Then chode with him Anchises' valiant son: "Polydamas, wherefore do they call thee wise, Who biddest suffer endless tribulations Cooped within walls? Never, how long soe'er The Achaeans tarry here, will they lose heart; But when they see us skulking from the field, More fiercely will press on. So ours shall be The sufferance, perishing in our native home, If for long season they beleaguer us. No food, if we be pent within our walls, Shall Thebe send us, nor Maeonia wine, But wretchedly by famine shall we die, Though the great wall stand firm. Nay, though our lot Should be to escape that evil death and doom, And not by famine miserably to die; Yet rather let us fight in armour clad For children and grey fathers! Haply Zeus Will help us yet; of his high blood are we. Nay, even though we be abhorred of him, Better straightway to perish gloriously Fighting unto the last for fatherland, Than die a death of lingering agony!" Shouted they all who heard that gallant rede. Swiftly with helms and shields and spears they stood In close array. The eyes of mighty Zeus From heaven beheld the Trojans armed for fight Against the Danaans: then did he awake Courage in these and those, that there might be Strain of unflinching fight 'twixt host and host. That day was Paris doomed, for Helen's sake Fighting, by Philoctetes' hands to die. To one place Strife incarnate drew them all, The fearful Battle-queen, beheld of none, But cloaked in clouds blood-raining: on she stalked Swelling the mighty roar of battle, now Rushed through Troy's squadrons, through Achaea's now; Panic and Fear still waited on her steps To make their father's sister glorious. From small to huge that Fury's stature grew; Her arms of adamant were blood-besprent, The deadly lance she brandished reached the sky. Earth quaked beneath her feet: dread blasts of fire Flamed from her mouth: her voice pealed thunder-like Kindling strong men. Swift closed the fronts of fight Drawn by a dread Power to the mighty work. Loud as the shriek of winds that madly blow In early spring, when the tall woodland trees Put forth their leaves--loud as the roar of fire Blazing through sun-scorched brakes--loud as the voice Of many waters, when the wide sea raves Beneath the howling blast, with thunderous crash Of waves, when shake the fearful shipman's knees; So thundered earth beneath their charging feet. Strife swooped on them: foe hurled himself on foe. First did Aeneas of the Danaans slay Harpalion, Arizelus' scion, born In far Boeotia of Amphinome, Who came to Troy to help the Argive men With godlike Prothoenor. 'Neath his waist Aeneas stabbed, and reft sweet life from him. Dead upon him he cast Thersander's son, For the barbed javelin pierced through Hyllus' throat Whom Arethusa by Lethaeus bare In Crete: sore grieved Idomeneus for his fall.