.Of Priam's mighty city have I fled, Nor dared to wait thy coming. Now my heart The swift Achilles answered with a frown: "Accursed Hector, never talk to me Of covenants. Men and lions plight no faith, Thyself and me no compact can exist, Or understood intent. First, one of us From where he stood. He stooped, and over him And plucked it from the ground, and brought it back While Hector said to his illustrious foe: "Godlike Achilles, thou hast missed thy mark, Nor hast thou learned my doom from Jupiter, As thou pretendest. Thou art glib of tongue, And cunningly thou orderest thy speech, In hope that I who hear thee may forget. My might and valor. Think not I shall flee, That thou mayst pierce my back; for thou shalt send Thy spear, if God permit thee, through my breast As I rush on thee. My brazen weapon. Now avoid in turn Would that it might pass Clean through thee, all its length! The tasks of war He spake, and brandishing his massive spear, It bounded from the brass, and he was vexed To bring another; but that chief was far, "Ah me! the gods have summoned me to die. I thought my warrior-friend, Deiphobus, And Jove's great archer-son, who have till now I die, but first will do some valiant deed, Of which mankind shall hear in after time." He spake, and drew the keen-edged sword that hung, Massive and finely tempered, at his side, And sprang-as when an eagle high in heaven, So Hector, brandishing that keen-edged sword, Leaped toward him, all on fire with savage hate, The fairest light of heaven, so brightly shone. 66 Hector, when from the slain Patroclus thou Didst strip his armor, little didst thou think Of danger. Thou hadst then no fear of me, Who was not near thee to avenge his death. Fool! there was left within the roomy ships A mightier one than he, who should come forth, The avenger of his blood, to take thy life. Foul dogs and birds of prey shall tear thy flesh; The Greeks shall honor him with funeral rites." And then the crested Hector, dying, said: "I know thee, and too clearly I foresaw I should not move thee, for thou hast a heart Thus Hector spake, and straightway o'er him closed The night of death; the soul forsook his limbs, And flew to Hades, grieving for its fate,—— So soon divorced from youth and youthful might. From "The Iliad." RAB AND HIS FRIENDS BY JOHN BROWN Four-and-thirty years ago Bob Ainslie and I were coming up Infirmary Street from the Edinburgh High School, our heads together and our arms intertwisted, as only lovers and boys know how or why. When we got to the top of the street and turned north, we espied a crowd at the Tron Church. "A dog fight!" shouted Bob, and was off; and so was I, both of us all but praying that it might not be over before we got up! And is not this boy nature? and human nature too? and don't we all wish a house on fire not to be out before we see it? Dogs like fighting; old Isaac says they "delight” in it, and for the best of all reasons; and boys are not cruel be |