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       heart

       Bristled his bosom, and two ways drew his discursive part;

       If, from his thigh his sharp sword drawn, he should make room about

       Atrides' person, slaught'ring him, or sit his anger out,

       And curb his spirit. While these thoughts striv'd in his blood and

       mind,

       And he his sword drew, down from heav'n Athenia stoop'd, and shin'd

       About his temples, being sent by th' ivory-wristed Queen,

       Saturnia, who out of her heart had ever loving been,

       And careful for the good of both. She stood behind, and took

       Achilles by the yellow curls, and only gave her look

       To him appearance; not a man of all the rest could see.

       He turning back his eye, amaze strook every faculty;

       Yet straight he knew her by her eyes, so terrible they were,

       Sparkling with ardour, and thus spake: "Thou seed of Jupiter,

       Why com'st thou? To behold his pride, that boasts our empery?

       Then witness with it my revenge, and see that insolence die

       That lives to wrong me." She replied: "I come from heav'n to see

       Thy anger settled, if thy soul will use her sov'reignty

       In fit reflection. I am sent from Juno, whose affects

       Stand heartily inclin'd to both. Come, give us both respects,

       And cease contention; draw no sword; use words, and such as may

       Be bitter to his pride, but just; for, trust in what I say,

       A time shall come, when, thrice the worth of that he forceth now,

       He shall propose for recompense of these wrongs; therefore throw

       Reins on thy passions, and serve us." He answer'd "Though my heart

       Burn in just anger, yet my soul must conquer th' angry part,

       And yield you conquest. Who subdues his earthly part for heav'n,

       Heav'n to his pray'rs subdues his wish." This said, her charge was

       given

       Fit honour; in his silver hilt he held his able hand,

       And forc'd his broad sword up; and up to heav'n did re-ascend

       Minerva, who, in Jove's high roof that bears the rough shield, took

       Her place with other deities. She gone, again forsook

       Patience his passion, and no more his silence could confine

       His wrath, that this broad language gave: "Thou ever steep'd in

       wine,

       Dog's face, with heart but of a hart, that nor in th' open eye

       Of fight dar'st thrust into a prease, nor with our noblest lie

       In secret ambush! These works seem too full of death for thee;

       'Tis safer far in the open host to dare an injury

       To any crosser of thy lust. Thou subject-eating king!

       Base spirits thou govern'st, or this wrong had been the last foul

       thing

       Thou ever author'dst; yet I vow, and by a great oath swear,

       Ev'n by this sceptre, that, as this never again shall bear [2]

       Green leaves or branches, nor increase with any growth his size,

       Nor did since first it left the hills, and had his faculties

       And ornaments bereft with iron; which now to other end

       Judges of Greece bear, and their' laws, receiv'd from Jove, defend;

       (For which my oath to thee is great); so, whensoever need

       Shall burn with thirst of me thy host, no pray'rs shall ever breed

       Affection in me to their aid, though well-deserved woes

       Afflict thee for them, when to death man-slaught'ring Hector throws

       Whole troops of them, and thou torment'st thy vex'd mind with

       conceit

       Of thy rude rage now, and his wrong that most deserv'd the right

       Of all thy army." Thus, he threw his sceptre 'gainst the ground,

       With golden studs stuck, and took seat. Atrides' breast was drown'd

       In rising choler. Up to both sweet-spoken Nestor stood,

       The cunning Pylian orator, whose tongue pour'd forth a flood

       Of more-than-honey-sweet discourse; two ages were increas'd

       Of divers-languag'd men, all born in his time and deceas'd,

       In sacred Pylos, where he reign'd amongst the third-ag'd men

       He, well-seen in the world, advis'd, and thus express'd it then:

       "O Gods! Our Greek earth will be drown'd in just tears; rapeful

       Troy,

       Her king, and all his sons, will make as just a mock, and joy,

       Of these disjunctions; if of you, that all our host excel

       In counsel and in skill of fight, they hear this. Come, repel

       These young men's passions. Y' are not both, put both your years in

       one,

       So old as I. I liv'd long since, and was companion

       With men superior to you both, who yet would ever hear

       My counsels with respect. My eyes yet never witness were,

       Nor ever will be, of such men as then delighted them;

       Pirithous, Exadius, and god-like Polypheme,

       Cæneus, and Dryas prince of men, Ægean Theseüs,

       A man like heav'n's immortals form'd; all, all most vigorous,

       Of all men that ev'n those days: bred; most vig'rous men, and

       fought

       With beasts most vig'rous, mountain beasts, (for men in strength

       were nought

       Match'd with their forces) fought with them, and bravely fought

       them down

       Yet ev'n with these men I convers'd, being call'd to the renown

       Of their societies, by their suits, from Pylos far, to fight

       In th' Apian kingdom; and I fought, to a degree of might

       That help'd ev'n their mights, against such as no man now would

       dare

       To meet in conflict; yet ev'n these my counsels still would hear,

       And with obedience crown my words. Give you such palm to them;

       'Tis better than to wreath your wraths. Atrides, give not stream

       To all thy pow'r, nor force his prise, but yield her still his own,

       As all men else do. Nor do thou encounter with thy crown,

       Great son of Peleus, since no king that ever Jove allow'd

       Grace of a sceptre equals him. Suppose thy nerves endow'd

       With strength superior, and thy birth a very goddess gave,

       Yet he of force is mightier, since what his own nerves have

       Is amplified with just command of many other. King of men,

       Command thou then thyself; and I with my pray'rs will obtain

       Grace of Achilles to subdue his fury; whose parts are

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