The Iliad
Book XV
But when their flight had taken them past the trench and the set stakes,
and many had fallen by the hands of the Danaans, the Trojans made a halt
on reaching their chariots, routed and pale with fear. Jove now woke on
the crests of Ida, where he was lying with golden-throned Juno by his side,
and starting to his feet he saw the Trojans and Achaeans, the one thrown
into confusion, and the others driving them pell-mell before them with
King Neptune in their midst. He saw Hector lying on the ground with his
comrades gathered round him, gasping for breath, wandering in mind and
vomiting blood, for it was not the feeblest of the Achaeans who struck
him.
The sire of gods and men had pity on him, and looked fiercely on
Juno. "I see, Juno," said he, "you mischief- making trickster, that your
cunning has stayed Hector from fighting and has caused the rout of his
host. I am in half a mind to thrash you, in which case you will be the
first to reap the fruits of your scurvy knavery. Do you not remember how
once upon a time I had you hanged? I fastened two anvils on to your feet,
and bound your hands in a chain of gold which none might break, and you
hung in mid-air among the clouds. All the gods in Olympus were in a fury,
but they could not reach you to set you free; when I caught any one of
them I gripped him and hurled him from the heavenly threshold till he came
fainting down to earth; yet even this did not relieve my mind from the
incessant anxiety which I felt about noble Hercules whom you and Boreas
had spitefully conveyed beyond the seas to Cos, after suborning the tempests;
but I rescued him, and notwithstanding all his mighty labours I brought
him back again to Argos. I would remind you of this that you may learn
to leave off being so deceitful, and discover how much you are likely to
gain by the embraces out of which you have come here to trick
me."
Juno trembled as he spoke, and said, "May heaven above and earth
below be my witnesses, with the waters of the river Styx- and this is the
most solemn oath that a blessed god can take- nay, I swear also by your
own almighty head and by our bridal bed- things over which I could never
possibly perjure myself- that Neptune is not punishing Hector and the Trojans
and helping the Achaeans through any doing of mine; it is all of his own
mere motion because he was sorry to see the Achaeans hard pressed at their
ships: if I were advising him, I should tell him to do as you bid
him."
The sire of gods and men smiled and answered, "If you, Juno, were
always to support me when we sit in council of the gods, Neptune, like
it or no, would soon come round to your and my way of thinking. If, then,
you are speaking the truth and mean what you say, go among the rank and
file of the gods, and tell Iris and Apollo lord of the bow, that I want
them- Iris, that she may go to the Achaean host and tell Neptune to leave
off fighting and go home, and Apollo, that he may send Hector again into
battle and give him fresh strength; he will thus forget his present sufferings,
and drive the Achaeans back in confusion till they fall among the ships
of Achilles son of Peleus. Achilles will then send his comrade Patroclus
into battle, and Hector will kill him in front of Ilius after he has slain
many warriors, and among them my own noble son Sarpedon. Achilles will
kill Hector to avenge Patroclus, and from that time I will bring it about
that the Achaeans shall persistently drive the Trojans back till they fulfil
the counsels of Minerva and take Ilius. But I will not stay my anger, nor
permit any god to help the Danaans till I have accomplished the desire
of the son of Peleus, according to the promise I made by bowing my head
on the day when Thetis touched my knees and besought me to give him
honour."
Juno heeded his words and went from the heights of Ida to great
Olympus. Swift as the thought of one whose fancy carries him over vast
continents, and he says to himself, "Now I will be here, or there," and
he would have all manner of things- even so swiftly did Juno wing her way
till she came to high Olympus and went in among the gods who were gathered
in the house of Jove. When they saw her they all of them came up to her,
and held out their cups to her by way of greeting. She let the others be,
but took the cup offered her by lovely Themis, who was first to come running
up to her. "Juno," said she, "why are you here? And you seem troubled-
has your husband the son of Saturn been frightening
you?"
And Juno answered, "Themis, do not ask me about it. You know what
a proud and cruel disposition my husband has. Lead the gods to table, where
you and all the immortals can hear the wicked designs which he has avowed.
Many a one, mortal and immortal, will be angered by them, however peaceably
he may be feasting now."
On this Juno sat down, and the gods were troubled throughout the
house of Jove. Laughter sat on her lips but her brow was furrowed with
care, and she spoke up in a rage. "Fools that we are," she cried, "to be
thus madly angry with Jove; we keep on wanting to go up to him and stay
him by force or by persuasion, but he sits aloof and cares for nobody,
for he knows that he is much stronger than any other of the immortals.
Make the best, therefore, of whatever ills he may choose to send each one
of you; Mars, I take it, has had a taste of them already, for his son Ascalaphus
has fallen in battle- the man whom of all others he loved most dearly and
whose father he owns himself to be."
When he heard this Mars smote his two sturdy thighs with the flat
of his hands, and said in anger, "Do not blame me, you gods that dwell
in heaven, if I go to the ships of the Achaeans and avenge the death of
my son, even though it end in my being struck by Jove′s lightning and lying
in blood and dust among the corpses."
As he spoke he gave orders to yoke his horses Panic and Rout, while
he put on his armour. On this, Jove would have been roused to still more
fierce and implacable enmity against the other immortals, had not Minerva,
ararmed for the safety of the gods, sprung from her seat and hurried outside.
She tore the helmet from his head and the shield from his shoulders, and
she took the bronze spear from his strong hand and set it on one side;
then she said to Mars, "Madman, you are undone; you have ears that hear
not, or you have lost all judgement and understanding; have you not heard
what Juno has said on coming straight from the presence of Olympian Jove?
Do you wish to go through all kinds of suffering before you are brought
back sick and sorry to Olympus, after having caused infinite mischief to
all us others? Jove would instantly leave the Trojans and Achaeans to themselves;
he would come to Olympus to punish us, and would grip us up one after another,
guilty or not guilty. Therefore lay aside your anger for the death of your
son; better men than he have either been killed already or will fall hereafter,
and one cannot protect every one′s whole family."
With these words she took Mars back to his seat. Meanwhile Juno
called Apollo outside, with Iris the messenger of the gods. "Jove," she
said to them, "desires you to go to him at once on Mt. Ida; when you have
seen him you are to do as he may then bid you."
Thereon Juno left them and resumed her seat inside, while Iris
and Apollo made all haste on their way. When they reached many-fountained
Ida, mother of wild beasts, they found Jove seated on topmost Gargarus
with a fragrant cloud encircling his head as with a diadem. They stood
before his presence, and he was pleased with them for having been so quick
in obeying the orders his wife had given them.
He spoke to Iris first. "Go," said he, "fleet Iris, tell King Neptune
what I now bid you- and tell him true. Bid him leave off fighting, and
either join the company of the gods, or go down into the sea. If he takes
no heed and disobeys me, let him consider well whether he is strong enough
to hold his own against me if I attack him. I am older and much stronger
than he is; yet he is not afraid to set himself up as on a level with myself,
of whom all the other gods stand in awe."
Iris, fleet as the wind, obeyed him, and as the cold hail or snowflakes
that fly from out the clouds before the blast of Boreas, even so did she
wing her way till she came close up to the great shaker of the earth. Then
she said, "I have come, O dark-haired king that holds the world in his
embrace, to bring you a message from Jove. He bids you leave off fighting,
and either join the company of the gods or go down into the sea; if, however,
you take no heed and disobey him, he says he will come down here and fight
you. He would have you keep out of his reach, for he is older and much
stronger than you are, and yet you are not afraid to set yourself up as
on a level with himself, of whom all the other gods stand in
awe."
Neptune was very angry and said, "Great heavens! strong as Jove
may be, he has said more than he can do if he has threatened violence against
me, who am of like honour with himself. We were three brothers whom Rhea
bore to Saturn- Jove, myself, and Hades who rules the world below. Heaven
and earth were divided into three parts, and each of us was to have an
equal share. When we cast lots, it fell to me to have my dwelling in the
sea for evermore; Hades took the darkness of the realms under the earth,
while air and sky and clouds were the portion that fell to Jove; but earth
and great Olympus are the common property of all. Therefore I will not
walk as Jove would have me. For all his strength, let him keep to his own
third share and be contented without threatening to lay hands upon me as
though I were nobody. Let him keep his bragging talk for his own sons and
daughters, who must perforce obey him.
