Go forth to Troy, the eagles seemed to cry-And the sea-kings obeyed the sky-kings' word, When on the right they soared across the sky, And one was black, one bore a white tail barred.
High o'er the palace were they seen to soar, Then lit in sight of all, and rent and tare, Far from the fields that she should range no more, Big with her unborn brood, a mother-hare.
(Ah woe and well-a-day! but be the issue fair!
antistrophe 1
And one beheld, the soldier-prophet true, And the two chiefs, unlike of soul and will, In the twy-coloured eagles straight he knew, And spake the omen forth, for good and in.
Go forth, he cried, and Priam's town shall fall.
Yet long the time shall be; and flock and herd, The people's wealth, that roam before the wall, Shall force hew down, when Fate shall give the word,But O beware! lest wrath in Heaven abide, To dim the glowing battle-forge once more, And mar the mighty curb of Trojan pride, The steel of vengeance, welded as for war!
For virgin Artemis bears jealous hate Against the royal house, the eagle-pair, Who rend the unborn brood, insatiate-Yea, loathes their banquet on the quivering hare.
(Ah woe and well-a-day! but be the issue fair!)epodeFor well she loves-the goddess kind and mild-The tender new-born cubs of lions bold, Too weak to range-and well the sucking child Of every beast that roams by wood and wold.
So to the Lord of Heaven she prayeth still, "Nay, if it must be, be the omen true!
Yet do the visioned eagles presage ill;
The end be well, but crossed with evil too!"Healer Apollo! be her wrath controll'd Nor weave the long delay of thwarting gales, To war against the Danaans and withhold From the free ocean-waves their eager sails!
She craves, alas! to see a second life Shed forth, a curst unhallowed sacrifice-'Twixt wedded souls, artificer of strife, And hate that knows not fear, and fell device.
At home there tarries like a lurking snake, Biding its time, a wrath unreconciled, A wily watcher, passionate to slake, In blood, resentment for a murdered child.