es; feeble and slight
And of a nature indisposed to war 130
They rove uncertain; so the Trojans erst
Stood not, nor to Achaian prowess dared
The hindrance of a moment's strife oppose.
But now, Troy left afar, even at our ships
They give us battle, through our leader's fault 135
And through the people's negligence, who fill'd
With fierce displeasure against _him_, prefer
Death at their ships, to war in their defence.
But if the son of Atreus, our supreme,
If Agamemnon, have indeed transgress'd 140
Past all excuse, dishonoring the swift
Achilles, ye at least the fight decline
Blame-worthy, and with no sufficient plea.
But heal we speedily the breach; brave minds
Easily coalesce. It is not well 145
That thus your fury slumbers, for the host
Hath none illustrious as yourselves in arms.
I can excuse the timid if he shrink,
But am incensed at _you_. My friends, beware!
Your tardiness will prove ere long the cause 150
Of some worse evil. Let the dread of shame
Affect your hearts; oh tremble at the thought
Of infamy! Fierce conflict hath arisen;
Loud shouting Hector combats at the ships
Nobly, hath forced the gates and burst the bar. 155
With such encouragement those Grecian chiefs
The King of Ocean roused. Then, circled soon
By many a phalanx either Ajax stood,
Whose order Mars himself arriving there
Had praised, or Pallas, patroness of arms. 160
For there the flower of all expected firm
Bold Hector and his host; spear crowded spear,
Shield, helmet, man, press'd helmet, man and shield;[3]
The hairy crests of their resplendent casques
Kiss'd close at every nod, so wedged they stood; 165
No spear was seen but in the manly grasp
It quiver'd, and their every wish was war.
The powers of Ilium gave the first assault
Embattled close; them Hector led himself[4]
Right on, impetuous as a rolling rock 170
Destructive; torn by torrent waters off
From its old lodgment on the mountain's brow,
It bounds, it shoots away; the crashing wood
Falls under it; impediment or check
None stays its fury, till the level found, 175
There, settling by degrees, it rolls no more;
So after many a threat that he would pass
Easily through the