The Iliad of Homer


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The social shades the same dark journey go,  
And join each other in the realms below.  
The vengeful victor rages round the fields,  
With every weapon art or fury yields:  
By the long lance, the sword, or ponderous stone,  
Whole ranks are broken, and whole troops o'erthrown.  
This, while yet warm distill'd the purple flood;  
But when the wound grew stiff with clotted blood,  
Then grinding tortures his strong bosom rend,  
Less keen those darts the fierce Ilythiae send:  
(
The powers that cause the teeming matron's throes,  
Sad mothers of unutterable woes!)  
Stung with the smart, all-panting with the pain,  
He mounts the car, and gives his squire the rein;  
Then with a voice which fury made more strong,  
And pain augmented, thus exhorts the throng:  
"
O friends! O Greeks! assert your honours won;  
Proceed, and finish what this arm begun:  
Lo! angry Jove forbids your chief to stay,  
And envies half the glories of the day."  
He said: the driver whirls his lengthful thong;  
The horses fly; the chariot smokes along.  
Clouds from their nostrils the fierce coursers blow,  
418  


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