His eyry, or could give it to his young,275 So we, although with mighty force we burst Both gates and barrier, and although the Greeks Should all retire, shall never yet the way Tread honorably back by which we came. No. Many a Trojan shall we leave behind280 Slain by the Grecians in their fleet’s defence. An augur skill’d in omens would expound This omen thus, and faith would win from all. To whom, dark-louring, Hector thus replied. Polydamas! I like not thy advice;285 Thou couldst have framed far better; but if this Be thy deliberate judgment, then the Gods Make thy deliberate judgment nothing worth, Who bidd’st me disregard the Thunderer’s[2] firm Assurance to myself announced, and make290 The wild inhabitants of air my guides, Which I alike despise, speed they their course With right-hand flight toward the ruddy East, Or leftward down into the shades of eve. Consider _we_ the will of Jove alone,295 Sovereign of heaven and earth. Omens abound, But the best omen is our country’s cause.[3] Wherefore should fiery war _thy_ soul alarm? For were we slaughter’d, one and all, around The fleet of Greece, _thou_ need’st not fear to die,300 Whose courage never will thy flight retard. But if thou shrink thyself, or by smooth speech Seduce one other from a soldier’s part, Pierced by this spear incontinent thou diest. So saying he led them, who with deafening roar305 Follow’d him. Then, from the Idæan hills Jove hurl’d a storm which wafted right the dust Into the fleet; the spirits too he quell’d Of the Achaians, and the glory gave To Hector and his host; they, trusting firm310 In signs from Jove, and in their proper force, Assay’d the barrier; from the towers they tore The galleries, cast the battlements to ground, And the projecting buttresses adjoin’d To strengthen the vast work, with bars upheaved.315 All these, with expectation fierce to break The rampart, down they drew; nor yet the Greeks Gave back, but fencing close with shields the wall, Smote from behind them many a foe beneath. Meantime from tower to tower the Ajaces moved320 Exhorting all; with mildness some, and some With harsh rebuke, whom they observed through fear Declining base the labors of the fight, Friends! Argives! warriors of whatever rank! Ye who excel, and ye of humbler note!325 And ye the last and least! (for such there are, All have not magnanimity alike) Now have we work for all, as all perceive. Turn not, retreat not to your ships, appall’d By sounding menaces, but press the foe;330 Exhort each other, and e’en now perchance Olympian Jove, by whom the lightnings burn, Shall grant us to repulse them, and to chase The routed Trojans to their gates again. So they vociferating to the Greeks,335 Stirr’d them to battle. As the feathery snows Fall frequent, on some wintry day, when Jove Hath risen to shed them on the race of man, And show his arrowy stores; he lulls the winds, Then shakes them down continual, covering thick340 Mountain tops, promontories, flowery meads,