s: could be heard afar, he shouted to the Danaans, saying, "Argives,


s: are now our vaunts that we should prove victorious--the vaunts we


s: you would each of you stand against a hundred or two hundred men,


s: ere long setting our ships in a blaze. Father Jove, did you ever


s: so ruin a great king and rob him so utterly of his greatness?


s: Yet, when to my sorrow I was coming hither, I never let my ship


s: pass your altars without offering the fat and thigh-bones of


s: heifers upon every one of them, so eager was I to sack the city


s: of Troy. Vouchsafe me then this prayer--suffer us to escape at


s: any rate with our lives, and let not the Achaeans be so utterly


s: Thus did he pray, and father Jove pitying his tears vouchsafed


s: him that his people should live, not die; forthwith he sent them


s: an eagle, most unfailingly portentous of all birds, with a young


s: fawn in its talons; the eagle dropped the fawn by the altar on


s: which the Achaeans sacrificed to Jove the lord of omens; when,


s: therefore, the people saw that the bird had come from Jove, they


s: sprang more fiercely upon the Trojans and fought more boldly.


s: There was no man of all the many Danaans who could then boast


s: that he had driven his horses over the trench and gone forth to


s: fight sooner than the son of Tydeus; long before any one else


s: could do so he slew an armed warrior of the Trojans, Agelaus the


s: son of Phradmon. He had turned his horses in flight, but the


s: spear struck him in the back midway between his shoulders and


s: went right through his chest, and his armour rang rattling round


s: him as he fell forward from his chariot.


s: After him came Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons of Atreus, the two


s: Ajaxes clothed in valour as with a garment, Idomeneus and his


s: companion in arms Meriones, peer of murderous Mars, and Eurypylus


s: took his place under cover of the shield of Ajax son of Telamon.


s: When Ajax lifted his shield Teucer would peer round, and when he


s: had hit any one in the throng, the man would fall dead; then


s: Teucer would hie back to Ajax as a child to its mother, and again


s: Which of the Trojans did brave Teucer first kill? Orsilochus, and


s: Lycophontes, Amopaon son of Polyaemon, and Melanippus. these in


s: turn did he lay low upon the earth, and King Agamemnon was glad


s: when he saw him making havoc of the Trojans with his mighty bow.


s: He went up to him and said, "Teucer, man after my own heart, son


s: of Telamon, captain among the host, shoot on, and be at once the


s: saving of the Danaans and the glory of your father Telamon, who


s: brought you up and took care of you in his own house when you


s: though he is far off; I will promise and I will assuredly


s: perform; if aegis-bearing Jove and Minerva grant me to sack the


s: city of Ilius, you shall have the next best meed of honour after


s: my own--a tripod, or two horses with their chariot, or a woman


s: And Teucer answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, you need not urge


s: never ceased so far as in me lies to look out for men whom I can


s: shoot and kill; I have shot eight barbed shafts, and all of them


s: have been buried in the flesh of warlike youths, but this mad dog


s: As he spoke he aimed another arrow straight at Hector, for he was


s: hit Priam's brave son Gorgythion in the breast. His mother, fair


s: Castianeira, lovely as a goddess, had been married from Aesyme,


s: and now he bowed his head as a garden poppy in full bloom when it


s: Again he aimed at Hector, for he was longing to hit him, and


s: again his arrow missed, for Apollo turned it aside; but he hit


s: Hector's brave charioteer Archeptolemus in the breast, by the


s: nipple, as he was driving furiously into the fight. The horses


s: swerved aside as he fell headlong from the chariot, and there was


s: his charioteer, but for all his sorrow he let him lie where he


s: fell, and bade his brother Cebriones, who was hard by, take the


s: reins. Cebriones did as he had said. Hector thereon with a loud


s: cry sprang from his chariot to the ground, and seizing a great


s: stone made straight for Teucer with intent kill him. Teucer had


s: just taken an arrow from his quiver and had laid it upon the


s: bow-string, but Hector struck him with the jagged stone as he was


s: just where the collar-bone divides the neck from the chest, a


s: very deadly place, and broke the sinew of his arm so that his


s: wrist was less, and the bow dropped from his hand as he fell


s: forward on his knees. Ajax saw that his brother had fallen, and


s: running towards him bestrode him and sheltered him with his


s: shield. Meanwhile his two trusty squires, Mecisteus son of


s: Echius, and Alastor, came up and bore him to the ships groaning


s: Jove now again put heart into the Trojans, and they drove the


s: Achaeans to their deep trench with Hector in all his glory at


s: their head. As a hound grips a wild boar or lion in flank or


s: buttock when he gives him chase, and watches warily for his


s: wheeling, even so did Hector follow close upon the Achaeans, ever


s: they had fled through the set stakes and trench and many Achaeans


s: their ships, calling upon one another and praying every man


s: instantly as they lifted up their hands to the gods; but Hector


s: wheeled his horses this way and that, his eyes glaring like those


s: Juno when she saw them had pity upon them, and at once said to


s: Minerva, "Alas, child of aegis-bearing Jove, shall you and I take


s: the onset of but a single man. Hector the son of Priam rages with


s: Minerva answered, "Would, indeed, this fellow might die in his


s: own land, and fall by the hands of the Achaeans; but my father


s: Jove is mad with spleen, ever foiling me, ever headstrong and


s: unjust. He forgets how often I saved his son when he was worn out


s: him; if I had had the sense to foresee all this, when Eurystheus


s: sent him to the house of Hades, to fetch the hell-hound from


s: Erebus, he would never have come back alive out of the deep


s: waters of the river Styx. And now Jove hates me, while he lets


s: Thetis have her way because she kissed his knees and took hold of


s: shall know what to do next time he begins calling me his


s: grey-eyed darling. Get our horses ready, while I go within the


s: house of aegis-bearing Jove and put on my armour; we shall then


s: find out whether Priam's son Hector will be glad to meet us in


s: the highways of battle, or whether the Trojans will glut hounds


s: and vultures with the fat of their flesh as they be dead by the


s: Thus did she speak and white-armed Juno, daughter of great


s: Saturn, obeyed her words; she set about harnessing her


s: gold-bedizened steeds, while Minerva daughter of aegis-bearing


s: Jove flung her richly vesture, made with her own hands, on to the


s: herself for battle. Then she stepped into her flaming chariot,


s: and grasped the spear so stout and sturdy and strong with which


s: she quells the ranks of heroes who have displeased her. Juno


s: lashed her horses, and the gates of heaven bellowed as they flew


s: open of their own accord--gates over which the Hours preside, in


s: whose hands are heaven and Olympus, either to open the dense


s: cloud that hides them or to close it. Through these the goddesses


s: But father Jove when he saw them from Ida was very angry, and


s: sent winged Iris with a message to them. "Go," said he, "fleet


s: Iris, turn them back, and see that they do not come near me, for


s: if we come to fighting there will be mischief. This is what I


s: say, and this is what I mean to do. I will lame their horses for


s: them; I will hurl them from their chariot, and will break it in


s: pieces. It will take them all ten years to heal the wounds my


s: lightning shall inflict upon them; my grey-eyed daughter will


s: then learn what quarrelling with her father means. I am less


s: surprised and angry with Juno, for whatever I say she always


s: With this Iris went her way, fleet as the wind, from the heights


s: of Ida to the lofty summits of Olympus. She met the goddesses at


s: the outer gates of its many valleys and gave them her message.


s: "What," said she, "are you about? Are you mad? The son of Saturn


s: forbids going. This is what he says, and this is he means to do,


s: he will lame your horses for you, he will hurl you from your


s: chariot, and will break it in pieces. It will take you all ten


s: years to heal the wounds his lightning will inflict upon you,


s: that you may learn, grey-eyed goddess, what quarrelling with your


s: he says she always contradicts him but you, bold hussy, will you


s: really dare to raise your huge spear in defiance of Jove?"


s: With this she left them, and Juno said to Minerva, "Of a truth,


s: child of aegis-bearing Jove, I am not for fighting men's battles


s: further in defiance of Jove. Let them live or die as luck will


s: have it, and let Jove mete out his judgements upon the Trojans


s: and Danaans according to his own pleasure."


s: She turned her steeds; the Hours presently unyoked them, made


s: them fast to their ambrosial mangers, and leaned the chariot


s: against the end wall of the courtyard. The two goddesses then sat


s: Presently father Jove drove his chariot to Olympus, and entered


s: the assembly of gods. The mighty lord of the earthquake unyoked


s: his horses for him, set the car upon its stand, and threw a cloth


s: reeled beneath him. Minerva and Juno sat alone, apart from Jove,


s: and neither spoke nor asked him questions, but Jove knew what


s: they meant, and said, "Minerva and Juno, why are you so angry?


s: Are you fatigued with killing so many of your dear friends the


s: Trojans? Be this as it may, such is the might of my hands that


s: all the gods in Olympus cannot turn me; you were both of you


s: trembling all over ere ever you saw the fight and its terrible


s: doings. I tell you therefore-and it would have surely been--I


s: should have struck you with lighting, and your chariots would


s: never have brought you back again to Olympus."


s: Minerva and Juno groaned in spirit as they sat side by side and


s: brooded mischief for the Trojans. Minerva sat silent without a


s: word, for she was in a furious passion and bitterly incensed


s: against her father; but Juno could not contain herself and said,


s: "What, dread son of Saturn, are you talking about? We know how


s: great your power is, nevertheless we have compassion upon the


s: Danaan warriors who are perishing and coming to a bad end. We


s: will, however, since you so bid us, refrain from actual fighting,


s: they may not all of them perish in your displeasure."


s: And Jove answered, "To-morrow morning, Juno, if you choose to do


s: so, you will see the son of Saturn destroying large numbers of


s: the Argives, for fierce Hector shall not cease fighting till he


s: has roused the son of Peleus when they are fighting in dire


s: straits at their ships' sterns about the body of Patroclus. Like


s: it or no, this is how it is decreed; for aught I care, you may go


s: Saturn dwell in lone Tartarus with neither ray of light nor


s: breath of wind to cheer them. You may go on and on till you get


s: there, and I shall not care one whit for your displeasure; you


s: Juno made him no answer. The sun's glorious orb now sank into


s: Oceanus and drew down night over the land. Sorry indeed were the


s: Trojans when light failed them, but welcome and thrice prayed for


s: Then Hector led the Trojans back from the ships, and held a


s: council on the open space near the river, where there was a spot


s: clear of corpses. They left their chariots and sat down on the


s: ground to hear the speech he made them. He grasped a spear eleven


s: while the ring round the spear-head was of gold. Spear in hand he


s: deemed but now that I should destroy the ships and all the


s: Achaeans with them ere I went back to Ilius, but darkness came on


s: the seashore. Now, therefore, let us obey the behests of night,


s: and prepare our suppers. Take your horses out of their chariots


s: and give them their feeds of corn; then make speed to bring sheep


s: horses and gather much wood, that from dark till dawn we may burn


s: try to fly beyond the sea by night, and they must not embark


s: scatheless and unmolested; many a man among them must take a dart


s: leaping on board his ship, that others may fear to bring war and


s: weeping upon the Trojans. Moreover let the heralds tell it about


s: the city that the growing youths and grey-bearded men are to camp


s: great fire in her house, and let watch be safely kept lest the


s: town be entered by surprise while the host is outside. See to it,


s: moment; at daybreak I will instruct you further. I pray in hope


s: to Jove and to the gods that we may then drive those fate-sped


s: hounds from our land, for 'tis the fates that have borne them and


s: at the ships of the Achaeans; I shall then know whether brave


s: Diomed the son of Tydeus will drive me back from the ships to the


s: bloodstained spoils. To-morrow let him show his mettle, abide my


s: spear if he dare. I ween that at break of day, he shall be among


s: the first to fall and many another of his comrades round him.


