The Iliad
Book XIII
Now when Jove had thus brought Hector and the Trojans to the ships, he
left them to their never-ending toil, and turned his keen eyes away, looking
elsewhither towards the horse-breeders of Thrace, the Mysians, fighters
at close quarters, the noble Hippemolgi, who live on milk, and the Abians,
justest of mankind. He no longer turned so much as a glance towards Troy,
for he did not think that any of the immortals would go and help either
Trojans or Danaans.
But King Neptune had kept no blind look-out; he had been looking
admiringly on the battle from his seat on the topmost crests of wooded
Samothrace, whence he could see all Ida, with the city of Priam and the
ships of the Achaeans. He had come from under the sea and taken his place
here, for he pitied the Achaeans who were being overcome by the Trojans;
and he was furiously angry with Jove.
Presently he came down from his post on the mountain top, and as
he strode swiftly onwards the high hills and the forest quaked beneath
the tread of his immortal feet. Three strides he took, and with the fourth
he reached his goal- Aegae, where is his glittering golden palace, imperishable,
in the depths of the sea. When he got there, he yoked his fleet brazen-footed
steeds with their manes of gold all flying in the wind; he clothed himself
in raiment of gold, grasped his gold whip, and took his stand upon his
chariot. As he went his way over the waves the sea-monsters left their
lairs, for they knew their lord, and came gambolling round him from every
quarter of the deep, while the sea in her gladness opened a path before
his chariot. So lightly did the horses fly that the bronze axle of the
car was not even wet beneath it; and thus his bounding steeds took him
to the ships of the Achaeans.
Now there is a certain huge cavern in the depths of the sea midway
between Tenedos and rocky Imbrus; here Neptune lord of the earthquake stayed
his horses, unyoked them, and set before them their ambrosial forage. He
hobbled their feet with hobbles of gold which none could either unloose
or break, so that they might stay there in that place until their lord
should return. This done he went his way to the host of the
Achaeans.
Now the Trojans followed Hector son of Priam in close array like
a storm-cloud or flame of fire, fighting with might and main and raising
the cry battle; for they deemed that they should take the ships of the
Achaeans and kill all their chiefest heroes then and there. Meanwhile earth-encircling
Neptune lord of the earthquake cheered on the Argives, for he had come
up out of the sea and had assumed the form and voice of
Calchas.
First he spoke to the two Ajaxes, who were doing their best already,
and said, "Ajaxes, you two can be the saving of the Achaeans if you will
put out all your strength and not let yourselves be daunted. I am not afraid
that the Trojans, who have got over the wall in force, will be victorious
in any other part, for the Achaeans can hold all of them in check, but
I much fear that some evil will befall us here where furious Hector, who
boasts himself the son of great Jove himself, is leading them on like a
pillar of flame. May some god, then, put it into your hearts to make a
firm stand here, and to incite others to do the like. In this case you
will drive him from the ships even though he be inspired by Jove
himself."
As he spoke the earth-encircling lord of the earthquake struck
both of them with his sceptre and filled their hearts with daring. He made
their legs light and active, as also their hands and their feet. Then,
as the soaring falcon poises on the wing high above some sheer rock, and
presently swoops down to chase some bird over the plain, even so did Neptune
lord of the earthquake wing his flight into the air and leave them. Of
the two, swift Ajax son of Oileus was the first to know who it was that
had been speaking with them, and said to Ajax son of Telamon, "Ajax, this
is one of the gods that dwell on Olympus, who in the likeness of the prophet
is bidding us fight hard by our ships. It was not Calchas the seer and
diviner of omens; I knew him at once by his feet and knees as he turned
away, for the gods are soon recognised. Moreover I feel the lust of battle
burn more fiercely within me, while my hands and my feet under me are more
eager for the fray."
And Ajax son of Telamon answered, "I too feel my hands grasp my
spear more firmly; my strength is greater, and my feet more nimble; I long,
moreover, to meet furious Hector son of Priam, even in single
combat."
Thus did they converse, exulting in the hunger after battle with
which the god had filled them. Meanwhile the earth-encircler roused the
Achaeans, who were resting in the rear by the ships overcome at once by
hard fighting and by grief at seeing that the Trojans had got over the
wall in force. Tears began falling from their eyes as they beheld them,
for they made sure that they should not escape destruction; but the lord
of the earthquake passed lightly about among them and urged their battalions
to the front.
