Achilles left that utter part where he his zeal applied, And turn’d into his inner tent, made fast his cup, and then Stood forth, and with his mind beheld the foes fight; and his men, That follow’d his great-minded friend, embattled till they brake With gallant spirit upon the foe. And as fell wasps, that make Their dwellings in the broad high-way, which foolish children use (Their cottages being near their nests) to anger and abuse With ever vexing them, and breed (to soothe their childish war) A common ill to many men, since if a traveller (That would his journey’s end apply, and pass them unassay’d) Come near and vex them, upon him the children’s faults are laid, For on they fly as he were such, and still defend their own; So far’d it with the fervent mind of ev’ry Myrmidon, Who pour’d themselves out of their fleet upon their wanton foes, That needs would stir them, thrust so near, and cause the overthrows Of many others, that had else been never touch’d by them, Nor would have touch’d. Patroclus then put his wind to the stream, And thus exhorted: “Now, my friends, remember you express Your late-urg’d virtue, and renown our great Æacides. That, he being strong’st of all the Greeks, his eminence may dim All others likewise in our strengths, that far off imitate him: And Agamemnon now may see his fault as general As his place high, dishonouring him that so much honours all.” Thus made he sparkle their fresh fire, and on they rush’d; the fleet Fill’d full her hollow sides with sounds, that terribly did greet Th’ amazed Trojans; and their eyes did second their amaze When great Menœtius’ son they saw, and his friend’s armour blaze. All troops stood troubled, with conceit that Peleus’ son was there, His anger cast off at the ships; and each look’d ev’rywhere For some authority to lead the then preparéd flight. Patroclus greeted with a lance the region where the fight Made strongest tumult, near the ship Protesilaus brought, And strook Pyræchmen; who before the fair-helmed Pæons fought, Led from Amydon, near whose walls the broad-stream’d Axius flows. Through his right shoulder flew the dart, whose blow strook all the blows In his pow’r from his pow’rless arm, and down he groaning fell; His men all flying, their leader fled. This one dart did repell The whole guard plac’d about the ship, whose fire extinct, half burn’d The Pæons left her, and full cry to clam’rous flight return’d. Then spread the Greeks about their ships; triumphant tumult flow’d: And, as from top of some steep hill the Lightner strips a cloud, And lets a great sky out from heav’n, in whose delightsome light All prominent foreheads, forests, tow’rs, and temples cheer the sight; So clear’d these Greeks this Trojan cloud, and at their ships and tents Obtain’d a little time to breathe, but found no present vents To their inclusions; nor did Troy, though these Pæonians fled, Lose any ground, but from this ship they needfully turn’d head. Then ev’ry man a man subdu’d.