s: Would that I were as sure of being immortal and never growing


s: old, and of being worshipped like Minerva and Apollo, as I am


s: that this day will bring evil to the Argives."


s: Thus spoke Hector and the Trojans shouted applause. They took


s: their sweating steeds from under the yoke, and made them fast


s: each by his own chariot. They made haste to bring sheep and


s: cattle from the city, they brought wine also and corn from their


s: houses and gathered much wood. They then offered unblemished


s: hecatombs to the immortals, and the wind carried the sweet savour


s: of war, and many a watchfire did they kindle. As when the stars


s: shine clear, and the moon is bright--there is not a breath of


s: air, not a peak nor glade nor jutting headland but it stands out


s: in the ineffable radiance that breaks from the serene of heaven;


s: the stars can all of them be told and the heart of the shepherd


s: is glad--even thus shone the watchfires of the Trojans before


s: Ilius midway between the ships and the river Xanthus. A thousand


s: camp-fires gleamed upon the plain, and in the glow of each there


s: sat fifty men, while the horses, champing oats and corn beside


s: their chariots, waited till dawn should come.


s: THUS did the Trojans watch. But Panic, comrade of blood-stained


s: Rout, had taken fast hold of the Achaeans, and their princes were


s: Thrace--the north and the northwest--spring up of a sudden and


s: rouse the fury of the main--in a moment the dark waves uprear


s: their heads and scatter their sea-wrack in all directions--even


s: thus troubled were the hearts of the Achaeans.


s: The son of Atreus in dismay bade the heralds call the people to a


s: haste also himself to call them, and they sat sorry at heart in


s: their assembly. Agamemnon shed tears as it were a running stream


s: or cataract on the side of some sheer cliff; and thus, with many


s: a heavy sigh he spoke to the Achaeans. "My friends," said he,


s: "princes and councillors Of the Argives, the hand of heaven has


s: been laid heavily upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise


s: that I should sack the city of Troy before returning, but he has


s: played me false, and is now bidding me go ingloriously back to


s: Argos with the loss of much people. Such is the will of Jove, who


s: say and sail back to our own country, for we shall not take


s: Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans for a long while sat


s: sorrowful there, but they all held their peace, till at last


s: Diomed of the loud battle-cry made answer saying, "Son of Atreus,


s: aggrieved that I should do so. In the first place you attacked me


s: soldier. The Argives young and old know that you did so. But the


s: son of scheming Saturn endowed you by halves only. He gave you


s: honour as the chief ruler over us, but valour, which is the


s: highest both right and might he did not give you. Sir, think you


s: that the sons of the Achaeans are indeed as unwarlike and


s: cowardly as you say they are? If your own mind is set upon going


s: home--go--the way is open to you; the many ships that followed


s: you from Mycene stand ranged upon the seashore; but the rest of


s: us stay here till we have sacked Troy. Nay though these too


s: should turn homeward with their ships, Sthenelus and myself will


s: still fight on till we reach the goal of Ilius, for heaven was


s: The sons of the Achaeans shouted applause at the words of Diomed,


s: of what you say nor gainsay it, but you have not yet come to the


s: end of the whole matter. You are still young--you might be the


s: youngest of my own children--still you have spoken wisely and


s: have counselled the chief of the Achaeans not without discretion;


s: therefore let no man, not even King Agamemnon, disregard my


s: saying, for he that foments civil discord is a clanless,


s: "Now, however, let us obey the behests of night and get our


s: suppers, but let the sentinels every man of them camp by the


s: trench that is without the wall. I am giving these instructions


s: to the young men; when they have been attended to, do you, son of


s: all. Prepare a feast for your councillors; it is right and


s: reasonable that you should do so; there is abundance of wine in


s: your tents, which the ships of the Achaeans bring from Thrace


s: daily. You have everything at your disposal wherewith to


s: entertain guests, and you have many subjects. When many are got


s: together, you can be guided by him whose counsel is wisest--and


s: sorely do we need shrewd and prudent counsel, for the foe has lit


s: Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. The


s: sentinels went out in their armour under command of Nestor's son


s: Thrasymedes, a captain of the host, and of the bold warriors


s: Ascalaphus and Ialmenus: there were also Meriones, Aphareus and


s: Deipyrus, and the son of Creion, noble Lycomedes. There were


s: seven captains of the sentinels, and with each there went a


s: hundred youths armed with long spears: they took their places


s: midway between the trench and the wall, and when they had done so


s: The son of Atreus then bade many councillors of the Achaeans to


s: his quarters prepared a great feast in their honour. They laid


s: their hands on the good things that were before them, and as soon


s: was ever truest, was the first to lay his mind before them. He,


s: therefore, with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus.


s: "With yourself, most noble son of Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon,


s: much people. Jove, moreover, has vouchsafed you to wield the


s: sceptre and to uphold righteousness, that you may take thought


s: for your people under you; therefore it behooves you above all


s: others both to speak and to give ear, and to out the counsel of


s: another who shall have been minded to speak wisely. All turns on


s: you and on your commands, therefore I will say what I think will


s: be best. No man will be of a truer mind than that which has been


s: mine from the hour when you, sir, angered Achilles by taking the


s: girl Briseis from his tent against my judgment. I urged you not


s: to do so, but you yielded to your own pride, and dishonoured a


s: hero whom heaven itself had honoured--for you still hold the


s: prize that had been awarded to him. Now, however, let us think


s: how we may appease him, both with presents and fair speeches that


s: And King Agamemnon answered, "Sir, you have reproved my folly


s: justly. I was wrong. I own it. One whom heaven befriends is in


s: himself a host, and Jove has shown that he befriends this man by


s: destroying much people of the Achaeans. I was blinded with


s: passion and yielded to my worser mind; therefore I will make


s: amends, and will give him great gifts by way of atonement. I will


s: tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and ten talents of


s: gold. I will give him twenty iron cauldrons and twelve strong


s: horses that have won races and carried off prizes. Rich, indeed,


s: both in land and gold is he that has as many prizes as my horses


s: have won me. I will give him seven excellent workwomen, Lesbians,


s: beauty. I will give him these, and with them her whom I erewhile


s: took from him, the daughter of Briseus; and I swear a great oath


s: that I never went up into her couch, nor have been with her after


s: "All these things will I give him now, and if hereafter the gods


s: vouchsafe me to sack the city of Priam, let him come when we


s: Achaeans are dividing the spoil, and load his ship with gold and


s: bronze to his liking; furthermore let him take twenty Trojan


s: women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then, when we reach


s: Achaean Argos, wealthiest of all lands, he shall be my son-in-law


s: Chrysothemis, Laodice, and Iphianassa, let him take the one of


s: his choice, freely and without gifts of wooing, to the house of


s: Peleus; I will add such dower to boot as no man ever yet gave his


s: Cardamyle, Enope, and Hire, where there is grass; holy Pherae and


s: of Pedasus, all near the sea, and on the borders of sandy Pylos.


s: The men that dwell there are rich in cattle and sheep; they will


s: honour him with gifts as though he were a god, and be obedient to


s: forgo his anger. Let him then yield; it is only Hades who is


s: utterly ruthless and unyielding--and hence he is of all gods the


s: one most hateful to mankind. Moreover I am older and more royal


s: than himself. Therefore, let him now obey me."


s: Then Nestor answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men,


s: Agamemnon. The gifts you offer are no small ones, let us then


s: send chosen messengers, who may go to the tent of Achilles son of


s: Phoenix, dear to Jove, lead the way; let Ajax and Ulysses follow,


s: water for our hands, and bid all keep silence while we pray to


s: Jove the son of Saturn, if so be that he may have mercy upon us."


s: Thus did he speak, and his saying pleased them well.


s: Men-servants poured water over the hands of the guests, while


s: pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and water, and handed it


s: round after giving every man his drink-offering; then, when they


s: had made their offerings, and had drunk each as much as he was


s: minded, the envoys set out from the tent of Agamemnon son of


s: Atreus; and Nestor, looking first to one and then to another, but


s: should prevail with the noble son of Peleus.


s: They went their way by the shore of the sounding sea, and prayed


s: earnestly to earth-encircling Neptune that the high spirit of the


s: reached the ships and tents of the Myrmidons, they found Achilles


s: cross-bar was of silver. It was part of the spoils which he had


s: taken when he sacked the city of Eetion, and he was now diverting


s: with Patroclus, who sat opposite to him and said nothing, waiting


s: Ulysses leading the way--and stood before him. Achilles sprang


s: from his seat with the lyre still in his hand, and Patroclus,


s: when he saw the strangers, rose also. Achilles then greeted them


s: saying, "All hail and welcome--you must come upon some great


s: matter, you, who for all my anger are still dearest to me of the


s: With this he led them forward, and bade them sit on seats covered


s: water with the wine, and give every man his cup, for these are


s: very dear friends, who are now under my roof."


s: Patroclus did as his comrade bade him; he set the chopping-block


s: in front of the fire, and on it he laid the loin of a sheep, the


s: loin also of a goat, and the chine of a fat hog. Automedon held


s: the meat while Achilles chopped it; he then sliced the pieces and


s: high. When the flame had died down, he spread the embers, laid


s: the spits on top of them, lifting them up and setting them upon


s: the spit-racks; and he sprinkled them with salt. When the meat


s: was roasted, he set it on platters, and handed bread round the


s: table in fair baskets, while Achilles dealt them their portions.


s: Then Achilles took his seat facing Ulysses against the opposite


s: wall, and bade his comrade Patroclus offer sacrifice to the gods;


s: had enough to eat and drink, Ajax made a sign to Phoenix, and


s: when he saw this, Ulysses filled his cup with wine and pledged


s: "Hail," said he, "Achilles, we have had no scant of good cheer,


s: neither in the tent of Agamemnon, nor yet here; there has been


s: plenty to eat and drink, but our thought turns upon no such


s: matter. Sir, we are in the face of great disaster, and without


s: your help know not whether we shall save our fleet or lose it.


