The Poetical Works of Thomas Tickell/The first Book of The Iliad

by Thomas Tickell

THE

FIRST BOOK OF THE ILIAD.

Achilles' fatal wrath, whence discord roseThat brought the sons of Greece unnumber'd woes,O Goddess sing. Full many a hero's ghostWas driv'n untimely to th' infernal coast,While in promisc'ous heaps their bodies lay 5A feast for dogs and ev'ry bird of prey.So did the fire of gods and men fulfilHis stedfast purpose and almighty will,What time the haughty chiefs their jars begun,Atrides King of Men and Peleus' godlike son. 10What god in strife the princes did engage?Apollo, burning with vindictive rageAgainst the scornful King, whose impious prideHis priest dishonour'd and his pow'r defy'd;Hence swift contagion by the god's commands 15Swept thro' the camp and thinn'd the Grecian bands.For wealth immense the holy Chryses boreHis daughter's ransome to the tented shore:His sceptre stretching forth, the golden rodHung round with hallow'd garlands of his god, 20Of all the host, of ev'ry princely chief,But first of Atreus' sons, he begg'd relief."Great Atreus' sons and warlike Greeks attend!"So may th' immortal gods your cause befriend, "So may you Priam's lofty bulwarks burn, 25"And rich in gather'd spoils to Greece return,"As for those gifts my daughter you bestow,"And rev'rence due to great Apollo show,"Jove's fav'rite offspring, terrible in war,"Who sends his shafts unerring from afar." 30Thro'out the host consenting murmurs riseThe priest to rev'rence and give back the prize,When the great King incens'd his silence brokeIn words reproachful, and thus sternly spoke:"Hence, Dotard! from my sight, nor ever more 35"Approach I warn thee this forbidden shore,"Lest thou stretch forth my fury to restrain"The wreaths and sceptre of thy god in vain."The captive maid I never will resign;"Till age o'ertakes her I have vow'd her mine: 40"To distant Argos shall the fair be led;"She shall, to ply the loom and grace my bed."Begone ere evil intercept thy way:"Hence on thy life, nor urge me by thy stay."He ended frowning. Speechless and dismay'd 45The aged fire his stern command obey'd.Silent he pass'd amid the deaf'ning roarOf tumbling billows on the lonely shore:Far from the camp he pass'd, then suppliant stood,And thus the hoary priest invok'd his god: 50"Dread Warriour with the silver bow! give ear;"Patron of Chrysa and of Cilla hear: "To thee the guard of Tenedos belongs;"Propitious Smintheus! oh redress my wrongs!"If e'er within thy fane, with wreaths adorn'd, 55"The fat of bulls and wellfed goats I burn'd,"O hear my pray'r! Let Greece thy fury know,"And with thy shafts avenge thy servant's wo."Apollo hear'd his injur'd suppliant's cry;Down rush'd the vengeful warriour from the sky. 60Across his breath the glitt'ring bow he flung,And at his back the wellstor'd quiver hung:(His arrows rattled as he urg'd his flight.)In clouds he flew conceal'd from mortal sight, 64Then took his stand the well-aim'd shaft to throw;Fierce sprung the string, and twang'd the silver bow.The dogs and mules his first keen arrow slew,Amid the ranks the next more fatal flew,A deathful dart! The fun'ral piles aroundFor ever blaz'd on the devoted ground. 70Nine days entire he vex'd th' embattled host,The tenth Achilles thro' the winding coastSummon'd a council by the queen's commandWho wields heav'n's sceptre in her snowy hand:She mourn'd her fav'rite Greeks, who now enclose 75The hero, swiftly speaking as he rose:"What now, O Atreus' son! remains in view"But o'er the deep our wand'rings to renew,"Doom'd to destruction, while our wasted pow'rs"The sword and pestilence at once devours? 80 "Why haste we not some prophet's skill to prove,"Or seek by dreams? (for dreams descend from Jove.)"What moves Apollo's rage let him explain,"What vow withheld, what hecatomb unslain,"And if the blood of lambs and goats can pay 85"The price for guilt and turn this curse away?"Thus he; and next the rev'rend Calchas rose,Their guide to Ilion whom the Grecians chose;The prince of Augurs! whose enlighten'd eyeCould things past, present, and to come, descry! 90Such wisdom Phœbus gave. He thus began,His speech addressing to the godlike man:"Me then commandst thou, lov'd of Jove! to show"What moves the god that bends the dreadful bow?"First plight thy faith thy ready help to lend, 95"By words to aid me or by arms defend;"For I foresee his rage whose ample sway"The Argian pow'rs and sceptred chiefs obey."The wrath of kings what subject can oppose? 