The Iliad

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Год написания книги

2019

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Ill suits it now the joys of love to know,

Too deep my anguish, and too wild my woe.”

Then thus incensed, the Paphian queen replies:

“Obey the power from whom thy glories rise:

Should Venus leave thee, every charm must fly,

Fade from thy cheek, and languish in thy eye.

Cease to provoke me, lest I make thee more

The world’s aversion, than their love before;

Now the bright prize for which mankind engage,

Than, the sad victim, of the public rage.”

At this, the fairest of her sex obey’d,

And veil’d her blushes in a silken shade;

Unseen, and silent, from the train she moves,

Led by the goddess of the Smiles and Loves.

Arrived, and enter’d at the palace gate,

The maids officious round their mistress wait;

Then, all dispersing, various tasks attend;

The queen and goddess to the prince ascend.

Full in her Paris’ sight, the queen of love

Had placed the beauteous progeny of Jove;

Where, as he view’d her charms, she turn’d away

Her glowing eyes, and thus began to say:

“Is this the chief, who, lost to sense of shame,

Late fled the field, and yet survives his fame?

O hadst thou died beneath the righteous sword

Of that brave man whom once I call’d my lord!

The boaster Paris oft desired the day

With Sparta’s king to meet in single fray:

Go now, once more thy rival’s rage excite,

Provoke Atrides, and renew the fight:

Yet Helen bids thee stay, lest thou unskill’d

Shouldst fall an easy conquest on the field.”

The prince replies: “Ah cease, divinely fair,

Nor add reproaches to the wounds I bear;

This day the foe prevail’d by Pallas’ power:

We yet may vanquish in a happier hour:

There want not gods to favour us above;

But let the business of our life be love:

These softer moments let delights employ,

And kind embraces snatch the hasty joy.

Not thus I loved thee, when from Sparta’s shore

My forced, my willing heavenly prize I bore,

When first entranced in Cranae’s isle I lay,

Mix’d with thy soul, and all dissolved away!”

Thus having spoke, the enamour’d Phrygian boy

Rush’d to the bed, impatient for the joy.

Him Helen follow’d slow with bashful charms,

And clasp’d the blooming hero in her arms.

While these to love’s delicious rapture yield,

The stern Atrides rages round the field: