Should self-abandon’d fall an easy prey. The Trojans, thus with their confederate powers, The counsel of the accomplish’d Prince pursued,140 Polydamas, one Chief alone except, Asius Hyrtacides. He scorn’d to leave His charioteer and coursers at the trench, And drove toward the fleet. Ah, madly brave! His evil hour was come; he was ordain’d145 With horse and chariot and triumphant shout To enter wind-swept Ilium never more. Deucalion’s offspring, first, into the shades Dismiss’d him; by Idomeneus he died. Leftward he drove furious, along the road150 By which the steeds and chariots of the Greeks Return’d from battle; in that track he flew, Nor found the portals by the massy bar Secured, but open for reception safe Of fugitives, and to a guard consign’d.155 Thither he drove direct, and in his rear His band shrill-shouting follow’d, for they judged The Greeks no longer able to withstand Their foes, but sure to perish in the camp. Vain hope! for in the gate two Chiefs they found160 Lapithæ-born, courageous offspring each Of dauntless father; Polypœtes, this, Sprung from Pirithöus; that, the warrior bold Leonteus, terrible as gore-tainted Mars. These two, defenders of the lofty gates,165 Stood firm before them. As when two tall oaks On the high mountains day by day endure Rough wind and rain, by deep-descending roots Of hugest growth fast-founded in the soil; So they, sustain’d by conscious valor, saw,170 Unmoved, high towering Asius on his way, Nor fear’d him aught, nor shrank from his approach Right on toward the barrier, lifting high Their season’d bucklers and with clamor loud The band advanced, King Asius at their head,175 With whom Iämenus, expert in arms, Orestes, Thöon, Acamas the son Of Asius, and Oenomäus, led them on. Till now, the warlike pair, exhorting loud The Grecians to defend the fleet, had stood180 Within the gates; but soon as they perceived The Trojans swift advancing to the wall, And heard a cry from all the flying Greeks, Both sallying, before the gates they fought Like forest-boars, which hearing in the hills185 The crash of hounds and huntsmen nigh at hand, With start oblique lay many a sapling flat Short-broken by the root, nor cease to grind Their sounding tusks, till by the spear they die; So sounded on the breasts of those brave two190 The smitten brass; for resolute they fought, Embolden’d by their might who kept the wall, And trusting in their own; they, in defence Of camp and fleet and life, thick battery hurl’d Of stones precipitated from the towers;195 Frequent as snows they fell, which stormy winds, Driving the gloomy clouds, shake to the ground, Till all the fertile earth lies cover’d deep. Such volley pour’d the Greeks, and such return’d The Trojans; casques of hide, arid and tough,200 And bossy shields rattled, by such a storm Assail’d of millstone masses from above. Then Asius, son of Hyrtacus, a groan Indignant utter’d; on both thighs he smote With disappointment furious, and exclaim’d,205