Wept all to see her: in his life great Hector’s fun’rals were; Never look’d any eye of theirs to see their lord safe home, ‘Scap’d from the gripes and pow’rs of Greece. And now was Paris come From his high tow’rs; who made no stay, when once he had put on His richest armour, but flew forth; the flints he trod upon Sparkled with lustre of his arms; his long-ebb’d spirits now flow’d The higher for their lower ebb. And as a fair steed, proud[7] With full-giv’n mangers, long tied up, and now, his head stall broke, He breaks from stable, runs the field, and with an ample stroke Measures the centre, neighs, and lifts aloft his wanton head, About his shoulders shakes his crest, and where he hath been fed, Or in some calm flood wash’d, or, stung with his high plight, he flies Amongst his females, strength put forth, his beauty beautifies, And, like life’s mirror, bears his gait; so Paris from the tow’r Of lofty Pergamus came forth; he show’d a sun-like pow’r In carriage of his goodly parts, address’d now to the strife; And found his noble brother near the place he left his wife. Him thus respected he salutes: “Right worthy, I have fear That your so serious haste to field, my stay hath made forbear, And that I come not as you wish.” He answer’d: “Honour’d man, Be confident, for not myself, nor any others, can Reprove in thee the work of fight, at least, not any such As is an equal judge of things; for thou hast strength as much As serves to execute a mind very important, but Thy strength too readily flies off, enough will is not put To thy ability. My heart is in my mind’s strife sad, When Troy (out of her much distress, she and her friends have had By thy procurement) doth deprave thy noblesse in mine ears. But come, hereafter we shall calm these hard conceits of theirs, When, from their ports the foe expuls’d, high Jove to them hath giv’n Wish’d peace, and us free sacrifice to all the Powers of heav’n.” THE END OF THE SIXTH BOOK. [1] This Virgil imitates. [2] _Bellerophontis literæ. Ad Eras._ This long speech many critics tax as untimely, being, as they take it, in the heat of fight; Hier. Vidas, a late observer, being eagerest against Homer. Whose ignorance in this I cannot but note, and prove to you; for, besides the authority and office of a poet, to vary and quicken his poem with these episodes, sometimes beyond the leisure of their actions, the critic notes not how far his forerunner prevents his worst as far; and sets down his speech at the sudden and strange turning of the Trojan field, set on a little before by Hector; and that so fiercely, it made an admiring stand among the Grecians, and therein gave fit time for these great captains to utter their admirations, the whole field in that part being to stand like their commanders. And then how full of decorum this gallant show and speech was to sound understandings, I leave only to such, and let our critics go cavil.