# The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer (Cowper)/Volume 2/The Battle of the Frogs and Mice

THE
BATTLE
OF THE
FROGS AND MICE.
TRANSLATED INTO
ENGLISH BLANK VERSE.
BY THE SAME HAND.
THE
BATTLE
OF THE
FROGS AND MICE.
Descend all Helicon into my breast! Oh ev'ry virgin of the tuneful choir Breathe on my song which I have newly traced In tables open’d on my knees, a song Of bloodiest note—terrible deeds of Mars 5 Well worthy of the ears of all mankind, Whom I desire to teach, how, erst, the Mice Assail'd the Frogs, mimicking in exploit The prowess of the giant race earth-born. The rumour once was frequent in the mouths 10 Of mortal men, and thus the strife began. A thirsty Mouse (thirsty with fear and flight From a cat’s claws) sought out the nearest lake, Where, dipping in the flood his downy chin, He drank delighted. Him the frog far-famed 15 Limnocharis espied, and thus he spake.
Who art thou, stranger? Whence hast thou arrived On this our border, and who gave thee birth? Beware thou trespass not against the truth; Lye not! for should I find thy merit such 20 As claims my love, I will conduct thee hence To my abode, where gifts thou shalt receive Lib'ral and large, with hospitable fare. I am the KingPhysignathus, revered By the inhabitants of all this pool, 25 Chief of the frogs for ever. Me, long since, Peleus begat, embracing on the banks Of the Eridanus my mother fair, Hydromedusa. Nor thee less than King Or leader bold in sight thy form proclaims, 30 Stout as it is, and beautiful.—Dispatch— Speak, therefore, and declare thy pedigree. He ceas'd, to whomPsycharpax thus replied, Illustrious sir! wherefore hast thou enquired My derivation, known to all, alike 35 To Gods and men, and to the fowls of heav'n? I am Psycharpax, and the dauntless Chief Troxartes is my sire, whose beauteous spouse Daughter ofPternotroctes brought me forth, Lichomyle by name. A cave of earth 40 My cradle was, and, in my youngling state,
My mother nourish'd me with almonds, figs, And delicacies of a thousand names. But diverse as our natures are, in nought Similar, how, alas! can we be friends? 45 The floods are thine abode, while I partake With man his sustenance. The basket, stored With wheaten loaves thrice kneaded, 'scapes not me, Nor wafer broad, enrich'd with balmy sweets, Nor ham in slices spread, nor liver wrapt 50 In tunic silver-white, nor curds express'd From sweetest milk, nor, sweeter still, the full Honeycomb, coveted by Kings themselves, Nor aught by skilful cook invented yet of sauce or seas'ning for delight of man. 55 I am brave also, and shrink not at sound Of glorious war, but rushing to the van, Mix with the foremost combatants. No fear Of man himself shakes me, vast as he is, But to his bed I steal, and make me sport 60 Nibbling his fingers' end, or with sharp tooth Fretting his heel so neatly that he sleeps Profound the while, unconscious of the bite. Two things, of all that are, appall me most, The owl and cat. These cause me many a pang. 65 As does the hollow gin insidious, fair In promises, but in performance foul, Engine of death! yet most of all I dread Cats, nimble mousers, who can dart a paw
After me, enter at what chink I may, 70 But to return—your diet, parsley, kail, Beet, radish, gourd, (for, as I understand, Ye eat no other) are not to my taste. Him then with smiles answer'd Physignathus. Stranger! thou vauntest much thy dainty fare, 75 But, both on shore and in the lake, we boast Our dainties also, and such fights as much Would move thy wonder; for by gift from Jove We leap as well as swim, can range the land For food, or, diving, seek it in the Deep. 80 Would'st thou the proof? 'tis easy-mount my back There cling as for thy life, and thou shalt share With rapture the delights of my abode. He said, and gave his back. Upsprang the mouse Lightly, and with his arms enfolded fast 85 The Frog's soft neck. Pleas'd was he, at the first, With view of many a creek and bay, nor less With his smooth swimming on whose back he rode. But when, at length, the clear wave dash'd his sides, Then, fill'd with penitential sorrows vain 90 He wept, pluck'd off his hair, and gath'ring close His hinder feet, survey'd with trembling heart The novel sight, and wish'd for land again. Groans follow'd next, extorted groans, through stress Of shiv'ring fear, and, with extended tail 95 Drawn like a long oar after him, he pray'd For land again; but, while he pray'd, again
The clear wave dash'd him. Much he shriek'd, and much He clamour'd, and, at length, thus, sorrowing, said. Oh desp'rate navigation strange! not thus 100 Europa floated to the shores of Crete On the broad back of her enamour'd bull. And now, dread spectacle to both, behold An Hydra! on the lake with crest erect He rode, and right toward them. At that sight 105 Down went Physignathus, heedless, alas! Through fear, how great a Prince he should destroy. Himself, at bottom of the pool escaped The dreadful death; but, at his first descent Dislodg'd, Psycharpax fell into the flood. 110 There, stretch'd supine, he clench'd his hands, he shriek'd, Plunged oft, and, lashing out his heels afar, Oft rose again, but no deliv'rance found. At length, oppress'd by his drench'd coat, and soon To sink for ever, thus he prophecied. 115 Thou hast releas'd thy shoulders at my cost,
Physignathus!, unfeeling as the rock,
But not unnoticed by the Gods above.
