They, lowing, from the stalls Rush’d forth to pasture by a river-side Rapid, sonorous, fringed with whispering reeds. Four golden herdsmen drove the kine a-field By nine swift dogs attended. Dreadful sprang720 Two lions forth, and of the foremost herd Seized fast a bull. Him bellowing they dragg’d, While dogs and peasants all flew to his aid. The lions tore the hide of the huge prey And lapp’d his entrails and his blood. Meantime725 The herdsmen, troubling them in vain, their hounds Encouraged; but no tooth for lions’ flesh Found they, and therefore stood aside and bark’d. There also, the illustrious smith divine Amidst a pleasant grove a pasture form’d730 Spacious, and sprinkled o’er with silver sheep Numerous, and stalls and huts and shepherds’ tents. To these the glorious artist added next, With various skill delineated exact, A labyrinth for the dance, such as of old735 In Crete’s broad island Dædalus composed For bright-hair’d Ariadne.[13] There the youths And youth-alluring maidens, hand in hand, Danced jocund, every maiden neat-attired In finest linen, and the youths in vests740 Well-woven, glossy as the glaze of oil. These all wore garlands, and bright falchions, those, Of burnish’d gold in silver trappings hung:—[14] They with well-tutor’d step, now nimbly ran The circle, swift, as when, before his wheel745 Seated, the potter twirls it with both hands For trial of its speed,[15] now, crossing quick They pass’d at once into each other’s place. On either side spectators numerous stood Delighted, and two tumblers roll’d themselves750 Between the dancers, singing as they roll’d. Last, with the might of ocean’s boundless flood He fill’d the border of the wondrous shield. When thus the massy shield magnificent He had accomplish’d, for the hero next755 He forged, more ardent than the blaze of fire, A corselet; then, a ponderous helmet bright Well fitted to his brows, crested with gold, And with laborious art divine adorn’d. He also made him greaves of molten tin.760 The armor finish’d, bearing in his hand The whole, he set it down at Thetis’ feet. She, like a falcon from the snowy top Stoop’d of Olympus, bearing to the earth The dazzling wonder, fresh from Vulcan’s hand.765 BOOK XIX. ARGUMENT OF THE NINETEENTH BOOK. Achilles is reconciled to Agamemnon, and clothed in new armor forged by Vulcan, leads out the Myrmidons to battle. BOOK XIX.