Classic Poem

When Paris ship'd in base deceit,
Against all hospitable laws,
Fair Helen in th'Idean fleet,
Nereus injoin'd the winds a pause;
And hush'd into the peace they hate
The rapid murm'rers, while he sung
Each cruel circumstance and date
Of destiny, that o'er them hung.
" Ill-omen'd her you take to Troy,
Whom Greece united shall reclaim,
And Priam's ancient reign destroy,
And your connubials with the dame.
What deaths attend the Dardan realm!
What toils for man and steed to bear!
See Pallas now her shield, her helm,
Her car and all her wrath prepare!
In vain, presumptuous in the aid
Of Venus, you your hair shall tire,
And grateful to each list'ning maid
Run soft divisions on the lyre.
In vain the spears and Cretan dart,
So dread to amorous delight,
You shall avoid with timid heart,
And Ajax swift to urge your flight.
Yet late, too late, adult'rous swain,
You shall your locks in dust besmear.
See there Ulysses, see the bane
Of Troy with Pylian Nestor near.
The Salaminian Teucer speeds —
See warlike Sthenelus arrive,
Who, if there's need of martial steeds,
Is excellent those steeds to drive.
Thou too Meriones shall know,
And more heroic than his sire
Hear Diomed, thy deadly foe,
In wrath to find thy post inquire.
Whom you in panting haste shall fly,
Tho' Helen heard another tale,
As harts the wolf they chance to spy,
Heedless of pasture in the vale.
Long as Achilles' wrath shall last,
Thy Phrygian dames shall stave their doom,
But Grecia's flames, some winters past,
Shall Trojan tow'rs consume."