How Hercules' Grandson perished in fight with the Son of Achilles.
When from the far sea-line, where is the cave Of Dawn, rose up the sun, and scattered light Over the earth, then did the eager sons Of Troy and of Achaea arm themselves Athirst for battle: these Achilles' son Cheered on to face the Trojans awelessly;
And those the giant strength of Telephus' seed Kindled. He trusted to dash down the wall To earth, and utterly destroy the ships With ravening fire, and slay the Argive host.
Ah, but his hope was as the morning breeze Delusive: hard beside him stood the Fates Laughing to scorn his vain imaginings.
Then to the Myrmidons spake Achilles' son, The aweless, to the fight enkindling them:
"Hear me, mine henchmen: take ye to your hearts The spirit of war, that we may heal the wounds Of Argos, and be ruin to her foes.
Let no man fear, for mighty prowess is The child of courage; but fear slayeth strength And spirit. Gird yourselves with strength for war;
Give foes no breathing-space, that they may say That mid our ranks Achilles liveth yet."
Then clad he with his father's flashing arms His shoulders. Then exulted Thetis' heart When from the sea she saw the mighty strength Of her son's son. Then forth with eagle-speed Afront of that high wall he rushed, his ear Drawn by the immortal horses of his sire.
As from the ocean-verge upsprings the sun In glory, flashing fire far over earth -- Fire, when beside his radiant chariot-team Races the red star Sirius, scatterer Of woefullest diseases over men;
So flashed upon the eyes of Ilium's host That battle-eager hero, Achilles' son.
Onward they whirled him, those immortal steeds, The which, when now he longed to chase the foe Back from the ships, Automedon, who wont To rein them for his father, brought to him.
With joy that pair bore battleward their lord, So like to Aeacus' son, their deathless hearts Held him no worser than Achilles' self.
Laughing for glee the Argives gathered round The might resistless of Neoptolemus, Eager for fight as wasps [whose woodland bower The axe] hath shaken, who dart swarming forth Furious to sting the woodman: round their nest Long eddying, they torment all passers by;
So streamed they forth from galley and from wall Burning for fight, and that wide space was thronged, And all the plain far blazed with armour-sheen, As shone from heaven's vault the sun thereon.
As flees the cloud-rack through the welkin wide Scourged onward by the North-wind's Titan blasts, When winter-tide and snow are hard at hand, And darkness overpalls the firmament;
So with their thronging squadrons was the earth Covered before the ships. To heaven uprolled, Dust hung on hovering wings' men's armour clashed;
Rattled a thousand chariots; horses neighed On-rushing to the fray. Each warrior's prowess Kindled him with its trumpet-call to war.
As leap the long sea-rollers, onward hurled By two winds terribly o'er th' broad sea-flood Roaring from viewless bournes, with whirlwind blasts Crashing together, when a ruining storm Maddens along the wide gulfs of the deep, And moans the Sea-queen with her anguished waves Which sweep from every hand, uptowering Like precipiced mountains, while the bitter squall, Ceaselessly veering, shrieks across the sea;
So clashed in strife those hosts from either hand With mad rage. Strife incarnate spurred them on, And their own prowess. Crashed together these Like thunderclouds outlightening, thrilling the air.
With shattering trumpet-challenge, when the blasts Are locked in frenzied wrestle, with mad breath Rending the clouds, when Zeus is wroth with men Who travail with iniquity, and flout His law. So grappled they, as spear with spear Clashed, shield with shield, and man on man was hurled.
And first Achilles' war-impetuous son Struck down stout Melaneus and Alcidamas, Sons of the war-lord Alexinomus, Who dwelt in Caunus mountain-cradled, nigh The clear lake shining at Tarbelus' feet 'Neath snow-capt Imbrus. Menes, fleetfoot son Of King Cassandrus, slew he, born to him By fair Creusa, where the lovely streams Of Lindus meet the sea, beside the marches Of battle-biding Carians, and the heights Of Lycia the renowned. He slew withal Morys the spearman, who from Phrygia came;
Polybus and Hippomedon by his side He laid, this stabbed to the heart, that pierced between Shoulder and neck: man after man he slew.
Earth groaned 'neath Trojan corpses; rank on rank Crumbled before him, even as parched brakes Sink down before the blast of ravening fire When the north wind of latter summer blows;
So ruining squadrons fell before his charge.
Meanwhile Aeneas slew Aristolochus, Crashing a great stone down on his head: it brake Helmet and skull together, and fled his life.
Fleetfoot Eumaeus Diomede slew; he dwelt In craggy Dardanus, where the bride-bed is Whereon Anchises clasped the Queen of Love.
Agamemnon smote down Stratus: unto Thrace Returned he not from war, but died far off From his dear fatherland. And Meriones Struck Chlemus down, Peisenor's son, the friend Of god-like Glaucus, and his comrade leal, Who by Limurus' outfall dwelt: the folk Honoured him as their king, when reigned no more Glaucus, in battle slain, -- all who abode Around Phoenice's towers, and by the crest Of Massicytus, and Chimaera's glen.
So man slew man in fight; but more than all Eurypylus hurled doom on many a foe.
First slew he battle-bider Eurytus, Menoetius of the glancing taslet next, Elephenor's godlike comrades. Fell with these Harpalus, wise Odysseus' warrior-friend;
But in the fight afar that hero toiled, And might not aid his fallen henchman: yet Fierce Antiphus for that slain man was wroth, And hurled his spear against Eurypylus, Yet touched him not; the strong shaft glanced aside, And pierced Meilanion battle-staunch, the son Of Cleite lovely-faced, Erylaus' bride, Who bare him where Caicus meets the sea.
