th' unwieldy weight: but soon the heap
"Reaches his face, and then o'ertops his head:
"Nor breath is left his spirit can inhale.
"Now faint he sinks, and struggles now in vain
"To lift his head to air, and from him heave
"The heap'd-up forests: then the pile but shakes,
"As shakes the lofty Ida you behold,
"When by an earthquake stirr'd. Doubtful his end.
"His body, by the sylvan load down prest,
"Some thought that shadowy Tartarus receiv'd.
"But Mopsus this deny'd, who spy'd a bird
"From 'mid the pile ascend, and mount the skies
"On yellow pinions. I the bird beheld,
"Then first, then last. As wide on buoyant wing
"Our force surveying, Mopsus saw him fly,
"And rustling round with mighty noise, his eyes
"And soul close mark'd him, and he loud exclaim'd,--
"Hail, Caeneus! of the Lapithaean race
"The glory! once of men the first, and now
"Bird of thy kind unique!--The seer's belief
"Made credible the fact. Grief spurr'd our rage.
"Nor bore we calmly that a single youth
"By hosts of foes should fall. Nor ceas'd our swords
"In gore to rage 'till most to death were given:
"The rest by favoring darkness say'd in flight."

While thus the Pylian sage, the wars narrates
Wag'd by the Lapithaean race, and foe
Centaurs half-human; his splenetic ire
Tlepolemus could hide not, when he found
Alcides' deeds past o'er; but angry spoke.--
"Old sire, astonish'd, I perceive the praise
"The deeds of Hercules demand, has 'scap'd
"Your mind. My father has been wont to tell
"Whom, he of cloud-begotten race o'erthrew:
"Oft have I heard him." Nestor sad reply'd;
"Why force me thus my miseries to recal
"To recollection; freshening up the woes
"Long years have blunted; and confess the hate
"I bear thy sire for injuries receiv'd.
"He, (O, ye gods!) has deeds atchiev'd which far
"All faith surpass; and has the wide world fill'd
"With his high fame. Would I could this deny!
"For praise we e'er Deiphobus? or praise
"Give we Polydamas, or Hector's self?
"Who can a foe applaud? This sire of thine
"Messenia's walls laid prostrate, and destroy'd
"Elis and Pylos, unoffending towns;
"Rushing with fire and sword in our abode.
"To pass the rest who 'neath his fury fell,--
"Twice six of Neleus' sons were we beheld;
"Twice six save me beneath Alcides' arm,
"There dy'd. With ease were conquer'd all but one;
"Strange was of Periclymenos the de