Though he himself commands him fight, as now he put this chace In Menœtiades’s mind. How much then weighs the grace, Patroclus, that Jove gives thee now, in scoles put with thy death, Of all these great and famous men the honourable breath! Of which Adrestus first he slew, and next Autonous, Epistora, and Perimus, Pylartes, Elasus, Swift Menalippus, Molius; all these were overthrown By him, and all else put in rout; and then proud Ilion Had stoop’d beneath his glorious hand, he rag’d so with his lance, If Phœbus had not kept the tow’r, and help’d the Ilians, Sustaining ill thoughts ’gainst the prince. Thrice to the prominence Of Troy’s steep wall he bravely leap’d; thrice Phœbus thrust him thence, Objecting his all-dazzling shield, with his resistless hand; But fourthly, when, like one of heav’n, he would have stirr’d his stand, Apollo threaten’d him, and said: “Cease, it exceeds thy fate, Forward, Patroclus, to expugn with thy bold lance this state; Nor under great Achilles’ pow’rs, to thine superior far, Lies Troy’s grave ruin.” When he spake, Patroclus left that war, Leap’d far back, and his anger shunn’d. Hector detain’d his horse Within the Scæan port, in doubt to put his personal force Amongst the rout, and turn their heads, or shun in Troy the storm. Apollo, seeing his suspense, resum’d the goodly form Of Hector’s uncle, Asius; the Phrygian Dymas’ son, Who near the deep Sangarius had habitation, Being brother to the Trojan queen. His shape Apollo took, And ask’d of Hector, why his spirit so clear the fight forsook? Affirming ’twas unfit for him, and wish’d his forces were As much above his, as they mov’d in an inferior sphere. He should, with shame to him, be gone; and so bade drive away Against Patroclus, to approve, if He that gave them day Would give the glory of his death to his preferréd lance. So left he him, and to the fight did his bright head advance, Mix’d with the multitude, and stirr’d foul tumult for the foe. Then Hector bade Cebriones put on; himself let go All other Greeks within his reach, and only gave command To front Patroclus. He at him; jump’d down; his strong left hand A jav’lin held, his right a stone, a marble sharp and such As his large hand had pow’r to gripe, and gave it strength as much As he could lie to; nor stood long, in fear of that huge man That made against him, but full on with his huge stone he ran, Discharg’d, and drave it ’twixt the brows of bold Cebriones. Nor could the thick bone there prepar’d extenuate so th’ access, But out it drave his broken eyes, which in the dust fell down, And he div’d after; which conceit of diving took the son Of old Menœtius, who thus play’d upon the other’s bane. “O heav’ns! For truth, this Trojan was a passing active man! With what exceeding ease he dives, as if at work he were Within the fishy seas! This man alone would furnish cheer For twenty men, though ’twere a storm, to leap out of a sail, And gather oysters for them all, he does it here as well,