s
"Bent, and in cooling waters frequent plung'd;
"And crackling sounds, immers'd in tepid waves.
"The wounded hero from his tresses shook
"The greedy flames, and in his arms upheav'd,
"Tom from the earth, a mighty threshold stone,
"A waggon's burthen; but the ponderous load
"Forbade his strength to hurl it on the foe:
"And on Cometes, who beside him stood,
"Dropp'd the huge bulk. Nor Rhaetus then his joy
"Disguis'd, exclaiming:--Such may be the aid
"That all your friends receive!--Then with his brand
"Half burnt, his blows redoubling, burst the skull
"With the strong force; and on the pulpy brain
"By frequent strokes the bones beat down. From thence
"Victor, Evagrus, Corythus, he met
"And Dryas. Corythus o'erthrown, whose cheeks
"The first down shaded; loud Evagrus cry'd:--
"What glory thine, thus a weak boy to slay?--
"No more to utter Rhaetus gave, but fierce
"Plung'd the red-flaming weapon in his mouth,
"Thus speaking; and deep forc'd it down his throat.
"Thee also, furious Dryas! with the brand,
"Whirl'd round and round his head, he next assails.
"But thee the same sad fortune not befel:
"Him, proud triumphing from increas'd success
"In blood, thou piercest with an harden'd stake,
"Where the neck meets the shoulder. Rhaetus groan'd:
"And from the hard bone scarce the wood could draw;
"As drench'd in blood his own, by flight he scap'd.
"With him fled Lycabas; and Orneus fled;
"Thaumas; Pisenor; Medon, who was struck
"'Neath the right shoulder; Mermeros, who late
"In rapid race all else surpass'd, but now
"Mov'd halting with his wound; Abas, of boars
"The spoiler; Pholus, and Melaneus too;
"With Astylos the seer, who from the war
"Dissuaded, but in vain, his brethren crowd.
"Nay more, to Nessus, fearing wounds, he cry'd--
"Fly not!--thou'lt for Alcides' bow be sav'd.

"Euronymus, nor Lycidas, their fate,
"Areos, nor Imbreos fled; whom face to face
"Confronting, Dryas' hand smote down. Thou too,
"Crenaeus! felt thy death in front, though turn'd
"For flight thy feet; for looking back thou caught'st
"Betwixt thine eyes the massy steel; where joins
"The nose's basement to the forehead bones.

"With endless draughts of stupefactive wine
"Aphidas lay, 'mid all the raging noise
"Unrous'd; and grasping in his languid hand
"A ready-mingled bowl: stretch'd was he seen,
"On a rough bear-skin, brought from Oss