First he went up to Teucer and Leitus, the hero Peneleos, and Thoas
and Deipyrus; Meriones also and Antilochus, valiant warriors; all did he
exhort. "Shame on you young Argives," he cried, "it was on your prowess
I relied for the saving of our ships; if you fight not with might and main,
this very day will see us overcome by the Trojans. Of a truth my eyes behold
a great and terrible portent which I had never thought to see- the Trojans
at our ships- they, who were heretofore like panic-stricken hinds, the
prey of jackals and wolves in a forest, with no strength but in flight
for they cannot defend themselves. Hitherto the Trojans dared not for one
moment face the attack of the Achaeans, but now they have sallied far from
their city and are fighting at our very ships through the cowardice of
our leader and the disaffection of the people themselves, who in their
discontent care not to fight in defence of the ships but are being slaughtered
near them. True, King Agamemnon son of Atreus is the cause of our disaster
by having insulted the son of Peleus, still this is no reason why we should
leave off fighting. Let us be quick to heal, for the hearts of the brave
heal quickly. You do ill to be thus remiss, you, who are the finest soldiers
in our whole army. I blame no man for keeping out of battle if he is a
weakling, but I am indignant with such men as you are. My good friends,
matters will soon become even worse through this slackness; think, each
one of you, of his own honour and credit, for the hazard of the fight is
extreme. Great Hector is now fighting at our ships; he has broken through
the gates and the strong bolt that held them."
Thus did the earth-encircler address the Achaeans and urge them
on. Thereon round the two Ajaxes there gathered strong bands of men, of
whom not even Mars nor Minerva, marshaller of hosts could make light if
they went among them, for they were the picked men of all those who were
now awaiting the onset of Hector and the Trojans. They made a living fence,
spear to spear, shield to shield, buckler to buckler, helmet to helmet,
and man to man. The horse-hair crests on their gleaming helmets touched
one another as they nodded forward, so closely seffied were they; the spears
they brandished in their strong hands were interlaced, and their hearts
were set on battle.
The Trojans advanced in a dense body, with Hector at their head
pressing right on as a rock that comes thundering down the side of some
mountain from whose brow the winter torrents have torn it; the foundations
of the dull thing have been loosened by floods of rain, and as it bounds
headlong on its way it sets the whole forest in an uproar; it swerves neither
to right nor left till it reaches level ground, but then for all its fury
it can go no further- even so easily did Hector for a while seem as though
he would career through the tents and ships of the Achaeans till he had
reached the sea in his murderous course; but the closely serried battalions
stayed him when he reached them, for the sons of the Achaeans thrust at
him with swords and spears pointed at both ends, and drove him from them
so that he staggered and gave ground; thereon he shouted to the Trojans,
"Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians, fighters in close combat, stand firm:
the Achaeans have set themselves as a wall against me, but they will not
check me for long; they will give ground before me if the mightiest of
the gods, the thundering spouse of Juno, has indeed inspired my
onset."
With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Deiphobus
son of Priam went about among them intent on deeds of daring with his round
shield before him, under cover of which he strode quickly forward. Meriones
took aim at him with a spear, nor did he fail to hit the broad orb of ox-hide;
but he was far from piercing it for the spear broke in two pieces long
ere he could do so; moreover Deiphobus had seen it coming and had held
his shield well away from him. Meriones drew back under cover of his comrades,
angry alike at having failed to vanquish Deiphobus, and having broken his
spear. He turned therefore towards the ships and tents to fetch a spear
which he had left behind in his tent.
The others continued fighting, and the cry of battle rose up into
the heavens. Teucer son of Telamon was the first to kill his man, to wit,
the warrior Imbrius son of Mentor rich in horses. Until the Achaeans came
he had lived in Pedaeum, and had married Medesicaste a bastard daughter
of Priam; but on the arrival of the Danaan fleet he had gone back to Ilius,
and was a great man among the Trojans, dwelling near Priam himself, who
gave him like honour with his own sons. The son of Telamon now struck him
under the ear with a spear which he then drew back again, and Imbrius fell
headlong as an ash-tree when it is felled on the crest of some high mountain
beacon, and its delicate green foliage comes toppling down to the ground.
Thus did he fall with his bronze-dight armour ringing harshly round him,
and Teucer sprang forward with intent to strip him of his armour; but as
he was doing so, Hector took aim at him with a spear. Teucer saw the spear
coming and swerved aside, whereon it hit Amphimachus, son of Cteatus son
of Actor, in the chest as he was coming into battle, and his armour rang
rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. Hector sprang forward
to take Amphimachus′s helmet from off his temples, and in a moment Ajax
threw a spear at him, but did not wound him, for he was encased all over
in his terrible armour; nevertheless the spear struck the boss of his shield
with such force as to drive him back from the two corpses, which the Achaeans
then drew off. Stichius and Menestheus, captains of the Athenians, bore
away Amphimachus to the host of the Achaeans, while the two brave and impetuous
Ajaxes did the like by Imbrius. As two lions snatch a goat from the hounds
that have it in their fangs, and bear it through thick brushwood high above
the ground in their jaws, thus did the Ajaxes bear aloft the body of Imbrius,
and strip it of its armour. Then the son of Oileus severed the head from
the neck in revenge for the death of Amphimachus, and sent it whirling
over the crowd as though it had been a ball, till fell in the dust at Hector′s
feet.