Ah worst of traytors! on dry land, I ween,
Thou hadst not soil'd me, whether in the race 120 Or wrestling-match, or at whatever game.
Thou hast by fraud prevail'd, casting me off
Into the waters; but an eye divine
Sees all. Nor hope thou to escape the host
Of Mice, who shall, ere long, avenge the deed. 125
So saying, he sank and died, whom, while he sat Reposing on the lake's soft verge, the Mouse Lichopinax observed; aloud he wail'd, And flew with those sad tidings to his friends. Grief, at the sound, immeasurable seized 130 On all, and, by command, at dawn of day The heralds call'd a council at the house Of brave Troxartes, father of the Prince Now lost, a carcase now, nor nigh to land Welt'ring, but distant in the middle pool. 135 The multitude in haste convened, uprose Troxartes for his son incensed, and said, Ah friends! although my damage from the Frogs Sustain'd be greatest, yet is yours not small. Three children I have lost, wretch that I am, 140 All sons. A merciless and hungry cat Finding mine eldest son abroad, surprized And flew him. Lured into a wooden snare, (New machination of unfeeling man For slaughter of our race, and named a trap) 145 My second died. And now, as ye have heard, My third, his mothers' and my darling, him Physignathus hath drown'd in yon abyss. Haste therefore, and in gallant armour bright Attired, march forth, ye Mice, now seek the foe. 150 So saying, he roused them to the fight, and Mars Attendant arm'd them. Splitting, first, the pods
Of beans which they had sever'd from the stalk With hasty tooth by night, they made them greaves. Their corslets were of platted straw, well lined 155 With spoils of an excoriated cat. The lamp contributed its central tin, A shield for each. The glitt'ring needle long Arm'd ev'ry gripe with a terrific spear, And auburn shells of nuts their brows inclosed. 160 Thus arm'd the Mice advanced, of whose approach The Frogs apprized, emerging from the lake, All throngʻd to council, and consid'ring sat The sudden tumult and its cause. Then came, Sceptre in hand, an herald. Son was he 165 Of the renown'dTyroglyphus, and call'd
Embasichytrus. Charged he came to announce
The horrors of approaching war, and said— Ye Frogs! the host of Mice send you by me
Menaces and defiance, Arm, they say, 170 For furious fight; for they have seen the Prince
Psycharpax welt'ring on the waves, and drown'd
By King Physignathus. Ye then, the Chiefs
And leaders of the host of Frogs, put on
Your armour, and draw forth your bands to battle! 175 He said, and went. Then were the noble Frogs
Troubled at that bold message, and while all
Murmur'd against Physignathus, the King
Himself arising, thus denied the charge.