s: The Trojans and their allies have camped hard by our ships and by


s: Jove, moreover, has sent his lightnings on their right; Hector,


s: in all his glory, rages like a maniac; confident that Jove is


s: with him he fears neither god nor man, but is gone raving mad,


s: and prays for the approach of day. He vows that he will hew the


s: high sterns of our ships in pieces, set fire to their hulls, and


s: make havoc of the Achaeans while they are dazed and smothered in


s: smoke; I much fear that heaven will make good his boasting, and


s: it will prove our lot to perish at Troy far from our home in


s: Argos. Up, then, and late though it be, save the sons of the


s: Achaeans who faint before the fury of the Trojans. You will


s: repent bitterly hereafter if you do not, for when the harm is


s: done there will be no curing it; consider ere it be too late, and


s: "My good friend, when your father Peleus sent you from Phthia to


s: Agamemnon, did he not charge you saying, 'Son, Minerva and Juno


s: will make you strong if they choose, but check your high temper,


s: for the better part is in goodwill. Eschew vain quarrelling, and


s: the Achaeans old and young will respect you more for doing so.'


s: These were his words, but you have forgotten them. Even now,


s: however, be appeased, and put away your anger from you. Agamemnon


s: fire, and ten talents of gold; twenty iron cauldrons, and twelve


s: strong horses that have won races and carried off prizes. Rich


s: indeed both in land and gold is he who has as many prizes as


s: these horses have won for Agamemnon. Moreover he will give you


s: seven excellent workwomen, Lesbians, whom he chose for himself,


s: these, and with them her whom he erewhile took from you, the


s: daughter of Briseus, and he will swear a great oath, he has never


s: and women. All these things will he give you now down, and if


s: hereafter the gods vouchsafe him to sack the city of Priam, you


s: can come when we Achaeans are dividing the spoil, and load your


s: ship with gold and bronze to your liking. You can take twenty


s: Trojan women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then, when we


s: reach Achaean Argos, wealthiest of all lands, you shall be his


s: son-in-law, and he will show you like honour with his own dear


s: son Orestes, who is being nurtured in all abundance. Agamemnon


s: has three daughters, Chrysothemis, Laodice, and Iphianassa; you


s: may take the one of your choice, freely and without gifts of


s: wooing, to the house of Peleus; he will add such dower to boot as


s: well-established cities, Cardamyle, Enope, and Hire where there


s: is grass; holy Pheras and the rich meadows of Anthea; Aepea also,


s: cattle and sheep; they will honour you with gifts as though were


s: a god, and be obedient to your comfortable ordinances. All this


s: will he do if you will now forgo your anger. Moreover, though you


s: rest of the Achaeans who are being harassed in all their host;


s: they will honour you as a god, and you will earn great glory at


s: their hands. You might even kill Hector; he will come within your


s: the ships have brought can hold his own against him."


s: Achilles answered, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, I should give


s: you formal notice plainly and in all fixity of purpose that there


s: he hides another in his heart; therefore I will say what I mean.


s: I will be appeased neither by Agamemnon son of Atreus nor by any


s: other of the Danaans, for I see that I have no thanks for all my


s: fighting. He that fights fares no better than he that does not;


s: coward and hero are held in equal honour, and death deals like


s: measure to him who works and him who is idle. I have taken


s: nothing by all my hardships--with my life ever in my hand; as a


s: bird when she has found a morsel takes it to her nestlings, and


s: herself fares hardly, even so many a long night have I been


s: wakeful, and many a bloody battle have I waged by day against


s: those who were fighting for their women. With my ships I have


s: taken twelve cities, and eleven round about Troy have I stormed


s: with my men by land; I took great store of wealth from every one


s: of them, but I gave all up to Agamemnon son of Atreus. He stayed


s: where he was by his ships, yet of what came to him he gave


s: "Nevertheless he did distribute some meeds of honour among the


s: chieftains and kings, and these have them still; from me alone of


s: keep her and sleep with her. Why, pray, must the Argives needs


s: fight the Trojans? What made the son of Atreus gather the host


s: and bring them? Was it not for the sake of Helen? Are the sons of


s: false; I know him; let him tempt me no further, for he shall not


s: move me. Let him look to you, Ulysses, and to the other princes


s: to save his ships from burning. He has done much without me


s: already. He has built a wall; he has dug a trench deep and wide


s: all round it, and he has planted it within with stakes; but even


s: so he stays not the murderous might of Hector. So long as I


s: fought the Achaeans Hector suffered not the battle range far from


s: tree, but no further. Once he stayed to meet me and hardly did he


s: him, I will to-morrow offer sacrifice to Jove and to all the


s: gods; I will draw my ships into the water and then victual them


s: duly; to-morrow morning, if you care to look, you will see my


s: ships on the Hellespont, and my men rowing out to sea with might


s: and main. If great Neptune vouchsafes me a fair passage, in three


s: me when I came here to my sorrow, and I shall bring back still


s: further store of gold, of red copper, of fair women, and of iron,


s: gave has insolently taken away. Tell him all as I now bid you,


s: and tell him in public that the Achaeans may hate him and beware


s: of him should he think that he can yet dupe others for his


s: "As for me, hound that he is, he dares not look me in the face.


s: I will take no counsel with him, and will undertake nothing in


s: common with him. He has wronged me and deceived me enough, he


s: shall not cozen me further; let him go his own way, for Jove has


s: robbed him of his reason. I loathe his presents, and for himself


s: care not one straw. He may offer me ten or even twenty times what


s: world, both now or ever shall have; he may promise me the wealth


s: plain in multitude, but even so he shall not move me till I have


s: been revenged in full for the bitter wrong he has done me. I will


s: Minerva, but I will have none of her: let another take her, who


s: may be a good match for her and who rules a larger kingdom. If


s: the gods spare me to return home, Peleus will find me a wife;


s: there are Achaean women in Hellas and Phthia, daughters of kings


s: that have cities under them; of these I can take whom I will and


s: marry her. Many a time was I minded when at home in Phthia to woo


s: the riches of my old father Peleus. My life is more to me than


s: all the wealth of Ilius while it was yet at peace before the


s: Achaeans went there, or than all the treasure that lies on the


s: stone floor of Apollo's temple beneath the cliffs of Pytho.


s: Cattle and sheep are to be had for harrying, and a man buy both


s: tripods and horses if he wants them, but when his life has once


s: left him it can neither be bought nor harried back again.


s: "My mother Thetis tells me that there are two ways in which I may


s: but my name will live for ever: whereas if I go home my name will


s: you, then, I say, 'Go home, for you will not take Ilius.' Jove


s: has held his hand over her to protect her, and her people have


s: taken heart. Go, therefore, as in duty bound, and tell the


s: princes of the Achaeans the message that I have sent them; tell


s: them to find some other plan for the saving of their ships and


s: people, for so long as my displeasure lasts the one that they


s: have now hit upon may not be. As for Phoenix, let him sleep here


s: that he may sail with me in the morning if he so will. But I


s: They all held their peace, dismayed at the sternness with which


s: he had denied them, till presently the old knight Phoenix in his


s: great fear for the ships of the Achaeans, burst into tears and


s: said, "Noble Achilles, if you are now minded to return, and in


s: the fierceness of your anger will do nothing to save the ships


s: from burning, how, my son, can I remain here without you? Your


s: father Peleus bade me go with you when he sent you as a mere lad


s: from Phthia to Agamemnon. You knew nothing neither of war nor of


s: the arts whereby men make their mark in council, and he sent me


s: with you to train you in all excellence of speech and action.


s: Therefore, my son, I will not stay here without you--no, not


s: though heaven itself vouchsafe to strip my years from off me, and


s: women. I was then flying the anger of father Amyntor, son of


s: Ormenus, who was furious with me in the matter of his concubine,


s: of whom he was enamoured to the wronging of his wife my mother.


s: My mother, therefore, prayed me without ceasing to lie with the


s: woman myself, that so she hate my father, and in the course of


s: time I yielded. But my father soon came to know, and cursed me


s: bitterly, calling the dread Erinyes to witness. He prayed that no


s: world below and awful Proserpine, fulfilled his curse. I took


s: counsel to kill him, but some god stayed my rashness and bade me


s: think on men's evil tongues and how I should be branded as the


s: murderer of my father; nevertheless I could not bear to stay in


s: my father's house with him so bitter a against me. My cousins and


s: sheep and many an ox did they slaughter, and many a fat hog did


s: they set down to roast before the fire; many a jar, too, did they


s: guard over me taking it in turns to watch, and they kept a fire


s: always burning, both in the cloister of the outer court and in


s: the inner court at the doors of the room wherein I lay; but when


s: the darkness of the tenth night came, I broke through the closed


s: doors of my room, and climbed the wall of the outer court after


s: passing quickly and unperceived through the men on guard and the


s: women servants. I then fled through Hellas till I came to fertile


s: and treated me as a father treats an only son who will be heir to


s: establishing me on the borders of Phthia where I was chief ruler


s: "It was I, Achilles, who had the making of you; I loved you with


s: all my heart: for you would eat neither at home nor when you had


s: gone out elsewhere, till I had first set you upon my knees, cut


s: up the dainty morsel that you were to eat, and held the wine-cup


s: to your lips. Many a time have you slobbered your wine in baby


s: helplessness over my shirt; I had infinite trouble with you, but


s: I knew that heaven had vouchsafed me no offspring of my own, and


s: I made a son of you, Achilles, that in my hour of need you might


s: protect me. Now, therefore, I say battle with your pride and beat


s: heaven are more than ours, but even heaven may be appeased; and


s: if a man has sinned he prays the gods, and reconciles them to


s: himself by his piteous cries and by frankincense, with


s: drink-offerings and the savour of burnt sacrifice. For prayers


s: are as daughters to great Jove; halt, wrinkled, with eyes


s: askance, they follow in the footsteps of sin, who, being fierce


s: and fleet of foot, leaves them far behind him, and ever baneful


s: to mankind outstrips them even to the ends of the world; but


s: nevertheless the prayers come hobbling and healing after. If a


s: man has pity upon these daughters of Jove when they draw near


s: him, they will bless him and hear him too when he is praying; but


s: son of Saturn and pray that he may presently fall into sin--to


s: his ruing bitterly hereafter. Therefore, Achilles, give these


s: daughters of Jove due reverence, and bow before them as all good


s: men will bow. Were not the son of Atreus offering you gifts and


s: promising others later--if he were still furious and implacable--


s: Achaeans, no matter how great their need; but he is giving much


s: now, and more hereafter; he has sent his captains to urge his


s: suit, and has chosen those who of all the Argives are most


s: acceptable to you; make not then their words and their coming to


s: be of none effect. Your anger has been righteous so far. We have


s: heard in song how heroes of old time quarrelled when they were


s: roused to fury, but still they could be won by gifts, and fair


s: "I have an old story in my mind--a very old one--but you are all


s: friends and I will tell it. The Curetes and the Aetolians were


s: fighting and killing one another round Calydon--the Aetolians


s: defending the city and the Curetes trying to destroy it. For


s: Diana of the golden throne was angry and did them hurt because


s: Oeneus had not offered her his harvest first-fruits. The other


s: gods had all been feasted with hecatombs, but to the daughter of


s: great Jove alone he had made no sacrifice. He had forgotten her,


s: or somehow or other it had escaped him, and this was a grievous


s: sin. Thereon the archer goddess in her displeasure sent a


s: prodigious creature against him--a savage wild boar with great


s: white tusks that did much harm to his orchard lands, uprooting


s: apple-trees in full bloom and throwing them to the ground. But


s: Meleager son of Oeneus got huntsmen and hounds from many cities


s: and killed it--for it was so monstrous that not a few were


s: needed, and many a man did it stretch upon his funeral pyre. On


s: this the goddess set the Curetes and the Aetolians fighting


s: furiously about the head and skin of the boar.


