The Greeks’ intentions, “but,” said he, “thou shalt be sworn before, By this thy sceptre, that the horse of great Æacides, And his strong chariot bound with brass, thou wilt (before all these) Resign me as my valour’s prise; and so I rest unmov’d To be thy spy, and not return before I have approv’d (By vent’ring to Atrides’ ship, where their consults are held) If they resolve still to resist, or fly as quite expell’d.” He put his sceptre in his hand, and call’d the thunder’s God, Saturnia’s husband, to his oath, those horse should not be rode By any other man than he, but he for ever joy (To his renown) their services, for his good done to Troy. Thus swore he, and forswore himself, yet made base Dolon bold; Who on his shoulders hung his bow, and did about him fold A white wolf’s hide, and with a helm of weasels’ skins did arm His weasel’s head, then took his dart, and never turn’d to harm The Greeks with their related drifts; but being past the troops Of horse and foot, he promptly runs, and as he runs he stoops To undermine Achilles’ horse. Ulysses straight did see, And said to Diomed: “This man makes footing towards thee, Out of the tents. I know not well, if he be us’d as spy Bent to our fleet, or come to rob the slaughter’d enemy. But let us suffer him to come a little further on, And then pursue him. If it chance, that we be overgone By his more swiftness, urge him still to run upon our fleet, And (lest he ’scape us to the town) still let thy jav’lin meet With all his offers of retreat.” Thus stepp’d they from the plain Amongst the slaughter’d carcasses. Dolon came on amain, Suspecting nothing; but once past, as far as mules outdraw Oxen at plough, being both put on, neither admitted law, To plough a deep-soil’d furrow forth, so far was Dolon past. Then they pursu’d, which he perceiv’d, and stay’d his speedless haste, Subtly supposing Hector sent to countermand his spy; But, in a jav’lin’s throw or less, he knew them enemy. Then laid he on his nimble knees, and they pursu’d like wind. As when a brace of greyhounds are laid in with hare and hind, Close-mouth’d and skill’d to make the best of their industrious course, Serve either’s turn, and, set on hard, lose neither ground nor force; So constantly did Tydeus’ son, and his town-razing peer, Pursue this spy, still turning him, as he was winding near His covert, till he almost mix’d with their out-courts of guard. Then Pallas prompted Diomed, lest his due worth’s reward Should be impair’d if any man did vaunt he first did sheath His sword in him, and he be call’d but second in his death. Then spake he, threat’ning with his lance: “Or stay, or this comes on, And long thou canst not run before thou be by death outgone.” This said, he threw his jav’lin forth; which missed as Diomed would, Above his right arm making way, the pile stuck in the mould. He stay’d and trembled, and his teeth did chatter in his head. They came in blowing, seiz’d him fast; he, weeping, offeréd