; . r l itijfWiTWW mg*> : ^ ^^Ss55BSB^K't 'BBL ts^. rnTfOTIIMli .—■ jai ■ s ■miwmmmmjit . ' ‘nJKBsSfiJff! (J.a. wmmrTfrTTmr. wuuuamuiitmh ift/ffrnr/rrtrnnffffrnz fft/n/rirjr7r7//r7/j E^j. s. § S '>/** 5I i ,, I BRITISH POETS, VOL. XXIV. E D I N BURG Hs Printed for A. K i N c A i D and W. CREECH,. and J. BALFOUR. M, DCC, LXXIII. „• ;i J U H t a. F ..i a ! • ... i ? .. .( . orapt; i -f THE ILIAD O F HOMER, TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK BY ALEXANDER POPE, Efq; VOLUME II, Quis Martem tunica tedium adamantina Digue fcripferit ? aut pulvere Troico Nigrum Merionen ? aut ope Pailadis Tydiden fuperis parem ? Ho it. EDINBURGH: Printed for A. KINCAID and W. CREECH, and J. BALFOUR. M, DCC, LXXHI. U.o ■: THE ILIAD, BOOK IX. THE ARGUMENT. The Emlqffy to Achilles. AGAMEMNON, after the lafl day’s defeat, propofes to the Greeks to quit the fiege, and return to their country. Diomed oppofes this, and Neftcr feconds him, praifing his uifdom and refblution. He or- ders the guard to be ftrengthened, and a council fummoned to deliberate what meafures were to be followed in this emergency. Agamemnon purfues this advice ; and Neftor farther prevails upon him to fend ambafladors to Achilles, in order to move •him to a reconciliation. Ulyfles and Ajax are made choice of, who are accompanied by old Phoenix. They make, each of them, very moving and pref- fing fpeeches, but are rejefted with roughnefs by Achilles, who notwithdanding retains Phoenix in his tent. The ambaffadors return unfuccefifully to the camp, and the troops betake themfelves to deep. This book, and the next following, take up the fpace of one night, which is the twenty-feventh from the beginning of the poem. The fcene lies on the fea» (hore, the ftation of the Grecian Ihips. A3 BOOK IX. '"r'HUS joyful Troy maintain’d the watch of night ■■ While fear, pale comrade of inglorious flight, And heav’n-bred horror, on the Grecian part, Sat on each face, and fhdden’d ev'ry heart. As from its cloudy dungeon ifhiiug forth, A double tempell of the welt and north Swells o’er the fea,.from Thracia’s frozen fhore. Heaps waves on waves, and bids th’ yligean roar; This way and that the boiling deeps are toll; Such various paflions urg’d the troubled hoft.. Great Agamemnon griev’d above the reft ; Superior forrows fwell’d liis royal brealt; Himfelt his orders to the heralds bears. To bid to council all the Grecian peers, But bid in whifpers : I hcfe furround their chief. In folemn ladnefs, and majeftic grief. The king amidlt the mournful circle rofe; Down his wan cheek a briny torrent flows : So filent fountains, from a rock’s tall heed. In fable llreams loft-trickling waters fhed. With more than vulgar griet he flood oppreft; Words, mix’d with Itghs, thus burfling from his bread. Ye ions of Greece ! partake your.leader’s care,, Fellows in arms, and princes of the war! Of partial Jove too juftly we complain, And heav’rdy oracles believ’d in vain.. '*8 'HOMER’S ILIAD. IX. n. i' A fafe return was promis’d to our toils,'' With conqueft honour’d, and enrich’d with fpoils: Now fhamefui flight alone can fave the hoft! Our wealth, our people, and our glory loft. So Jove decrees, almighty lord of all! Jove, at whofe nod whole empires rife or fall. Who lhakes the feeble props of human truft/ And tow’rs and armies humbles to the duft. Hafte then, for ever quit thefe fatal fields, Hafte to the joys our native country yields: Spread all your canvas, all your oars employ, Nor hope the fall of heav’n-defended Troy. He laid ; deep filence held the Grecian band. Silent, unmov’d, in dire difmay they ftand, A penfive fcene! till Tydeus’ warlike fon Roll’d on the king his eyes, and thus begun. When kings advife us to renounce our fame, Eirft let them fpeak, who firft have fufter’d (hame. If I oppofe thee, prince! thy wrath with-hold, The laws of council bid my tongue be bold. Thou firft, and thou alone in fields of fight, Durlf brand my courage, and defame my might: Nor from a friend th’ unkind reproach appear’d. The Greeks ftood witnefs, ail our army heard. The gods, O chief, from whom our honours fpring. The Gods have made thee but by halves a king : They gave thee fceptres, and a wide command, They gave dominion o’er the Teas and land; The nobleft pow’r that might the world controul They gave thee not—a brave and virtuous foul. Is this a gen’ral’s voice, that would fuggeft Fears like his own to ev’ry Grecian bread l H O M E R’s ILIAD. IX. 55. S> ! 