the truth being that both kinds of association—the mythological and the superstitious—were equally remote from the poet’s mind. Footnote 167: Von der Mühle, _Beiträge zur Ornithologie Griechenlands_, p. 123; Buchholz, _Homerische Realien_, Bd. i. Abth. ii. p. 202. Footnote 168: Tozer, _Researches_, vol. ii. p. 82. Footnote 169: _Descriptio Græciæ_, lib. vi. cap. 8; viii. cap. ii. Footnote 170: _Iliad_, x. 274. Footnote 171: _De Naturâ Animalium_, lib. x. fr. 37. Similarly, the portent of An eagle and a serpent wreathed in fight appeared such only by virtue of the critical nature of the conjuncture at which it was displayed. Hector, relying upon what he took to be a promise of divine help, aimed at nothing less than the capture, in the rout of battle, of the Greek camp, and the conflagration of the Greek ships. But every step in advance brought him nearer to the tent where the irate epical hero lay inert, but ready to spring into action at the last extremity; and it was fully recognised that the arming of Achilles meant far more than the mere loss of the fruits of victory. The balance of events, then, if the proposed _coup de main_ were persevered with, hung upon a knife-edge of destiny; and pale fear might well invade the eager, yet hesitating Trojan host when, just as the foremost warriors were about to breach the Greek rampart, an eagle flying westward—that is, towards the side of darkness and death—let fall among their ranks a coiling and blood-stained snake.[172] And adown the blasts of the wind he darted with one wild scream; Then shuddered the Trojans, beholding the serpent’s writhing gleam In the midst of them lying, the portent of Zeus the Ægis-lord, And to Hector the valiant Polydamas spoke with a bodeful word.[173] His vaticinations were defied. The Trojan leader met them with the memorable protest: But thou, thou wouldst have us obey the long-winged fowl of the air! Go to, unto these have I not respect, and nought do I care Whether to rightward they go to the sun and the dayspring sky, Or whether to leftward away to the shadow-gloomed west they fly. But for us, let us hearken the counsel of Zeus most high, and obey, Who over the deathling race and the deathless beareth sway. One omen of all is best, that we fight for our fatherland! Footnote 172: Shelley has adopted and developed the incident in the opening stanzas of the _Revolt of Islam_. Footnote 173: _Iliad_, xii. 207-10 (Way’s trans.). Magnificent, but, in the actual case, mistaken. The shabby counsel of Polydamas really carried with it the safety of Troy.