There the great Ruler of the azure round
Stopp'd his fwift chariot, and his steeds unbound,
Fed with ambrofial herbage from his hand,
And link'd their fetlocks with a golden band,
Infrangible, immortal: there they stay,
The Father of the floods purfues his way;
Where, like a tempeft darkening heaven around,
Or fiery deluge that devours the ground,
Th' impatient Trojans, in a gloomy throng,
Embattled roll'd, as Hector rufh'd along :
To the loud tumult and the barbarous cry,.
The heavens re-echo, and the fhores reply;
They vow deftruction to the Grecian name,
And in their hopes, the fleets already flame.
But Neptune, rifing from the feas profound,
The God whofe earthquakes rock the folid ground,
Now wears a mortal form; like Chalcas feen,
Such his loud voice, and such his manly mien ;
His fhouts inceffant every Greek infpire,

But most th' Ajaces, adding fire to fire.

55

60

65.

70

75

'Tis yours, O warriours, all our hopes to raise ; Oh, recollect your ancient worth and praise: 'Tis yours to fave us, if you cease to fear; Flight, more than shameful, is destructive, here. On other works though Troy with fury fall, And pour her armies o'er our batter'd wall; There, Greece has ftrength: but this, this part o'erthrown,

Her ftrength were vain; I dread for

you

alone.

80

Here Hector rages like the force of fire,
Vaunts of his Gods, and calls high Jove his fire.

If yet fome heavenly Power your breaft excite,
Breathe in your hearts, and string your arms to fight,
Greece yet may live, her threaten'd fleet remain ;
And Hector's force, and Jove's own aid, be vain :

85

Then with his fceptre, that the deep controls,
He touch'd the chiefs, and steel'd their manly fouls:
Strength, not their own, the touch divine imparts,
Prompts their light limbs, and swells their daring hearts.
Then, as a falcon from the rocky height,

Her quarry feen, impetuous at the fight
Forth-fpringing inftant, darts herself from high,
Shoots on the wing, and skims along the sky:
Such, and fo fwift, the power of Ocean flew ;
The wide horizon fhut him from their view.
Th' infpiring God, Oïleus' active fon
Perceiv'd the first, and thus to Telamon:

95

Some God, my friend, fome God in human form Favouring defcends, and wills to stand the storm. 100 Not Calchas this, the venerable feer;

Short as he turn'd, I faw the Power appear

I mark'd his parting, and the steps, he trod ;
His own bright evidence reveals a God.

Ev'n now fome energy divine I share,

And seem to walk on wings, and tread in air!
With equal ardour (Telamon returns)
My foul is kindled, and my bosom burns:
New rifing fpirits all my force alarm,
Tift each impatient limb, and brace my arm.
is ready arm, unthinking, shakes the dart;
pours back, and fortifies my heart;

blood

3.

305

110

Singly,

Singly, methinks, yon towering chief I meet,
And stretch the dreadful Hector at my feet.

125

Full of the God that urg'd their burning breaft, 11g
The heroes thus their mutual warmth exprefs'd.
Neptune mean-while the routed Greeks inspir'd,
Who, breathless, pale, with length of labours tir'd,
Pant in the fhips; while Troy to conqueft calls,
And swarms victorious o'er their yielding walls: 126
Trembling before th' impending storm they lie,
While tears of rage stand burning in their eye.
Greece funk they thought, and this their fatal hour;
But breathe new courage as they feel the Power.
Teucer and Leitus first his words excite;
Then ftern Peneleus rifes to the fight;
Thoas, Deipyrus, in arms renown'd,
And Merion next, th' impulsive fury found;
Laft Neftor's fon the fame bold ardour takes,
While thus the God the martial fire awakes:
Oh lafting infamy, oh dire difgrace
To chiefs of vigorous youth and manly race!
I trufted in the Gods, and you, to see
Brave Greece victorious, and her navy free:
Ah no-the glorious combat you disclaim,
And one black day clouds all her former fame.
Heavens! what a prodigy thefe eyes survey,
Unseen, unthought, till this amazing day!

Fly we at length from Troy's oft-conquer'd bands?
And falls our fleet by fuch inglorious hands ?

A rout undifciplin'd, a ftraggling train,
Not born to glories of the duty plain;

B4

130

135

140

Like

Below, fair Ilion's glittering spires were seen,
The crouded ships, and fable feas between.
There, from the cryftal chambers of the main
Emerg'd, he fate; and mourn'd his Argives lain.
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 forest shakes! earth trembled as he trod,
And felt the footsteps of th' immortal God.
From realm to realm three ample strides he took,
And, at the fourth, the distant Ægæ shook.
Far in the bay his shining palace stands,
Eternal frame! not rais'd by mortal hands:

30

25

}

35

This having reach'd, his brass-hoof'd steeds he reins, Flect as the winds, and deck'd with golden manes. Refulgent arms his mighty limbs infold,

Immortal arms of adamant and gold.

He mounts the car, the golden fcourge applies,

He fits fuperior, and the chariot flies:

His whirling wheels the glaffy surface sweep;
Th' enormous monfters, rolling o'er the deep,
Gambol around him on the watery way;
And heavy whales in aukward measures play :
The fea fubfiding spreads a level plain,
Exults, and owns the monarch of the main ;
The parting waves before his courfers fly :
The wondering waters leave his axle dry.

Deep in the liquid regions lies a cave;
Between where Tenedos the furges lave,
And rocky Imbrus breaks the rolling wave :

There the great Ruler of the azure round
Stopp'd his fwift chariot, and his steeds unbound,
Fed with ambrofial herbage from his hand,
And link'd their fetlocks with a golden band,
Infrangible, immortal: there they stay,
The Father of the floods pursues his way;
Where, like a tempeft darkening heaven around,
Or fiery deluge that devours the ground,
Th' impatient Trojans, in a gloomy throng,
Embattled roll'd, as Hector rufh'd along :
To the loud tumult and the barbarous cry,
The heavens re-echo, and the fhores reply;
They vow destruction to the Grecian name,
And in their hopes, the fleets already flame.
But Neptune, rifing from the feas profound,
The God whofe earthquakes rock the solid ground,
Now wears a mortal form; like Chalcas feen,
Such his loud voice, and fuch his manly mien ;
His fhouts inceffant every Greek inspire,

But most th' Ajaces, adding fire to fire.

'Tis yours, O warriours, all our hopes to raise;
Oh, recollect your ancient worth and praise:
"Tis yours to fave us, if you cease to fear ;
Flight, more than shameful, is destructive, here.

55

60

65

70

75

On other works though Troy with fury fall,
And pour her armies o'er our batter'd wall;

There, Greece has strength: but this, this part o'erthrown,

Her ftrength were vain; I dread for you alone.

80

Here Hector rages like the force of fire,
Vaunts of his Gods, and calls high Jove his fire.