s: aloof and cares for nobody, for he knows that he is much stronger


s: whatever ills he may choose to send each one of you; Mars, I take


s: fallen in battle--the man whom of all others he loved most dearly


s: When he heard this Mars smote his two sturdy thighs with the flat


s: dwell in heaven, if I go to the ships of the Achaeans and avenge


s: the death of my son, even though it end in my being struck by


s: Jove's lightning and lying in blood and dust among the corpses."


s: As he spoke he gave orders to yoke his horses Panic and Rout,


s: while he put on his armour. On this, Jove would have been roused


s: to still more fierce and implacable enmity against the other


s: immortals, had not Minerva, alarmed for the safety of the gods,


s: sprung from her seat and hurried outside. She tore the helmet


s: from his head and the shield from his shoulders, and she took the


s: she said to Mars, "Madman, you are undone; you have ears that


s: hear not, or you have lost all judgement and understanding; have


s: you not heard what Juno has said on coming straight from the


s: presence of Olympian Jove? Do you wish to go through all kinds of


s: after having caused infinite mischief to all us others? Jove


s: would instantly leave the Trojans and Achaeans to themselves; he


s: would come to Olympus to punish us, and would grip us up one


s: after another, guilty or not guilty. Therefore lay aside your


s: anger for the death of your son; better men than he have either


s: been killed already or will fall hereafter, and one cannot


s: With these words she took Mars back to his seat. Meanwhile Juno


s: called Apollo outside, with Iris the messenger of the gods.


s: "Jove," she said to them, "desires you to go to him at once on


s: Mt. Ida; when you have seen him you are to do as he may then bid


s: Thereon Juno left them and resumed her seat inside, while Iris


s: and Apollo made all haste on their way. When they reached


s: many-fountained Ida, mother of wild beasts, they found Jove


s: seated on topmost Gargarus with a fragrant cloud encircling his


s: head as with a diadem. They stood before his presence, and he was


s: He spoke to Iris first. "Go," said he, "fleet Iris, tell King


s: Neptune what I now bid you--and tell him true. Bid him leave off


s: fighting, and either join the company of the gods, or go down


s: into the sea. If he takes no heed and disobeys me, let him


s: consider well whether he is strong enough to hold his own against


s: he is not afraid to set himself up as on a level with myself, of


s: Iris, fleet as the wind, obeyed him, and as the cold hail or


s: snowflakes that fly from out the clouds before the blast of


s: Boreas, even so did she wing her way till she came close up to


s: the great shaker of the earth. Then she said, "I have come, O


s: dark-haired king that holds the world in his embrace, to bring


s: you a message from Jove. He bids you leave off fighting, and


s: either join the company of the gods or go down into the sea; if,


s: however, you take no heed and disobey him, he says he will come


s: down here and fight you. He would have you keep out of his reach,


s: not afraid to set yourself up as on a level with himself, of whom


s: Neptune was very angry and said, "Great heavens! strong as Jove


s: may be, he has said more than he can do if he has threatened


s: violence against me, who am of like honour with himself. We were


s: three brothers whom Rhea bore to Saturn--Jove, myself, and Hades


s: who rules the world below. Heaven and earth were divided into


s: three parts, and each of us was to have an equal share. When we


s: cast lots, it fell to me to have my dwelling in the sea for


s: evermore; Hades took the darkness of the realms under the earth,


s: while air and sky and clouds were the portion that fell to Jove;


s: but earth and great Olympus are the common property of all.


s: Therefore I will not walk as Jove would have me. For all his


s: strength, let him keep to his own third share and be contented


s: without threatening to lay hands upon me as though I were nobody.


s: Iris fleet as the wind then answered, "Am I really, Neptune, to


s: take this daring and unyielding message to Jove, or will you


s: reconsider your answer? Sensible people are open to argument, and


s: Neptune answered, "Goddess Iris, your words have been spoken in


s: season. It is well when a messenger shows so much discretion.


s: Nevertheless it cuts me to the very heart that any one should


s: rebuke so angrily another who is his own peer, and of like empire


s: displeasure; furthermore let me tell you, and I mean what I say--


s: him understand that he will incur our implacable resentment."


s: Neptune now left the field to go down under the sea, and sorely


s: did the Achaeans miss him. Then Jove said to Apollo, "Go, dear


s: Phoebus, to Hector, for Neptune who holds the earth in his


s: embrace has now gone down under the sea to avoid the severity of


s: my displeasure. Had he not done so those gods who are below with


s: Saturn would have come to hear of the fight between us. It is


s: better for both of us that he should have curbed his anger and


s: kept out of my reach, for I should have had much trouble with


s: him. Take, then, your tasselled aegis, and shake it furiously, so


s: Hector, O Far-Darter, into your own care, and rouse him to deeds


s: of daring, till the Achaeans are sent flying back to their ships


s: and to the Hellespont. From that point I will think it well over,


s: Apollo obeyed his father's saying, and left the crests of Ida,


s: flying like a falcon, bane of doves and swiftest of all birds. He


s: him, and the sweat and hard breathing had left him from the


s: moment when the will of aegis-bearing Jove had revived him.


s: Apollo stood beside him and said, "Hector son of Priam, why are


s: you so faint, and why are you here away from the others? Has any


s: Hector in a weak voice answered, "And which, kind sir, of the


s: gods are you, who now ask me thus? Do you not know that Ajax


s: struck me on the chest with a stone as I was killing his comrades


s: fighting? I made sure that this very day I should breathe my last


s: Then King Apollo said to him, "Take heart; the son of Saturn has


s: sent you a mighty helper from Ida to stand by you and defend you,


s: guardian hitherto not only of yourself but of your city. Now,


s: therefore, order your horsemen to drive their chariots to the


s: ships in great multitudes. I will go before your horses to smooth


s: As he spoke he infused great strength into the shepherd of his


s: people. And as a horse, stabled and full-fed, breaks loose and


s: gallops gloriously over the plain to the place where he is wont


s: to take his bath in the river--he tosses his head, and his mane


s: streams over his shoulders as in all the pride of his strength he


s: even so Hector, when he heard what the god said, urged his


s: horsemen on, and sped forward as fast as his limbs could take


s: him. As country peasants set their hounds on to a homed stag or


s: wild goat--he has taken shelter under rock or thicket, and they


s: cannot find him, but, lo, a bearded lion whom their shouts have


s: roused stands in their path, and they are in no further humour


s: for the chase--even so the Achaeans were still charging on in a


s: body, using their swords and spears pointed at both ends, but


s: when they saw Hector going about among his men they were afraid,


s: and their hearts fell down into their feet.


s: Then spoke Thoas son of Andraemon, leader of the Aetolians, a man


s: fight, while few could surpass him in debate when opinions were


s: divided. He then with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them


s: thus: "What, in heaven's name, do I now see? Is it not Hector


s: come to life again? Every one made sure he had been killed by


s: Ajax son of Telamon, but it seems that one of the gods has again


s: rescued him. He has killed many of us Danaans already, and I take


s: would never dare show himself so masterful in the forefront of


s: the battle. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say; let us order


s: the main body of our forces to fall back upon the ships, but let


s: those of us who profess to be the flower of the army stand firm,


s: and see whether we cannot hold Hector back at the point of our


s: spears as soon as he comes near us; I conceive that he will then


s: think better of it before he tries to charge into the press of


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


s: were about Ajax and King Idomeneus, the followers moreover of


s: Teucer, Meriones, and Meges peer of Mars called all their best


s: men about them and sustained the fight against Hector and the


s: Trojans, but the main body fell back upon the ships of the


s: The Trojans pressed forward in a dense body, with Hector striding


s: cloud about his shoulders. He bore aloft the terrible aegis with


s: its shaggy fringe, which Vulcan the smith had given Jove to


s: strike terror into the hearts of men. With this in his hand he


s: The Argives held together and stood their ground. The cry of


s: battle rose high from either side, and the arrows flew from the


s: bowstrings. Many a spear sped from strong hands and fastened in


s: the bodies of many a valiant warrior, while others fell to earth


s: midway, before they could taste of man's fair flesh and glut


s: themselves with blood. So long as Phoebus Apollo held his aegis


s: quietly and without shaking it, the weapons on either side took


s: effect and the people fell, but when he shook it straight in the


s: face of the Danaans and raised his mighty battle-cry their hearts


s: or a large flock of sheep when the herdsman is not there--even so


s: panic and gave victory to Hector and the Trojans.


s: The fight then became more scattered and they killed one another


s: where they best could. Hector killed Stichius and Arcesilaus, the


s: of Menestheus. Aeneas killed Medon and Iasus. The first was


s: Phylace away from his own country, for he had killed a man, a


s: kinsman of his stepmother Eriopis whom Oileus had married. Iasus


s: had become a leader of the Athenians, and was son of Sphelus the


s: son of Boucolos. Polydamas killed Mecisteus, and Polites Echius,


s: in the front of the battle, while Agenor slew Clonius. Paris


s: struck Deiochus from behind in the lower part of the shoulder, as


s: While they were spoiling these heroes of their armour, the


s: Achaeans were flying pell-mell to the trench and the set stakes,


s: and were forced back within their wall. Hector then cried out to


s: the Trojans, "Forward to the ships, and let the spoils be. If I


s: see any man keeping back on the other side the wall away from the


s: As he spoke he laid his whip about his horses' shoulders and


s: called to the Trojans throughout their ranks; the Trojans shouted


s: banks of the deep trench into its middle so as to make a great


s: broad bridge, as broad as the throw of a spear when a man is


s: trying his strength. The Trojan battalions poured over the


s: bridge, and Apollo with his redoubtable aegis led the way. He


s: kicked down the wall of the Achaeans as easily as a child who


s: playing on the sea-shore has built a house of sand and then kicks


s: toil and trouble upon the Argives, filling them with panic and


s: Thus then were the Achaeans hemmed in at their ships, calling out


s: to heaven. Nestor of Gerene, tower of strength to the Achaeans,


s: lifted up his hands to the starry firmament of heaven, and prayed


s: sheep or heifer and prayed that he might return safely home,


s: whereon you bowed your head to him in assent, bear it in mind


s: now, and suffer not the Trojans to triumph thus over the


s: All-counselling Jove thundered loudly in answer to the prayer of


s: the aged son of Neleus. When they heard Jove thunder they flung


s: themselves yet more fiercely on the Achaeans. As a wave breaking


s: over the bulwarks of a ship when the sea runs high before a


s: gale--for it is the force of the wind that makes the waves so


s: great--even so did the Trojans spring over the wall with a


s: shout, and drive their chariots onwards. The two sides fought


s: with their double-pointed spears in hand-to-hand encounter-the


s: Trojans from their chariots, and the Achaeans climbing up into


s: their ships and wielding the long pikes that were lying on the


s: decks ready for use in a sea-fight, jointed and shod with bronze.


