When eager Nisus, hapless in his haste,



Slipp'd first, and, slipping, fell upon the plain,

Soak'd with the blood of oxen newly slain.



The carelessvictor had not mark'd his way;

But, treading where the treach'rous puddle lay,



His heels flew up; and on the grassy floor

He fell, besmear'd with filth and holy gore.



Not mindless then, Euryalus, of thee,

Nor of the sacred bonds of amity,



He strove th' immediate rival's hope to cross,

And caught the foot of Salius as he rose.



So Salius lay extended on the plain;

Euryalus springs out, the prize to gain,



And leaves the crowd: applauding peals attend

The victor to the goal, who vanquish'd by his friend.



Next Helymus; and then Diores came,

By two misfortunes made the third in fame.



But Salius enters, and, exclaiming loud

For justice, deafens and disturbs the crowd;



Urges his cause may in the court be heard;

And pleads the prize is wrongfully conferr'd.



But favor for Euryalus appears;

His blooming beauty, with his tender tears,



Had brib'd the judges for the promis'd prize.

Besides, Diores fills the court with cries,



Who vainly reaches at the last reward,

If the first palm on Salius be conferr'd.



Then thus the prince: "Let no disputes arise:

Where fortune plac'd it, I award the prize.



But fortune's errors give me leave to mend,

At least to pity my deserving friend."



He said, and, from among the spoils, he draws

(Pond'rous with shaggy mane and golden paws)



A lion's hide: to Salius this he gives.

Nisus with envy sees the gift, and grieves.



"If such rewards to vanquish'd men are due."

He said, "and falling is to rise by you,



What prize may Nisus from your bounty claim,

Who merited the first rewards and fame?



In falling, both an equal fortune tried;

Would fortune for my fall so well provide!"



With this he pointed to his face, and show'd

His hand and all his habit smear'd with blood.



Th' indulgent father of the people smil'd,

And caus'd to be produc'd an ample shield,



Of wondrous art, by Didymaon wrought,

Long since from Neptune's bars in triumph brought.



This giv'n to Nisus, he divides the rest,

And equal justice in his gifts express'd.



The race thus ended, and rewards bestow'd,

Once more the princes bespeaks th' attentive crowd:



"If there he here whose dauntless courage dare

In gauntlet-fight, with limbs and body bare,



His opposite sustain in open view,

Stand forth the champion, and the games renew.



Two prizes I propose, and thus divide:

A bull with gilded horns, and fillets tied,



Shall be the portion of the conqu'ring chief;

A sword and helm shall cheer the loser's grief."



Then haughty Dares in the lists appears;

Stalking he strides, his head erected bears:



His nervous arms the weighty gauntlet wield,

And loud applauses echo thro' the field.



Dares alone in combat us'd to stand

The match of mighty Paris, hand to hand;



The same, at Hector's fun'rals, undertook

Gigantic Butes, of th' Amycian stock,



And, by the stroke of his resistless hand,

Stretch'd the vast bulk upon the yellow sand.



Such Dares was; and such he strode along,

And drew the wonder of the gazing throng.



His brawny back and ample breast he shows,

His lifted arms around his head he throws,



And deals in whistling air his empty blows.

His match is sought; but, thro' the trembling band,

• liquid [´likwid] n.液体 a.流动的 (初中英语单词)


• guilty [´gilti] a.有罪的；心虚的 (初中英语单词)


• grateful [´greitful] a.感谢的；令人愉快的 (初中英语单词)


• winged [´wiŋd] a.有翼的 (初中英语单词)


• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)


• vessel [´vesəl] n.容器；船；脉管 (初中英语单词)


• reward [ri´wɔ:d] n.&v.报答；报酬；奖赏 (初中英语单词)


• purple [´pə:pl] n.紫色 a.紫(红)的 (初中英语单词)


• wrought [rɔ:t] work 的过去式(分词) (初中英语单词)


• pursue [pə´sju:] v.追赶；追踪；从事 (初中英语单词)


• flight [flait] n.逃走；飞行；班机 (初中英语单词)


• ornament [´ɔ:nəmənt] n.装饰(物) vt.装饰 (初中英语单词)


• glorious [´glɔ:riəs] a.光荣的；辉煌的 (初中英语单词)


• scarce [skeəs, skers] a.缺乏的；稀有的 (初中英语单词)


• lightly [´laitli] ad.轻微地，稍微 (初中英语单词)


• prominent [´prɔminənt] a.突起的；凸出的 (初中英语单词)