Iris fleet as the wind then answered, "Am I really, Neptune, to
take this daring and unyielding message to Jove, or will you reconsider
your answer? Sensible people are open to argument, and you know that the
Erinyes always range themselves on the side of the older
person."
Neptune answered, "Goddess Iris, your words have been spoken in
season. It is well when a messenger shows so much discretion. Nevertheless
it cuts me to the very heart that any one should rebuke so angrily another
who is his own peer, and of like empire with himself. Now, however, I will
give way in spite of my displeasure; furthermore let me tell you, and I
mean what I say- if contrary to the desire of myself, Minerva driver of
the spoil, Juno, Mercury, and King Vulcan, Jove spares steep Ilius, and
will not let the Achaeans have the great triumph of sacking it, let him
understand that he will incur our implacable resentment."
Neptune now left the field to go down under the sea, and sorely
did the Achaeans miss him. Then Jove said to Apollo, "Go, dear Phoebus,
to Hector, for Neptune who holds the earth in his embrace has now gone
down under the sea to avoid the severity of my displeasure. Had he not
done so those gods who are below with Saturn would have come to hear of
the fight between us. It is better for both of us that he should have curbed
his anger and kept out of my reach, for I should have had much trouble
with him. Take, then, your tasselled aegis, and shake it furiously, so
as to set the Achaean heroes in a panic; take, moreover, brave Hector,
O Far-Darter, into your own care, and rouse him to deeds of daring, till
the Achaeans are sent flying back to their ships and to the Hellespont.
From that point I will think it well over, how the Achaeans may have a
respite from their troubles."
Apollo obeyed his father′s saying, and left the crests of Ida,
flying like a falcon, bane of doves and swiftest of all birds. He found
Hector no longer lying upon the ground, but sitting up, for he had just
come to himself again. He knew those who were about him, and the sweat
and hard breathing had left him from the moment when the will of aegis-bearing
Jove had revived him. Apollo stood beside him and said, "Hector, son of
Priam, why are you so faint, and why are you here away from the others?
Has any mishap befallen you?"
Hector in a weak voice answered, "And which, kind sir, of the gods
are you, who now ask me thus? Do you not know that Ajax struck me on the
chest with a stone as I was killing his comrades at the ships of the Achaeans,
and compelled me to leave off fighting? I made sure that this very day
I should breathe my last and go down into the house of
Hades."
Then King Apollo said to him, "Take heart; the son of Saturn has
sent you a mighty helper from Ida to stand by you and defend you, even
me, Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, who have been guardian hitherto
not only of yourself but of your city. Now, therefore, order your horsemen
to drive their chariots to the ships in great multitudes. I will go before
your horses to smooth the way for them, and will turn the Achaeans in
flight."
As he spoke he infused great strength into the shepherd of his
people. And as a horse, stabled and full-fed, breaks loose and gallops
gloriously over the plain to the place where he is wont to take his bath
in the river- he tosses his head, and his mane streams over his shoulders
as in all the pride of his strength he flies full speed to the pastures
where the mares are feeding- even so Hector, when he heard what the god
said, urged his horsemen on, and sped forward as fast as his limbs could
take him. As country peasants set their hounds on to a homed stag or wild
goat- he has taken shelter under rock or thicket, and they cannot find
him, but, lo, a bearded lion whom their shouts have roused stands in their
path, and they are in no further humour for the chase- even so the Achaeans
were still charging on in a body, using their swords and spears pointed
at both ends, but when they saw Hector going about among his men they were
afraid, and their hearts fell down into their feet.
Then spoke Thoas son of Andraemon, leader of the Aetolians, a man
who could throw a good throw, and who was staunch also in close fight,
while few could surpass him in debate when opinions were divided. He then
with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: "What, in heaven′s
name, do I now see? Is it not Hector come to life again? Every one made
sure he had been killed by Ajax son of Telamon, but it seems that one of
the gods has again rescued him. He has killed many of us Danaans already,
and I take it will yet do so, for the hand of Jove must be with him or
he would never dare show himself so masterful in the forefront of the battle.
Now, therefore, let us all do as I say; let us order the main body of our
forces to fall back upon the ships, but let those of us who profess to
be the flower of the army stand firm, and see whether we cannot hold Hector
back at the point of our spears as soon as he comes near us; I conceive
that he will then think better of it before he tries to charge into the
press of the Danaans."
Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. Those who
were about Ajax and King Idomeneus, the followers moreover of Teucer, Meriones,
and Meges peer of Mars called all their best men about them and sustained
the fight against Hector and the Trojans, but the main body fell back upon
the ships of the Achaeans.
The Trojans pressed forward in a dense body, with Hector striding
on at their head. Before him went Phoebus Apollo shrouded in cloud about
his shoulders. He bore aloft the terrible aegis with its shaggy fringe,
which Vulcan the smith had given Jove to strike terror into the hearts
of men. With this in his hand he led on the Trojans.
The Argives held together and stood their ground. The cry of battle
rose high from either side, and the arrows flew from the bowstrings. Many
a spear sped from strong hands and fastened in the bodies of many a valiant
warrior, while others fell to earth midway, before they could taste of
man′s fair flesh and glut themselves with blood. So long as Phoebus Apollo
held his aegis quietly and without shaking it, the weapons on either side
took effect and the people fell, but when he shook it straight in the face
of the Danaans and raised his mighty battle-cry their hearts fainted within
them and they forgot their former prowess. As when two wild beasts spring
in the dead of night on a herd of cattle or a large flock of sheep when
the herdsman is not there- even so were the Danaans struck helpless, for
Apollo filled them with panic and gave victory to Hector and the
Trojans.
The fight then became more scattered and they killed one another
where they best could. Hector killed Stichius and Arcesilaus, the one,
leader of the Boeotians, and the other, friend and comrade of Menestheus.
Aeneas killed Medon and Iasus. The first was bastard son to Oileus, and
brother to Ajax, but he lived in Phylace away from his own country, for
he had killed a man, a kinsman of his stepmother Eriopis whom Oileus had
married. Iasus had become a leader of the Athenians, and was son of Sphelus
the son of Boucolos. Polydamas killed Mecisteus, and Polites Echius, in
the front of the battle, while Agenor slew Clonius. Paris struck Deiochus
from behind in the lower part of the shoulder, as he was flying among the
foremost, and the point of the spear went clean through
him.
While they were spoiling these heroes of their armour, the Achaeans
were flying pellmell to the trench and the set stakes, and were forced
back within their wall. Hector then cried out to the Trojans, "Forward
to the ships, and let the spoils be. If I see any man keeping back on the
other side the wall away from the ships I will have him killed: his kinsmen
and kinswomen shall not give him his dues of fire, but dogs shall tear
him in pieces in front of our city."
As he spoke he laid his whip about his horses′ shoulders and called
to the Trojans throughout their ranks; the Trojans shouted with a cry that
rent the air, and kept their horses neck and neck with his own. Phoebus
Apollo went before, and kicked down the banks of the deep trench into its
middle so as to make a great broad bridge, as broad as the throw of a spear
when a man is trying his strength. The Trojan battalions poured over the
bridge, and Apollo with his redoubtable aegis led the way. He kicked down
the wall of the Achaeans as easily as a child who playing on the sea-shore
has built a house of sand and then kicks it down again and destroys it-
even so did you, O Apollo, shed toil and trouble upon the Argives, filling
them with panic and confusion.
Thus then were the Achaeans hemmed in at their ships, calling out
to one another and raising their hands with loud cries every man to heaven.
Nestor of Gerene, tower of strength to the Achaeans, lifted up his hands
to the starry firmament of heaven, and prayed more fervently than any of
them. "Father Jove," said he, "if ever any one in wheat-growing Argos burned
you fat thigh-bones of sheep or heifer and prayed that he might return
safely home, whereon you bowed your head to him in assent, bear it in mind
now, and suffer not the Trojans to triumph thus over the
Achaeans."
All counselling Jove thundered loudly in answer to die prayer of
the aged son of Neleus. When the heard Jove thunder they flung themselves
yet more fiercely on the Achaeans. As a wave breaking over the bulwarks
of a ship when the sea runs high before a gale- for it is the force of
the wind that makes the waves so great- even so did the Trojans spring
over the wall with a shout, and drive their chariots onwards. The two sides
fought with their double-pointed spears in hand-to-hand encounter-the Trojans
from their chariots, and the Achaeans climbing up into their ships and
wielding the long pikes that were lying on the decks ready for use in a
sea-fight, jointed and shod with bronze.
Now Patroclus, so long as the Achaeans and Trojans were fighting
about the wall, but were not yet within it and at the ships, remained sitting
in the tent of good Eurypylus, entertaining him with his conversation and
spreading herbs over his wound to ease his pain. When, however, he saw
the Trojans swarming through the breach in the wall, while the Achaeans
were clamouring and struck with panic, he cried aloud, and smote his two
thighs with the flat of his hands. "Eurypylus," said he in his dismay,
"I know you want me badly, but I cannot stay with you any longer, for there
is hard fighting going on; a servant shall take care of you now, for I
must make all speed to Achilles, and induce him to fight if I can; who
knows but with heaven′s help I may persuade him. A man does well to listen
to the advice of a friend."
When he had thus spoken he went his way. The Achaeans stood firm
and resisted the attack of the Trojans, yet though these were fewer in
number, they could not drive them back from the ships, neither could the
Trojans break the Achaean ranks and make their way in among the tents and
ships. As a carpenter′s line gives a true edge to a piece of ship′s timber,
in the hand of some skilled workman whom Minerva has instructed in all
kinds of useful arts- even so level was the issue of the fight between
the two sides, as they fought some round one and some round
another.
Hector made straight for Ajax, and the two fought fiercely about
the same ship. Hector could not force Ajax back and fire the ship, nor
yet could Ajax drive Hector from the spot to which heaven had brought
him.
Then Ajax struck Caletor son of Clytius in the chest with a spear
as he was bringing fire towards the ship. He fell heavily to the ground
and the torch dropped from his hand. When Hector saw his cousin fallen
in front of the ship he shouted to the Trojans and Lycians saying, "Trojans,
Lycians, and Dardanians good in close fight, bate not a jot, but rescue
the son of Clytius lest the Achaeans strip him of his armour now that he
has fallen."
He then aimed a spear at Ajax, and missed him, but he hit Lycophron
a follower of Ajax, who came from Cythera, but was living with Ajax inasmuch
as he had killed a man among the Cythereans. Hector′s spear struck him
on the head below the ear, and he fell headlong from the ship′s prow on
to the ground with no life left in him. Ajax shook with rage and said to
his brother, "Teucer, my good fellow, our trusty comrade the son of Mastor
has fallen, he came to live with us from Cythera and whom we honoured as
much as our own parents. Hector has just killed him; fetch your deadly
arrows at once and the bow which Phoebus Apollo gave
you."
Teucer heard him and hastened towards him with his bow and quiver
in his hands. Forthwith he showered his arrows on the Trojans, and hit
Cleitus the son of Pisenor, comrade of Polydamas the noble son of Panthous,
with the reins in his hands as he was attending to his horses; he was in
the middle of the very thickest part of the fight, doing good service to
Hector and the Trojans, but evil had now come upon him, and not one of
those who were fain to do so could avert it, for the arrow struck him on
the back of the neck. He fell from his chariot and his horses shook the
empty car as they swerved aside. King Polydamas saw what had happened,
and was the first to come up to the horses; he gave them in charge to Astynous
son of Protiaon, and ordered him to look on, and to keep the horses near
at hand. He then went back and took his place in the front
ranks.
Teucer then aimed another arrow at Hector, and there would have
been no more fighting at the ships if he had hit him and killed him then
and there: Jove, however, who kept watch over Hector, had his eyes on Teucer,
and deprived him of his triumph, by breaking his bowstring for him just
as he was drawing it and about to take his aim; on this the arrow went
astray and the bow fell from his hands. Teucer shook with anger and said
to his brother, "Alas, see how heaven thwarts us in all we do; it has broken
my bowstring and snatched the bow from my hand, though I strung it this
selfsame morning that it might serve me for many an
arrow."
Ajax son of Telamon answered, "My good fellow, let your bow and
your arrows be, for Jove has made them useless in order to spite the Danaans.
Take your spear, lay your shield upon your shoulder, and both fight the
Trojans yourself and urge others to do so. They may be successful for the
moment but if we fight as we ought they will find it a hard matter to take
the ships."
Teucer then took his bow and put it by in his tent. He hung a shield
four hides thick about his shoulders, and on his comely head he set his
helmet well wrought with a crest of horse-hair that nodded menacingly above
it; he grasped his redoubtable bronze-shod spear, and forthwith he was
by the side of Ajax.
When Hector saw that Teucer′s bow was of no more use to him, he
shouted out to the Trojans and Lycians, "Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians
good in close fight, be men, my friends, and show your mettle here at the
ships, for I see the weapon of one of their chieftains made useless by
the hand of Jove. It is easy to see when Jove is helping people and means
to help them still further, or again when he is bringing them down and
will do nothing for them; he is now on our side, and is going against the
Argives. Therefore swarm round the ships and fight. If any of you is struck
by spear or sword and loses his life, let him die; he dies with honour
who dies fighting for his country; and he will leave his wife and children
safe behind him, with his house and allotment unplundered if only the Achaeans
can be driven back to their own land, they and their
ships."
With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Ajax on the
other side exhorted his comrades saying, "Shame on you Argives, we are
now utterly undone, unless we can save ourselves by driving the enemy from
our ships. Do you think, if Hector takes them, that you will be able to
get home by land? Can you not hear him cheering on his whole host to fire
our fleet, and bidding them remember that they are not at a dance but in
battle? Our only course is to fight them with might and main; we had better
chance it, life or death, once for all, than fight long and without issue
hemmed in at our ships by worse men than ourselves."
With these words he put life and soul into them all. Hector then
killed Schedius son of Perimedes, leader of the Phoceans, and Ajax killed
Laodamas captain of foot soldiers and son to Antenor. Polydamas killed
Otus of Cyllene a comrade of the son of Phyleus and chief of the proud
Epeans. When Meges saw this he sprang upon him, but Polydamas crouched
down, and he missed him, for Apollo would not suffer the son of Panthous
to fall in battle; but the spear hit Croesmus in the middle of his chest,
whereon he fell heavily to the ground, and Meges stripped him of his armour.
At that moment the valiant soldier Dolops son of Lampus sprang upon Lampus
was son of Laomedon and for his valour, while his son Dolops was versed
in all the ways of war. He then struck the middle of the son of Phyleus′
shield with his spear, setting on him at close quarters, but his good corslet
made with plates of metal saved him; Phyleus had brought it from Ephyra
and the river Selleis, where his host, King Euphetes, had given it him
to wear in battle and protect him. It now served to save the life of his
son. Then Meges struck the topmost crest of Dolops′s bronze helmet with
his spear and tore away its plume of horse-hair, so that all newly dyed
with scarlet as it was it tumbled down into the dust. While he was still
fighting and confident of victory, Menelaus came up to help Meges, and
got by the side of Dolops unperceived; he then speared him in the shoulder,
from behind, and the point, driven so furiously, went through into his
chest, whereon he fell headlong. The two then made towards him to strip
him of his armour, but Hector called on all his brothers for help, and
he especially upbraided brave Melanippus son of Hiketaon, who erewhile
used to pasture his herds of cattle in Percote before the war broke out;
but when the ships of the Danaans came, he went back to Ilius, where he
was eminent among the Trojans, and lived near Priam who treated him as
one of his own sons. Hector now rebuked him and said, "Why, Melanippus,
are we thus remiss? do you take no note of the death of your kinsman, and
do you not see how they are trying to take Dolops′s armour? Follow me;
there must be no fighting the Argives from a distance now, but we must
do so in close combat till either we kill them or they take the high wall
of Ilius and slay her people."
He led on as he spoke, and the hero Melanippus followed after.
Meanwhile Ajax son of Telamon was cheering on the Argives. "My friends,"
he cried, "be men, and fear dishonour; quit yourselves in battle so as
to win respect from one another. Men who respect each other′s good opinion
are less likely to be killed than those who do not, but in flight there
is neither gain nor glory."
