Metamorphoses: Book The Thirteenth Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBCCDDDDDDDEDFGDDDD HHIJKKCCHHDDDDLLMNOH IPPQQRRDDRRDDGGGGDDD SDDDRARDDTTUUVVWXYZP ZGGDA2DDDDDGGDDB2B2D DCCDDRRDDGC2DDGGD2D2 DDGGA2A2E2F2PPDDPPDD G

THE chiefs were set the soldiers crown'd theA
fieldB
To these the master of the seven fold shieldB
Upstarted fierce and kindled with disdainC
Eager to speak unable to containC
His boiling rage he rowl'd his eyes aroundD
The shore and Graecian gallies hall'd a groundD
The Then stretching out his hands O Jove he cry'dD
Speeches of Must then our cause before the fleet be try'dD
Ajax and And dares Ulysses for the prize contendD
Ulysses In sight of what he durst not once defendD
But basely fled that memorable dayD
When I from Hector's hands redeem'd the flamingE
preyD
So much 'tis safer at the noisie barF
With words to flourish than ingage in warG
By diff'rent methods we maintain our rightD
Nor am I made to talk nor he to fightD
In bloody fields I labour to be greatD
His arms are a smooth tongue and soft deceitD
Nor need I speak my deeds for those you seeH
The sun and day are witnesses for meH
Let him who fights unseen relate his ownI
And vouch the silent stars and conscious moonJ
Great is the prize demanded I confessK
But such an abject rival makes it lessK
That gift those honours he but hop'd to gainC
Can leave no room for Ajax to be vainC
Losing he wins because his name will beH
Ennobled by defeat who durst contend with meH
Were my known valour question'd yet my bloodD
Without that plea wou'd make my title goodD
My sire was Telamon whose arms employ'dD
With Hercules these Trojan walls destroy'dD
And who before with Jason sent from GreeceL
In the first ship brought home the golden fleeceL
Great Telamon from Aeacus derivesM
His birth th' inquisitor of guilty livesN
In shades below where Sisyphus whose sonO
This thief is thought rouls up the restless heavyH
stoneI
Just Aeacus the king of Gods aboveP
Begot thus Ajax is the third from JoveP
Nor shou'd I seek advantage from my lineQ
Unless Achilles it was mix'd with thineQ
As next of kin Achilles' arms I claimR
This fellow wou'd ingraft a foreign nameR
Upon our stock and the Sisyphian seedD
By fraud and theft asserts his father's breedD
Then must I lose these arms because I cameR
To fight uncall'd a voluntary nameR
Nor shunn'd the cause but offer'd you my aidD
While he long lurking was to war betray'dD
Forc'd to the field he came but in the reerG
And feign'd distraction to conceal his fearG
'Till one more cunning caught him in the snareG
Ill for himself and dragg'd him into warG
Now let a hero's arms a coward vestD
And he who shunn'd all honours gain the bestD
And let me stand excluded from my rightD
Robb'd of my kinsman's arms who first appear'd inS
fightD
Better for us at home had he remain'dD
Had it been true the madness which he feign'dD
Or so believ'd the less had been our shameR
The less his counsell'd crime which brands theA
Grecian nameR
Nor Philoctetes had been left inclos'dD
In a bare isle to wants and pains expos'dD
Where to the rocks with solitary groansT
His suff'rings and our baseness he bemoansT
And wishes so may Heav'n his wish fulfillU
The due reward to him who caus'd his illU
Now he with us to Troy's destruction swornV
Our brother of the war by whom are bornV
Alcides' arrows pent in narrow boundsW
With cold and hunger pinch'd and pain'd withX
woundsY
To find him food and cloathing must employZ
Against the birds the shafts due to the fate ofP
TroyZ
Yet still he lives and lives from treason freeG
Because he left Ulysses' companyG
Poor Palamede might wish so void of aidD
Rather to have been left than so to deathA2
betray'dD
The coward bore the man immortal spightD
Who sham'd him out of madness into fightD
Nor daring otherwise to vent his hateD
Accus'd him first of treason to the stateD
And then for proof produc'd the golden storeG
Himself had hidden in his tent beforeG
Thus of two champions he depriv'd our hostD
By exile one and one by treason lostD
Thus fights Ulysses thus his fame extendsB2
A formidable man but to his friendsB2
Great for what greatness is in words and soundD
Ev'n faithful Nestor less in both is foundD
But that he might without a rival reignC
He left this faithful Nestor on the plainC
Forsook his friend ev'n at his utmost needD
Who tir'd and tardy with his wounded steedD
Cry'd out for aid and call'd him by his nameR
But cowardice has neither ears nor shameR
Thus fled the good old man bereft of aidD
And for as much as lay in him betray'dD
That this is not a fable forg'd by meG
Like one of his an Ulyssean lieC2
I vouch ev'n Diomede who tho' his friendD
Cannot that act excuse much less defendD
He call'd him back aloud and tax'd his fearG
And sure enough he heard but durst not hearG
The Gods with equal eyes on mortal lookD2
He justly was forsaken who forsookD2
Wanted that succour he refus'd to lendD
Found ev'ry fellow such another friendD
No wonder if he roar'd that all might hearG
His elocution was increas'd by fearG
I heard I ran I found him out of breathA2
Pale trembling and half dead with fear of deathA2
Though he had judg'd himself by his own lawsE2
And stood condemn'd I help'd the common causeF2
With my broad buckler hid him from the foeP
Ev'n the shield trembled as he lay belowP
And from impending Fate the coward freedD
Good Heav'n forgive me for so bad a deedD
If still he will persist and urge the strifeP
First let him give me back his forfeit lifeP
Let him return to that opprobrious fieldD
Again creep under my protecting shieldD
Let him lie wounded let the foe be nearG

Ovid



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