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diff --git a/old/iliad10.txt b/old/iliad10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf82581 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/iliad10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14766 @@ +*******The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Iliad, by Homer***** +translated by Samuel Butler +#3 in our series by Homer + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + +Produced for PG by Jim Tinsley <jtinsley@pobox.com> from scans +of the Longmans, Green & Co. 1898 edition made by Norm Wolcott, +edited from an anonymous transcription found in many places on +the net. + + + + + +THE ILIAD OF HOMER + +Rendered into English Prose for +the use of those who cannot +read the original + +by Samuel Butler + + + + + +BOOK I + + The quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles--Achilles withdraws + from the war, and sends his mother Thetis to ask Jove to help + the Trojans--Scene between Jove and Juno on Olympus. + +Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that +brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did +it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a +prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove +fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, +and great Achilles, first fell out with one another. + +And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel? It was +the son of Jove and Leto; for he was angry with the king and sent +a pestilence upon the host to plague the people, because the son +of Atreus had dishonoured Chryses his priest. Now Chryses had +come to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had +brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the +sceptre of Apollo wreathed with a suppliant's wreath, and he +besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, +who were their chiefs. + +"Sons of Atreus," he cried, "and all other Achaeans, may the gods +who dwell in Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam, and to +reach your homes in safety; but free my daughter, and accept a +ransom for her, in reverence to Apollo, son of Jove." + +On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for +respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but +not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly +away. "Old man," said he, "let me not find you tarrying about our +ships, nor yet coming hereafter. Your sceptre of the god and your +wreath shall profit you nothing. I will not free her. She shall +grow old in my house at Argos far from her own home, busying +herself with her loom and visiting my couch; so go, and do not +provoke me or it shall be the worse for you." + +The old man feared him and obeyed. Not a word he spoke, but went +by the shore of the sounding sea and prayed apart to King Apollo +whom lovely Leto had borne. "Hear me," he cried, "O god of the +silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla and rulest +Tenedos with thy might, hear me oh thou of Sminthe. If I have +ever decked your temple with garlands, or burned your thigh-bones +in fat of bulls or goats, grant my prayer, and let your arrows +avenge these my tears upon the Danaans." + +Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He came down +furious from the summits of Olympus, with his bow and his quiver +upon his shoulder, and the arrows rattled on his back with the +rage that trembled within him. He sat himself down away from the +ships with a face as dark as night, and his silver bow rang death +as he shot his arrow in the midst of them. First he smote their +mules and their hounds, but presently he aimed his shafts at the +people themselves, and all day long the pyres of the dead were +burning. + +For nine whole days he shot his arrows among the people, but upon +the tenth day Achilles called them in assembly--moved thereto by +Juno, who saw the Achaeans in their death-throes and had +compassion upon them. Then, when they were got together, he rose +and spoke among them. + +"Son of Atreus," said he, "I deem that we should now turn roving +home if we would escape destruction, for we are being cut down by +war and pestilence at once. Let us ask some priest or prophet, or +some reader of dreams (for dreams, too, are of Jove) who can tell +us why Phoebus Apollo is so angry, and say whether it is for some +vow that we have broken, or hecatomb that we have not offered, +and whether he will accept the savour of lambs and goats without +blemish, so as to take away the plague from us." + +With these words he sat down, and Calchas son of Thestor, wisest +of augurs, who knew things past present and to come, rose to +speak. He it was who had guided the Achaeans with their fleet to +Ilius, through the prophesyings with which Phoebus Apollo had +inspired him. With all sincerity and goodwill he addressed them +thus:-- + +"Achilles, loved of heaven, you bid me tell you about the anger +of King Apollo, I will therefore do so; but consider first and +swear that you will stand by me heartily in word and deed, for I +know that I shall offend one who rules the Argives with might, to +whom all the Achaeans are in subjection. A plain man cannot stand +against the anger of a king, who if he swallow his displeasure +now, will yet nurse revenge till he has wreaked it. Consider, +therefore, whether or no you will protect me." + +And Achilles answered, "Fear not, but speak as it is borne in +upon you from heaven, for by Apollo, Calchas, to whom you pray, +and whose oracles you reveal to us, not a Danaan at our ships +shall lay his hand upon you, while I yet live to look upon the +face of the earth--no, not though you name Agamemnon himself, who +is by far the foremost of the Achaeans." + +Thereon the seer spoke boldly. "The god," he said, "is angry +neither about vow nor hecatomb, but for his priest's sake, whom +Agamemnon has dishonoured, in that he would not free his daughter +nor take a ransom for her; therefore has he sent these evils upon +us, and will yet send others. He will not deliver the Danaans +from this pestilence till Agamemnon has restored the girl without +fee or ransom to her father, and has sent a holy hecatomb to +Chryse. Thus we may perhaps appease him." + +With these words he sat down, and Agamemnon rose in anger. His +heart was black with rage, and his eyes flashed fire as he +scowled on Calchas and said, "Seer of evil, you never yet +prophesied smooth things concerning me, but have ever loved to +foretell that which was evil. You have brought me neither comfort +nor performance; and now you come seeing among Danaans, and +saying that Apollo has plagued us because I would not take a +ransom for this girl, the daughter of Chryses. I have set my +heart on keeping her in my own house, for I love her better even +than my own wife Clytemnestra, whose peer she is alike in form +and feature, in understanding and accomplishments. Still I will +give her up if I must, for I would have the people live, not die; +but you must find me a prize instead, or I alone among the +Argives shall be without one. This is not well; for you behold, +all of you, that my prize is to go elsewhither." + +And Achilles answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, covetous beyond +all mankind, how shall the Achaeans find you another prize? We +have no common store from which to take one. Those we took from +the cities have been awarded; we cannot disallow the awards that +have been made already. Give this girl, therefore, to the god, +and if ever Jove grants us to sack the city of Troy we will +requite you three and fourfold." + +Then Agamemnon said, "Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall +not thus outwit me. You shall not overreach and you shall not +persuade me. Are you to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely +under my loss and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the +Achaeans find me a prize in fair exchange to my liking, or I will +come and take your own, or that of Ajax or of Ulysses; and he to +whomsoever I may come shall rue my coming. But of this we will +take thought hereafter; for the present, let us draw a ship into +the sea, and find a crew for her expressly; let us put a hecatomb +on board, and let us send Chryseis also; further, let some chief +man among us be in command, either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or +yourself, son of Peleus, mighty warrior that you are, that we may +offer sacrifice and appease the anger of the god." + +Achilles scowled at him and answered, "You are steeped in +insolence and lust of gain. With what heart can any of the +Achaeans do your bidding, either on foray or in open fighting? I +came not warring here for any ill the Trojans had done me. I have +no quarrel with them. They have not raided my cattle nor my +horses, nor cut down my harvests on the rich plains of Phthia; +for between me and them there is a great space, both mountain and +sounding sea. We have followed you, Sir Insolence! for your +pleasure, not ours--to gain satisfaction from the Trojans for +your shameless self and for Menelaus. You forget this, and +threaten to rob me of the prize for which I have toiled, and +which the sons of the Achaeans have given me. Never when the +Achaeans sack any rich city of the Trojans do I receive so good a +prize as you do, though it is my hands that do the better part of +the fighting. When the sharing comes, your share is far the +largest, and I, forsooth, must go back to my ships, take what I +can get and be thankful, when my labour of fighting is done. Now, +therefore, I shall go back to Phthia; it will be much better for +me to return home with my ships, for I will not stay here +dishonoured to gather gold and substance for you." + +And Agamemnon answered, "Fly if you will, I shall make you no +prayers to stay you. I have others here who will do me honour, +and above all Jove, the lord of counsel. There is no king here so +hateful to me as you are, for you are ever quarrelsome and ill- +affected. What though you be brave? Was it not heaven that made +you so? Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it +over the Myrmidons. I care neither for you nor for your anger; +and thus will I do: since Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis from +me, I shall send her with my ship and my followers, but I shall +come to your tent and take your own prize Briseis, that you may +learn how much stronger I am than you are, and that another may +fear to set himself up as equal or comparable with me." + +The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within his shaggy +breast was divided whether to draw his sword, push the others +aside, and kill the son of Atreus, or to restrain himself and +check his anger. While he was thus in two minds, and was drawing +his mighty sword from its scabbard, Minerva came down from heaven +(for Juno had sent her in the love she bore to them both), and +seized the son of Peleus by his yellow hair, visible to him +alone, for of the others no man could see her. Achilles turned in +amaze, and by the fire that flashed from her eyes at once knew +that she was Minerva. "Why are you here," said he, "daughter of +aegis-bearing Jove? To see the pride of Agamemnon, son of Atreus? +Let me tell you--and it shall surely be--he shall pay for this +insolence with his life." + +And Minerva said, "I come from heaven, if you will hear me, to +bid you stay your anger. Juno has sent me, who cares for both of +you alike. Cease, then, this brawling, and do not draw your +sword; rail at him if you will, and your railing will not be +vain, for I tell you--and it shall surely be--that you shall +hereafter receive gifts three times as splendid by reason of this +present insult. Hold, therefore, and obey." + +"Goddess," answered Achilles, "however angry a man may be, he +must do as you two command him. This will be best, for the gods +ever hear the prayers of him who has obeyed them." + +He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword, and thrust it +back into the scabbard as Minerva bade him. Then she went back to +Olympus among the other gods, and to the house of aegis-bearing +Jove. + +But the son of Peleus again began railing at the son of Atreus, +for he was still in a rage. "Wine-bibber," he cried, "with the +face of a dog and the heart of a hind, you never dare to go out +with the host in fight, nor yet with our chosen men in ambuscade. +You shun this as you do death itself. You had rather go round and +rob his prizes from any man who contradicts you. You devour your +people, for you are king over a feeble folk; otherwise, son of +Atreus, henceforward you would insult no man. Therefore I say, +and swear it with a great oath--nay, by this my sceptre which +shalt sprout neither leaf nor shoot, nor bud anew from the day on +which it left its parent stem upon the mountains--for the axe +stripped it of leaf and bark, and now the sons of the Achaeans +bear it as judges and guardians of the decrees of heaven--so +surely and solemnly do I swear that hereafter they shall look +fondly for Achilles and shall not find him. In the day of your +distress, when your men fall dying by the murderous hand of +Hector, you shall not know how to help them, and shall rend your +heart with rage for the hour when you offered insult to the +bravest of the Achaeans." + +With this the son of Peleus dashed his gold-bestudded sceptre on +the ground and took his seat, while the son of Atreus was +beginning fiercely from his place upon the other side. Then +uprose smooth-tongued Nestor, the facile speaker of the Pylians, +and the words fell from his lips sweeter than honey. Two +generations of men born and bred in Pylos had passed away under +his rule, and he was now reigning over the third. With all +sincerity and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:-- + +"Of a truth," he said, "a great sorrow has befallen the Achaean +land. Surely Priam with his sons would rejoice, and the Trojans +be glad at heart if they could hear this quarrel between you two, +who are so excellent in fight and counsel. I am older than either +of you; therefore be guided by me. Moreover I have been the +familiar friend of men even greater than you are, and they did +not disregard my counsels. Never again can I behold such men as +Pirithous and Dryas shepherd of his people, or as Caeneus, +Exadius, godlike Polyphemus, and Theseus son of Aegeus, peer of +the immortals. These were the mightiest men ever born upon this +earth: mightiest were they, and when they fought the fiercest +tribes of mountain savages they utterly overthrew them. I came +from distant Pylos, and went about among them, for they would +have me come, and I fought as it was in me to do. Not a man now +living could withstand them, but they heard my words, and were +persuaded by them. So be it also with yourselves, for this is the +more excellent way. Therefore, Agamemnon, though you be strong, +take not this girl away, for the sons of the Achaeans have +already given her to Achilles; and you, Achilles, strive not +further with the king, for no man who by the grace of Jove wields +a sceptre has like honour with Agamemnon. You are strong, and +have a goddess for your mother; but Agamemnon is stronger than +you, for he has more people under him. Son of Atreus, check your +anger, I implore you; end this quarrel with Achilles, who in the +day of battle is a tower of strength to the Achaeans." + +And Agamemnon answered, "Sir, all that you have said is true, but +this fellow must needs become our lord and master: he must be +lord of all, king of all, and captain of all, and this shall +hardly be. Granted that the gods have made him a great warrior, +have they also given him the right to speak with railing?" + +Achilles interrupted him. "I should be a mean coward," he cried, +"were I to give in to you in all things. Order other people +about, not me, for I shall obey no longer. Furthermore I say--and +lay my saying to your heart--I shall fight neither you nor any +man about this girl, for those that take were those also that +gave. But of all else that is at my ship you shall carry away +nothing by force. Try, that others may see; if you do, my spear +shall be reddened with your blood." + +When they had quarrelled thus angrily, they rose, and broke up +the assembly at the ships of the Achaeans. The son of Peleus went +back to his tents and ships with the son of Menoetius and his +company, while Agamemnon drew a vessel into the water and chose a +crew of twenty oarsmen. He escorted Chryseis on board and sent +moreover a hecatomb for the god. And Ulysses went as captain. + +These, then, went on board and sailed their ways over the sea. +But the son of Atreus bade the people purify themselves; so they +purified themselves and cast their filth into the sea. Then they +offered hecatombs of bulls and goats without blemish on the +sea-shore, and the smoke with the savour of their sacrifice rose +curling up towards heaven. + +Thus did they busy themselves throughout the host. But Agamemnon +did not forget the threat that he had made Achilles, and called +his trusty messengers and squires Talthybius and Eurybates. "Go," +said he, "to the tent of Achilles, son of Peleus; take Briseis by +the hand and bring her hither; if he will not give her I shall +come with others and take her--which will press him harder." + +He charged them straightly further and dismissed them, whereon +they went their way sorrowfully by the seaside, till they came to +the tents and ships of the Myrmidons. They found Achilles sitting +by his tent and his ships, and ill-pleased he was when he beheld +them. They stood fearfully and reverently before him, and never a +word did they speak, but he knew them and said, "Welcome, +heralds, messengers of gods and men; draw near; my quarrel is not +with you but with Agamemnon who has sent you for the girl +Briseis. Therefore, Patroclus, bring her and give her to them, +but let them be witnesses by the blessed gods, by mortal men, and +by the fierceness of Agamemnon's anger, that if ever again there +be need of me to save the people from ruin, they shall seek and +they shall not find. Agamemnon is mad with rage and knows not how +to look before and after that the Achaeans may fight by their +ships in safety." + +Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him. He brought +Briseis from the tent and gave her over to the heralds, who took +her with them to the ships of the Achaeans--and the woman was +loth to go. Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the hoar +sea, weeping and looking out upon the boundless waste of waters. +He raised his hands in prayer to his immortal mother, "Mother," +he cried, "you bore me doomed to live but for a little season; +surely Jove, who thunders from Olympus, might have made that +little glorious. It is not so. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done +me dishonour, and has robbed me of my prize by force." + +As he spoke he wept aloud, and his mother heard him where she was +sitting in the depths of the sea hard by the old man her father. +Forthwith she rose as it were a grey mist out of the waves, sat +down before him as he stood weeping, caressed him with her hand, +and said, "My son, why are you weeping? What is it that grieves +you? Keep it not from me, but tell me, that we may know it +together." + +Achilles drew a deep sigh and said, "You know it; why tell you +what you know well already? We went to Thebe the strong city of +Eetion, sacked it, and brought hither the spoil. The sons of the +Achaeans shared it duly among themselves, and chose lovely +Chryseis as the meed of Agamemnon; but Chryses, priest of Apollo, +came to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and +brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the +sceptre of Apollo, wreathed with a suppliant's wreath, and he +besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus who +were their chiefs. + +"On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for +respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but +not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly +away. So he went back in anger, and Apollo, who loved him dearly, +heard his prayer. Then the god sent a deadly dart upon the +Argives, and the people died thick on one another, for the arrows +went everywhither among the wide host of the Achaeans. At last a +seer in the fulness of his knowledge declared to us the oracles +of Apollo, and I was myself first to say that we should appease +him. Whereon the son of Atreus rose in anger, and threatened that +which he has since done. The Achaeans are now taking the girl in +a ship to Chryse, and sending gifts of sacrifice to the god; but +the heralds have just taken from my tent the daughter of Briseus, +whom the Achaeans had awarded to myself. + +"Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able. Go to Olympus, +and if you have ever done him service in word or deed, implore +the aid of Jove. Ofttimes in my father's house have I heard you +glory in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn +from ruin, when the others, with Juno, Neptune, and Pallas +Minerva would have put him in bonds. It was you, goddess, who +delivered him by calling to Olympus the hundred-handed monster +whom gods call Briareus, but men Aegaeon, for he is stronger even +than his father; when therefore he took his seat all-glorious +beside the son of Saturn, the other gods were afraid, and did not +bind him. Go, then, to him, remind him of all this, clasp his +knees, and bid him give succour to the Trojans. Let the Achaeans +be hemmed in at the sterns of their ships, and perish on the +sea-shore, that they may reap what joy they may of their king, +and that Agamemnon may rue his blindness in offering insult to +the foremost of the Achaeans." + +Thetis wept and answered, "My son, woe is me that I should have +borne or suckled you. Would indeed that you had lived your span +free from all sorrow at your ships, for it is all too brief; +alas, that you should be at once short of life and long of sorrow +above your peers: woe, therefore, was the hour in which I bore +you; nevertheless I will go to the snowy heights of Olympus, and +tell this tale to Jove, if he will hear our prayer: meanwhile +stay where you are with your ships, nurse your anger against the +Achaeans, and hold aloof from fight. For Jove went yesterday to +Oceanus, to a feast among the Ethiopians, and the other gods went +with him. He will return to Olympus twelve days hence; I will +then go to his mansion paved with bronze and will beseech him; +nor do I doubt that I shall be able to persuade him." + +On this she left him, still furious at the loss of her that had +been taken from him. Meanwhile Ulysses reached Chryse with the +hecatomb. When they had come inside the harbour they furled the +sails and laid them in the ship's hold; they slackened the +forestays, lowered the mast into its place, and rowed the ship to +the place where they would have her lie; there they cast out +their mooring-stones and made fast the hawsers. They then got out +upon the sea-shore and landed the hecatomb for Apollo; Chryseis +also left the ship, and Ulysses led her to the altar to deliver +her into the hands of her father. "Chryses," said he, "King +Agamemnon has sent me to bring you back your child, and to offer +sacrifice to Apollo on behalf of the Danaans, that we may +propitiate the god, who has now brought sorrow upon the Argives." + +So saying he gave the girl over to her father, who received her +gladly, and they ranged the holy hecatomb all orderly round the +altar of the god. They washed their hands and took up the +barley-meal to sprinkle over the victims, while Chryses lifted up +his hands and prayed aloud on their behalf. "Hear me," he cried, +"O god of the silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla, +and rulest Tenedos with thy might. Even as thou didst hear me +aforetime when I prayed, and didst press hardly upon the +Achaeans, so hear me yet again, and stay this fearful pestilence +from the Danaans." + +Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. When they had done +praying and sprinkling the barley-meal, they drew back the heads +of the victims and killed and flayed them. They cut out the +thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, set some +pieces of raw meat on the top of them, and then Chryses laid them +on the wood fire and poured wine over them, while the young men +stood near him with five-pronged spits in their hands. When the +thigh-bones were burned and they had tasted the inward meats, +they cut the rest up small, put the pieces upon the spits, +roasted them till they were done, and drew them off: then, when +they had finished their work and the feast was ready, they ate +it, and every man had his full share, so that all were satisfied. +As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, pages filled the +mixing-bowl with wine and water and handed it round, after giving +every man his drink-offering. + +Thus all day long the young men worshipped the god with song, +hymning him and chaunting the joyous paean, and the god took +pleasure in their voices; but when the sun went down, and it came +on dark, they laid themselves down to sleep by the stern cables +of the ship, and when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, +appeared they again set sail for the host of the Achaeans. Apollo +sent them a fair wind, so they raised their mast and hoisted +their white sails aloft. As the sail bellied with the wind the +ship flew through the deep blue water, and the foam hissed +against her bows as she sped onward. When they reached the +wide-stretching host of the Achaeans, they drew the vessel +ashore, high and dry upon the sands, set her strong props beneath +her, and went their ways to their own tents and ships. + +But Achilles abode at his ships and nursed his anger. He went not +to the honourable assembly, and sallied not forth to fight, but +gnawed at his own heart, pining for battle and the war-cry. + +Now after twelve days the immortal gods came back in a body to +Olympus, and Jove led the way. Thetis was not unmindful of the +charge her son had laid upon her, so she rose from under the sea +and went through great heaven with early morning to Olympus, +where she found the mighty son of Saturn sitting all alone upon +its topmost ridges. She sat herself down before him, and with her +left hand seized his knees, while with her right she caught him +under the chin, and besought him, saying:-- + +"Father Jove, if I ever did you service in word or deed among the +immortals, hear my prayer, and do honour to my son, whose life is +to be cut short so early. King Agamemnon has dishonoured him by +taking his prize and keeping her. Honour him then yourself, +Olympian lord of counsel, and grant victory to the Trojans, till +the Achaeans give my son his due and load him with riches in +requital." + +Jove sat for a while silent, and without a word, but Thetis still +kept firm hold of his knees, and besought him a second time. +"Incline your head," said she, "and promise me surely, or else +deny me--for you have nothing to fear--that I may learn how +greatly you disdain me." + +At this Jove was much troubled and answered, "I shall have +trouble if you set me quarrelling with Juno, for she will provoke +me with her taunting speeches; even now she is always railing at +me before the other gods and accusing me of giving aid to the +Trojans. Go back now, lest she should find out. I will consider +the matter, and will bring it about as you wish. See, I incline +my head that you may believe me. This is the most solemn promise +that I can give to any god. I never recall my word, or deceive, +or fail to do what I say, when I have nodded my head." + +As he spoke the son of Saturn bowed his dark brows, and the +ambrosial locks swayed on his immortal head, till vast Olympus +reeled. + +When the pair had thus laid their plans, they parted--Jove to his +house, while the goddess quitted the splendour of Olympus, and +plunged into the depths of the sea. The gods rose from their +seats, before the coming of their sire. Not one of them dared to +remain sitting, but all stood up as he came among them. There, +then, he took his seat. But Juno, when she saw him, knew that he +and the old merman's daughter, silver-footed Thetis, had been +hatching mischief, so she at once began to upbraid him. +"Trickster," she cried, "which of the gods have you been taking +into your counsels now? You are always settling matters in secret +behind my back, and have never yet told me, if you could help it, +one word of your intentions." + +"Juno," replied the sire of gods and men, "you must not expect to +be informed of all my counsels. You are my wife, but you would +find it hard to understand them. When it is proper for you to +hear, there is no one, god or man, who will be told sooner, but +when I mean to keep a matter to myself, you must not pry nor ask +questions." + +"Dread son of Saturn," answered Juno, "what are you talking +about? I? Pry and ask questions? Never. I let you have your own +way in everything. Still, I have a strong misgiving that the old +merman's daughter Thetis has been talking you over, for she was +with you and had hold of your knees this self-same morning. I +believe, therefore, that you have been promising her to give +glory to Achilles, and to kill much people at the ships of the +Achaeans." + +"Wife," said Jove, "I can do nothing but you suspect me and find +it out. You will take nothing by it, for I shall only dislike you +the more, and it will go harder with you. Granted that it is as +you say; I mean to have it so; sit down and hold your tongue as I +bid you for if I once begin to lay my hands about you, though all +heaven were on your side it would profit you nothing." + +On this Juno was frightened, so she curbed her stubborn will and +sat down in silence. But the heavenly beings were disquieted +throughout the house of Jove, till the cunning workman Vulcan +began to try and pacify his mother Juno. "It will be +intolerable," said he, "if you two fall to wrangling and setting +heaven in an uproar about a pack of mortals. If such ill counsels +are to prevail, we shall have no pleasure at our banquet. Let me +then advise my mother--and she must herself know that it will be +better--to make friends with my dear father Jove, lest he again +scold her and disturb our feast. If the Olympian Thunderer wants +to hurl us all from our seats, he can do so, for he is far the +strongest, so give him fair words, and he will then soon be in a +good humour with us." + +As he spoke, he took a double cup of nectar, and placed it in his +mother's hand. "Cheer up, my dear mother," said he, "and make the +best of it. I love you dearly, and should be very sorry to see +you get a thrashing; however grieved I might be, I could not help, +for there is no standing against Jove. Once before when I was +trying to help you, he caught me by the foot and flung me from +the heavenly threshold. All day long from morn till eve, was I +falling, till at sunset I came to ground in the island of Lemnos, +and there I lay, with very little life left in me, till the +Sintians came and tended me." + +Juno smiled at this, and as she smiled she took the cup from her +son's hands. Then Vulcan drew sweet nectar from the mixing-bowl, +and served it round among the gods, going from left to right; and +the blessed gods laughed out a loud applause as they saw him +bustling about the heavenly mansion. + +Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun they +feasted, and every one had his full share, so that all were +satisfied. Apollo struck his lyre, and the Muses lifted up their +sweet voices, calling and answering one another. But when the +sun's glorious light had faded, they went home to bed, each in +his own abode, which lame Vulcan with his consummate skill had +fashioned for them. So Jove, the Olympian Lord of Thunder, hied +him to the bed in which he always slept; and when he had got on +to it he went to sleep, with Juno of the golden throne by his +side. + + + +BOOK II + + Jove sends a lying dream to Agamemnon, who thereon calls the + chiefs in assembly, and proposes to sound the mind of his + army--In the end they march to fight--Catalogue of the + Achaean and Trojan forces. + +Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept +soundly, but Jove was wakeful, for he was thinking how to do +honour to Achilles, and destroyed much people at the ships of the +Achaeans. In the end he deemed it would be best to send a lying +dream to King Agamemnon; so he called one to him and said to it, +"Lying Dream, go to the ships of the Achaeans, into the tent of +Agamemnon, and say to him word for word as I now bid you. Tell +him to get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for he shall take +Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno +has brought them to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans." + +The dream went when it had heard its message, and soon reached +the ships of the Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus and +found him in his tent, wrapped in a profound slumber. It hovered +over his head in the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus, whom +Agamemnon honoured above all his councillors, and said:-- + +"You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his +host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his +sleep. Hear me at once, for I come as a messenger from Jove, who, +though he be not near, yet takes thought for you and pities you. +He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall +take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; +Juno has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the +Trojans at the hands of Jove. Remember this, and when you wake +see that it does not escape you." + +The dream then left him, and he thought of things that were, +surely not to be accomplished. He thought that on that same day +he was to take the city of Priam, but he little knew what was in +the mind of Jove, who had many another hard-fought fight in store +alike for Danaans and Trojans. Then presently he woke, with the +divine message still ringing in his ears; so he sat upright, and +put on his soft shirt so fair and new, and over this his heavy +cloak. He bound his sandals on to his comely feet, and slung his +silver-studded sword about his shoulders; then he took the +imperishable staff of his father, and sallied forth to the ships +of the Achaeans. + +The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast Olympus that she +might herald day to Jove and to the other immortals, and +Agamemnon sent the criers round to call the people in assembly; +so they called them and the people gathered thereon. But first he +summoned a meeting of the elders at the ship of Nestor king of +Pylos, and when they were assembled he laid a cunning counsel +before them. + +"My friends," said he, "I have had a dream from heaven in the +dead of night, and its face and figure resembled none but +Nestor's. It hovered over my head and said, 'You are sleeping, +son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host and so much +other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep. Hear me at +once, for I am a messenger from Jove, who, though he be not near, +yet takes thought for you and pities you. He bids you get the +Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy. There are +no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them +over to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of +Jove. Remember this.' The dream then vanished and I awoke. Let us +now, therefore, arm the sons of the Achaeans. But it will be well +that I should first sound them, and to this end I will tell them +to fly with their ships; but do you others go about among the +host and prevent their doing so." + +He then sat down, and Nestor the prince of Pylos with all +sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: "My friends," said +he, "princes and councillors of the Argives, if any other man of +the Achaeans had told us of this dream we should have declared it +false, and would have had nothing to do with it. But he who has +seen it is the foremost man among us; we must therefore set about +getting the people under arms." + +With this he led the way from the assembly, and the other +sceptred kings rose with him in obedience to the word of +Agamemnon; but the people pressed forward to hear. They swarmed +like bees that sally from some hollow cave and flit in countless +throng among the spring flowers, bunched in knots and clusters; +even so did the mighty multitude pour from ships and tents to the +assembly, and range themselves upon the wide-watered shore, while +among them ran Wildfire Rumour, messenger of Jove, urging them +ever to the fore. Thus they gathered in a pell-mell of mad +confusion, and the earth groaned under the tramp of men as the +people sought their places. Nine heralds went crying about among +them to stay their tumult and bid them listen to the kings, till +at last they were got into their several places and ceased their +clamour. Then King Agamemnon rose, holding his sceptre. This was +the work of Vulcan, who gave it to Jove the son of Saturn. Jove +gave it to Mercury, slayer of Argus, guide and guardian. King +Mercury gave it to Pelops, the mighty charioteer, and Pelops to +Atreus, shepherd of his people. Atreus, when he died, left it to +Thyestes, rich in flocks, and Thyestes in his turn left it to be +borne by Agamemnon, that he might be lord of all Argos and of the +isles. Leaning, then, on his sceptre, he addressed the Argives. + +"My friends," he said, "heroes, servants of Mars, the hand of +heaven has been laid heavily upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his +solemn promise that I should sack the city of Priam before +returning, but he has played me false, and is now bidding me go +ingloriously back to Argos with the loss of much people. Such is +the will of Jove, who has laid many a proud city in the dust, as +he will yet lay others, for his power is above all. It will be a +sorry tale hereafter that an Achaean host, at once so great and +valiant, battled in vain against men fewer in number than +themselves; but as yet the end is not in sight. Think that the +Achaeans and Trojans have sworn to a solemn covenant, and that +they have each been numbered--the Trojans by the roll of their +householders, and we by companies of ten; think further that each +of our companies desired to have a Trojan householder to pour out +their wine; we are so greatly more in number that full many a +company would have to go without its cup-bearer. But they have in +the town allies from other places, and it is these that hinder me +from being able to sack the rich city of Ilius. Nine of Jove's +years are gone; the timbers of our ships have rotted; their +tackling is sound no longer. Our wives and little ones at home +look anxiously for our coming, but the work that we came hither +to do has not been done. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say: +let us sail back to our own land, for we shall not take Troy." + +With these words he moved the hearts of the multitude, so many of +them as knew not the cunning counsel of Agamemnon. They surged to +and fro like the waves of the Icarian Sea, when the east and +south winds break from heaven's clouds to lash them; or as when +the west wind sweeps over a field of corn and the ears bow +beneath the blast, even so were they swayed as they flew with +loud cries towards the ships, and the dust from under their feet +rose heavenward. They cheered each other on to draw the ships +into the sea; they cleared the channels in front of them; they +began taking away the stays from underneath them, and the welkin +rang with their glad cries, so eager were they to return. + +Then surely the Argives would have returned after a fashion that +was not fated. But Juno said to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of +aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, shall the Argives fly home to +their own land over the broad sea, and leave Priam and the +Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many +of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about +at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, +that they draw not their ships into the sea." + +Minerva was not slack to do her bidding. Down she darted from the +topmost summits of Olympus, and in a moment she was at the ships +of the Achaeans. There she found Ulysses, peer of Jove in +counsel, standing alone. He had not as yet laid a hand upon his +ship, for he was grieved and sorry; so she went close up to him +and said, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, are you going to fling +yourselves into your ships and be off home to your own land in +this way? Will you leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still +keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died +at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, +and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their +ships into the sea." + +Ulysses knew the voice as that of the goddess: he flung his cloak +from him and set off to run. His servant Eurybates, a man of +Ithaca, who waited on him, took charge of the cloak, whereon +Ulysses went straight up to Agamemnon and received from him his +ancestral, imperishable staff. With this he went about among the +ships of the Achaeans. + +Whenever he met a king or chieftain, he stood by him and spoke +him fairly. "Sir," said he, "this flight is cowardly and +unworthy. Stand to your post, and bid your people also keep their +places. You do not yet know the full mind of Agamemnon; he was +sounding us, and ere long will visit the Achaeans with his +displeasure. We were not all of us at the council to hear what he +then said; see to it lest he be angry and do us a mischief; for +the pride of kings is great, and the hand of Jove is with them." + +But when he came across any common man who was making a noise, he +struck him with his staff and rebuked him, saying, "Sirrah, hold +your peace, and listen to better men than yourself. You are a +coward and no soldier; you are nobody either in fight or council; +we cannot all be kings; it is not well that there should be many +masters; one man must be supreme--one king to whom the son of +scheming Saturn has given the sceptre of sovereignty over you +all." + +Thus masterfully did he go about among the host, and the people +hurried back to the council from their tents and ships with a +sound as the thunder of surf when it comes crashing down upon the +shore, and all the sea is in an uproar. + +The rest now took their seats and kept to their own several +places, but Thersites still went on wagging his unbridled +tongue--a man of many words, and those unseemly; a monger of +sedition, a railer against all who were in authority, who cared +not what he said, so that he might set the Achaeans in a laugh. +He was the ugliest man of all those that came before +Troy--bandy-legged, lame of one foot, with his two shoulders +rounded and hunched over his chest. His head ran up to a point, +but there was little hair on the top of it. Achilles and Ulysses +hated him worst of all, for it was with them that he was most +wont to wrangle; now, however, with a shrill squeaky voice he +began heaping his abuse on Agamemnon. The Achaeans were angry and +disgusted, yet none the less he kept on brawling and bawling at +the son of Atreus. + +"Agamemnon," he cried, "what ails you now, and what more do you +want? Your tents are filled with bronze and with fair women, for +whenever we take a town we give you the pick of them. Would you +have yet more gold, which some Trojan is to give you as a ransom +for his son, when I or another Achaean has taken him prisoner? or +is it some young girl to hide and lie with? It is not well that +you, the ruler of the Achaeans, should bring them into such +misery. Weakling cowards, women rather than men, let us sail +home, and leave this fellow here at Troy to stew in his own meeds +of honour, and discover whether we were of any service to him or +no. Achilles is a much better man than he is, and see how he has +treated him--robbing him of his prize and keeping it himself. +Achilles takes it meekly and shows no fight; if he did, son of +Atreus, you would never again insult him." + +Thus railed Thersites, but Ulysses at once went up to him and +rebuked him sternly. "Check your glib tongue, Thersites," said +be, "and babble not a word further. Chide not with princes when +you have none to back you. There is no viler creature come before +Troy with the sons of Atreus. Drop this chatter about kings, and +neither revile them nor keep harping about going home. We do not +yet know how things are going to be, nor whether the Achaeans are +to return with good success or evil. How dare you gibe at +Agamemnon because the Danaans have awarded him so many prizes? I +tell you, therefore--and it shall surely be--that if I again +catch you talking such nonsense, I will either forfeit my own +head and be no more called father of Telemachus, or I will take +you, strip you stark naked, and whip you out of the assembly till +you go blubbering back to the ships." + +On this he beat him with his staff about the back and shoulders +till he dropped and fell a-weeping. The golden sceptre raised a +bloody weal on his back, so he sat down frightened and in pain, +looking foolish as he wiped the tears from his eyes. The people +were sorry for him, yet they laughed heartily, and one would turn +to his neighbour saying, "Ulysses has done many a good thing ere +now in fight and council, but he never did the Argives a better +turn than when he stopped this fellow's mouth from prating +further. He will give the kings no more of his insolence." + +Thus said the people. Then Ulysses rose, sceptre in hand, and +Minerva in the likeness of a herald bade the people be still, +that those who were far off might hear him and consider his +council. He therefore with all sincerity and goodwill addressed +them thus:-- + +"King Agamemnon, the Achaeans are for making you a by-word among +all mankind. They forget the promise they made you when they set +out from Argos, that you should not return till you had sacked +the town of Troy, and, like children or widowed women, they +murmur and would set off homeward. True it is that they have had +toil enough to be disheartened. A man chafes at having to stay +away from his wife even for a single month, when he is on +shipboard, at the mercy of wind and sea, but it is now nine long +years that we have been kept here; I cannot, therefore, blame the +Achaeans if they turn restive; still we shall be shamed if we go +home empty after so long a stay--therefore, my friends, be +patient yet a little longer that we may learn whether the +prophesyings of Calchas were false or true. + +"All who have not since perished must remember as though it were +yesterday or the day before, how the ships of the Achaeans were +detained in Aulis when we were on our way hither to make war on +Priam and the Trojans. We were ranged round about a fountain +offering hecatombs to the gods upon their holy altars, and there +was a fine plane-tree from beneath which there welled a stream of +pure water. Then we saw a prodigy; for Jove sent a fearful +serpent out of the ground, with blood-red stains upon its back, +and it darted from under the altar on to the plane-tree. Now +there was a brood of young sparrows, quite small, upon the +topmost bough, peeping out from under the leaves, eight in all, +and their mother that hatched them made nine. The serpent ate the +poor cheeping things, while the old bird flew about lamenting her +little ones; but the serpent threw his coils about her and caught +her by the wing as she was screaming. Then, when he had eaten +both the sparrow and her young, the god who had sent him made him +become a sign; for the son of scheming Saturn turned him into +stone, and we stood there wondering at that which had come to +pass. Seeing, then, that such a fearful portent had broken in +upon our hecatombs, Calchas forthwith declared to us the oracles +of heaven. 'Why, Achaeans,' said he, 'are you thus speechless? +Jove has sent us this sign, long in coming, and long ere it be +fulfilled, though its fame shall last for ever. As the serpent +ate the eight fledglings and the sparrow that hatched them, which +makes nine, so shall we fight nine years at Troy, but in the +tenth shall take the town.' This was what he said, and now it is +all coming true. Stay here, therefore, all of you, till we take +the city of Priam." + +On this the Argives raised a shout, till the ships rang again +with the uproar. Nestor, knight of Gerene, then addressed them. +"Shame on you," he cried, "to stay talking here like children, +when you should fight like men. Where are our covenants now, and +where the oaths that we have taken? Shall our counsels be flung +into the fire, with our drink-offerings and the right hands of +fellowship wherein we have put our trust? We waste our time in +words, and for all our talking here shall be no further forward. +Stand, therefore, son of Atreus, by your own steadfast purpose; +lead the Argives on to battle, and leave this handful of men to +rot, who scheme, and scheme in vain, to get back to Argos ere +they have learned whether Jove be true or a liar. For the mighty +son of Saturn surely promised that we should succeed, when we +Argives set sail to bring death and destruction upon the Trojans. +He showed us favourable signs by flashing his lightning on our +right hands; therefore let none make haste to go till he has +first lain with the wife of some Trojan, and avenged the toil and +sorrow that he has suffered for the sake of Helen. Nevertheless, +if any man is in such haste to be at home again, let him lay his +hand to his ship that he may meet his doom in the sight of all. +But, O king, consider and give ear to my counsel, for the word +that I say may not be neglected lightly. Divide your men, +Agamemnon, into their several tribes and clans, that clans and +tribes may stand by and help one another. If you do this, and if +the Achaeans obey you, you will find out who, both chiefs and +peoples, are brave, and who are cowards; for they will vie +against the other. Thus you shall also learn whether it is +through the counsel of heaven or the cowardice of man that you +shall fail to take the town." + +And Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, you have again outdone the sons +of the Achaeans in counsel. Would, by Father Jove, Minerva, and +Apollo, that I had among them ten more such councillors, for the +city of King Priam would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we +should sack it. But the son of Saturn afflicts me with bootless +wranglings and strife. Achilles and I are quarrelling about this +girl, in which matter I was the first to offend; if we can be of +one mind again, the Trojans will not stave off destruction for a +day. Now, therefore, get your morning meal, that our hosts join +in fight. Whet well your spears; see well to the ordering of your +shields; give good feeds to your horses, and look your chariots +carefully over, that we may do battle the livelong day; for we +shall have no rest, not for a moment, till night falls to part +us. The bands that bear your shields shall be wet with the sweat +upon your shoulders, your hands shall weary upon your spears, +your horses shall steam in front of your chariots, and if I see +any man shirking the fight, or trying to keep out of it at the +ships, there shall be no help for him, but he shall be a prey to +dogs and vultures." + +Thus he spoke, and the Achaeans roared applause. As when the +waves run high before the blast of the south wind and break on +some lofty headland, dashing against it and buffeting it without +ceasing, as the storms from every quarter drive them, even so did +the Achaeans rise and hurry in all directions to their ships. +There they lighted their fires at their tents and got dinner, +offering sacrifice every man to one or other of the gods, and +praying each one of them that he might live to come out of the +fight. Agamemnon, king of men, sacrificed a fat five-year-old +bull to the mighty son of Saturn, and invited the princes and +elders of his host. First he asked Nestor and King Idomeneus, +then the two Ajaxes and the son of Tydeus, and sixthly Ulysses, +peer of gods in counsel; but Menelaus came of his own accord, for +he knew how busy his brother then was. They stood round the bull +with the barley-meal in their hands, and Agamemnon prayed, +saying, "Jove, most glorious, supreme, that dwellest in heaven, +and ridest upon the storm-cloud, grant that the sun may not go +down, nor the night fall, till the palace of Priam is laid low, +and its gates are consumed with fire. Grant that my sword may +pierce the shirt of Hector about his heart, and that full many of +his comrades may bite the dust as they fall dying round him." + +Thus he prayed, but the son of Saturn would not fulfil his +prayer. He accepted the sacrifice, yet none the less increased +their toil continually. When they had done praying and sprinkling +the barley-meal upon the victim, they drew back its head, killed +it, and then flayed it. They cut out the thigh-bones, wrapped +them round in two layers of fat, and set pieces of raw meat on +the top of them. These they burned upon the split logs of +firewood, but they spitted the inward meats, and held them in the +flames to cook. When the thigh-bones were burned, and they had +tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small, put the +pieces upon spits, roasted them till they were done, and drew +them off; then, when they had finished their work and the feast +was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full share, so that +all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to eat and +drink, Nestor, knight of Gerene, began to speak. "King +Agamemnon," said he, "let us not stay talking here, nor be slack +in the work that heaven has put into our hands. Let the heralds +summon the people to gather at their several ships; we will then +go about among the host, that we may begin fighting at once." + +Thus did he speak, and Agamemnon heeded his words. He at once +sent the criers round to call the people in assembly. So they +called them, and the people gathered thereon. The chiefs about +the son of Atreus chose their men and marshalled them, while +Minerva went among them holding her priceless aegis that knows +neither age nor death. From it there waved a hundred tassels of +pure gold, all deftly woven, and each one of them worth a hundred +oxen. With this she darted furiously everywhere among the hosts +of the Achaeans, urging them forward, and putting courage into +the heart of each, so that he might fight and do battle without +ceasing. Thus war became sweeter in their eyes even than +returning home in their ships. As when some great forest fire is +raging upon a mountain top and its light is seen afar, even so as +they marched the gleam of their armour flashed up into the +firmament of heaven. + +They were like great flocks of geese, or cranes, or swans on the +plain about the waters of Cayster, that wing their way hither and +thither, glorying in the pride of flight, and crying as they +settle till the fen is alive with their screaming. Even thus did +their tribes pour from ships and tents on to the plain of the +Scamander, and the ground rang as brass under the feet of men and +horses. They stood as thick upon the flower-bespangled field as +leaves that bloom in summer. + +As countless swarms of flies buzz around a herdsman's homestead +in the time of spring when the pails are drenched with milk, even +so did the Achaeans swarm on to the plain to charge the Trojans +and destroy them. + +The chiefs disposed their men this way and that before the fight +began, drafting them out as easily as goatherds draft their +flocks when they have got mixed while feeding; and among them +went King Agamemnon, with a head and face like Jove the lord of +thunder, a waist like Mars, and a chest like that of Neptune. As +some great bull that lords it over the herds upon the plain, even +so did Jove make the son of Atreus stand peerless among the +multitude of heroes. + +And now, O Muses, dwellers in the mansions of Olympus, tell me-- +for you are goddesses and are in all places so that you see all +things, while we know nothing but by report--who were the chiefs +and princes of the Danaans? As for the common soldiers, they were +so that I could not name every single one of them though I had +ten tongues, and though my voice failed not and my heart were of +bronze within me, unless you, O Olympian Muses, daughters of +aegis-bearing Jove, were to recount them to me. Nevertheless, I +will tell the captains of the ships and all the fleet together. + +Peneleos, Leitus, Arcesilaus, Prothoenor, and Clonius were +captains of the Boeotians. These were they that dwelt in Hyria +and rocky Aulis, and who held Schoenus, Scolus, and the highlands +of Eteonus, with Thespeia, Graia, and the fair city of +Mycalessus. They also held Harma, Eilesium, and Erythrae; and +they had Eleon, Hyle, and Peteon; Ocalea and the strong fortress +of Medeon; Copae, Eutresis, and Thisbe the haunt of doves; +Coronea, and the pastures of Haliartus; Plataea and Glisas; the +fortress of Thebes the less; holy Onchestus with its famous grove +of Neptune; Arne rich in vineyards; Midea, sacred Nisa, and +Anthedon upon the sea. From these there came fifty ships, and in +each there were a hundred and twenty young men of the Boeotians. + +Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Mars, led the people that dwelt +in Aspledon and Orchomenus the realm of Minyas. Astyoche a noble +maiden bore them in the house of Actor son of Azeus; for she had +gone with Mars secretly into an upper chamber, and he had lain +with her. With these there came thirty ships. + +The Phoceans were led by Schedius and Epistrophus, sons of mighty +Iphitus the son of Naubolus. These were they that held +Cyparissus, rocky Pytho, holy Crisa, Daulis, and Panopeus; they +also that dwelt in Anemorea and Hyampolis, and about the waters +of the river Cephissus, and Lilaea by the springs of the +Cephissus; with their chieftains came forty ships, and they +marshalled the forces of the Phoceans, which were stationed next +to the Boeotians, on their left. + +Ajax, the fleet son of Oileus, commanded the Locrians. He was not +so great, nor nearly so great, as Ajax the son of Telamon. He was +a little man, and his breastplate was made of linen, but in use +of the spear he excelled all the Hellenes and the Achaeans. +These dwelt in Cynus, Opous, Calliarus, Bessa, Scarphe, fair +Augeae, Tarphe, and Thronium about the river Boagrius. With him +there came forty ships of the Locrians who dwell beyond Euboea. + +The fierce Abantes held Euboea with its cities, Chalcis, Eretria, +Histiaea rich in vines, Cerinthus upon the sea, and the +rock-perched town of Dium; with them were also the men of +Carystus and Styra; Elephenor of the race of Mars was in command +of these; he was son of Chalcodon, and chief over all the +Abantes. With him they came, fleet of foot and wearing their hair +long behind, brave warriors, who would ever strive to tear open +the corslets of their foes with their long ashen spears. Of these +there came fifty ships. + +And they that held the strong city of Athens, the people of great +Erechtheus, who was born of the soil itself, but Jove's daughter, +Minerva, fostered him, and established him at Athens in her own +rich sanctuary. There, year by year, the Athenian youths worship +him with sacrifices of bulls and rams. These were commanded by +Menestheus, son of Peteos. No man living could equal him in the +marshalling of chariots and foot soldiers. Nestor could alone +rival him, for he was older. With him there came fifty ships. + +Ajax brought twelve ships from Salamis, and stationed them +alongside those of the Athenians. + +The men of Argos, again, and those who held the walls of Tiryns, +with Hermione, and Asine upon the gulf; Troezene, Eionae, and the +vineyard lands of Epidaurus; the Achaean youths, moreover, who +came from Aegina and Mases; these were led by Diomed of the loud +battle-cry, and Sthenelus son of famed Capaneus. With them in +command was Euryalus, son of king Mecisteus, son of Talaus; but +Diomed was chief over them all. With these there came eighty +ships. + +Those who held the strong city of Mycenae, rich Corinth and +Cleonae; Orneae, Araethyrea, and Licyon, where Adrastus reigned +of old; Hyperesia, high Gonoessa, and Pellene; Aegium and all the +coast-land round about Helice; these sent a hundred ships under +the command of King Agamemnon, son of Atreus. His force was far +both finest and most numerous, and in their midst was the king +himself, all glorious in his armour of gleaming bronze--foremost +among the heroes, for he was the greatest king, and had most men +under him. + +And those that dwelt in Lacedaemon, lying low among the hills, +Pharis, Sparta, with Messe the haunt of doves; Bryseae, Augeae, +Amyclae, and Helos upon the sea; Laas, moreover, and Oetylus; +these were led by Menelaus of the loud battle-cry, brother to +Agamemnon, and of them there were sixty ships, drawn up apart +from the others. Among them went Menelaus himself, strong in +zeal, urging his men to fight; for he longed to avenge the toil +and sorrow that he had suffered for the sake of Helen. + +The men of Pylos and Arene, and Thryum where is the ford of the +river Alpheus; strong Aipy, Cyparisseis, and Amphigenea; Pteleum, +Helos, and Dorium, where the Muses met Thamyris, and stilled his +minstrelsy for ever. He was returning from Oechalia, where +Eurytus lived and reigned, and boasted that he would surpass even +the Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Jove, if they should sing +against him; whereon they were angry, and maimed him. They robbed +him of his divine power of song, and thenceforth he could strike +the lyre no more. These were commanded by Nestor, knight of +Gerene, and with him there came ninety ships. + +And those that held Arcadia, under the high mountain of Cyllene, +near the tomb of Aepytus, where the people fight hand to hand; +the men of Pheneus also, and Orchomenus rich in flocks; of +Rhipae, Stratie, and bleak Enispe; of Tegea and fair Mantinea; of +Stymphelus and Parrhasia; of these King Agapenor son of Ancaeus +was commander, and they had sixty ships. Many Arcadians, good +soldiers, came in each one of them, but Agamemnon found them the +ships in which to cross the sea, for they were not a people that +occupied their business upon the waters. + +The men, moreover, of Buprasium and of Elis, so much of it as is +enclosed between Hyrmine, Myrsinus upon the sea-shore, the rock +Olene and Alesium. These had four leaders, and each of them had +ten ships, with many Epeans on board. Their captains were +Amphimachus and Thalpius--the one, son of Cteatus, and the other, +of Eurytus--both of the race of Actor. The two others were +Diores, son of Amarynces, and Polyxenus, son of King Agasthenes, +son of Augeas. + +And those of Dulichium with the sacred Echinean islands, who +dwelt beyond the sea off Elis; these were led by Meges, peer of +Mars, and the son of valiant Phyleus, dear to Jove, who +quarrelled with his father, and went to settle in Dulichium. With +him there came forty ships. + +Ulysses led the brave Cephallenians, who held Ithaca, Neritum +with its forests, Crocylea, rugged Aegilips, Samos and Zacynthus, +with the mainland also that was over against the islands. These +were led by Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, and with him there +came twelve ships. + +Thoas, son of Andraemon, commanded the Aetolians, who dwelt in +Pleuron, Olenus, Pylene, Chalcis by the sea, and rocky Calydon, +for the great king Oeneus had now no sons living, and was himself +dead, as was also golden-haired Meleager, who had been set over +the Aetolians to be their king. And with Thoas there came forty +ships. + +The famous spearsman Idomeneus led the Cretans, who held Cnossus, +and the well-walled city of Gortys; Lyctus also, Miletus and +Lycastus that lies upon the chalk; the populous towns of Phaestus +and Rhytium, with the other peoples that dwelt in the hundred +cities of Crete. All these were led by Idomeneus, and by +Meriones, peer of murderous Mars. And with these there came +eighty ships. + +Tlepolemus, son of Hercules, a man both brave and large of +stature, brought nine ships of lordly warriors from Rhodes. These +dwelt in Rhodes which is divided among the three cities of +Lindus, Ielysus, and Cameirus, that lies upon the chalk. These +were commanded by Tlepolemus, son of Hercules by Astyochea, whom +he had carried off from Ephyra, on the river Selleis, after +sacking many cities of valiant warriors. When Tlepolemus grew up, +he killed his father's uncle Licymnius, who had been a famous +warrior in his time, but was then grown old. On this he built +himself a fleet, gathered a great following, and fled beyond the +sea, for he was menaced by the other sons and grandsons of +Hercules. After a voyage, during which he suffered great +hardship, he came to Rhodes, where the people divided into three +communities, according to their tribes, and were dearly loved by +Jove, the lord of gods and men; wherefore the son of Saturn +showered down great riches upon them. + +And Nireus brought three ships from Syme--Nireus, who was the +handsomest man that came up under Ilius of all the Danaans after +the son of Peleus--but he was a man of no substance, and had but +a small following. + +And those that held Nisyrus, Crapathus, and Casus, with Cos, the +city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian islands, these were +commanded by Pheidippus and Antiphus, two sons of King Thessalus +the son of Hercules. And with them there came thirty ships. + +Those again who held Pelasgic Argos, Alos, Alope, and Trachis; +and those of Phthia and Hellas the land of fair women, who were +called Myrmidons, Hellenes, and Achaeans; these had fifty ships, +over which Achilles was in command. But they now took no part in +the war, inasmuch as there was no one to marshal them; for +Achilles stayed by his ships, furious about the loss of the girl +Briseis, whom he had taken from Lyrnessus at his own great peril, +when he had sacked Lyrnessus and Thebe, and had overthrown Mynes +and Epistrophus, sons of king Evenor, son of Selepus. For her +sake Achilles was still grieving, but ere long he was again to +join them. + +And those that held Phylace and the flowery meadows of Pyrasus, +sanctuary of Ceres; Iton, the mother of sheep; Antrum upon the +sea, and Pteleum that lies upon the grass lands. Of these brave +Protesilaus had been captain while he was yet alive, but he was +now lying under the earth. He had left a wife behind him in +Phylace to tear her cheeks in sorrow, and his house was only half +finished, for he was slain by a Dardanian warrior while leaping +foremost of the Achaeans upon the soil of Troy. Still, though his +people mourned their chieftain, they were not without a leader, +for Podarces, of the race of Mars, marshalled them; he was son of +Iphiclus, rich in sheep, who was the son of Phylacus, and he was +own brother to Protesilaus, only younger, Protesilaus being at +once the elder and the more valiant. So the people were not +without a leader, though they mourned him whom they had lost. +With him there came forty ships. + +And those that held Pherae by the Boebean lake, with Boebe, +Glaphyrae, and the populous city of Iolcus, these with their +eleven ships were led by Eumelus, son of Admetus, whom Alcestis +bore to him, loveliest of the daughters of Pelias. + +And those that held Methone and Thaumacia, with Meliboea and +rugged Olizon, these were led by the skilful archer Philoctetes, +and they had seven ships, each with fifty oarsmen all of them +good archers; but Philoctetes was lying in great pain in the +Island of Lemnos, where the sons of the Achaeans left him, for he +had been bitten by a poisonous water snake. There he lay sick and +sorry, and full soon did the Argives come to miss him. But his +people, though they felt his loss were not leaderless, for Medon, +the bastard son of Oileus by Rhene, set them in array. + +Those, again, of Tricca and the stony region of Ithome, and they +that held Oechalia, the city of Oechalian Eurytus, these were +commanded by the two sons of Aesculapius, skilled in the art of +healing, Podalirius and Machaon. And with them there came thirty +ships. + +The men, moreover, of Ormenius, and by the fountain of Hypereia, +with those that held Asterius, and the white crests of Titanus, +these were led by Eurypylus, the son of Euaemon, and with them +there came forty ships. + +Those that held Argissa and Gyrtone, Orthe, Elone, and the white +city of Oloosson, of these brave Polypoetes was leader. He was +son of Pirithous, who was son of Jove himself, for Hippodameia +bore him to Pirithous on the day when he took his revenge on the +shaggy mountain savages and drove them from Mt. Pelion to the +Aithices. But Polypoetes was not sole in command, for with him +was Leonteus, of the race of Mars, who was son of Coronus, the +son of Caeneus. And with these there came forty ships. + +Guneus brought two and twenty ships from Cyphus, and he was +followed by the Enienes and the valiant Peraebi, who dwelt about +wintry Dodona, and held the lands round the lovely river +Titaresius, which sends its waters into the Peneus. They do not +mingle with the silver eddies of the Peneus, but flow on the top +of them like oil; for the Titaresius is a branch of dread Orcus +and of the river Styx. + +Of the Magnetes, Prothous son of Tenthredon was commander. They +were they that dwelt about the river Peneus and Mt. Pelion. +Prothous, fleet of foot, was their leader, and with him there +came forty ships. + +Such were the chiefs and princes of the Danaans. Who, then, O +Muse, was the foremost, whether man or horse, among those that +followed after the sons of Atreus? + +Of the horses, those of the son of Pheres were by far the finest. +They were driven by Eumelus, and were as fleet as birds. They +were of the same age and colour, and perfectly matched in height. +Apollo, of the silver bow, had bred them in Perea--both of them +mares, and terrible as Mars in battle. Of the men, Ajax, son of +Telamon, was much the foremost so long as Achilles' anger lasted, +for Achilles excelled him greatly and he had also better horses; +but Achilles was now holding aloof at his ships by reason of his +quarrel with Agamemnon, and his people passed their time upon the +sea shore, throwing discs or aiming with spears at a mark, and in +archery. Their horses stood each by his own chariot, champing +lotus and wild celery. The chariots were housed under cover, but +their owners, for lack of leadership, wandered hither and thither +about the host and went not forth to fight. + +Thus marched the host like a consuming fire, and the earth +groaned beneath them when the lord of thunder is angry and lashes +the land about Typhoeus among the Arimi, where they say Typhoeus +lies. Even so did the earth groan beneath them as they sped over +the plain. + +And now Iris, fleet as the wind, was sent by Jove to tell the bad +news among the Trojans. They were gathered in assembly, old and +young, at Priam's gates, and Iris came close up to Priam, +speaking with the voice of Priam's son Polites, who, being fleet +of foot, was stationed as watchman for the Trojans on the tomb of +old Aesyetes, to look out for any sally of the Achaeans. In his +likeness Iris spoke, saying, "Old man, you talk idly, as in time +of peace, while war is at hand. I have been in many a battle, but +never yet saw such a host as is now advancing. They are crossing +the plain to attack the city as thick as leaves or as the sands +of the sea. Hector, I charge you above all others, do as I say. +There are many allies dispersed about the city of Priam from +distant places and speaking divers tongues. Therefore, let each +chief give orders to his own people, setting them severally in +array and leading them forth to battle." + +Thus she spoke, but Hector knew that it was the goddess, and at +once broke up the assembly. The men flew to arms; all the gates +were opened, and the people thronged through them, horse and +foot, with the tramp as of a great multitude. + +Now there is a high mound before the city, rising by itself upon +the plain. Men call it Batieia, but the gods know that it is the +tomb of lithe Myrine. Here the Trojans and their allies divided +their forces. + +Priam's son, great Hector of the gleaming helmet, commanded the +Trojans, and with him were arrayed by far the greater number and +most valiant of those who were longing for the fray. + +The Dardanians were led by brave Aeneas, whom Venus bore to +Anchises, when she, goddess though she was, had lain with him +upon the mountain slopes of Ida. He was not alone, for with him +were the two sons of Antenor, Archilochus and Acamas, both +skilled in all the arts of war. + +They that dwelt in Telea under the lowest spurs of Mt. Ida, men +of substance, who drink the limpid waters of the Aesepus, and are +of Trojan blood--these were led by Pandarus son of Lycaon, whom +Apollo had taught to use the bow. + +They that held Adresteia and the land of Apaesus, with Pityeia, +and the high mountain of Tereia--these were led by Adrestus and +Amphius, whose breastplate was of linen. These were the sons of +Merops of Percote, who excelled in all kinds of divination. He +told them not to take part in the war, but they gave him no heed, +for fate lured them to destruction. + +They that dwelt about Percote and Practius, with Sestos, Abydos, +and Arisbe--these were led by Asius, son of Hyrtacus, a brave +commander--Asius, the son of Hyrtacus, whom his powerful dark bay +steeds, of the breed that comes from the river Selleis, had +brought from Arisbe. + +Hippothous led the tribes of Pelasgian spearsmen, who dwelt in +fertile Larissa--Hippothous, and Pylaeus of the race of Mars, two +sons of the Pelasgian Lethus, son of Teutamus. + +Acamas and the warrior Peirous commanded the Thracians and those +that came from beyond the mighty stream of the Hellespont. + +Euphemus, son of Troezenus, the son of Ceos, was captain of the +Ciconian spearsmen. + +Pyraechmes led the Paeonian archers from distant Amydon, by the +broad waters of the river Axius, the fairest that flow upon the +earth. + +The Paphlagonians were commanded by stout-hearted Pylaemanes from +Enetae, where the mules run wild in herds. These were they that +held Cytorus and the country round Sesamus, with the cities by +the river Parthenius, Cromna, Aegialus, and lofty Erithini. + +Odius and Epistrophus were captains over the Halizoni from +distant Alybe, where there are mines of silver. + +Chromis, and Ennomus the augur, led the Mysians, but his skill in +augury availed not to save him from destruction, for he fell by +the hand of the fleet descendant of Aeacus in the river, where he +slew others also of the Trojans. + +Phorcys, again, and noble Ascanius led the Phrygians from the far +country of Ascania, and both were eager for the fray. + +Mesthles and Antiphus commanded the Meonians, sons of Talaemenes, +born to him of the Gygaean lake. These led the Meonians, who +dwelt under Mt. Tmolus. + +Nastes led the Carians, men of a strange speech. These held +Miletus and the wooded mountain of Phthires, with the water of +the river Maeander and the lofty crests of Mt. Mycale. These were +commanded by Nastes and Amphimachus, the brave sons of Nomion. He +came into the fight with gold about him, like a girl; fool that +he was, his gold was of no avail to save him, for he fell in the +river by the hand of the fleet descendant of Aeacus, and Achilles +bore away his gold. + +Sarpedon and Glaucus led the Lycians from their distant land, by +the eddying waters of the Xanthus. + + + +BOOK III + + Alexandria, also called Paris, challenges Menelaus--Helen and + Priam view the Achaeans from the wall--The covenant--Paris + and Menelaus fight, and Paris is worsted--Venus carries him + off to save him--Scene between him and Helen. + +When the companies were thus arrayed, each under its own captain, +the Trojans advanced as a flight of wild fowl or cranes that +scream overhead when rain and winter drive them over the flowing +waters of Oceanus to bring death and destruction on the Pygmies, +and they wrangle in the air as they fly; but the Achaeans marched +silently, in high heart, and minded to stand by one another. + +As when the south wind spreads a curtain of mist upon the +mountain tops, bad for shepherds but better than night for +thieves, and a man can see no further than he can throw a stone, +even so rose the dust from under their feet as they made all +speed over the plain. + +When they were close up with one another, Alexandrus came forward +as champion on the Trojan side. On his shoulders he bore the skin +of a panther, his bow, and his sword, and he brandished two +spears shod with bronze as a challenge to the bravest of the +Achaeans to meet him in single fight. Menelaus saw him thus +stride out before the ranks, and was glad as a hungry lion that +lights on the carcase of some goat or horned stag, and devours it +there and then, though dogs and youths set upon him. Even thus +was Menelaus glad when his eyes caught sight of Alexandrus, for +he deemed that now he should be revenged. He sprang, therefore, +from his chariot, clad in his suit of armour. + +Alexandrus quailed as he saw Menelaus come forward, and shrank in +fear of his life under cover of his men. As one who starts back +affrighted, trembling and pale, when he comes suddenly upon a +serpent in some mountain glade, even so did Alexandrus plunge +into the throng of Trojan warriors, terror-stricken at the sight +of the son of Atreus. + +Then Hector upbraided him. "Paris," said he, "evil-hearted Paris, +fair to see, but woman-mad, and false of tongue, would that you +had never been born, or that you had died unwed. Better so, than +live to be disgraced and looked askance at. Will not the Achaeans +mock at us and say that we have sent one to champion us who is +fair to see but who has neither wit nor courage? Did you not, +such as you are, get your following together and sail beyond the +seas? Did you not from your a far country carry off a lovely +woman wedded among a people of warriors--to bring sorrow upon +your father, your city, and your whole country, but joy to your +enemies, and hang-dog shamefacedness to yourself? And now can you +not dare face Menelaus and learn what manner of man he is whose +wife you have stolen? Where indeed would be your lyre and your +love-tricks, your comely locks and your fair favour, when you +were lying in the dust before him? The Trojans are a weak-kneed +people, or ere this you would have had a shirt of stones for the +wrongs you have done them." + +And Alexandrus answered, "Hector, your rebuke is just. You are +hard as the axe which a shipwright wields at his work, and +cleaves the timber to his liking. As the axe in his hand, so keen +is the edge of your scorn. Still, taunt me not with the gifts +that golden Venus has given me; they are precious; let not a man +disdain them, for the gods give them where they are minded, and +none can have them for the asking. If you would have me do battle +with Menelaus, bid the Trojans and Achaeans take their seats, +while he and I fight in their midst for Helen and all her wealth. +Let him who shall be victorious and prove to be the better man +take the woman and all she has, to bear them to his home, but let +the rest swear to a solemn covenant of peace whereby you Trojans +shall stay here in Troy, while the others go home to Argos and +the land of the Achaeans." + +When Hector heard this he was glad, and went about among the +Trojan ranks holding his spear by the middle to keep them back, +and they all sat down at his bidding: but the Achaeans still +aimed at him with stones and arrows, till Agamemnon shouted to +them saying, "Hold, Argives, shoot not, sons of the Achaeans; +Hector desires to speak." + +They ceased taking aim and were still, whereon Hector spoke. +"Hear from my mouth," said he, "Trojans and Achaeans, the saying +of Alexandrus, through whom this quarrel has come about. He bids +the Trojans and Achaeans lay their armour upon the ground, while +he and Menelaus fight in the midst of you for Helen and all her +wealth. Let him who shall be victorious and prove to be the +better man take the woman and all she has, to bear them to his +own home, but let the rest swear to a solemn covenant of peace." + +Thus he spoke, and they all held their peace, till Menelaus of +the loud battle-cry addressed them. "And now," he said, "hear me +too, for it is I who am the most aggrieved. I deem that the +parting of Achaeans and Trojans is at hand, as well it may be, +seeing how much have suffered for my quarrel with Alexandrus and +the wrong he did me. Let him who shall die, die, and let the +others fight no more. Bring, then, two lambs, a white ram and a +black ewe, for Earth and Sun, and we will bring a third for Jove. +Moreover, you shall bid Priam come, that he may swear to the +covenant himself; for his sons are high-handed and ill to trust, +and the oaths of Jove must not be transgressed or taken in vain. +Young men's minds are light as air, but when an old man comes he +looks before and after, deeming that which shall be fairest upon +both sides." + +The Trojans and Achaeans were glad when they heard this, for they +thought that they should now have rest. They backed their +chariots toward the ranks, got out of them, and put off their +armour, laying it down upon the ground; and the hosts were near +to one another with a little space between them. Hector sent two +messengers to the city to bring the lambs and to bid Priam come, +while Agamemnon told Talthybius to fetch the other lamb from the +ships, and he did as Agamemnon had said. + +Meanwhile Iris went to Helen in the form of her sister-in-law, +wife of the son of Antenor, for Helicaon, son of Antenor, had +married Laodice, the fairest of Priam's daughters. She found her +in her own room, working at a great web of purple linen, on which +she was embroidering the battles between Trojans and Achaeans, +that Mars had made them fight for her sake. Iris then came close +up to her and said, "Come hither, child, and see the strange +doings of the Trojans and Achaeans. Till now they have been +warring upon the plain, mad with lust of battle, but now they +have left off fighting, and are leaning upon their shields, +sitting still with their spears planted beside them. Alexandrus +and Menelaus are going to fight about yourself, and you are to be +the wife of him who is the victor." + +Thus spoke the goddess, and Helen's heart yearned after her +former husband, her city, and her parents. She threw a white +mantle over her head, and hurried from her room, weeping as she +went, not alone, but attended by two of her handmaids, Aethrae, +daughter of Pittheus, and Clymene. And straightway they were at +the Scaean gates. + +The two sages, Ucalegon and Antenor, elders of the people, were +seated by the Scaean gates, with Priam, Panthous, Thymoetes, +Lampus, Clytius, and Hiketaon of the race of Mars. These were too +old to fight, but they were fluent orators, and sat on the tower +like cicales that chirrup delicately from the boughs of some high +tree in a wood. When they saw Helen coming towards the tower, +they said softly to one another, "Small wonder that Trojans and +Achaeans should endure so much and so long, for the sake of a +woman so marvellously and divinely lovely. Still, fair though she +be, let them take her and go, or she will breed sorrow for us and +for our children after us." + +But Priam bade her draw nigh. "My child," said he, "take your +seat in front of me that you may see your former husband, your +kinsmen and your friends. I lay no blame upon you, it is the +gods, not you who are to blame. It is they that have brought +about this terrible war with the Achaeans. Tell me, then, who is +yonder huge hero so great and goodly? I have seen men taller by a +head, but none so comely and so royal. Surely he must be a king." + +"Sir," answered Helen, "father of my husband, dear and reverend +in my eyes, would that I had chosen death rather than to have +come here with your son, far from my bridal chamber, my friends, +my darling daughter, and all the companions of my girlhood. But +it was not to be, and my lot is one of tears and sorrow. As for +your question, the hero of whom you ask is Agamemnon, son of +Atreus, a good king and a brave soldier, brother-in-law as surely +as that he lives, to my abhorred and miserable self." + +The old man marvelled at him and said, "Happy son of Atreus, +child of good fortune. I see that the Achaeans are subject to you +in great multitudes. When I was in Phrygia I saw much horsemen, +the people of Otreus and of Mygdon, who were camping upon the +banks of the river Sangarius; I was their ally, and with them +when the Amazons, peers of men, came up against them, but even +they were not so many as the Achaeans." + +The old man next looked upon Ulysses; "Tell me," he said, "who is +that other, shorter by a head than Agamemnon, but broader across +the chest and shoulders? His armour is laid upon the ground, and +he stalks in front of the ranks as it were some great woolly ram +ordering his ewes." + +And Helen answered, "He is Ulysses, a man of great craft, son of +Laertes. He was born in rugged Ithaca, and excels in all manner +of stratagems and subtle cunning." + +On this Antenor said, "Madam, you have spoken truly. Ulysses once +came here as envoy about yourself, and Menelaus with him. I +received them in my own house, and therefore know both of them by +sight and conversation. When they stood up in presence of the +assembled Trojans, Menelaus was the broader shouldered, but when +both were seated Ulysses had the more royal presence. After a +time they delivered their message, and the speech of Menelaus ran +trippingly on the tongue; he did not say much, for he was a man +of few words, but he spoke very clearly and to the point, though +he was the younger man of the two; Ulysses, on the other hand, +when he rose to speak, was at first silent and kept his eyes +fixed upon the ground. There was no play nor graceful movement of +his sceptre; he kept it straight and stiff like a man unpractised +in oratory--one might have taken him for a mere churl or +simpleton; but when he raised his voice, and the words came +driving from his deep chest like winter snow before the wind, +then there was none to touch him, and no man thought further of +what he looked like." + +Priam then caught sight of Ajax and asked, "Who is that great and +goodly warrior whose head and broad shoulders tower above the +rest of the Argives?" + +"That," answered Helen, "is huge Ajax, bulwark of the Achaeans, +and on the other side of him, among the Cretans, stands Idomeneus +looking like a god, and with the captains of the Cretans round +him. Often did Menelaus receive him as a guest in our house when +he came visiting us from Crete. I see, moreover, many other +Achaeans whose names I could tell you, but there are two whom I +can nowhere find, Castor, breaker of horses, and Pollux the +mighty boxer; they are children of my mother, and own brothers to +myself. Either they have not left Lacedaemon, or else, though +they have brought their ships, they will not show themselves in +battle for the shame and disgrace that I have brought upon them." + +She knew not that both these heroes were already lying under the +earth in their own land of Lacedaemon. + +Meanwhile the heralds were bringing the holy oath-offerings +through the city--two lambs and a goatskin of wine, the gift of +earth; and Idaeus brought the mixing bowl and the cups of gold. +He went up to Priam and said, "Son of Laomedon, the princes of +the Trojans and Achaeans bid you come down on to the plain and +swear to a solemn covenant. Alexandrus and Menelaus are to fight +for Helen in single combat, that she and all her wealth may go +with him who is the victor. We are to swear to a solemn covenant +of peace whereby we others shall dwell here in Troy, while the +Achaeans return to Argos and the land of the Achaeans." + +The old man trembled as he heard, but bade his followers yoke the +horses, and they made all haste to do so. He mounted the chariot, +gathered the reins in his hand, and Antenor took his seat beside +him; they then drove through the Scaean gates on to the plain. +When they reached the ranks of the Trojans and Achaeans they left +the chariot, and with measured pace advanced into the space +between the hosts. + +Agamemnon and Ulysses both rose to meet them. The attendants +brought on the oath-offerings and mixed the wine in the +mixing-bowls; they poured water over the hands of the chieftains, +and the son of Atreus drew the dagger that hung by his sword, and +cut wool from the lambs' heads; this the men-servants gave about +among the Trojan and Achaean princes, and the son of Atreus +lifted up his hands in prayer. "Father Jove," he cried, "that +rulest in Ida, most glorious in power, and thou oh Sun, that +seest and givest ear to all things, Earth and Rivers, and ye who +in the realms below chastise the soul of him that has broken his +oath, witness these rites and guard them, that they be not vain. +If Alexandrus kills Menelaus, let him keep Helen and all her +wealth, while we sail home with our ships; but if Menelaus kills +Alexandrus, let the Trojans give back Helen and all that she has; +let them moreover pay such fine to the Achaeans as shall be +agreed upon, in testimony among those that shall be born +hereafter. And if Priam and his sons refuse such fine when +Alexandrus has fallen, then will I stay here and fight on till I +have got satisfaction." + +As he spoke he drew his knife across the throats of the victims, +and laid them down gasping and dying upon the ground, for the +knife had reft them of their strength. Then they poured wine from +the mixing-bowl into the cups, and prayed to the everlasting +gods, saying, Trojans and Achaeans among one another, "Jove, most +great and glorious, and ye other everlasting gods, grant that the +brains of them who shall first sin against their oaths--of them +and their children--may be shed upon the ground even as this +wine, and let their wives become the slaves of strangers." + +Thus they prayed, but not as yet would Jove grant them their +prayer. Then Priam, descendant of Dardanus, spoke, saying, "Hear +me, Trojans and Achaeans, I will now go back to the wind-beaten +city of Ilius: I dare not with my own eyes witness this fight +between my son and Menelaus, for Jove and the other immortals +alone know which shall fall." + +On this he laid the two lambs on his chariot and took his seat. +He gathered the reins in his hand, and Antenor sat beside him; +the two then went back to Ilius. Hector and Ulysses measured the +ground, and cast lots from a helmet of bronze to see which should +take aim first. Meanwhile the two hosts lifted up their hands and +prayed saying, "Father Jove, that rulest from Ida, most glorious +in power, grant that he who first brought about this war between +us may die, and enter the house of Hades, while we others remain +at peace and abide by our oaths." + +Great Hector now turned his head aside while he shook the helmet, +and the lot of Paris flew out first. The others took their +several stations, each by his horses and the place where his arms +were lying, while Alexandrus, husband of lovely Helen, put on his +goodly armour. First he greaved his legs with greaves of good +make and fitted with ancle-clasps of silver; after this he donned +the cuirass of his brother Lycaon, and fitted it to his own body; +he hung his silver-studded sword of bronze about his shoulders, +and then his mighty shield. On his comely head he set his helmet, +well-wrought, with a crest of horse-hair that nodded menacingly +above it, and he grasped a redoubtable spear that suited his +hands. In like fashion Menelaus also put on his armour. + +When they had thus armed, each amid his own people, they strode +fierce of aspect into the open space, and both Trojans