99"Deep in their breasts the smother'd vengeance glows,"Still watchful to destroy. Swear, valiant Youth!"Swear, wilt thou guard me if I speak the truth?"To this Achilles swift replies: "Be bold,"Disclose what Phœbus tells thee uncontroll'd."By him who list'ning to thy pow'rful pray'r 105"Reveals the secret I devoutly swear"That while these eyes behold the light no hand"Shall dare to wrong thee on this crowded strand; "Not Atreus' son, tho' now himself he boast"The King of Men and sov'reign of the host. 110Then boldly he. "Nor does the god complain"Of vows withheld or hecatombs unslain."Chryseïs to her awful sire refus'd,"The gifts rejected, and the priest abus'd,"Call down these judgments, and for more they call,"Just ready on th' exhausted camp to fall, 116"Till ransome-free the damsel is bestow'd,"And hecatombs are sent to sooth the god,"To Chrysa sent. Perhaps Apollo's rage"The gifts may expiate and the priest assuage." 120He spoke and sat; when with an angry frownThe chief of kings upstarted from his throne.Disdain and vengeance in his bosom rise,Lour in his brow and sparkle in his eyes;Full at the priest their fiery orbs he bent, 125And all at once his fury found a vent."Augur of ills (for never good to me"Did that most inauspicious voice decree)"For ever ready to denounce my woes,"When Greece is punish'd I am still the cause; 130"And now when Phœbus spreads his plagues abroad"And wastes our camp, it is I provoke the god,"Because my blooming captive I detain,"And the large ransome is produc'd in vain."Fond of the maid, my queen in beauty's pride 135"Ne'er charm'd me more a virgin and a bride; "Not Clytemnestra boasts a nobler grace,"A sweeter temper or a lovelier face,"In works of female skill hath more command,"Or guides the needle with a nicer hand: 140"Yet she shall go; the fair our peace shall buy;"Better I suffer than my people die."But mark me well; see instantly prepar'd"A full equivalent, a new reward:"Nor is it meet while each enjoys his share 145"Your chief should lose his portion of the war;"In vain your chief whilst the dear prize I boast"Is wrested from me and for ever lost."To whom the swift pursuer quick reply'd;"Oh sunk in avarice, and swol'n with pride! 150"How shall the Greeks, tho' large of soul they be,"Collect their sever'd spoils, a heap for thee"To search a-new, and cull the choicest share"Amid the mighty harvest of the war?"Then yield thy captive to the god resign'd, 155"Assur'd a tenfold recompense to find"When Jove's decree shall throw proud Ilion down"And give to plunder the devoted town.""Think not," Atrides answer'd, "tho' thou shine"Graceful in beauty like the pow'rs divine, 160"Think not thy wiles in specious words convey'd"From its firm purpose shall my soul dissuade."Must I alone bereft sit down with shame,"And thou insulting keep thy captive dame? "If as I ask the large-soul'd Greek's consent 165"Full recompense to give I stand content:"If not, a prize I shall myself decree"From him, or him, or else perhaps from thee,"While the proud prince despoil'd shall rage in vain."But break we here? the rest let time explain. 170"Lanch now a welltrimm'd galley from the shore,"With hands experienc'd at the bending oar;"Enclose the hecatomb, and then with care"To the high deck convey the captive fair."The sacred bark let sage Ulysses guide, 175"Or Ajax or Idomeneus preside;"Or thou, O mighty Man! the chief shalt be,"And who more fit to sooth the god than thee?""Shameless, and poor of soul!" the prince replies,And on the Monarch casts his scornful eyes, 180"What Greek henceforth will march at thy command"In search of danger on the doubtful strand?"Who in the face of day provoke the fight,"Or tempt the secret ambush of the night?"Not I be sure. Henceforward I am free, 185"For ne'er was Priam's house a foe to me:"Far from their inroads in my pastures feed"The lowing heifer and the pamper'd steed."On Phthia's hills our fruits securely grow,"And ripen careless of the distant foe, 190"Between whose realms and our Thessalian shore"Unnumber'd mountains rise and billows roar. "For thine and for thy baffled brother's fame"Across those seas, disdainful Man! I came;"Yet, Insolent! by arbitrary sway 195"Thou talk'st of seizing on my rightful prey,"The prize whose purchase toils and dangers cost,And giv'n