A sandy drift; and bade the streams return To where of old their silver waters flow’d. Such were, in future days, to be the works Of Neptune and Apollo; but meanwhile Fierce rag’d the battle round the firm-built wall, And frequent clatter’d on the turrets’ beams The hostile missiles: by the scourge of Jove Subdued, the Greeks beside their ships were hemm’d, By Hector scar’d, fell minister of Dread, Who with the whirlwind’s force, as ever, fought. As when, by dogs and hunters circled round, A boar, or lion, in his pride of strength, Turns on his foes, while they in close array Stand opposite, and frequent shoot their darts; Nor yet his spirit quails, but firm he stands With suicidal courage; swift he turns, Where best to break the circling ranks; where’er He makes his rush, the circling ranks give way: So Hector, here and there, amid the crowd, Urg’d his companions on to cross the ditch: The fiery steeds shrank back, and, snorting, stood Upon the topmost brink; for the wide ditch Withheld them, easy nor to leap nor cross: For steep arose on either side the banks, And at the top with sharpen’d stakes were crown’d, Thick-set and strong, which there the sons of Greece Had planted, to repel th’ invading foes. Scarce might a horse, with well-wheel’d car attach’d, Essay the passage; but on foot they burn’d To make th’ attempt; and thus Polydamas, Approaching near, to valiant Hector spoke: “Hector, and all ye other chiefs of Troy, And brave Allies, in vain we seek to drive Our horses o’er the ditch; ’tis hard to cross; ’Tis crown’d with pointed stakes, and them behind Is built the Grecian wall; there to descend And from our cars in narrow space to fight Were certain ruin. If it be indeed The will of Jove, high-thund’ring, to confound The Greeks in utter rout, and us to aid, I should rejoice that ev’ry Greek forthwith Far from his home should fill a nameless grave; But should they turn, and we again be driv’n Back from the ships, and hurried down the ditch, Such were our loss, that scarce a messenger Would live to bear the tidings to the town Of our destruction by the rallied Greeks. Hear then my counsel; let us all agree With our attendants here upon the bank To leave our horses; and ourselves on foot, All arm’d, press on where Hector leads; the Greeks, If that their doom be nigh, will make no stand.”