and +Achaeans were struck with awe as they beheld them. They stood +near one another on the measured ground, brandishing their +spears, and each furious against the other. Alexandrus aimed +first, and struck the round shield of the son of Atreus, but the +spear did not pierce it, for the shield turned its point. +Menelaus next took aim, praying to Father Jove as he did so. +"King Jove," he said, "grant me revenge on Alexandrus who has +wronged me; subdue him under my hand that in ages yet to come a +man may shrink from doing ill deeds in the house of his host." + +He poised his spear as he spoke, and hurled it at the shield of +Alexandrus. Through shield and cuirass it went, and tore the +shirt by his flank, but Alexandrus swerved aside, and thus saved +his life. Then the son of Atreus drew his sword, and drove at the +projecting part of his helmet, but the sword fell shivered in +three or four pieces from his hand, and he cried, looking towards +Heaven, "Father Jove, of all gods thou art the most despiteful; I +made sure of my revenge, but the sword has broken in my hand, my +spear has been hurled in vain, and I have not killed him." + +With this he flew at Alexandrus, caught him by the horsehair +plume of his helmet, and began dragging him towards the Achaeans. +The strap of the helmet that went under his chin was choking him, +and Menelaus would have dragged him off to his own great glory +had not Jove's daughter Venus been quick to mark and to break the +strap of oxhide, so that the empty helmet came away in his hand. +This he flung to his comrades among the Achaeans, and was again +springing upon Alexandrus to run him through with a spear, but +Venus snatched him up in a moment (as a god can do), hid him +under a cloud of darkness, and conveyed him to his own +bedchamber. + +Then she went to call Helen, and found her on a high tower with +the Trojan women crowding round her. She took the form of an old +woman who used to dress wool for her when she was still in +Lacedaemon, and of whom she was very fond. Thus disguised she +plucked her by perfumed robe and said, "Come hither; Alexandrus +says you are to go to the house; he is on his bed in his own +room, radiant with beauty and dressed in gorgeous apparel. No one +would think he had just come from fighting, but rather that he +was going to a dance, or had done dancing and was sitting down." + +With these words she moved the heart of Helen to anger. When she +marked the beautiful neck of the goddess, her lovely bosom, and +sparkling eyes, she marvelled at her and said, "Goddess, why do +you thus beguile me? Are you going to send me afield still +further to some man whom you have taken up in Phrygia or fair +Meonia? Menelaus has just vanquished Alexandrus, and is to take +my hateful self back with him. You are come here to betray me. Go +sit with Alexandrus yourself; henceforth be goddess no longer; +never let your feet carry you back to Olympus; worry about him +and look after him till he make you his wife, or, for the matter +of that, his slave--but me? I shall not go; I can garnish his bed +no longer; I should be a by-word among all the women of Troy. +Besides, I have trouble on my mind." + +Venus was very angry, and said, "Bold hussy, do not provoke me; +if you do, I shall leave you to your fate and hate you as much as +I have loved you. I will stir up fierce hatred between Trojans +and Achaeans, and you shall come to a bad end." + +At this Helen was frightened. She wrapped her mantle about her +and went in silence, following the goddess and unnoticed by the +Trojan women. + +When they came to the house of Alexandrus the maid-servants set +about their work, but Helen went into her own room, and the +laughter-loving goddess took a seat and set it for her facing +Alexandrus. On this Helen, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, sat +down, and with eyes askance began to upbraid her husband. + +"So you are come from the fight," said she; "would that you had +fallen rather by the hand of that brave man who was my husband. +You used to brag that you were a better man with hands and spear +than Menelaus. Go, then, and challenge him again--but I should +advise you not to do so, for if you are foolish enough to meet +him in single combat, you will soon fall by his spear." + +And Paris answered, "Wife, do not vex me with your reproaches. +This time, with the help of Minerva, Menelaus has vanquished me; +another time I may myself be victor, for I too have gods that +will stand by me. Come, let us lie down together and make +friends. Never yet was I so passionately enamoured of you as at +this moment--not even when I first carried you off from +Lacedaemon and sailed away with you--not even when I had converse +with you upon the couch of love in the island of Cranae was I so +enthralled by desire of you as now." On this he led her towards +the bed, and his wife went with him. + +Thus they laid themselves on the bed together; but the son of +Atreus strode among the throng, looking everywhere for +Alexandrus, and no man, neither of the Trojans nor of the allies, +could find him. If they had seen him they were in no mind to hide +him, for they all of them hated him as they did death itself. +Then Agamemnon, king of men, spoke, saying, "Hear me, Trojans, +Dardanians, and allies. The victory has been with Menelaus; +therefore give back Helen with all her wealth, and pay such fine +as shall be agreed upon, in testimony among them that shall be +born hereafter." + +Thus spoke the son of Atreus, and the Achaeans shouted in +applause. + + + +BOOK IV + + A quarrel in Olympus--Minerva goes down and persuades Fandarus + to violate the oaths by wounding Menelaus with an arrow-- + Agamemnon makes a speech and sends for Machaon--He then + goes about among his captains and upbraids Ulysses and + Sthenelus, who each of them retort fiercely--Diomed checks + Sthenelus, and the two hosts then engage, with great slaughter + on either side. + +Now the gods were sitting with Jove in council upon the golden +floor while Hebe went round pouring out nectar for them to drink, +and as they pledged one another in their cups of gold they looked +down upon the town of Troy. The son of Saturn then began to tease +Juno, talking at her so as to provoke her. "Menelaus," said he, +"has two good friends among the goddesses, Juno of Argos, and +Minerva of Alalcomene, but they only sit still and look on, while +Venus keeps ever by Alexandrus' side to defend him in any danger; +indeed she has just rescued him when he made sure that it was all +over with him--for the victory really did lie with Menelaus. We +must consider what we shall do about all this; shall we set them +fighting anew or make peace between them? If you will agree to +this last Menelaus can take back Helen and the city of Priam may +remain still inhabited." + +Minerva and Juno muttered their discontent as they sat side by +side hatching mischief for the Trojans. Minerva scowled at her +father, for she was in a furious passion with him, and said +nothing, but Juno could not contain herself. "Dread son of +Saturn," said she, "what, pray, is the meaning of all this? Is my +trouble, then, to go for nothing, and the sweat that I have +sweated, to say nothing of my horses, while getting the people +together against Priam and his children? Do as you will, but we +other gods shall not all of us approve your counsel." + +Jove was angry and answered, "My dear, what harm have Priam and +his sons done you that you are so hotly bent on sacking the city +of Ilius? Will nothing do for you but you must within their walls +and eat Priam raw, with his sons and all the other Trojans to +boot? Have it your own way then; for I would not have this matter +become a bone of contention between us. I say further, and lay my +saying to your heart, if ever I want to sack a city belonging to +friends of yours, you must not try to stop me; you will have to +let me do it, for I am giving in to you sorely against my will. +Of all inhabited cities under the sun and stars of heaven, there +was none that I so much respected as Ilius with Priam and his +whole people. Equitable feasts were never wanting about my altar, +nor the savour of burning fat, which is honour due to ourselves." + +"My own three favourite cities," answered Juno, "are Argos, +Sparta, and Mycenae. Sack them whenever you may be displeased +with them. I shall not defend them and I shall not care. Even if +I did, and tried to stay you, I should take nothing by it, for +you are much stronger than I am, but I will not have my own work +wasted. I too am a god and of the same race with yourself. I am +Saturn's eldest daughter, and am honourable not on this ground +only, but also because I am your wife, and you are king over the +gods. Let it be a case, then, of give-and-take between us, and +the rest of the gods will follow our lead. Tell Minerva to go and +take part in the fight at once, and let her contrive that the +Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon the +Achaeans." + +The sire of gods and men heeded her words, and said to Minerva, +"Go at once into the Trojan and Achaean hosts, and contrive that +the Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon +the Achaeans." + +This was what Minerva was already eager to do, so down she darted +from the topmost summits of Olympus. She shot through the sky as +some brilliant meteor which the son of scheming Saturn has sent +as a sign to mariners or to some great army, and a fiery train of +light follows in its wake. The Trojans and Achaeans were struck +with awe as they beheld, and one would turn to his neighbour, +saying, "Either we shall again have war and din of combat, or +Jove the lord of battle will now make peace between us." + +Thus did they converse. Then Minerva took the form of Laodocus, +son of Antenor, and went through the ranks of the Trojans to find +Pandarus, the redoubtable son of Lycaon. She found him standing +among the stalwart heroes who had followed him from the banks of +the Aesopus, so she went close up to him and said, "Brave son of +Lycaon, will you do as I tell you? If you dare send an arrow at +Menelaus you will win honour and thanks from all the Trojans, and +especially from prince Alexandrus--he would be the first to +requite you very handsomely if he could see Menelaus mount his +funeral pyre, slain by an arrow from your hand. Take your home +aim then, and pray to Lycian Apollo, the famous archer; vow that +when you get home to your strong city of Zelea you will offer a +hecatomb of firstling lambs in his honour." + +His fool's heart was persuaded, and he took his bow from its +case. This bow was made from the horns of a wild ibex which he +had killed as it was bounding from a rock; he had stalked it, and +it had fallen as the arrow struck it to the heart. Its horns were +sixteen palms long, and a worker in horn had made them into a +bow, smoothing them well down, and giving them tips of gold. When +Pandarus had strung his bow he laid it carefully on the ground, +and his brave followers held their shields before him lest the +Achaeans should set upon him before he had shot Menelaus. Then he +opened the lid of his quiver and took out a winged arrow that had +not yet been shot, fraught with the pangs of death. He laid the +arrow on the string and prayed to Lycian Apollo, the famous +archer, vowing that when he got home to his strong city of Zelea +he would offer a hecatomb of firstling lambs in his honour. He +laid the notch of the arrow on the oxhide bowstring, and drew +both notch and string to his breast till the arrow-head was near +the bow; then when the bow was arched into a half-circle he let +fly, and the bow twanged, and the string sang as the arrow flew +gladly on over the heads of the throng. + +But the blessed gods did not forget thee, O Menelaus, and Jove's +daughter, driver of the spoil, was the first to stand before thee +and ward off the piercing arrow. She turned it from his skin as a +mother whisks a fly from off her child when it is sleeping +sweetly; she guided it to the part where the golden buckles of +the belt that passed over his double cuirass were fastened, so +the arrow struck the belt that went tightly round him. It went +right through this and through the cuirass of cunning +workmanship; it also pierced the belt beneath it, which he wore +next his skin to keep out darts or arrows; it was this that +served him in the best stead, nevertheless the arrow went through +it and grazed the top of the skin, so that blood began flowing +from the wound. + +As when some woman of Meonia or Caria strains purple dye on to a +piece of ivory that is to be the cheek-piece of a horse, and is +to be laid up in a treasure house--many a knight is fain to bear +it, but the king keeps it as an ornament of which both horse and +driver may be proud--even so, O Menelaus, were your shapely +thighs and your legs down to your fair ancles stained with blood. + +When King Agamemnon saw the blood flowing from the wound he was +afraid, and so was brave Menelaus himself till he saw that the +barbs of the arrow and the thread that bound the arrow-head to +the shaft were still outside the wound. Then he took heart, but +Agamemnon heaved a deep sigh as he held Menelaus's hand in his +own, and his comrades made moan in concert. "Dear brother," he +cried, "I have been the death of you in pledging this covenant +and letting you come forward as our champion. The Trojans have +trampled on their oaths and have wounded you; nevertheless the +oath, the blood of lambs, the drink-offerings and the right hands +of fellowship in which we have put our trust shall not be vain. +If he that rules Olympus fulfil it not here and now, he will yet +fulfil it hereafter, and they shall pay dearly with their lives +and with their wives and children. The day will surely come when +mighty Ilius shall be laid low, with Priam and Priam's people, +when the son of Saturn from his high throne shall overshadow them +with his awful aegis in punishment of their present treachery. +This shall surely be; but how, Menelaus, shall I mourn you, if it +be your lot now to die? I should return to Argos as a by-word, +for the Achaeans will at once go home. We shall leave Priam and +the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, and the earth will +rot your bones as you lie here at Troy with your purpose not +fulfilled. Then shall some braggart Trojan leap upon your tomb +and say, 'Ever thus may Agamemnon wreak his vengeance; he brought +his army in vain; he is gone home to his own land with empty +ships, and has left Menelaus behind him.' Thus will one of them +say, and may the earth then swallow me." + +But Menelaus reassured him and said, "Take heart, and do not +alarm the people; the arrow has not struck me in a mortal part, +for my outer belt of burnished metal first stayed it, and under +this my cuirass and the belt of mail which the bronze-smiths made +me." + +And Agamemnon answered, "I trust, dear Menelaus, that it may be +even so, but the surgeon shall examine your wound and lay herbs +upon it to relieve your pain." + +He then said to Talthybius, "Talthybius, tell Machaon, son to the +great physician, Aesculapius, to come and see Menelaus +immediately. Some Trojan or Lycian archer has wounded him with an +arrow to our dismay, and to his own great glory." + +Talthybius did as he was told, and went about the host trying to +find Machaon. Presently he found standing amid the brave warriors +who had followed him from Tricca; thereon he went up to him and +said, "Son of Aesculapius, King Agamemnon says you are to come +and see Menelaus immediately. Some Trojan or Lycian archer has +wounded him with an arrow to our dismay and to his own great +glory." + +Thus did he speak, and Machaon was moved to go. They passed +through the spreading host of the Achaeans and went on till they +came to the place where Menelaus had been wounded and was lying +with the chieftains gathered in a circle round him. Machaon +passed into the middle of the ring and at once drew the arrow +from the belt, bending its barbs back through the force with +which he pulled it out. He undid the burnished belt, and beneath +this the cuirass and the belt of mail which the bronze-smiths had +made; then, when he had seen the wound, he wiped away the blood +and applied some soothing drugs which Chiron had given to +Aesculapius out of the good will he bore him. + +While they were thus busy about Menelaus, the Trojans came +forward against them, for they had put on their armour, and now +renewed the fight. + +You would not have then found Agamemnon asleep nor cowardly and +unwilling to fight, but eager rather for the fray. He left his +chariot rich with bronze and his panting steeds in charge of +Eurymedon, son of Ptolemaeus the son of Peiraeus, and bade him +hold them in readiness against the time his limbs should weary of +going about and giving orders to so many, for he went among the +ranks on foot. When he saw men hasting to the front he stood by +them and cheered them on. "Argives," said he, "slacken not one +whit in your onset; father Jove will be no helper of liars; the +Trojans have been the first to break their oaths and to attack +us; therefore they shall be devoured of vultures; we shall take +their city and carry off their wives and children in our ships." + +But he angrily rebuked those whom he saw shirking and disinclined +to fight. "Argives," he cried, "cowardly miserable creatures, +have you no shame to stand here like frightened fawns who, when +they can no longer scud over the plain, huddle together, but show +no fight? You are as dazed and spiritless as deer. Would you wait +till the Trojans reach the sterns of our ships as they lie on the +shore, to see whether the son of Saturn will hold his hand over +you to protect you?" + +Thus did he go about giving his orders among the ranks. Passing +through the crowd, he came presently on the Cretans, arming round +Idomeneus, who was at their head, fierce as a wild boar, while +Meriones was bringing up the battalions that were in the rear. +Agamemnon was glad when he saw him, and spoke him fairly. +"Idomeneus," said he, "I treat you with greater distinction than +I do any others of the Achaeans, whether in war or in other +things, or at table. When the princes are mixing my choicest +wines in the mixing-bowls, they have each of them a fixed +allowance, but your cup is kept always full like my own, that you +may drink whenever you are minded. Go, therefore, into battle, +and show yourself the man you have been always proud to be." + +Idomeneus answered, "I will be a trusty comrade, as I promised +you from the first I would be. Urge on the other Achaeans, that +we may join battle at once, for the Trojans have trampled upon +their covenants. Death and destruction shall be theirs, seeing +they have been the first to break their oaths and to attack us." + +The son of Atreus went on, glad at heart, till he came upon the +two Ajaxes arming themselves amid a host of foot-soldiers. As +when a goat-herd from some high post watches a storm drive over +the deep before the west wind--black as pitch is the offing and a +mighty whirlwind draws towards him, so that he is afraid and +drives his flock into a cave--even thus did the ranks of stalwart +youths move in a dark mass to battle under the Ajaxes, horrid +with shield and spear. Glad was King Agamemnon when he saw them. +"No need," he cried, "to give orders to such leaders of the +Argives as you are, for of your own selves you spur your men on +to fight with might and main. Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and +Apollo that all were so minded as you are, for the city of Priam +would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we should sack it." + +With this he left them and went onward to Nestor, the facile +speaker of the Pylians, who was marshalling his men and urging +them on, in company with Pelagon, Alastor, Chromius, Haemon, and +Bias shepherd of his people. He placed his knights with their +chariots and horses in the front rank, while the foot-soldiers, +brave men and many, whom he could trust, were in the rear. The +cowards he drove into the middle, that they might fight whether +they would or no. He gave his orders to the knights first, +bidding them hold their horses well in hand, so as to avoid +confusion. "Let no man," he said, "relying on his strength or +horsemanship, get before the others and engage singly with the +Trojans, nor yet let him lag behind or you will weaken your +attack; but let each when he meets an enemy's chariot throw his +spear from his own; this be much the best; this is how the men of +old took towns and strongholds; in this wise were they minded." + +Thus did the old man charge them, for he had been in many a +fight, and King Agamemnon was glad. "I wish," he said to him, +"that your limbs were as supple and your strength as sure as your +judgment is; but age, the common enemy of mankind, has laid his +hand upon you; would that it had fallen upon some other, and that +you were still young." + +And Nestor, knight of Gerene, answered, "Son of Atreus, I too +would gladly be the man I was when I slew mighty Ereuthalion; but +the gods will not give us everything at one and the same time. I +was then young, and now I am old; still I can go with my knights +and give them that counsel which old men have a right to give. +The wielding of the spear I leave to those who are younger and +stronger than myself." + +Agamemnon went his way rejoicing, and presently found Menestheus, +son of Peteos, tarrying in his place, and with him were the +Athenians loud of tongue in battle. Near him also tarried cunning +Ulysses, with his sturdy Cephallenians round him; they had not +yet heard the battle-cry, for the ranks of Trojans and Achaeans +had only just begun to move, so they were standing still, waiting +for some other columns of the Achaeans to attack the Trojans and +begin the fighting. When he saw this Agamemnon rebuked them and +said, "Son of Peteos, and you other, steeped in cunning, heart of +guile, why stand you here cowering and waiting on others? You two +should be of all men foremost when there is hard fighting to be +done, for you are ever foremost to accept my invitation when we +councillors of the Achaeans are holding feast. You are glad +enough then to take your fill of roast meats and to drink wine as +long as you please, whereas now you would not care though you saw +ten columns of Achaeans engage the enemy in front of you." + +Ulysses glared at him and answered, "Son of Atreus, what are you +talking about? How can you say that we are slack? When the +Achaeans are in full fight with the Trojans, you shall see, if +you care to do so, that the father of Telemachus will join battle +with the foremost of them. You are talking idly." + +When Agamemnon saw that Ulysses was angry, he smiled pleasantly +at him and withdrew his words. "Ulysses," said he, "noble son of +Laertes, excellent in all good counsel, I have neither fault to +find nor orders to give you, for I know your heart is right, and +that you and I are of a mind. Enough; I will make you amends for +what I have said, and if any ill has now been spoken may the gods +bring it to nothing." + +He then left them and went on to others. Presently he saw the son +of Tydeus, noble Diomed, standing by his chariot and horses, with +Sthenelus the son of Capaneus beside him; whereon he began to +upbraid him. "Son of Tydeus," he said, "why stand you cowering +here upon the brink of battle? Tydeus did not shrink thus, but +was ever ahead of his men when leading them on against the foe-- +so, at least, say they that saw him in battle, for I never set +eyes upon him myself. They say that there was no man like him. He +came once to Mycenae, not as an enemy but as a guest, in company +with Polynices to recruit his forces, for they were levying war +against the strong city of Thebes, and prayed our people for a +body of picked men to help them. The men of Mycenae were willing +to let them have one, but Jove dissuaded them by showing them +unfavourable omens. Tydeus, therefore, and Polynices went their +way. When they had got as far the deep-meadowed and rush-grown +banks of the Aesopus, the Achaeans sent Tydeus as their envoy, +and he found the Cadmeans gathered in great numbers to a banquet +in the house of Eteocles. Stranger though he was, he knew no fear +on finding himself single-handed among so many, but challenged +them to contests of all kinds, and in each one of them was at +once victorious, so mightily did Minerva help him. The Cadmeans +were incensed at his success, and set a force of fifty youths +with two captains--the godlike hero Maeon, son of Haemon, and +Polyphontes, son of Autophonus--at their head, to lie in wait for +him on his return journey; but Tydeus slew every man of them, +save only Maeon, whom he let go in obedience to heaven's omens. +Such was Tydeus of Aetolia. His son can talk more glibly, but he +cannot fight as his father did." + +Diomed made no answer, for he was shamed by the rebuke of +Agamemnon; but the son of Capaneus took up his words and said, +"Son of Atreus, tell no lies, for you can speak truth if you +will. We boast ourselves as even better men than our fathers; we +took seven-gated Thebes, though the wall was stronger and our men +were fewer in number, for we trusted in the omens of the gods and +in the help of Jove, whereas they perished through their own +sheer folly; hold not, then, our fathers in like honour with us." + +Diomed looked sternly at him and said, "Hold your peace, my +friend, as I bid you. It is not amiss that Agamemnon should urge +the Achaeans forward, for the glory will be his if we take the +city, and his the shame if we are vanquished. Therefore let us +acquit ourselves with valour." + +As he spoke he sprang from his chariot, and his armour rang so +fiercely about his body that even a brave man might well have +been scared to hear it. + +As when some mighty wave that thunders on the beach when the west +wind has lashed it into fury--it has reared its head afar and now +comes crashing down on the shore; it bows its arching crest high +over the jagged rocks and spews its salt foam in all +directions--even so did the serried phalanxes of the Danaans +march steadfastly to battle. The chiefs gave orders each to his +own people, but the men said never a word; no man would think it, +for huge as the host was, it seemed as though there was not a +tongue among them, so silent were they in their obedience; and as +they marched the armour about their bodies glistened in the sun. +But the clamour of the Trojan ranks was as that of many thousand +ewes that stand waiting to be milked in the yards of some rich +flockmaster, and bleat incessantly in answer to the bleating of +their lambs; for they had not one speech nor language, but their +tongues were diverse, and they came from many different places. +These were inspired of Mars, but the others by Minerva--and with +them came Panic, Rout, and Strife whose fury never tires, sister +and friend of murderous Mars, who, from being at first but low in +stature, grows till she uprears her head to heaven, though her +feet are still on earth. She it was that went about among them +and flung down discord to the waxing of sorrow with even hand +between them. + +When they were got together in one place shield clashed with +shield and spear with spear in the rage of battle. The bossed +shields beat one upon another, and there was a tramp as of a +great multitude--death-cry and shout of triumph of slain and +slayers, and the earth ran red with blood. As torrents swollen +with rain course madly down their deep channels till the angry +floods meet in some gorge, and the shepherd on the hillside hears +their roaring from afar--even such was the toil and uproar of the +hosts as they joined in battle. + +First Antilochus slew an armed warrior of the Trojans, Echepolus, +son of Thalysius, fighting in the foremost ranks. He struck at +the projecting part of his helmet and drove the spear into his +brow; the point of bronze pierced the bone, and darkness veiled +his eyes; headlong as a tower he fell amid the press of the +fight, and as he dropped King Elephenor, son of Chalcodon and +captain of the proud Abantes began dragging him out of reach of +the darts that were falling around him, in haste to strip him of +his armour. But his purpose was not for long; Agenor saw him +haling the body away, and smote him in the side with his +bronze-shod spear--for as he stooped his side was left +unprotected by his shield--and thus he perished. Then the fight +between Trojans and Achaeans grew furious over his body, and they +flew upon each other like wolves, man and man crushing one upon +the other. + +Forthwith Ajax, son of Telamon, slew the fair youth Simoeisius, +son of Anthemion, whom his mother bore by the banks of the +Simois, as she was coming down from Mt. Ida, where she had been +with her parents to see their flocks. Therefore he was named +Simoeisius, but he did not live to pay his parents for his +rearing, for he was cut off untimely by the spear of mighty Ajax, +who struck him in the breast by the right nipple as he was coming +on among the foremost fighters; the spear went right through his +shoulder, and he fell as a poplar that has grown straight and +tall in a meadow by some mere, and its top is thick with +branches. Then the wheelwright lays his axe to its roots that he +may fashion a felloe for the wheel of some goodly chariot, and it +lies seasoning by the waterside. In such wise did Ajax fell to +earth Simoeisius, son of Anthemion. Thereon Antiphus of the +gleaming corslet, son of Priam, hurled a spear at Ajax from amid +the crowd and missed him, but he hit Leucus, the brave comrade of +Ulysses, in the groin, as he was dragging the body of Simoeisius +over to the other side; so he fell upon the body and loosed his +hold upon it. Ulysses was furious when he saw Leucus slain, and +strode in full armour through the front ranks till he was quite +close; then he glared round about him and took aim, and the +Trojans fell back as he did so. His dart was not sped in vain, +for it struck Democoon, the bastard son of Priam, who had come to +him from Abydos, where he had charge of his father's mares. +Ulysses, infuriated by the death of his comrade, hit him with his +spear on one temple, and the bronze point came through on the +other side of his forehead. Thereon darkness veiled his eyes, and +his armour rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the +ground. Hector, and they that were in front, then gave round +while the Argives raised a shout and drew off the dead, pressing +further forward as they did so. But Apollo looked down from +Pergamus and called aloud to the Trojans, for he was displeased. +"Trojans," he cried, "rush on the foe, and do not let yourselves +be thus beaten by the Argives. Their skins are not stone nor iron +that when hit them you do them no harm. Moreover, Achilles, the +son of lovely Thetis, is not fighting, but is nursing his anger +at the ships." + +Thus spoke the mighty god, crying to them from the city, while +Jove's redoubtable daughter, the Trito-born, went about among the +host of the Achaeans, and urged them forward whenever she beheld +them slackening. + +Then fate fell upon Diores, son of Amarynceus, for he was struck +by a jagged stone near the ancle of his right leg. He that hurled +it was Peirous, son of Imbrasus, captain of the Thracians, who +had come from Aenus; the bones and both the tendons were crushed +by the pitiless stone. He fell to the ground on his back, and in +his death throes stretched out his hands towards his comrades. +But Peirous, who had wounded him, sprang on him and thrust a +spear into his belly, so that his bowels came gushing out upon +the ground, and darkness veiled his eyes. As he was leaving the +body, Thoas of Aetolia struck him in the chest near the nipple, +and the point fixed itself in his lungs. Thoas came close up to +him, pulled the spear out of his chest, and then drawing his +sword, smote him in the middle of the belly so that he died; but +he did not strip him of his armour, for his Thracian comrades, +men who wear their hair in a tuft at the top of their heads, +stood round the body and kept him off with their long spears for +all his great stature and valour; so he was driven back. Thus the +two corpses lay stretched on earth near to one another, the one +captain of the Thracians and the other of the Epeans; and many +another fell round them. + +And now no man would have made light of the fighting if he could +have gone about among it scatheless and unwounded, with Minerva +leading him by the hand, and protecting him from the storm of +spears and arrows. For many Trojans and Achaeans on that day lay +stretched side by side face downwards upon the earth. + + + +BOOK V + + The exploits of Diomed, who, though wounded by Pandarus, + continues fighting--He kills Pandarus and wounds AEneas--Venus + rescues AEneas, but being wounded by Diomed, commits him + to the care of Apollo and goes to Olympus, where she is tended + by her mother Dione--Mars encourages the Trojans, and + AEneas returns to the fight cured of his wound--Minerva and + Juno help the Achaeans, and by the advice of the former + Diomed wounds Mars, who returns to Olympus to get cured. + +Then Pallas Minerva put valour into the heart of Diomed, son of +Tydeus, that he might excel all the other Argives, and cover +himself with glory. She made a stream of fire flare from his +shield and helmet like the star that shines most brilliantly in +summer after its bath in the waters of Oceanus--even such a fire +did she kindle upon his head and shoulders as she bade him speed +into the thickest hurly-burly of the fight. + +Now there was a certain rich and honourable man among the +Trojans, priest of Vulcan, and his name was Dares. He had two +sons, Phegeus and Idaeus, both of them skilled in all the arts of +war. These two came forward from the main body of Trojans, and +set upon Diomed, he being on foot, while they fought from their +chariot. When they were close up to one another, Phegeus took aim +first, but his spear went over Diomed's left shoulder without +hitting him. Diomed then threw, and his spear sped not in vain, +for it hit Phegeus on the breast near the nipple, and he fell +from his chariot. Idaeus did not dare to bestride his brother's +body, but sprang from the chariot and took to flight, or he would +have shared his brother's fate; whereon Vulcan saved him by +wrapping him in a cloud of darkness, that his old father might +not be utterly overwhelmed with grief; but the son of Tydeus +drove off with the horses, and bade his followers take them to +the ships. The Trojans were scared when they saw the two sons of +Dares, one of them in fright and the other lying dead by his +chariot. Minerva, therefore, took Mars by the hand and said, +"Mars, Mars, bane of men, bloodstained stormer of cities, may we +not now leave the Trojans and Achaeans to fight it out, and see +to which of the two Jove will vouchsafe the victory? Let us go +away, and thus avoid his anger." + +So saying, she drew Mars out of the battle, and set him down upon +the steep banks of the Scamander. Upon this the Danaans drove the +Trojans back, and each one of their chieftains killed his man. +First King Agamemnon flung mighty Odius, captain of the Halizoni, +from his chariot. The spear of Agamemnon caught him on the broad +of his back, just as he was turning in flight; it struck him +between the shoulders and went right through his chest, and his +armour rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. + +Then Idomeneus killed Phaesus, son of Borus the Meonian, who had +come from Varne. Mighty Idomeneus speared him on the right +shoulder as he was mounting his chariot, and the darkness of +death enshrouded him as he fell heavily from the car. + +The squires of Idomeneus spoiled him of his armour, while +Menelaus, son of Atreus, killed Scamandrius the son of Strophius, +a mighty huntsman and keen lover of the chase. Diana herself had +taught him how to kill every kind of wild creature that is bred +in mountain forests, but neither she nor his famed skill in +archery could now save him, for the spear of Menelaus struck him +in the back as he was flying; it struck him between the shoulders +and went right through his chest, so that he fell headlong and +his armour rang rattling round him. + +Meriones then killed Phereclus the son of Tecton, who was the son +of Hermon, a man whose hand was skilled in all manner of cunning +workmanship, for Pallas Minerva had dearly loved him. He it was +that made the ships for Alexandrus, which were the beginning of +all mischief, and brought evil alike both on the Trojans and on +Alexandrus himself; for he heeded not the decrees of heaven. +Meriones overtook him as he was flying, and struck him on the +right buttock. The point of the spear went through the bone into +the bladder, and death came upon him as he cried