There, till the facred morn restor'd the day,
In flumber sweet the reverend Phoenix lay.
But in his inner tent, an ampler space,
Achilles flept; and in his warm embrace
Fair Diomede of the Lesbian race.
Laft, for Patroclus was the couch prepar'd,
Whofe nightly joys the beauteous Iphis shar'd;
Achilles to his friend confign'd her charms,
When Scyros fell before his conquering arms.

780

}

785

And now th' elected chiefs, whom Greece had fent, Pafs'd through the hosts, and reach'd the royal tent. Then rifing all, with goblets in their hands, The peers, and leaders of th' Achaian bands,, -Hail'd their return. Atrides first begun.:

799

79.5

Say what fuccefs? divine Laertes' fon!. Achilles' high refolves declare to all; Returns the chief, or muft our navy fall ?` Great king of nations! (Ithacus reply'd) Fix'd is his wrath, unconquer'd is his pride; He fights thy friendship, thy proposals fcorns, And, thus implor'd, with fiercer fury burns : To fave our army, and our fleets, to free, Is not his care; but left to Greece and thee.. Your eyes shall view, when morning paints the sky, Beneath his oars the whitening billows fly, Us too he bids our oars and fails employ, Nor hope the fall of heaven-protected Troy, For Jove o'erfhades Her with his arm divine, Infpires her war, and bids her glory shine. Such was his word: what farther he declar'd These facred heralds and great Ajax heard.

U 2

805

But

But Phoenix in his tent the chief retains,
Safe to transport him to his native plains,
When morning dawns: if other he decree,
His age is facred, and his choice is free.
Ulyffes ceas'd: the great Achaian host,
With forrow feiz'd, in confternation loft,
Attend the ftern reply. Tydides broke
The general filence, and undaunted spoke :
Why should we gifts to proud Achilles fend?

Or ftrive with prayers his haughty foul to bend?
His country's woes he glories to deride,

And prayers will burst that fwelling heart with pride. Be the fierce impulse of his rage obey'd;

Our battles let him, or defert, or aid;

Then let him arm when Jove or he think fit;
That, to his madness, or to Heaven commit:
What for ourselves we can, is always ours;
This night, let due rèpaft refresh our powers
(For ftrength confifts in fpirits and in blood,
And those are ow'd to generous wine and food);
But when the rofy neffenger of day

Strikes the blue mountains with her golden ray,
Rang'd at the hips, let all our fquadrons shine,
In flaming arms, a long extended line :
In the dread front let great Atrides stand,
The firft in danger, as in high command.

Shouts of acclaim the listening heroes raise,
Then each to Heaven the due libations pays;
Till fleep, defcending o'er the tents, bestows
The grateful bleffings of defir'd repofe.

820

825

830

835

THE

THE

BOOK

TENTH

OF THE

ILI A D.

ARGUMEN T.

The Night Adventure of Diomed and Ulysses.

UPON the refufal of Achilles to return to the army, the diftrefs of Agamemnon is defcribed in the most lively manner. He takes no reft that night, but paffes through the camp, awaking the leaders, and contriving all poffible methods for the public safety. Menelaus, Neftor, Ulyffes, and Diomed, are employed in raising the reft of the captains. They call a council of war, and determine to fend scouts into the enemy's camp, to learn their pofture, and difcover their intentions. Diomed undertakes this hazardous enterprize, and makes choice of Ulyffes for his companion. In their paffage they furprize Dolon, whom Hector had fent on a like defign to the camp of the Grecians. From him they are informed of the fituation of the Trojan and auxiliary forces, and particularly of Rhefus, and the Thracians who were lately arrived. They pafs on with fuccefs; kill Rhefus, with feveral of his officers, and feize the famous horfes of that prince, with which they return in triumph to the camp.

The fame night continues; the fcene lies in the two camps.

A

THE

ILIA D.

воок х.

LL night the chiefs before their veffels lay,
And loft in fleep the labours of the day:
All but the king; with various thoughts opprest,
His country's cares lay rolling in his breast.
As when, by lightnings, Jove's ætherial power
Foretells the rattling hail, or weighty fhower,
Or fends foft fnows to whiten all the shore,
Or bids the brazen throat of war to roar;
By fits one flash fucceeds as one expires,
And heaven flames thick with momentary fires.
So bursting frequent from Atrides' breast,
Sighs following fighs his inward fears confelt.
Now o'er the fields, dejected, he furveys

From thousand Trojan fires the mounting blaze;
Hears in the paffing wind their musick blow,
And marks diftinct the voices of the foe.
Now looking backwards to the fleet and coaft,
Anxious he forrows for th' endanger'd hoft.
He rends his hairs in facrifice to Jove,
And fues to him that ever lives above :
Inly he groans; while glory and despair
Divide his heart, and wage a doubtful war.

U 4

10

15

20

A thou