s: Now Patroclus, so long as the Achaeans and Trojans were fighting


s: about the wall, but were not yet within it and at the ships,


s: remained sitting in the tent of good Eurypylus, entertaining him


s: with his conversation and spreading herbs over his wound to ease


s: his pain. When, however, he saw the Trojans swarming through the


s: breach in the wall, while the Achaeans were clamouring and struck


s: flat of his hands. "Eurypylus," said he in his dismay, "I know


s: you want me badly, but I cannot stay with you any longer, for


s: there is hard fighting going on; a servant shall take care of you


s: fight if I can; who knows but with heaven's help I may persuade


s: him. A man does well to listen to the advice of a friend."


s: When he had thus spoken he went his way. The Achaeans stood firm


s: and resisted the attack of the Trojans, yet though these were


s: fewer in number, they could not drive them back from the ships,


s: neither could the Trojans break the Achaean ranks and make their


s: way in among the tents and ships. As a carpenter's line gives a


s: true edge to a piece of ship's timber, in the hand of some


s: skilled workman whom Minerva has instructed in all kinds of


s: useful arts--even so level was the issue of the fight between the


s: Hector made straight for Ajax, and the two fought fiercely about


s: the same ship. Hector could not force Ajax back and fire the


s: ship, nor yet could Ajax drive Hector from the spot to which


s: Then Ajax struck Caletor son of Clytius in the chest with a spear


s: ground and the torch dropped from his hand. When Hector saw his


s: cousin fallen in front of the ship he shouted to the Trojans and


s: Lycians saying, "Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians good in close


s: fight, bate not a jot, but rescue the son of Clytius lest the


s: Achaeans strip him of his armour now that he has fallen."


s: He then aimed a spear at Ajax, and missed him, but he hit


s: Lycophron a follower of Ajax, who came from Cythera, but was


s: living with Ajax inasmuch as he had killed a man among the


s: Cythereans. Hector's spear struck him on the head below the ear,


s: and he fell headlong from the ship's prow on to the ground with


s: no life left in him. Ajax shook with rage and said to his


s: brother, "Teucer, my good fellow, our trusty comrade the son of


s: Mastor has fallen, he came to live with us from Cythera and whom


s: we honoured as much as our own parents. Hector has just killed


s: him; fetch your deadly arrows at once and the bow which Phoebus


s: Teucer heard him and hastened towards him with his bow and quiver


s: and hit Cleitus the son of Pisenor, comrade of Polydamas the


s: noble son of Panthous, with the reins in his hands as he was


s: attending to his horses; he was in the middle of the very


s: thickest part of the fight, doing good service to Hector and the


s: Trojans, but evil had now come upon him, and not one of those who


s: the back of the neck. He fell from his chariot and his horses


s: shook the empty car as they swerved aside. King Polydamas saw


s: what had happened, and was the first to come up to the horses; he


s: to look on, and to keep the horses near at hand. He then went


s: back and took his place in the front ranks.


s: Teucer then aimed another arrow at Hector, and there would have


s: been no more fighting at the ships if he had hit him and killed


s: him then and there: Jove, however, who kept watch over Hector,


s: had his eyes on Teucer, and deprived him of his triumph, by


s: breaking his bowstring for him just as he was drawing it and


s: about to take his aim; on this the arrow went astray and the bow


s: fell from his hands. Teucer shook with anger and said to his


s: brother, "Alas, see how heaven thwarts us in all we do; it has


s: broken my bowstring and snatched the bow from my hand, though I


s: strung it this selfsame morning that it might serve me for many


s: Ajax son of Telamon answered, "My good fellow, let your bow and


s: your arrows be, for Jove has made them useless in order to spite


s: the Danaans. Take your spear, lay your shield upon your shoulder,


s: They may be successful for the moment but if we fight as we ought


s: Teucer then took his bow and put it by in his tent. He hung a


s: shield four hides thick about his shoulders, and on his comely


s: head he set his helmet well wrought with a crest of horse-hair


s: that nodded menacingly above it; he grasped his redoubtable


s: bronze-shod spear, and forthwith he was by the side of Ajax.


s: When Hector saw that Teucer's bow was of no more use to him, he


s: shouted out to the Trojans and Lycians, "Trojans, Lycians, and


s: Dardanians good in close fight, be men, my friends, and show your


s: chieftains made useless by the hand of Jove. It is easy to see


s: when Jove is helping people and means to help them still further,


s: them; he is now on our side, and is going against the Argives.


s: Therefore swarm round the ships and fight. If any of you is


s: struck by spear or sword and loses his life, let him die; he dies


s: his wife and children safe behind him, with his house and


s: allotment unplundered if only the Achaeans can be driven back to


s: With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Ajax on the


s: we are now utterly undone, unless we can save ourselves by


s: driving the enemy from our ships. Do you think, if Hector takes


s: them, that you will be able to get home by land? Can you not hear


s: them remember that they are not at a dance but in battle? Our


s: only course is to fight them with might and main; we had better


s: chance it, life or death, once for all, than fight long and


s: without issue hemmed in at our ships by worse men than


s: With these words he put life and soul into them all. Hector then


s: killed Schedius son of Perimedes, leader of the Phoceans, and


s: Ajax killed Laodamas captain of foot soldiers and son to Antenor.


s: and chief of the proud Epeans. When Meges saw this he sprang upon


s: would not suffer the son of Panthous to fall in battle; but the


s: spear hit Croesmus in the middle of his chest, whereon he fell


s: heavily to the ground, and Meges stripped him of his armour. At


s: that moment the valiant soldier Dolops son of Lampus sprang upon


s: Lampus was son of Laomedon and for his valour, while his son


s: Dolops was versed in all the ways of war. He then struck the


s: middle of the son of Phyleus' shield with his spear, setting on


s: him at close quarters, but his good corslet made with plates of


s: metal saved him; Phyleus had brought it from Ephyra and the river


s: in battle and protect him. It now served to save the life of his


s: son. Then Meges struck the topmost crest of Dolops's bronze


s: helmet with his spear and tore away its plume of horse-hair, so


s: that all newly dyed with scarlet as it was it tumbled down into


s: the dust. While he was still fighting and confident of victory,


s: Menelaus came up to help Meges, and got by the side of Dolops


s: unperceived; he then speared him in the shoulder, from behind,


s: and the point, driven so furiously, went through into his chest,


s: whereon he fell headlong. The two then made towards him to strip


s: him of his armour, but Hector called on all his brothers for


s: help, and he especially upbraided brave Melanippus son of


s: Hiketaon, who erewhile used to pasture his herds of cattle in


s: Percote before the war broke out; but when the ships of the


s: Danaans came, he went back to Ilius, where he was eminent among


s: the Trojans, and lived near Priam who treated him as one of his


s: own sons. Hector now rebuked him and said, "Why, Melanippus, are


s: we thus remiss? do you take no note of the death of your kinsman,


s: Follow me; there must be no fighting the Argives from a distance


s: now, but we must do so in close combat till either we kill them


s: or they take the high wall of Ilius and slay her people."


s: He led on as he spoke, and the hero Melanippus followed after.


s: Meanwhile Ajax son of Telamon was cheering on the Argives. "My


s: friends," he cried, "be men, and fear dishonour; quit yourselves


s: in battle so as to win respect from one another. Men who respect


s: each other's good opinion are less likely to be killed than those


s: Thus did he exhort men who were already bent upon driving back


s: the Trojans. They laid his words to heart and hedged the ships as


s: of the loud battle-cry urged Antilochus on. "Antilochus," said


s: he, "you are young and there is none of the Achaeans more fleet


s: of foot or more valiant than you are. See if you cannot spring


s: He hurried away when he had thus spurred Antilochus, who at once


s: darted out from the front ranks and aimed a spear, after looking


s: carefully round him. The Trojans fell back as he threw, and the


s: dart did not speed from his hand without effect, for it struck


s: Melanippus the proud son of Hiketaon in the breast by the nipple


s: as he was coming forward, and his armour rang rattling round him


s: as he fell heavily to the ground. Antilochus sprang upon him as a


s: away from its covert, and killed it. Even so, O Melanippus, did


s: stalwart Antilochus spring upon you to strip you of your armour;


s: but noble Hector marked him, and came running up to him through


s: the thick of the battle. Antilochus, brave soldier though he was,


s: which knows it has done wrong, and flies, when it has killed a


s: dog or a man who is herding his cattle, before a body of men can


s: be gathered to attack it. Even so did the son of Nestor fly, and


s: the Trojans and Hector with a cry that rent the air showered


s: their weapons after him; nor did he turn round and stay his


s: flight till he had reached his comrades.


s: The Trojans, fierce as lions, were still rushing on towards the


s: ships in fulfilment of the behests of Jove who kept spurring them


s: Argives and defeated them by encouraging the Trojans. For he


s: meant giving glory to Hector son of Priam, and letting him throw


s: fire upon the ships, till he had fulfilled the unrighteous prayer


s: about so to order that the Trojans should be driven back from the


s: he inspired Hector son of Priam, who was cager enough already, to


s: he foamed at the mouth, his eyes glared under his terrible


s: eye-brows, and his helmet quivered on his temples by reason of


s: the fury with which he fought. Jove from heaven was with him, and


s: glory; for he was doomed to an early death, and already Pallas


s: Minerva was hurrying on the hour of his destruction at the hands


s: of the son of Peleus. Now, however, he kept trying to break the


s: ranks of the enemy wherever he could see them thickest, and in


s: the goodliest armour; but do what he might he could not break


s: through them, for they stood as a tower foursquare, or as some


s: high cliff rising from the grey sea that braves the anger of the


s: gale, and of the waves that thunder up against it. He fell upon


s: them like flames of fire from every quarter. As when a wave,


s: raised mountain high by wind and storm, breaks over a ship and


s: covers it deep in foam, the fierce winds roar against the mast,


s: the hearts of the sailors fail them for fear, and they are saved


s: but by a very little from destruction--even so were the hearts of


s: a herd of cows while they are feeding by thousands in the


s: low-lying meadows by some wide-watered shore--the herdsman is at


s: his wit's end how to protect his herd and keeps going about now


s: in the van and now in the rear of his cattle, while the lion


s: springs into the thick of them and fastens on a cow so that they


s: all tremble for fear--even so were the Achaeans utterly


s: panic-stricken by Hector and father Jove. Nevertheless Hector


s: only killed Periphetes of Mycenae; he was son of Copreus who was


s: wont to take the orders of King Eurystheus to mighty Hercules,


s: but the son was a far better man than the father in every way; he


s: Hector a triumph, for as he was turning back he stumbled against


s: the rim of his shield which reached his feet, and served to keep


s: the javelins off him. He tripped against this and fell face


s: upward, his helmet ringing loudly about his head as he did so.


s: Hector saw him fall and ran up to him; he then thrust a spear


s: into his chest, and killed him close to his own comrades. These,


s: for all their sorrow, could not help him for they were themselves


s: They had now reached the ships and the prows of those that had


s: been drawn up first were on every side of them, but the Trojans


s: came pouring after them. The Argives were driven back from the


s: first row of ships, but they made a stand by their tents without


s: being broken up and scattered; shame and fear restrained them.


s: They kept shouting incessantly to one another, and Nestor of


s: Gerene, tower of strength to the Achaeans, was loudest in


s: imploring every man by his parents, and beseeching him to stand


s: "Be men, my friends," he cried, "and respect one another's good


s: opinion. Think, all of you, on your children, your wives, your


s: property, and your parents whether these be alive or dead. On


s: their behalf though they are not here, I implore you to stand


s: With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Minerva


s: lifted the thick veil of darkness from their eyes, and much light


s: the fight was raging. They could see Hector and all his men, both


s: Ajax could not bring himself to retreat along with the rest, but


s: strode from deck to deck with a great sea-pike in his hands


s: twelve cubits long and jointed with rings. As a man skilled in


s: feats of horsemanship couples four horses together and comes


s: tearing full speed along the public way from the country into


s: some large town--many both men and women marvel as they see him


s: for he keeps all the time changing his horse, springing from one


s: to another without ever missing his feet while the horses are at


s: a gallop--even so did Ajax go striding from one ship's deck to


s: another, and his voice went up into the heavens. He kept on


s: shouting his orders to the Danaans and exhorting them to defend


s: their ships and tents; neither did Hector remain within the main


s: body of the Trojan warriors, but as a dun eagle swoops down upon


s: a flock of wild-fowl feeding near a river-geese, it may be, or


s: cranes, or long-necked swans--even so did Hector make straight


s: for a dark-prowed ship, rushing right towards it; for Jove with


s: his mighty hand impelled him forward, and roused his people to


s: And now the battle again raged furiously at the ships. You would


s: have thought the men were coming on fresh and unwearied, so


s: fiercely did they fight; and this was the mind in which they


s: were--the Achaeans did not believe they should escape destruction


s: his heart beat high with the hope of firing the ships and putting


s: Thus were the two sides minded. Then Hector seized the stern of


s: the good ship that had brought Protesilaus to Troy, but never


s: bore him back to his native land. Round this ship there raged a


s: close hand-to-hand fight between Danaans and Trojans. They did


s: not fight at a distance with bows and javelins, but with one mind


s: and spears pointed at both ends; they fought moreover with keen


s: battle-axes and with hatchets. Many a good stout blade hilted and


s: and the earth ran red with blood. Hector, when he had seized the


s: ship, would not loose his hold but held on to its curved stern


s: and shouted to the Trojans, "Bring fire, and raise the battle-cry


s: that will pay us for all the rest; this day we shall take the


s: ships which came hither against heaven's will, and which have


s: caused us such infinite suffering through the cowardice of our


s: councillors, who when I would have done battle at the ships held


s: me back and forbade the host to follow me; if Jove did then


s: indeed warp our judgements, himself now commands me and cheers me


s: As he spoke thus the Trojans sprang yet more fiercely on the


s: Achaeans, and Ajax no longer held his ground, for he was overcome


s: doomed. Therefore he left the raised deck at the stern, and


s: stepped back on to the seven-foot bench of the oarsmen. Here he


s: stood on the look-out, and with his spear held back Trojan whom


s: he saw bringing fire to the ships. All the time he kept on


s: shouting at the top of his voice and exhorting the Danaans. "My


s: friends," he cried, "Danaan heroes, servants of Mars, be men my


s: friends, and fight with might and with main. Can we hope to find


s: helpers hereafter, or a wall to shield us more surely than the


s: one we have? There is no strong city within reach, whence we may


s: draw fresh forces to turn the scales in our favour. We are on the


s: our own country. Our salvation, therefore, is in the might of our


s: As he spoke he wielded his spear with still greater fury, and


s: when any Trojan made towards the ships with fire at Hector's


s: bidding, he would be on the look-out for him, and drive at him


s: with his long spear. Twelve men did he thus kill in hand-to-hand


s: Fire being now thrown on the ship of Protesilaus, Patroclus


s: fights in the armour of Achilles--He drives the Trojans back,


s: but is in the end killed by Euphorbus and Hector.


s: THUS did they fight about the ship of Protesilaus. Then Patroclus


s: some spring whose crystal stream falls over the ledges of a high


s: precipice. When Achilles saw him thus weeping he was sorry for


s: him and said, "Why, Patroclus, do you stand there weeping like


s: some silly child that comes running to her mother, and begs to be


s: stay her though she is in a hurry, and looks tearfully up until


s: her mother carries her--even such tears, Patroclus, are you now


s: shedding. Have you anything to say to the Myrmidons or to myself?


s: me Menoetius son of Actor is still alive, as also Peleus son of


s: Aeacus, among the Myrmidons--men whose loss we two should


s: bitterly deplore; or are you grieving about the Argives and the


s: way in which they are being killed at the ships, through their


s: own high-handed doings? Do not hide anything from me but tell me


s: Then, O knight Patroclus, with a deep sigh you answered,


s: "Achilles, son of Peleus, foremost champion of the Achaeans, do


s: not be angry, but I weep for the disaster that has now befallen


s: the Argives. All those who have been their champions so far are


s: lying at the ships, wounded by sword or spear. Brave Diomed son


s: of Tydeus has been hit with a spear, while famed Ulysses and


s: Agamemnon have received sword-wounds; Eurypylus again has been


s: struck with an arrow in the thigh; skilled apothecaries are


s: attending to these heroes, and healing them of their wounds; are


s: you still, O Achilles, so inexorable? May it never be my lot to


s: nurse such a passion as you have done, to the baning of your own


s: good name. Who in future story will speak well of you unless you


s: now save the Argives from ruin? You know no pity; knight Peleus


s: was not your father nor Thetis your mother, but the grey sea bore


s: you. If however you are kept back through knowledge of some


s: oracle, or if your mother Thetis has told you something from the


s: mouth of Jove, at least send me and the Myrmidons with me, if I


s: may bring deliverance to the Danaans. Let me moreover wear your


s: armour; the Trojans may thus mistake me for you and quit the


s: field, so that the hard-pressed sons of the Achaeans may have


s: breathing time--which while they are fighting may hardly be. We


s: who are fresh might soon drive tired men back from our ships and


s: He knew not what he was asking, nor that he was suing for his own


s: heeding, nor has my mother told me anything from the mouth of


s: Jove, but I am cut to the very heart that one of my own rank


s: should dare to rob me because he is more powerful than I am.


s: This, after all that I have gone through, is more than I can


s: endure. The girl whom the sons of the Achaeans chose for me, whom


s: King Agamemnon taken from me as though I were some common


s: vagrant. Still, let bygones be bygones: no man may keep his anger


s: war had reached my own ships; nevertheless, now gird my armour


s: about your shoulders, and lead the Myrmidons to battle, for the


s: dark cloud of Trojans has burst furiously over our fleet; the


s: Argives are driven back on to the beach, cooped within a narrow


s: space, and the whole people of Troy has taken heart to sally out


s: against them, because they see not the visor of my helmet


s: gleaming near them. Had they seen this, there would not have been


s: Agamemnon had dealt fairly by me. As it is the Trojans have beset


s: defend the Danaans, neither have I heard the voice of the son of


s: Atreus coming from his hated head, whereas that of murderous


s: Hector rings in my cars as he gives orders to the Trojans, who


s: triumph over the Achaeans and fill the whole plain with their cry


s: fleet, lest the Trojans fire it and prevent us from being able to


s: honour from all the Danaans, and that they may restore the girl


s: to me again and give me rich gifts into the bargain. When you


s: have driven the Trojans from the ships, come back again. Though


s: Juno's thundering husband should put triumph within your reach,


s: do not fight the Trojans further in my absence, or you will rob


s: me of glory that should be mine. And do not for lust of battle go


s: one of the ever-living gods from Olympus attack you--for Phoebus


s: Apollo loves them well: return when you have freed the ships from


s: Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that not a single man of all the


s: Trojans might be left alive, nor yet of the Argives, but that we


s: two might be alone left to tear aside the mantle that veils the


s: Thus did they converse. But Ajax could no longer hold his ground


s: for the shower of darts that rained upon him; the will of Jove


s: and the javelins of the Trojans were too much for him; the helmet


s: of the missiles that kept pouring on to it and on to the


s: cheek-pieces that protected his face. Moreover his left shoulder


s: was tired with having held his shield so long, yet for all this,


s: let fly at him as they would, they could not make him give


s: ground. He could hardly draw his breath, the sweat rained from


s: every pore of his body, he had not a moment's respite, and on all


s: And now, tell me, O Muses that hold your mansions on Olympus, how


s: on to the shaft of the spear. Ajax, therefore, had now nothing


s: but a headless spear, while the bronze point flew some way off


s: and came ringing down on to the ground. Ajax knew the hand of


s: heaven in this, and was dismayed at seeing that Jove had now left


s: Therefore he drew back, and the Trojans flung fire upon the ship


s: The fire was now flaring about the ship's stern, whereon Achilles


s: for I see the glare of hostile fire at our fleet; up, lest they


s: destroy our ships, and there be no way by which we may retreat.


s: Gird on your armour at once while I call our people together."


s: As he spoke Patroclus put on his armour. First he greaved his


s: legs with greaves of good make, and fitted with ancle-clasps of


s: silver; after this he donned the cuirass of the son of Aeacus,


s: richly inlaid and studded. He hung his silver-studded sword of


s: bronze about his shoulders, and then his mighty shield. On his


s: comely head he set his helmet, well wrought, with a crest of


s: horse-hair that nodded menacingly above it. He grasped two


s: redoubtable spears that suited his hands, but he did not take the


s: the Achaeans could wield it, though Achilles could do so easily.


s: This was the ashen spear from Mount Pelion, which Chiron had cut


s: upon a mountain top and had given to Peleus, wherewith to deal


s: out death among heroes. He bade Automedon yoke his horses with


s: all speed, for he was the man whom he held in honour next after


s: Achilles, and on whose support in battle he could rely most


s: firmly. Automedon therefore yoked the fleet horses Xanthus and


s: Balius, steeds that could fly like the wind: these were they whom


s: meadow by the waters of the river Oceanus. In the side traces he


s: set the noble horse Pedasus, whom Achilles had brought away with


s: him when he sacked the city of Eetion, and who, mortal steed


s: though he was, could take his place along with those that were


s: Meanwhile Achilles went about everywhere among the tents, and


s: bade his Myrmidons put on their armour. Even as fierce ravening


s: wolves that are feasting upon a homed stag which they have killed


s: tongues; and they reek of blood and slaughter; they know not what


s: and counsellors of the Myrmidons gather round the good squire of


s: the fleet descendant of Aeacus, and among them stood Achilles


s: himself cheering on both men and horses.


s: Fifty ships had noble Achilles brought to Troy, and in each there


s: Menesthius of the gleaming corslet, son to the river Spercheius


s: that streams from heaven, was captain of the first company. Fair


s: Polydora daughter of Peleus bore him to ever-flowing


s: Spercheius--a woman mated with a god--but he was called son of


s: Borus son of Perieres, with whom his mother was living as his


s: wedded wife, and who gave great wealth to gain her. The second


s: company was led by noble Eudorus, son to an unwedded woman.


s: Polymele, daughter of Phylas the graceful dancer, bore him; the


s: mighty slayer of Argos was enamoured of her as he saw her among


s: the singing women at a dance held in honour of Diana the rushing


s: huntress of the golden arrows; he therefore--Mercury, giver of


s: all good--went with her into an upper chamber, and lay with her


s: in secret, whereon she bore him a noble son Eudorus, singularly


s: fleet of foot and in fight valiant. When Ilithuia goddess of the


s: pains of child-birth brought him to the light of day, and he saw


s: the face of the sun, mighty Echecles son of Actor took the mother


s: Pisander son of Maemalus, the finest spearman among all the


s: Myrmidons next to Achilles' own comrade Patroclus. The old knight


s: When Achilles had chosen his men and had stationed them all with


s: their captains, he charged them straitly saying, "Myrmidons,


s: remember your threats against the Trojans while you were at the


s: ships in the time of my anger, and you were all complaining of


s: me. 'Cruel son of Peleus,' you would say, 'your mother must have


s: suckled you on gall, so ruthless are you. You keep us here at the


s: we went home over the sea.' Often have you gathered and thus


s: chided with me. The hour is now come for those high feats of arms


s: With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and they


s: serried their companies yet more closely when they heard the of


s: their king. As the stones which a builder sets in the wall of


s: some high house which is to give shelter from the winds--even so


s: closely were the helmets and bossed shields set against one


s: another. Shield pressed on shield, helm on helm, and man on man;


s: so close were they that the horse-hair plumes on the gleaming


s: ridges of their helmets touched each other as they bent their


s: In front of them all two men put on their armour--Patroclus and


s: Automedon--two men, with but one mind to lead the Myrmidons. Then


s: chest which silver-footed Thetis had given him to take on board


s: ship, and which she had filled with shirts, cloaks to keep out


s: the cold, and good thick rugs. In this chest he had a cup of rare


s: Jove. He took the cup from the chest and cleansed it with


s: sulphur; this done he rinsed it clean water, and after he had


s: washed his hands he drew wine. Then he stood in the middle of the


s: drink-offering of wine; nor was he unseen of Jove whose joy is in


s: Pelasgi, who dwellest afar, you who hold wintry Dodona in your


s: sway, where your prophets the Selli dwell around you with their


s: feet unwashed and their couches made upon the ground--if you


s: heard me when I prayed to you aforetime, and did me honour while


s: you sent disaster on the Achaeans, vouchsafe me now the


s: fulfilment of yet this further prayer. I shall stay here where my


s: head of many Myrmidons. Grant, O all-seeing Jove, that victory


s: may go with him; put your courage into his heart that Hector may


s: learn whether my squire is man enough to fight alone, or whether


s: his might is only then so indomitable when I myself enter the


s: turmoil of war. Afterwards when he has chased the fight and the


s: cry of battle from the ships, grant that he may return unharmed,


s: with his armour and his comrades, fighters in close combat."


s: Thus did he pray, and all-counselling Jove heard his prayer.


s: Part of it he did indeed vouchsafe him--but not the whole. He


s: granted that Patroclus should thrust back war and battle from the


s: When he had made his drink-offering and had thus prayed, Achilles


s: Then he again came out, for he still loved to look upon the


s: fierce fight that raged between the Trojans and Achaeans.


s: Meanwhile the armed band that was about Patroclus marched on till


s: children love to tease, whereon any one who happens to be passing


s: defend his little ones--even with such rage and courage did the


s: Myrmidons swarm from their ships, and their cry of battle rose


s: heavenwards. Patroclus called out to his men at the top of his


s: voice, "Myrmidons, followers of Achilles son of Peleus, be men my


s: for the son of Peleus, who is far the foremost man at the ships


s: of the Argives--he, and his close fighting followers. The son of


s: Atreus King Agamemnon will thus learn his folly in showing no


s: respect to the bravest of the Achaeans."


s: With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and they


s: fell in a body upon the Trojans. The ships rang again with the


s: cry which the Achaeans raised, and when the Trojans saw the brave


s: they were daunted and their battalions were thrown into


s: confusion, for they thought the fleet son of Peleus must now have


s: Patroclus first aimed a spear into the middle of the press where


s: men were packed most closely, by the stern of the ship of


s: Protesilaus. He hit Pyraechmes who had led his Paeonian horsemen


s: from the Amydon and the broad waters of the river Axius; the


s: spear struck him on the right shoulder, and with a groan he fell


s: backwards in the dust; on this his men were thrown into


s: confusion, for by killing their leader, who was the finest


s: soldier among them, Patroclus struck panic into them all. He thus


s: blazing--leaving the half-burnt ship to lie where it was. The


s: Trojans were now driven back with a shout that rent the skies,


s: while the Danaans poured after them from their ships, shouting


s: also without ceasing. As when Jove, gatherer of the


s: thunder-cloud, spreads a dense canopy on the top of some lofty


s: mountain, and all the peaks, the jutting headlands, and forest


s: glades show out in the great light that flashes from the bursting


s: from their ships, they took breath for a little while; but the


s: fury of the fight was not yet over, for the Trojans were not


s: driven back in utter rout, but still gave battle, and were ousted


s: The fight then became more scattered, and the chieftains killed


s: one another when and how they could. The valiant son of Menoetius


s: turning round; the point went clean through, and broke the bone


s: so that he fell forward. Meanwhile Menelaus struck Thoas in the


s: chest, where it was exposed near the rim of his shield, and he


s: fell dead. The son of Phyleus saw Amphiclus about to attack him,


s: and ere he could do so took aim at the upper part of his thigh,


s: where the muscles are thicker than in any other part; the spear


s: tore through all the sinews of the leg, and his eyes were closed


s: in darkness. Of the sons of Nestor one, Antilochus, speared


s: Atymnius, driving the point of the spear through his throat, and


s: down he fell. Maris then sprang on Antilochus in hand-to-hand


s: fight to avenge his brother, and bestrode the body spear in hand;


s: had struck him in the shoulder ere he could deal his blow; his


s: aim was true, and the spear severed all the muscles at the root


s: of his arm, and tore them right down to the bone, so he fell


s: heavily to the ground and his eyes were closed in darkness. Thus


s: did these two noble comrades of Sarpedon go down to Erebus slain


s: by the two sons of Nestor; they were the warrior sons of


s: Amisodorus, who had reared the invincible Chimaera, to the bane


s: of many. Ajax son of Oileus sprang on Cleobulus and took him


s: alive as he was entangled in the crush; but he killed him then


s: and there by a sword-blow on the neck. The sword reeked with his


s: blood, while dark death and the strong hand of fate gripped him


s: Peneleos and Lycon now met in close fight, for they had missed


s: each other with their spears. They had both thrown without


s: effect, so now they drew their swords. Lycon struck the plumed


s: crest of Peneleos' helmet but his sword broke at the hilt, while


s: Peneleos smote Lycon on the neck under the ear. The blade sank so


s: foot and caught him up just as he was about to mount his chariot;


s: headlong from the car, and his eyes were closed in darkness.


s: Idomeneus speared Erymas in the mouth; the bronze point of the


s: spear went clean through it beneath the brain, crashing in among


s: the white bones and smashing them up. His teeth were all of them


s: knocked out and the blood came gushing in a stream from both his


s: eyes; it also came gurgling up from his mouth and nostrils, and


s: the darkness of death enfolded him round about.


s: Thus did these chieftains of the Danaans each of them kill his


s: man. As ravening wolves seize on kids or lambs, fastening on them


s: main flock through the carelessness of the shepherd--and when the


s: Trojans, who fled with ill-omened cries in their panic and had no


s: Meanwhile great Ajax kept on trying to drive a spear into Hector,


s: under cover of his ox-hide shield, ever on the look-out for the


s: whizzing of the arrows and the heavy thud of the spears. He well


s: knew that the fortunes of the day had changed, but still stood


s: his ground and tried to protect his comrades.


s: As when a cloud goes up into heaven from Olympus, rising out of a


s: stricken rout did the Trojans now fly, and there was no order in


s: their going. Hector's fleet horses bore him and his armour out of


s: trench against their will. Many a yoke of horses snapped the pole


s: behind them. Patroclus gave chase, calling impetuously on the


s: Danaans and full of fury against the Trojans, who, being now no


s: longer in a body, filled all the ways with their cries of panic


s: and rout; the air was darkened with the clouds of dust they


s: raised, and the horses strained every nerve in their flight from


s: Patroclus kept on heading his horses wherever he saw most men


s: flying in confusion, cheering on his men the while. Chariots were


s: down from his own car to fall beneath the wheels of that of


s: Patroclus, whose immortal steeds, given by the gods to Peleus,


s: sprang over the trench at a bound as they sped onward. He was


s: intent on trying to get near Hector, for he had set his heart on


s: spearing him, but Hector's horses were now hurrying him away. As


s: the whole dark earth bows before some tempest on an autumn day


s: when Jove rains his hardest to punish men for giving crooked


s: judgement in their courts, and arriving justice therefrom without


s: torrents tear many a new channel as they roar headlong from the


s: mountains to the dark sea, and it fares ill with the works of


s: men--even such was the stress and strain of the Trojan horses in


s: Patroclus now cut off the battalions that were nearest to him and


s: between the river and the ships and wall. Many a fallen comrade


s: did he then avenge. First he hit Pronous with a spear on the


s: chest where it was exposed near the rim of his shield, and he


s: fell heavily to the ground. Next he sprang on Thestor son of


s: Enops, who was sitting all huddled up in his chariot, for he had


s: lost his head and the reins had been torn out of his hands.


s: Patroclus went up to him and drove a spear into his right jaw; he


s: rim of his car, as one who sits at the end of some jutting rock


s: and draws a strong fish out of the sea with a hook and a line--


s: even so with his spear did he pull Thestor all gaping from his


s: chariot; he then threw him down on his face and he died while


s: falling. On this, as Erylaus was on to attack him, he struck him


s: full on the head with a stone, and his brains were all battered


s: inside his helmet, whereon he fell headlong to the ground and the


s: the other, Erymas, Amphoterus, Epaltes, Tlepolemus, Echius son of


s: Now when Sarpedon saw his comrades, men who wore ungirdled


s: tunics, being overcome by Patroclus son of Menoetius, he rebuked


s: the Lycians saying. "Shame on you, where are you flying to? Show


s: your mettle; I will myself meet this man in fight and learn who


s: it is that is so masterful; he has done us much hurt, and has


s: stretched many a brave man upon the ground."


s: He sprang from his chariot as he spoke, and Patroclus, when he


s: saw this, leaped on to the ground also. The two then rushed at


s: one another with loud cries like eagle-beaked crook-taloned


s: vultures that scream and tear at one another in some high


s: The son of scheming Saturn looked down upon them in pity and said


s: Patroclus. I am in two minds whether to catch him up out of the


s: fight and set him down safe and sound in the fertile land of


s: Lycia, or to let him now fall by the hand of the son of


s: And Juno answered, "Most dread son of Saturn, what is this that


s: you are saying? Would you snatch a mortal man, whose doom has


s: long been fated, out of the jaws of death? Do as you will, but we


s: saying to your heart, that if you send Sarpedon safely to his own


s: son out of battle, for there are many sons of gods fighting round


s: however, you are fond of him and pity him, let him indeed fall by


s: him, send Death and sweet Sleep to bear him off the field and


s: take him to the broad lands of Lycia, where his brothers and his


s: kinsmen will bury him with mound and pillar, in due honour to the


s: The sire of gods and men assented, but he shed a rain of blood


s: upon the earth in honour of his son whom Patroclus was about to


s: kill on the rich plain of Troy far from his home.


s: When they were now come close to one another Patroclus struck


s: Thrasydemus, the brave squire of Sarpedon, in the lower part of


s: the belly, and killed him. Sarpedon then aimed a spear at


s: Patroclus and missed him, but he struck the horse Pedasus in the


s: right shoulder, and it screamed aloud as it lay, groaning in the


s: dust until the life went out of it. The other two horses began to


s: third horse adrift; whereon the other two righted themselves, and


s: Sarpedon now took a second aim at Patroclus, and again missed


s: him, the point of the spear passed over his left shoulder without


s: midriff surrounds the ever-beating heart. He fell like some oak


s: or silver poplar or tall pine to which woodmen have laid their


s: axes upon the mountains to make timber for ship-building--even so


s: horses, moaning and clutching at the blood-stained dust. As when


s: a lion springs with a bound upon a herd of cattle and fastens on


s: a great black bull which dies bellowing in its clutches--even so


s: did the leader of the Lycian warriors struggle in death as he


s: fell by the hand of Patroclus. He called on his trusty comrade


s: and said, "Glaucus, my brother, hero among heroes, put forth all


s: your strength, fight with might and main, now if ever quit


s: yourself like a valiant soldier. First go about among the Lycian


s: captains and bid them fight for Sarpedon; then yourself also do


s: battle to save my armour from being taken. My name will haunt you


s: that I have fallen at their ships. Do your very utmost and call


s: Death closed his eyes as he spoke. Patroclus planted his heel on


s: his breast and drew the spear from his body, whereon his senses


s: came out along with it, and he drew out both spear-point and


s: Sarpedon's soul at the same time. Hard by the Myrmidons held his


s: snorting steeds, who were wild with panic at finding themselves


s: Glaucus was overcome with grief when he heard what Sarpedon said,


s: other hand, being in great pain through the wound which Teucer's


s: arrow had given him when Teucer was defending the wall as he,


s: Glaucus, was assailing it. Therefore he prayed to far-darting


s: Apollo saying, "Hear me O king from your seat, may be in the rich


s: the prayer of one who is in distress, as I now am. I have a


s: grievous wound; my hand is aching with pain, there is no


s: staunching the blood, and my whole arm drags by reason of my


s: hurt, so that I cannot grasp my sword nor go among my foes and


s: fight them, thou our prince, Jove's son Sarpedon, is slain. Jove


s: defended not his son, do you, therefore, O king, heal me of my


s: wound, ease my pain and grant me strength both to cheer on the


s: Lycians and to fight along with them round the body of him who


s: Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He eased his pain,


s: strength. Glaucus perceived this, and was thankful that the


s: mighty god had answered his prayer; forthwith, therefore, he went


s: body of Sarpedon. From these he strode on among the Trojans to


s: Polydamas son of Panthous and Agenor; he then went in search of


s: Aeneas and Hector, and when he had found them he said, "Hector,


s: you have utterly forgotten your allies, who languish here for


s: your sake far from friends and home while you do nothing to


s: support them. Sarpedon leader of the Lycian warriors has fallen--


s: him low by the spear of Patroclus. Stand by him, my friends, and


s: suffer not the Myrmidons to strip him of his armour, nor to treat


s: As he spoke the Trojans were plunged in extreme and ungovernable


s: grief; for Sarpedon, alien though he was, had been one of the


s: main stays of their city, both as having much people with him,


s: and himself the foremost among them all. Led by Hector, who was


s: infuriated by the fall of Sarpedon, they made instantly for the


s: Danaans with all their might, while the undaunted spirit of


s: Patroclus son of Menoetius cheered on the Achaeans. First he


s: spoke to the two Ajaxes, men who needed no bidding. "Ajaxes,"


s: said he, "may it now please you to show yourselves the men you


s: have always been, or even better--Sarpedon is fallen--he who was


s: first to overleap the wall of the Achaeans; let us take the body


s: and outrage it; let us strip the armour from his shoulders, and


s: kill his comrades if they try to rescue his body."


s: He spoke to men who of themselves were full eager; both sides,


s: therefore, the Trojans and Lycians on the one hand, and the


s: Myrmidons and Achaeans on the other, strengthened their


s: battalions, and fought desperately about the body of Sarpedon,


s: shouting fiercely the while. Mighty was the din of their armour


s: as they came together, and Jove shed a thick darkness over the


s: fight, to increase the toil of the battle over the body of his


s: At first the Trojans made some headway against the Achaeans, for


s: one of the best men among the Myrmidons was killed, Epeigeus, son


s: Budeum; but presently, having killed a valiant kinsman of his


s: own, he took refuge with Peleus and Thetis, who sent him to Ilius


s: Hector now struck him on the head with a stone just as he had


s: caught hold of the body, and his brains inside his helmet were


s: all battered in, so that he fell face foremost upon the body of


s: Sarpedon, and there died. Patroclus was enraged by the death of


s: his comrade, and sped through the front ranks as swiftly as a


s: hawk that swoops down on a flock of daws or starlings. Even so


s: swiftly, O noble knight Patroclus, did you make straight for the


s: Lycians and Trojans to avenge your comrade. Forthwith he struck


s: Sthenelaus the son of Ithaemenes on the neck with a stone, and


s: broke the tendons that join it to the head and spine. On this


s: Hector and the front rank of his men gave ground. As far as a man


s: battle--so far did the Trojans now retreat before the Achaeans.


s: Glaucus, captain of the Lycians, was the first to rally them, by


s: killing Bathycles son of Chalcon who lived in Hellas and was the


s: richest man among the Myrmidons. Glaucus turned round suddenly,


s: just as Bathycles who was pursuing him was about to lay hold of


s: him, and drove his spear right into the middle of his chest,


s: whereon he fell heavily to the ground, and the fall of so good a


s: man filled the Achaeans with dismay, while the Trojans were


s: exultant, and came up in a body round the corpse. Nevertheless


s: the Achaeans, mindful of their prowess, bore straight down upon


s: Meriones then killed a helmed warrior of the Trojans, Laogonus


s: son of Onetor, who was priest of Jove of Mt. Ida, and was


s: honoured by the people as though he were a god. Meriones struck


s: him under the jaw and ear, so that life went out of him and the


s: darkness of death laid hold upon him. Aeneas then aimed a spear


s: at Meriones, hoping to hit him under the shield as he was


s: advancing, but Meriones saw it coming and stooped forward to


s: avoid it, whereon the spear flew past him and the point stuck in


s: the ground, while the butt-end went on quivering till Mars robbed


s: And Meriones answered, "Aeneas, for all your bravery, you will


s: not be able to make an end of every one who comes against you.


s: You are only a mortal like myself, and if I were to hit you in


s: the middle of your shield with my spear, however strong and


s: self-confident you may be, I should soon vanquish you, and you


s: would yield your life to Hades of the noble steeds."


s: On this the son of Menoetius rebuked him and said, "Meriones,


s: hero though you be, you should not speak thus; taunting speeches,


s: and words for council; fight, therefore, and say nothing."


s: He led the way as he spoke and the hero went forward with him.


s: As the sound of woodcutters in some forest glade upon the


s: mountains--and the thud of their axes is heard afar--even such a


s: din now rose from earth-clash of bronze armour and of good


s: ox-hide shields, as men smote each other with their swords and


s: spears pointed at both ends. A man had need of good eyesight now


s: to know Sarpedon, so covered was he from head to foot with spears


s: buzz round the full milk-pails in spring when they are brimming


s: with milk--even so did they gather round Sarpedon; nor did Jove


s: turn his keen eyes away for one moment from the fight, but kept


s: looking at it all the time, for he was settling how best to kill


s: Patroclus, and considering whether Hector should be allowed to


s: end him now in the fight round the body of Sarpedon, and strip


s: him of his armour, or whether he should let him give yet further


s: trouble to the Trojans. In the end, he deemed it best that the


s: brave squire of Achilles son of Peleus should drive Hector and


s: the Trojans back towards the city and take the lives of many.


s: First, therefore, he made Hector turn fainthearted, whereon he


s: mounted his chariot and fled, bidding the other Trojans fly also,


s: Neither would the brave Lycians stand firm; they were dismayed


s: when they saw their king lying struck to the heart amid a heap of


s: had fallen above him. The Achaeans, therefore stripped the


s: gleaming armour from his shoulders and the brave son of Menoetius


s: storm-cloud said to Apollo, "Dear Phoebus, go, I pray you, and


s: take Sarpedon out of range of the weapons; cleanse the black


s: blood from off him, and then bear him a long way off where you


s: may wash him in the river, anoint him with ambrosia, and clothe


s: him in immortal raiment; this done, commit him to the arms of the


s: straightway to the rich land of Lycia, where his brothers and


s: kinsmen will inter him, and will raise both mound and pillar to


s: Thus he spoke. Apollo obeyed his father's saying, and came down


s: from the heights of Ida into the thick of the fight; forthwith he


s: long way off, where he washed him in the river, anointed him with


s: committed him to the arms of the two fleet messengers, Death, and


s: Meanwhile Patroclus, with many a shout to his horses and to


s: Automedon, pursued the Trojans and Lycians in the pride and


s: foolishness of his heart. Had he but obeyed the bidding of the


s: son of Peleus, he would have, escaped death and have been


s: scatheless; but the counsels of Jove pass man's understanding; he


s: grasp, or again he will set him on to fight, as he now did when


s: he put a high spirit into the heart of Patroclus.


s: Who then first, and who last, was slain by you, O Patroclus, when


s: Melanippus; after these he killed Elasus, Mulius, and Pylartes.


s: These he slew, but the rest saved themselves by flight.


s: The sons of the Achaeans would now have taken Troy by the hands


s: of Patroclus, for his spear flew in all directions, had not


s: Phoebus Apollo taken his stand upon the wall to defeat his


s: purpose and to aid the Trojans. Thrice did Patroclus charge at an


s: striking his shield with his own immortal hands. When Patroclus


s: was coming on like a god for yet a fourth time, Apollo shouted to


s: yet will it be that of Achilles who is a far better man than you


s: are." On hearing this, Patroclus withdrew to some distance and


s: Meanwhile Hector was waiting with his horses inside the Scaean


s: gates, in doubt whether to drive out again and go on fighting, or


s: Phoebus Apollo drew near him in the likeness of a young and lusty


s: Hecuba, and son of Dymas who lived in Phrygia by the waters of


s: the river Sangarius; in his likeness Jove's son Apollo now spoke


s: to Hector saying, "Hector, why have you left off fighting? It is


s: ill done of you. If I were as much better a man than you, as I am


s: With this the god went back into the hurly-burly, and Hector bade


s: them, and struck panic into the Argives, while he gave triumph to


s: killed no man, but drove straight at Patroclus. Patroclus then


s: sprang from his chariot to the ground, with a spear in his left


s: hand, and in his right a jagged stone as large as his hand could


s: hold. He stood still and threw it, nor did it go far without


s: hitting some one; the cast was not in vain, for the stone struck


s: held the reins in his hands. The stone hit him on the forehead


s: and drove his brows into his head for the bone was smashed, and


s: his eyes fell to the ground at his feet. He dropped dead from his


s: "Bless my heart, how active he is, and how well he dives. If we


s: had been at sea this fellow would have dived from the ship's side


s: even in rough water, for he has dived beautifully off his chariot


s: As he spoke he flung himself on Cebriones with the spring, as it


s: were, of a lion that while attacking a stockyard is himself


s: struck in the chest, and his courage is his own bane--even so


s: furiously, O Patroclus, did you then spring upon Cebriones.


s: Hector sprang also from his chariot to the ground. The pair then


s: fought over the body of Cebriones. As two lions fight fiercely on


s: Cebriones. Hector would not let him go when he had once got him


s: by the head, while Patroclus kept fast hold of his feet, and a


s: fierce fight raged between the other Danaans and Trojans. As the


s: east and south wind buffet one another when they beat upon some


s: dense forest on the mountains--there is beech and ash and


s: spreading cornel; the top of the trees roar as they beat on one


s: another, and one can hear the boughs cracking and breaking--even


s: so did the Trojans and Achaeans spring upon one another and lay


s: about each other, and neither side would give way. Many a pointed


s: bow-string about the body of Cebriones; many a great stone,


s: moreover, beat on many a shield as they fought around his body,


s: but there he lay in the whirling clouds of dust, all huge and


s: So long as the sun was still high in mid-heaven the weapons of


s: either side were alike deadly, and the people fell; but when he


s: went down towards the time when men loose their oxen, the


s: Achaeans proved to be beyond all forecast stronger, so that they


s: drew Cebriones out of range of the darts and tumult of the


s: Trojans, and stripped the armour from his shoulders. Then


s: Patroclus sprang like Mars with fierce intent and a terrific


s: shout upon the Trojans, and thrice did he kill nine men; but as


s: he was coming on like a god for a time, then, O Patroclus, was


s: the hour of your end approaching, for Phoebus fought you in fell


s: earnest. Patroclus did not see him as he moved about in the


s: crush, for he was enshrouded in thick darkness, and the god


s: struck him from behind on his back and his broad shoulders with


s: the flat of his hand, so that his eyes turned dizzy. Phoebus


s: Apollo beat the helmet from off his head, and it rolled rattling


s: off under the horses' feet, where its horse-hair plumes were all


s: begrimed with dust and blood. Never indeed had that helmet fared


s: so before, for it had served to protect the head and comely


s: forehead of the godlike hero Achilles. Now, however, Zeus


s: delivered it over to be worn by Hector. Nevertheless the end of


s: Hector also was near. The bronze-shod spear, so great and so


s: strong, was broken in the hand of Patroclus, while his shield


s: that covered him from head to foot fell to the ground as did also


s: On this his mind became clouded; his limbs failed him, and he


s: stood as one dazed; whereon Euphorbus son of Panthous a


s: Dardanian, the best spearman of his time, as also the finest


s: horseman and fleetest runner, came behind him and struck him in


s: the back with a spear, midway between the shoulders. This man as


s: soon as ever he had come up with his chariot had dismounted


s: twenty men, so proficient was he in all the arts of war--he it


s: was, O knight Patroclus, that first drove a weapon into you, but


s: he did not quite overpower you. Euphorbus then ran back into the


s: crowd, after drawing his ashen spear out of the wound; he would


s: not stand firm and wait for Patroclus, unarmed though he now was,


s: had given him and by the spear-wound, drew back under cover of


s: his men in fear for his life. Hector on this, seeing him to be


s: wounded and giving ground, forced his way through the ranks, and


s: when close up with him struck him in the lower part of the belly


s: with a spear, driving the bronze point right through it, so that


s: he fell heavily to the ground to the great of the Achaeans. As


s: when a lion has fought some fierce wild-boar and worsted him--the


s: at which they would both drink, and the lion has beaten the boar


s: till he can hardly breathe--even so did Hector son of Priam take


s: the life of the brave son of Menoetius who had killed so many,


s: striking him from close at hand, and vaunting over him the while.


s: rob our Trojan women of their freedom, and carry them off in your


s: the Trojan warriors to stave the day of bondage from off them; as


s: with all his bravery availed you nothing; and yet I ween when you


s: ships, knight Patroclus, till you have rent the bloodstained


s: shirt of murderous Hector about his body.' Thus I ween did he


s: charge you, and your fool's heart answered him 'yea' within you."


s: Then, as the life ebbed out of you, you answered, O knight


s: Patroclus: "Hector, vaunt as you will, for Jove the son of Saturn


s: vanquished me so easily, and they who have stripped the armour


s: from my shoulders; had twenty such men as you attacked me, all of


s: have overpowered me, and among mortal men Euphorbus; you are


s: yourself third only in the killing of me. I say further, and lay


s: my saying to your heart, you too shall live but for a little


s: season; death and the day of your doom are close upon you, and


s: they will lay you low by the hand of Achilles son of Aeacus."


s: When he had thus spoken his eyes were closed in death, his soul


s: left his body and flitted down to the house of Hades, mourning


s: its sad fate and bidding farewell to the youth and vigor of its


s: manhood. Dead though he was, Hector still spoke to him saying,


s: "Patroclus, why should you thus foretell my doom? Who knows but


s: Achilles, son of lovely Thetis, may be smitten by my spear and


s: As he spoke he drew the bronze spear from the wound, planting his


s: He then went spear in hand after Automedon, squire of the fleet


s: descendant of Aeacus, for he longed to lay him low, but the


s: immortal steeds which the gods had given as a rich gift to Peleus


s: BRAVE Menelaus son of Atreus now came to know that Patroclus had


s: fallen, and made his way through the front ranks clad in full


s: armour to bestride him. As a cow stands lowing over her first


s: calf, even so did yellow-haired Menelaus bestride Patroclus. He


s: held his round shield and his spear in front of him, resolute to


s: kill any who should dare face him. But the son of Panthous had


s: also noted the body, and came up to Menelaus saying, "Menelaus,


s: son of Atreus, draw back, leave the body, and let the


s: bloodstained spoils be. I was first of the Trojans and their


s: brave allies to drive my spear into Patroclus, let me, therefore,


s: To this Menelaus answered in great anger "By father Jove,


s: boasting is an ill thing. The pard is not more bold, nor the lion


s: withstood me, deeming me the meanest soldier among the Danaans.


s: His own feet never bore him back to gladden his wife and parents.


s: you back into the crowd and do not face me, or it shall be worse


s: for you. Even a fool may be wise after the event."


s: Euphorbus would not listen, and said, "Now indeed, Menelaus,


s: shall you pay for the death of my brother over whom you vaunted,


s: and whose wife you widowed in her bridal chamber, while you


s: brought grief unspeakable on his parents. I shall comfort these


s: poor people if I bring your head and armour and place them in the


s: matter shall be fought out and settled, for me or against me."


s: As he spoke he struck Menelaus full on the shield, but the spear


s: did not go through, for the shield turned its point. Menelaus


s: then took aim, praying to father Jove as he did so; Euphorbus was


s: throat, leaning his whole weight on the spear, so as to drive it


s: home. The point went clean through his neck, and his armour rang


s: rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. His hair


s: which was like that of the Graces, and his locks so deftly bound


s: in bands of silver and gold, were all bedrabbled with blood. As


s: one who has grown a fine young olive tree in a clear space where


s: there is abundance of water--the plant is full of promise, and


s: though the winds beat upon it from every quarter it puts forth


s: its white blossoms till the blasts of some fierce hurricane sweep


s: strip the fair youth Euphorbus of his armour after he had slain


s: him. Or as some fierce lion upon the mountains in the pride of


s: his strength fastens on the finest heifer in a herd as it is


s: feeding--first he breaks her neck with his strong jaws, and then


s: gorges on her blood and entrails; dogs and shepherds raise a hue


s: and cry against him, but they stand aloof and will not come close


s: courage to face valiant Menelaus. The son of Atreus would have


s: then carried off the armour of the son of Panthous with ease, had


s: of the Cicons incited Hector to attack him. "Hector," said he,


s: "you are now going after the horses of the noble son of Aeacus,


s: but you will not take them; they cannot be kept in hand and


s: driven by mortal man, save only by Achilles, who is son to an


s: immortal mother. Meanwhile Menelaus son of Atreus has bestridden


s: the body of Patroclus and killed the noblest of the Trojans,


s: Euphorbus son of Panthous, so that he can fight no more."


s: The god then went back into the toil and turmoil, but the soul of


s: ranks and saw Euphorbus lying on the ground with the blood still


s: flowing from his wound, and Menelaus stripping him of his armour.


s: in his gleaming armour, and crying with a loud voice. When the


s: son of Atreus heard him, he said to himself in his dismay, "Alas!


s: Patroclus who has fallen fighting on my behalf, lest some Danaan


s: who sees me should cry shame upon me. Still if for my honour's


s: sake I fight Hector and the Trojans single-handed, they will


s: prove too many for me, for Hector is bringing them up in force.


s: Why, however, should I thus hesitate? When a man fights in


s: despite of heaven with one whom a god befriends, he will soon rue


s: the hand of heaven is with him. Yet, if I could find Ajax, the


s: two of us would fight Hector and heaven too, if we might only


s: save the body of Patroclus for Achilles son of Peleus. This, of


s: While he was thus in two minds, the Trojans came up to him with


s: Hector at their head; he therefore drew back and left the body,


s: turning about like some bearded lion who is being chased by dogs


s: and men from a stockyard with spears and hue and cry, whereon he


s: is daunted and slinks sulkily off--even so did Menelaus son of


s: Atreus turn and leave the body of Patroclus. When among the body


s: of his men, he looked around for mighty Ajax son of Telamon, and


s: presently saw him on the extreme left of the fight, cheering on


s: his men and exhorting them to keep on fighting, for Phoebus


s: Apollo had spread a great panic among them. He ran up to him and


s: said, "Ajax, my good friend, come with me at once to dead


s: Patroclus, if so be that we may take the body to Achilles--as for


s: These words stirred the heart of Ajax, and he made his way among


s: the front ranks, Menelaus going with him. Hector had stripped


s: Patroclus of his armour, and was dragging him away to cut off his


s: withdrew under shelter of his men, and sprang on to his chariot,


s: giving the armour over to the Trojans to take to the city, as a


s: great trophy for himself; Ajax, therefore, covered the body of


s: Patroclus with his broad shield and bestrode him; as a lion


s: stands over his whelps if hunters have come upon him in a forest


s: when he is with his little ones--in the pride and fierceness of


s: his strength he draws his knit brows down till they cover his


s: eyes--even so did Ajax bestride the body of Patroclus, and by his


s: Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus looked fiercely at Hector and


s: rebuked him sternly. "Hector," said he, "you make a brave show,


s: but in fight you are sadly wanting. A runaway like yourself has


s: no claim to so great a reputation. Think how you may now save


s: your town and citadel by the hands of your own people born in


s: Ilius; for you will get no Lycians to fight for you, seeing what


s: thanks they have had for their incessant hardships. Are you


s: likely, sir, to do anything to help a man of less note, after


s: leaving Sarpedon, who was at once your guest and comrade in arms,


s: did good service both to your city and yourself; yet you had no


s: stomach to save his body from the dogs. If the Lycians will


s: listen to me, they will go home and leave Troy to its fate. If


s: the Trojans had any of that daring fearless spirit which lays


s: hold of men who are fighting for their country and harassing


s: those who would attack it, we should soon bear off Patroclus into


s: city of Priam, the Argives would readily give up the armour of


s: Sarpedon, and we should get his body to boot. For he whose squire


s: Achaeans--he and his close-fighting followers. Nevertheless you


s: dared not make a stand against Ajax, nor face him, eye to eye,


s: with battle all round you, for he is a braver man than you are."


s: Hector scowled at him and answered, "Glaucus, you should know


s: better. I have held you so far as a man of more understanding


s: than any in all Lycia, but now I despise you for saying that I am


s: but Jove's will is stronger than ours; Jove at one time makes


s: even a strong man draw back and snatches victory from his grasp,


s: while at another he will set him on to fight. Come hither then,


s: my friend, stand by me and see indeed whether I shall play the


s: coward the whole day through as you say, or whether I shall not


s: stay some even of the boldest Danaans from fighting round the


s: As he spoke he called loudly on the Trojans saying, "Trojans,


s: Lycians, and Dardanians, fighters in close combat, be men, my


s: friends, and fight might and main, while I put on the goodly


s: armour of Achilles, which I took when I killed Patroclus."


s: With this Hector left the fight, and ran full speed after his men


s: got far. Standing for a while apart from the woeful fight, he


s: changed his armour. His own he sent to the strong city of Ilius


s: and to the Trojans, while he put on the immortal armour of the


s: son of Peleus, which the gods had given to Peleus, who in his age


s: When Jove, lord of the storm-cloud, saw Hector standing aloof and


s: head and muttered to himself saying, "A! poor wretch, you arm in


s: the armour of a hero, before whom many another trembles, and you


s: reck nothing of the doom that is already close upon you. You have


s: you should strip the armour from his head and shoulders. I do


s: indeed endow you with great might now, but as against this you


s: shall not return from battle to lay the armour of the son of


s: The son of Saturn bowed his portentous brows, and Hector fitted


s: the armour to his body, while terrible Mars entered into him, and


s: strode in among the allies, and his armour flashed about him so


s: that he seemed to all of them like the great son of Peleus


s: himself. He went about among them and cheered them on--Mesthles,


s: Hippothous, Phorcys, Chromius and Ennomus the augur. All these


s: did he exhort saying, "Hear me, allies from other cities who are


s: here in your thousands, it was not in order to have a crowd about


s: with heart and soul you might defend the wives and little ones of


s: people with your food and the presents that make you rich.


s: Therefore turn, and charge at the foe, to stand or fall as is the


s: into the hands of the Trojans, and shall make Ajax give way


s: before him, I will give him one half of the spoils while I keep


s: the other. He will thus share like honour with myself."


s: When he had thus spoken they charged full weight upon the Danaans


s: body--fools that they were, for he was about to take the lives of


s: and I shall hardly come out of this fight alive. I am less


s: concerned for the body of Patroclus, who will shortly become meat


s: head and yours. Hector has wrapped us round in a storm of battle


s: from every quarter, and our destruction seems now certain. Call


s: then upon the princes of the Danaans if there is any who can hear


s: Menelaus did as he said, and shouted to the Danaans for help at


s: the top of his voice. "My friends," he cried, "princes and


s: counsellors of the Argives, all you who with Agamemnon and


s: Menelaus drink at the public cost, and give orders each to his


s: own people as Jove vouchsafes him power and glory, the fight is


s: so thick about me that I cannot distinguish you severally; come


s: on, therefore, every man unbidden, and think it shame that


s: Patroclus should become meat and morsel for Trojan hounds."


s: Fleet Ajax son of Oileus heard him and was first to force his way


s: Meriones his esquire, peer of murderous Mars. As for the others


s: that came into the fight after these, who of his own self could


s: The Trojans with Hector at their head charged in a body. As a


s: great wave that comes thundering in at the mouth of some


s: heaven-born river, and the rocks that jut into the sea ring with


s: the roar of the breakers that beat and buffet them--even with


s: such a roar did the Trojans come on; but the Achaeans in


s: singleness of heart stood firm about the son of Menoetius, and


s: fenced him with their bronze shields. Jove, moreover, hid the


s: brightness of their helmets in a thick cloud, for he had borne no


s: squire to the descendant of Aeacus; therefore he was loth to let


s: him fall a prey to the dogs of his foes the Trojans, and urged


s: At first the Trojans drove the Achaeans back, and they withdrew


s: from the dead man daunted. The Trojans did not succeed in killing


s: did not lose it long, for Ajax, foremost of all the Danaans after


s: them and made towards the front like a wild boar upon the


s: mountains when he stands at bay in the forest glades and routs


s: the hounds and lusty youths that have attacked him--even so did


s: Ajax son of Telamon passing easily in among the phalanxes of the


s: Trojans, disperse those who had bestridden Patroclus and were


s: most bent on winning glory by dragging him off to their city. At


s: this moment Hippothous brave son of the Pelasgian Lethus, in his


s: zeal for Hector and the Trojans, was dragging the body off by the


s: the sinews near the ancle; but a mischief soon befell him from


s: which none of those could save him who would have gladly done so,


s: bronze-cheeked helmet. The plumed headpiece broke about the point


s: crest-socket. His strength then failed him and he let Patroclus'


s: foot drop from his hand, as he fell full length dead upon the


s: body; thus he died far from the fertile land of Larissa, and


s: never repaid his parents the cost of bringing him up, for his


s: life was cut short early by the spear of mighty Ajax. Hector then


s: managed to avoid it; the spear passed on and struck Schedius son


s: of noble Iphitus, captain of the Phoceans, who dwelt in famed


s: Panopeus and reigned over much people; it struck him under the


s: middle of the collar-bone the bronze point went right through


s: him, coming out at the bottom of his shoulder-blade, and his


s: armour rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground.


s: Ajax in his turn struck noble Phorcys son of Phaenops in the


s: middle of the belly as he was bestriding Hippothous, and broke


s: the plate of his cuirass; whereon the spear tore out his entrails


s: Hector and those who were in the front rank then gave ground,


s: while the Argives raised a loud cry of triumph, and drew off the


s: bodies of Phorcys and Hippothous which they stripped presently of


s: The Trojans would now have been worsted by the brave Achaeans and


s: Argives, so great was their courage and endurance, would have


s: achieved a triumph even against the will of Jove, if Apollo had


s: not roused Aeneas, in the likeness of Periphas son of Epytus, an


s: attendant who had grown old in the service of Aeneas' aged


s: father, and was at all times devoted to him. In his likeness,


s: then, Apollo said, "Aeneas, can you not manage, even though


s: heaven be against us, to save high Ilius? I have known men, whose


s: spite of Jove, whereas in this case he would much rather give


s: victory to us than to the Danaans, if you would only fight


s: Aeneas knew Apollo when he looked straight at him, and shouted to


s: through our own cowardice. A god has just come up to me and told


s: me that Jove the supreme disposer will be with us. Therefore let


s: us make for the Danaans, that it may go hard with them ere they


s: As he spoke he sprang out far in front of the others, who then


s: rallied and again faced the Achaeans. Aeneas speared Leiocritus


s: son of Arisbas, a valiant follower of Lycomedes, and Lycomedes


s: was moved with pity as he saw him fall; he therefore went close


s: up, and speared Apisaon son of Hippasus shepherd of his people in


s: fertile Paeonia and was the best man of them all after


s: Asteropaeus. Asteropaeus flew forward to avenge him and attack


s: the Danaans, but this might no longer be, inasmuch as those about


s: spears in front of them, for Ajax had given them strict orders


s: that no man was either to give ground, or to stand out before the


s: fight hand to hand. Thus did huge Ajax bid them, and the earth


s: ran red with blood as the corpses fell thick on one another alike


s: Danaans; for these last, too, fought no bloodless fight though


s: many fewer of them perished, through the care they took to defend


s: Thus did they fight as it were a flaming fire; it seemed as


s: though it had gone hard even with the sun and moon, for they were


s: about the dead son of Menoetius, whereas the other Danaans and


s: Achaeans fought at their ease in full daylight with brilliant


s: sunshine all round them, and there was not a cloud to be seen


s: neither on plain nor mountain. These last moreover would rest for


s: were in the thick of the fray suffered both from battle and


s: darkness. All the best of them were being worn out by the great


s: weight of their armour, but the two valiant heroes, Thrasymedes


s: and Antilochus, had not yet heard of the death of Patroclus, and


s: believed him to be still alive and leading the van against the


s: Trojans; they were keeping themselves in reserve against the


s: death or rout of their own comrades, for so Nestor had ordered


s: when he sent them from the ships into battle.


s: Thus through the livelong day did they wage fierce war, and the


s: sweat of their toil rained ever on their legs under them, and on


s: their hands and eyes, as they fought over the squire of the fleet


s: drenched in fat to his men, and bids them stretch it; whereon


s: they stand round it in a ring and tug till the moisture leaves


s: it, and the fat soaks in for the many that pull at it, and it is


s: well stretched--even so did the two sides tug the dead body


s: hither and thither within the compass of but a little space--the


s: Trojans steadfastly set on dragging it into Ilius, while the


s: Achaeans were no less so on taking it to their ships; and fierce


s: was the fight between them. Not Mars himself the lord of hosts,


s: nor yet Minerva, even in their fullest fury could make light of


s: Such fearful turmoil of men and horses did Jove on that day


s: ordain round the body of Patroclus. Meanwhile Achilles did not


s: know that he had fallen, for the fight was under the wall of Troy


s: Patroclus was dead, and deemed that he would return alive as soon


s: sack the city neither with nor without himself, for his mother


s: had often told him this when he had sat alone with her, and she


s: had informed him of the counsels of great Jove. Now, however, she


s: death of the one who was far dearest to him of all his comrades.


s: The others still kept on charging one another round the body with


s: "My friends, we can never again show our faces at the ships--


s: better, and greatly better, that earth should open and swallow us


s: triumph of bearing off Patroclus to their city."


s: The Trojans also on their part spoke to one another saying,


s: "Friends, though we fall to a man beside this body, let none


s: shrink from fighting." With such words did they exhort each


s: other. They fought and fought, and an iron clank rose through the


s: descendant of Aeacus stood out of the fight and wept when they


s: heard that their driver had been laid low by the hand of


s: murderous Hector. Automedon, valiant son of Diores, lashed them


s: again and again; many a time did he speak kindly to them, and


s: many a time did he upbraid them, but they would neither go back


s: to the ships by the waters of the broad Hellespont, nor yet into


s: battle among the Achaeans; they stood with their chariot stock


s: still, as a pillar set over the tomb of some dead man or woman,


s: and bowed their heads to the ground. Hot tears fell from their


s: eyes as they mourned the loss of their charioteer, and their


s: noble manes drooped all wet from under the yokestraps on either


s: The son of Saturn saw them and took pity upon their sorrow. He


s: wagged his head, and muttered to himself, saying, "Poor things,


s: why did we give you to King Peleus who is a mortal, while you are


s: sorrows that befall mankind? for of all creatures that live and


s: move upon the earth there is none so pitiable as he is--still,


s: Hector son of Priam shall drive neither you nor your chariot. I


s: will not have it. It is enough that he should have the armour


s: over which he vaunts so vainly. Furthermore I will give you


s: strength of heart and limb to bear Automedon safely to the ships


s: from battle, for I shall let the Trojans triumph still further,


s: and go on killing till they reach the ships; whereon night shall


s: As he spoke he breathed heart and strength into the horses so


s: that they shook the dust from out of their manes, and bore their


s: chariot swiftly into the fight that raged between Trojans and


s: Achaeans. Behind them fought Automedon full of sorrow for his


s: comrade, as a vulture amid a flock of geese. In and out, and here


s: but for all the fury of his pursuit he killed no man, for he


s: could not wield his spear and keep his horses in hand when alone


s: in the chariot; at last, however, a comrade, Alcimedon, son of


s: Laerces son of Haemon caught sight of him and came up behind his


s: chariot. "Automedon," said he, "what god has put this folly into


s: your heart and robbed you of your right mind, that you fight the


s: Trojans in the front rank single-handed? He who was your comrade


s: is slain, and Hector plumes himself on being armed in the armour


s: Automedon son of Diores answered, "Alcimedon, there is no one


s: else who can control and guide the immortal steeds so well as you


s: counsel. Take then the whip and reins, while I go down from the


s: Alcimedon sprang on to the chariot, and caught up the whip and


s: reins, while Automedon leaped from off the car. When Hector saw


s: him he said to Aeneas who was near him, "Aeneas, counsellor of


s: the mail-clad Trojans, I see the steeds of the fleet son of


s: Aeacus come into battle with weak hands to drive them. I am sure,


s: The valiant son of Anchises was of the same mind, and the pair


s: went right on, with their shoulders covered under shields of


s: tough dry ox-hide, overlaid with much bronze. Chromius and Aretus


s: they might kill the men and capture the horses--fools that they


s: were, for they were not to return scatheless from their meeting


s: with Automedon, who prayed to father Jove and was forthwith


s: filled with courage and strength abounding. He turned to his


s: trusty comrade Alcimedon and said, "Alcimedon, keep your horses


s: so close up that I may feel their breath upon my back; I doubt


s: that we shall not stay Hector son of Priam till he has killed us


s: and mounted behind the horses; he will then either spread panic


s: among the ranks of the Achaeans, or himself be killed among the


s: On this he cried out to the two Ajaxes and Menelaus, "Ajaxes


s: captains of the Argives, and Menelaus, give the dead body over to


s: us living; for Hector and Aeneas who are the two best men among


s: the Trojans, are pressing us hard in the full tide of war.


s: Nevertheless the issue lies on the lap of heaven, I will


s: therefore hurl my spear and leave the rest to Jove."


s: He poised and hurled as he spoke, whereon the spear struck the


s: round shield of Aretus, and went right through it for the shield


s: stayed it not, so that it was driven through his belt into the


s: lower part of his belly. As when some sturdy youth, axe in hand,


s: deals his blow behind the horns of an ox and severs the tendons


s: at the back of its neck so that it springs forward and then


s: drops, even so did Aretus give one bound and then fall on his


s: back the spear quivering in his body till it made an end of him.


s: Hector then aimed a spear at Automedon but he saw it coming and


s: stooped forward to avoid it, so that it flew past him and the


s: point stuck in the ground, while the butt-end went on quivering


s: till Mars robbed it of its force. They would then have fought


s: hand to hand with swords had not the two Ajaxes forced their way


s: through the crowd when they heard their comrade calling, and


s: parted them for all their fury--for Hector, Aeneas, and Chromius


s: were afraid and drew back, leaving Aretus to lie there struck to


s: the heart. Automedon, peer of fleet Mars, then stripped him of


s: his armour and vaunted over him saying, "I have done little to


s: assuage my sorrow for the son of Menoetius, for the man I have


s: As he spoke he took the blood-stained spoils and laid them upon


s: his chariot; then he mounted the car with his hands and feet all


s: steeped in gore as a lion that has been gorging upon a bull.


s: And now the fierce groanful fight again raged about Patroclus,


s: for Minerva came down from heaven and roused its fury by the


s: command of far-seeing Jove, who had changed his mind and sent her


s: heaven in token to mankind either of war or of the chill storms


s: that stay men from their labour and plague the flocks--even so,


s: wrapped in such radiant raiment, did Minerva go in among the host


s: of Phoenix and spoke to Menelaus son of Atreus, who was standing


s: near her. "Menelaus," said she, "it will be shame and dishonour


s: to you, if dogs tear the noble comrade of Achilles under the


s: walls of Troy. Therefore be staunch, and urge your men to be so


s: Menelaus answered, "Phoenix, my good old friend, may Minerva


s: vouchsafe me strength and keep the darts from off me, for so


s: shall I stand by Patroclus and defend him; his death has gone to


s: my heart, but Hector is as a raging fire and deals his blows


s: without ceasing, for Jove is now granting him a time of triumph."


s: Minerva was pleased at his having named herself before any of the


s: shoulders, and made him as bold as a fly, which, though driven


s: off will yet come again and bite if it can, so dearly does it


s: love man's blood--even so bold as this did she make him as he


s: stood over Patroclus and threw his spear. Now there was among the


s: valiant. Hector held him in the highest honour for he was his


s: comrade and boon companion; the spear of Menelaus struck this man


s: through him. Whereon he fell heavily forward, and Menelaus son of


s: Apollo then went up to Hector and spurred him on to fight, in the


s: said, "Hector, who of the Achaeans will fear you henceforward now


s: poorly as a soldier? Yet he has now got a corpse away from the


s: Trojans single-handed, and has slain your own true comrade, a man


s: A dark cloud of grief fell upon Hector as he heard, and he made


s: his way to the front clad in full armour. Thereon the son of


s: Saturn seized his bright tasselled aegis, and veiled Ida in


s: cloud: he sent forth his lightnings and his thunders, and as he


s: shook his aegis he gave victory to the Trojans and routed the


s: The panic was begun by Peneleos the Boeotian, for while keeping


s: his face turned ever towards the foe he had been hit with a spear


s: had grazed the top of the bone, for Polydamas had come up to him


s: and struck him from close at hand. Then Hector in close combat


s: struck Leitus son of noble Alectryon in the hand by the wrist,


s: and disabled him from fighting further. He looked about him in


s: dismay, knowing that never again should he wield spear in battle


s: with the Trojans. While Hector was in pursuit of Leitus,


s: Idomeneus struck him on the breastplate over his chest near the


s: nipple; but the spear broke in the shaft, and the Trojans cheered


s: standing on his chariot, and very narrowly missed him, but the


s: spear hit Coiranus, a follower and charioteer of Meriones who had


s: and would have afforded a great triumph to the Trojans if


s: Coiranus had not driven quickly up to him, he therefore brought


s: life and rescue to Idomeneus, but himself fell by the hand of


s: murderous Hector. For Hector hit him on the jaw under the ear;


s: the end of the spear drove out his teeth and cut his tongue in


s: two pieces, so that he fell from his chariot and let the reins


s: fall to the ground. Meriones gathered them up from the ground and


s: On this Idomeneus lashed the horses to the ships, for fear had


s: Ajax and Menelaus noted how Jove had turned the scale in favour


s: of the Trojans, and Ajax was first to speak. "Alas," said he,


s: "even a fool may see that father Jove is helping the Trojans. All


s: fall each one of them without effect. What, then, will be best


s: both as regards rescuing the body, and our return to the joy of


s: our friends who will be grieving as they look hitherwards; for


s: they will make sure that nothing can now check the terrible hands


s: that some one would go and tell the son of Peleus at once, for I


s: do not think he can have yet heard the sad news that the dearest


s: of his friends has fallen. But I can see not a man among the


s: Achaeans to send, for they and their chariots are alike hidden in


s: the Achaeans; make heaven serene, and let us see; if you will


s: that we perish, let us fall at any rate by daylight."


s: Father Jove heard him and had compassion upon his tears.


s: Forthwith he chased away the cloud of darkness, so that the sun


s: shone out and all the fighting was revealed. Ajax then said to


s: still living, send him at once to tell Achilles that by far the


s: dearest to him of all his comrades has fallen."


s: Menelaus heeded his words and went his way as a lion from a