by suffrage of the Grecian host."What town when sack'd by our victorious bands"But still brought wealth to those rapacious hands?"To me thus scorn'd contented dost thou yield 201"My share of blood in the tumultuous field;"But still the flow'r of all the spoil is thine;"There claim'st thou most, nor e'er did I repine:"Whate'er was giv'n I took, and thought it best, 205"With slaughter tir'd, and panting after rest."To Phthia now, for I shall fight no more,"My ships their crooked prows shall turn from shore."When I am scorn'd I think I well foresee"What spoils and pillage will be won by thee. 210"Hence," cry'd the Monarch, "hence; without delay;"Think not, vain Man! my voice shall urge thy stay:"Others thou leav'st to the great cause inclin'd;"A league of kings thou leav'st and Jove behind."Of all the chiefs dost thou oppose me most; 215"Outrage and uproar are thy only boast,"Discord and jars thy joy. But learn to know"If thou art strong it is Jove hath made thee so. "Go at thy pleasure, none will stop thy way;"Go, bid thy baseborn Myrmidons obey. 220"Thou nor thy rage shall my resolves subdue;"I fix my purpose and my threats renew."Since it is decreed I must the maid restore"A ship shall waft her to th' offended pow'r;"But fair Briseïs, thy allotted prize, 225"Myself will seize, and seize before thy eyes,"That thou and each audacious man may see"How vain the rash attempt to cope with me."Stung to the soul tumult'ous thoughts beganThis way and that to rend the godlike man. 230To force a passage with his falchion drawnAnd hurl th' imperial boaster from his throneHe now resolves; and now resolves againTo quell his fury and his arm restrain.While thus by turns his rage and reason sway'd, 235And half unsheath'd he held the glitt'ring blade,That moment Juno, whose impartial eyeWatch'd o'er them both, sent Pallas from the sky.She flew, and caught his yellow hair behind,(To him alone the radiant goddess shin'd;) 240Sudden he turn'd, and started with surprise;Rage and revenge flash'd dreadful in his eyes.Then thus with hasty words: "O heav'nly-born!"Com'st thou to see proud Agamemnon's scorn?"But thou shalt see (my sword shall make it good) 245"This glutted sand smoke with the tyrant's blood." "To sooth thy soul," the Blueey'd maid replies,"(If thou obey my voice) I left the skies!"Heav'n's queen, who favours both, gave this command,"Suppress thy wrath and slay thy vengeful hand; 250"Be all thy rage in tauntful words exprest,"But guiltless let the thirsty falchion rest.$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$"Mark what I speak. An hour is on its way!"When gifts tenfold for this affront shall pay."Suppress thy wrath, and Heav'n and me obey."Then he: "I yield tho' with reluctant mind: 256"Who yields to Heav'n shall Heav'n propitious find."The silver hilt close-grasping, at the wordDeep in the sheath he plung'd his mighty sword.The goddess turning darted from his sight, 260And reach'd Olympus in a moment's flight.But fierce Achilles in a thund'ring toneThrows out his wrath, and goes impetuous on:"Valiant with wine, and furious from the bowl,"Thou fierce-look'd talker with a coward soul! 265"War's glorious peril ever slow to share,"Aloof thou view'st the field, for death is there:"'Tis greater far this peaceful camp to sway,"And peel the Greeks at will who disobey;"A tyrant lord o'er slaves to earth debas'd, 270"For had they souls this outrage were thy last."But thou my fix'd my final purpose hear:"By this dread sceptre solemnly I swear, "By this (which once from out the forest torn"Nor leaf nor shade shall ever more adorn, 275"Which never more its verdure must renew,"Lopp'd from the vital stem whence first it grew,"But giv'n by Jove the sons of men to awe,"Now sways the nations and confirms the law)"A day shall come when for this hour's disdain 280"The Greeks shall wish for me and wish in vain;"Nor thou tho' griev'd the wanted aid afford,"When heaps on heaps shall fall by Hector's sword;"Too late with anguish shall thy heart be torn 284"That the first Greek was made the publick scorn."He said; and mounting with a furious boundHe dash'd his studded sceptre on the ground;Then sat: Atrides eager to replyOn the fierce champion glanc'd a vengeful eye. 289'Twas then the madding monarchs to composeThe Pylian prince, the smooth-speech'd Nestor, rose.His tongue dropp'd honey: full of days was he;Two ages past he