Part 25

These, as they skimm'd the surface of the main, An ancient sire beheld, and prais'd their love: Constant in death: his neighbour or himself Also repeats;--the bird which there you see, Brushing the ocean with his slender legs, (And shews a corm'rant with his spacious maw) A monarch's offspring was; would you descend Through the long series, 'till to him you reach; Ilus; Assaracus; and Ganymede, Borne up to heaven by Jove, supply'd the stock From whence he sprung; Laömedon the old; And Priam doom'd to end his days with Troy. Hector his brother; but in spring of youth He felt this strange adventure, he perchance As Hector's might have left a towering name: Though from old Dymas' daughter Hector sprung. Fair Alixirrhoë, so fame reports, Daughter of two-horn'd Granicus, brought forth, By stealth, Æsacus 'neath thick Ida's shade. Wall'd cities he detested; and remote From glittering palaces, secluded hills Inhabited, and unambitious plains; And scarce at Troy's assemblies e'er was seen. Yet had he not a clownish heart, nor breast To love impregnable. By chance he saw Cebrenus' daughter, fair Hesperië--oft By him through every shady wood pursu'd-- As on her father's banks her tresses, spread Adown her back, in Phoebus' rays she dry'd. The nymph, discover'd, fled. So rapid flies Th' affrighted stag to 'scape the tawny Wolf; Or duck, stream-loving, from the hawk, when caught, Far from her wonted lakes. The Trojan youth Quick follows, swift through hope; she swift through fear. Lo! in the herbage hid, her flying foot With crooked fang a serpent bit, and pour'd O'er all her limbs the poison: with her flight Her life was stopp'd. Frantic, he clasps her form Now lifeless, and exclaims--"how grieve I now, "That e'er I thee pursu'd; not this I fear'd! "How mean my conquest, bought at such a price! "Both, hapless nymph! in thy destruction join'd: "I gave the cause, the serpent but the wound. "I guiltier far than he, unless my death "Shall thine avenge."--He said, and in the main, From an high rock, by hoarsely-roaring waves Deep-worn beneath, prepar'd to plunge. Receiv'd By pitying Tethys softly in his fall, She clothes him, as he swims the main, with wings; And death, so much desir'd, denies him still. The lover, furious at th' unwelcome gift Of life upon him forc'd, and his pent soul, Bent on escaping from its hated seat Confin'd, soon as the new-shot plumes he felt Spring from his shoulders, up he flew, and plunged Again his body in the depths below: His feathers broke his fall. Æsacus rav'd, And deeply div'd; with headlong fury still, And endless perseverance death he sought. Love keeps him meagre still; from joint to joint His legs still longer grow; his outstretch'd neck Is long; and distant far his head is plac'd. He loves the ocean, and the name he bears, From constant diving, seems correctly giv'n.

*The Twelfth Book.*

Rape of Helen. Expedition of the Greeks against Troy. House of Fame. The Trojan war. Combat of Achilles and Cygnus. The latter slain and transformed to a swan. Story of Cæneus. Fight of the Lapithæ and Centaurs. Change of Cæneus to a bird. Contest of Hercules with Periclymenos. Death of Achilles. Dispute for his arms.

THE *Twelfth Book* OF THE METAMORPHOSES OF OVID.

Priam the sire, much mourn'd, to him unknown That still his son, on pinions borne, surviv'd: While Hector and his brethren round the tomb, A name alone possessing, empty rites Perform'd. Save Paris, from the solemn scene None absent were; he with the ravish'd wife Brought to his shores a long protracted war. Quick was he follow'd by confederate ships Ten hundred, and the whole Pelasgian race. Nor had their vengeance borne so long delay, But adverse raging tempests made the main Impassable; and on Boeotia's shores, In Aulis' port th' impatient vessels bound.

Here, while the Greeks the rites of Jove prepare, Their country's custom, as the altar blaz'd, They saw an azure serpent writhe around A plane, which near the altar rear'd its boughs. Its lofty summit held a nest; within Eight callow birds were lodg'd; on these he seiz'd, And seiz'd the mother, who, with trembling wings, Hover'd around her loss, all burying deep Within his greedy maw. All stare with dread. But Thestor's son, prophetic truths who still Beheld, exclaim'd--"Rejoice! O Greeks, rejoice! "Conquest is ours, and lofty Troy must fall. "But great our toil, and tedious our delay." Then shew'd the birds a nine years' war foretold. The snake, entwining 'mid the virid boughs, Hard stone becomes, but keeps his serpent's form.