s: "So long as Meleager was in the field things went badly with the


s: Curetes, and for all their numbers they could not hold their


s: ground under the city walls; but in the course of time Meleager


s: was angered as even a wise man will sometimes be. He was incensed


s: wedded wife fair Cleopatra, who was daughter of Marpessa daughter


s: his bow and faced King Apollo himself for fair Marpessa's sake;


s: her father and mother then named her Alcyone, because her mother


s: had mourned with the plaintive strains of the halcyon-bird when


s: Phoebus Apollo had carried her off. Meleager, then, stayed at


s: home with Cleopatra, nursing the anger which he felt by reason of


s: brother, prayed the gods, and beat the earth with her hands,


s: calling upon Hades and on awful Proserpine; she went down upon


s: her knees and her bosom was wet with tears as she prayed that


s: they would kill her son--and Erinys that walks in darkness and


s: "Then was heard the din of battle about the gates of Calydon, and


s: elders of the Aetolians besought Meleager; they sent the chiefest


s: promising him a great reward. They bade him choose fifty


s: plough-gates, the most fertile in the plain of Calydon, the


s: one-half vineyard and the other open plough-land. The old warrior


s: beating the doors in supplication. His sisters and his mother


s: herself besought him sore, but he the more refused them; those of


s: very doors of his chamber, and the Curetes had scaled the walls


s: and were setting fire to the city. Then at last his sorrowing


s: wife detailed the horrors that befall those whose city is taken;


s: she reminded him how the men are slain, and the city is given


s: over to the flames, while the women and children are carried into


s: donned his armour to go forth. Thus of his own inward motion he


s: saved the city of the Aetolians; but they now gave him nothing of


s: saved the city he took nothing by it. Be not then, my son, thus


s: minded; let not heaven lure you into any such course. When the


s: ships are burning it will be a harder matter to save them. Take


s: the gifts, and go, for the Achaeans will then honour you as a


s: god; whereas if you fight without taking them, you may beat the


s: battle back, but you will not be held in like honour."


s: And Achilles answered, "Phoenix, old friend and father, I have no


s: abide with me at my ships while I have breath in my body, and my


s: limbs are strong. I say further--and lay my saying to your


s: heart--vex me no more with this weeping and lamentation, all in


s: the cause of the son of Atreus. Love him so well, and you may


s: lose the love I bear you. You ought to help me rather in


s: troubling those that trouble me; be king as much as I am, and


s: share like honour with myself; the others shall take my answer;


s: stay here yourself and sleep comfortably in your bed; at daybreak


s: On this she nodded quietly to Patroclus as a sign that he was to


s: prepare a bed for Phoenix, and that the others should take their


s: leave. Ajax son of Telamon then said, "Ulysses, noble son of


s: Laertes, let us be gone, for I see that our journey is vain. We


s: must now take our answer, unwelcome though it be, to the Danaans


s: who are waiting to receive it. Achilles is savage and


s: remorseless; he is cruel, and cares nothing for the love his


s: comrades lavished upon him more than on all the others. He is


s: implacable--and yet if a man's brother or son has been slain he


s: will accept a fine by way of amends from him that killed him, and


s: unforgiving spirit in your heart, and this, all about one single


s: girl, whereas we now offer you the seven best we have, and much


s: else into the bargain. Be then of a more gracious mind, respect


s: the hospitality of your own roof. We are with you as messengers


s: from the host of the Danaans, and would fain he held nearest and


s: dearest to yourself of all the Achaeans."


s: "Ajax," replied Achilles, "noble son of Telamon, you have spoken


s: much to my liking, but my blood boils when I think it all over,


s: and remember how the son of Atreus treated me with contumely as


s: though I were some vile tramp, and that too in the presence of


s: the Argives. Go, then, and deliver your message; say that I will


s: have no concern with fighting till Hector, son of noble Priam,


s: reaches the tents of the Myrmidons in his murderous course, and


s: flings fire upon their ships. For all his lust of battle, I take


s: it he will be held in check when he is at my own tent and ship."


s: On this they took every man his double cup, made their


s: drink-offerings, and went back to the ships, Ulysses leading the


s: way. But Patroclus told his men and the maid-servants to make


s: ready a comfortable bed for Phoenix; they therefore did so with


s: sheepskins, a rug, and a sheet of fine linen. The old man then


s: laid himself down and waited till morning came. But Achilles


s: slept in an inner room, and beside him the daughter of Phorbas


s: lay on the other side of the room, and with him fair Iphis whom


s: Achilles had given him when he took Scyros the city of Enyeus.


s: When the envoys reached the tents of the son of Atreus, the


s: Achaeans rose, pledged them in cups of gold, and began to


s: question them. King Agamemnon was the first to do so. "Tell me,


s: Ulysses," said he, "will he save the ships from burning, or did


s: Ulysses answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men,


s: Agamemnon, Achilles will not be calmed, but is more fiercely


s: angry than ever, and spurns both you and your gifts. He bids you


s: take counsel with the Achaeans to save the ships and host as you


s: best may; as for himself, he said that at daybreak he should draw


s: every one to sail home likewise, for that you will not reach the


s: goal of Ilius. 'Jove,' he said, 'has laid his hand over the city


s: to protect it, and the people have taken heart.' This is what he


s: said, and the others who were with me can tell you the same


s: story--Ajax and the two heralds, men, both of them, who may be


s: trusted. The old man Phoenix stayed where he was to sleep, for so


s: morning if he so would; but he will not take him by force."


s: They all held their peace, sitting for a long time silent and


s: dejected, by reason of the sternness with which Achilles had


s: refused them, till presently Diomed said, "Most noble son of


s: Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, you ought not to have sued the


s: son of Peleus nor offered him gifts. He is proud enough as it is,


s: stay or go as he will. He will fight later when he is in the


s: humour, and heaven puts it in his mind to do so. Now, therefore,


s: let us all do as I say; we have eaten and drunk our fill, let us


s: then take our rest, for in rest there is both strength and stay.


s: But when fair rosy-fingered morn appears, forthwith bring out


s: your host and your horsemen in front of the ships, urging them


s: on, and yourself fighting among the foremost."


s: Thus he spoke, and the other chieftains approved his words. They


s: then made their drink-offerings and went every man to his own


s: tent, where they laid down to rest and enjoyed the boon of sleep.


s: Ulysses and Diomed go out as spies, and meet Dolon, who gives


s: them information: they then kill him, and profiting by what


s: he had told them, kill Rhesus king of the Thracians and take


s: NOW the other princes of the Achaeans slept soundly the whole


s: night through, but Agamemnon son of Atreus was troubled, so that


s: he could get no rest. As when fair Juno's lord flashes his


s: lightning in token of great rain or hail or snow when the


s: snow-flakes whiten the ground, or again as a sign that he will


s: open the wide jaws of hungry war, even so did Agamemnon heave


s: many a heavy sigh, for his soul trembled within him. When he


s: looked upon the plain of Troy he marvelled at the many watchfires


s: and of the hum of men, but when presently he turned towards the


s: ships and hosts of the Achaeans, he tore his hair by handfuls


s: before Jove on high, and groaned aloud for the very disquietness


s: of his soul. In the end he deemed it best to go at once to Nestor


s: shirt, bound his sandals about his comely feet, flung the skin of


s: Neither could Menelaus sleep, for he, too, boded ill for the


s: Argives who for his sake had sailed from far over the seas to


s: fight the Trojans. He covered his broad back with the skin of a


s: spotted panther, put a casque of bronze upon his head, and took


s: his spear in his brawny hand. Then he went to rouse his brother,


s: who was by far the most powerful of the Achaeans, and was


s: honoured by the people as though he were a god. He found him by


s: the stern of his ship already putting his goodly array about his


s: shoulders, and right glad was he that his brother had come.


s: Menelaus spoke first. "Why," said he, "my dear brother, are you


s: thus arming? Are you going to send any of our comrades to exploit


s: And King Agamemnon answered, "Menelaus, we both of us need shrewd


s: his mind, and inclines towards Hector's sacrifices rather than


s: ours. I never saw nor heard tell of any man as having wrought


s: such ruin in one day as Hector has now wrought against the sons


s: of the Achaeans--and that too of his own unaided self, for he is


s: son neither to god nor goddess. The Argives will rue it long and


s: deeply. Run, therefore, with all speed by the line of the ships,


s: and call Ajax and Idomeneus. Meanwhile I will go to Nestor, and


s: bid him rise and go about among the companies of our sentinels to


s: Idomeneus, are captains over them. It was to them more


s: Menelaus replied, "How do I take your meaning? Am I to stay with


s: them and wait your coming, or shall I return here as soon as I


s: have given your orders?" "Wait," answered King Agamemnon, "for


s: there are so many paths about the camp that we might miss one


s: another. Call every man on your way, and bid him be stirring;


s: name him by his lineage and by his father's name, give each all


s: titular observance, and stand not too much upon your own dignity;


s: With these instructions he sent his brother on his way, and went


s: on to Nestor shepherd of his people. He found him sleeping in his


s: shield, his two spears and his helmet; beside him also lay the


s: gleaming girdle with which the old man girded himself when he


s: armed to lead his people into battle--for his age stayed him not.


s: is it," said he, "that goes thus about the host and the ships


s: alone and in the dead of night, when men are sleeping? Are you


s: looking for one of your mules or for some comrade? Do not stand


s: there and say nothing, but speak. What is your business?"