liv'd the third to see,And his first race of subjects long decay'dO'er their sons sons a peaceful sceptre sway'd. 295"Alas for Greece!" he cries; "and with what joy"Shall Priam hear, and ev'ry son of Troy,"That you the first in wisdom as in wars"Waste your great souls in poor ignoble jars!"Go to! you both are young; yet oft' rever'd 300"Greater than you have the wise Nestor heard: "Their equals never shall these eyes behold,"Cæneus the just, Pirithous the bold,"Exadius, Dryas, born to high command,"Shepherds of men, and rulers of the land, 305"Theseus unrivall'd in his fire's abodes,"And mighty Polypheme, a match for gods."They, greatest names that ancient story knows,"In mortal conflict met as dreadful foes,"Fearless thro' rocks and wilds their prey pursu'd,"And the huge double Centaur-race subdu'd. 311"With them my early youth was pleas'd to roam"Thro' regions far from my sweet native home:"They call'd me to the wars: no living hand"Could match their valour or their strength withstand; 315"Yet wont they oft' my sage advice to hear:"Then listen both with an attentive ear."Seize not thou, King of Men, the beauteous slave,"Th' allotted prize the Grecian voices gave;"Nor thou, Pelides, in a threat'ning tone 320"Urge him to wrath who fills that sacred throne,"The King of forty kings, and honour'd more"By mighty Jove than e'er was king before."Brave tho' thou art, and of a race divine,"Thou must obey a pow'r more great than thine: 325"And thou, O King! forbear: myself will sue"Great Thetis' son his vengeance to subdue; "Great Thetis valiant son, our country's boast,"The shield and bulwark of the Grecian host!""Wise are thy words, O Sire!" the King began,"But what can satiate this aspiring man? 331"Unbounded pow'r he claims o'er humankind,And hopes for slaves I trust he ne'er shall find."Shall we because the gods have form'd him strong"Bear the lowd language of his lawless tongue?" 335"If aw'd by thee the Greeks might well despise"My name," the prince precipitate replies."In vain thou nodd'st from thy imperial throne;"Thy vassals seek elsewhere, for I am none."But break we here. The fair, tho' justly mine, 340"With sword undrawn I purpose to resign:"On aught beside, I once for all command,"Lay not I charge thee thy presumpt'ous hand:"Come not within my reach, nor dare advance,"Or thy heart's blood shall reek upon my lance." 345Thus both in foul debate prolong'd the day;The council broke each takes his sep'rate way:Achilles seeks his tent with restless mind,Patroclus and his train move slow behind.$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Mean-time a bark was haul'd along the sand;Twice ten selected Greeks, a brawny band, 351Tug the tough oars at the great King's command.The gifts, the hecatomb, the captive fair,Are all intrusted to Ulysses' care. They mount the deck, the vessel takes its flight, 355Bounds o'er the surge and lessens to the sight.Next he ordains along the winding coast;By hallow'd rites to purify the host:A herd of chosen victims they provide,And cast their offals on the briny tide: 360Fat bulls and goats to great Apollo die,In clouds the sav'ry steam ascends the sky.The Greeks to Heav'n their solemn vows addrest,But dire revenge roll'd in the Monarch's breast.Obsequious at his call two heralds stand, 365To them in frowns he gives this harsh command:"Ye Heralds! to Achilles' tent repair, "Thence swift the female slave Briseïs bear."With arms if disobey'd myself will come:"Bid him resign her or he tempts his doom." 370The heralds tho' unwillingly obey; Along the sea-beat shore they speed their way; And now the Myrmidonian quarter past At his tent door they find the hero plac'd. Disturb'd the solemn messengers he saw; 375They too stood silent with respectful awe Before the royal youth: they neither spoke: He guess'd their message, and the silence broke:"Ye Ministers of gods and men! draw near; "Not you but him whose heralds ye appear 380"Robb'd of my right I blame. Patroclus, bring "The damsel forth for this disdainful King. "But ye my wrongs, O Heralds! bear in mind,"And clear me to the gods and all mankind;"Ev'n to your thoughtless King, if evermore 385"My aid he wanted on the hostile shore."Thoughtless he is, nor knows his certain doom,"Blind to the past, nor sees the woes to come, "His best defence thus rashly to forego, "And leave a naked army to the foe." 390He ceas'd. Patroclus