rom the stroke of fate
A mortal man death-destined from of old?
Do it; but small thy praise shall be in heaven. 210
Then answer thus, cloud-gatherer Jove return'd.
Fear not, Tritonia, daughter dear! that word
Spake not my purpose; me thou shalt perceive
Always to thee indulgent. What thou wilt
That execute, and use thou no delay. 215
So roused he Pallas of herself prepared,
And from the heights Olympian down she flew.
With unremitting speed Achilles still
Urged Hector. As among the mountain-height
The hound pursues, roused newly from her lair 220
The flying fawn through many a vale and grove;
And though she trembling skulk the shrubs beneath,
Tracks her continual, till he find the prey,
So 'scaped not Hector Peleus' rapid son.
Oft as toward the Dardan gates he sprang 225
Direct, and to the bulwarks firm of Troy,
Hoping some aid by volleys from the wall,
So oft, outstripping him, Achilles thence
Enforced him to the field, who, as he might,
Still ever stretch'd toward the walls again. 230
As, in a dream,[10] pursuit hesitates oft,
This hath no power to fly, that to pursue,
So these--one fled, and one pursued in vain.
How, then, had Hector his impending fate
Eluded, had not Phoebus, at his last, 235
Last effort meeting him, his strength restored,
And wing'd for flight his agile limbs anew?
The son of Peleus, as he ran, his brows
Shaking, forbad the people to dismiss
A dart at Hector, lest a meaner hand 240
Piercing him, should usurp the foremost praise.
But when the fourth time to those rivulets.
They came, then lifting high his golden scales,
Two lots the everlasting Father placed
Within them, for Achilles one, and one 245
For Hector, balancing the doom of both.
Grasping it in the midst, he raised the beam.
Down went the fatal day of Hector, down
To Ades, and Apollo left his side.
Then blue-eyed Pallas hasting to the son 250
Of Peleus, in wing'd accents him address'd.
Now, dear to Jove, Achilles famed in arms!
I hope that, fierce in combat though he be,
We shall, at last, slay Hector, and return
Crown'd with great glory to the fleet of Greece. 255
No fear of his deliverance now remains,
Not even should