Thus did he exhort men who were already bent upon driving back
the Trojans. They laid his words to heart and hedged the ships as with
a wall of bronze, while Jove urged on the Trojans. Menelaus of the loud
battle-cry urged Antilochus on. "Antilochus," said he, "you are young and
there is none of the Achaeans more fleet of foot or more valiant than you
are. See if you cannot spring upon some Trojan and kill
him."
He hurried away when he had thus spurred Antilochus, who at once
darted out from the front ranks and aimed a spear, after looking carefully
round him. The Trojans fell back as he threw, and the dart did not speed
from his hand without effect, for it struck Melanippus the proud son of
Hiketaon in the breast by the nipple as he was coming forward, and his
armour rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. Antilochus
sprang upon him as a dog springs on a fawn which a hunter has hit as it
was breaking away from its covert, and killed it. Even so, O Melanippus,
did stalwart Antilochus spring upon you to strip you of your armour; but
noble Hector marked him, and came running up to him through the thick of
the battle. Antilochus, brave soldier though he was, would not stay to
face him, but fled like some savage creature which knows it has done wrong,
and flies, when it has killed a dog or a man who is herding his cattle,
before a body of men can be gathered to attack it. Even so did the son
of Nestor fly, and the Trojans and Hector with a cry that rent the air
showered their weapons after him; nor did he turn round and stay his flight
till he had reached his comrades.
The Trojans, fierce as lions, were still rushing on towards the
ships in fulfilment of the behests of Jove who kept spurring them on to
new deeds of daring, while he deadened the courage of the Argives and defeated
them by encouraging the Trojans. For he meant giving glory to Hector son
of Priam, and letting him throw fire upon the ships, till he had fulfilled
the unrighteous prayer that Thetis had made him; Jove, therefore, bided
his time till he should see the glare of a blazing ship. From that hour
he was about so to order that the Trojans should be driven back from the
ships and to vouchsafe glory to the Achaeans. With this purpose he inspired
Hector son of Priam, who was cager enough already, to assail the ships.
His fury was as that of Mars, or as when a fire is raging in the glades
of some dense forest upon the mountains; he foamed at the mouth, his eyes
glared under his terrible eye-brows, and his helmet quivered on his temples
by reason of the fury with which he fought. Jove from heaven was with him,
and though he was but one against many, vouchsafed him victory and glory;
for he was doomed to an early death, and already Pallas Minerva was hurrying
on the hour of his destruction at the hands of the son of Peleus. Now,
however, he kept trying to break the ranks of the enemy wherever he could
see them thickest, and in the goodliest armour; but do what he might he
could not break through them, for they stood as a tower foursquare, or
as some high cliff rising from the grey sea that braves the anger of the
gale, and of the waves that thunder up against it. He fell upon them like
flames of fire from every quarter. As when a wave, raised mountain high
by wind and storm, breaks over a ship and covers it deep in foam, the fierce
winds roar against the mast, the hearts of the sailors fail them for fear,
and they are saved but by a very little from destruction- even so were
the hearts of the Achaeans fainting within them. Or as a savage lion attacking
a herd of cows while they are feeding by thousands in the low-lying meadows
by some wide-watered shore- the herdsman is at his wit′s end how to protect
his herd and keeps going about now in the van and now in the rear of his
cattle, while the lion springs into the thick of them and fastens on a
cow so that they all tremble for fear- even so were the Achaeans utterly
panic-stricken by Hector and father Jove. Nevertheless Hector only killed
Periphetes of Mycenae; he was son of Copreus who was wont to take the orders
of King Eurystheus to mighty Hercules, but the son was a far better man
than the father in every way; he was fleet of foot, a valiant warrior,
and in understanding ranked among the foremost men of Mycenae. He it was
who then afforded Hector a triumph, for as he was turning back he stumbled
against the rim of his shield which reached his feet, and served to keep
the javelins off him. He tripped against this and fell face upward, his
helmet ringing loudly about his head as he did so. Hector saw him fall
and ran up to him; he then thrust a spear into his chest, and killed him
close to his own comrades. These, for all their sorrow, could not help
him for they were themselves terribly afraid of Hector.
