‘As two spent swimmers that do cling together and choke their art’ This is a metaphor used by the soldier which shows imagery of the ‘two swimmers’ (being the two armies) and that they are ‘spent’ (tired), the soldier goes on to say ‘and choke their art’ it implies that the two swimmers are losing they’re energy, which means they start to drown and that results the two armies being in a tie or stalemate.