s: And Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, son of Neleus, honour to the


s: Achaean name, it is I, Agamemnon son of Atreus, on whom Jove has


s: laid labour and sorrow so long as there is breath in my body and


s: my limbs carry me. I am thus abroad because sleep sits not upon


s: my eyelids, but my heart is big with war and with the jeopardy of


s: and without sure counsel; my heart beats as though it would leap


s: out of my body, and my limbs fail me. If then you can do


s: anything--for you too cannot sleep--let us go the round of the


s: watch, and see whether they are drowsy with toil and sleeping to


s: the neglect of their duty. The enemy is encamped hard and we know


s: Nestor replied, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men,


s: Agamemnon, Jove will not do all for Hector that Hector thinks he


s: will; he will have troubles yet in plenty if Achilles will lay


s: aside his anger. I will go with you, and we will rouse others,


s: either the son of Tydeus, or Ulysses, or fleet Ajax and the


s: valiant son of Phyleus. Some one had also better go and call Ajax


s: farthest of all. I cannot however refrain from blaming Menelaus,


s: much as I love him and respect him--and I will say so plainly,


s: even at the risk of offending you--for sleeping and leaving all


s: this trouble to yourself. He ought to be going about imploring


s: aid from all the princes of the Achaeans, for we are in extreme


s: And Agamemnon answered, "Sir, you may sometimes blame him justly,


s: indeed from sloth, nor yet heedlessness, but because he looks to


s: me and expects me to take the lead. On this occasion, however, he


s: already sent him to call the very men whom you have named. And


s: now let us be going. We shall find them with the watch outside


s: the gates, for it was there I said that we would meet them."


s: "In that case," answered Nestor, "the Argives will not blame him


s: nor disobey his orders when he urges them to fight or gives them


s: With this he put on his shirt, and bound his sandals about his


s: comely feet. He buckled on his purple coat, of two thicknesses,


s: large, and of a rough shaggy texture, grasped his redoubtable


s: bronze-shod spear, and wended his way along the line of the


s: Achaean ships. First he called loudly to Ulysses peer of gods in


s: counsel and woke him, for he was soon roused by the sound of the


s: battle-cry. He came outside his tent and said, "Why do you go


s: thus alone about the host, and along the line of the ships in the


s: Nestor knight of Gerene answered, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes,


s: with me and let us wake some other, who may advise well with us


s: On this Ulysses went at once into his tent, put his shield about


s: his shoulders and came out with them. First they went to Diomed


s: son of Tydeus, and found him outside his tent clad in his armour


s: with his comrades sleeping round him and using their shields as


s: pillows; as for their spears, they stood upright on the spikes of


s: bronze flashed afar like the lightning of father Jove. The hero


s: was sleeping upon the skin of an ox, with a piece of fine carpet


s: under his head; Nestor went up to him and stirred him with his


s: heel to rouse him, upbraiding him and urging him to bestir


s: himself. "Wake up," he exclaimed, "son of Tydeus. How can you


s: sleep on in this way? Can you not see that the Trojans are


s: encamped on the brow of the plain hard by our ships, with but a


s: On these words Diomed leaped up instantly and said, "Old man,


s: your heart is of iron; you rest not one moment from your labours.


s: And Nestor knight of Gerene made answer, "My son, all that you


s: have said is true. I have good sons, and also much people who


s: might call the chieftains, but the Achaeans are in the gravest


s: danger; life and death are balanced as it were on the edge of a


s: razor. Go then, for you are younger than I, and of your courtesy


s: rouse Ajax and the fleet son of Phyleus."


s: Diomed threw the skin of a great tawny lion about his shoulders--


s: roused the heroes, he brought them back with him; they then went


s: the round of those who were on guard, and found the captains not


s: sleeping at their posts but wakeful and sitting with their arms


s: about them. As sheep dogs that watch their flocks when they are


s: yarded, and hear a wild beast coming through the mountain forest


s: towards them--forthwith there is a hue and cry of dogs and men,


s: and slumber is broken--even so was sleep chased from the eyes of


s: the Achaeans as they kept the watches of the wicked night, for


s: they turned constantly towards the plain whenever they heard any


s: stir among the Trojans. The old man was glad bade them be of good


s: hold upon you, lest our enemies triumph over us."


s: With this he passed the trench, and with him the other chiefs of


s: the Achaeans who had been called to the council. Meriones and the


s: they were beyond the trench that was dug round the wall they held


s: back from his onslaught on the Argives. They sat down, therefore,


s: Nestor spoke first. "My friends," said he, "is there any man bold


s: news of what the enemy mean to do whether they will stay here by


s: the ships away from the city, or whether, now that they have


s: worsted the Achaeans, they will retire within their walls. If he


s: could learn all this and come back safely here, his fame would be


s: value--and he would be asked as a guest to all feasts and


s: They all held their peace, but Diomed of the loud war-cry spoke


s: saying, "Nestor, gladly will I visit the host of the Trojans over


s: greater confidence and comfort. When two men are together, one of


s: sight of; if a man is alone he is less full of resource, and his


s: On this several offered to go with Diomed. The two Ajaxes,


s: servants of Mars, Meriones, and the son of Nestor all wanted to


s: go, so did Menelaus son of Atreus; Ulysses also wished to go


s: among the host of the Trojans, for he was ever full of daring,


s: and thereon Agamemnon king of men spoke thus: "Diomed," said he,


s: "son of Tydeus, man after my own heart, choose your comrade for


s: yourself--take the best man of those that have offered, for many


s: would now go with you. Do not through delicacy reject the better


s: man, and take the worst out of respect for his lineage, because


s: He said this because he feared for Menelaus. Diomed answered, "If


s: fail to think of Ulysses, than whom there is no man more eager to


s: he were to go with me we should pass safely through fire itself,


s: "Son of Tydeus," replied Ulysses, "say neither good nor ill about


s: for the night wanes and dawn is at hand. The stars have gone


s: forward, two-thirds of the night are already spent, and the third


s: They then put on their armour. Brave Thrasymedes provided the son


s: his ship) and on his head he set a helmet of bull's hide without


s: either peak or crest; it is called a skull-cap and is a common


s: headgear. Meriones found a bow and quiver for Ulysses, and on his


s: plaiting of leathern thongs, while on the outside it was thickly


s: studded with boar's teeth, well and skilfully set into it; next


s: the head there was an inner lining of felt. This helmet had been


s: stolen by Autolycus out of Eleon when he broke into the house of


s: Amyntor son of Ormenus. He gave it to Amphidamas of Cythera to


s: take to Scandea, and Amphidamas gave it as a guest-gift to Molus,


s: When the pair had armed, they set out, and left the other


s: chieftains behind them. Pallas Minerva sent them a heron by the


s: wayside upon their right hands; they could not see it for the


s: darkness, but they heard its cry. Ulysses was glad when he heard


s: it and prayed to Minerva: "Hear me," he cried, "daughter of


s: aegis-bearing Jove, you who spy out all my ways and who are with


s: me in all my hardships; befriend me in this mine hour, and grant


s: that we may return to the ships covered with glory after having


s: achieved some mighty exploit that shall bring sorrow to the


s: Then Diomed of the loud war-cry also prayed: "Hear me too," said


s: he, "daughter of Jove, unweariable; be with me even as you were


s: with my noble father Tydeus when he went to Thebes as envoy sent


s: by the Achaeans. He left the Achaeans by the banks of the river


s: Aesopus, and went to the city bearing a message of peace to the


s: Cadmeians; on his return thence, with your help, goddess, he did


s: great deeds of daring, for you were his ready helper. Even so


s: guide me and guard me now, and in return I will offer you in


s: sacrifice a broad-browed heifer of a year old, unbroken, and


s: never yet brought by man under the yoke. I will gild her horns


s: and will offer her up to you in sacrifice."


s: Thus they prayed, and Pallas Minerva heard their prayer. When


s: they had done praying to the daughter of great Jove, they went


s: their way like two lions prowling by night amid the armour and


s: blood-stained bodies of them that had fallen.


s: Neither again did Hector let the Trojans sleep; for he too called


s: counsel before them. "Is there one," said he, "who for a great


s: reward will do me the service of which I will tell you? He shall


s: be well paid if he will. I will give him a chariot and a couple


s: of horses, the fleetest that can be found at the ships of the


s: Achaeans, if he will dare this thing; and he will win infinite


s: honour to boot; he must go to the ships and find out whether they


s: beaten them the Achaeans design to fly, and through sheer


s: exhaustion are neglecting to keep their watches."


s: They all held their peace; but there was among the Trojans a


s: certain man named Dolon, son of Eumedes, the famous herald--a man


s: and was an only son among five sisters. He it was that now


s: addressed the Trojans. "I, Hector," said he, "Will to the ships


s: and will exploit them. But first hold up your sceptre and swear


s: that you will give me the chariot, bedight with bronze, and the


s: horses that now carry the noble son of Peleus. I will make you a


s: good scout, and will not fail you. I will go through the host


s: from one end to the other till I come to the ship of Agamemnon,


s: where I take it the princes of the Achaeans are now consulting


s: When he had done speaking Hector held up his sceptre, and swore


s: him his oath saying, "May Jove the thundering husband of Juno


s: bear witness that no other Trojan but yourself shall mount those


s: steeds, and that you shall have your will with them for ever."


s: The oath he swore was bootless, but it made Dolon more keen on


s: going. He hung his bow over his shoulder, and as an overall he


s: wore the skin of a grey wolf, while on his head he set a cap of


s: ferret skin. Then he took a pointed javelin, and left the camp


s: for the ships, but he was not to return with any news for Hector.


s: all speed on his way, but Ulysses perceived his coming and said


s: to Diomed, "Diomed, here is some one from the camp; I am not sure


s: plunder the bodies of the dead; let him get a little past us, we


s: can then spring upon him and take him. If, however, he is too


s: quick for us, go after him with your spear and hem him in towards


s: With this they turned out of their way and lay down among the


s: corpses. Dolon suspected nothing and soon passed them, but when


s: he had got about as far as the distance by which a mule-plowed


s: furrow exceeds one that has been ploughed by oxen (for mules can


s: plow fallow land quicker than oxen) they ran after him, and when


s: he heard their footsteps he stood still, for he made sure they


s: were friends from the Trojan camp come by Hector's orders to bid


s: him return; when, however, they were only a spear's cast, or less


s: could take him. The others gave chase at once, and as a couple of


s: screaming in front of them, even so did the son of Tydeus and


s: Ulysses pursue Dolon and cut him off from his own people. But


s: when he had fled so far towards the ships that he would soon have


s: the son of Tydeus for fear some other of the Achaeans might have


s: the glory of being first to hit him, and he might himself be only


s: "Stand, or I shall throw my spear, and in that case I shall soon


s: He threw as he spoke, but missed his aim on purpose. The dart


s: flew over the man's right shoulder, and then stuck in the ground.


