The wanton courfer thus, with reins unbound,
Breaks from his stall, and beats the trembling ground;
Pamper'd and proud, he feeks the wonted tides,

And laves, in height of blood, his fhining fides; 655
His head now freed, he toffes to the skies;
His mane difhevel'd o'er his fhoulders flies;
He fnuffs the females in the distant plain,
And springs, exulting, to his fields again.
With equal triumph, fprightly, bold, and gay,
In arms refulgent as the God of day,
The son of Priam, glorying in his might,
Rush'd forth with Hector to the fields of fight.

660

And now, the warriours paffing on the way,

The graceful Paris firft excus'd his stay.
To whom the noble Hector thus reply'd :

665

670

O chief! in blood, and now in arms, ally'd!
Thy power in war with justice none contest;
Known is thy courage, and thy ftrength confest.
What pity floth should seize a foul so brave,
Or god-like Paris live a woman's flave!
My heart weeps blood at what the Trojans fay,
And hopes, thy deeds fhall wipe the stain away.
Hafte then, in all their glorious labours share;
For much they fuffer, for thy fake in war.
Thefe ills fhall ceafe, whene' by Jove's decree
We crown the bowl to Heaven and Liberty :
While the proud foe his fruftrate triumphs mourns,
And Greece indignant through her feas returns.

P 3

675

THE

The fingle Combat of Hector and Ajax.

THE battle renewing with double ardour upon the return of Hector, Minerva is under apprehenfions for the Greeks. Apollo, seeing her descend from Olympus joins her near the Scean gate, they agree to put off the general engagement for that day, and incite Hector to challenge the Greeks to a fingle combat. Nine of the princes accepting the challenge, the lot is caft, and falls upon Ajax. These heroes, after feveral attacks, are parted by the night. The Trojans calling a council, Antenor propofes the delivery of Helen to the Greeks, to which Paris will not confent, but offers to reftoré them her riches. Priam fends a herald to make this offer, and to demand a truce for burning the dead; the laft of which only is agreed to by Agamemnon. When the funerals are performed, the Greeks, purfuant to the advice of Neftor, erect a fortification to protect their fleet and camp, flanked with towers, and defended by a ditch and palifades. Neptune teftifies his jealoufy at this work, but is pacified by a promife from Jupiter. Both armies pafs the night in feafting, but Jupiter difheartens the Trojans with thunder and other figns of his wrath.

The three and twentieth day ends with the duel of Hector and Ajax: the next day the truce is agreed: another is taken up in the funeral rites of the flain; and one more in building the fortification before the hips. So that fomewhat above three days is employed in this book. The scene lies wholly in the field.

THE

ILIA D.

BOOK VII

O fpoke the guardian of the Trojan state, Then rush'd impetuous through the Scæan gate. Him Paris follow'd to the dire alarms; Both breathing flaughter, both refolv'd in arms. As when to failors labouring through the main, That long had heav'd the weary oar in vain, Jove bids at length th' expected gales arife, The gales blow grateful, and the vessel flies: So welcome these to Troy's defiring train; The bands are chear'd, the war awakes again. Bold Paris first the work of death begun On great Meneftheus, Areïthous' fon: Sprung from the fair Philomeda's embrace, The pleafing Arnè was his native place. Then funk Eioneus to the fhades below, Beneath his fteely cafque he felt the blow, Full on his neck, from Hector's weighty hand; And roll'd, with limbs relax'd, along the land. By Glaucus' fpear the bold Iphinous bleeds, Fix'd in the fhoulder as he mounts his steeds; Headlong he tumbles: his flack nerves unbound, Drop the cold useless members on the ground.

S

15

20

When