Neptune was exceedingly angry that his grandson Amphimachus should
have fallen; he therefore went to the tents and ships of the Achaeans to
urge the Danaans still further, and to devise evil for the Trojans. Idomeneus
met him, as he was taking leave of a comrade, who had just come to him
from the fight, wounded in the knee. His fellow-soldiers bore him off the
field, and Idomeneus having given orders to the physicians went on to his
tent, for he was still thirsting for battle. Neptune spoke in the likeness
and with the voice of Thoas son of Andraemon who ruled the Aetolians of
all Pleuron and high Calydon, and was honoured among his people as though
he were a god. "Idomeneus," said he, "lawgiver to the Cretans, what has
now become of the threats with which the sons of the Achaeans used to threaten
the Trojans?"
And Idomeneus chief among the Cretans answered, "Thoas, no one,
so far as I know, is in fault, for we can all fight. None are held back
neither by fear nor slackness, but it seems to be the of almighty Jove
that the Achaeans should perish ingloriously here far from Argos: you,
Thoas, have been always staunch, and you keep others in heart if you see
any fail in duty; be not then remiss now, but exhort all to do their
utmost."
To this Neptune lord of the earthquake made answer, "Idomeneus,
may he never return from Troy, but remain here for dogs to batten upon,
who is this day wilfully slack in fighting. Get your armour and go, we
must make all haste together if we may be of any use, though we are only
two. Even cowards gain courage from companionship, and we two can hold
our own with the bravest."
Therewith the god went back into the thick of the fight, and Idomeneus
when he had reached his tent donned his armour, grasped his two spears,
and sallied forth. As the lightning which the son of Saturn brandishes
from bright Olympus when he would show a sign to mortals, and its gleam
flashes far and wide- even so did his armour gleam about him as he ran.
Meriones his sturdy squire met him while he was still near his tent (for
he was going to fetch his spear) and Idomeneus said
"Meriones, fleet son of Molus, best of comrades, why have you left
the field? Are you wounded, and is the point of the weapon hurting you?
or have you been sent to fetch me? I want no fetching; I had far rather
fight than stay in my tent."
"Idomeneus," answered Meriones, "I come for a spear, if I can find
one in my tent; I have broken the one I had, in throwing it at the shield
of Deiphobus."
And Idomeneus captain of the Cretans answered, "You will find one
spear, or twenty if you so please, standing up against the end wall of
my tent. I have taken them from Trojans whom I have killed, for I am not
one to keep my enemy at arm′s length; therefore I have spears, bossed shields,
helmets, and burnished corslets."
Then Meriones said, "I too in my tent and at my ship have spoils
taken from the Trojans, but they are not at hand. I have been at all times
valorous, and wherever there has been hard fighting have held my own among
the foremost. There may be those among the Achaeans who do not know how
I fight, but you know it well enough yourself."
Idomeneus answered, "I know you for a brave man: you need not tell
me. If the best men at the ships were being chosen to go on an ambush-
and there is nothing like this for showing what a man is made of; it comes
out then who is cowardly and who brave; the coward will change colour at
every touch and turn; he is full of fears, and keeps shifting his weight
first on one knee and then on the other; his heart beats fast as he thinks
of death, and one can hear the chattering of his teeth; whereas the brave
man will not change colour nor be on finding himself in ambush, but is
all the time longing to go into action- if the best men were being chosen
for such a service, no one could make light of your courage nor feats of
arms. If you were struck by a dart or smitten in close combat, it would
not be from behind, in your neck nor back, but the weapon would hit you
in the chest or belly as you were pressing forward to a place in the front
ranks. But let us no longer stay here talking like children, lest we be
ill spoken of; go, fetch your spear from the tent at
once."
On this Meriones, peer of Mars, went to the tent and got himself
a spear of bronze. He then followed after Idomeneus, big with great deeds
of valour. As when baneful Mars sallies forth to battle, and his son Panic
so strong and dauntless goes with him, to strike terror even into the heart
of a hero- the pair have gone from Thrace to arm themselves among the Ephyri
or the brave Phlegyans, but they will not listen to both the contending
hosts, and will give victory to one side or to the other- even so did Meriones
and Idomeneus, captains of men, go out to battle clad in their bronze armour.
Meriones was first to speak. "Son of Deucalion," said he, "where would
you have us begin fighting? On the right wing of the host, in the centre,
or on the left wing, where I take it the Achaeans will be
weakest?"
Idomeneus answered, "There are others to defend the centre- the
two Ajaxes and Teucer, who is the finest archer of all the Achaeans, and
is good also in a hand-to-hand fight. These will give Hector son of Priam
enough to do; fight as he may, he will find it hard to vanquish their indomitable
fury, and fire the ships, unless the son of Saturn fling a firebrand upon
them with his own hand. Great Ajax son of Telamon will yield to no man
who is in mortal mould and eats the grain of Ceres, if bronze and great
stones can overthrow him. He would not yield even to Achilles in hand-to-hand
fight, and in fleetness of foot there is none to beat him; let us turn
therefore towards the left wing, that we may know forthwith whether we
are to give glory to some other, or he to us."
Meriones, peer of fleet Mars, then led the way till they came to
the part of the host which Idomeneus had named.
Now when the Trojans saw Idomeneus coming on like a flame of fire,
him and his squire clad in their richly wrought armour, they shouted and
made towards him all in a body, and a furious hand-to-hand fight raged
under the ships′ sterns. Fierce as the shrill winds that whistle upon a
day when dust lies deep on the roads, and the gusts raise it into a thick
cloud- even such was the fury of the combat, and might and main did they
hack at each other with spear and sword throughout the host. The field
bristled with the long and deadly spears which they bore. Dazzling was
the sheen of their gleaming helmets, their fresh-burnished breastplates,
and glittering shields as they joined battle with one another. Iron indeed
must be his courage who could take pleasure in the sight of such a turmoil,
and look on it without being dismayed.
Thus did the two mighty sons of Saturn devise evil for mortal heroes.
Jove was minded to give victory to the Trojans and to Hector, so as to
do honour to fleet Achilles, nevertheless he did not mean to utterly overthrow
the Achaean host before Ilius, and only wanted to glorify Thetis and her
valiant son. Neptune on the other hand went about among the Argives to
incite them, having come up from the grey sea in secret, for he was grieved
at seeing them vanquished by the Trojans, and was furiously angry with
Jove. Both were of the same race and country, but Jove was elder born and
knew more, therefore Neptune feared to defend the Argives openly, but in
the likeness of man, he kept on encouraging them throughout their host.
Thus, then, did these two devise a knot of war and battle, that none could
unloose or break, and set both sides tugging at it, to the failing of men′s
knees beneath them.
And now Idomeneus, though his hair was already flecked with grey,
called loud on the Danaans and spread panic among the Trojans as he leaped
in among them. He slew Othryoneus from Cabesus, a sojourner, who had but
lately come to take part in the war. He sought Cassandra the fairest of
Priam′s daughters in marriage, but offered no gifts of wooing, for he promised
a great thing, to wit, that he would drive the sons of the Achaeans willy
nilly from Troy; old King Priam had given his consent and promised her
to him, whereon he fought on the strength of the promises thus made to
him. Idomeneus aimed a spear, and hit him as he came striding on. His cuirass
of bronze did not protect him, and the spear stuck in his belly, so that
he fell heavily to the ground. Then Idomeneus vaunted over him saying,
"Othryoneus, there is no one in the world whom I shall admire more than
I do you, if you indeed perform what you have promised Priam son of Dardanus
in return for his daughter. We too will make you an offer; we will give
you the loveliest daughter of the son of Atreus, and will bring her from
Argos for you to marry, if you will sack the goodly city of Ilius in company
with ourselves; so come along with me, that we may make a covenant at the
ships about the marriage, and we will not be hard upon you about gifts
of wooing."
With this Idomeneus began dragging him by the foot through the
thick of the fight, but Asius came up to protect the body, on foot, in
front of his horses which his esquire drove so close behind him that he
could feel their ′breath upon his shoulder. He was longing to strike down
Idomeneus, but ere he could do so Idomeneus smote him with his spear in
the throat under the chin, and the bronze point went clean through it.
He fell as an oak, or poplar, or pine which shipwrights have felled for
ship′s timber upon the mountains with whetted axes- even thus did he lie
full length in front of his chariot and horses, grinding his teeth and
clutching at the bloodstained just. His charioteer was struck with panic
and did not dare turn his horses round and escape: thereupon Antilochus
hit him in the middle of his body with a spear; his cuirass of bronze did
not protect him, and the spear stuck in his belly. He fell gasping from
his chariot and Antilochus great Nestor′s son, drove his horses from the
Trojans to the Achaeans.
Deiphobus then came close up to Idomeneus to avenge Asius, and
took aim at him with a spear, but Idomeneus was on the look-out and avoided
it, for he was covered by the round shield he always bore- a shield of
oxhide and bronze with two arm-rods on the inside. He crouched under cover
of this, and the spear flew over him, but the shield rang out as the spear
grazed it, and the weapon sped not in vain from the strong hand of Deiphobus,
for it struck Hypsenor son of Hippasus, shepherd of his people, in the
liver under the midriff, and his limbs failed beneath him. Deiphobus vaunted
over him and cried with a loud voice saying, "Of a truth Asius has not
fallen unavenied; he will be glad even while passing into the house of
Hades, strong warden of the gate, that I have sent some one to escort
him."
Thus did he vaunt, and the Argives were stung by his saying. Noble
Antilochus was more angry than any one, but grief did not make him forget
his friend and comrade. He ran up to him, bestrode him, and covered him
with his shield; then two of his staunch comrades, Mecisteus son of Echius,
and Alastor stooped down, and bore him away groaning heavily to the ships.