s: chattered, and he turned pale with fear. The two came breathless


s: up to him and seized his hands, whereon he began to weep and


s: said, "Take me alive; I will ransom myself; we have great store


s: of gold, bronze, and wrought iron, and from this my father will


s: satisfy you with a very large ransom, should he hear of my being


s: "Fear not," replied Ulysses, "let no thought of death be in your


s: mind; but tell me, and tell me true, why are you thus going about


s: ships, while other men are sleeping? Is it to plunder the bodies


s: of the slain, or did Hector send you to spy out what was going on


s: Dolon answered, his limbs trembling beneath him: "Hector, with


s: his vain flattering promises, lured me from my better judgement.


s: He said he would give me the horses of the noble son of Peleus


s: and his bronze-bedizened chariot; he bade me go through the


s: darkness of the flying night, get close to the enemy, and find


s: out whether the ships are still guarded as heretofore, or


s: whether, now that we have beaten them, the Achaeans design to


s: fly, and through sheer exhaustion are neglecting to keep their


s: Ulysses smiled at him and answered, "You had indeed set your


s: heart upon a great reward, but the horses of the descendant of


s: Aeacus are hardly to be kept in hand or driven by any other


s: mortal man than Achilles himself, whose mother was an immortal.


s: But tell me, and tell me true, where did you leave Hector when


s: you started? Where lies his armour and his horses? How, too, are


s: the watches and sleeping-ground of the Trojans ordered? What are


s: their plans? Will they stay here by the ships and away from the


s: city, or now that they have worsted the Achaeans, will they


s: And Dolon answered, "I will tell you truly all. Hector and the


s: other councillors are now holding conference by the monument of


s: great Ilus, away from the general tumult; as for the guards about


s: have them; they, therefore, are awake and keep each other to


s: their duty as sentinels; but the allies who have come from other


s: places are asleep and leave it to the Trojans to keep guard, for


s: Ulysses then said, "Now tell me; are they sleeping among the


s: Trojan troops, or do they lie apart? Explain this that I may


s: "I will tell you truly all," replied Dolon. "To the seaward lie


s: the Carians, the Paeonian bowmen, the Leleges, the Cauconians,


s: and the noble Pelasgi. The Lysians and proud Mysians, with the


s: Phrygians and Meonians, have their place on the side towards


s: Thymbra; but why ask about an this? If you want to find your way


s: into the host of the Trojans, there are the Thracians, who have


s: lately come here and lie apart from the others at the far end of


s: the camp; and they have Rhesus son of Eioneus for their king. His


s: are whiter than snow and fleeter than any wind that blows. His


s: chariot is bedight with silver and gold, and he has brought his


s: marvellous golden armour, of the rarest workmanship--too splendid


s: therefore, take me to the ships or bind me securely here, until


s: you come back and have proved my words whether they be false or


s: Diomed looked sternly at him and answered, "Think not, Dolon, for


s: On this Dolon would have caught him by the beard to beseech him


s: further, but Diomed struck him in the middle of his neck with his


s: in the dust while he was yet speaking. They took the ferret-skin


s: cap from his head, and also the wolf-skin, the bow, and his long


s: spear. Ulysses hung them up aloft in honour of Minerva the


s: goddess of plunder, and prayed saying, "Accept these, goddess,


s: for we give them to you in preference to all the gods in Olympus:


s: With these words he took the spoils and set them upon a tamarisk


s: tree, and they marked the place by pulling up reeds and gathering


s: through the flying hours of darkness. The two then went onwards


s: amid the fallen armour and the blood, and came presently to the


s: company of Thracian soldiers, who were sleeping, tired out with


s: their day's toil; their goodly armour was lying on the ground


s: beside them all orderly in three rows, and each man had his yoke


s: of horses beside him. Rhesus was sleeping in the middle, and hard


s: chariot. Ulysses from some way off saw him and said, "This,


s: Diomed, is the man, and these are the horses about which Dolon


s: whom we killed told us. Do your very utmost; dally not about your


s: Thereon Minerva put courage into the heart of Diomed, and he


s: smote them right and left. They made a hideous groaning as they


s: were being hacked about, and the earth was red with their blood.


s: As a lion springs furiously upon a flock of sheep or goats when


s: he finds without their shepherd, so did the son of Tydeus set


s: upon the Thracian soldiers till he had killed twelve. As he


s: killed them Ulysses came and drew them aside by their feet one by


s: frightened as they passed over the dead bodies, for they were not


s: killed him too (which made thirteen), as he was breathing hard,


s: for by the counsel of Minerva an evil dream, the seed of Oeneus,


s: hovered that night over his head. Meanwhile Ulysses untied the


s: horses, made them fast one to another and drove them off,


s: striking them with his bow, for he had forgotten to take the whip


s: But Diomed stayed where he was, thinking what other daring deed


s: he might accomplish. He was doubting whether to take the chariot


s: in which the king's armour was lying, and draw it out by the


s: pole, or to lift the armour out and carry it off; or whether


s: again, he should not kill some more Thracians. While he was thus


s: hesitating Minerva came up to him and said, "Get back, Diomed, to


s: Diomed knew that it was the goddess, and at once sprang upon the


s: horses. Ulysses beat them with his bow and they flew onward to


s: But Apollo kept no blind look-out when he saw Minerva with the


s: son of Tydeus. He was angry with her, and coming to the host of


s: the Trojans he roused Hippocoon, a counsellor of the Thracians


s: and a noble kinsman of Rhesus. He started up out of his sleep and


s: men were gasping in their death-agony; on this he groaned aloud,


s: and called upon his friend by name. Then the whole Trojan camp


s: was in an uproar as the people kept hurrying together, and they


s: marvelled at the deeds of the heroes who had now got away towards


s: When they reached the place where they had killed Hector's scout,


s: ground, placed the blood-stained spoils in the hands of Ulysses


s: and remounted: then he lashed the horses onwards, and they flew


s: forward nothing loth towards the ships as though of their own


s: free will. Nestor was first to hear the tramp of their feet. "My


s: friends," said he, "princes and counsellors of the Argives, shall


s: sound in my ears as of the tramp of horses. I hope it may Diomed


s: and Ulysses driving in horses from the Trojans, but I much fear


s: that the bravest of the Argives may have come to some harm at


s: He had hardly done speaking when the two men came in and


s: dismounted, whereon the others shook hands right gladly with them


s: question them. "Tell me," said he, "renowned Ulysses, how did you


s: forces, or did some god meet you and give them to you? They are


s: like sunbeams. I am well conversant with the Trojans, for old


s: warrior though I am I never hold back by the ships, but I never


s: yet saw or heard of such horses as these are. Surely some god


s: must have met you and given them to you, for you are both of you


s: dear to Jove, and to Jove's daughter Minerva."


s: And Ulysses answered, "Nestor son of Neleus, honour to the


s: Achaean name, heaven, if it so will, can give us even better


s: horses than these, for the gods are far mightier than we are.


s: These horses, however, about which you ask me, are freshly come


s: from Thrace. Diomed killed their king with the twelve bravest of


s: his companions. Hard by the ships we took a thirteenth man--a


s: scout whom Hector and the other Trojans had sent as a spy upon


s: He laughed as he spoke and drove the horses over the ditch, while


s: strongly built quarters of the son of Tydeus, they tied the


s: horses with thongs of leather to the manger, where the steeds of


s: Diomed stood eating their sweet corn, but Ulysses hung the


s: blood-stained spoils of Dolon at the stern of his ship, that they


s: they went into the sea and washed the sweat from their bodies,


s: and from their necks and thighs. When the sea-water had taken all


s: the baths and washed themselves. After they had so done and had


s: anointed themselves with oil, they sat down to table, and drawing


s: In the forenoon the fight is equal, but Agamemnon turns the


s: fortune of the day towards the Achaeans until he gets


s: wounded and leaves the field--Hector then drives everything


s: before him till he is wounded by Diomed--Paris wounds


s: Diomed--Ulysses, Nestor, and Idomeneus perform prodigies


s: of valour--Machaon is wounded--Nestor drives him off in


s: his chariot--Achilles sees the pair driving towards the camp


s: and sends Patroclus to ask who it is that is wounded--This


s: is the beginning of evil for Patroclus--Nestor makes a long


s: AND now as Dawn rose from her couch beside Tithonus, harbinger of


s: with the ensign of war in her hands to the ships of the Achaeans.


s: was middlemost of all, so that her voice might carry farthest on


s: either side, on the one hand towards the tents of Ajax son of


s: Telamon, and on the other towards those of Achilles--for these


s: two heroes, well-assured of their own strength, had valorously


s: drawn up their ships at the two ends of the line. There she took


s: her stand, and raised a cry both loud and shrill that filled the


s: Achaeans with courage, giving them heart to fight resolutely and


s: with all their might, so that they had rather stay there and do


s: The son of Atreus shouted aloud and bade the Argives gird


s: themselves for battle while he put on his armour. First he girded


s: clasps of silver; and about his chest he set the breastplate


s: which Cinyras had once given him as a guest-gift. It had been


s: noised abroad as far as Cyprus that the Achaeans were about to


s: sail for Troy, and therefore he gave it to the king. It had ten


s: courses of dark cyanus, twelve of gold, and ten of tin. There


s: were serpents of cyanus that reared themselves up towards the


s: neck, three upon either side, like the rainbows which the son of


s: Saturn has set in heaven as a sign to mortal men. About his


s: shoulders he threw his sword, studded with bosses of gold; and


s: the scabbard was of silver with a chain of gold wherewith to hang


s: body when he was in battle--fair to see, with ten circles of


s: bronze running all round it. On the body of the shield there were


s: middle: this last was made to show a Gorgon's head, fierce and


s: grim, with Rout and Panic on either side. The band for the arm to


s: cyanus with three heads that sprang from a single neck, and went


s: in and out among one another. On his head Agamemnon set a helmet,


s: bronze-shod spears, and the gleam of his armour shot from him as


s: a flame into the firmament, while Juno and Minerva thundered in


s: Every man now left his horses in charge of his charioteer to hold


s: foot clad in full armour, and a mighty uproar rose on high into


s: the dawning. The chiefs were armed and at the trench before the


s: horses got there, but these came up presently. The son of Saturn


s: sent a portent of evil sound about their host, and the dew fell


s: red with blood, for he was about to send many a brave man


s: The Trojans, on the other side upon the rising slope of the


s: plain, were gathered round great Hector, noble Polydamas, Aeneas


s: who was honoured by the Trojans like an immortal, and the three


s: sons of Antenor, Polybus, Agenor, and young Acamas beauteous as a


s: baneful star that shines for a moment through a rent in the


s: clouds and is again hidden beneath them; even so was Hector now


s: seen in the front ranks and now again in the hindermost, and his


s: bronze armour gleamed like the lightning of aegis-bearing Jove.


s: And now as a band of reapers mow swathes of wheat or barley upon


s: a rich man's land, and the sheaves fall thick before them, even


s: so did the Trojans and Achaeans fall upon one another; they were


s: in no mood for yielding but fought like wolves, and neither side


s: got the better of the other. Discord was glad as she beheld them,


s: not there, but stayed quietly each in his own home among the


s: dells and valleys of Olympus. All of them blamed the son of


s: Saturn for wanting to give victory to the Trojans, but father


s: Jove heeded them not: he held aloof from all, and sat apart in


s: his all-glorious majesty, looking down upon the city of the


s: Trojans, the ships of the Achaeans, the gleam of bronze, and


s: alike upon the slayers and on the slain.


s: Now so long as the day waxed and it was still morning, their


s: darts rained thick on one another and the people perished, but as


s: weary; he is tired out, and must now have food--then the Danaans


s: with a cry that rang through all their ranks, broke the


s: battalions of the enemy. Agamemnon led them on, and slew first


s: Bienor, a leader of his people, and afterwards his comrade and


s: charioteer Oileus, who sprang from his chariot and was coming


s: full towards him; but Agamemnon struck him on the forehead with


s: his spear; his bronze visor was of no avail against the weapon,


s: which pierced both bronze and bone, so that his brains were


s: battered in and he was killed in full fight.


s: Agamemnon stripped their shirts from off them and left them with


s: their breasts all bare to lie where they had fallen. He then went


s: him. Achilles had once taken both of them prisoners in the glades


s: shepherding, but he had taken a ransom for them; now, however,


s: Agamemnon son of Atreus smote Isus in the chest above the nipple


s: with his spear, while he struck Antiphus hard by the ear and


s: threw him from his chariot. Forthwith he stripped their goodly


s: armour from off them and recognized them, for he had already seen


s: fastens on the fawns of a hind and crushes them in his great


s: jaws, robbing them of their tender life while he on his way back


s: to his lair--the hind can do nothing for them even though she be


s: close by, for she is in an agony of fear, and flies through the


s: thick forest, sweating, and at her utmost speed before the mighty


s: for they were themselves flying panic before the Argives.


s: Then King Agamemnon took the two sons of Antimachus, Pisander and


s: preventing Helen's being restored to Menelaus, for he was largely


s: in the same chariot, trying to bring their horses to a stand--for


s: fear. The son of Atreus sprang upon them like a lion, and the


s: pair besought him from their chariot. "Take us alive," they


s: cried, "son of Atreus, and you shall receive a great ransom for


s: us. Our father Antimachus has great store of gold, bronze, and


s: wrought iron, and from this he will satisfy you with a very large


s: With such piteous words and tears did they beseech the king, but


s: they heard no pitiful answer in return. "If," said Agamemnon,


s: "you are sons of Antimachus, who once at a council of Trojans


s: proposed that Menelaus and Ulysses, who had come to you as


s: envoys, should be killed and not suffered to return, you shall


s: now pay for the foul iniquity of your father."


s: As he spoke he felled Pisander from his chariot to the earth,


s: smiting him on the chest with his spear, so that he lay face


s: uppermost upon the ground. Hippolochus fled, but him too did


s: Agamemnon smite; he cut off his hands and his head--which he sent


s: flew, while the other Achaeans followed. Foot soldiers drove the


s: foot soldiers of the foe in rout before them, and slew them;


s: horsemen did the like by horsemen, and the thundering tramp of


s: the horses raised a cloud of dust from off the plain. King


s: Agamemnon followed after, ever slaying them and cheering on the


s: Achaeans. As when some mighty forest is all ablaze--the eddying


s: gusts whirl fire in all directions till the thickets shrivel and


s: are consumed before the blast of the flame--even so fell the


s: heads of the flying Trojans before Agamemnon son of Atreus, and


s: many a noble pair of steeds drew an empty chariot along the


s: highways of war, for lack of drivers who were lying on the plain,


s: Jove drew Hector away from the darts and dust, with the carnage


s: and din of battle; but the son of Atreus sped onwards, calling


s: out lustily to the Danaans. They flew on by the tomb of old Ilus,


s: of the wild fig-tree making always for the city--the son of


s: Atreus still shouting, and with hands all bedrabbled in gore; but


s: they halted and waited for the others to come up. Meanwhile the


s: Trojans kept on flying over the middle of the plain like a herd


s: of cows maddened with fright when a lion has attacked them in the


s: grip of his strong teeth and then laps up her blood and gorges


s: himself upon her entrails--even so did King Agamemnon son of


s: Atreus pursue the foe, ever slaughtering the hindmost as they


s: fled pell-mell before him. Many a man was flung headlong from his


s: But when he was just about to reach the high wall and the city,


s: the father of gods and men came down from heaven and took his


s: seat, thunderbolt in hand, upon the crest of many-fountained Ida.


s: brunt of the battle, but when Agamemnon is wounded either by


s: spear or arrow, and takes to his chariot, then will I vouchsafe


s: him strength to slay till he reach the ships and night falls at


s: Iris hearkened and obeyed. Down she went to strong Ilius from the


s: chariot and horses. Then she said, "Hector son of Priam, peer of


s: gods in counsel, father Jove has sent me to bear you this


s: message--so long as you see Agamemnon heading his men and making


s: havoc of the Trojan ranks, you are to keep aloof and bid the


s: others bear the brunt of the battle, but when Agamemnon is


s: wounded either by spear or arrow, and takes to his chariot, then


s: will Jove vouchsafe you strength to slay till you reach the


s: ships, and till night falls at the going down of the sun."


s: When she had thus spoken Iris left him, and Hector sprang full


s: armed from his chariot to the ground, brandishing his spear as he


s: fight, and stirring the dread strife of battle. The Trojans then


s: wheeled round, and again met the Achaeans, while the Argives on


s: their part strengthened their battalions. The battle was now in


s: array and they stood face to face with one another, Agamemnon


s: ever pressing forward in his eagerness to be ahead of all others.


s: Tell me now ye Muses that dwell in the mansions of Olympus, who,


s: whether of the Trojans or of their allies, was first to face


s: Agamemnon? It was Iphidamas son of Antenor, a man both brave and


s: of great stature, who was brought up in fertile Thrace, the


s: mother of sheep. Cisses, his mother's father, brought him up in


s: his own house when he was a child--Cisses, father to fair Theano.


s: was for giving him his daughter in marriage, but as soon as he


s: had married he set out to fight the Achaeans with twelve ships


s: that followed him: these he had left at Percote and had come on


s: by land to Ilius. He it was that now met Agamemnon son of Atreus.


s: missed his aim, and Iphidamas hit him on the girdle below the


s: cuirass and then flung himself upon him, trusting to his strength


s: the point of the spear struck against the silver and was turned


s: aside as though it had been lead: King Agamemnon caught it from


s: his hand, and drew it towards him with the fury of a lion; he


s: then drew his sword, and killed Iphidamas by striking him on the


s: neck. So there the poor fellow lay, sleeping a sleep as it were


s: of bronze, killed in the defence of his fellow-citizens, far from


s: much for her: he had given a hundred-head of cattle down, and had


s: the countless flocks of which he was possessed. Agamemnon son of


s: Atreus then despoiled him, and carried off his armour into the


s: When noble Coon, Antenor's eldest son, saw this, sore indeed were


s: he got beside him, spear in hand, and wounded him in the middle


s: of his arm below the elbow, the point of the spear going right


s: through the arm. Agamemnon was convulsed with pain, but still not


s: grasped his spear that flew as fleet as the wind, and sprang upon


s: father's son--by the foot, and was crying for help to all the


s: bravest of his comrades; but Agamemnon struck him with a


s: bronze-shod spear and killed him as he was dragging the dead body


s: off his head, standing over the body of Iphidamas. Thus did the


s: sons of Antenor meet their fate at the hands of the son of


s: Atreus, and go down into the house of Hades.


s: As long as the blood still welled warm from his wound Agamemnon


s: went about attacking the ranks of the enemy with spear and sword


s: and with great handfuls of stone, but when the blood had ceased


s: to flow and the wound grew dry, the pain became great. As the


s: sharp pangs which the Eilithuiae, goddesses of childbirth,


s: daughters of Juno and dispensers of cruel pain, send upon a woman


s: drive to the ships, for he was in great agony. With a loud clear


s: voice he shouted to the Danaans, "My friends, princes and


s: counsellors of the Argives, defend the ships yourselves, for Jove


s: With this the charioteer turned his horses towards the ships, and


s: When Hector saw Agamemnon quit the field, he shouted to the


s: Trojans and Lycians saying, "Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanian


s: warriors, be men, my friends, and acquit yourselves in battle


s: bravely; their best man has left them, and Jove has vouchsafed me


s: With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and as a


s: huntsman hounds his dogs on against a lion or wild boar, even so


s: did Hector, peer of Mars, hound the proud Trojans on against the


s: Achaeans. Full of hope he plunged in among the foremost, and fell


s: sea, and lashes its deep blue waters into fury.


s: What, then is the full tale of those whom Hector son of Priam


s: killed in the hour of triumph which Jove then vouchsafed him?


s: Opheltius and Agelaus; Aesymnus, Orus and Hipponous steadfast in


s: battle; these chieftains of the Achaeans did Hector slay, and


s: then he fell upon the rank and file. As when the west wind


s: hustles the clouds of the white south and beats them down with


s: the fierceness of its fury--the waves of the sea roll high, and


s: the spray is flung aloft in the rage of the wandering wind--even


s: so thick were the heads of them that fell by the hand of Hector.


s: All had then been lost and no help for it, and the Achaeans would


s: Diomed, "Son of Tydeus, what has happened to us that we thus


s: forget our prowess? Come, my good fellow, stand by my side and


s: help me, we shall be shamed for ever if Hector takes the ships."


s: And Diomed answered, "Come what may, I will stand firm; but we


s: shall have scant joy of it, for Jove is minded to give victory to


s: With these words he struck Thymbraeus from his chariot to the


s: ground, smiting him in the left breast with his spear, while


s: Ulysses killed Molion who was his squire. These they let lie, now


s: Trojans and slay them, and the Achaeans were thankful to have


s: breathing time in their flight from Hector.


s: They then took two princes with their chariot, the two sons of


s: Merops of Percote, who excelled all others in the arts of


s: divination. He had forbidden his sons to go to the war, but they


s: would not obey him, for fate lured them to their fall. Diomed son


s: And now the son of Saturn as he looked down from Ida ordained


s: that neither side should have the advantage, and they kept on


s: killing one another. The son of Tydeus speared Agastrophus son of


s: hand for him to fly with, so blindly confident had he been. His


s: squire was in charge of it at some distance and he was fighting


s: on foot among the foremost until he lost his life. Hector soon


s: marked the havoc Diomed and Ulysses were making, and bore down


s: upon them with a loud cry, followed by the Trojan ranks; brave


s: Diomed was dismayed when he saw them, and said to Ulysses who was


s: He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it, nor did he miss


s: his mark. He had aimed at Hector's head near the top of his


s: helmet, but bronze was turned by bronze, and Hector was


s: untouched, for the spear was stayed by the visored helm made with


s: on his knees and propped himself with his brawny hand leaning on


s: the ground, for darkness had fallen on his eyes. The son of


s: Tydeus having thrown his spear dashed in among the foremost


s: fighters, to the place where he had seen it strike the ground;


s: meanwhile Hector recovered himself and springing back into his


s: chariot mingled with the crowd, by which means he saved his life.


s: again got away though death was close on your heels. Phoebus


s: Apollo, to whom I ween you pray ere you go into battle, has again


s: hereafter, if there is any god who will stand by me too and be my


s: As he spoke he began stripping the spoils from the son of Paeon,


s: but Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen aimed an arrow at him,


s: leaning against a pillar of the monument which men had raised to


s: Ilus son of Dardanus, a ruler in days of old. Diomed had taken


s: the cuirass from off the breast of Agastrophus, his heavy helmet


s: also, and the shield from off his shoulders, when Paris drew his


s: bow and let fly an arrow that sped not from his hand in vain, but


s: and fixing itself in the ground. Thereon Paris with a hearty


s: laugh sprang forward from his hiding-place, and taunted him


s: saying, "You are wounded--my arrow has not been shot in vain;


s: would that it had hit you in the belly and killed you, for thus


s: the Trojans, who fear you as goats fear a lion, would have had a


s: Diomed all undaunted answered, "Archer, you who without your bow


s: are nothing, slanderer and seducer, if you were to be tried in


s: single combat fighting in full armour, your bow and your arrows


s: would serve you in little stead. Vain is your boast in that you


s: have scratched the sole of my foot. I care no more than if a girl


s: a light wound; when I wound a man though I but graze his skin it


s: is another matter, for my weapon will lay him low. His wife will


s: tear her cheeks for grief and his children will be fatherless:


s: there will he rot, reddening the earth with his blood, and


s: vultures, not women, will gather round him."


s: Thus he spoke, but Ulysses came up and stood over him. Under this


s: the pain he suffered as he did so. Then he sprang on to his


s: chariot and bade the charioteer drive him to the ships, for he


s: Ulysses was now alone; not one of the Argives stood by him, for


s: they were all panic-stricken. "Alas," said he to himself in his


s: dismay, "what will become of me? It is ill if I turn and fly


s: before these odds, but it will be worse if I am left alone and


s: taken prisoner, for the son of Saturn has struck the rest of the


s: Danaans with panic. But why talk to myself in this way? Well do I


s: While he was thus in two minds, the ranks of the Trojans advanced


s: hounds and lusty youths set upon a wild boar that sallies from


s: his lair whetting his white tusks--they attack him from every


s: side and can hear the gnashing of his jaws, but for all his


s: fierceness they still hold their ground--even so furiously did


s: the Trojans attack Ulysses. First he sprang spear in hand upon


s: Deiopites and wounded him on the shoulder with a downward blow;


s: then he killed Thoon and Ennomus. After these he struck


s: Chersidamas in the loins under his shield as he had just sprung


s: down from his chariot; so he fell in the dust and clutched the


s: earth in the hollow of his hand. These he let lie, and went on to


s: hero that he was, made all speed to help him, and when he was


s: close to Ulysses he said, "Far-famed Ulysses, insatiable of craft


s: the sons of Hippasus and stripped them of their armour, or you


s: With these words he struck the shield of Ulysses. The spear went


s: through the shield and passed on through his richly wrought


s: cuirass, tearing the flesh from his side, but Pallas Minerva did


s: not suffer it to pierce the entrails of the hero. Ulysses knew


s: that his hour was not yet come, but he gave ground and said to


s: Socus, "Wretch, you shall now surely die. You have stayed me from


s: spear, yielding glory to myself, and your soul to Hades of the


s: Socus had turned in flight, but as he did so, the spear struck


s: him in the back midway between the shoulders, and went right


s: through his chest. He fell heavily to the ground and Ulysses


s: vaunted over him saying, "O Socus, son of Hippasus tamer of


s: horses, death has been too quick for you and you have not escaped


s: close your eyes, but the ravening vultures shall enshroud you


s: with the flapping of their dark wings and devour you. Whereas


s: even though I fall the Achaeans will give me my due rites of


s: So saying he drew Socus's heavy spear out of his flesh and from


s: his shield, and the blood welled forth when the spear was


s: withdrawn so that he was much dismayed. When the Trojans saw that


s: body towards him; he therefore gave ground, and called his


s: comrades to come and help him. Thrice did he cry as loudly as man


s: therefore, to Ajax who was close beside him and said, "Ajax,


s: noble son of Telamon, captain of your people, the cry of Ulysses


s: rings in my ears, as though the Trojans had cut him off and were


s: worsting him while he is single-handed. Let us make our way


s: through the throng; it will be well that we defend him; I fear he


s: support, and the Danaans would miss him sorely."


s: He led the way and mighty Ajax went with him. The Trojans had


s: gathered round Ulysses like ravenous mountain jackals round the


s: carcase of some horned stag that has been hit with an arrow--the


s: stag has fled at full speed so long as his blood was warm and his


s: savage jackals devour him in the shady glades of the forest. Then


s: terror and the lion robs them of their prey--even so did Trojans


s: many and brave gather round crafty Ulysses, but the hero stood at


s: shield before him like a wall, and stood hard by, whereon the


s: Trojans fled in all directions. Menelaus took Ulysses by the


s: hand, and led him out of the press while his squire brought up


s: his chariot, but Ajax rushed furiously on the Trojans and killed


s: Lysandrus, Pyrasus, and Pylartes; as some swollen torrent comes


s: rushing in full flood from the mountains on to the plain, big


s: with the rain of heaven--many a dry oak and many a pine does it


s: engulf, and much mud does it bring down and cast into the sea--


s: even so did brave Ajax chase the foe furiously over the plain,


s: Hector did not yet know what Ajax was doing, for he was fighting


s: on the extreme left of the battle by the banks of the river


s: Scamander, where the carnage was thickest and the war-cry loudest


s: great slaughter with his spear and furious driving, and was


s: destroying the ranks that were opposed to him; still the Achaeans


s: Helen stayed the prowess of Machaon, shepherd of his people, by


s: wounding him in the right shoulder with a triple-barbed arrow.


s: The Achaeans were in great fear that as the fight had turned


s: against them the Trojans might take him prisoner, and Idomeneus


s: said to Nestor, "Nestor son of Neleus, honour to the Achaean


s: name, mount your chariot at once; take Machaon with you and drive


s: Nestor knight of Gerene did as Idomeneus had counselled; he at


s: once mounted his chariot, and Machaon son of the famed physician


s: Aesculapius, went with him. He lashed his horses and they flew


s: onward nothing loth towards the ships, as though of their own


s: Then Cebriones seeing the Trojans in confusion said to Hector


s: from his place beside him, "Hector, here are we two fighting on


s: the extreme wing of the battle, while the other Trojans are in


s: pell-mell rout, they and their horses. Ajax son of Telamon is


s: driving them before him; I know him by the breadth of his shield:


s: are fighting most desperately, and where the cry of battle is


s: With this he lashed his goodly steeds, and when they felt the


s: whip they drew the chariot full speed among the Achaeans and


s: Trojans, over the bodies and shields of those that had fallen:


s: the axle was bespattered with blood, and the rail round the car


s: was covered with splashes both from the horses' hoofs and from


s: the tyres of the wheels. Hector tore his way through and flung


s: himself into the thick of the fight, and his presence threw the


s: Danaans into confusion, for his spear was not long idle;


s: nevertheless though he went among the ranks with sword and spear,


s: Jove would have been angry with him if he had fought a better man


s: Then father Jove from his high throne struck fear into the heart


s: of Ajax, so that he stood there dazed and threw his shield behind


s: were some wild beast, and turning hither and thither but


s: crouching slowly backwards. As peasants with their hounds chase a


s: carrying off the pick of their herd--he makes his greedy spring,


s: but in vain, for the darts from many a strong hand fall thick


s: around him, with burning brands that scare him for all his fury,


s: and when morning comes he slinks foiled and angry away--even so


s: did Ajax, sorely against his will, retreat angrily before the


s: Trojans, fearing for the ships of the Achaeans. Or as some lazy


s: ass that has had many a cudgel broken about his back, when he


s: into a field begins eating the corn--boys beat him but he is too


s: many for them, and though they lay about with their sticks they


s: cannot hurt him; still when he has had his fill they at last


s: drive him from the field--even so did the Trojans and their


s: allies pursue great Ajax, ever smiting the middle of his shield


s: with their darts. Now and again he would turn and show fight,


s: keeping back the battalions of the Trojans, and then he would


s: again retreat; but he prevented any of them from making his way


s: to the ships. Single-handed he stood midway between the Trojans


s: and Achaeans: the spears that sped from their hands stuck some of


s: blood, fell to the ground ere they could reach him to the


s: Now when Eurypylus the brave son of Euaemon saw that Ajax was


s: being overpowered by the rain of arrows, he went up to him and


s: hurled his spear. He struck Apisaon son of Phausius in the liver


s: below the midriff, and laid him low. Eurypylus sprang upon him,


s: and stripped the armour from his shoulders; but when Alexandrus


s: saw him, he aimed an arrow at him which struck him in the right


s: thigh; the arrow broke, but the point that was left in the wound


s: dragged on the thigh; he drew back, therefore, under cover of his


s: "My friends, princes and counsellors of the Argives, rally to the


s: will come out of the fight alive. Hither, then, to the rescue of


s: Even so did he cry when he was wounded; thereon the others came


s: near, and gathered round him, holding their shields upwards from


s: their shoulders so as to give him cover. Ajax then made towards


s: them, and turned round to stand at bay as soon as he had reached


s: Thus then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. Meanwhile the


s: out of the fight, and with him Machaon shepherd of his people.


s: Achilles saw and took note, for he was standing on the stern of


s: his ship watching the hard stress and struggle of the fight. He


s: called from the ship to his comrade Patroclus, who heard him in


s: the tent and came out looking like Mars himself--here indeed was


s: the beginning of the ill that presently befell him. "Why," said


s: he, "Achilles, do you call me? What do you want with me?" And


s: Achilles answered, "Noble son of Menoetius, man after my own


s: heart, I take it that I shall now have the Achaeans praying at my


s: Nestor who it is that he is bearing away wounded from the field;


s: from his back I should say it was Machaon son of Aesculapius, but


s: Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him, and set off


s: running by the ships and tents of the Achaeans.


s: When Nestor and Machaon had reached the tents of the son of