Should to the Greeks the final triumph leave. With such design, to seize the ships, he fir’d Th’ already burning zeal of Priam’s son; Fiercely he rag’d, as terrible as Mars With brandish’d spear; or as a raging fire ’Mid the dense thickets on the mountain side. The foam was on his lips; bright flash’d his eyes Beneath his awful brows, and terribly Above his temples wav’d amid the fray The helm of Hector; Jove himself from Heav’n. His guardian hand extending, him alone With glory crowning ’mid the host of men; But short his term of glory: for the day Was fast approaching, when, with Pallas’ aid, The might of Peleus’ son should work his doom. Oft he essay’d to break the ranks, where’er The densest and throng noblest arms he saw; But strenuous though his efforts, all were vain: They, mass’d in close array, his charge withstood; Firm as a craggy rock, upstanding high, Close by the hoary sea, which meets unmov’d The boist’rous currents of the whistling winds, And the big waves that bellow round its base; So stood unmov’d the Greeks, and undismay’d. At length, all blazing in his arms, he sprang Upon the mass; so plunging down, as when On some tall vessel, from beneath the clouds A giant billow, tempest-nurs’d, descends; The deck is drench’d in foam; the stormy wind Howls in the shrouds; th’ affrighted seamen quail In fear, but little way from death remov’d; So quail’d the spirit in ev’ry Grecian breast. As when a rav’ning lion on a herd Of heifers falls, which on some marshy mead Feed numberless, beneath the care of one, Unskill’d from beasts of prey to guard his charge; And while beside the front or rear he walks, The lion on th’ unguarded centre springs, Seizes on one, and scatters all the rest; So Hector, led by Jove, in wild alarm Scatter’d the Grecians all; but one alone, Brave Periphetes, of Mycenæ, slew; The son of Copreus, whom Eurystheus sent His envoy to the might of Hercules; Far nobler than the father was the son; In speed of foot, in warlike might, in mind, In all, among Mycenians foremost he; Who now on Hector fresh renown conferr’d; For, backward as he stepp’d, against the rim Of the broad shield which for defence he bore, Down reaching to his feet, he tripp’d, and thus Entangled, backward fell; and as he fell, Around his temples clatter’d loud his helm. Hector beheld, and o’er him stood in haste, And with his spear transfix’d his breast, and slew Before his comrades’ eyes; yet dar’d not one, Though grieving for their comrade’s loss, advance To rescue; such of Hector was their awe. They fronted now the ships; the leading prows Which first were drawn on shore, still barr’d their way; Yet on they stream’d; and from the foremost ships, Now hardly press’d, the Greeks perforce retir’d; But closely mass’d before the tents they stood, Not scatter’d o’er the camp; by shame restrain’d, And fear; and loudly each exhorted each. Gerenian Nestor chief, the prop of Greece, Thus by their fathers singly each adjur’d: