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THE ILIAD: BOOK 8. THE SCALES OF ZEUS by HOMER

First Line: TILL SACRED MORN HAD BRIGHTENED INTO NOON
Last Line: ASTONISH'D STOOD; FEAR WHITEN'D EV'RY CHEEK.
Subject(s): MYTHOLOGY - CLASSICAL; TROJAN WAR;

TILL sacred morn had brighten'd into noon,
The vollied weapons on both sides their task
Perform'd effectual, and the people fell.
But when the sun had climb'd the middle skies,
The Sire of all then took his golden scales;
Doom against doom he weighed, th'eternal fates
In counterpoise, of Trojans and of Greeks.
He rais'd the beam; low sank the heavier lot
Of the Achaians; the Achaian doom
Subsided, and the Trojan struck the skies.
Then roar'd his thunders from the summit hurl'd
Of Ida, and his vivid lightnings flew
Into Achaia's host. They at the sight
Astonish'd stood; fear whiten'd ev'ry cheek.



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