ning din,
And with a spirit ill at ease
Addressed his lords in words like these:

"That warlike shout, those joyous cries,
Loud as the thunder of the skies,
Upsent from every Vanar throat,
Some new-born confidence denote.
Hark, how the sea and trembling shore
Re-echo with the Vanars' roar.
Though arrowy chains, securely twined
Both Rama and his brother bind,
Still must the fierce triumphant shout
Disturb my soul with rising doubt.
Swift envoys to the army send,
And learn what change these cries portend."

Obedient, at their master's call,
Fleet giants clomb the circling wall.
They saw the Vanars formed and led:
They saw Sugriva at their head,
The brothers from their bonds released:
And hope grew faint and fear increased.
Their faces pale with doubt and dread,
Back to the giant king they sped,
And to his startled ear revealed
The tidings of the battle field.

The flush of rage a while gave place
To chilling fear that changed his face:

"What?" cried the tyrant, "are my foes
Freed from the binding snakes that close
With venomed clasp round head and limb,
Bright as the sun and fierce like him:
The spell a God bestowed of yore,
The spell that never failed before?
If arts like these be useless, how
Shall giant strength avail us now?
Go forth, Dhumraksha, good at need,
The bravest of my warriors lead:
Force through the foe thy conquering way,
And Rama and the Vanars slay."

Before his king with reverence due
Dhumraksha bowed him, and withdrew.
Around him at his summons came
Fierce legions led by chiefs of fame.
Well armed with sword and spear and mace,
They hurried to the gathering place,
And rushed to battle, borne at speed
By elephant and car and steed.

Canto LII. Dhumraksha's Death.

The Vanars saw the giant foe
Pour from the gate in gallant show,
Rejoiced with warriors' fierce delight
And shouted, longing for the fight.
Near came the hosts and nearer yet:
Dire was the tumult as they met,
As, serried line to line opposed,
The Vanars and the giants closed.
Fierce on the foe the Vanars rushed,
And, wielding trees, the foremost crushed;
But, feathered from the heron's wing,
With eager flight from sounding string,
Against them shot with surest aim
A ceaseless storm of arrows came:
And, pierced in head and chest and side,
Full many a Vanar fell and died.
They perished slain in fierce attacks
With sword and pike and battle-axe;
But myriads following undismayed
Their valour