Paused all the reeling battle; two main waves Meeting, one hurled sheer from the sea-wall back That shocks it sideways, one right in from sea Charging, that full in face takes at one blow That whole recoil and ruin, with less fear Startle men's eyes late shipwrecked; for a breath Crest fronting crest hung, wave to wave rose poised, Then clashed, breaker to breaker; cloud with cloud 1550 In heaven, chariot with chariot closed on earth, One fourfold flash and thunder; yet a breath, And with the king's spear through his red heart's root Driven, like a rock split from its hill-side, fell Hurled under his own horsehoofs dead on earth The sea-beast that made war on earth from sea, Dumb, with no shrill note left of storming song, Eumolpus; and his whole host with one stroke Spear-stricken through its dense deep iron heart Fell hurtling from us, and in fierce recoil 1560 Drew seaward as with one wide wail of waves, Resorbed with reluctation; such a groan Rose from the fluctuant refluence of its ranks, Sucked sullen back and strengthless; but scarce yet The steeds had sprung and wheels had bruised their lord Fallen, when from highest height of the sundering heaven The Father for his brother's son's sake slain Sent a sheer shaft of lightning writhen and smote Right on his son's son's forehead, that unhelmed Shone like the star that shines down storm, and gave 1570 Light to men's eyes that saw thy lord their king Stand and take breath from battle; then too soon Saw sink down as a sunset in sea-mist The high bright head that here in van of the earth Rose like a headland, and through storm and night Took all the sea's wrath on it; and now dead They bring thee back by war-forsaken ways The strength called once thy husband, the great guard That was of all men, stay of all men's lives, They bear him slain of no man but a God, 1580 Godlike; and toward him dead the city's gates Fling their arms open mother-like, through him Saved; and the whole clear land is purged of war. What wilt thou say now of this weal and woe? PRAXITHEA.