Conspicuous shone; of lesser height the rest.
But when the destined ambuscade was reached,
Beside the river, where the shepherds drove
Their flocks and herds to water, down they lay,
In glittering arms accoutred; and apart
They placed two spies, to notify betimes

The approach of flocks of sheep and lowing herds.
These, in two shepherds' charge, ere long appeared,
Who, unsuspecting as they moved along,
Enjoyed the music of their pastoral pipes.
They on the booty, from afar discerned,
Sprang from their ambuscade; and cutting off
The herds, and fleecy flocks, their guardians slew.
Their comrades heard the tumult where they sat
Before their sacred altars, and forthwith
Sprang on their cars, and with fast-stepping steeds
Pursued the plunderers, and o'ertook them soon.
There on the river's bank they met in arms,
And each at other hurled their brazen spears.
And there were figured Strife, and Tumult wild,
And deadly Fate, who in her iron grasp
One newly wounded, one unwounded bore,
While by the feet from out the press she dragged
Another slain about her shoulders hung
A garment crimsoned with the blood of men.
Like living men they seemed to move, to fight,
To drag away the bodies of the slain.

And there was graven a wide-extended plain

Of fallow land, rich, fertile, mellow soil,

Thrice ploughed; where many ploughmen up and down

Their teams were driving; and as each attained

The limit of the field, would one advance,

And tender him a cup of generous wine:

Then would he turn, and to the end again
Along the furrow cheerly drive his plough.
And still behind them darker showed the soil,
The true presentment of a new-ploughed field,
Though wrought in gold; a miracle of art.

There too was graven a corn-field, rich in grain, Where with sharp sickles reapers plied their task, And thick, in even swathe, the trusses fell;

The binders, following close, the bundles tied:
Three were the binders; and behind them boys
In close attendance waiting, in their arms
Gathered the bundles, and in order piled.
Amid them, staff in hand, in silence stood
The King, rejoicing in the plenteous swathe.
A little way removed, the heralds slew
A sturdy ox, and now beneath an oak
Prepared the feast; while women mixed, hard by,
White barley porridge for the labourers' meal.

And, with rich clusters laden, there was graven
A vineyard fair, all gold; of glossy black
The bunches were, on silver poles sustained;
Around, a darksome trench; beyond, a fence
Was wrought, of shining tin; and through it led
One only path, by which the bearers passed,
Who gathered in the vineyard's bounteous store.
There maids and youths, in joyous spirits bright,
In woven baskets bore the luscious fruit.
A boy, amid them, from a clear-toned harp
Drew lovely music; well his liquid voice
The strings accompanied; they all with dance.
And song harmonious joined, and joyous shouts,
As the gay bevy lightly tripped along.

Of straight-horned cattle too a herd was graven;

Of gold and tin the heifers all were wrought:
They to the pasture, from the cattle-yard,
With gentle lowings, by a babbling stream,
Where quivering reed-beds rustled, slowly moved.
Four golden shepherds walked beside the herd,
By nine swift dogs attended; then amid
The foremost heifers sprang two lions fierce
Upon the lordly bull: he, bellowing loud,

Was dragged along, by dogs and youths pursued.
The tough bull's-hide they tore, and gorging lapped
The intestines and dark blood; with vain attempt
The herdsmen following closely, to the attack
Cheered their swift dogs; these shunned the lions' jaws,
And close around them baying, held aloof.

And there the skilful artist's hand had traced
A pasture broad, with fleecy flocks o'erspread,
In a fair glade, with fold, and tents, and pens.
There, too, the skilful artist's hand had wrought,
With curious workmanship, a mazy dance,
Like that which Dædalus in Cnossus erst
At fair-haired Ariadne's bidding framed.
There, laying each on other's wrists their hand,
Bright youths and many-suitored maidens danced:
In fair white linen these; in tunics those,
Well woven, shining soft with fragrant oils;
These with fair coronets were crowned, while those
With golden swords from silver belts were girt.
Now whirled they round with nimble practised feet,
Easy, as when a potter, seated, turns

A wheel, new fashioned by his skilful hand,
And spins it round, to prove if true it run:
Now featly moved in well-beseeming ranks.
A numerous crowd, around, the lovely dance

Q

Surveyed, delighted; while an honoured Bard
Sang, as he struck the lyre, and to the strain
Two tumblers, in the midst, were whirling round.
About the margin of the massive shield

Was wrought the mighty strength of the ocean stream.
LORD DERBY, Homer.

Adj.= adjective, adv. = adverb, conj. conjunction, contr. = contracted or contraction, diminutive, freq. = frequentative, interj. = interjection, pp. past participle, prep. preposition, pron. = pronoun, subs. = substantive, v. = verb.