But Idomeneus ceased not his fury. He kept on striving continually either
to enshroud some Trojan in the darkness of death, or himself to fall while
warding off the evil day from the Achaeans. Then fell Alcathous son of
noble Aesyetes: he was son-in-law to Anchises, having married his eldest
daughter Hippodameia who was the darling of her father and mother, and
excelled all her generation in beauty, accomplishments, and understanding,
wherefore the bravest man in all Troy had taken her to wife- him did Neptune
lay low by the hand of Idomeneus, blinding his bright eyes and binding
his strong limbs in fetters so that he could neither go back nor to one
side, but stood stock still like pillar or lofty tree when Idomeneus struck
him with a spear in the middle of his chest. The coat of mail that had
hitherto protected his body was now broken, and rang harshly as the spear
tore through it. He fell heavily to the ground, and the spear stuck in
his heart, which still beat, and made the butt-end of the spear quiver
till dread Mars put an end to his life. Idomeneus vaunted over him and
cried with a loud voice saying, "Deiphobus, since you are in a mood to
vaunt, shall we cry quits now that we have killed three men to your one?
Nay, sir, stand in fight with me yourself, that you may learn what manner
of Jove-begotten man am I that have come hither. Jove first begot Minos
chief ruler in Crete, and Minos in his turn begot a son, noble Deucalion;
Deucalion begot me to be a ruler over many men in Crete, and my ships have
now brought me hither, to be the bane of yourself, your father, and the
Trojans."
Thus did he speak, and Deiphobus was in two minds, whether to go
back and fetch some other Trojan to help him, or to take up the challenge
single-handed. In the end, he deemed it best to go and fetch Aeneas, whom
he found standing in the rear, for he had long been aggrieved with Priam
because in spite his brave deeds he did not give him his due share of honour.
Deiphobus went up to him and said, "Aeneas, prince among the Trojans, if
you know any ties of kinship, help me now to defend the body of your sister′s
husband; come with me to the rescue of Alcathous, who being husband to
your sister brought you up when you were a child in his house, and now
Idomeneus has slain him."
With these words he moved the heart of Aeneas, and he went in pursuit
of Idomeneus, big with great deeds of valour; but Idomeneus was not to
be thus daunted as though he were a mere child; he held his ground as a
wild boar at bay upon the mountains, who abides the coming of a great crowd
of men in some lonely place- the bristles stand upright on his back, his
eyes flash fire, and he whets his tusks in his eagerness to defend himself
against hounds and men- even so did famed Idomeneus hold his ground and
budge not at the coming of Aeneas. He cried aloud to his comrades looking
towards Ascalaphus, Aphareus, Deipyrus, Meriones, and Antilochus, all of
them brave soldiers- "Hither my friends," he cried, "and leave me not single-handed-
I go in great fear by fleet Aeneas, who is coming against me, and is a
redoubtable dispenser of death battle. Moreover he is in the flower of
youth when a man′s strength is greatest; if I was of the same age as he
is and in my present mind, either he or I should soon bear away the prize
of victory
On this, all of them as one man stood near him, shield on shoulder.
Aeneas on the other side called to his comrades, looking towards Deiphobus,
Paris, and Agenor, who were leaders of the Trojans along with himself,
and the people followed them as sheep follow the ram when they go down
to drink after they have been feeding, and the heart of the shepherd is
glad- even so was the heart of Aeneas gladdened when he saw his people
follow him.
Then they fought furiously in close combat about the body of Alcathous,
wielding their long spears; and the bronze armour about their bodies rang
fearfully as they took aim at one another in the press of the fight, while
the two heroes Aeneas and Idomeneus, peers of Mars, outxied every one in
their desire to hack at each other with sword and spear. Aeneas took aim
first, but Idomeneus was on the lookout and avoided the spear, so that
it sped from Aeneas′ strong hand in vain, and fell quivering in the ground.
Idomeneus meanwhile smote Oenomaus in the middle of his belly, and broke
the plate of his corslet, whereon his bowels came gushing out and he clutched
the earth in the palms of his hands as he fell sprawling in the dust. Idomeneus
drew his spear out of the body, but could not strip him of the rest of
his armour for the rain of darts that were showered upon him: moreover
his strength was now beginning to fail him so that he could no longer charge,
and could neither spring forward to recover his own weapon nor swerve aside
to avoid one that was aimed at him; therefore, though he still defended
himself in hand-to-hand fight, his heavy feet could not bear him swiftly
out of the battle. Deiphobus aimed a spear at him as he was retreating
slowly from the field, for his bitterness against him was as fierce as
ever, but again he missed him, and hit Ascalaphus, the son of Mars; the
spear went through his shoulder, and he clutched the earth in the palms
of his hands as he fell sprawling in the dust.
Grim Mars of awful voice did not yet know that his son had fallen,
for he was sitting on the summits of Olympus under the golden clouds, by
command of Jove, where the other gods were also sitting, forbidden to take
part in the battle. Meanwhile men fought furiously about the body. Deiphobus
tore the helmet from off his head, but Meriones sprang upon him, and struck
him on the arm with a spear so that the visored helmet fell from his hand
and came ringing down upon the ground. Thereon Meriones sprang upon him
like a vulture, drew the spear from his shoulder, and fell back under cover
of his men. Then Polites, own brother of Deiphobus passed his arms around
his waist, and bore him away from the battle till he got to his horses
that were standing in the rear of the fight with the chariot and their
driver. These took him towards the city groaning and in great pain, with
the blood flowing from his arm.
The others still fought on, and the battle-cry rose to heaven without
ceasing. Aeneas sprang on Aphareus son of Caletor, and struck him with
a spear in his throat which was turned towards him; his head fell on one
side, his helmet and shield came down along with him, and death, life′s
foe, was shed around him. Antilochus spied his chance, flew forward towards
Thoon, and wounded him as he was turning round. He laid open the vein that
runs all the way up the back to the neck; he cut this vein clean away throughout
its whole course, and Thoon fell in the dust face upwards, stretching out
his hands imploringly towards his comrades. Antilochus sprang upon him
and stripped the armour from his shoulders, glaring round him fearfully
as he did so. The Trojans came about him on every side and struck his broad
and gleaming shield, but could not wound his body, for Neptune stood guard
over the son of Nestor, though the darts fell thickly round him. He was
never clear of the foe, but was always in the thick of the fight; his spear
was never idle; he poised and aimed it in every direction, so eager was
he to hit some one from a distance or to fight him hand to
hand.
As he was thus aiming among the crowd, he was seen by Adamas son
of Asius, who rushed towards him and struck him with a spear in the middle
of his shield, but Neptune made its point without effect, for he grudged
him the life of Antilochus. One half, therefore, of the spear stuck fast
like a charred stake in Antilochus′s shield, while the other lay on the
ground. Adamas then sought shelter under cover of his men, but Meriones
followed after and hit him with a spear midway between the private parts
and the navel, where a wound is particualrly painful to wretched mortals.
There did Meriones transfix him, and he writhed convulsively about the
spear as some bull whom mountain herdsmen have bound with ropes of withes
and are taking away perforce. Even so did he move convulsively for a while,
but not for very long, till Meriones came up and drew the spear out of
his body, and his eyes were veiled in darkness.
Helenus then struck Deipyrus with a great Thracian sword, hitting
him on the temple in close combat and tearing the helmet from his head;
the helmet fell to the ground, and one of those who were fighting on the
Achaean side took charge of it as it rolled at his feet, but the eyes of
Deipyrus were closed in the darkness of death.
On this Menelaus was grieved, and made menacingly towards Helenus,
brandishing his spear; but Helenus drew his bow, and the two attacked one
another at one and the same moment, the one with his spear, and the other
with his bow and arrow. The son of Priam hit the breastplate of Menelaus′s
corslet, but the arrow glanced from off it. As black beans or pulse come
pattering down on to a threshing-floor from the broad winnowing-shovel,
blown by shrill winds and shaken by the shovel- even so did the arrow glance
off and recoil from the shield of Menelaus, who in his turn wounded the
hand with which Helenus carried his bow; the spear went right through his
hand and stuck in the bow itself, so that to his life he retreated under
cover of his men, with his hand dragging by his side- for the spear weighed
it down till Agenor drew it out and bound the hand carefully up in a woollen
sling which his esquire had with him.
Pisander then made straight at Menelaus- his evil destiny luring
him on to his doom, for he was to fall in fight with you, O Menelaus. When
the two were hard by one another the spear of the son of Atreus turned
aside and he missed his aim; Pisander then struck the shield of brave Menelaus
but could not pierce it, for the shield stayed the spear and broke the
shaft; nevertheless he was glad and made sure of victory; forthwith, however,
the son of Atreus drew his sword and sprang upon him. Pisander then seized
the bronze battle-axe, with its long and polished handle of olive wood
that hung by his side under his shield, and the two made at one another.
Pisander struck the peak of Menelaus′s crested helmet just under the crest
itself, and Menelaus hit Pisander as he was coming towards him, on the
forehead, just at the rise of his nose; the bones cracked and his two gore-bedrabbled
eyes fell by his feet in the dust. He fell backwards to the ground, and
Menelaus set his heel upon him, stripped him of his armour, and vaunted
over him saying, "Even thus shall you Trojans leave the ships of the Achaeans,
proud and insatiate of battle though you be: nor shall you lack any of
the disgrace and shame which you have heaped upon myself. Cowardly she-wolves
that you are, you feared not the anger of dread Jove, avenger of violated
hospitality, who will one day destroy your city; you stole my wedded wife
and wickedly carried off much treasure when you were her guest, and now
you would fling fire upon our ships, and kill our heroes. A day will come
when, rage as you may, you shall be stayed. O father Jove, you, who they
say art above all both gods and men in wisdom, and from whom all things
that befall us do proceed, how can you thus favour the Trojans- men so
proud and overweening, that they are never tired of fighting? All things
pall after a while- sleep, love, sweet song, and stately dance- still these
are things of which a man would surely have his fill rather than of battle,
whereas it is of battle that the Trojans are insatiate."
