h rising forms:
"Mighty it was, but Theseus, mightier still,
"Seiz'd it, and full against his hostile face
"It dash'd; he vomits forth, with clots of gore,
"His brains, and wine; these issuing from the wound;
"That from his mouth; and on the soaking sand
"Supine he sprawls. With rage the two-form'd race
"Burn for their brother's slaughter; all with voice
"United, eager call--to arms! to arms!
"Wine gave them courage, and the primal fight
"Was goblets, fragile casks, and hollow jars,
"Dash'd on: once instruments to feasts alone
"Pertaining; now for slaughter us'd and blood.

"First Amycus, of Ophion son, not fear'd
"To rob the sacred chambers of their spoils;
"And from its cord suspensive, tore away,
"As from the roof it hung, a glittering lamp;
"And hurl'd it, lofty-pois'd, full in the front
"Of Lapithaean Celadon. So falls
"On the white neck the victim bull presents,
"The sacrificial axe, and all his bones
"Were shatter'd left; one all confounded wound.
"His eyes sprang forth; his palate bones displac'd,
"His nose driv'n back within his palate falls.
"Him Belates Pellaean with a foot
"Torn from a maple table, on the ground
"Stretch'd prone; his chin forc'd downward on his breast;
"And sputtering teeth, with blackest gore commixt,
"Sent by a second blow to Stygia's shades.

"As next he stood, and with tremendous brow
"The flaming altar view'd, Gryneus exclaim'd--
"Why use we this not? and the ponderous load
"With all its fires he seiz'd, and 'mid the crowd
"Of Lapithaeans flung: two low it press'd;
"Broteas and bold Orion. From her sphere
"Orion's mother Mycale, by charms
"The moon to drag to earth has oft been known.

"Loud cry'd Exodius:--Were but weapons found
"That death impunity would boast not. Horns
"An ancient stag once brandish'd, on a pine
"Hung lofty, serv'd for arms; the forky branch
"Hurl'd in his face deep dug out either eye.
"Part to the horns adhere; part flowing down
"His beard, thence hang in ropes of clotted gore.
"Lo! Rhaetus snatches from the altar's height
"A burning torch of size immense, and through
"Charaxus' dexter temple, with bright hair
"Shaded, he drives it. Like the arid corn
"Caught by the rapid flame, the tresses burn;
"And the scorch'd blood the wound sent forth, a sound
"Of horrid crackling gave. Oft whizzes steel
"So, drawn forth glowing from the fire, with tong