The Iliad of Homer


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The fearless brothers on the Grecians call,  
To guard their navies, and defend the wall.  
Even when they saw Troy's sable troops impend,  
And Greece tumultuous from her towers descend,  
Forth from the portals rush'd the intrepid pair,  
Opposed their breasts, and stood themselves the war.  
So two wild boars spring furious from their den,  
Roused with the cries of dogs and voice of men;  
On every side the crackling trees they tear,  
And root the shrubs, and lay the forest bare;  
They gnash their tusks, with fire their eye-balls roll,  
Till some wide wound lets out their mighty soul.  
Around their heads the whistling javelins sung,  
With sounding strokes their brazen targets rung;  
Fierce was the fight, while yet the Grecian powers  
Maintain'd the walls, and mann'd the lofty towers:  
To save their fleet their last efforts they try,  
And stones and darts in mingled tempests fly.  
As when sharp Boreas blows abroad, and brings  
The dreary winter on his frozen wings;  
Beneath the low-hung clouds the sheets of snow  
Descend, and whiten all the fields below:  
So fast the darts on either army pour,  
So down the rampires rolls the rocky shower:  
Heavy, and thick, resound the batter'd shields,  
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Page
450 451 452 453 454

Quick Jump
1 245 490 735 980