The Iliad of Homer


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But, pierced by this, to endless darkness go,  
And add one spectre to the realms below!"  
He spoke, while Socus, seized with sudden fright,  
Trembling gave way, and turn'd his back to flight;  
Between his shoulders pierced the following dart,  
And held its passage through the panting heart:  
Wide in his breast appear'd the grisly wound;  
He falls; his armour rings against the ground.  
Then thus Ulysses, gazing on the slain:  
"
Famed son of Hippasus! there press the plain;  
There ends thy narrow span assign'd by fate,  
Heaven owes Ulysses yet a longer date.  
Ah, wretch! no father shall thy corpse compose;  
Thy dying eyes no tender mother close;  
But hungry birds shall tear those balls away,  
And hovering vultures scream around their prey.  
Me Greece shall honour, when I meet my doom,  
With solemn funerals and a lasting tomb."  
Then raging with intolerable smart,  
He writhes his body, and extracts the dart.  
The dart a tide of spouting gore pursued,  
And gladden'd Troy with sight of hostile blood.  
Now troops on troops the fainting chief invade,  
Forced he recedes, and loudly calls for aid.  
427  


Page
425 426 427 428 429

Quick Jump
1 245 490 735 980