The ARGUMENT. The fingle combate of Hector and Ajax. THE battel renewing with double ardour upon the re turn of Hector, Minerva is under apprehenfions for the Greeks. Apollo feeing her defcend from Olympus, joins her near the Scean gate. They agree to put off the general engagement for that day, and incite Hector to challenge the Greeks to a fingle cambate. Nine of the Princes accepting the challenge, the lat is caft, and falls upon Ajax, Thefe beroes, after feveral attacks, are parted by the night. The Trojans calling a council, Antenor propofes the delivery of Helen to the Greeks, to which Paris will not confent, but offers to refore them her riches. Priam fends a herald to make this offer, and to demand a truce for burning the dead, the last of which only is agreed to by Agamemnon. When the funerals are performed, the Greeks, pursuant to the advice of Neftor, erect a fortification to protect their fleet and camp, flank'd with towers, and defended by a ditch and palifades. Neptune teftifies his jealousy at this work, but is pacified by a promise from Jupiter. Both armies pafs the night in feafting, but Jupiter disheartens the Trojans with thunder and other figns of his wrath. The three and twentieth day ends with the duel of Hector and Ajax: The next day the truce is agreed: Another is taken up in the funeral rites of the flain; and one more in building the fortification before the hips. So that fomewhat above three days is employed in this book. The. fcene lies wholly in the field. THE Hector, being return'd to y Camp enters into single combat with Ajax, after having defeated if most Valiant of y Gwooks.They are interrupted by tac Úcrabdi. who part them B. VI. B THE SEVENTH BOOK OF THE ILIA D. S O fpoke the guardian of the Trojan state, Both breathing flaughter, both resolv'd in arms. V. 2. Thro' the Scran gate.] This gate is not here particularized by Homer, but it appears by 491ft verfe of the fixth book, that it could be no other. Euftathius takes notice of the difference of the words toouro and xie, the one apply'd to Hector, the other to Paris: by which the motion of the former is defcribed as an impetuous fallying forth, agreeable to the violence of a warrior; and that of the latter as a calmer movement correfpondent to the gentler character of a lover. But perhaps this remark is too refined, fince Homer plainly gives Paris a character of bravery in what immediately precedes and follows this verfc. As |