How the Arms of Achilles were cause of madness and death unto Aias.
So when all other contests had an end, Thetis the Goddess laid down in the midst Great-souled Achilles' arms divinely wrought;
And all around flashed out the cunning work Wherewith the Fire-god overchased the shield Fashioned for Aeacus' son, the dauntless-souled.
Inwrought upon that labour of a God Were first high heaven and cloudland, and beneath Lay earth and sea: the winds, the clouds were there, The moon and sun, each in its several place;
There too were all the stars that, fixed in heaven, Are borne in its eternal circlings round.
Above and through all was the infinite air Where to and fro flit birds of slender beak:
Thou hadst said they lived, and floated on the breeze.
Here Tethys' all-embracing arms were wrought, And Ocean's fathomless flow. The outrushing flood Of rivers crying to the echoing hills All round, to right, to left, rolled o'er the land.
Round it rose league-long mountain-ridges, haunts Of terrible lions and foul jackals: there Fierce bears and panthers prowled; with these were seen Wild boars that whetted deadly-clashing tusks In grimly-frothing jaws. There hunters sped After the hounds: beaters with stone and dart, To the life portrayed, toiled in the woodland sport.
And there were man-devouring wars, and all Horrors of fight: slain men were falling down Mid horse-hoofs; and the likeness of a plain Blood-drenched was on that shield invincible.
Panic was there, and Dread, and ghastly Enyo With limbs all gore-bespattered hideously, And deadly Strife, and the Avenging Spirits Fierce-hearted -- she, still goading warriors on To the onset they, outbreathing breath of fire.
Around them hovered the relentless Fates;
Beside them Battle incarnate onward pressed Yelling, and from their limbs streamed blood and sweat.
There were the ruthless Gorgons: through their hair Horribly serpents coiled with flickering tongues.
A measureless marvel was that cunning work Of things that made men shudder to behold Seeming as though they verily lived and moved.
And while here all war's marvels were portrayed, Yonder were all the works of lovely peace.
The myriad tribes of much-enduring men Dwelt in fair cities. Justice watched o'er all.
To diverse toils they set their hands; the fields Were harvest-laden; earth her increase bore.
Most steeply rose on that god-laboured work The rugged flanks of holy Honour's mount, And there upon a palm-tree throned she sat Exalted, and her hands reached up to heaven.
All round her, paths broken by many rocks Thwarted the climbers' feet; by those steep tracks Daunted ye saw returning many folk:
Few won by sweat of toil the sacred height.
And there were reapers moving down long swaths Swinging the whetted sickles: 'neath their hands The hot work sped to its close. Hard after these Many sheaf-binders followed, and the work Grew passing great. With yoke-bands on their necks Oxen were there, whereof some drew the wains Heaped high with full-eared sheaves, and further on Were others ploughing, and the glebe showed black Behind them. Youths with ever-busy goads Followed: a world of toil was there portrayed.
And there a banquet was, with pipe and harp, Dances of maids, and flashing feet of boys, All in swift movement, like to living souls.
Hard by the dance and its sweet winsomeness Out of the sea was rising lovely-crowned Cypris, foam-blossoms still upon her hair;
And round her hovered smiling witchingly Desire, and danced the Graces lovely-tressed.
And there were lordly Nereus' Daughters shown Leading their sister up from the wide sea To her espousals with the warrior-king.
And round her all the Immortals banqueted On Pelion's ridge far-stretching. All about Lush dewy watermeads there were, bestarred With flowers innumerable, grassy groves, And springs with clear transparent water bright.
There ships with sighing sheets swept o'er the sea, Some beating up to windward, some that sped Before a following wind, and round them heaved The melancholy surge. Seared shipmen rushed This way and that, adread for tempest-gusts, Hauling the white sails in, to 'scape the death -- It all seemed real -- some tugging at the oars, While the dark sea on either side the ship Grew hoary 'neath the swiftly-plashing blades.
And there triumphant the Earth-shaker rode Amid sea-monsters' stormy-footed steeds Drew him, and seemed alive, as o'er the deep They raced, oft smitten by the golden whip.
Around their path of flight the waves fell smooth, And all before them was unrippled calm.
Dolphins on either hand about their king Swarmed, in wild rapture of homage bowing backs, And seemed like live things o'er the hazy sea Swimming, albeit all of silver wrought.
Marvels of untold craft were imaged there By cunning-souled Hephaestus' deathless hands Upon the shield. And Ocean's fathomless flood Clasped like a garland all the outer rim, And compassed all the strong shield's curious work.
And therebeside the massy helmet lay.
Zeus in his wrath was set upon the crest Throned on heaven's dome; the Immortals all around Fierce-battling with the Titans fought for Zeus.
Already were their foes enwrapped with flame, For thick and fast as snowflakes poured from heaven The thunderbolts: the might of Zeus was roused, And burning giants seemed to breathe out flames.
And therebeside the fair strong corslet lay, Unpierceable, which clasped Peleides once:
There were the greaves close-lapping, light alone To Achilles; massy of mould and huge they were.
And hard by flashed the sword whose edge and point No mail could turn, with golden belt, and sheath Of silver, and with haft of ivory:
Brightest amid those wondrous arms it shone.
Stretched on the earth thereby was that dread spear, Long as the tall-tressed pines of Pelion, Still breathing out the reek of Hector's blood.
Then mid the Argives Thetis sable-stoled In her deep sorrow for Achilles spake;