• fierce [fiəs] a.残忍的；强烈的 (初中英语单词)


• unhappy [ʌn´hæpi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)


• thence [ðens] ad.从那里；因此 (初中英语单词)


• valley [´væli] n.谷；河谷；流域 (初中英语单词)


• solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)


• quiver [´kwivə] v.抖动 n.颤动(声) (初中英语单词)


• helmet [´helmit] n.钢盔 (初中英语单词)


• greedy [´gri:di] a.贪婪的；馋的 (初中英语单词)


• thunder [´θʌndə] n.雷 vi.打雷 vt.吼出 (初中英语单词)


• careless [´keəlis] a.粗心的；草率的 (初中英语单词)


• sacred [´seikrid] a.神圣的；庄严的 (初中英语单词)


• pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)


• triumph [´traiəmf] n.胜利 vi.得胜，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• attentive [ə´tentiv] a.注意的；殷勤的 (初中英语单词)


• sustain [sə´stein] vt.支撑；蒙受；确认 (初中英语单词)


• champion [´tʃæmpiən] n.冠军 vt.拥护 (初中英语单词)


• portion [´pɔ:ʃən] n.嫁妆；命运 vt.分配 (初中英语单词)


• nervous [´nə:vəs] a.神经的；神经过敏的 (初中英语单词)


• laurel [´lɔrəl] n.月桂树(叶)；桂冠 (高中英语单词)


• virgin [´və:dʒin] a.处女(般)的 n.处女 (高中英语单词)


• breadth [bredθ] n.宽度，幅面，广度 (高中英语单词)


• herald [´herəld] n.先驱；预兆 vt.预示 (高中英语单词)


• strive [straiv] vi.争取；努力；奋斗 (高中英语单词)


• crooked [´krukid] a.弯曲的；畸形的 (高中英语单词)


• combat [´kɔmbæt] v.&n.斗争；战斗；争斗 (高中英语单词)


• goodly [´gudli] a.适意的；漂亮的 (高中英语单词)


• mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)


• surrounding [sə´raundiŋ] n.周围的事物 (高中英语单词)


• throne [θrəun] n.宝座；王位 (高中英语单词)


• patron [´peitrən] n.庇护人，保护人；赞助人 (高中英语单词)


• foremost [´fɔ:məust] a.最重要的；最先的 (高中英语单词)


• stately [´steitli] a.庄严的，雄伟的 (高中英语单词)


• barrier [´bæriə] n.栅栏；屏障；障碍 (高中英语单词)


• strove [strəuv] strive的过去式 (高中英语单词)


• vainly [´veinli] ad.虚荣地；自负地 (高中英语单词)


• bounty [´baunti] n.慷慨；恩惠；赠物 (高中英语单词)


• haughty [´hɔ:ti] a.傲慢的，高傲的 (高中英语单词)


• mighty [´maiti] a.强有力的 ad.很 (高中英语单词)


• strode [strəud] stride的过去式 (高中英语单词)


• succor [´sʌkə] n.救援 vt.支援 (英语四级单词)


• galley [´gæli] n.单层甲板大帆船 (英语四级单词)


• victor [´viktə] n.&a.胜利者(的) (英语四级单词)


• richly [´ritʃli] ad.富裕地；浓厚地 (英语四级单词)


• clearing [´kliəriŋ] n.(森林中的)空旷地 (英语四级单词)


• vulgar [´vʌlgə] a.粗俗的；大众的 (英语四级单词)


• blooming [´blu:miŋ] a.正开花的；妙龄的 (英语四级单词)


• grassy [´grɑ:si] a.多草的；青草味的 (英语四级单词)


• shaggy [´ʃægi] a.蓬乱的；多粗毛的 (英语四级单词)


• wondrous [´wʌndrəs] a.极好的 ad.惊人地 (英语四级单词)


• sprightly [´spraitli] a.活泼的；轻快的 (英语六级单词)


• grecian [´gri:ʃən] a.古希腊的 n.希腊人 (英语六级单词)


• beating [´bi:tiŋ] n.敲；搅打；失败 (英语六级单词)


• dubious [´dju:biəs] a.怀疑的；可疑的 (英语六级单词)


• hapless [´hæpləs] a.不幸的；倒楣的 (英语六级单词)


• extended [iks´tendid] a.伸长的；广大的 (英语六级单词)


• dauntless [´dɔ:ntlis] a.无畏的；不屈不挠的 (英语六级单词)