The Iliad of Homer


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Full and express, that Phoebus should employ  
His sacred arrows in defence of Troy,  
And make her conquer, till Hyperion's fall  
In awful darkness hide the face of all?"  
He spoke in vain--The chief without dismay  
Ploughs through the boiling surge his desperate way.  
Then rising in his rage above the shores,  
From all his deep the bellowing river roars,  
Huge heaps of slain disgorges on the coast,  
And round the banks the ghastly dead are toss'd.  
While all before, the billows ranged on high,  
(
A watery bulwark,) screen the bands who fly.  
Now bursting on his head with thundering sound,  
The falling deluge whelms the hero round:  
His loaded shield bends to the rushing tide;  
His feet, upborne, scarce the strong flood divide,  
Sliddering, and staggering. On the border stood  
A spreading elm, that overhung the flood;  
He seized a bending bough, his steps to stay;  
The plant uprooted to his weight gave way.(270)  
Heaving the bank, and undermining all;  
Loud flash the waters to the rushing fall  
Of the thick foliage. The large trunk display'd  
Bridged the rough flood across: the hero stay'd  
On this his weight, and raised upon his hand,  
750  


Page
748 749 750 751 752

Quick Jump
1 245 490 735 980