of the two. With an awful cry they closed: and wise Zeus
thundered loudly and rained down drops of blood, giving the signal for
battle to his dauntless son.

(ll. 386-401) As a tusked boar, that is fearful for a man to see before
him in the glens of a mountain, resolves to fight with the huntsmen and
white tusks, turning sideways, while foam flows all round his mouth as
he gnashes, and his eyes are like glowing fire, and he bristles the hair
on his mane and around his neck--like him the son of Zeus leaped from
his horse-chariot. And when the dark-winged whirring grasshopper,
perched on a green shoot, begins to sing of summer to men--his food
and drink is the dainty dew--and all day long from dawn pours forth his
voice in the deadliest heat, when Sirius scorches the flesh (then the
beard grows upon the millet which men sow in summer), when the crude
grapes which Dionysus gave to men--a joy and a sorrow both--begin to
colour, in that season they fought and loud rose the clamour.

(ll. 402-412) As two lions [1806] on either side of a slain deer spring
at one another in fury, and there is a fearful snarling and a clashing
also of teeth--like vultures with crooked talons and hooked beak that
fight and scream aloud on a high rock over a mountain goat or fat
wild-deer which some active man has shot with an arrow from the string,
and himself has wandered away elsewhere, not knowing the place; but they
quickly mark it and vehemently do keen battle about it--like these they
two rushed upon one another with a shout.

(ll. 413-423) Then Cycnus, eager to kill the son of almighty Zeus,
struck upon his shield with a brazen spear, but did not break
the bronze; and the gift of the god saved his foe. But the son of
Amphitryon, mighty Heracles, with his long spear struck Cycnus violently
in the neck beneath the chin, where it was unguarded between helm and
shield. And the deadly spear cut through the two sinews; for the hero's
full strength lighted on his foe. And Cycnus fell as an oak falls or a
lofty pine that is stricken by the lurid thunderbolt of Zeus; even so he
fell, and his armour adorned with bronze clashed about him.

(ll. 424-442) Then the stout hearted son of Zeus let him be, and himself
watched for the onset of manslaying Ares: fiercely he stared, like a
lion who has come upon a body and full eagerly rips the hide with his
strong claws and takes away the sweet life with all speed: his dark
heart is filled with rage and hi