So saying Menelaus stripped the blood-stained armour from the body
of Pisander, and handed it over to his men; then he again ranged himself
among those who were in the front of the fight.
Harpalion son of King Pylaemenes then sprang upon him; he had come
to fight at Troy along with his father, but he did not go home again. He
struck the middle of Menelaus′s shield with his spear but could not pierce
it, and to save his life drew back under cover of his men, looking round
him on every side lest he should be wounded. But Meriones aimed a bronze-tipped
arrow at him as he was leaving the field, and hit him on the right buttock;
the arrow pierced the bone through and through, and penetrated the bladder,
so he sat down where he was and breathed his last in the arms of his comrades,
stretched like a worm upon the ground and watering the earth with the blood
that flowed from his wound. The brave Paphlagonians tended him with all
due care; they raised him into his chariot, and bore him sadly off to the
city of Troy; his father went also with him weeping bitterly, but there
was no ransom that could bring his dead son to life
again.
Paris was deeply grieved by the death of Harpalion, who was his
host when he went among the Paphlagonians; he aimed an arrow, therefore,
in order to avenge him. Now there was a certain man named Euchenor, son
of Polyidus the prophet, a brave man and wealthy, whose home was in Corinth.
This Euchenor had set sail for Troy well knowing that it would be the death
of him, for his good old father Polyidus had often told him that he must
either stay at home and die of a terrible disease, or go with the Achaeans
and perish at the hands of the Trojans; he chose, therefore, to avoid incurring
the heavy fine the Achaeans would have laid upon him, and at the same time
to escape the pain and suffering of disease. Paris now smote him on the
jaw under his ear, whereon the life went out of him and he was enshrouded
in the darkness of death.
Thus then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. But Hector
had not yet heard, and did not know that the Argives were making havoc
of his men on the left wing of the battle, where the Achaeans ere long
would have triumphed over them, so vigorously did Neptune cheer them on
and help them. He therefore held on at the point where he had first forced
his way through the gates and the wall, after breaking through the serried
ranks of Danaan warriors. It was here that the ships of Ajax and Protesilaus
were drawn up by the sea-shore; here the wall was at its lowest, and the
fight both of man and horse raged most fiercely. The Boeotians and the
Ionians with their long tunics, the Locrians, the men of Phthia, and the
famous force of the Epeans could hardly stay Hector as he rushed on towards
the ships, nor could they drive him from them, for he was as a wall of
fire. The chosen men of the Athenians were in the van, led by Menestheus
son of Peteos, with whom were also Pheidas, Stichius, and stalwart Bias:
Meges son of Phyleus, Amphion, and Dracius commanded the Epeans, while
Medon and staunch Podarces led the men of Phthia. Of these, Medon was bastard
son to Oileus and brother of Ajax, but he lived in Phylace away from his
own country, for he had killed the brother of his stepmother Eriopis, the
wife of Oileus; the other, Podarces, was the son of Iphiclus son of Phylacus.
These two stood in the van of the Phthians, and defended the ships along
with the Boeotians.
Ajax son of Oileus never for a moment left the side of Ajax son
of Telamon, but as two swart oxen both strain their utmost at the plough
which they are drawing in a fallow field, and the sweat steams upwards
from about the roots of their horns- nothing but the yoke divides them
as they break up the ground till they reach the end of the field- even
so did the two Ajaxes stand shoulder to shoulder by one another. Many and
brave comrades followed the son of Telamon, to relieve him of his shield
when he was overcome with sweat and toil, but the Locrians did not follow
so close after the son of Oileus, for they could not hold their own in
a hand-to-hand fight. They had no bronze helmets with plumes of horse-hair,
neither had they shields nor ashen spears, but they had come to Troy armed
with bows, and with slings of twisted wool from which they showered their
missiles to break the ranks of the Trojans. The others, therefore, with
their heavy armour bore the brunt of the fight with the Trojans and with
Hector, while the Locrians shot from behind, under their cover; and thus
the Trojans began to lose heart, for the arrows threw them into
confusion.
