n In prayer they are renewed to prove they do the justice of the
god throned in the heaven of heavens and the law of the highest is thus obeyed.
Thus prayed the chief: his
unavailing prayer
Great Jove refused, and toss'd in
empty air:
The God averse, while yet the fumes
arose,
Prepared new toils, and doubled woes
on woes.
Their prayers perform'd the chiefs
the rite pursue,
The barley sprinkled, and the victim
slew.
The limbs they sever from the
inclosing hide,
The thighs, selected to the gods,
divide.
On these, in double cauls involved
with art,
The choicest morsels lie from every
part,
n Here they announce the chiefs on their side that make up the
tasty parts of troy.
From the cleft wood the crackling
flames aspire
While the fat victims feed the
sacred fire.
The thighs thus sacrificed, and
entrails dress'd
The assistants part, transfix, and
roast the rest;
Then spread the tables, the repast
prepare,
Each takes his seat, and each
receives his share.
Soon as the rage of hunger was
suppress'd,
The
generous Nestor thus the prince address'd.
"Now bid thy heralds sound the
loud alarms,
And call the squadrons sheathed in
brazen arms;
Now seize the occasion, now the
troops survey,
And
lead to war when heaven directs the way."
n Here is the vow of the chiefs big and small who light the
way with arms ready at heavens beckon and the rulers call reflected in that divine
lawful way.
He said; the monarch issued his
commands;
Straight the loud heralds call the
gathering bands
The chiefs inclose their king; the
hosts divide,
In tribes and nations rank'd on
either side.
High in the midst the blue-eyed
virgin flies;
From rank to rank she darts her
ardent eyes;
The dreadful aegis, Jove's immortal
shield,
Blazed on her arm, and lighten'd all
the field:
Round the vast orb a hundred
serpents roll'd,
Form'd the bright fringe, and seem'd
to burn in gold,
With this each Grecian's manly
breast she warms,
Swells their bold hearts, and
strings their nervous arms,
No more they sigh, inglorious, to
return,
But
breathe revenge, and for the combat burn.
As on some mountain, through the
lofty grove,
The crackling flames ascend, and
blaze above;
The fires expanding, as the winds
arise,
Shoot their long beams, and kindle
half the skies:
So from the polish'd arms, and
brazen shields,
A gleamy splendour flash'd along the
fields.
Not less their number than the
embodied cranes,
Or milk-white swans in Asius' watery
plains.
That, o'er the windings of Cayster's
springs,97
Stretch their long necks, and clap
their rustling wings,
Now tower aloft, and course in airy
rounds,
Now light with noise; with noise the
field resounds.
Thus numerous and confused,
extending wide,
The legions crowd Scamander's
flowery side;98
n Here is mentioned
that troy is divided and chiefs have chosen sides in this conflict.
n A prayer calling a partheona or avathan of God to judge and
bestow grace to the righteous side. Partheonas
or virgins know justice and the call is
to maker sure everything is lawful and divinely blessed. No one wants to add to the corruption or do
anything unlawful.
n They want to aid the victims of the Trojan corruption.
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