ARGUMENT.

The Embafly to Achilles.

Agamemnon, after the laft day's defeat, proposes to the Greeks to quit the fiege, and return to their country. Diomed oppofes this; and Neftor feconds him, praifing his wifdom and refolution: he orders the guard to be ftrengthened, and a council fummoned to deliberate what measures are to be followed in this emergency. Agamemnon pursues this advice and Neftor farther prevails upon him to fend ambaffadors to Achilles, in order to move him to a reconciliation. Ulyffes and Ajax are made choice of, who are accompanied by old Phoenix. They make, each of them, very moving and preffing fpeeches; but are rejected, with roughness, by Achilles, who notwithstanding retains Phoenix in his tent. The ambaffadors return unfuccessfully to the camp; and the troops betake themselves to fleep.

This book, and the next following, take up the fpace of one night, which is the twenty-feventh from the beginning of the poem. The scene lies on the sea. fhore, the ftation of the Grecian ships.

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BOOK IX.

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HUS joyful Troy maintain'd the watch of night; While fear, pale comrade of inglorious flight, And heaven-bred horrour, on the Grecian part, Sat on each face, and fadden'd every heart. As, from its cloudy dungeon iffuing forth, A double tempeft of the weft and north Swells o'er the sea, from Thracia's frozen fhore, Heaps waves on waves, and bids th' Ægean roar; This way and that, the boiling deeps are toft ; Such various paffions urge the troubled hoft. Great Agamemnon griev'd above the reft; Superior forrows fwell'd his royal breast; Himself his orders to the heralds bears, To bid to council all the Grecian peers; But bid in whispers: these furround their chief, In folemn fadnefs, and majeftic grief. The king amidst the mournful circle rofe; Down his wan cheek a briny torrent flows: So filent fountains, from a rock's tall head, In fable ftreams foft-trickling waters shed. With more than vulgar grief he stood oppreft, Words, mixt with fighs, thus burfting from his breaft ;

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Ye

Ye fons of Greece! partake your leader's care;
Fellows in arms, and princes of the war!
Of partial Jove too juftly we complain,.
And heavenly oracles believ'd in vain.
A fafe return was promis'd to our toils,
With conquest honour'd, and enrich'd with spoils:
Now shameful flight alone can save the host
Our wealth, our people, and our glory lost.
So Jove decrees. Almighty Lord of all!
Jove, at whofe nod whole empires rife or fall,.
Who shakes the feeble props of human trust,
And towers and armies humbles to the duft.
Haste then, for ever quit these fatal fields,
Hafte to the joys our native country yields;
Spread all your canvas, all your oars employ;
Nor hope the fall of heaven-defended Troy.

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He faid; deep filence held the Grecian band, Silent, unmov'd, in dire dismay they stand, A penfive scene! till Tydeus' warlike fon Roll'd on the king his eyes, and thus begun : When kings advise us to renounce our fame, First let him speak, who first has suffer'd shame. If I oppose thee, prince, thy wrath with-hold, The laws of council bid my tongue be bold. Thou firft, and thou alone, in fields of fight, Durst brand my courage, and defame my might: Nor from a friend th' unkind reproach appear'd, The Greeks food witnefs, all our army heard. The Gods, O chief! from whom our honours spring, The Gods have made thee but by halves a king.

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They

They gave thee fceptres, and a wide command,
They gave dominion o'er the feas and land;
The nobleft power that might the world control
They gave thee not-a brave and virtuous foul.
Is this a general's voice, that would suggest
Fears like his own to every Grecian breast?
Confiding in our want of worth, he stands;
And if we fly, 'tis what our king commands.
Go thou, inglorious! from th' embattled plain;
Ships thou haft ftore, and nearest to the main;
A nobler care the Grecians fhall employ,
To combat, conquer, and extirpate Troy.
Here Greece fhall stay; or, if all Greece retire,
Myfelf will stay, till Troy or I expire;

Myfelf and Sthelenus will fight for fame;

God bade us fight, and 'twas with God we came.
He ceas'd; the Greeks loud acclamations raise,

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And voice to voice resounds Tydides' praise.
Wife Neftor then his reverend figure rear'd ;
He spoke; the host in still attention heard :

O truly great! in whom the Gods have join'd
Such ftrength of body with fuch force of mind;
In conduct, as in courage, you excel,
Still first to act what you advise so well.

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Those wholesome counsels which thy wisdom moves, Applauding Greece, with common voice, approves. Kings thou canst blame; a bold, but prudent youth; And blame ev'n kings with praise, because with truth. And yet those years that fince thy birth have run, Would hardly style thee Neftor's youngest son.