But still th' Aönian waves in violent swell Were lash'd by Neptune, nor their vessels bore; And many deem'd that Troy he wish'd to spare, Whose walls his labor rais'd. Not so the son Of Thestor thought: neither he knew hot so, Nor what he knew conceal'd:--a victim dire The virgin-goddess claim'd; a virgin's blood! When o'er affection public weal prevail'd, The king o'ercame the father; and before The altar Iphigenia stood, prepar'd Her spotless blood to shed, as tears gush'd forth Even from the sacrificial 'tendants. Then "Was Dian' mov'd, and threw before their sight A cloud opaque, and (so tradition tells) The maid Thycenian to an hind was chang'd, Amid the priests, the pious crowd and all Who deprecating heard her doom. This done, Dian' by such a sacrifice appeas'd As Dian' best became; and sooth'd her ire, The angry aspect of the seas was smooth'd; And all the thousand vessels felt the breeze Abaft, and bore the long impatient crowd To Phrygia's shores. A spot there lies, whose seat Midst of created space, 'twixt earth, and sea, And heavenly regions, on the confines rests Of the three-sever'd world; whence are beheld All objects and all actions though remote, And every sound by tending ears is heard. Here Fame resides; and in the loftiest towers Her dwelling chuses; and some thousand ways, And thousand portals to the dwelling makes: No portal clos'd with gates. By day, by night, Open they stand; of sounding brass all form'd; All echoing sound; all back the voice rebound: And all reit'rate every word they hear. No rest within, no silence there is found, Yet clamor is not, but a murmur low; Such as the billows wont to make when heard From far, or such as distant thunder sends, When Jove the dark clouds rends and drives aloof. Crowds fill the halls: the trifling vulgar come And issue forth. Ten thousand rumors vague With truth commingled to and fro are heard. Words in confusion fly. Amid the throng These preach their words to vacant air, and those To others tales narrate; the measure still Of every fiction in narration grows; And every author adds to what he hears. Here lives credulity; and here abides Rash error; transports vain; astonied fear; Sedition sudden; and, uncertain whence, Dark whisperings. Fame herself sits high aloft, And views what deeds in heaven, and earth, and sea Are done, and searches all creation round. The news she spreads, that now the Grecian barks Approach with valiant force; nor did the foe Unlook'd-for threat the realm. All Troy impedes Their landing, and the shores defends. Thou first, Protesilaüs! by great Hector's spear Unluckily wast slain. The war begun, Their valiant souls, ere yet they Hector knew, Dear cost the Greeks. Nor small the blood which flow'd From Phrygia's sons, by Grecia's valor spill'd.

