Out to a passing bloody length; for as, once put in act, A fire, invading city roofs, is suddenly engrost, And made a wondrous mighty flame, in which is quickly lost A house long building, all the while a boist’rous gust of wind Lumb’ring amongst it; so the Greeks, in bearing off their friend, More and more foes drew, at their heels a tumult thund’ring still Of horse and foot. Yet as when mules, in haling from a hill A beam or mast, through foul deep way, well-clapp’d, and hearten’d, close Lie to their labour, tug and sweat, and passing hard it goes, Urg’d by their drivers to all haste; so dragg’d they on the corse, Still both th’ Ajaces at their backs, who back still turn’d the force, Though after it grew still the more. Yet as a sylvan hill Thrusts back a torrent, that hath kept a narrow channel still, Till at his oaken breast it beats, but there a check it takes, That sends it over all the vale, with all the stir it makes, Nor can with all the confluence break through his rooty sides; In no less firm and brave repulse, th’ Ajaces curb’d the prides Of all the Trojans; yet all held the pursuit in his strength, Their chiefs being Hector, and the son of Venus, who at length Put all the youth of Greece besides in most amazeful rout, Forgetting all their fortitudes, distraught, and shrieking out A number of their rich arms lost, fall’n from them here and there, About, and in the dike; and yet, the war concludes not here. THE END OF THE SEVENTEENTH BOOK. [1] This Euphorbus was he that, in Ovid, Pythagoras saith he was in the wars of Troy. [2] Note the manly and wise discourse of Menelaus with himself seeing Hector advancing towards him. [3] An inimitable simile. [4] In the Greek always this phrase is used, not in the hands, but ἐν γούνασι κεὶται, _in the knees of the Gods lies_ our help, etc. THE EIGHTEENTH BOOK OF HOMER’S ILIADS THE ARGUMENT Achilles mourns, told of Patroclus’ end; When Thetis doth from forth the sea ascend And comfort him, advising to abstain From any fight till her request could gain Fit arms of Vulcan. Juno yet commands To show himself. And at the dike he stands In sight of th’ enemy, who with his sight Flies; and a number perish in the flight. Patroclus’ person (safe brought from the wars) His soldiers wash. Vulcan the arms prepares. ANOTHER ARGUMENT Sigma continues the alarms, And fashions the renownéd arms.