The shatter'd Tree receives his Fall; and strikes,
Within his full-blown Paunch the sharpen'd Spikes.
Strong Aphareus had heav'd a mighty Stone,
The Fragment of a Rock; and wou'd have thrown
But Theseus with a Club of harden'd Oak,
The Cubit-bone of the bold Centaur broke;
And left him maim'd nor seconded the Stroke.
Then lept on tall Bianor's Back: (Who bore
No mortal Burthen but his own, before)
Press'd with his Knees his Sides; the double Man,
His speed with Spurs increas'd, unwilling ran.
One Hand the Hero fasten'd on his Locks;
His other ply'd him with repeated Strokes.
The Club rung round his Ears, and batter'd Brows;
He falls; and lashing up his Heels, his Rider throws.
The same Herculean Arms, Nedymnus wound;
And lay by him Lycotas on the Ground.
And Hippasus, whose Beard his Breast invades;
And Ripheus, Haunter of the Woodland Shades:
And Tereus, us'd with Mountain-Bears to strive;
And from their Dens to draw th' indignant Beasts alive.
Demolcon cou'd not bear this hateful Sight,
Or the long Fortune of th' Athenian Knight:
But pull'd with all his Force, to disengage
From Earth a Pine, the Product of an Age:
The Root stuck fast: The broken Trunk he sent
At Theseus: Theseus frustrates his Intent,
And leaps aside; by Pallas warn'd, the Blow
To shun: (for so he said; and we believ'd it so.)
Yet not in vain th' enormous Weight was cast;
Which Crantor's Body sunder'd at the Waist:
Thy Father's 'Squire, Achilles, and his Care;
Whom conquer'd in the Polopeian War,
Their King, his present Ruin to prevent,
A Pledge of Peace implor'd, to Peleus sent.
Thy