Now blush'd Sigæum's shores with spouting blood, Where Cygnus, Neptune's offspring, gave to death Whole crowds. Achilles in his chariot stood, And with his forceful Pelian spear o'erthrew Thick ranks of Trojans; and as through the fights Cygnus or Hector to engage he sought, Cygnus he met: delay'd was Hector's fate To the tenth year. Then to his white-neck'd steeds, Press'd by the yoke, with cheering shouts he spoke; And full against the foe his chariot drove. His quivering lance well-pois'd he shook, and call'd, "Whoe'er thou art, O youth! this comfort learn "In death, that by Achilles' arm thou dy'st." Thus far Pelides; and his massive spear Close follow'd on his words. With truth it fled; Yet did the steely point, unerring hurl'd, Fall harmless: with a deaden'd point his breast Was struck. Then he;--"O goddess-born! (for fame "Thy race to me has long before made known) "Why wonder'st thou that I unwounded stand?" (For wondering stood Pelides.) "Not this helm, "Which thou behold'st, gay with the courser's mane. "Nor the curv'd buckler by my arm sustain'd, "For aid are worn. For comely grace alone "They deck me. Thus is Mars himself adorn'd. "Thrown every guard far from my limbs, my limbs "Unwounded would remain. Sure I may boast! "Sprung not from Nereus' daughter, but from him "Who rules o'er Nereus; o'er his daughter rules; "And all th' extent of ocean." Cygnus spoke: And at Pelides launch'd his spear to pierce His orbed shield; its brazen front it pierc'd, And nine bull-hides beneath; stay'd at the tenth, The warrior shook it forth; with strenuous arm The quivering weapon hostile back return'd: Cygnus again unwounded felt the blow. Nor felt his naked bosom, to the force Of the third weapon vauntingly expos'd, Aught harm'd. Less fiercely in the Circus wide Rages the bull not, when the scarlet vests To urge his fury fixt, with furious horn To gore attempting, finds elusion still, The unhurt limbs invading. Seeks he now If fall'n the metal from his weapon's point: Fast to the wood the metal still appears; And cries he;--"Weak is then my hand? and spent "On one, is all the strength I once could boast? "For surely strength that arm could boast, which erst "Lyrnessus' wall o'erthrew, and when with gore "It Tenedos, and Thebes made stream; or when "Caÿcus purple flow'd, stain'd with their blood "Who on its banks had dwelt; and when twice prov'd "By Telephus, the virtue of my spear. "This nervous arm has here too shewn its force "In hills of slain by me up-heap'd; these shores "Attest it." Speaking so, his spear he sent Against Menoetes 'mid the Lycian crowd, As doubting faintly deeds perform'd before: And pierc'd at once his corslet and his breast. From the hot smoking wound as forth he drew The dart,--as with his dying head was struck The solid ground, he spoke:--"This is the hand, "And this the spear which conquest knew before: "This will I 'gainst him use. May it, when sent, "The same success attend."--Ere ceas'd his words Cygnus again with aim he sought, nor swerv'd His ashen weapon whence he aim'd, but rung, Unshrunk from, on the shoulder: thence repell'd, As from a wall or rugged rock it fell: Yet where the blow was felt, did Cygnus seem With blood distain'd. Achilles' joy was vain, For wound was not. Menoetes' blood was there. Then furious from his lofty car he sprung, And close at hand his braving foe assail'd With glittering falchion; by the falchion broke, The helm and shield he saw, but the keen edge His stubborn body blunted. More the son Of Peleus bore not, but the warrior's face With furious buffets from his shield, unclaspt First from his arm, he smote, and with his hilt Heavy his temples; and with headstrong rage Bore on him: nor to his astounded soul Respite allow'd. Dread through his bosom spread; Before his eyes swam darkness: when amidst The plain, a stone his retrogressive feet Oppos'd. Pelides, with his mightiest strength, Struck Cygnus against it, and to earth Hard forc'd him, thrown supine. Pent with his shield, And nervous knees upon his bosom prest Tight, he the lacing of the helmet drew, Which 'neath his chin was ty'd; close press'd his throat, His breathing passage and his life at once Destroy'd he. When his conquer'd foe to spoil Of all his arms he went, the arms he found Vacant. The ocean-god had to a bird Of snowy plumage chang'd his offspring's form: A bird which still the name of Cygnus bears.

Here stay'd the toil, here did the battle gain Of numerous days a respite, either power Resting on arms unhostile. Then, while guards, Watchful, the Trojan walls protective kept; And sentries equal wakeful o'er the trench Form'd by the Argives watch'd, a feast was held, Where Cygnus' victor, stout Achilles, gave An heifer ribbon-bound to Athen's maid. The sever'd flesh was on the altar plac'd, Whose smoking fragrance, grateful to the gods, High to th' ethereal regions mounted. Part, Their due, th' official sacrificers took; To swell the feast the rest was given. Outstretch'd On couches, laid the noble guests, and fill'd With the drest meat their hunger; and with wine At once their thirst and all their cares assuag'd. No lyre them sooth'd; no sound of vocal song; Nor long extended boxen pipe with holes Multiferous pierc'd: but all night long, discourse Protracted; valiant deeds alone the theme. Alike the valiant acts their foes perform'd, And those their own they speak. Much they enjoy To tell by turns what hazards they o'ercame; And what they oft successless try'd. What else Could e'er Achilles' speech employ? What else By great Achilles could with joy be heard? Chief in the converse, was the conquest late O'er Cygnus gain'd, the topic. Strange to all Seem'd it; the youth, from every weapon safe By wound unconquerable, and with skin Blunting the keenest steel. Wonder the Greeks, And wonders ev'n Pelides: when in words Like these, old Nestor hail'd them. "Cygnus, proof "'Gainst steel,--unpierceable by furious blows "Your age alone has known. These eyes have seen "Perrhæbian Cæneus bear ten thousand strokes "Unhurt. He, fam'd for warlike actions, dwelt "On Othrys, and more strange those warlike deeds, "Since female was he born." The wondering crowd, Mov'd with the novel prodigy, beseech (Their spokesman was Achilles) that the tale Nestor would give them. "Eloquent old man! "Of all our age most prudent, tell, for all "The same desire prevails o'er, who was he, "This Cæneus? why was chang'd his sex? what wars "Of fierce encounter made him known to thee? "And if by any conquer'd, tell the name."

