In wonted vigour, so thy knees could undergo our pains!But age, that all men overcomes, hath made his prise on thee;
Yet still I wish that some young man, grown old in mind, might be
Put in proportion with thy years, and thy mind, young in age,
Be fitly answer'd with his youth; that still where conflicts rage,
And young men us'd to thirst for fame, thy brave exampling hand
Might double our young Grecian spirits, and grace our whole
command."
The old knight answer'd: "I myself could wish, O Atreus' son,
I were as young as when I slew brave Ereuthalion,
But Gods at all times give not all their gifts to mortal men.
If then I had the strength of youth, I miss'd the counsels then
That years now give me; and now years want that main strength of
youth;
Yet still my mind retains her strength (as you now said the sooth)
And would be where that strength is us'd, affording counsel sage
To stir youth's minds up; 'tis the grace and office of our age;
Let younger sinews, men sprung up whole ages after me,
And such as have strength, use it, and as strong in honour be."
The king, all this while comforted, arriv'd next where he found
Well-rode Menestheus (Peteus' son) stand still, inviron'd round
With his well-train'd Athenian troops, and next to him he spied
The wise Ulysses, deedless too, and all his bands beside
Of strong Cephalians; for as yet th' alarm had not been heard
In all their quarters, Greece and Troy were then so newly stirr'd,
And then first mov'd, as they conceiv'd; and they so look'd about
To see both hosts give proof of that they yet had cause to doubt.
Atrides seeing them stand so still, and spend their eyes at gaze,
Began to chide: "And why," said he, "dissolv'd thus in amaze,
Thou son of Peteus, Jove-nurs'd king, and thou in wicked sleight
A cunning soldier, stand ye off? Expect ye that the fight
Should be by other men begun? "Tis fit the foremost band
Should show you there; you first should front who first lifts up
his hand.
First you can hear, when I invite the princes to a feast,
When first, most friendly, and at will, ye eat and drink the best,
Yet in the fight, most willingly, ten troops ye can behold
Take place before ye." Ithacus at this his brows did fold,
And said: "How hath thy violent tongue broke through thy set of
teeth,
To say that we are slack in fight, and to the field of death
Look others should enforce our way, when we were busied then,
Ev'n when thou spak'st, against the foe to cheer and lead our men?
But thy eyes shall be witnesses, if it content thy will,
And that (as thou pretend'st) these cares do so affect thee still,
The father of Telemachus (whom I esteem so dear,
And to whom, as a legacy, I'll leave my deeds done here)
Ev'n with the foremost band of Troy hath his encounter dar'd,
And therefore are thy speeches vain, and had been better spar'd."
He, smiling, since he saw him mov'd, recall'd his words, and said:
"Most generous Laertes' son, most wise of all our aid,
I neither do accuse thy worth, more than thyself may hold
Fit, (that inferiors think not much, being slack, to be controll'd)
Nor take I on me thy command; for well I know thy mind
Knows how sweet gentle counsels are, and that thou stand'st
inclin'd,
As I myself, for all our good. On then; if now we spake
What hath displeas'd, another time we full amends will make;
And Gods grant that thy virtue ere may prove so free and brave,
That my reproofs may still be vain, and thy deservings grave."
Thus parted they; and forth he went, when he did leaning find,
Against his chariot, near his horse, him with the mighty mind,
Great Diomedes, Tydeus' son, and Sthenelus, the seed
Of Capaneius; whom the king seeing likewise out of deed,
Thus cried he out on Diomed: "O me! In what a fear
The wise great warrior, Tydeus' son, stands gazing ev'rywhere
For others to begin the fight! It was not Tydeus' use
To be so daunted, whom his spirit would evermore produce
Before the foremost of his friends in these affairs of fright,
As they report that have beheld him labour in a fight.
For me, I never knew the man, nor in his presence came,
But excellent, above the rest, he was in gen'ral fame;
And one renown'd exploit of his, I am assur'd, is true.
He came to the Mycenian court, without arms, and did sue,
At godlike Polynices' hands, to have some worthy aid
To their designs that 'gainst the walls of sacred Thebes were laid.
He was great Polynices' guest, and nobly entertain'd,
And of the kind Mycenian state what he requested gain'd,
In mere consent; but when they should the same in act approve,
By some sinister prodigies, held out to them by Jove,
They were discourag'd.