They had now reached the ships and the prows of those that had
been drawn up first were on every side of them, but the Trojans came pouring
after them. The Argives were driven back from the first row of ships, but
they made a stand by their tents without being broken up and scattered;
shame and fear restrained them. They kept shouting incessantly to one another,
and Nestor of Gerene, tower of strength to the Achaeans, was loudest in
imploring every man by his parents, and beseeching him to stand
firm.
"Be men, my friends," he cried, "and respect one another′s good
opinion. Think, all of you, on your children, your wives, your property,
and your parents whether these be alive or dead. On their behalf though
they are not here, I implore you to stand firm, and not to turn in
flight."
With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Minerva lifted
the thick veil of darkness from their eyes, and much light fell upon them,
alike on the side of the ships and on that where the fight was raging.
They could see Hector and all his men, both those in the rear who were
taking no part in the battle, and those who were fighting by the
ships.
Ajax could not bring himself to retreat along with the rest, but
strode from deck to deck with a great sea-pike in his hands twelve cubits
long and jointed with rings. As a man skilled in feats of horsemanship
couples four horses together and comes tearing full speed along the public
way from the country into some large town- many both men and women marvel
as they see him for he keeps all the time changing his horse, springing
from one to another without ever missing his feet while the horses are
at a gallop- even so did Ajax go striding from one ship′s deck to another,
and his voice went up into the heavens. He kept on shouting his orders
to the Danaans and exhorting them to defend their ships and tents; neither
did Hector remain within the main body of the Trojan warriors, but as a
dun eagle swoops down upon a flock of wild-fowl feeding near a river-geese,
it may be, or cranes, or long-necked swans- even so did Hector make straight
for a dark-prowed ship, rushing right towards it; for Jove with his mighty
hand impelled him forward, and roused his people to follow
him.
And now the battle again raged furiously at the ships. You would
have thought the men were coming on fresh and unwearied, so fiercely did
they fight; and this was the mind in which they were- the Achaeans did
not believe they should escape destruction but thought themselves doomed,
while there was not a Trojan but his heart beat high with the hope of firing
the ships and putting the Achaean heroes to the sword.
Thus were the two sides minded. Then Hector seized the stern of
the good ship that had brought Protesilaus to Troy, but never bore him
back to his native land. Round this ship there raged a close hand-to-hand
fight between Danaans and Trojans. They did not fight at a distance with
bows and javelins, but with one mind hacked at one another in close combat
with their mighty swords and spears pointed at both ends; they fought moreover
with keen battle-axes and with hatchets. Many a good stout blade hilted
and scabbarded with iron, fell from hand or shoulder as they fought, and
the earth ran red with blood. Hector, when he had seized the ship, would
not loose his hold but held on to its curved stern and shouted to the Trojans,
"Bring fire, and raise the battle-cry all of you with a single voice. Now
has Jove vouchsafed us a day that will pay us for all the rest; this day
we shall take the ships which came hither against heaven′s will, and which
have caused us such infinite suffering through the cowardice of our councillors,
who when I would have done battle at the ships held me back and forbade
the host to follow me; if Jove did then indeed warp our judgements, himself
now commands me and cheers me on."
As he spoke thus the Trojans sprang yet more fiercely on the Achaeans,
and Ajax no longer held his ground, for he was overcome by the darts that
were flung at him, and made sure that he was doomed. Therefore he left
the raised deck at the stern, and stepped back on to the seven-foot bench
of the oarsmen. Here he stood on the look-out, and with his spear held
back Trojan whom he saw bringing fire to the ships. All the time he kept
on shouting at the top of his voice and exhorting the Danaans. "My friends,"
he cried, "Danaan heroes, servants of Mars, be men my friends, and fight
with might and with main. Can we hope to find helpers hereafter, or a wall
to shield us more surely than the one we have? There is no strong city
within reach, whence we may draw fresh forces to turn the scales in our
favour. We are on the plain of the armed Trojans with the sea behind us,
and far from our own country. Our salvation, therefore, is in the might
of our hands and in hard fighting."
As he spoke he wielded his spear with still greater fury, and when
any Trojan made towards the ships with fire at Hector′s bidding, he would
be on the look-out for him, and drive at him with his long spear. Twelve
men did he thus kill in hand-to-hand fight before the
ships.
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