'Confiding in our want of worth, he (lands; , And if we fly, Vis vrhat our king commands. Go thou, inglorious! from th’ embattled plain; Ships thou haft (lore, and neared to the main; A nobler care the Grecians (hall employ, i To combat, conquer, and extirpate Troy. Here Greece (liali flay ; or, if all Greece retire, IVIyfelf will (lay, till Troy or I expire ; Myfelf, and Stheneius, will fight for fame : God hade us fight, and ’twas with God we came. He ceas’d ; the Greeks loud acclamations raife. And voice to voice refounds Tydides’ praife. Wife Neftor then his rev’rend figure rear’d ; He fpoke : The hod in (HU attention heard. O truly great ! in whom the gods have join’d Such ftrength of body with fuch force of mind; in conduct, as in courage, you excell. Still firfl to aft what you advife fo well. Thofe wholefome counfels which thy wifdom moves. Applauding Greece with common voice approves. Kings thou canfi blame; a bold, but prudent youth; And blame ev’n kings with praife, becaufe with truth* And yet thofe years that fince thy birth have run, Would hardly (lyle thee Netlor’s younged fon. b Then let me add what yet remains behind, A thought unfinifh’d in that gen’rous mind ; 1 Age bids me fpeak ; nor (hall th’ advice I bring, Didafte the people, or offend the king. Curs’d is the man, and void of law and right, Unworthy property, unworthy light, ' Unfit for public rule, or private care; That wretch, that monfter who delights in war: to HOMER’s ILIAD. IX. 91. Whofe luft is murder, and whofe horrid joy, To tear his country, and his kind deftroy ! This right, refrefh and fortify thy train ; Between the trench and wall let guards remain : Be that the duty of the young and bold ; But thou, O king, to council call the old: Great is.t-hy {'way, and weighty are thy cares ; Thy high commands mull fpirit all our wars. With Thracian wine recruit thy honour’d guctls, Eor happy counfels Mow from lober feafts. Wifer weighty counfels aid a (late diftrefl, And i'uch a monarch as can chui'e the heft. See ! what a blaze from hoflile tents afpires, How near our fkt-t approach the Trojan fires! Who can unmov’d, behold the dreadful light, What eye heiiolds them, and can cloft to-night ? This drcadlul interval determines all; To-morrow, Troy muft flame, or Greece mull fall. Thus fpoke the hoary lage, the reft obey ; Swift thro’ the gates the guards dire£f their way. His fon was firlt to pafs the lofty mound. The gen’rous Thrafymed, in arms renown’d : IS ext, him, Afcalaphus, lalmen, flood, The double offspring of the warrior god. Deipyrus, Aphareus, Merion join, And Lycomed, of Creon’s noble line. Scv’n were the leaders of the nightly hands, Tnd each bold chief a hundred fpears commands. The fires they light, to fhort repafts they fall, Some line the trench, and others man the wall. The king of men, on public counfels bent, Conven’d the princes in his.ample tent j. HOME R’s ILIAD. IX. 113. IT Each feiz’d a portion of the kingly feafl, But Haid his hand when thirft and hunger ceas’d. Then Neftor /poke, for w i/dom long approv’d, And /lowly rifing, thus the council mov’d. Monarch of nations! wbofe fuperior fway, Affembled /lates, and lords of earth obey. The laws and iceptres to thy hand are giv’n, And millions own the care of thee and heav'n. O king ! the connfeis of my age attend ; With thee my cares begin, in thee mufl end ; Thee, prince ! it fits alike to /peak and hear, Pronounce with judgment, with regard give ear, To fee no wholefome motion be withftood, And ratify the befl for. public good. Nor, tho’ a meaner give advice, repine,. But follow it, and make the wifdom thine. Hear then a thought, not now conceiv’d in hade, At once my’ prefent judgement, and my pad. When from Pelides’ tent you forc’d the maid, I fird oppos’d, and faithful, durd diduade; But bold of foul, when headlong fury fir’d. You wrong’d the man, by men and gods admir’d : Now leek fome means his fatal wrath to end, With pray’rs to move him, or with gifts to bend. To whom the king. With judice had thou fhown A prince’s faults, and I with reafon own. That happy man, whom Jove dill honours mod, Is more than armies, and himfeif an hod. Blefs’d in his love, this wondYous hero dands ; Heav’n fights his war, and humbles all our bands.