Part 55 (2/2)
Is this the day, which heaven so long ago Ordain'd, to sink ht of woe?
(So Thetis warn'd;) when by a Trojan hand The bravest of the Myrht! Fulfilled is that decree; Fallen is the warrior, and Patroclus he!
In vain I charged him soon to quit the plain, And warn'd to shun Hectorean force in vain!”
Thus while he thinks, Antilochus appears, And tells the s, son of Peleus! thou er!
Dead is Patroclus! For his corse they fight; His naked corse: his arh all the chief, And wrapp'd his senses in the cloud of grief; Cast on the ground, with furious hands he spread The scorching ashes o'er his graceful head; His purple garolden hairs, Those he deforroaning breast he threw, And roll'd and grovell'd, as to earth he grew
The virgin captives, with disorder'd charms, (Won by his own, or by Patroclus' ar round, Beat their white breasts, and fainted on the ground: While Nestor's son sustains a manlier part, And s on his arms, amidst his frantic woe, And oft prevents the meditated blow
Far in the deep abysses of the main,(251) With hoary Nereus, and the watery train, The mother-Goddess froroan for groan
The circling Nereids with their reen sisters of the deep
Thalia, Glauce (every watery name), Nesaea h, And the blue languish of soft Alia's eye
Their locks Actaea and Limnoria rear, Then Proto, Doris, Panope appear, Thoa, Pherusa, Doto, Melita; Agave gentle, and Aay: Next Callianira, Callianassa show Their sister looks; Dexamene the slow, And swift Dynamene, now cut the tides: Iaera now the verdant wave divides: Neht Galatea quits her pearly bed; These Orythia, Clymene, attend, Maera, Amphinome, the train extend; And black Janira, and Janassa fair, And Amatheia with her amber hair
All these, and all that deep in ocean held Their sacred seats, the glirotto fill'd; Each beat her ivory breast with silent woe, Till Thetis' sorrows thus began to flow:
”Hear e, ye sisters of the main!
How just a cause has Thetis to complain!
Horetched, were I mortal, were my fate!
Howfrom my bed a Godlike hero came, The bravest far that ever bore the narew, he flourish'd and adorn'd the land To Troy I sent hiain
So short a space the light of heaven to view, So short, alas! and fill'd with anguish too!
Hear how his sorrows echo through the shore!
I cannot ease theo at least to bear a tender part, And mourn my loved-one with a mother's heart”
She said, and left the caverns of the main, All bathed in tears; thepart the tides, While the long po now, they touch'd the Trojan land; Then, two by two, ascended up the strand
The i, to his sighs replied; Along the coast their an:
”Why ranted, and the Greeks distress'd: Why uish let me share, Reveal the cause, and trust a parent's care”
He, deeply groaning--”To this cureless grief, Not even the Thunderer's favour brings relief
Patroclus--Ah!--say, Goddess, can I boast A pleasure now? revenge itself is lost; Patroclus, loved of all my martial train, Beyond mankind, beyond myself is slain!
Lost are those arms the Gods thelorious load
Cursed be that day, when all the powers above Thy charms submitted to a mortal love: O hadst thou still, a sister of the n: And happier Peleus, less ambitious, led A mortal beauty to his equal bed!
Ere the sad fruit of thy unhappy womb Had caused such sorrows past, and woes to co slain, Neoes, new sorrows, shall create again
'Tis not in fate the alternate now to give; Patroclus dead, Achilles hates to live
Let e it on proud Hector's heart, Let his last spirit smoke upon my dart; On these conditions will I breathe: till then, I blush to walk a the race of men”
A flood of tears, at this, the Goddess shed: ”Ah then, I see thee dying, see thee dead!
When Hector falls, thou diest”--”Let Hector die, And let me fall! (Achilles made reply) Far lies Patroclus fro, wish'd my aid in vain
Ah then, since from this miserable day I cast all hope of hosts demand The fate of Hector froe far renown'd, I live an idle burden to the ground, (Others in council famed for nobler skill, More useful to preserve, than I to kill,) Let racious powers above!