THE ILIAD (Completed)

BOOK 15

Now when the Trojans had recross'd the trench And palisades, and in their headlong flight Many had fall'n by Grecian swords, the rest, Routed, and pale with fear, made head awhile Beside their cars; then Jove on Ida's height At golden-throned Juno's side awoke; Rising, he saw the Trojans and the Greeks, Those in confusion, while behind them press'd The Greeks, triumphant, Neptune in their midst: He saw too Hector stretch'd upon the plain, His comrades standing round; senseless he lay, Drawing short breath, blood gushing from his mouth; For by no feeble hand the blow was dealt.

Pitying, the Sire of Gods and men beheld, And thus, with sternest glance, to Juno spoke: "This, Juno, is thy work! thy wicked wiles Have Hector quell'd, and Trojans driv'n to flight: Nor know I but thyself mayst reap the fruit, By shameful scourging, of thy vile deceit. Hast thou forgotten how in former times I hung thee from on high, and to thy feet Attach'd two pond'rous anvils, and thy hands With golden fetters bound, which none might break? There didst thou hang amid the clouds of Heav'n; Through all Olympus' breadth the Gods were wroth; Yet dar'd not one approach to set thee free. If any so had ventur'd, him had I Hurl'd from Heav'n's threshold till to earth he fell, With little left of life. Yet was not quench'd My wrath on godlike Hercules' account, Whom thou, with Boreas, o'er the wat'ry waste With fell intent didst send; and tempest-toss'd, Cast him ashore on Coos' fruitful isle. I rescued him from thence, and brought him back, After long toil, to Argos' grassy plains. This to thy mind I bring, that thou mayst learn To cease thy treach'rous wiles, nor hope to gain By all thy lavish'd blandishments of love, Wherewith thou hast deceived me, and betray'd."

He said; and terror seiz'd the stag-ey'd Queen; Who thus with winged words address'd her Lord:

"By Earth I swear, and yon broad Heav'n above, And Stygian stream beneath, the weightiest oath Of solemn pow'r to bind the blessed Gods; By thine own sacred head, our nuptial bed, Whose holy tie I never could forswear; That not by my suggestion and advice Earth-shaking Neptune on the Trojan host, And Hector, pours his wrath, and aids the Greeks; In this he but obeys his own desire, Who looks with pity on the Grecian host Beside their ships o'erborne; and could my words Prevail, my counsel were to shape his course, O cloud-girt King, obedient to thy will."

She said; the Sire of Gods and men, well pleas'd, Her answer heard, and thus with gracious smile:

"If, stag-ey'd Queen, in synod of the Gods Thy counsels shall indeed with mine agree, Neptune, how strong soe'er his wish, must change His course, obedient to thy will and mine; And if in all sincerity thou speak, Go to th' assembled Gods, and hither send Iris, and Phoebus of the silver bow; That she may to the Grecian camp repair, And bid that Neptune from the battle-field Withdraw, and to his own domain retire; While Phoebus Hector to the fight restores, Inspiring new-born vigour, and allaying The mortal pains which bow his spirit down: Then, heartless fear infusing in the Greeks, Put them to flight, that flying they may fall Beside Achilles' ships; his comrade then, Patroclus, he shall send to battle forth To be by Hector slain, in front of Troy; Yet not to fall till many valiant youths Have felt his prowess; and, amid the rest, My son, Sarpedon; by his comrade's death Enrag'd, Achilles Hector shall subdue; Thenceforth my counsel is, that from the ships The Trojan force shall still be backward driv'n, Until at length, by Pallas' deep designs, The Greeks possess the lofty walls of Troy. Yet will not I my anger intermit, Nor suffer other of th' immortal Gods To aid the Greeks, till Peleus' son behold His wish accomplish'd, and the boon obtain'd I promis'd once, and with a nod confirm'd, That day when sea-born Thetis clasp'd my knees, And pray'd me to avenge her warrior son."

Thus he; the white-arm'd Queen of Heav'n submiss His mandate heard; and from th' Idaean mount With rapid flight to high Olympus sped. Swift as the mind of man, who many a land Hath travell'd o'er, and with reflective thought Recalls, "here was I such a day, or here," And in a moment many a scene surveys; So Juno sped o'er intervening space; Olympus' heights she reach'd, and in the house Of Jove appear'd amid th' assembled Gods. They at her coming rose, with golden cups Greeting their Queen's approach; the rest she pass'd, And from the hand of fair-fac'd Themis took The proffer'd cup, who first had run to meet, And thus with winged words address'd the Queen: "Juno, why com'st thou hither? and with looks Of one distraught with, fear? hath Saturn's son, Thy mighty Lord, thus sore affrighted thee?" To whom the white-arm'd Goddess, Juno, thus: