s: directions--even so did the serried phalanxes of the Danaans


s: march steadfastly to battle. The chiefs gave orders each to his


s: own people, but the men said never a word; no man would think it,


s: tongue among them, so silent were they in their obedience; and as


s: But the clamour of the Trojan ranks was as that of many thousand


s: ewes that stand waiting to be milked in the yards of some rich


s: flockmaster, and bleat incessantly in answer to the bleating of


s: their lambs; for they had not one speech nor language, but their


s: tongues were diverse, and they came from many different places.


s: These were inspired of Mars, but the others by Minerva--and with


s: them came Panic, Rout, and Strife whose fury never tires, sister


s: and friend of murderous Mars, who, from being at first but low in


s: feet are still on earth. She it was that went about among them


s: and flung down discord to the waxing of sorrow with even hand


s: When they were got together in one place shield clashed with


s: shield and spear with spear in the rage of battle. The bossed


s: shields beat one upon another, and there was a tramp as of a


s: great multitude--death-cry and shout of triumph of slain and


s: slayers, and the earth ran red with blood. As torrents swollen


s: with rain course madly down their deep channels till the angry


s: floods meet in some gorge, and the shepherd on the hillside hears


s: First Antilochus slew an armed warrior of the Trojans, Echepolus,


s: the projecting part of his helmet and drove the spear into his


s: brow; the point of bronze pierced the bone, and darkness veiled


s: his eyes; headlong as a tower he fell amid the press of the


s: fight, and as he dropped King Elephenor, son of Chalcodon and


s: captain of the proud Abantes began dragging him out of reach of


s: the darts that were falling around him, in haste to strip him of


s: his armour. But his purpose was not for long; Agenor saw him


s: haling the body away, and smote him in the side with his


s: bronze-shod spear--for as he stooped his side was left


s: unprotected by his shield--and thus he perished. Then the fight


s: between Trojans and Achaeans grew furious over his body, and they


s: Forthwith Ajax, son of Telamon, slew the fair youth Simoeisius,


s: son of Anthemion, whom his mother bore by the banks of the


s: Simois, as she was coming down from Mt. Ida, where she had been


s: with her parents to see their flocks. Therefore he was named


s: Simoeisius, but he did not live to pay his parents for his


s: rearing, for he was cut off untimely by the spear of mighty Ajax,


s: shoulder, and he fell as a poplar that has grown straight and


s: tall in a meadow by some mere, and its top is thick with


s: branches. Then the wheelwright lays his axe to its roots that he


s: may fashion a felloe for the wheel of some goodly chariot, and it


s: earth Simoeisius, son of Anthemion. Thereon Antiphus of the


s: gleaming corslet, son of Priam, hurled a spear at Ajax from amid


s: the crowd and missed him, but he hit Leucus, the brave comrade of


s: over to the other side; so he fell upon the body and loosed his


s: hold upon it. Ulysses was furious when he saw Leucus slain, and


s: strode in full armour through the front ranks till he was quite


s: close; then he glared round about him and took aim, and the


s: Trojans fell back as he did so. His dart was not sped in vain,


s: Ulysses, infuriated by the death of his comrade, hit him with his


s: other side of his forehead. Thereon darkness veiled his eyes, and


s: ground. Hector, and they that were in front, then gave round


s: while the Argives raised a shout and drew off the dead, pressing


s: further forward as they did so. But Apollo looked down from


s: Pergamus and called aloud to the Trojans, for he was displeased.


s: "Trojans," he cried, "rush on the foe, and do not let yourselves


s: be thus beaten by the Argives. Their skins are not stone nor iron


s: son of lovely Thetis, is not fighting, but is nursing his anger


s: Thus spoke the mighty god, crying to them from the city, while


s: Jove's redoubtable daughter, the Trito-born, went about among the


s: Then fate fell upon Diores, son of Amarynceus, for he was struck


s: by a jagged stone near the ancle of his right leg. He that hurled


s: had come from Aenus; the bones and both the tendons were crushed


s: by the pitiless stone. He fell to the ground on his back, and in


s: his death throes stretched out his hands towards his comrades.


s: But Peirous, who had wounded him, sprang on him and thrust a


s: spear into his belly, so that his bowels came gushing out upon


s: the ground, and darkness veiled his eyes. As he was leaving the


s: body, Thoas of Aetolia struck him in the chest near the nipple,


s: and the point fixed itself in his lungs. Thoas came close up to


s: him, pulled the spear out of his chest, and then drawing his


s: sword, smote him in the middle of the belly so that he died; but


s: he did not strip him of his armour, for his Thracian comrades,


s: men who wear their hair in a tuft at the top of their heads,


s: stood round the body and kept him off with their long spears for


s: all his great stature and valour; so he was driven back. Thus the


s: captain of the Thracians and the other of the Epeans; and many


s: And now no man would have made light of the fighting if he could


s: have gone about among it scatheless and unwounded, with Minerva


s: leading him by the hand, and protecting him from the storm of


s: spears and arrows. For many Trojans and Achaeans on that day lay


s: stretched side by side face downwards upon the earth.


s: The exploits of Diomed, who, though wounded by Pandarus,


s: continues fighting--He kills Pandarus and wounds AEneas--Venus


s: rescues AEneas, but being wounded by Diomed, commits him


s: to the care of Apollo and goes to Olympus, where she is tended


s: by her mother Dione--Mars encourages the Trojans, and


s: AEneas returns to the fight cured of his wound--Minerva and


s: Juno help the Achaeans, and by the advice of the former


s: Diomed wounds Mars, who returns to Olympus to get cured.


s: Then Pallas Minerva put valour into the heart of Diomed, son of


s: Tydeus, that he might excel all the other Argives, and cover


s: himself with glory. She made a stream of fire flare from his


s: shield and helmet like the star that shines most brilliantly in


s: summer after its bath in the waters of Oceanus--even such a fire


s: did she kindle upon his head and shoulders as she bade him speed


s: into the thickest hurly-burly of the fight.


s: Now there was a certain rich and honourable man among the


s: Trojans, priest of Vulcan, and his name was Dares. He had two


s: sons, Phegeus and Idaeus, both of them skilled in all the arts of


s: set upon Diomed, he being on foot, while they fought from their


s: chariot. When they were close up to one another, Phegeus took aim


s: hitting him. Diomed then threw, and his spear sped not in vain,


s: for it hit Phegeus on the breast near the nipple, and he fell


s: from his chariot. Idaeus did not dare to bestride his brother's


s: body, but sprang from the chariot and took to flight, or he would


s: wrapping him in a cloud of darkness, that his old father might


s: not be utterly overwhelmed with grief; but the son of Tydeus


s: drove off with the horses, and bade his followers take them to


s: the ships. The Trojans were scared when they saw the two sons of


s: Dares, one of them in fright and the other lying dead by his


s: chariot. Minerva, therefore, took Mars by the hand and said,


s: "Mars, Mars, bane of men, bloodstained stormer of cities, may we


s: not now leave the Trojans and Achaeans to fight it out, and see


s: to which of the two Jove will vouchsafe the victory? Let us go


s: So saying, she drew Mars out of the battle, and set him down upon


s: First King Agamemnon flung mighty Odius, captain of the Halizoni,


s: of his back, just as he was turning in flight; it struck him


s: between the shoulders and went right through his chest, and his


s: armour rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground.


s: Then Idomeneus killed Phaesus, son of Borus the Meonian, who had


s: come from Varne. Mighty Idomeneus speared him on the right


s: shoulder as he was mounting his chariot, and the darkness of


s: death enshrouded him as he fell heavily from the car.


s: The squires of Idomeneus spoiled him of his armour, while


s: Menelaus, son of Atreus, killed Scamandrius the son of Strophius,


s: taught him how to kill every kind of wild creature that is bred


s: in mountain forests, but neither she nor his famed skill in


s: archery could now save him, for the spear of Menelaus struck him


s: in the back as he was flying; it struck him between the shoulders


s: Meriones then killed Phereclus the son of Tecton, who was the son


s: workmanship, for Pallas Minerva had dearly loved him. He it was


s: that made the ships for Alexandrus, which were the beginning of


s: all mischief, and brought evil alike both on the Trojans and on


s: Alexandrus himself; for he heeded not the decrees of heaven.


s: Meriones overtook him as he was flying, and struck him on the


s: right buttock. The point of the spear went through the bone into


s: the bladder, and death came upon him as he cried aloud and fell


s: Meges, moreover, slew Pedaeus, son of Antenor, who, though he was


s: children, for the love she bore her husband. The son of Phyleus


s: got close up to him and drove a spear into the nape of his neck:


s: it went under his tongue all among his teeth, so he bit the cold


s: And Eurypylus, son of Euaemon, killed Hypsenor, the son of noble


s: Dolopion, who had been made priest of the river Scamander, and


s: was honoured among the people as though he were a god. Eurypylus


s: gave him chase as he was flying before him, smote him with his


s: sword upon the arm, and lopped his strong hand from off it. The


s: bloody hand fell to the ground, and the shades of death, with


s: fate that no man can withstand, came over his eyes.


s: Thus furiously did the battle rage between them. As for the son


s: of Tydeus, you could not say whether he was more among the


s: Achaeans or the Trojans. He rushed across the plain like a winter


s: walls of fruitful vineyards can embank it when it is swollen with


s: lays many a field waste that many a strong man's hand has


s: reclaimed--even so were the dense phalanxes of the Trojans driven


s: Now when the son of Lycaon saw him scouring the plain and driving


s: front part of his cuirass near the shoulder: the arrow went right


s: covered with blood. On this the son of Lycaon shouted in triumph,


s: wounded, and he will not hold out much longer if King Apollo was


s: indeed with me when I sped from Lycia hither."


s: Thus did he vaunt; but his arrow had not killed Diomed, who


s: withdrew and made for the chariot and horses of Sthenelus, the


s: son of Capaneus. "Dear son of Capaneus," said he, "come down from


s: Sthenelus sprang from his chariot, and drew the arrow from the


s: wound, whereon the blood came spouting out through the hole that


s: had been made in his shirt. Then Diomed prayed, saying, "Hear me,


s: and kill him. He has been too quick for me and has wounded me;


s: and now he is boasting that I shall not see the light of the sun


s: Thus he prayed, and Pallas Minerva heard him; she made his limbs


s: supple and quickened his hands and his feet. Then she went up


s: close to him and said, "Fear not, Diomed, to do battle with the


s: Trojans, for I have set in your heart the spirit of your knightly


s: eyes, that you know gods and men apart. If, then, any other god


s: comes here and offers you battle, do not fight him; but should


s: Jove's daughter Venus come, strike her with your spear and wound


s: When she had said this Minerva went away, and the son of Tydeus


s: again took his place among the foremost fighters, three times


s: more fierce even than he had been before. He was like a lion that


s: springing over the wall of a sheep-yard to attack the sheep. The


s: shepherd has roused the brute to fury but cannot defend his


s: flock, so he takes shelter under cover of the buildings, while


s: the sheep, panic-stricken on being deserted, are smothered in


s: heaps one on top of the other, and the angry lion leaps out over


s: the sheep-yard wall. Even thus did Diomed go furiously about


s: He killed Astynous, and Hypeiron shepherd of his people, the one


s: with a thrust of his spear, which struck him above the nipple,


s: the other with a sword-cut on the collar-bone, that severed his


s: shoulder from his neck and back. He let both of them lie, and


s: went in pursuit of Abas and Polyidus, sons of the old reader of


s: dreams Eurydamas: they never came back for him to read them any


s: more dreams, for mighty Diomed made an end of them. He then gave


s: chase to Xanthus and Thoon, the two sons of Phaenops, both of


s: them very dear to him, for he was now worn out with age, and


s: begat no more sons to inherit his possessions. But Diomed took


s: both their lives and left their father sorrowing bitterly, for he


s: Then he came upon two sons of Priam, Echemmon and Chromius, as


s: they were both in one chariot. He sprang upon them as a lion


s: fastens on the neck of some cow or heifer when the herd is


s: feeding in a coppice. For all their vain struggles he flung them


s: both from their chariot and stripped the armour from their


s: bodies. Then he gave their horses to his comrades to take them


s: When Aeneas saw him thus making havoc among the ranks, he went


s: through the fight amid the rain of spears to see if he could find


s: "Pandarus, where is now your bow, your winged arrows, and your


s: renown as an archer, in respect of which no man here can rival


s: you nor is there any in Lycia that can beat you? Lift then your


s: hands to Jove and send an arrow at this fellow who is going so


s: masterfully about, and has done such deadly work among the


s: Trojans. He has killed many a brave man--unless indeed he is some


s: And the son of Lycaon answered, "Aeneas, I take him for none


s: other than the son of Tydeus. I know him by his shield, the visor


s: havoc without heaven's help, but has some god by his side who is


s: shrouded in a cloud of darkness, and who turned my arrow aside


s: when it had hit him. I have taken aim at him already and hit him


s: on the right shoulder; my arrow went through the breastpiece of


s: his cuirass; and I made sure I should send him hurrying to the


s: world below, but it seems that I have not killed him. There must


s: be a god who is angry with me. Moreover I have neither horse nor


s: chariot. In my father's stables there are eleven excellent


s: chariots, fresh from the builder, quite new, with cloths spread


s: over them; and by each of them there stand a pair of horses,


s: champing barley and rye; my old father Lycaon urged me again and


s: again when I was at home and on the point of starting, to take


s: chariots and horses with me that I might lead the Trojans in


s: battle, but I would not listen to him; it would have been much


s: better if I had done so, but I was thinking about the horses,


s: which had been used to eat their fill, and I was afraid that in


s: such a great gathering of men they might be ill-fed, so I left


s: them at home and came on foot to Ilius armed only with my bow and


s: blood surely enough, I have only made them still more furious. I


s: did ill to take my bow down from its peg on the day I led my band


s: again to set eyes on my native place, my wife, and the greatness


s: of my house, may some one cut my head off then and there if I do


s: not break the bow and set it on a hot fire--such pranks as it


s: Aeneas answered, "Say no more. Things will not mend till we two


s: go against this man with chariot and horses and bring him to a


s: trial of arms. Mount my chariot, and note how cleverly the horses


s: will carry us safely back to the city. Take hold, then, of the


s: whip and reins while I stand upon the car to fight, or else do


s: you wait this man's onset while I look after the horses."


s: "Aeneas," replied the son of Lycaon, "take the reins and drive;


s: if we have to fly before the son of Tydeus the horses will go


s: better for their own driver. If they miss the sound of your voice


s: They then mounted the chariot and drove full-speed towards the


s: son of Tydeus. Sthenelus, son of Capaneus, saw them coming and


s: said to Diomed, "Diomed, son of Tydeus, man after my own heart, I


s: the one a skilful archer, Pandarus son of Lycaon, the other,


s: Aeneas, whose sire is Anchises, while his mother is Venus. Mount


s: the chariot and let us retreat. Do not, I pray you, press so


s: furiously forward, or you may get killed."


s: Diomed looked angrily at him and answered: "Talk not of flight,


s: for I shall not listen to you: I am of a race that knows neither


s: flight nor fear, and my limbs are as yet unwearied. I am in no


s: mind to mount, but will go against them even as I am; Pallas


s: Minerva bids me be afraid of no man, and even though one of them


s: escape, their steeds shall not take both back again. I say


s: further, and lay my saying to your heart--if Minerva sees fit to


s: vouchsafe me the glory of killing both, stay your horses here and


s: spring Aeneas' horses and drive them from the Trojan to the


s: Achaean ranks. They are of the stock that great Jove gave to Tros


s: mares to them without Laomedon's knowledge, and they bore him six


s: to Aeneas. We shall win great glory if we can take them."


s: Thus did they converse, but the other two had now driven close up


s: son," said he, "of noble Tydeus, my arrow failed to lay you low,


s: He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it from him. It struck


s: passed on till it reached the breastplate. Thereon the son of


s: Lycaon shouted out and said, "You are hit clean through the


s: belly; you will not stand out for long, and the glory of the


s: But Diomed all undismayed made answer, "You have missed, not hit,


s: With this he hurled his spear, and Minerva guided it on to


s: Pandarus's nose near the eye. It went crashing in among his white


s: coming out under his chin, and his glistening armour rang


s: rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. The horses


s: started aside for fear, and he was reft of life and strength.


s: Aeneas sprang from his chariot armed with shield and spear,


s: fearing lest the Achaeans should carry off the body. He bestrode


s: it as a lion in the pride of strength, with shield and spear


s: before him and a cry of battle on his lips resolute to kill the


s: first that should dare face him. But the son of Tydeus caught up


s: a mighty stone, so huge and great that as men now are it would


s: take two to lift it; nevertheless he bore it aloft with ease


s: unaided, and with this he struck Aeneas on the groin where the


s: hip turns in the joint that is called the "cup-bone." The stone


s: crushed this joint, and broke both the sinews, while its jagged


s: edges tore away all the flesh. The hero fell on his knees, and


s: propped himself with his hand resting on the ground till the


s: darkness of night fell upon his eyes. And now Aeneas, king of


s: men, would have perished then and there, had not his mother,


s: Jove's daughter Venus, who had conceived him by Anchises when he


s: was herding cattle, been quick to mark, and thrown her two white


s: arms about the body of her dear son. She protected him by


s: covering him with a fold of her own fair garment, lest some


s: Danaan should drive a spear into his breast and kill him.


s: Thus, then, did she bear her dear son out of the fight. But the


s: son of Capaneus was not unmindful of the orders that Diomed had


s: given him. He made his own horses fast, away from the


s: hurly-burly, by binding the reins to the rim of the chariot. Then


s: the Achaean ranks. When he had so done he gave them over to his


s: chosen comrade Deipylus, whom he valued above all others as the


s: one who was most like-minded with himself, to take them on to the


s: drove with all speed in search of the son of Tydeus.


s: Now the son of Tydeus was in pursuit of the Cyprian goddess,


s: spear in hand, for he knew her to be feeble and not one of those


s: goddesses that can lord it among men in battle like Minerva or


s: Enyo the waster of cities, and when at last after a long chase he


s: which the Graces had woven for her, and pierced the skin between


s: her wrist and the palm of her hand, so that the immortal blood,


s: or ichor, that flows in the veins of the blessed gods, came


s: pouring from the wound; for the gods do not eat bread nor drink


s: wine, hence they have no blood such as ours, and are immortal.


s: Venus screamed aloud, and let her son fall, but Phoebus Apollo


s: caught him in his arms, and hid him in a cloud of darkness, lest


s: some Danaan should drive a spear into his breast and kill him;


s: and Diomed shouted out as he left her, "Daughter of Jove, leave


s: war and battle alone, can you not be contented with beguiling


s: silly women? If you meddle with fighting you will get what will


s: make you shudder at the very name of war."


s: The goddess went dazed and discomfited away, and Iris, fleet as


s: the wind, drew her from the throng, in pain and with her fair


s: skin all besmirched. She found fierce Mars waiting on the left of


s: cloud; whereon she fell on her knees before her brother and


s: implored him to let her have his horses. "Dear brother," she


s: cried, "save me, and give me your horses to take me to Olympus


s: where the gods dwell. I am badly wounded by a mortal, the son of


s: Tydeus, who would now fight even with father Jove."


s: Thus she spoke, and Mars gave her his gold-bedizened steeds. She


s: mounted the chariot sick and sorry at heart, while Iris sat


s: beside her and took the reins in her hand. She lashed her horses


s: on and they flew forward nothing loth, till in a trice they were


s: at high Olympus, where the gods have their dwelling. There she


s: stayed them, unloosed them from the chariot, and gave them their


s: ambrosial forage; but Venus flung herself on to the lap of her


s: mother Dione, who threw her arms about her and caressed her,


s: saying, "Which of the heavenly beings has been treating you in


s: this way, as though you had been doing something wrong in the


s: And laughter-loving Venus answered, "Proud Diomed, the son of


s: Tydeus, wounded me because I was bearing my dear son Aeneas, whom


s: longer one between Trojans and Achaeans, for the Danaans have now


s: "Bear it, my child," replied Dione, "and make the best of it. We


s: dwellers in Olympus have to put up with much at the hands of men,


s: Mars would have then perished had not fair Eeriboea, stepmother


s: to the sons of Aloeus, told Mercury, who stole him away when he


s: was already well-nigh worn out by the severity of his bondage.


s: Juno, again, suffered when the mighty son of Amphitryon wounded


s: her on the right breast with a three-barbed arrow, and nothing


s: could assuage her pain. So, also, did huge Hades, when this same


s: man, the son of aegis-bearing Jove, hit him with an arrow even at


s: house of Jove on great Olympus, angry and full of pain; and the


s: arrow in his brawny shoulder caused him great anguish till Paeeon


s: was not of mortal mould. Daring, head-strong, evildoer who recked


s: now Minerva has egged this son of Tydeus on against yourself,


s: fool that he is for not reflecting that no man who fights with


s: gods will live long or hear his children prattling about his


s: knees when he returns from battle. Let, then, the son of Tydeus


s: see that he does not have to fight with one who is stronger than


s: you are. Then shall his brave wife Aegialeia, daughter of


s: Adrestus, rouse her whole house from sleep, wailing for the loss


s: of her wedded lord, Diomed the bravest of the Achaeans."


s: So saying, she wiped the ichor from the wrist of her daughter


s: with both hands, whereon the pain left her, and her hand was


s: healed. But Minerva and Juno, who were looking on, began to taunt


s: "Father Jove," said she, "do not be angry with me, but I think


s: the Cyprian must have been persuading some one of the Achaean


s: women to go with the Trojans of whom she is so very fond, and


s: while caressing one or other of them she must have torn her


s: delicate hand with the gold pin of the woman's brooch."


s: The sire of gods and men smiled, and called golden Venus to his


s: side. "My child," said he, "it has not been given you to be a


s: warrior. Attend, henceforth, to your own delightful matrimonial


s: duties, and leave all this fighting to Mars and to Minerva."


s: Thus did they converse. But Diomed sprang upon Aeneas, though he


s: knew him to be in the very arms of Apollo. Not one whit did he


s: fear the mighty god, so set was he on killing Aeneas and


s: stripping him of his armour. Thrice did he spring forward with


s: might and main to slay him, and thrice did Apollo beat back his


s: gleaming shield. When he was coming on for the fourth time, as


s: though he were a god, Apollo shouted to him with an awful voice


s: and said, "Take heed, son of Tydeus, and draw off; think not to


s: match yourself against gods, for men that walk the earth cannot


s: The son of Tydeus then gave way for a little space, to avoid the


s: anger of the god, while Apollo took Aeneas out of the crowd and


s: set him in sacred Pergamus, where his temple stood. There, within


s: glorious to behold, while Apollo of the silver bow fashioned a


s: wraith in the likeness of Aeneas, and armed as he was. Round this


s: another's breasts, hewing each other's round shields and light


s: hide-covered targets. Then Phoebus Apollo said to Mars, "Mars,


s: Mars, bane of men, blood-stained stormer of cities, can you not


s: go to this man, the son of Tydeus, who would now fight even with


s: father Jove, and draw him out of the battle? He first went up to


s: the Cyprian and wounded her in the hand near her wrist, and


s: afterwards sprang upon me too, as though he were a god."


s: He then took his seat on the top of Pergamus, while murderous


s: Mars went about among the ranks of the Trojans, cheering them on,


s: Priam," said he, "how long will you let your people be thus


s: slaughtered by the Achaeans? Would you wait till they are at the


s: walls of Troy? Aeneas the son of Anchises has fallen, he whom we


s: held in as high honour as Hector himself. Help me, then, to


s: rescue our brave comrade from the stress of the fight."


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


s: Sarpedon rebuked Hector very sternly. "Hector," said he, "where


s: is your prowess now? You used to say that though you had neither


s: people nor allies you could hold the town alone with your


s: brothers and brothers-in-law. I see not one of them here; they


s: cower as hounds before a lion; it is we, your allies, who bear


s: the brunt of the battle. I have come from afar, even from Lycia


s: and the banks of the river Xanthus, where I have left my wife, my


s: nevertheless, I head my Lycian soldiers and stand my ground


s: against any who would fight me though I have nothing here for the


s: into the hands of your foes as men caught in the meshes of a net,


s: mind night and day, and beseech the captains of your allies to


s: hold on without flinching, and thus put away their reproaches


s: So spoke Sarpedon, and Hector smarted under his words. He sprang


s: from his chariot clad in his suit of armour, and went about among


s: and raising the terrible cry of battle. Then they rallied and


s: again faced the Achaeans, but the Argives stood compact and firm,


s: upon some goodly threshing-floor, when men are winnowing--while


s: yellow Ceres blows with the wind to sift the chaff from the


s: grain, and the chaff-heaps grow whiter and whiter--even so did


s: the Achaeans whiten in the dust which the horses' hoofs raised to


s: battle, and they bore down with might upon the foe. Fierce Mars,


s: to help the Trojans, covered them in a veil of darkness, and went


s: him that when he saw Pallas, Minerva leave the fray he was to put


s: helping the Danaans. Then Apollo sent Aeneas forth from his rich


s: sanctuary, and filled his heart with valour, whereon he took his


s: place among his comrades, who were overjoyed at seeing him alive,


s: had all happened, for they were too busy with the turmoil raised


s: by Mars and by Strife, who raged insatiably in their midst.


s: The two Ajaxes, Ulysses and Diomed, cheered the Danaans on,


s: fearless of the fury and onset of the Trojans. They stood as


s: still as clouds which the son of Saturn has spread upon the


s: mountain tops when there is no air and fierce Boreas sleeps with


s: the other boisterous winds whose shrill blasts scatter the clouds


s: unflinching against the Trojans. The son of Atreus went about


s: among them and exhorted them. "My friends," said he, "quit


s: yourselves like brave men, and shun dishonour in one another's


s: eyes amid the stress of battle. They that shun dishonour more


s: often live than get killed, but they that fly save neither life


s: As he spoke he hurled his spear and hit one of those who were in


s: the front rank, the comrade of Aeneas, Deicoon son of Pergasus,


s: whom the Trojans held in no less honour than the sons of Priam,


s: for he was ever quick to place himself among the foremost. The


s: spear of King Agamemnon struck his shield and went right through


s: it, for the shield stayed it not. It drove through his belt into


s: the lower part of his belly, and his armour rang rattling round


s: Then Aeneas killed two champions of the Danaans, Crethon and


s: Orsilochus. Their father was a rich man who lived in the strong


s: city of Phere and was descended from the river Alpheus, whose


s: broad stream flows through the land of the Pylians. The river


s: begat Orsilochus, who ruled over much people and was father to


s: Diocles, who in his turn begat twin sons, Crethon and Orsilochus,


s: went to Ilius with the Argive fleet in the cause of Menelaus and


s: Agamemnon sons of Atreus, and there they both of them fell. As


s: two lions whom their dam has reared in the depths of some


s: mountain forest to plunder homesteads and carry off sheep and


s: cattle till they get killed by the hand of man, so were these two


s: Brave Menelaus pitied them in their fall, and made his way to the


s: Mars egged him on to do so with intent that he should be killed


s: by Aeneas; but Antilochus the son of Nestor saw him and sprang


s: forward, fearing that the king might come to harm and thus bring


s: all their labour to nothing; when, therefore Aeneas and Menelaus


s: were setting their hands and spears against one another eager to


s: do battle, Antilochus placed himself by the side of Menelaus.


s: Aeneas, bold though he was, drew back on seeing the two heroes


s: side by side in front of him, so they drew the bodies of Crethon


s: and Orsilochus to the ranks of the Achaeans and committed the two


s: They killed Pylaemenes peer of Mars, leader of the Paphlagonian


s: warriors. Menelaus struck him on the collar-bone as he was


s: standing on his chariot, while Antilochus hit his charioteer and


s: squire Mydon, the son of Atymnius, who was turning his horses in


s: flight. He hit him with a stone upon the elbow, and the reins,


s: enriched with white ivory, fell from his hands into the dust.


s: Antilochus rushed towards him and struck him on the temples with


s: his sword, whereon he fell head first from the chariot to the


s: ground. There he stood for a while with his head and shoulders


s: buried deep in the dust--for he had fallen on sandy soil till his


s: lashed them and drove them off to the host of the Achaeans.


s: But Hector marked them from across the ranks, and with a loud cry


s: Trojans. Mars and dread Enyo led them on, she fraught with


s: ruthless turmoil of battle, while Mars wielded a monstrous spear,


s: Diomed shook with passion as he saw them. As a man crossing a


s: wide plain is dismayed to find himself on the brink of some great


s: starts back in fear--even so did the son of Tydeus give ground.


s: Then he said to his men, "My friends, how can we wonder that


s: Hector wields the spear so well? Some god is ever by his side to


s: protect him, and now Mars is with him in the likeness of mortal


s: man. Keep your faces therefore towards the Trojans, but give


s: ground backwards, for we dare not fight with gods."


s: As he spoke the Trojans drew close up, and Hector killed two men,


s: in war. Ajax son of Telamon pitied them in their fall; he came


s: close up and hurled his spear, hitting Amphius the son of


s: Selagus, a man of great wealth who lived in Paesus and owned much


s: Priam and his sons. Ajax struck him in the belt; the spear


s: pierced the lower part of his belly, and he fell heavily to the


s: ground. Then Ajax ran towards him to strip him of his armour, but


s: shield. He planted his heel upon the body and drew out his spear,


s: moreover, many and valiant, came about him with their spears, so


s: that he dared not stay; great, brave and valiant though he was,


s: they drove him from them and he was beaten back.


s: Thus, then, did the battle rage between them. Presently the


s: strong hand of fate impelled Tlepolemus, the son of Hercules, a


s: man both brave and of great stature, to fight Sarpedon; so the


s: two, son and grandson of great Jove, drew near to one another,


s: and Tlepolemus spoke first. "Sarpedon," said he, "councillor of


s: the Lycians, why should you come skulking here you who are a man


s: of peace? They lie who call you son of aegis-bearing Jove, for


s: you are little like those who were of old his children. Far other


s: wilderness of her highways. You are a coward, and your people are


s: And Sarpedon, captain of the Lycians, answered, "Tlepolemus, your


s: payment to one who had served him well. He would not give your


s: father the horses which he had come so far to fetch. As for


s: yourself, you shall meet death by my spear. You shall yield glory


s: Thus spoke Sarpedon, and Tlepolemus upraised his spear. They


s: threw at the same moment, and Sarpedon struck his foe in the


s: middle of his throat; the spear went right through, and the


s: darkness of death fell upon his eyes. Tlepolemus's spear struck


s: Sarpedon on the left thigh with such force that it tore through


s: the flesh and grazed the bone, but his father as yet warded off


s: His comrades bore Sarpedon out of the fight, in great pain by the


s: in such haste and stress as they bore him that no one thought of


s: drawing the spear from his thigh so as to let him walk uprightly.


s: whereon Ulysses was moved to pity, and panted for the fray as he


s: beheld them. He doubted whether to pursue the son of Jove, or to


s: make slaughter of the Lycian rank and file; it was not decreed,


s: however, that he should slay the son of Jove; Minerva, therefore,


s: Prytanis, and would have slain yet more, had not great Hector


s: marked him, and sped to the front of the fight clad in his suit


s: of mail, filling the Danaans with terror. Sarpedon was glad when


s: he saw him coming, and besought him, saying, "Son of Priam, let


s: me not be here to fall into the hands of the Danaans. Help me,


s: and since I may not return home to gladden the hearts of my wife


s: and of my infant son, let me die within the walls of your city."


s: Hector made him no answer, but rushed onward to fall at once upon


s: Sarpedon away and laid him beneath Jove's spreading oak tree.


s: Pelagon, his friend and comrade, drew the spear out of his thigh,


s: came to himself again, for the breath of the north wind as it


s: played upon him gave him new life, and brought him out of the


s: Meanwhile the Argives were neither driven towards their ships by


s: Mars and Hector, nor yet did they attack them; when they knew


s: that Mars was with the Trojans they retreated, but kept their


s: faces still turned towards the foe. Who, then, was first and who


s: last to be slain by Mars and Hector? They were valiant Teuthras,


s: and Orestes the renowned charioteer, Trechus the Aetolian


s: warrior, Oenomaus, Helenus the son of Oenops, and Oresbius of the


s: the Cephisian lake with the other Boeotians who lived near him,


s: Now when the goddess Juno saw the Argives thus falling, she said


s: to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable,


s: the promise we made Menelaus that he should not return till he


s: had sacked the city of Ilius will be of no effect if we let Mars


s: rage thus furiously. Let us go into the fray at once."


s: Minerva did not gainsay her. Thereon the august goddess, daughter


s: were on either side of the iron axle-tree. The felloes of the


s: wheels were of gold, imperishable, and over these there was a


s: tire of bronze, wondrous to behold. The naves of the wheels were


s: silver, turning round the axle upon either side. The car itself


s: was made with plaited bands of gold and silver, and it had a


s: double top-rail running all round it. From the body of the car


s: there went a pole of silver, on to the end of which she bound the


s: necks of the horses Then Juno put her steeds under the yoke,


s: Meanwhile Minerva flung her richly embroidered vesture, made with


s: and on it were Strife, and Strength, and Panic whose blood runs


s: cold; moreover there was the head of the dread monster Gorgon,


s: grim and awful to behold, portent of aegis-bearing Jove. On her


s: head she set her helmet of gold, with four plumes, and coming to


s: a peak both in front and behind--decked with the emblems of a


s: hundred cities; then she stepped into her flaming chariot and


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


s: the horses on, and the gates of heaven bellowed as they flew open


s: their obedient steeds, and found the son of Saturn sitting all


s: alone on the topmost ridges of Olympus. There Juno stayed her


s: horses, and spoke to Jove the son of Saturn, lord of all. "Father


s: doings? how great and goodly a host of the Achaeans he has


s: destroyed to my great grief, and without either right or reason,


s: while the Cyprian and Apollo are enjoying it all at their ease


s: and setting this unrighteous madman on to do further mischief. I


s: hope, Father Jove, that you will not be angry if I hit Mars hard,


s: And Jove answered, "Set Minerva on to him, for she punishes him


s: Juno did as he had said. She lashed her horses, and they flew


s: forward nothing loth midway betwixt earth and sky. As far as a


s: man can see when he looks out upon the sea from some high beacon,


s: single bound. When they reached Troy and the place where its two


s: flowing streams Simois and Scamander meet, there Juno stayed them


s: and Simois made ambrosia spring up for them to eat; the two


s: goddesses then went on, flying like turtledoves in their


s: eagerness to help the Argives. When they came to the part where


s: the bravest and most in number were gathered about mighty Diomed,


s: endurance, there Juno stood still and raised a shout like that of


s: brave in semblance only; as long as Achilles was fighting, if his


s: outside the Dardanian gates, but now they sally far from the city


s: With these words she put heart and soul into them all, while


s: Minerva sprang to the side of the son of Tydeus, whom she found


s: near his chariot and horses, cooling the wound that Pandarus had


s: given him. For the sweat caused by the hand that bore the weight


s: of his shield irritated the hurt: his arm was weary with pain,


s: and he was lifting up the strap to wipe away the blood. The


s: goddess laid her hand on the yoke of his horses and said, "The


s: son of Tydeus is not such another as his father. Tydeus was a


s: little man, but he could fight, and rushed madly into the fray


s: even when I told him not to do so. When he went all unattended as


s: in their houses and be at peace; but with that high spirit which


s: was ever present with him, he challenged the youth of the


s: Cadmeans, and at once beat them in all that he attempted, so


s: mightily did I help him. I stand by you too to protect you, and I


s: tired out, or you are afraid and out of heart, and in that case I


s: Diomed answered, "I know you, goddess, daughter of aegis-bearing


s: Jove, and will hide nothing from you. I am not afraid nor out of


s: heart, nor is there any slackness in me. I am only following your


s: gods; but if Jove's daughter Venus came into battle I was to


s: wound her with my spear. Therefore I am retreating, and bidding


s: the other Argives gather in this place, for I know that Mars is


s: "Diomed, son of Tydeus," replied Minerva, "man after my own


s: heart, fear neither Mars nor any other of the immortals, for I


s: will befriend you. Nay, drive straight at Mars, and smite him in


s: close combat; fear not this raging madman, villain incarnate,


s: first on one side and then on the other. But now he was holding


s: talk with Juno and myself, saying he would help the Argives and


s: attack the Trojans; nevertheless he is with the Trojans, and has


s: With this she caught hold of Sthenelus and lifted him off the


s: chariot on to the ground. In a second he was on the ground,


s: whereupon the goddess mounted the car and placed herself by the


s: side of Diomed. The oaken axle groaned aloud under the burden of


s: the awful goddess and the hero; Pallas Minerva took the whip and


s: reins, and drove straight at Mars. He was in the act of stripping


s: Bloody Mars was stripping him of his armour, and Minerva donned


s: the helmet of Hades, that he might not see her; when, therefore,


s: he saw Diomed, he made straight for him and let Periphas lie


s: where he had fallen. As soon as they were at close quarters he


s: let fly with his bronze spear over the reins and yoke, thinking


s: to take Diomed's life, but Minerva caught the spear in her hand


s: and made it fly harmlessly over the chariot. Diomed then threw,


s: and Pallas Minerva drove the spear into the pit of Mars's stomach


s: tearing his fair flesh and then drawing his spear out again. Mars


s: fight, and the Achaeans and Trojans were struck with panic, so


s: As a dark cloud in the sky when it comes on to blow after heat,


s: even so did Diomed son of Tydeus see Mars ascend into the broad


s: heavens. With all speed he reached high Olympus, home of the


s: gods, and in great pain sat down beside Jove the son of Saturn.


s: He showed Jove the immortal blood that was flowing from his


s: wound, and spoke piteously, saying, "Father Jove, are you not


s: angered by such doings? We gods are continually suffering in the


s: most cruel manner at one another's hands while helping mortals;


s: and we all owe you a grudge for having begotten that mad


s: termagant of a daughter, who is always committing outrage of some


s: neither scold nor punish; you encourage her because the pestilent


s: Diomed to vent his rage on the immortal gods. First he went up to


s: he sprang upon me too as though he were a god. Had I not run for


s: it I must either have lain there for long enough in torments


s: among the ghastly corpses, or have been eaten alive with spears


s: till I had no more strength left in me."


s: Jove looked angrily at him and said, "Do not come whining here,


s: Sir Facing-both-ways. I hate you worst of all the gods in


s: Olympus, for you are ever fighting and making mischief. You have


s: the intolerable and stubborn spirit of your mother Juno: it is


s: all I can do to manage her, and it is her doing that you are now


s: in this plight: still, I cannot let you remain longer in such


s: great pain; you are my own offspring, and it was by me that your


s: mother conceived you; if, however, you had been the son of any


s: other god, you are so destructive that by this time you should


s: He then bade Paeeon heal him, whereon Paeeon spread pain-killing


s: herbs upon his wound and cured him, for he was not of mortal


s: mould. As the juice of the fig-tree curdles milk, and thickens it


s: cure fierce Mars. Then Hebe washed him, and clothed him in goodly


s: But Juno of Argos and Minerva of Alalcomene, now that they had


s: put a stop to the murderous doings of Mars, went back again to


s: Glaucus and Diomed--The story of Bellerophon--


s: THE fight between Trojans and Achaeans was now left to rage as it


s: plain as they aimed their bronze-shod spears at one another


s: between the streams of Simois and Xanthus.


s: First, Ajax son of Telamon, tower of strength to the Achaeans,


s: broke a phalanx of the Trojans, and came to the assistance of his


s: the Thracians, being both brave and of great stature. The spear


s: struck the projecting peak of his helmet: its bronze point then


s: went through his forehead into the brain, and darkness veiled his


s: Then Diomed killed Axylus son of Teuthranus, a rich man who lived


s: had a house by the roadside, and entertained every one who


s: passed; howbeit not one of his guests stood before him to save


s: his life, and Diomed killed both him and his squire Calesius, who


s: Euryalus killed Dresus and Opheltius, and then went in pursuit of


s: noble Bucolion. Bucolion was eldest son to Laomedon, but he was a


s: and she conceived twin sons; these the son of Mecisteus now slew,


s: killed Astyalus, Ulysses Pidytes of Percote, and Teucer Aretaon.


s: Ablerus fell by the spear of Nestor's son Antilochus, and


s: Agamemnon, king of men, killed Elatus who dwelt in Pedasus by the


s: Then Menelaus of the loud war-cry took Adrestus alive, for his


s: horses ran into a tamarisk bush, as they were flying wildly over


s: the plain, and broke the pole from the car; they went on towards


s: the city along with the others in full flight, but Adrestus


s: rolled out, and fell in the dust flat on his face by the wheel of


s: caught him by the knees begging for his life. "Take me alive," he


s: my father is rich and has much treasure of gold, bronze, and


s: wrought iron laid by in his house. From this store he will give


s: you a large ransom should he hear of my being alive and at the


s: Thus did he plead, and Menelaus was for yielding and giving him


s: to a squire to take to the ships of the Achaeans, but Agamemnon


s: came running up to him and rebuked him. "My good Menelaus," said


s: he, "this is no time for giving quarter. Has, then, your house


s: fared so well at the hands of the Trojans? Let us not spare a


s: single one of them--not even the child unborn and in its mother's


s: Thus did he speak, and his brother was persuaded by him, for his


s: words were just. Menelaus, therefore, thrust Adrestus from him,


s: whereon King Agamemnon struck him in the flank, and he fell: then


s: Meanwhile Nestor shouted to the Argives, saying, "My friends,


s: Danaan warriors, servants of Mars, let no man lag that he may


s: spoil the dead, and bring back much booty to the ships. Let us


s: kill as many as we can; the bodies will lie upon the plain, and


s: you can despoil them later at your leisure."


s: With these words he put heart and soul into them all. And now the


s: not Priam's son Helenus, wisest of augurs, said to Hector and


s: Aeneas, "Hector and Aeneas, you two are the mainstays of the


s: Trojans and Lycians, for you are foremost at all times, alike in


s: fight and counsel; hold your ground here, and go about among the


s: host to rally them in front of the gates, or they will fling


s: themselves into the arms of their wives, to the great joy of our


s: foes. Then, when you have put heart into all our companies, we


s: will stand firm here and fight the Danaans however hard they


s: press us, for there is nothing else to be done. Meanwhile do you,


s: Tell her to bid the matrons gather at the temple of Minerva in


s: the acropolis; let her then take her key and open the doors of


s: the sacred building; there, upon the knees of Minerva, let her


s: lay the largest, fairest robe she has in her house--the one she


s: sets most store by; let her, moreover, promise to sacrifice


s: twelve yearling heifers that have never yet felt the goad, in the


s: the wives and little ones of the Trojans, and keep the son of


s: Tydeus from falling on the goodly city of Ilius; for he fights


s: with fury and fills men's souls with panic. I hold him mightiest


s: of them all; we did not fear even their great champion Achilles,


s: son of a goddess though he be, as we do this man: his rage is


s: beyond all bounds, and there is none can vie with him in prowess"


s: Hector did as his brother bade him. He sprang from his chariot,


s: and went about everywhere among the host, brandishing his spears,


s: Thereon they rallied and again faced the Achaeans, who gave


s: ground and ceased their murderous onset, for they deemed that


s: some one of the immortals had come down from starry heaven to


s: help the Trojans, so strangely had they rallied. And Hector


s: shouted to the Trojans, "Trojans and allies, be men, my friends,


s: and fight with might and main, while I go to Ilius and tell the


s: old men of our council and our wives to pray to the gods and vow


s: With this he went his way, and the black rim of hide that went


s: round his shield beat against his neck and his ancles.


s: Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus, and the son of Tydeus went into


s: the open space between the hosts to fight in single combat. When


s: they were close up to one another Diomed of the loud war-cry was


s: the first to speak. "Who, my good sir," said he, "who are you


s: among men? I have never seen you in battle until now, but you are


s: fathers whose sons face my might. If, however, you are one of the


s: for even valiant Lycurgus, son of Dryas, did not live long when


s: he took to fighting with the gods. He it was that drove the


s: nursing women who were in charge of frenzied Bacchus through the


s: land of Nysa, and they flung their thyrsi on the ground as


s: murderous Lycurgus beat them with his oxgoad. Bacchus himself


s: plunged terror-stricken into the sea, and Thetis took him to her


s: bosom to comfort him, for he was scared by the fury with which


s: the man reviled him. Thereon the gods who live at ease were angry


s: live much longer after he had become hateful to the immortals.


s: Therefore I will not fight with the blessed gods; but if you are


s: of them that eat the fruit of the ground, draw near and meet your


s: And the son of Hippolochus answered, son of Tydeus, why ask me of


s: trees. Those of autumn the wind sheds upon the ground, but when


s: spring returns the forest buds forth with fresh vines. Even so is


s: are passing away. If, then, you would learn my descent, it is one


s: Argos, pasture land of horses, called Ephyra, where Sisyphus


s: lived, who was the craftiest of all mankind. He was the son of


s: Aeolus, and had a son named Glaucus, who was father to


s: Bellerophon, whom heaven endowed with the most surpassing


s: comeliness and beauty. But Proetus devised his ruin, and being


s: stronger than he, drove him from the land of the Argives, over


s: which Jove had made him ruler. For Antea, wife of Proetus, lusted


s: Bellerophon was an honourable man and would not, so she told lies


s: die, for he would have had converse with me against my will.' The


s: folded tablet, and containing much ill against the bearer. He


s: bade Bellerophon show these letters to his father-in-law, to the


s: end that he might thus perish; Bellerophon therefore went to


s: Lycia, and the gods convoyed him safely.


s: "When he reached the river Xanthus, which is in Lycia, the king


s: received him with all goodwill, feasted him nine days, and killed


s: appeared upon the tenth day, he questioned him and desired to see


s: wicked letter he first commanded Bellerophon to kill that savage


s: monster, the Chimaera, who was not a human being, but a goddess,


s: for she had the head of a lion and the tail of a serpent, while


s: her body was that of a goat, and she breathed forth flames of


s: fire; but Bellerophon slew her, for he was guided by signs from


s: heaven. He next fought the far-famed Solymi, and this, he said,


s: was the hardest of all his battles. Thirdly, he killed the


s: Amazons, women who were the peers of men, and as he was returning


s: picked the bravest warriors in all Lycia, and placed them in


s: ambuscade, but not a man ever came back, for Bellerophon killed


s: every one of them. Then the king knew that he must be the valiant


s: daughter in marriage, and made him of equal honour in the kingdom


s: in all the country, fair with vineyards and tilled fields, to


s: "The king's daughter bore Bellerophon three children, Isander,


s: Hippolochus, and Laodameia. Jove, the lord of counsel, lay with


s: Laodameia, and she bore him noble Sarpedon; but when Bellerophon


s: came to be hated by all the gods, he wandered all desolate and


s: dismayed upon the Alean plain, gnawing at his own heart, and


s: shunning the path of man. Mars, insatiate of battle, killed his


s: son Isander while he was fighting the Solymi; his daughter was


s: killed by Diana of the golden reins, for she was angered with


s: her; but Hippolochus was father to myself, and when he sent me to


s: who were the noblest in Ephyra and in all Lycia. This, then, is


s: Thus did he speak, and the heart of Diomed was glad. He planted


s: his spear in the ground, and spoke to him with friendly words.


s: "Then," he said, "you are an old friend of my father's house.


s: Great Oeneus once entertained Bellerophon for twenty days, and


s: the two exchanged presents. Oeneus gave a belt rich with purple,


s: and Bellerophon a double cup, which I left at home when I set out


s: while I was yet a child, when the army of the Achaeans was cut to


s: let us avoid one another's spears even during a general


s: engagement; there are many noble Trojans and allies whom I can


s: kill, if I overtake them and heaven delivers them into my hand;


s: so again with yourself, there are many Achaeans whose lives you


s: may take if you can; we two, then, will exchange armour, that all


s: With these words they sprang from their chariots, grasped one


s: another's hands, and plighted friendship. But the son of Saturn


s: made Glaucus take leave of his wits, for he exchanged golden


s: armour for bronze, the worth of a hundred head of cattle for the


s: Now when Hector reached the Scaean gates and the oak tree, the


s: wives and daughters of the Trojans came running towards him to


s: ask after their sons, brothers, kinsmen, and husbands: he told


s: them to set about praying to the gods, and many were made


s: Presently he reached the splendid palace of King Priam, adorned


s: with colonnades of hewn stone. In it there were fifty


s: bedchambers--all of hewn stone--built near one another, where the


s: on the other side the courtyard, there were twelve upper rooms


s: also of hewn stone for Priam's daughters, built near one another,


s: there, his fond mother came up to him with Laodice the fairest of


s: son, why have you left the battle to come hither? Are the


s: Achaeans, woe betide them, pressing you hard about the city that


s: you have thought fit to come and uplift your hands to Jove from


s: the citadel? Wait till I can bring you wine that you may make


s: offering to Jove and to the other immortals, and may then drink


s: and be refreshed. Wine gives a man fresh strength when he is


s: wearied, as you now are with fighting on behalf of your kinsmen."


s: And Hector answered, "Honoured mother, bring no wine, lest you


s: unman me and I forget my strength. I dare not make a


s: drink-offering to Jove with unwashed hands; one who is


s: bespattered with blood and filth may not pray to the son of


s: Saturn. Get the matrons together, and go with offerings to the


s: temple of Minerva driver of the spoil; there, upon the knees of


s: Minerva, lay the largest and fairest robe you have in your


s: house--the one you set most store by; promise, moreover, to


s: sacrifice twelve yearling heifers that have never yet felt the


s: goad, in the temple of the goddess if she will take pity on the


s: town, with the wives and little ones of the Trojans, and keep the


s: with fury, and fills men's souls with panic. Go, then, to the


s: temple of Minerva, while I seek Paris and exhort him, if he will


s: hear my words. Would that the earth might open her jaws and


s: swallow him, for Jove bred him to be the bane of the Trojans, and


s: house of Hades, my heart would forget its heaviness."


s: His mother went into the house and called her waiting-women who


s: gathered the matrons throughout the city. She then went down into


s: the work of Sidonian women, whom Alexandrus had brought over from


s: carried off Helen. Hecuba took out the largest robe, and the one


s: that was most beautifully enriched with embroidery, as an


s: offering to Minerva: it glittered like a star, and lay at the


s: very bottom of the chest. With this she went on her way and many


s: When they reached the temple of Minerva, lovely Theano, daughter


s: of Cisseus and wife of Antenor, opened the doors, for the Trojans


s: hands to the goddess with a loud cry, and Theano took the robe to


s: daughter of great Jove. "Holy Minerva," she cried, "protectress


s: of our city, mighty goddess, break the spear of Diomed and lay


s: him low before the Scaean gates. Do this, and we will sacrifice


s: twelve heifers that have never yet known the goad, in your


s: temple, if you will have pity upon the town, with the wives and


s: little ones of the Trojans." Thus she prayed, but Pallas Minerva


s: While they were thus praying to the daughter of great Jove,


s: Hector went to the fair house of Alexandrus, which he had built


s: for him by the foremost builders in the land. They had built him


s: his house, storehouse, and courtyard near those of Priam and


s: Hector on the acropolis. Here Hector entered, with a spear eleven


s: him, and was fastened to the shaft of the spear by a ring of


s: gold. He found Alexandrus within the house, busied about his


s: armour, his shield and cuirass, and handling his curved bow;


s: there, too, sat Argive Helen with her women, setting them their


s: several tasks; and as Hector saw him he rebuked him with words of


s: people perish fighting round this our town; you would yourself


s: chide one whom you saw shirking his part in the combat. Up then,


s: or ere long the city will be in a blaze."


s: And Alexandrus answered, "Hector, your rebuke is just; listen


s: therefore, and believe me when I tell you that I am not here so


s: much through rancour or ill-will towards the Trojans, as from a


s: desire to indulge my grief. My wife was even now gently urging me


s: ever fickle. Wait, then, while I put on my armour, or go first


s: and I will follow. I shall be sure to overtake you."


s: Hector made no answer, but Helen tried to soothe him. "Brother,"


s: said she, "to my abhorred and sinful self, would that a whirlwind


s: borne me to some mountain or to the waves of the roaring sea that


s: since the gods have devised these evils, would, at any rate, that


s: dishonour and men's evil speeches. This fellow was never yet to


s: be depended upon, nor never will be, and he will surely reap what


s: has doomed to be a theme of song among those that shall be born


s: And Hector answered, "Bid me not be seated, Helen, for all the


s: goodwill you bear me. I cannot stay. I am in haste to help the


s: Trojans, who miss me greatly when I am not among them; but urge


s: your husband, and of his own self also let him make haste to


s: overtake me before I am out of the city. I must go home to see my


s: shall ever again return to them, or whether the gods will cause


s: me to fill by the hands of the Achaeans."


s: Then Hector left her, and forthwith was at his own house. He did


s: not find Andromache, for she was on the wall with her child and


s: one of her maids, weeping bitterly. Seeing, then, that she was


s: not within, he stood on the threshold of the women's rooms and


s: said, "Women, tell me, and tell me true, where did Andromache go


s: when she left the house? Was it to my sisters, or to my brothers'


s: His good housekeeper answered, "Hector, since you bid me tell you


s: wives, nor yet to the temple of Minerva, where the other women


s: are propitiating the awful goddess, but she is on the high wall


s: of Ilius, for she had heard the Trojans were being hard pressed,


s: and that the Achaeans were in great force: she went to the wall


s: in frenzied haste, and the nurse went with her carrying the


s: Hector hurried from the house when she had done speaking, and


s: went down the streets by the same way that he had come. When he


s: had gone through the city and had reached the Scaean gates


s: through which he would go out on to the plain, his wife came


s: running towards him, Andromache, daughter of great Eetion who


s: ruled in Thebe under the wooded slopes of Mt. Placus, and was


s: king of the Cilicians. His daughter had married Hector, and now


s: came to meet him with a nurse who carried his little child in her


s: Hector had named him Scamandrius, but the people called him


s: Astyanax, for his father stood alone as chief guardian of Ilius.


s: Hector smiled as he looked upon the boy, but he did not speak,


s: and Andromache stood by him weeping and taking his hand in her


s: own. "Dear husband," said she, "your valour will bring you to


s: destruction; think on your infant son, and on my hapless self who


s: in a body and kill you. It would be better for me, should I lose


s: you, to lie dead and buried, for I shall have nothing left to


s: comfort me when you are gone, save only sorrow. I have neither


s: father nor mother now. Achilles slew my father when he sacked


s: Thebe the goodly city of the Cilicians. He slew him, but did not


s: for very shame despoil him; when he had burned him in his


s: wondrous armour, he raised a barrow over his ashes and the


s: mountain nymphs, daughters of aegis-bearing Jove, planted a grove


s: house, but on the same day they all went within the house of


s: Hades. Achilles killed them as they were with their sheep and


s: cattle. My mother--her who had been queen of all the land under


s: Mt. Placus--he brought hither with the spoil, and freed her for a


s: your father. Nay--Hector--you who to me are father, mother,


s: brother, and dear husband--have mercy upon me; stay here upon


s: this wall; make not your child fatherless, and your wife a widow;


s: of them come thither and assailed it, under the two Ajaxes,


s: Idomeneus, the sons of Atreus, and the brave son of Tydeus,


s: either of their own bidding, or because some soothsayer had told


s: And Hector answered, "Wife, I too have thought upon all this, but


s: renown alike for my father and myself. Well do I know that the


s: day will surely come when mighty Ilius shall be destroyed with


s: Priam and Priam's people, but I grieve for none of these--not


s: even for Hecuba, nor King Priam, nor for my brothers many and


s: brave who may fall in the dust before their foes--for none of


s: these do I grieve as for yourself when the day shall come on


s: which some one of the Achaeans shall rob you for ever of your


s: freedom, and bear you weeping away. It may be that you will have


s: to ply the loom in Argos at the bidding of a mistress, or to


s: fetch water from the springs Messeis or Hypereia, treated


s: brutally by some cruel task-master; then will one say who sees


s: you weeping, 'She was wife to Hector, the bravest warrior among


s: the Trojans during the war before Ilius.' On this your tears will


s: captivity from you. May I lie dead under the barrow that is


s: heaped over my body ere I hear your cry as they carry you into


s: He stretched his arms towards his child, but the boy cried and


s: nestled in his nurse's bosom, scared at the sight of his father's


s: ground. Then he took his darling child, kissed him, and dandled


s: him in his arms, praying over him the while to Jove and to all


s: the gods. "Jove," he cried, "grant that this my child may be even


s: say of him as he comes from battle, 'The son is far better than


s: the father.' May he bring back the blood-stained spoils of him


s: whom he has laid low, and let his mother's heart be glad."


s: With this he laid the child again in the arms of his wife, who


s: took him to her own soft bosom, smiling through her tears. As her


s: bitterly to heart. No one can hurry me down to Hades before my


s: time, but if a man's hour is come, be he brave or be he coward,


s: there is no escape for him when he has once been born. Go, then,


s: within the house, and busy yourself with your daily duties, your


s: loom, your distaff, and the ordering of your servants; for war is


s: He took his plumed helmet from the ground, and his wife went back


s: towards him. When she reached her home she found her maidens


s: within, and bade them all join in her lament; so they mourned


s: Hector in his own house though he was yet alive, for they deemed


s: that they should never see him return safe from battle, and from


s: Paris did not remain long in his house. He donned his goodly


s: armour overlaid with bronze, and hasted through the city as fast


s: as his feet could take him. As a horse, stabled and fed, breaks


s: loose and gallops gloriously over the plain to the place where he


s: high, and his mane streams upon his shoulders as he exults in his


s: gleaming like sunlight in his armour, and he laughed aloud as he


s: sped swiftly on his way. Forthwith he came upon his brother


s: Hector, who was then turning away from the place where he had


s: held converse with his wife, and he was himself the first to


s: speak. "Sir," said he, "I fear that I have kept you waiting when


s: you are in haste, and have not come as quickly as you bade me."


s: "My good brother," answered Hector, "you fight bravely, and no


s: man with any justice can make light of your doings in battle. But


s: to hear the ill that the Trojans speak about you, for they have


s: suffered much on your account. Let us be going, and we will make


s: things right hereafter, should Jove vouchsafe us to set the cup


s: of our deliverance before ever-living gods of heaven in our own


s: homes, when we have chased the Achaeans from Troy."


s: Hector and Ajax fight--Hector is getting worsted when night


s: comes on and parts them--They exchange presents--The


s: burial of the dead, and the building of a wall round their


s: ships by the Achaeans--The Achaeans buy their wine of


s: WITH these words Hector passed through the gates, and his brother


s: sends a breeze to sailors who have long looked for one in vain,


s: and have laboured at their oars till they are faint with toil,


s: even so welcome was the sight of these two heroes to the Trojans.


s: Thereon Alexandrus killed Menesthius the son of Areithous; he


s: lived in Arne, and was son of Areithous the Mace-man, and of


s: Phylomedusa. Hector threw a spear at Eioneus and struck him dead


s: with a wound in the neck under the bronze rim of his helmet.


s: Glaucus, moreover, son of Hippolochus, captain of the Lycians, in


s: shoulder, as he was springing on to his chariot behind his fleet


s: mares; so he fell to earth from the car, and there was no life


s: When, therefore, Minerva saw these men making havoc of the


s: Argives, she darted down to Ilius from the summits of Olympus,


s: and Apollo, who was looking on from Pergamus, went out to meet


s: her; for he wanted the Trojans to be victorious. The pair met by


s: the oak tree, and King Apollo son of Jove was first to speak.


s: "What would you have", said he, "daughter of great Jove, that


s: your proud spirit has sent you hither from Olympus? Have you no


s: pity upon the Trojans, and would you incline the scales of


s: victory in favour of the Danaans? Let me persuade you--for it


s: will be better thus--stay the combat for to-day, but let them


s: renew the fight hereafter till they compass the doom of Ilius,


s: since you goddesses have made up your minds to destroy the city."


s: And Minerva answered, "So be it, Far-Darter; it was in this mind


s: that I came down from Olympus to the Trojans and Achaeans. Tell


s: me, then, how do you propose to end this present fighting?"


s: Apollo, son of Jove, replied, "Let us incite great Hector to


s: challenge some one of the Danaans in single combat; on this the


s: Achaeans will be shamed into finding a man who will fight him."


s: Minerva assented, and Helenus son of Priam divined the counsel of


s: persuade you. Bid the other Trojans and Achaeans all of them take


s: meet you in single combat. I have heard the voice of the


s: ever-living gods, and the hour of your doom is not yet come."


s: Hector was glad when he heard this saying, and went in among the


s: Trojans, grasping his spear by the middle to hold them back, and


s: they all sat down. Agamemnon also bade the Achaeans be seated.


s: But Minerva and Apollo, in the likeness of vultures, perched on


s: father Jove's high oak tree, proud of their men; and the ranks


s: sat close ranged together, bristling with shield and helmet and


s: spear. As when the rising west wind furs the face of the sea and


s: the waters grow dark beneath it, so sat the companies of Trojans


s: and Achaeans upon the plain. And Hector spoke thus:--


s: "Hear me, Trojans and Achaeans, that I may speak even as I am


s: minded; Jove on his high throne has brought our oaths and


s: covenants to nothing, and foreshadows ill for both of us, till


s: you either take the towers of Troy, or are yourselves vanquished


s: at your ships. The princes of the Achaeans are here present in


s: the midst of you; let him, then, that will fight me stand forward


s: witness between us. If your champion slay me, let him strip me of


s: home that the Trojans and their wives may give me my dues of fire


s: I slay your champion, I will strip him of his armour and take it


s: to the city of Ilius, where I will hang it in the temple of


s: Apollo, but I will give up his body, that the Achaeans may bury


s: him at their ships, and the build him a mound by the wide waters


s: of the Hellespont. Then will one say hereafter as he sails his


s: ship over the sea, 'This is the monument of one who died long


s: since a champion who was slain by mighty Hector.' Thus will one


s: Thus did he speak, but they all held their peace, ashamed to


s: decline the challenge, yet fearing to accept it, till at last


s: Menelaus rose and rebuked them, for he was angry. "Alas," he


s: cried, "vain braggarts, women forsooth not men, double-dyed


s: indeed will be the stain upon us if no man of the Danaans will


s: now face Hector. May you be turned every man of you into earth


s: and water as you sit spiritless and inglorious in your places. I


s: will myself go out against this man, but the upshot of the fight


s: will be from on high in the hands of the immortal gods."


s: With these words he put on his armour; and then, O Menelaus, your


s: for he was far better the man, had not the princes of the


s: Achaeans sprung upon you and checked you. King Agamemnon caught


s: him by the right hand and said, "Menelaus, you are mad; a truce


s: to this folly. Be patient in spite of passion, do not think of


s: fighting a man so much stronger than yourself as Hector son of


s: Priam, who is feared by many another as well as you. Even


s: Achilles, who is far more doughty than you are, shrank from


s: meeting him in battle. Sit down your own people, and the Achaeans


s: of battle though he be, I ween his knees will bend gladly under


s: him if he comes out alive from the hurly-burly of this fight."


s: With these words of reasonable counsel he persuaded his brother,


s: whereon his squires gladly stripped the armour from off his


s: shoulders. Then Nestor rose and spoke, "Of a truth," said he,


s: "the Achaean land is fallen upon evil times. The old knight


s: Peleus, counsellor and orator among the Myrmidons, loved when I


s: was in his house to question me concerning the race and lineage


s: of all the Argives. How would it not grieve him could he hear of


s: them as now quailing before Hector? Many a time would he lift his


s: within the house of Hades. Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and


s: Apollo, that I were still young and strong as when the Pylians


s: and Arcadians were gathered in fight by the rapid river Celadon


s: under the walls of Pheia, and round about the waters of the river


s: champion, with the armour of King Areithous upon his shoulders--


s: Areithous whom men and women had surnamed 'the Mace-man,' because


s: fight, but by entrapping him in a narrow way where his mace


s: served him in no stead; for Lycurgus was too quick for him and


s: speared him through the middle, so he fell to earth on his back.


s: Lycurgus then spoiled him of the armour which Mars had given him,


s: stayed at home, he gave it to his faithful squire Ereuthalion,


s: who in this same armour challenged the foremost men among us. The


s: though none other would venture; I was the youngest man of them


s: all; but when I fought him Minerva vouchsafed me victory. He was


s: the biggest and strongest man that ever I killed, and covered


s: much ground as he lay sprawling upon the earth. Would that I were


s: then soon find one who would face him. But you, foremost among


s: the whole host though you be, have none of you any stomach for


s: Thus did the old man rebuke them, and forthwith nine men started


s: to their feet. Foremost of all uprose King Agamemnon, and after


s: him brave Diomed the son of Tydeus. Next were the two Ajaxes, men


s: Meriones his brother in arms. After these Eurypylus son of


s: Euaemon, Thoas the son of Andraemon, and Ulysses also rose. Then


s: Nestor knight of Gerene again spoke, saying: "Cast lots among you


s: Thus he spoke, and when each of them had marked his lot, and had


s: thrown it into the helmet of Agamemnon son of Atreus, the people


s: lifted their hands in prayer, and thus would one of them say as


s: he looked into the vault of heaven, "Father Jove, grant that the


s: lot fall on Ajax, or on the son of Tydeus, or upon the king of


s: As they were speaking, Nestor knight of Gerene shook the helmet,


s: and from it there fell the very lot which they wanted--the lot of


s: chieftains of the Achaeans, going from left to right; but they


s: none of them owned it. When, however, in due course he reached


s: the man who had written upon it and had put it into the helmet,


s: brave Ajax held out his hand, and the herald gave him the lot.


s: When Ajax saw his mark he knew it and was glad; he threw it to


s: the ground and said, "My friends, the lot is mine, and I rejoice,


s: pray to King Jove in silence among yourselves that the Trojans


s: may not hear you--or aloud if you will, for we fear no man. None


s: shall overcome me, neither by force nor cunning, for I was born


s: and bred in Salamis, and can hold my own in all things."


s: With this they fell praying to King Jove the son of Saturn, and


s: thus would one of them say as he looked into the vault of heaven,


s: vouchsafe victory to Ajax, and let him win great glory: but if


s: you wish well to Hector also and would protect him, grant to each


s: Thus they prayed, and Ajax armed himself in his suit of gleaming


s: bronze. When he was in full array he sprang forward as monstrous


s: Mars when he takes part among men whom Jove has set fighting with


s: spring forward with a grim smile on his face as he brandished his


s: beheld him, but the Trojans trembled in every limb, and the heart


s: withdraw into the ranks behind him, for he had been the


s: challenger. Ajax came up bearing his shield in front of him like


s: a wall--a shield of bronze with seven folds of oxhide--the work


s: of Tychius, who lived in Hyle and was by far the best worker in


s: leather. He had made it with the hides of seven full-fed bulls,


s: and over these he had set an eighth layer of bronze. Holding this


s: and menaced him saying, "Hector, you shall now learn, man to man,


s: lion-hearted Achilles cleaver of the ranks of men. He now abides


s: at the ships in anger with Agamemnon shepherd of his people, but


s: there are many of us who are well able to face you; therefore


s: And Hector answered, "Noble Ajax, son of Telamon, captain of the


s: host, treat me not as though I were some puny boy or woman that


s: cannot fight. I have been long used to the blood and butcheries


s: of battle. I am quick to turn my leathern shield either to right


s: or left, for this I deem the main thing in battle. I can charge


s: among the chariots and horsemen, and in hand to hand fighting can


s: He poised his spear as he spoke, and hurled it from him. It


s: struck the sevenfold shield in its outermost layer--the eighth,


s: which was of bronze--and went through six of the layers but in


s: the seventh hide it stayed. Then Ajax threw in his turn, and


s: struck the round shield of the son of Priam. The terrible spear


s: went through his gleaming shield, and pressed onward through his


s: cuirass of cunning workmanship; it pierced the shirt against his


s: side, but he swerved and thus saved his life. They then each of


s: them drew out the spear from his shield, and fell on one another


s: like savage lions or wild boars of great strength and endurance:


s: the son of Priam struck the middle of Ajax's shield, but the


s: bronze did not break, and the point of his dart was turned. Ajax


s: then sprang forward and pierced the shield of Hector; the spear


s: went through it and staggered him as he was springing forward to


s: attack; it gashed his neck and the blood came pouring from the


s: wound, but even so Hector did not cease fighting; he gave ground,


s: was lying upon the plain; with this he struck the shield of Ajax


s: on the boss that was in its middle, so that the bronze rang


s: again. But Ajax in turn caught up a far larger stone, swung it


s: aloft, and hurled it with prodigious force. This millstone of a


s: rock broke Hector's shield inwards and threw him down on his back


s: once. Thereon they would have hacked at one another in close


s: combat with their swords, had not heralds, messengers of gods and


s: Achaeans--Talthybius and Idaeus both of them honourable men;


s: these parted them with their staves, and the good herald Idaeus


s: said, "My sons, fight no longer, you are both of you valiant, and


s: and the behests of night may not be well gainsaid."


s: Ajax son of Telamon answered, "Idaeus, bid Hector say so, for it


s: was he that challenged our princes. Let him speak first and I


s: Then Hector said, "Ajax, heaven has vouchsafed you stature and


s: strength, and judgement; and in wielding the spear you excel all


s: others of the Achaeans. Let us for this day cease fighting;


s: hereafter we will fight anew till heaven decide between us, and


s: give victory to one or to the other; night is now falling, and


s: the behests of night may not be well gainsaid. Gladden, then, the


s: of your own followers and clansmen, while I, in the great city of


s: Trojans, 'They fought with might and main, but were reconciled


s: On this he gave Ajax a silver-studded sword with its sheath and


s: leathern baldric, and in return Ajax gave him a girdle dyed with


s: purple. Thus they parted, the one going to the host of the


s: Achaeans, and the other to that of the Trojans, who rejoiced when


s: strong hands of mighty Ajax. They led him, therefore, to the city


s: the Achaeans brought Ajax elated with victory to Agamemnon.


s: When they reached the quarters of the son of Atreus, Agamemnon


s: sacrificed for them a five-year-old bull in honour of Jove the


s: son of Saturn. They flayed the carcass, made it ready, and


s: divided it into joints; these they cut carefully up into smaller


s: pieces, putting them on the spits, roasting them sufficiently,


s: and then drawing them off. When they had done all this and had


s: prepared the feast, they ate it, and every man had his full and


s: equal share, so that all were satisfied, and King Agamemnon gave


s: Ajax some slices cut lengthways down the loin, as a mark of


s: special honour. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink,


s: old Nestor whose counsel was ever truest began to speak; with all


s: "Son of Atreus, and other chieftains, inasmuch as many of the


s: Achaeans are now dead, whose blood Mars has shed by the banks of


s: the Scamander, and their souls have gone down to the house of


s: Hades, it will be well when morning comes that we should cease


s: fighting; we will then wheel our dead together with oxen and


s: mules and burn them not far from the ships, that when we sail


s: hence we may take the bones of our comrades home to their


s: children. Hard by the funeral pyre we will build a barrow that


s: shall be raised from the plain for all in common; near this let


s: us set about building a high wall, to shelter ourselves and our


s: ships, and let it have well-made gates that there may be a way


s: through them for our chariots. Close outside we will dig a deep


s: trench all round it to keep off both horse and foot, that the


s: Trojan chieftains may not bear hard upon us."


s: Thus he spoke, and the princess shouted in applause. Meanwhile


s: the Trojans held a council, angry and full of discord, on the


s: acropolis by the gates of King Priam's palace; and wise Antenor


s: spoke. "Hear me," he said, "Trojans, Dardanians, and allies, that


s: her wealth to the sons of Atreus, for we are now fighting in


s: violation of our solemn covenants, and shall not prosper till we


s: He then sat down and Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen rose to


s: speak. "Antenor," said he, "your words are not to my liking; you


s: can find a better saying than this if you will; if, however, you


s: have spoken in good earnest, then indeed has heaven robbed you of


s: Trojans that I will not give up the woman; but the wealth that I


s: brought home with her from Argos I will restore, and will add yet


s: On this, when Paris had spoken and taken his seat, Priam of the


s: race of Dardanus, peer of gods in council, rose and with all


s: sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: "Hear me, Trojans,


s: Dardanians, and allies, that I may speak even as I am minded. Get


s: watches and be wakeful. At daybreak let Idaeus go to the ships,


s: and tell Agamemnon and Menelaus sons of Atreus the saying of


s: Alexandrus through whom this quarrel has come about; and let him


s: also be instant with them that they now cease fighting till we


s: burn our dead; hereafter we will fight anew, till heaven decide


s: between us and give victory to one or to the other."


