wiles betray
"Perfidious Troy intended. All I learnt;
"Nor ought for further search remain'd. Now I,
"The camp with fame sufficient might have gain'd;
"But not content, for Rhesus' tents I push;
"Him, and his guard surrounding, in his camp
"I slay. Victorious so, possess'd of all
"My hopes design'd, the car I mount, and proud
"A glad triumpher ride. Now me deny
"The arms of him, whose steeds the spy had hop'd
"Meed of his bold excursion. Ajax say
"More worthy. Why Sarpedon's Lycian troop
"Vanquish'd, should I with boastful tongue relate?
"I vanquish'd Ceranos, Iphitus' son;
"Alastor, Chromius, and Alcander stout;
"Halius, Noemon, Prytanis, with crowds
"Slaughter'd beside. Thooen to hell I sent,
"Chersidamas, and Charops; and to fates
"Unpitying, Ennomus dispatch'd: with these
"Beneath yon' walls whole heaps of meaner rank
"This hand has slain. And, fellow soldiers, lo!
"My wounds are honorable all in place:
"Believe not empty words, yourselves behold."--
Then stript his robe, exclaiming--"Here the breast
"Still for your good employ'd. No drop of blood
"Has Ajax shed since first our host he join'd:
"In all these years, his body still remains
"Unwounded. Yet on this why should I dwell,
"If he must boast, that for the Argive fleet
"He fought alone 'gainst Jupiter and Troy?
"He fought, I grant it; no malignant spite
"Shall move detraction from his valiant deeds.
"But let him not the common rites of more
"Monopolize; let him to each allow
"The honor which they claim. Patroclus, fear'd
"In great Pelides' semblance, backward drove
"All Troy and Troy's protector from the ships,
"Then burning. Next his vanity would boast
"He only in the field of Mars durst strive
"With Hector; of the king, the chiefs, and me
"Forgetful; in the list the ninth alone,
"Solely by lot preferr'd. Yet, warrior brave,
"What was the issue of this daring fight?
"Hector unwounded left you. Mournful theme!
"With what deep sorrow I the time recal,
"When, bulwark of the Greeks, Achilles fell!
"Nor tears, vain lamentations, nor pale fear
"Me check'd; the prostrate body from the ground
"I rais'd. Upon those shoulders--yes, I swear,
"These very shoulders, I Pelides bore,
"With all his arms. The arms I now require.
"Strength I must have to bear with such a load:
"As sure your votes will meet a grateful mind.
"Was it because the bright celesti