The Trojans would now have been driven in sorry plight from the
ships and tents back to windy Ilius, had not Polydamas presently said to
Hector, "Hector, there is no persuading you to take advice. Because heaven
has so richly endowed you with the arts of war, you think that you must
therefore excel others in counsel; but you cannot thus claim preeminence
in all things. Heaven has made one man an excellent soldier; of another
it has made a dancer or a singer and player on the lyre; while yet in another
Jove has implanted a wise understanding of which men reap fruit to the
saving of many, and he himself knows more about it than any one; therefore
I will say what I think will be best. The fight has hemmed you in as with
a circle of fire, and even now that the Trojans are within the wall some
of them stand aloof in full armour, while others are fighting scattered
and outnumbered near the ships. Draw back, therefore, and call your chieftains
round you, that we may advise together whether to fall now upon the ships
in the hope that heaven may vouchsafe us victory, or to beat a retreat
while we can yet safely do so. I greatly fear that the Achaeans will pay
us their debt of yesterday in full, for there is one abiding at their ships
who is never weary of battle, and who will not hold aloof much
longer."
Thus spoke Polydamas, and his words pleased Hector well. He sprang
in full armour from his chariot and said, "Polydamas, gather the chieftains
here; I will go yonder into the fight, but will return at once when I have
given them their orders."
He then sped onward, towering like a snowy mountain, and with a
loud cry flew through the ranks of the Trojans and their allies. When they
heard his voice they all hastened to gather round Polydamas the excellent
son of Panthous, but Hector kept on among the foremost, looking everywhere
to find Deiphobus and prince Helenus, Adamas son of Asius, and Asius son
of Hyrtacus; living, indeed, and scatheless he could no longer find them,
for the two last were lying by the sterns of the Achaean ships, slain by
the Argives, while the others had been also stricken and wounded by them;
but upon the left wing of the dread battle he found Alexandrus, husband
of lovely Helen, cheering his men and urging them on to fight. He went
up to him and upbraided him. "Paris," said he, "evil-hearted Paris, fair
to see but woman-mad and false of tongue, where are Deiphobus and King
Helenus? Where are Adamas son of Asius, and Asius son of Hyrtacus? Where
too is Othryoneus? Ilius is undone and will now surely
fall!"
Alexandrus answered, "Hector, why find fault when there is no one
to find fault with? I should hold aloof from battle on any day rather than
this, for my mother bore me with nothing of the coward about me. From the
moment when you set our men fighting about the ships we have been staying
here and doing battle with the Danaans. Our comrades about whom you ask
me are dead; Deiphobus and King Helenus alone have left the field, wounded
both of them in the hand, but the son of Saturn saved them alive. Now,
therefore, lead on where you would have us go, and we will follow with
right goodwill; you shall not find us fail you in so far as our strength
holds out, but no man can do more than in him lies, no matter how willing
he may be."
With these words he satisfied his brother, and the two went towards
the part of the battle where the fight was thickest, about Cebriones, brave
Polydamas, Phalces, Orthaeus, godlike Polyphetes, Palmys, Ascanius, and
Morys son of Hippotion, who had come from fertile Ascania on the preceding
day to relieve other troops. Then Jove urged them on to fight. They flew
forth like the blasts of some fierce wind that strike earth in the van
of a thunderstorm- they buffet the salt sea into an uproar; many and mighty
are the great waves that come crashing in one after the other upon the
shore with their arching heads all crested with foam- even so did rank
behind rank of Trojans arrayed in gleaming armour follow their leaders
onward. The way was led by Hector son of Priam, peer of murderous Mars,
with his round shield before him- his shield of ox-hides covered with plates
of bronze- and his gleaming helmet upon his temples. He kept stepping forward
under cover of his shield in every direction, making trial of the ranks
to see if they would give way be him, but he could not daunt the courage
of the Achaeans. Ajax was the first to stride out and challenge him. "Sir,"
he cried, "draw near; why do you think thus vainly to dismay the Argives?
We Achaeans are excellent soldiers, but the scourge of Jove has fallen
heavily upon us. Your heart, forsooth, is set on destroying our ships,
but we too have bands that can keep you at bay, and your own fair town
shall be sooner taken and sacked by ourselves. The time is near when you
shall pray Jove and all the gods in your flight, that your steeds may be
swifter than hawks as they raise the dust on the plain and bear you back
to your city."
As he was thus speaking a bird flew by upon his right hand, and
the host of the Achaeans shouted, for they took heart at the omen. But
Hector answered, "Ajax, braggart and false of tongue, would that I were
as sure of being son for evermore to aegis-bearing Jove, with Queen Juno
for my mother, and of being held in like honour with Minerva and Apollo,
as I am that this day is big with the destruction of the Achaeans; and
you shall fall among them if you dare abide my spear; it shall rend your
fair body and bid you glut our hounds and birds of prey with your fat and
your flesh, as you fall by the ships of the Achaeans."
With these words he led the way and the others followed after with
a cry that rent the air, while the host shouted behind them. The Argives
on their part raised a shout likewise, nor did they forget their prowess,
but stood firm against the onslaught of the Trojan chieftains, and the
cry from both the hosts rose up to heaven and to the brightness of Jove′s
presence.
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