their arms.  Then, swift as stoops a falcon from the point 80 Of some rude rock sublime, when he would chase A fowl of other wing along the meads, So started Neptune thence, and disappear’d.  Him, as he went, swift Oiliades First recognized, and, instant, thus his speech 85 To Ajax, son of Telamon, address’d. 
  Since, Ajax, some inhabitant of heaven
Exhorts us, in the prophet’s form to fight (For prophet none or augur we have seen; This was not Calchas; as he went I mark’d 90 His steps and knew him; Gods are known with ease) I feel my spirit in my bosom fired Afresh for battle; lightness in my limbs, In hands and feet a glow unfelt before. 
  To whom the son of Telamon replied. 95
I also with invigorated hands More firmly grasp my spear; my courage mounts, A buoyant animation in my feet Bears me along, and I am all on fire To cope with Priam’s furious son, alone. 100
  Thus they, with martial transport to their souls
Imparted by the God, conferr’d elate.  Meantime the King of Ocean roused the Greeks, Who in the rear, beside their gallant barks Some respite sought.  They, spent with arduous toil, 105 Felt not alone their weary limbs unapt To battle, but their hearts with grief oppress’d, Seeing the numerous multitude of Troy Within the mighty barrier; sad they view’d That sight, and bathed their cheeks with many a tear, 110 Despairing of escape.  But Ocean’s Lord Entering among them, soon the spirit stirr’d Of every valiant phalanx to the fight.  Teucer and Leitus, and famed in arms Peneleus, Thoas and Deipyrus, 115 Meriones, and his compeer renown’d, Antilochus; all these in accents wing’d With fierce alacrity the God address’d. 
  Oh shame, ye Grecians! vigorous as ye are
And in life’s prime, to your exertions most 120 I trusted for the safety of our ships.  If ye renounce the labors of the field, Then hath the day arisen of our defeat And final ruin by the powers of Troy.  Oh!  I behold a prodigy, a sight 125 Tremendous, deem’d impossible by me, The Trojans at our ships! the dastard race Fled once like fleetest hinds the destined prey Of lynxes, leopards, wolves; feeble and slight And of a nature indisposed to war 130 They rove uncertain; so the Trojans erst Stood not, nor to Achaian prowess dared The hindrance of a moment’s strife oppose.  But now, Troy left afar, even at our ships They give us battle, through our leader’s fault 135 And through the people’s negligence, who fill’d With fierce displeasure against him, prefer Death at their ships, to war in their defence.  But if the son of Atreus, our supreme, If Agamemnon, have indeed transgress’d 140 Past all excuse, dishonoring the swift Achilles, ye at least the fight decline