The Fall of Troy | Page 9

creatures cast?In diverse mould from men: to us is given?Such energy of life as stirs in them.?Eyes have we like to theirs, and limbs: throughout?Fashioned we are alike: one common light?We look on, and one common air we breathe:?With like food are we nourished -- nay, wherein?Have we been dowered of God more niggardly?Than men? Then let us shrink not from the fray?See ye not yonder a woman far excelling?Men in the grapple of fight? Yet is her blood?Nowise akin to ours, nor fighteth she?For her own city. For an alien king?She warreth of her own heart's prompting, fears?The face of no man; for her soul is thrilled?With valour and with spirit invincible.?But we -- to right, to left, lie woes on woes?About our feet: this mourns beloved sons,?And that a husband who for hearth and home?Hath died; some wail for fathers now no more;?Some grieve for brethren and for kinsmen lost.?Not one but hath some share in sorrow's cup.?Behind all this a fearful shadow looms,?The day of bondage! Therefore flinch not ye?From war, O sorrow-laden! Better far?To die in battle now, than afterwards?Hence to be haled into captivity?To alien folk, we and our little ones,?In the stern grip of fate leaving behind?A burning city, and our husbands' graves."
So cried she, and with passion for stern war?Thrilled all those women; and with eager speed?They hasted to go forth without the wall?Mail-clad, afire to battle for their town?And people: all their spirit was aflame.?As when within a hive, when winter-tide?Is over and gone, loud hum the swarming bees?What time they make them ready forth to fare?To bright flower-pastures, and no more endure?To linger therewithin, but each to other?Crieth the challenge-cry to sally forth;?Even so bestirred themselves the women of Troy,?And kindled each her sister to the fray.?The weaving-wool, the distaff far they flung,?And to grim weapons stretched their eager hands.
And now without the city these had died?In that wild battle, as their husbands died?And the strong Amazons died, had not one voice?Of wisdom cried to stay their maddened feet,?When with dissuading words Theano spake:?"Wherefore, ah wherefore for the toil and strain?Of battle's fearful tumult do ye yearn,?Infatuate ones? Never your limbs have toiled?In conflict yet. In utter ignoranee?Panting for labour unendurable,?Ye rush on all-unthinking; for your strength?Can never be as that of Danaan men,?Men trained in daily battle. Amazons?Have joyed in ruthless fight, in charging steeds,?From the beginning: all the toil of men?Do they endure; and therefore evermore?The spirit of the War-god thrills them through.?'They fall not short of men in anything:?Their labour-hardened frames make great their hearts?For all achievement: never faint their knees?Nor tremble. Rumour speaks their queen to be?A daughter of the mighty Lord of War.?Therefore no woman may compare with her?In prowess -- if she be a woman, not?A God come down in answer to our prayers.?Yea, of one blood be all the race of men,?Yet unto diverse labours still they turn;?And that for each is evermore the best?Whereto he bringeth skill of use and wont.?Therefore do ye from tumult of the fray?Hold you aloof, and in your women's bowers?Before the loom still pace ye to and fro;?And war shall be the business of our lords.?Lo, of fair issue is there hope: we see?The Achaeans falling fast: we see the might?Of our men waxing ever: fear is none?Of evil issue now: the pitiless foe?Beleaguer not the town: no desperate need?There is that women should go forth to war."
So cried she, and they hearkened to the words?Of her who had garnered wisdom from the years;?So from afar they watched the fight. But still?Penthesileia brake the ranks, and still?Before her quailed the Achaeans: still they found?Nor screen nor hiding-place from imminent death.?As bleating goats are by the blood-stained jaws?Of a grim panther torn, so slain were they.?In each man's heart all lust of battle died,?And fear alone lived. This way, that way fled?The panic-stricken: some to earth had flung?The armour from their shoulders; some in dust?Grovelled in terror 'neath their shields: the steeds?Fled through the rout unreined of charioteers.?In rapture of triumph charged the Amazons,?With groan and scream of agony died the Greeks.?Withered their manhood was in that sore strait;?Brief was the span of all whom that fierce maid?Mid the grim jaws of battle overtook.?As when with mighty roaring bursteth down?A storm upon the forest-trees, and some?Uprendeth by the roots, and on the earth?Dashes them down, the tail stems blossom-crowned,?And snappeth some athwart the trunk, and high?Whirls them through air, till all confused they lie?A ruin of splintered stems and shattered sprays;?So the great Danaan host lay, dashed to dust?By doom of Fate, by Penthesileia's spear.
But when the very ships were now at point?To be by hands of Trojans set aflame,?Then battle-bider Aias heard afar?The panic-cries, and spake to Aeacus' son:?"Achilles, all the air about mine ears?Is full of multitudinous