My friends! I neither drown'd the Mouse, nor saw His drowning. Doubtless, while he strove in sport 181 To imitate the swimming of the Frogs, He sank and died. Thus, blame is none in me, And these injurious sland'rers do me wrong. Consult we, therefore, how we may destroy 185 The subtle Mice, which thus we will perform. Arm'd and adorn'd for battle, we will wait Their coming where our coast is most abrupt. Then, soon as they shall rush to the assault, Seizing them by the helmet, as they come, 190 We will precipitate them, arms and all, Into the lake; unskilful as they are To swim, their suffocation there is sure, And we will build a trophy to record The great Mouse-massacre for evermore. 195 So saying, he gave commandment, and all arm'd. With leaves of mallows each his legs incased, Guarded his bosom with a corslet cut From the green beet, with foliage tough of kail Fashion'd his ample buckler, with a rush 200 Keen-tipt, of length tremendous, fill'd his gripe, And on his brows set fast a cockle-shell. Then, on the summit of the loftiest bank Drawn into phalanx firm they stood, all shook Their quiv'ring spears, and wrath swell'd ev'ry breast. Jove saw them, and assembling all the Gods 206 To council in the skies, behold, he said,
Yon num'rous hosts, magnanimous, robust, And rough with spears, how like the giant race They move, or like the Centaurs! smiling, next, 210 He ask'd, of all the Gods, who favour'd most The Mice, and who the Frogs? but, at the last, Turning toward Minerva, thus he spake. The Mice, my daughter, need thee; go'st thou not To aid thy friends the Mice, inmates of thine, 215 Who to thy temple drawn by sav'ry steams Sacrifical, and day by day refresh'd With dainties there, dance on thy sacred floor? So spake the God, and Pallas thus replied. My father! suffer as they may, the Mice 220 Shall have no aid from me, whom much they wrong, Marring my wreaths, and plund'ring of their oil My lamps.—But this, of all their impious deeds, Offends me most, that they have eaten holes In my best mantle, which with curious art 225 Divine I wove, light, easy, delicate; And now, the artificer whom I employ'd To mend it, clamouring demands a price Exorbitant, which moves me much to wrath, For I obtain'd on trust those costly threads, 230 And have not wherewithal to pay th' arrear.
Nor love I more the Frogs, or purpose more
To succour even them, since they not less,
Dolts as they are, and destitute of thought,
Have incommoded me. For when, of late, 235
Returning from a fight weary and faint I needed rest, and would have slept, no sleep Found I, those ceaseless croakers of the lake Noisy, perverse, forbidding me a wink. Sleepless, and with an aching head I lay 240 Therefore, until the crowing of the cock. By my advice, then, O ye Gods, move not Nor interfere, favouring either side, Lest ye be wounded; for both hosts alike Are valiant, nor would scruple to assail 245 Even ourselves. Suffice it, therefore, hence To view the battle, safe, and at our ease. She ceas'd, and all complied. Meantime, the hosts Drew nearer, and in front of each was seen An herald, gonfalon in hand; huge gnats 250 Through clarions of unwieldy length sang forth The dreadful note of onset fierce, and Jove Doubled the signal, thund'ring from above. First, with his spearHypsiboas assail'd Lichenor. Deep into his body rush'd 255 The point, and pierced his liver. Prone he fell, And all his glossy down with dust defiled. Then,Troglodytes hurl'd his massy spear AtPelion, which he planted in his chest. Down dropp'd the Frog, night whelm'd him, and he died.
Seutlæus, through his heart piercing him, flew 261 Embasichytrus.Polyphonus fell, Pierced through his belly by the spear of bold Artophagus, and prone in dust expired. Incensed at sight of Polyphonus slain, 265 Limnocharis at Troglodytes cast A mill-stone weight of rock; full on the neck He batter'd him, and darkness veil'd his eyes. At him Lichenor hurl'd a glitt'ring lance, Nor err'd, but pierced his liver. Trembling fled 270 Crambophagus at that dread sight, and plunged Over the precipice into the lake, Yet even there found refuge none, for brave Lichenor following, smote him even there. So fell Crambophagus, and from that fall 275 Never arose, but redd'ning with his blood The wave, and wallowing in the strings and slime Of his own vitals, near the bank expired. Limnisius on the grassy shore struck down Tyroglyphus; but at the view alone 280 Of terriblePternoglyphus appall'd, FledCalaminthius, cast away his shield Afar, and headlong plunged into the lake. Hydrocharis with a vast stone assail'd The KingPternophagus; the rugged mass 285
Descending on his poll, crush'd it; the brain Ooz'd through this nostrils drop by drop, and all The bank around was spatter'd with his blood. Lichopinax with his long spear transpierced Borborocoites; darkness veil'd his eyes. 290 Prassophagus with vengeful notice mark'd Cnissodioctes; seizing with one hand His foot, and with the other hand his neck, He plunged, and held him plunged, 'till, drown'd, he died. Psycharpax standing boldly in defence 295 Of his slain fellow-warriors, urged his spear
Right throughPelusius; at his feet he fell,
And, dying, mingled with the Frogs below.
