Classic Poem

THE FOOT RACE .

Ship race o'er, Troy's gracious lord to a meadowy space
Leads them, enclosed all round in a darksome forest's embrace,
Set in the mountains. An oval of green through the valley extends,
Like some theatre's ring. With his thousands hither he wends,
Sits on the rude-built throne, then bids by the herald's call
Those who list to the race, and arrays their prizes for all.
Trojans hither repair with Sicilians mixed; in the van,
Famed for his beauty, the young Euryalus, budding to man;
Nisus for noble love that he bare to the beautiful boy.
Next them Diores, a prince of the bright blood royal of Troy.
Patron and Salius follow in rear, an Acarnan the one,
One, Tegeaean lineage true, Arcadia's son.
Then two youths of Sicanian race, Panopes, and the bold
Helymus, foresters both, of Acestes henchmen enrolled.
Many besides whose names dim history veils in a cloud.
Now Æneas on high in the midst of the gathering crowd:
" Trojans, " he cries, " give ear and attend. This festival day
None of the number around me shall go ungifted away.
Two bright Gnossian arrows of polished steel he shall bear;
Each take with him a hatchet of silver chasing to wear.
All shall be given this guerdon alike; three winners receive
Prizes beyond, and of olive pale their garlands inweave.
First for the victor a steed, bright trappings on forehead and breast;
Next for the second a quiver by Amazon fingers dressed,
Filled with Thracian arrows; a blazing baldric of gold
Girds it about, with a gem for a buckle looping its fold.
Home with a helmet of Argos shall hie contented the third. "
Places they take; at the sound of the signal suddenly heard
Over the racecourse rapidly pour, from the barriers roll
Forth as a thunder-shower their keen eyes marking the goal.

First with a flash, ere others can follow, impetuous springs
Nisus in front, more swift than the wind or the lightning's wings.
Second Salius speeds, at a distance, far in the rear;
Third Euryalus comes, but comes at an interval clear;
Helymus follows; Diores behind, see! hard on his trace,
Heel upon heel and shoulder to shoulder presses the chase.
Over a longer reach had the course now finishing ranged,
Past he had flown, and a doubtful race to a victory changed.
Now was the last lap wellnigh gained, spent runners were fast
Nearing the final goal, when the ill-starred Nisus at last
Slid on the blood of the steers at the morning sacrifice slain,
Where it had drencht in a torrent the green expanse of the plain.
Lo! in the hour supreme of his triumph, the youth as he trod
Kept not his foot on the treacherous soil, but face to the sod
Fell, in the victims' gore and the ordure meeting with ill;
Yet in his fall he forgot not his loved Euryalus still,
Rose, as Salius came, in the midst of the slippery way;
Salius, over him rolled, in the thick sand heavily lay.
So to the front Euryalus flies, and, thanks to his friend,
Victor, amid loud cheers, loud plaudits, reaches the end;
Helymus next him, Diores a thirds. Now over the great
Audience lifted, to where Troy's elders in dignity sate,
Rises the loud-tongued clamour of Salius, claiming his meed,
Robbed of his honours by fraud. For the young Euryalus plead
Chiefly the people's voice, and his boyish tears and confest
Merit that seems most winning when all in loveliness drest.
With him Diores sides, of the grievance loud to complain,
Who has in vain succeeded, the third prize earned but in vain,
Should first place in the honours to Salius now be restored.
Sentence the great Æneas announces: " Each his reward
Keeps unchanged; our order of merit none may displace.
Yet may I pity a friend who has fallen untouched by disgrace. "
Then an enormous hide gives Salius, heavy with hair,
Loaded with golden claws of an Afric lion, to wear.
" If, " quoth Nisus, " the vanquisht to gifts so lordly attain,
If thou pity the fallen on this wise, what will remain
Worthy to offer Nisus, who earned with merit the crown,
Had not the same chance thrown him that threw thy Salius down? "
And as he spake, he discovered his limbs and forehead defiled
Still with stains of his fall. Æneas graciously smiled,
Bade them a buckler bring, Didymaon's cunning design,
Trophy by Danaans hung at the portal of Neptune's shrine;
With this glittering honour adorns Troy's glorious child.