Page:The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets, Volume 4.djvu/48

The beginning of the first book stands thus:

 

The wrath of Peleus' son, the direful spring
Of all the Grecian woes, O Goddess, sing,
That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain.

 

The stern Pelides' rage, O Goddess, sing,
⁠wrath
Of all the woes of Greece the fatal spring,
⁠Grecian
That strew'd with warriours dead the Phrygian plain,
⁠heroes
And peopled the dark hell with heroes slain;
⁠fill'd the shady hell with chiefs untimely

 

Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore,
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove;
Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove.

 

Whose limbs, unburied on the hostile shore,
Devouring dogs and greedy vultures tore,
Since first Atrides and Achilles strove;
Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove.

 

Declare, O Muse, in what ill-fated hour
Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended Power?
Latona's son a dire contagion spread,
And heap'd the camp with mountains of the dead;
The King of men his reverend priest defy'd,
And for the King's offence the people dy'd.

 

Declare, O Goddess, what offended Power
Enflam'd their rage, in that ill'omen'd hour;
⁠anger⁠fatal, hapless