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There at a feat the good old Priam found
Jove's best belov'd, with all his chiefs around:
Two only were t' attend his perfon plac'd,
Automedon and Aleymus; the rest
At greater diftance greater ftate expreft.
Priam unfeen by thefe, his way pursu'd,
And first of all was by Achilles view'd:
About his knees his trembling arms he caft,
And agonizing grafp'd, and held 'em fast;
Then caught his hands, and kifs'dandprefs'd'em clofe,
Thofe hands, th' inhuman authors of his woes;
Thofe hands, whose unrelenting force had coft
Much of his blood for many fons hot.)
But as a wretch who has a murder done,

And feeking refuge does from justice run,

IS

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Ent'ring fome house in haste, where he's unknown,
Creates amazement in the lookers-on;

So did Achilles gaze, furpris'd to fee
The godlike Priam's royal mifery.
All on each other gaz'd, all in furprise

And mute, yet seem'd to question with their
Till he at length the folenin filence broke,
And thus the venerable fuppliant spoke.

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"Divine achilles! at your feet behold

eyes,

A proftrate king, in wretchednefs grown old: "Think on your father, and then look on me, His hoary age and helpless perfon feeg

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"So furrow'd are his cheeks, fo white his hairs, "Such and fo many his declining years:

"Could you imagine (but that cannot be)

"Could you imagine fuch his mifery!

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"Yet it may come when he fhall be oppreft, "And neighb'ring princes lay his country wafte; "Ev'n at this tinie perhaps fome pow'rful foe, "Who will no mercy, no compaffion, show, "Ent'ring his palace, fees him feebly fly, "And feek protection where no help is nigh. "In vain he may your fatal abfence mourn, "And wish in vain for your delay'd return: "Yet that he hears you live is fome relief;

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Some hopes alleviate his excess of grief: "It glads his foul to think he once may fee "His much-lov'd fon; would that were granted me? "But I, moft wretched I! of all bereft!

"Of all my worthy fons how few are left!

"Yet fifty goodly youths I had to boast,

"When first the Greeks invaded Ilion's coaft; "Nineteen, the joyful issue of one womb,

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"Are now, alas! a mournful tribute to one tomb. 55 "Merciless War this devastation wrought, "And their strong nerves to diffolution brought. "Still one was left, in whom was all my hope, My age's comfort, and his country's prop; Hector! my darling, and my last defence, Whofe life alone their deaths could recompenfe ;

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And to complete my flore of countless wo, "Him you have flain-of him bereav'd me too! "For his fake only hither am I come;

"Rich gifts I bring, and wealth an endless fum, 65 "All to redeem that fatal prize you won ; "A worthlefs ranfom for fo brave a fon.

"Fear the juft gods, Achilles, and on me "With pity look; think you your father see : "Such as I am he is, alone in this,

"I can no equal have in miferies;

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"Of all mankind moft wretched and forlorn,
"Bow'd with such weight as never has been borne;
"Reduc'd to kneel and pray to you, from whom
"The fpring and fource of all my forrows come; 75
"With gifts to court mine and my country's bane,
"And kifs thofe hands which have my children flain."
He fpake.

Now fadnefs o'er Achilles' face
appears,
Priam he views, and for his father fears;
That and compaffion melt him into tears.
Then gently with his hand he put away
Old Priam's face, but he ftill profirate lay,
And there with tears and fighs afresh begun
To mourn the fall of his ill-fated fon.
But pafhion diff'rent ways Achilles turns,'
Now he Patroclus, now his father, mourns:
Thus both with lamentations fill'd the place,
Till forrow feem'd to wear one common face.

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THE LAMENTATIONS

OF

HECUBA, ANDROMACHE, AND HELEN,

OVER THE DEAD BODY OF HECTOR.

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Tranflated from the Greek of Homer, 'Ixiad. w.

Beginning at this line,

Ἠὼς δὲ κροκόπεπλος ἐκίδνατο πᾶσαν ἐπ ̓ αἶαν.
Connexion of this with the former tranflation.

PRIAM, at laft, moves Achilles to compaffion, and after having made Him prefents of great value, obtains the body of his fon. Mercury awakens Priam early in the morning, and advises him to hafte away with the body, left Agamemnon should be informed of his being in the camp: he himself helps to harness the mules and horfes, and conveys him fafely, and without noise, chariot and all, from among the Grecian tents, then flies up to heaven, leaving Priam and Idæus to travel on with the body toward Troy,

Now did the faffron Morn her beams difplay,
Gilding the face of univerfal day,

When mourning Priam to the town return'd;
Slowly his chariot mov'd, as that had mourn'd;
The mules beneath the mangled body go,
As bearing (now) unusual weight of wo.
To Pergamus' high top Caffandra flies,
Thence flie afar the fad proceffion fpies,

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Her father and Idæus firft appear,

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Then Hector's corpfe extended on a bier, At which her boundless grief loud cries began, And thus lamenting thro' the streets she ran: "Hither, ye wretched Trojans! hither all; "Behold the godlike Hector's funeral ! "If e'er you went with joy to fee him come "Adorn'd with conqueft and with laurels home, "Affemble now, his ranfom'd body fee, "What once was all your joy now all your mifery!" She spake, and straight the num'rous crowd obey'd, Nor man nor woman in the city stay'd; Common confent of grief had made 'em one; With clam'rous moan to Scaas gate they ran; There the lov'd body of their Hector meet, Which they with loud and fresh lamentings greet. His rev'rend mother and his tender wife, Equal in love, in grief had equal ftrife: In forrow they no moderation knew, But, wildly wailing, to the chariot flew;

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There strove the rolling wheels to hold, while each
Attempted firft his breathlefs corpfe to reach;
Aloud they beat their breasts and tore their hair,
Rending around with fhrieks the suff'ring air.
Now had the throng of people stopp'd the way,
Who would have there lamented all the day,
But Priam from his chariot rofe, and spake;
Trojans! enough; truce with your forrows make;

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