Then thus the senior: "Though decrepid age "Weighs heavy on me, and the deeds beheld "In prime of youth, in numbers 'scape my mind; "Yet than those facts, 'mid all of peace and war, "Nought on my bosom made a deeper print. "Yet may extended age of all beheld "Part of the numerous acts and objects seen "Relate,--I twice one hundred years have pass'd; "Now in the third I breathe. Cænis, a nymph "Sprung from Elateus, fam'd was all around "For brightest beauty; fairest of the maids "Who Thessaly adorn; theme of vain hopes "To crowds of wooers through the neighbouring towns; "And ev'n through thine, Achilles; for the land "Thou claim'st produc'd her. Nay, her nuptial couch, "Peleus perchance had sought, save that the rites "Already with thy mother were compleat, "Or were in promise ready. Nuptial couch "She never press'd, for on the lonely shore "Strolling, so fame declares, the vigorous clasp "Of Ocean's god she felt. The charms possest "Of his new object, Neptune said--whate'er "Thou wishest, chuse, secure of no repulse.-- "This too does fame report, that Cænis cry'd-- "Wrongs such as mine no trivial gift deserve, "That ne'er such shame again I suffer, grant "I woman be no longer; that will all "Favors comprize.--Her closing words betray'd "A graver sound; manly appear'd her voice: "And masculine it was. Deep ocean's god "Acceded to her wish, and granted, more, "That wounds should never harm her, nor by steel "Should she e'er fall. Joy'd at the gift, the god "Atracia's hero leaves--employs his age "In studies warlike; and among the fields, "Where fertilizing Peneus wanders, roams.

"Now bold Ixion's son had gain'd the hand "Of Hippodamia; and the fierce-soul'd crowd "Cloud-born, had bidden to attend the boards, "In order rang'd within a cavern's mouth, "By trees thick-shaded. All the princes round "Of Thessaly attended: I, myself "Amongst them went. Loud rung the regal feast "With the mixt concourse; all most joyful sung "O Hymen! Iö Hymen! and each hall "Blaz'd bright with fires. The virgin then approach'd "Pre-excellent in fairness, with a band "Of matrons and unwedded nymphs begirt. "Most blest, we all exclaim'd, in such a spouse "Must be Pirithoüs--but such boding hopes "Well nigh deceiv'd us. For when drunken lust "O'er thee, Eurytus! govern'd, of the blood "Of savage Centaurs, far most savage, fir'd "Whether by wine, or by the virgin's charms "Thou saw'st, thy breast. Instant, the board o'erturn'd, "Routed the guests convivial, and the bride "Caught by her locks, was forceful dragg'd away. "Eurytus Hippodamia seiz'd; the rest "Grasp'd such as pleas'd them, or whoe'er they met. "It show'd the image of a captur'd town.

"With female shrieks the place resounded; swift "We start, and Theseus foremost thus exclaims:-- "What frenzy, O Eurytus! thee impels "Pirithoüs thus to wrong me still in life! "Ign'rant that two thou wound'st in one?--Nor vain "The chief magnanimous his threat'nings spoke: "Th' aggressors back repell'd; and, while they rag'd, "The ravish'd bride recover'd. Nought he said, "Nor could such acts defence by words allow; "But with rude inconsiderate hands he press'd "Full on her champion's face; his valiant breast "Assaulting. Near by chance a cup there stood, "Of mould antique, and rough with rising forms: "Mighty it was, but Theseus, mightier still, "Seiz'd it, and full against his hostile face "It dash'd; he vomits forth, with clots of gore, "His brains, and wine; these issuing from the wound; "That from his mouth; and on the soaking sand "Supine he sprawls. With rage the two-form'd race "Burn for their brother's slaughter; all with voice "United, eager call--to arms! to arms! "Wine gave them courage, and the primal fight "Was goblets, fragile casks, and hollow jars, "Dash'd on: once instruments to feasts alone "Pertaining; now for slaughter us'd and blood.