his dear friend obey'd,And usher'd in the lovely weeping maid.Sore sigh'd she as the heralds took her hand,And oft' look'd back slow-moving o'er the strand.The widow'd hero when the fair was gone 395Far from his friends sat bath'd in tears alone;On the cold beach he sat, and fix'd his eyesWhere black with storms the curling billows rise,And as the sea wide-rolling he survey'dWith outstretch'd arms to his fond mother pray'd:"Since to short life thy hapless son was born 401"Great Jove stands bound by promise to adorn"His stinted course with an immortal name."Is this the great amends? the promis'd fame?"The son of Atrous, proud of lawless sway, 405"Demands, possesses, and enjoys, my prey."Near her old sire enthron'd she heard him weepFrom the low silent caverns of the deep;Then in a morning mist her head she rears,Sits by her son, and mingles tears with tears; 410 Close grasps her darling's hand. "My Son!" she cries,"Why heaves thy heart? and why o'erflows thy eyes?"Oh! tell me, tell thy mother all thy care, 413"That both may know it and that both may share.""Oh Goddess!" cry'd he with an inward groan,"Thou know'st it all; to thee are all things known."Eëtian Thebes we sack'd; their ransack'd tow'rs,"The plunder of a people, all was ours."We stood agreed the booty to divide:"Chryseis, rosy-cheek'd and glossy-ey'd, 420"Fell to the King; but holy Chryses bore"Vast gifts of ransome to the tented shore:"His sceptre stretching forth (the golden rod"Hung round with hallow'd garlands of his god)"Of all the host, of ev'ry princely chief, 425"But first of Atreus' sons, he begg'd relief."Thro'out the host consenting murmurs ran"To yield her to the venerable man;"But the harsh King deny'd to do him right,"And drove the trembling prophet from his sight."Apollo heard his injur'd suppliant's cry, 431"And dealt his arrows thro' th' infected sky;"The swift contagion sent by his commands"Swept thro' the camp and thinn'd the Grecian bands."The guilty cause a sacred augur show'd,"And I first mov'd to mitigate the god: 436"At this the tyrant storm'd, and vengeance vow'd,"And now too soon hath made his threat'nings good. "Chryseïs first with gifts to Chrysa sent,"His heralds came this moment to my tent 440"And bore Briseïs thence, my beauteous slave,"Th' allotted prize which the leagu'd Grecians gave."Thou, Goddess! then, and thou I know hast pow'r,"For thine own son the might of Jove implore."Oft' in my father's house I've heard thee tell, 445"When sudden fears on Heav'n's great monarch fell,"Thy aid the rebel deities o'ercame, "And sav'd the mighty Thunderer from shame."Pallas, and Neptune, and great Juno, bound"The fire in chains, and hemm'd their sov'reign round."Thy voice, O Goddess! broke their idle bands, 451"And call'd the giant of the hundred hands,"The prodigy whom heav'n and earth revere,"Briareus nam'd above, Ageon here:"His father Neptune he in strength surpass'd; 455"At Jove's right-hand his hideous form he plac'd,"Proud of his might: the gods with secret dread"Beheld the huge enormous shape and fled."Remind him then, for well thou know'st the art:"Go clasp his knees and melt his mighty heart. 460"Let the driv'n Argians hunted o'er the plain"Seek the last verge of this tempest'ous main;"There let them perish, void of all relief,"My wrongs remember and enjoy their chief: "Too late with anguish shall his heart be torn 465"That the first Greek was made the publick scorn." Then she (with tears her azure eyes ran o'er)"Why bore I thee, or nourish'd when I bore?"Blest if within thy tent and free from strife"Thou might'st possess thy poor remains of life! 470"Thy death approaching now the Fates foreshow;"Short is thy destin'd term and full of wo."Ill-fated thou! and oh unhappy I!"But hence to the celestial courts I fly,"Where hid in snow to heav'n Olympus swells, 475"And Jove rejoicing in his thunder dwells."Mean-time, my Son! indulge thy just disdain,""Vent all thy rage, and shun the hostile plain"Till Jove returns. Last night my waves he crost,""And sought the distant Ethiopian coast: 480"Along the skies his radiant course he steer'd,"Behind him all the train of gods appear'd,"A bright procession! To the holy feast"Of blameless men he goes a grateful guest:"To heav'n he comes when twice six days are o'er,"Then shall my voice the fire of gods implore; 486"Then to his lofty mansion will I pass,"Founded on rocks of ever-during brass;"There will I clasp his knees with wonted art,"Nor doubt, my Son! but I shall melt his heart." 