spies have entered Ilion’s walls: Though the astonished messenger who bore These tidings, saw them not himself, nor knows Who saw them: I on this account am going To Hector’s tent.

MIN. Fear nought; for in the camp No new event hath happened. To arrange The Thracian troops is Hector gone.

PAR. Thy words Are most persuasive, and to them I yield Implicit credence. From all fears released, I to my former station will return.

MIN. Go and depend upon my guardian care To see my faithful votaries ever blest; For you in me shall find a zealous friend.

[_Exit_ PARIS.

ULYSSES, DIOMEDE, MINERVA.

MIN. But now to you, my real friends, I speak. Son of Laertes, O conceal your sword, For we have slain the Thracian chief, and seized His coursers, but our foes have ta’en th’ alarm And rush upon you, therefore fly with speed, Fly to the naval ramparts. Why delay To save your lives when hostile throngs approach?

[_Exit_ MINERVA.

CHORUS, ULYSSES, DIOMEDE.

CHOR. Come on, strike, strike, destroy. Who marches yonder? Look, look, ’tis him I mean! these are the robbers Who in the dead of night alarmed our host. Hither, my friends, haste hither; I have seized them. What answer mak’st thou? tell me whence thou cam’st, And who thou art.

ULY. No right hast thou to know; Insult me, and this instant thou shalt die.

CHOR. Wilt thou not, ere this lance transpierce thy breast, Repeat the watchword?

ULY. That thou soon shalt hear; Be satisfied.

1st SEMICHOR. Come on, my friends, strike! strike!

2nd SEMICHOR. Hast thou slain Rhesus?

ULY. I have slain the man Who would have murdered thee: forbear.

1st SEMICHOR. I will not.

2nd SEMICHOR. Forbear to slay a friend.

1st SEMICHOR. Pronounce the watchword.

ULY. Apollo.

2nd SEMICHOR. Thou art right; let not a spear Be lifted up against him.

1st SEMICHOR. Know’st thou whither Those men are gone?

2nd SEMICHOR. We saw not.

1st SEMICHOR. Follow close Their steps, or we must call aloud for aid.

2nd SEMICHOR. Yet were it most unseemly to disturb Our valiant comrades with our nightly fears.

[_Exeunt_ ULYSSES _and_ DIOMEDE.

CHORUS.

ODE.