"First Amycus, of Ophion son, not fear'd "To rob the sacred chambers of their spoils; "And from its cord suspensive, tore away, "As from the roof it hung, a glittering lamp; "And hurl'd it, lofty-pois'd, full in the front "Of Lapithæan Celadon. So falls "On the white neck the victim bull presents, "The sacrificial axe, and all his bones "Were shatter'd left; one all confounded wound. "His eyes sprang forth; his palate bones displac'd, "His nose driv'n back within his palate falls. "Him Belates Pellæan with a foot "Torn from a maple table, on the ground "Stretch'd prone; his chin forc'd downward on his breast; "And sputtering teeth, with blackest gore commixt, "Sent by a second blow to Stygia's shades.

"As next he stood, and with tremendous brow "The flaming altar view'd, Gryneus exclaim'd-- "Why use we this not? and the ponderous load "With all its fires he seiz'd, and 'mid the crowd "Of Lapithæans flung: two low it press'd; "Broteas and bold Orion. From her sphere "Orion's mother Mycalé, by charms "The moon to drag to earth has oft been known.

"Loud cry'd Exodius:--Were but weapons found "That death impunity would boast not. Horns "An ancient stag once brandish'd, on a pine "Hung lofty, serv'd for arms; the forky branch "Hurl'd in his face deep dug out either eye. "Part to the horns adhere; part flowing down "His beard, thence hang in ropes of clotted gore. "Lo! Rhætus snatches from the altar's height "A burning torch of size immense, and through "Charaxus' dexter temple, with bright hair "Shaded, he drives it. Like the arid corn "Caught by the rapid flame, the tresses burn; "And the scorch'd blood the wound sent forth, a sound "Of horrid crackling gave. Oft whizzes steel "So, drawn forth glowing from the fire, with tongs "Bent, and in cooling waters frequent plung'd; "And crackling sounds, immers'd in tepid waves. "The wounded hero from his tresses shook "The greedy flames, and in his arms upheav'd, "Tom from the earth, a mighty threshold stone, "A waggon's burthen; but the ponderous load "Forbade his strength to hurl it on the foe: "And on Cometes, who beside him stood, "Dropp'd the huge bulk. Nor Rhætus then his joy "Disguis'd, exclaiming:--Such may be the aid "That all your friends receive!--Then with his brand "Half burnt, his blows redoubling, burst the skull "With the strong force; and on the pulpy brain "By frequent strokes the bones beat down. From thence "Victor, Evagrus, Corythus, he met "And Dryas. Corythus o'erthrown, whose cheeks "The first down shaded; loud Evagrus cry'd:-- "What glory thine, thus a weak boy to slay?-- "No more to utter Rhætus gave, but fierce "Plung'd the red-flaming weapon in his mouth, "Thus speaking; and deep forc'd it down his throat. "Thee also, furious Dryas! with the brand, "Whirl'd round and round his head, he next assails. "But thee the same sad fortune not befel: "Him, proud triumphing from increas'd success "In blood, thou piercest with an harden'd stake, "Where the neck meets the shoulder. Rhætus groan'd: "And from the hard bone scarce the wood could draw; "As drench'd in blood his own, by flight he scap'd. "With him fled Lycabas; and Orneus fled; "Thaumas; Pisenor; Medon, who was struck "'Neath the right shoulder; Mermeros, who late "In rapid race all else surpass'd, but now "Mov'd halting with his wound; Abas, of boars "The spoiler; Pholus, and Melaneus too; "With Astylos the seer, who from the war "Dissuaded, but in vain, his brethren crowd. "Nay more, to Nessus, fearing wounds, he cry'd-- "Fly not!--thou'lt for Alcides' bow be sav'd.

"Euronymus, nor Lycidas, their fate, "Areos, nor Imbreos fled; whom face to face "Confronting, Dryas' hand smote down. Thou too, "Crenæus! felt thy death in front, though turn'd "For flight thy feet; for looking back thou caught'st "Betwixt thine eyes the massy steel; where joins "The nose's basement to the forehead bones.