490She ceas'd, and left him lost in doubtful care,And bent on vengeance for the ravish'd fair.But safe arriv'd near Chrysa's sacred strandThe sage Ulysses now advanc'd to land: Along the coast he shoots with swelling gales, 495Then lowers the lofty mast and furls the sails,Next plies to port with many a well tim'd oar,And drops his anchors near the faithful shore,The bark now fix'd amidst the rolling tideChryseï's follows her experienc'd guide: 500The gifts to Phœbus from the Grecian host,A herd of bulls, went bellowing o'er the coast.$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$To the god's fane, high looking o'er the land,He led, and near the altar took his stand,Then gave her to the joyful father's hand. 505"All hail! Atrides set thy daughter free,"Sends off'rings to thy god and gifts to thee;"But thou entreat the pow'r whose dreadful sway"Afflicts his camp and sweeps his host away." He said, and gave her. The fond father smil'd 510With secret rapture, and embrac'd his child.The victims now they range in chosen bands,And offer gifts with unpolluted hands;When with loud voice and arms uprear'd in airThe hoary priest preferr'd this pow'rful pray'r: 515"Dread Warriour with the silver bow! give ear:"Patron of Chrysa and of Cilla hear!"About this dome thou walk'st thy constant round;"Still have my vows thy pow'r propitious found:"Rous'd by my pray'rs ev'n now thy vengeance burns,"And smit by thee the Grecian army mourns. 521 "Hear me once more, and let the suppliant foe"Avert thy wrath and slack thy dreadful bow!He pray'd; and great Apollo heard his pray'r.The suppliants how their votive rites prepare;Amid the flames they cast the hallow'd bread; 526And heav'nward turn each victim's destin'd head;Next slay the fatted bulls, their skins divide,And from each carcass rend the smoking hide;On ev'ry limb large rolls of fat bestow, 530And chosen morsels round the off rings strow;Mysterious rites! then on the fire divineThe great high priest pours forth the ruddy wine;Himself the off'ring burns. On either handA troop of youths in decent order stand; 535On sharpen'd forks obedient to the fireThey turn the tasteful fragments in the fire,Adorn the feast, see ev'ry dish well stor'd,And serve the plenteous messes to the board. 539When now the various feast had cheer'd their soulsWith sparkling wines they crown the gen'rous bowls;The first libations to Apollo pay,And solemnize with sacred hymns the day:His praise in lo Pæans loud they sing,And sooth the rage of the far shooting king. 545At ev'ning thro' the shore dispers'd they sleep,Hush'd by the distant roarings of the deep.When now ascending from the shades of nightAurora glow'd in all her rosy light, The daughter of the Dawn, th' awaken'd crew 550Back to the Greeks encamp'd their course renew.The breezes freshen; for with friendly galesApollo swell'd their wide-distended sails:Cleft by the rapid prow the waves divide,And in hoarse murmurs break on either side: 555In safety to the destin'd port they past,And fix'd their bark with grappling halsers fast,Then dragg'd her farther on the dry land coast,Regain'd their tents, and mingled in the host.But fierce Achilles, still on vengeance bent, 560Cherish'd his wrath, and madden'd in his tent.Th' assembled chiefs he shunn'd with high disdain,A band of kings, nor sought the hostile plain,But long'd to hear the distant troops engage,The strife grow doubtful, and the battle rage. 565Twelve days were past, and now th' ethereal train,Jove at their head, to heav'n return'd again,When Thetis from the deep prepar'd to riseShot thro' a big-swol'n wave and pierc'd the skies.At early morn she reach'd the realms above, 570The court of gods, the residence of Jove.On the top-point of high Olympus, crown'dWith hills on hills, him far apart the foundAbove the rest. The earth beneath display'd(A boundless prospect!) his broad eye survey'd. 575Her left hand grasp'd his knees, her right the rear'd,And touch'd with blandishment his awful beard; Page:The Poetical Works of Thomas Tickell (1781).djvu/176 Page:The Poetical Works of Thomas Tickell (1781).djvu/177 Page:The Poetical Works of Thomas Tickell (1781).djvu/178 Page:The Poetical Works of Thomas Tickell (1781).djvu/179 Page:The Poetical Works of Thomas Tickell (1781).djvu/180