He ceased, and sea-like roar’d the Trojan host,1
And loosed their sweating horses from the yoke,2
And each beside his chariot bound his own ;3
And oxen from the city and goodly sheep4
In haste they drove, and honey-hearted* wine5
And bread from out the houses brought, and heap’d6
Their firewood, and the winds from off the plain7
Roll’d the rich vapour far into the heaven.8
And these all night sat on the bridge of war9
Triumphant ; many a fire before them blazed :10
As when in heaven the stars about the moon11
Look beautiful, when all the winds are laid,12
And every height comes out, and jutting peak13
And valley, and the immeasurable heavens14
Break open to their highest, and all the stars15
Shine, and the hind rejoices in his heart :16
So many a fire between the ships and stream17
Of Xanthus blazed before the towers of Troy,18
A thousand on the plain ; and close by each19
Sat fifty in the blaze of burning fire ;20
And champing golden grain their horses stood,21
☨ Hard by the chariots, waiting for the dawn.22
* Or, “wine sweet to the mind,” but I use this epithet simply as a synonym
of “ sweet.”
of “ sweet.”
☨ Or, if something like the spondaic close of the line be required,
Or more literally,
“ And waited—by their chariots—the fair dawn.”
Or more literally,
“ And, champing the white barley and spelt, their steeds
Stood by the cars, waiting the throned morn.”