Atrides, with his well-aim’d lance, smote Isus on the breast Above the nipple; and his sword a mortal wound impress’d Beneath the ear of Antiphus; down from their horse they fell. The king had seen the youths before, and now did know them well, Rememb’ring them the prisoners of swift Æacides, Who brought them to the sable fleet from Ida’s foody leas. And as a lion having found the furrow of a hind, Where she hath calv’d two little twins, at will and ease doth grind Their joints snatch’d in his solid jaws, and crusheth into mist Their tender lives; their dam, though near, not able to resist, But shook with vehement fear herself, flies through the oaken chace From that fell savage, drown’d in sweat, and seeks some covert place; So when with most unmatched strength the Grecian Gen’ral bent ‘Gainst these two princes, none durst aid their native king’s descent, But fled themselves before the Greeks. And where these two were slain, Pisander and Hippolochus (not able to restrain Their headstrong horse, the silken reins being from their hands let fall) Were brought by their unruly guides before the General. Antimachus begat them both, Antimachus that took Rich gifts, and gold, of Helen’s love, and would by no means brook Just restitution should be made of Menelaus’ wealth, Bereft him, with his ravish’d queen, by Alexander’s stealth. Atrides, lion-like, did charge his sons, who on their knees Fell from their chariot, and besought regard to their degrees, Who, being Antimachus’s sons, their father would afford A worthy ransom for their lives, who in his house did hoard Much hidden treasure, brass, and gold, and steel, wrought wondrous choice. Thus wept they, using smoothing terms, and heard this rugged voice Breath’d from the unrelenting king: “If you be of the breed Of stout Antimachus, that stay’d the honourable deed The other peers of Ilion in council had decreed, To render Helen and her wealth; and would have basely slain My brother and wise Ithacus, ambassadors t’ attain The most due motion; now receive wreak for his shameful part.” This said, in poor Pisander’s breast he fix’d his wreakful dart, Who upward spread th’ oppresséd earth; his brother crouch’d for dread, And, as he lay, the angry king cut off his arms and head, And let him like a football lie for ev’ry man to spurn. Then to th’ extremest heat of fight he did his valour turn, And led a multitude of Greeks, where foot did foot subdue, Horse slaughter’d horse, Need feather’d flight, the batter’d centre flew In clouds of dust about their ears, raised from the horses’ hooves, That beat a thunder out of earth as horrible as Jove’s. The king, persuading speedy chace, gave his persuasions way With his own valour, slaught’ring still. As in a stormy day In thick-set woods a rav’nous fire wraps in his fierce repair The shaken trees, and by the roots doth toss them into air; Ev’n so beneath Atrides’ sword flew up Troy’s flying heels, Their horse drew empty chariots, and sought their thund’ring wheels