The Philistine Warrior (53 page)
Muse, now sing of
Troy
the Many-towered, and Priam, Overlord;
When Hector’s arms
Defied dread Agamemnon’s band. They came in envy of the ships
Which
Troy
sent forth to every land; King Meneleus raised his
Sword
Trojan sons to kill, and revished
Troy
in jealous rage, because his Helen fair
Gave her love, and loved too well, love-sick
Paris
there.
IV.
Priam, gracious Lord, then called the loyal Philistine, his vassal
Nomion,
And Nastes, too, fierce brother of our King, to
Troy
’s great war. They shook
Their spears and slew the sacrifice for Dagon’s help, Great God, And Greek
Fathers soon bewailed their sons who chewed the dirt when
Philistines by Hector’s side
Fought before the walls of
Troy
; fought…and Nastes died.
V.
Long the Hellenes watched those walls, and many lie there still,
Where Nomion stood fast
And by the dozen piled their bodies high; then Hector, wounded,
Fell.
That fiend, Achilles, perished, too, and more from every tribe,
Until
Ruddy-fingered Dawn in envy spied one redder yet: the Hawk-eyed
King, who stands
Soaked in blood, his own and Greek, spear still in his hands!
VI.
Bard, what shame! Odysseus, that crafty man, has left a horse for
Troy
to tame,
A mare whose colts made Trojan daughters slaves. But Dagon saved
The Black-
Haired King; our God would not His seedlings leave to roast in
Troy
’s great flame.
Nomion his Philistines to Karia withdrew; the Greeks pursued
Our train;
All our crops they burned that year; more brave men were slain!
Danites landed, raped and killed, and tore our women’s limbs;
Dread Lydians stole our kine;
The Phrygian maw could not be closed. Though Nomion his
Philistines
In battle led, the murdering Greeks pressed on. The Hawk-eyed
King his host
Called to council then, his bronze-clad chieftains all, his sons the
Noble princes three:
Piram brave, and Bene strong; Rusa great to be.
VIII.
“Dagon’s will, revealed to us, came in a dream,” the King
Proclaimed; the bronze-clad chiefs
Then gathered round in awe: “We’ll hear God’s word itself,” they
Said. “The Lord
Of Grain, our God, an exodus decrees!” the Black-haired Man
Explained.
“Karia, this cursed land, we’ll leave behind; Astarte’s Star will
Guide us right;
Egypt
’s shore our home will be, conquered by our might.”
IX.
Scowling chieftains shook their heads: “What’s this? Our
Fatherland forget? Our hearths forsake?
We’d rather fight and die,” they said. The King’s dark eyes in
Anger flashed,
In somber scorn he spake: “Such gallant blood! You’d die for
What is dead;
Phrygian slaves your wives would be, or to vultures fed!”
X.
“Philistines!” the King declared, “it’s true our homes are lost; and
Yet the tribe lives on!
More dear than any land,
Philistia
must live! Our seed must be
Preserved! Or else our shades, forgotten, all will pine, our deeds
Unsung.
Let us therefore fight to win this promised home on Pharaoh’s
Shore!” The chiefs replied:
“Curse this choice; to die or leave! How can we decide?”
XI.
Fearless Piram, first-born son, strode forth: “My Father’s words
Are good to heed,” the Prince
Declared. “For well you know his kingly line descends from
Dagon’s seed!”
Young Rusa took his father’s part, and Bene, lord of chariot iron,
Pledged the King his clan would Pharaoh’s coastline seek; care not
What other chiefs might do!
“Loyal sons!” the crowd exclaimed, “What you say is true!”
XII.
“Pious duty holds us here,” the troubled chiefs complained; “our
Fathers’ tombs to serve;
Yes, even unto death!” But Dagon’s priest, Amphimachus,
Gray-beard,
Advised: “Our King is right! The sheep’s entrails now shed the
Self-same light!
Serve your fathers’ shades in life—on
Egypt
’s shore!” “Your
Words are wise,” replied the host;
“Yet some wish to die at home; here give up the ghost!”
XIII.
Hawk-eyed Nomion the King in sudden fury shook his spear and
Glared down at
The unsure tribe. “Who dares to question God’s command?” he
Raged. “Let him
Who doubts be left behind! Who follows me to Pharaoh’s golden
Coast?
Philistines, speak out!” And now at last his chieftains cheer;
The tribesmen, spears in hand,
Clang upon their shields and shout: “On to
Egypt
’s land!”
XIV.
Princely Piram spake: “I’ll steer my ships across the wine-dark sea
Until I reach
The
land
of
Crete
, and there my Mother’s kin I’ll seek—for Minos’
Tribe,
Achaean-pressed, might join us in this holy quest!” Young Rusa
Swore
Crete
he’d also reach: “Among our Mother’s noble clan,” he said,
“I’ll find a bride,
Fair, like her; then onwards sail, help-meet by my side.”
XV.
Nomion all smiling did his sons’ plans bless. Yet Bene, second
Prince, the Lord
Of battle wagons, square jaw set, refused to be so led: “My clan
Will not its carts and cattle leave for Phrygian hordes to take,” he
Said.
“
Overland
I’ll march to Taurus; kinfolk of my wife I’ll join; an oath
We’ll swear
Canaan
’s length to cross; the
Nile
’s Delta we’ll all share!”
XVI.
Muse, recount the sorrow felt by Nomion our King as quarrelsome
Bene spoke
“My son,” the Black-haired Man replied, “our tribe will be hard put
To win
Our promised land if you now force us to divide.” Yet Bene
Scowled,
Stalking off, and Nomion, the chieftain-tamer, sat with chin in
Hand, and watched his son depart;
Nothing could be said; each step pierced him to the heart.
XVII.
Cattle, carts, and clan-folk on the march, strong Bene sought his
Fate. King Nomion
Young Rusa’s hand then took in his: “When Pharaoh cedes his
Coast to us,
What Bene would have had will go to you,” he said. “My second
Son
Henceforth you shall be. Then let us board our dragon ships, and
Leave this bitter shore;
Push away from what was dear; home and kin no more.”
XVIII.
Neptune
pitied them their heavy hearts; the salty waves he calmed.
The Hawk-eyed King
Stood at the bow, his fleet to lead; Prince Piram’s squadron took
The van.
Thus
Crete
was reached, and Rusa took a comly wife; with friendly
