The Iliad of Homer: Translated into English Blank Verse by William CowperHomer
General
The Iliad of Homer: Translated into English Blank Verse by William Cowper
Homer
Achilles (Mythological character) -- Poetry; Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War -- Poetry
(Such men as now are mighty) could with ease
Have heaved it from the earth up to a wain;
He swung it easily alone; so light
The son of Saturn made it in his hand.
As in one hand with ease the shepherd bears550
A ram’s fleece home, nor toils beneath the weight,
So Hector, right toward the planks of those
Majestic folding-gates, close-jointed, firm
And solid, bore the stone. Two bars within
Their corresponding force combined transvere555
To guard them, and one bolt secured the bars.
He stood fast by them, parting wide his feet
For ’vantage sake, and smote them in the midst.
He burst both hinges; inward fell the rock
Ponderous, and the portals roar’d; the bars560
Endured not, and the planks, riven by the force
Of that huge mass, flew scatter’d on all sides.
In leap’d the godlike Hero at the breach,
Gloomy as night in aspect, but in arms
All-dazzling, and he grasp’d two quivering spears.565
Him entering with a leap the gates, no force
Whate’er of opposition had repress’d,
Save of the Gods alone. Fire fill’d his eyes;
Turning, he bade the multitude without
Ascend the rampart; they his voice obey’d;570
Part climb’d the wall, part pour’d into the gate;
The Grecians to their hollow galleys flew
Scatter’d, and tumult infinite arose.[6]
BOOK XIII.
ARGUMENT OF THE THIRTEENTH BOOK.
Neptune engages on the part of the Grecians. The battle proceeds.
Deiphobus advances to combat, but is repulsed by Meriones, who losing
his spear, repairs to his tent for another. Teucer slays Imbrius, and
Hector Amphimachus. Neptune, under the similitude of Thoas, exhorts
Idomeneus. Idomeneus having armed himself in his tent, and going forth
to battle, meets Meriones. After discourse held with each other,
Idomeneus accommodates Meriones with a spear, and they proceed to
battle. Idomeneus slays Othryoneus, and Asius. Deiphobus assails
Idomeneus, but, his spear glancing over him, kills Hypsenor. Idomeneus
slays Alcathoüs, son-in-law of Anchises. Deiphobus and Idomeneus
respectively summon their friends to their assistance, and a contest
ensues for the body of Alcathoüs.
BOOK XIII.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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