The Iliad of Homer


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"
What thoughts, regardless chief! thy breast employ?  
Oh too forgetful of the friends of Troy!  
Those generous friends, who, from their country far,  
Breathe their brave souls out in another's war.  
See! where in dust the great Sarpedon lies,  
In action valiant, and in council wise,  
Who guarded right, and kept his people free;  
To all his Lycians lost, and lost to thee!  
Stretch'd by Patroclus' arm on yonder plains,  
O save from hostile rage his loved remains!  
Ah let not Greece his conquer'd trophies boast,  
Nor on his corse revenge her heroes lost!"  
He spoke: each leader in his grief partook:  
Troy, at the loss, through all her legions shook.  
Transfix'd with deep regret, they view o'erthrown  
At once his country's pillar, and their own;  
A chief, who led to Troy's beleaguer'd wall  
A host of heroes, and outshined them all.  
Fired, they rush on; first Hector seeks the foes,  
And with superior vengeance greatly glows.  
But o'er the dead the fierce Patroclus stands,  
And rousing Ajax, roused the listening bands:  
"Heroes, be men; be what you were before;  
608  


Page
606 607 608 609 610

Quick Jump
1 245 490 735 980