The Iliad of Homer


google search for The Iliad of Homer

Return to Master Book Index.

Page
739 740 741 742 743

Quick Jump
1 245 490 735 980

In shoals before him fly the scaly train,  
Confusedly heap'd they seek their inmost caves,  
Or pant and heave beneath the floating waves.  
Now, tired with slaughter, from the Trojan band  
Twelve chosen youths he drags alive to land;  
With their rich belts their captive arms restrains  
(
Late their proud ornaments, but now their chains).  
These his attendants to the ships convey'd,  
Sad victims destined to Patroclus' shade;  
Then, as once more he plunged amid the flood,  
The young Lycaon in his passage stood;  
The son of Priam; whom the hero's hand  
But late made captive in his father's land  
(
As from a sycamore, his sounding steel  
Lopp'd the green arms to spoke a chariot wheel)  
To Lemnos' isle he sold the royal slave,  
Where Jason's son the price demanded gave;  
But kind Eetion, touching on the shore,  
The ransom'd prince to fair Arisbe bore.  
Ten days were past, since in his father's reign  
He felt the sweets of liberty again;  
The next, that god whom men in vain withstand  
Gives the same youth to the same conquering hand  
Now never to return! and doom'd to go  
A sadder journey to the shades below.  
741  


Page
739 740 741 742 743

Quick Jump
1 245 490 735 980