Resentful of his death, the mighty Frog Pelobates an handful cast of mud 300 Full at Psycharpax; all his ample front He smear'd, and left him scarce a glimpse of day. Psycharpax, at the foul dishonour, still Exasp'rate more, upheaving from the ground A rock that had incumber'd long the bank, 305 Hurl'd it against Pelobates; below The knees he smote him, shiver'd his right leg In pieces, and outstretch'd him in the dust. But himCraugasides, who stood to guard The fallen Chief, assail'd; with his long lance 310
He prick'd Psycharpax at the waist; the whole Keen-pointed rush transpierced his belly, and all His bowels following the retracted point, O'erspread the ensanguin'd herbage at his side. Soon asSitophagus, a crippled mouse, 315 That fight beheld, limping, as best he could, He left the field, and, to avoid a fate Not less tremendous, dropp'd into a ditch. Troxartes grazed the instep of the bold Physignathus, who at the sudden pang 320 Startled, at once leap'd down into the lake. Prassæus, at the sight of such a Chief Floating in mortal agonies enraged, Sprang through his foremost warriors, and dismiss'd His pointed rush, but reach'd not through his shield 325 Troxartes, baffled by the stubborn disk. There was a Mouse, young, beautiful, and brave Past all on earth, son of the valiant Chief Artepibulus. Like another Mars He fought, andMeridarpax was his name, 330 A Mouse, among all Mice without a peer. Glorying in his might on the lake's verge He stood, with other Mouse none at his side, And swore t' extirpate the whole croaking race. Nor doubted any but he should perform 335 His dreadful oath, such was his force in arms,
Had not Saturnian Jove with sudden note Perceived his purpose; with compassion touch'd Of the devoted Frogs the Sov'reign shook His brows, and thus the Deities address'd, 340 I see a prodigy, ye Pow'rs divine! And, with no small amazement smitten, hear Prince Meridarpax menacing the Frogs With gen'ral extirpation. Haste—be quick— Dispatch we Pallas terrible in sight, 345 Nor her alone, but also Mars, to quell With force combined the sanguinary Chief. So spake the Thund'rer, and thus Mars replied. Neither the force of Pallas, nor the force Of Mars, O Jove! will save the destin'd Frogs 350 From swift destruction. Let us all descend To aid them, or, lest all suffice not, grasp And send abroad thy biggest bolt, thy bolt Tempestuous, terrour of the Titan race, By which those daring enemies thou flew'st, 355 And didst coerce with adamantine chains Enceladus, and all that monstrous brood. He said, and Jove dismiss'd the smould'ring bolt. At his first thunder, to its base he shook The vast Olympian. Then—whirling about 360 His forky fires, he launch'd them to the ground, And, as they left the Sov'reign's hand, the heart Of ev'ry Mouse quaked, and of ev'ry Frog. Yet ceas'd not, even at that shock, the Mice
From battle, but with double ardour flew 365 To the destruction of the Frogs, whom Jove From the Olympian heights snow-crown'd again Viewing, compassionated their distress, And sent them aids. Sudden they came. Broad-back'd They were, and smooth like anvils, sickle-claw'd, 370 Sideling in gait, their mouths with pincers arm'd, Shell-clad, crook-knee'd, protruding far before Long hands and horns, with eye-balls in the breast, Legs in quaternion ranged on either side, And Crabs their name. They, seizing by his leg, 375 His arm, his tail a Mouse, cropp’d it, and snapp'd His polish’d spear. Appall’d at such a foe The miserable Mice stood not, but fled Heartless, discomfited.—And now, the sun Descending, closed this warfare of a day. 380
THE END
* ↑ The beauty of the lake.
* ↑ The pouter.
* ↑ Of or belonging to mud.
* ↑ Governess of the waters.
* ↑ The crumb-catcher.
* ↑ The bread-eater.
* ↑ The bacon-eater.
* ↑ The licker of mill-stones.
* ↑ The dish-licker.
* ↑ A cheese-rasper.
* ↑ The explorer of pots and pipkins.
* ↑ The loud-croaker.
* ↑ One addicted to licking.
* ↑ A creeper into holes and crannies.
* ↑ Offspring of the mud.
* ↑ A feeder on beet.
* ↑ The noisy.
* ↑ The bread-eater.
* ↑ The cabbage-eater.
* ↑ Of the lake.
* ↑ The cheese-scraper.
* ↑ The ham-scraper.
* ↑ So called from the herb calamint.
* ↑ One whose delight is in the water.
* ↑ The bacon-eater.
* ↑ The sleeper in the mud.
* ↑ The garlic-eater.
* ↑ The sav'ry-steam-hunter.
* ↑ The muddy.
* ↑ The mud-walker.
* ↑ The hoarse-croaker.
* ↑ The cake-eater.
* ↑ One who deals much in garlic.
* ↑ One who lies in wait for bread.
* ↑ The scrap-catcher.