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


s: supper in their companies and at daybreak Idaeus went his way to


s: the ships. He found the Danaans, servants of Mars, in council at


s: the stern of Agamemnon's ship, and took his place in the midst of


s: saying of Alexandrus through whom this quarrel has come about, if


s: with him in his ships to Troy--would that he had sooner


s: perished--he will restore, and will add yet further of his own,


s: but he will not give up the wedded wife of Menelaus, though the


s: Trojans would have him do so. Priam bade me inquire further if


s: you will cease fighting till we burn our dead; hereafter we will


s: fight anew, till heaven decide between us and give victory to one


s: They all held their peace, but presently Diomed of the loud


s: war-cry spoke, saying, "Let there be no taking, neither treasure,


s: The sons of the Achaeans shouted applause at the words that


s: Diomed had spoken, and thereon King Agamemnon said to Idaeus,


s: "Idaeus, you have heard the answer the Achaeans make you-and I


s: with them. But as concerning the dead, I give you leave to burn


s: them, for when men are once dead there should be no grudging them


s: As he spoke he upheld his sceptre in the sight of all the gods,


s: and Idaeus went back to the strong city of Ilius. The Trojans and


s: came, he stood in their midst and delivered his message. As soon


s: as they heard it they set about their twofold labour, some to


s: gather the corpses, and others to bring in wood. The Argives on


s: their part also hastened from their ships, some to gather the


s: The sun was beginning to beat upon the fields, fresh risen into


s: the vault of heaven from the slow still currents of deep Oceanus,


s: but they washed the clotted gore from off them, shed tears over


s: them, and lifted them upon their waggons. Priam had forbidden the


s: silently upon the pyre, and having burned them went back to the


s: city of Ilius. The Achaeans in like manner heaped their dead


s: sadly and silently on the pyre, and having burned them went back


s: Now in the twilight when it was not yet dawn, chosen bands of the


s: was raised in common for all, and hard by this they built a high


s: wall to shelter themselves and their ships; they gave it strong


s: gates that there might be a way through them for their chariots,


s: and close outside it they dug a trench deep and wide, and they


s: Thus did the Achaeans toil, and the gods, seated by the side of


s: Jove the lord of lightning, marvelled at their great work; but


s: Neptune, lord of the earthquake, spoke, saying, "Father Jove,


s: what mortal in the whole world will again take the gods into his


s: counsel? See you not how the Achaeans have built a wall about


s: their ships and driven a trench all round it, without offering


s: hecatombs to the gods? The fame of this wall will reach as far as


s: which Phoebus Apollo and myself built with so much labour for


s: Jove was displeased and answered, "What, O shaker of the earth,


s: are you talking about? A god less powerful than yourself might be


s: dawn itself. Surely when the Achaeans have gone home with their


s: ships, you can shatter their wall and fling it into the sea; you


s: can cover the beach with sand again, and the great wall of the


s: Thus did they converse, and by sunset the work of the Achaeans


s: was completed; they then slaughtered oxen at their tents and got


s: their supper. Many ships had come with wine from Lemnos, sent by


s: Euneus the son of Jason, born to him by Hypsipyle. The son of


s: Jason freighted them with ten thousand measures of wine, which he


s: From this supply the Achaeans bought their wine, some with


s: bronze, some with iron, some with hides, some with whole heifers,


s: feasted the whole night through, as also did the Trojans and


s: their allies in the city. But all the time Jove boded them ill


s: and roared with his portentous thunder. Pale fear got hold upon


s: them, and they spilled the wine from their cups on to the ground,


s: mighty son of Saturn. Then they laid themselves down to rest and


s: Jove forbids the gods to interfere further--There is an even


s: fight till midday, but then Jove inclines the scales of victory


s: in favour of the Trojans, who eventually chase the Achaeans


s: within their wall--Juno and Minerva set out to help the


s: Trojans: Jove sends Iris to turn them back, but later on


s: he promises Juno that she shall have her way in the end--


s: Hector's triumph is stayed by nightfall--The Trojans bivouac


s: NOW when Morning, clad in her robe of saffron, had begun to


s: suffuse light over the earth, Jove called the gods in council on


s: the topmost crest of serrated Olympus. Then he spoke and all the


s: other gods gave ear. "Hear me," said he, "gods and goddesses,


s: that I may speak even as I am minded. Let none of you neither


s: goddess nor god try to cross me, but obey me every one of you


s: that I may bring this matter to an end. If I see anyone acting


s: apart and helping either Trojans or Danaans, he shall be beaten


s: inordinately ere he come back again to Olympus; or I will hurl


s: him down into dark Tartarus far into the deepest pit under the


s: earth, where the gates are iron and the floor bronze, as far


s: beneath Hades as heaven is high above the earth, that you may


s: learn how much the mightiest I am among you. Try me and find out


s: for yourselves. Hangs me a golden chain from heaven, and lay hold


s: you will not drag Jove the supreme counsellor from heaven to


s: earth; but were I to pull at it myself I should draw you up with


s: earth and sea into the bargain, then would I bind the chain about


s: firmament. So far am I above all others either of gods or men."


s: They were frightened and all of them of held their peace, for he


s: had spoken masterfully; but at last Minerva answered, "Father,


s: son of Saturn, king of kings, we all know that your might is not


s: to be gainsaid, but we are also sorry for the Danaan warriors,


s: who are perishing and coming to a bad end. We will, however,


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


s: make serviceable suggestions to the Argives that they may not all


s: Jove smiled at her and answered, "Take heart, my child,


s: Trito-born; I am not really in earnest, and I wish to be kind to


s: With this he yoked his fleet horses, with hoofs of bronze and


s: manes of glittering gold. He girded himself also with gold about


s: the body, seized his gold whip and took his seat in his chariot.


s: Thereon he lashed his horses and they flew forward nothing loth


s: midway twixt earth and starry heaven. After a while he reached


s: many-fountained Ida, mother of wild beasts, and Gargarus, where


s: are his grove and fragrant altar. There the father of gods and


s: men stayed his horses, took them from the chariot, and hid them


s: in a thick cloud; then he took his seat all glorious upon the


s: topmost crests, looking down upon the city of Troy and the ships


s: The Achaeans took their morning meal hastily at the ships, and


s: afterwards put on their armour. The Trojans on the other hand


s: likewise armed themselves throughout the city, fewer in numbers


s: but nevertheless eager perforce to do battle for their wives and


s: children. All the gates were flung wide open, and horse and foot


s: sallied forth with the tramp as of a great multitude.


s: When they were got together in one place, shield clashed with


s: shield, and spear with spear, in the conflict of mail-clad men.


s: Mighty was the din as the bossed shields pressed hard on one


s: another--death--cry and shout of triumph of slain and slayers,


s: Now so long as the day waxed and it was still morning their


s: weapons beat against one another, and the people fell, but when


s: the sun had reached mid-heaven, the sire of all balanced his


s: golden scales, and put two fates of death within them, one for


s: the Trojans and the other for the Achaeans. He took the balance


s: by the middle, and when he lifted it up the day of the Achaeans


s: sank; the death-fraught scale of the Achaeans settled down upon


s: the ground, while that of the Trojans rose heavenwards. Then he


s: thundered aloud from Ida, and sent the glare of his lightning


s: upon the Achaeans; when they saw this, pale fear fell upon them


s: Idomeneus dared not stay nor yet Agamemnon, nor did the two


s: Ajaxes, servants of Mars, hold their ground. Nestor knight of


s: Gerene alone stood firm, bulwark of the Achaeans, not of his own


s: will, but one of his horses was disabled. Alexandrus husband of


s: lovely Helen had hit it with an arrow just on the top of its head


s: place. The horse bounded in his anguish as the arrow pierced his


s: brain, and his struggles threw others into confusion. The old man


s: fleet horses bore down upon him through the rout with their bold


s: charioteer, even Hector himself, and the old man would have


s: perished there and then had not Diomed been quick to mark, and


s: with a loud cry called Ulysses to help him.


s: "Ulysses," he cried, "noble son of Laertes where are you flying


s: to, with your back turned like a coward? See that you are not


s: struck with a spear between the shoulders. Stay here and help me


s: to defend Nestor from this man's furious onset."


s: Ulysses would not give ear, but sped onward to the ships of the


s: Achaeans, and the son of Tydeus flinging himself alone into the


s: thick of the fight took his stand before the horses of the son of


s: hard, your force is spent, and age is heavy upon you, your squire


s: hither and thither over the plain either in flight or in pursuit.


s: own steeds, but let us drive mine straight at the Trojans, that


s: Hector may learn how furiously I too can wield my spear."


s: Nestor knight of Gerene hearkened to his words. Thereon the


s: doughty squires, Sthenelus and kind-hearted Eurymedon, saw to


s: Nestor's horses, while the two both mounted Diomed's chariot.


s: Nestor took the reins in his hands and lashed the horses on; they


s: spear at him as he was charging full speed towards them. He


s: missed him, but struck his charioteer and squire Eniopeus son of


s: noble Thebaeus in the breast by the nipple while the reins were


s: in his hands, so that he died there and then, and the horses


s: swerved as he fell headlong from the chariot. Hector was greatly


s: grieved at the loss of his charioteer, but let him lie for all


s: his sorrow, while he went in quest of another driver; nor did his


s: Archeptolemus the son of Iphitus, and made him get up behind the


s: All had then been lost and no help for it, for they would have


s: been penned up in Ilius like sheep, had not the sire of gods and


s: men been quick to mark, and hurled a fiery flaming thunderbolt


s: which fell just in front of Diomed's horses with a flare of


s: burning brimstone. The horses were frightened and tried to back


s: beneath the car, while the reins dropped from Nestor's hands.


s: Then he was afraid and said to Diomed, "Son of Tydeus, turn your


s: horses in flight; see you not that the hand of Jove is against


s: you? To-day he vouchsafes victory to Hector; to-morrow, if it so


s: please him, he will again grant it to ourselves; no man, however


s: brave, may thwart the purpose of Jove, for he is far stronger


s: Diomed answered, "All that you have said is true; there is a


s: grief however which pierces me to the very heart, for Hector will


s: "Son of Tydeus," replied Nestor, "what mean you? Though Hector


s: say that you are a coward the Trojans and Dardanians will not


s: believe him, nor yet the wives of the mighty warriors whom you


s: So saying he turned the horses back through the thick of the


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


s: rained their darts after them. Hector shouted to him and said,


s: "Son of Tydeus, the Danaans have done you honour hitherto as


s: regards your place at table, the meals they give you, and the


s: filling of your cup with wine. Henceforth they will despise you,


s: for you are become no better than a woman. Be off, girl and


s: coward that you are, you shall not scale our walls through any


s: flinching upon my part; neither shall you carry off our wives in


s: your ships, for I shall kill you with my own hand."


s: The son of Tydeus was in two minds whether or no to turn his


s: horses round again and fight him. Thrice did he doubt, and thrice


s: that he would turn the battle in their favour. Hector then


s: shouted to them and said, "Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians,


s: lovers of close fighting, be men, my friends, and fight with


s: might and with main; I see that Jove is minded to vouchsafe


s: victory and great glory to myself, while he will deal destruction


s: spring lightly over their trench, and when I am at their ships


s: forget not to bring me fire that I may burn them, while I


s: slaughter the Argives who will be all dazed and bewildered by the


s: Then he cried to his horses, "Xanthus and Podargus, and you


s: Aethon and goodly Lampus, pay me for your keep now and for all


s: the honey-sweet corn with which Andromache daughter of great


s: Eetion has fed you, and for she has mixed wine and water for you


s: to drink whenever you would, before doing so even for me who am


s: her own husband. Haste in pursuit, that we may take the shield of


s: gold, arm-rods and all, and that we may strip from the shoulders


s: of Diomed. the cuirass which Vulcan made him. Could we take these


s: Thus did he vaunt, but Queen Juno made high Olympus quake as she


s: shook with rage upon her throne. Then said she to the mighty god


s: of Neptune, "What now, wide ruling lord of the earthquake? Can


s: you find no compassion in your heart for the dying Danaans, who


s: bring you many a welcome offering to Helice and to Aegae? Wish


s: them well then. If all of us who are with the Danaans were to


s: drive the Trojans back and keep Jove from helping them, he would


s: have to sit there sulking alone on Ida."


s: King Neptune was greatly troubled and answered, "Juno, rash of


s: tongue, what are you talking about? We other gods must not set


s: ourselves against Jove, for he is far stronger than we are."


s: Thus did they converse; but the whole space enclosed by the


s: ditch, from the ships even to the wall, was filled with horses


s: and warriors, who were pent up there by Hector son of Priam, now


s: that the hand of Jove was with him. He would even have set fire


s: to the ships and burned them, had not Queen Juno put it into the


s: mind of Agamemnon, to bestir himself and to encourage the


s: Achaeans. To this end he went round the ships and tents carrying


s: a great purple cloak, and took his stand by the huge black hull


s: of Ulysses' ship, which was middlemost of all; it was from this


s: place that his voice would carry farthest, on the one hand


s: towards the tents of Ajax son of Telamon, and on the other


s: towards those of Achilles--for these two heroes, well assured of


s: their own strength, had valorously drawn up their ships at the


s: two ends of the line. From this spot then, with a voice that