aloud and fell +forward on his knees. + +Meges, moreover, slew Pedaeus, son of Antenor, who, though he was +a bastard, had been brought up by Theano as one of her own +children, for the love she bore her husband. The son of Phyleus +got close up to him and drove a spear into the nape of his neck: +it went under his tongue all among his teeth, so he bit the cold +bronze, and fell dead in the dust. + +And Eurypylus, son of Euaemon, killed Hypsenor, the son of noble +Dolopion, who had been made priest of the river Scamander, and +was honoured among the people as though he were a god. Eurypylus +gave him chase as he was flying before him, smote him with his +sword upon the arm, and lopped his strong hand from off it. The +bloody hand fell to the ground, and the shades of death, with +fate that no man can withstand, came over his eyes. + +Thus furiously did the battle rage between them. As for the son +of Tydeus, you could not say whether he was more among the +Achaeans or the Trojans. He rushed across the plain like a winter +torrent that has burst its barrier in full flood; no dykes, no +walls of fruitful vineyards can embank it when it is swollen with +rain from heaven, but in a moment it comes tearing onward, and +lays many a field waste that many a strong man's hand has +reclaimed--even so were the dense phalanxes of the Trojans driven +in rout by the son of Tydeus, and many though they were, they +dared not abide his onslaught. + +Now when the son of Lycaon saw him scouring the plain and driving +the Trojans pell-mell before him, he aimed an arrow and hit the +front part of his cuirass near the shoulder: the arrow went right +through the metal and pierced the flesh, so that the cuirass was +covered with blood. On this the son of Lycaon shouted in triumph, +"Knights Trojans, come on; the bravest of the Achaeans is +wounded, and he will not hold out much longer if King Apollo was +indeed with me when I sped from Lycia hither." + +Thus did he vaunt; but his arrow had not killed Diomed, who +withdrew and made for the chariot and horses of Sthenelus, the +son of Capaneus. "Dear son of Capaneus," said he, "come down from +your chariot, and draw the arrow out of my shoulder." + +Sthenelus sprang from his chariot, and drew the arrow from the +wound, whereon the blood came spouting out through the hole that +had been made in his shirt. Then Diomed prayed, saying, "Hear me, +daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, if ever you loved my +father well and stood by him in the thick of a fight, do the like +now by me; grant me to come within a spear's throw of that man +and kill him. He has been too quick for me and has wounded me; +and now he is boasting that I shall not see the light of the sun +much longer." + +Thus he prayed, and Pallas Minerva heard him; she made his limbs +supple and quickened his hands and his feet. Then she went up +close to him and said, "Fear not, Diomed, to do battle with the +Trojans, for I have set in your heart the spirit of your knightly +father Tydeus. Moreover, I have withdrawn the veil from your +eyes, that you know gods and men apart. If, then, any other god +comes here and offers you battle, do not fight him; but should +Jove's daughter Venus come, strike her with your spear and wound +her." + +When she had said this Minerva went away, and the son of Tydeus +again took his place among the foremost fighters, three times +more fierce even than he had been before. He was like a lion that +some mountain shepherd has wounded, but not killed, as he is +springing over the wall of a sheep-yard to attack the sheep. The +shepherd has roused the brute to fury but cannot defend his +flock, so he takes shelter under cover of the buildings, while +the sheep, panic-stricken on being deserted, are smothered in +heaps one on top of the other, and the angry lion leaps out over +the sheep-yard wall. Even thus did Diomed go furiously about +among the Trojans. + +He killed Astynous, and Hypeiron shepherd of his people, the one +with a thrust of his spear, which struck him above the nipple, +the other with a sword-cut on the collar-bone, that severed his +shoulder from his neck and back. He let both of them lie, and +went in pursuit of Abas and Polyidus, sons of the old reader of +dreams Eurydamas: they never came back for him to read them any +more dreams, for mighty Diomed made an end of them. He then gave +chase to Xanthus and Thoon, the two sons of Phaenops, both of +them very dear to him, for he was now worn out with age, and +begat no more sons to inherit his possessions. But Diomed took +both their lives and left their father sorrowing bitterly, for he +nevermore saw them come home from battle alive, and his kinsmen +divided his wealth among themselves. + +Then he came upon two sons of Priam, Echemmon and Chromius, as +they were both in one chariot. He sprang upon them as a lion +fastens on the neck of some cow or heifer when the herd is +feeding in a coppice. For all their vain struggles he flung them +both from their chariot and stripped the armour from their +bodies. Then he gave their horses to his comrades to take them +back to the ships. + +When Aeneas saw him thus making havoc among the ranks, he went +through the fight amid the rain of spears to see if he could find +Pandarus. When he had found the brave son of Lycaon he said, +"Pandarus, where is now your bow, your winged arrows, and your +renown as an archer, in respect of which no man here can rival +you nor is there any in Lycia that can beat you? Lift then your +hands to Jove and send an arrow at this fellow who is going so +masterfully about, and has done such deadly work among the +Trojans. He has killed many a brave man--unless indeed he is some +god who is angry with the Trojans about their sacrifices, and and +has set his hand against them in his displeasure." + +And the son of Lycaon answered, "Aeneas, I take him for none +other than the son of Tydeus. I know him by his shield, the visor +of his helmet, and by his horses. It is possible that he may be a +god, but if he is the man I say he is, he is not making all this +havoc without heaven's help, but has some god by his side who is +shrouded in a cloud of darkness, and who turned my arrow aside +when it had hit him. I have taken aim at him already and hit him +on the right shoulder; my arrow went through the breastpiece of +his cuirass; and I made sure I should send him hurrying to the +world below, but it seems that I have not killed him. There must +be a god who is angry with me. Moreover I have neither horse nor +chariot. In my father's stables there are eleven excellent +chariots, fresh from the builder, quite new, with cloths spread +over them; and by each of them there stand a pair of horses, +champing barley and rye; my old father Lycaon urged me again and +again when I was at home and on the point of starting, to take +chariots and horses with me that I might lead the Trojans in +battle, but I would not listen to him; it would have been much +better if I had done so, but I was thinking about the horses, +which had been used to eat their fill, and I was afraid that in +such a great gathering of men they might be ill-fed, so I left +them at home and came on foot to Ilius armed only with my bow and +arrows. These it seems, are of no use, for I have already hit two +chieftains, the sons of Atreus and of Tydeus, and though I drew +blood surely enough, I have only made them still more furious. I +did ill to take my bow down from its peg on the day I led my band +of Trojans to Ilius in Hector's service, and if ever I get home +again to set eyes on my native place, my wife, and the greatness +of my house, may some one cut my head off then and there if I do +not break the bow and set it on a hot fire--such pranks as it +plays me." + +Aeneas answered, "Say no more. Things will not mend till we two +go against this man with chariot and horses and bring him to a +trial of arms. Mount my chariot, and note how cleverly the horses +of Tros can speed hither and thither over the plain in pursuit or +flight. If Jove again vouchsafes glory to the son of Tydeus they +will carry us safely back to the city. Take hold, then, of the +whip and reins while I stand upon the car to fight, or else do +you wait this man's onset while I look after the horses." + +"Aeneas," replied the son of Lycaon, "take the reins and drive; +if we have to fly before the son of Tydeus the horses will go +better for their own driver. If they miss the sound of your voice +when they expect it they may be frightened, and refuse to take us +out of the fight. The son of Tydeus will then kill both of us and +take the horses. Therefore drive them yourself and I will be +ready for him with my spear." + +They then mounted the chariot and drove full-speed towards the +son of Tydeus. Sthenelus, son of Capaneus, saw them coming and +said to Diomed, "Diomed, son of Tydeus, man after my own heart, I +see two heroes speeding towards you, both of them men of might +the one a skilful archer, Pandarus son of Lycaon, the other, +Aeneas, whose sire is Anchises, while his mother is Venus. Mount +the chariot and let us retreat. Do not, I pray you, press so +furiously forward, or you may get killed." + +Diomed looked angrily at him and answered: "Talk not of flight, +for I shall not listen to you: I am of a race that knows neither +flight nor fear, and my limbs are as yet unwearied. I am in no +mind to mount, but will go against them even as I am; Pallas +Minerva bids me be afraid of no man, and even though one of them +escape, their steeds shall not take both back again. I say +further, and lay my saying to your heart--if Minerva sees fit to +vouchsafe me the glory of killing both, stay your horses here and +make the reins fast to the rim of the chariot; then be sure you +spring Aeneas' horses and drive them from the Trojan to the +Achaean ranks. They are of the stock that great Jove gave to Tros +in payment for his son Ganymede, and are the finest that live and +move under the sun. King Anchises stole the blood by putting his +mares to them without Laomedon's knowledge, and they bore him six +foals. Four are still in his stables, but he gave the other two +to Aeneas. We shall win great glory if we can take them." + +Thus did they converse, but the other two had now driven close up +to them, and the son of Lycaon spoke first. "Great and mighty +son," said he, "of noble Tydeus, my arrow failed to lay you low, +so I will now try with my spear." + +He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it from him. It struck +the shield of the son of Tydeus; the bronze point pierced it and +passed on till it reached the breastplate. Thereon the son of +Lycaon shouted out and said, "You are hit clean through the +belly; you will not stand out for long, and the glory of the +fight is mine." + +But Diomed all undismayed made answer, "You have missed, not hit, +and before you two see the end of this matter one or other of you +shall glut tough-shielded Mars with his blood." + +With this he hurled his spear, and Minerva guided it on to +Pandarus's nose near the eye. It went crashing in among his white +teeth; the bronze point cut through the root of his tongue, +coming out under his chin, and his glistening armour rang +rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. The horses +started aside for fear, and he was reft of life and strength. + +Aeneas sprang from his chariot armed with shield and spear, +fearing lest the Achaeans should carry off the body. He bestrode +it as a lion in the pride of strength, with shield and spear +before him and a cry of battle on his lips resolute to kill the +first that should dare face him. But the son of Tydeus caught up +a mighty stone, so huge and great that as men now are it would +take two to lift it; nevertheless he bore it aloft with ease +unaided, and with this he struck Aeneas on the groin where the +hip turns in the joint that is called the "cup-bone." The stone +crushed this joint, and broke both the sinews, while its jagged +edges tore away all the flesh. The hero fell on his knees, and +propped himself with his hand resting on the ground till the +darkness of night fell upon his eyes. And now Aeneas, king of +men, would have perished then and there, had not his mother, +Jove's daughter Venus, who had conceived him by Anchises when he +was herding cattle, been quick to mark, and thrown her two white +arms about the body of her dear son. She protected him by +covering him with a fold of her own fair garment, lest some +Danaan should drive a spear into his breast and kill him. + +Thus, then, did she bear her dear son out of the fight. But the +son of Capaneus was not unmindful of the orders that Diomed had +given him. He made his own horses fast, away from the +hurly-burly, by binding the reins to the rim of the chariot. Then +he sprang upon Aeneas's horses and drove them from the Trojan to +the Achaean ranks. When he had so done he gave them over to his +chosen comrade Deipylus, whom he valued above all others as the +one who was most like-minded with himself, to take them on to the +ships. He then remounted his own chariot, seized the reins, and +drove with all speed in search of the son of Tydeus. + +Now the son of Tydeus was in pursuit of the Cyprian goddess, +spear in hand, for he knew her to be feeble and not one of those +goddesses that can lord it among men in battle like Minerva or +Enyo the waster of cities, and when at last after a long chase he +caught her up, he flew at her and thrust his spear into the flesh +of her delicate hand. The point tore through the ambrosial robe +which the Graces had woven for her, and pierced the skin between +her wrist and the palm of her hand, so that the immortal blood, +or ichor, that flows in the veins of the blessed gods, came +pouring from the wound; for the gods do not eat bread nor drink +wine, hence they have no blood such as ours, and are immortal. +Venus screamed aloud, and let her son fall, but Phoebus Apollo +caught him in his arms, and hid him in a cloud of darkness, lest +some Danaan should drive a spear into his breast and kill him; +and Diomed shouted out as he left her, "Daughter of Jove, leave +war and battle alone, can you not be contented with beguiling +silly women? If you meddle with fighting you will get what will +make you shudder at the very name of war." + +The goddess went dazed and discomfited away, and Iris, fleet as +the wind, drew her from the throng, in pain and with her fair +skin all besmirched. She found fierce Mars waiting on the left of +the battle, with his spear and his two fleet steeds resting on a +cloud; whereon she fell on her knees before her brother and +implored him to let her have his horses. "Dear brother," she +cried, "save me, and give me your horses to take me to Olympus +where the gods dwell. I am badly wounded by a mortal, the son of +Tydeus, who would now fight even with father Jove." + +Thus she spoke, and Mars gave her his gold-bedizened steeds. She +mounted the chariot sick and sorry at heart, while Iris sat +beside her and took the reins in her hand. She lashed her horses +on and they flew forward nothing loth, till in a trice they were +at high Olympus, where the gods have their dwelling. There she +stayed them, unloosed them from the chariot, and gave them their +ambrosial forage; but Venus flung herself on to the lap of her +mother Dione, who threw her arms about her and caressed her, +saying, "Which of the heavenly beings has been treating you in +this way, as though you had been doing something wrong in the +face of day?" + +And laughter-loving Venus answered, "Proud Diomed, the son of +Tydeus, wounded me because I was bearing my dear son Aeneas, whom +I love best of all mankind, out of the fight. The war is no +longer one between Trojans and Achaeans, for the Danaans have now +taken to fighting with the immortals." + +"Bear it, my child," replied Dione, "and make the best of it. We +dwellers in Olympus have to put up with much at the hands of men, +and we lay much suffering on one another. Mars had to suffer when +Otus and Ephialtes, children of Aloeus, bound him in cruel bonds, +so that he lay thirteen months imprisoned in a vessel of bronze. +Mars would have then perished had not fair Eeriboea, stepmother +to the sons of Aloeus, told Mercury, who stole him away when he +was already well-nigh worn out by the severity of his bondage. +Juno, again, suffered when the mighty son of Amphitryon wounded +her on the right breast with a three-barbed arrow, and nothing +could assuage her pain. So, also, did huge Hades, when this same +man, the son of aegis-bearing Jove, hit him with an arrow even at +the gates of hell, and hurt him badly. Thereon Hades went to the +house of Jove on great Olympus, angry and full of pain; and the +arrow in his brawny shoulder caused him great anguish till Paeeon +healed him by spreading soothing herbs on the wound, for Hades +was not of mortal mould. Daring, head-strong, evildoer who recked +not of his sin in shooting the gods that dwell in Olympus. And +now Minerva has egged this son of Tydeus on against yourself, +fool that he is for not reflecting that no man who fights with +gods will live long or hear his children prattling about his +knees when he returns from battle. Let, then, the son of Tydeus +see that he does not have to fight with one who is stronger than +you are. Then shall his brave wife Aegialeia, daughter of +Adrestus, rouse her whole house from sleep, wailing for the loss +of her wedded lord, Diomed the bravest of the Achaeans." + +So saying, she wiped the ichor from the wrist of her daughter +with both hands, whereon the pain left her, and her hand was +healed. But Minerva and Juno, who were looking on, began to taunt +Jove with their mocking talk, and Minerva was first to speak. +"Father Jove," said she, "do not be angry with me, but I think +the Cyprian must have been persuading some one of the Achaean +women to go with the Trojans of whom she is so very fond, and +while caressing one or other of them she must have torn her +delicate hand with the gold pin of the woman's brooch." + +The sire of gods and men smiled, and called golden Venus to his +side. "My child," said he, "it has not been given you to be a +warrior. Attend, henceforth, to your own delightful matrimonial +duties, and leave all this fighting to Mars and to Minerva." + +Thus did they converse. But Diomed sprang upon Aeneas, though he +knew him to be in the very arms of Apollo. Not one whit did he +fear the mighty god, so set was he on killing Aeneas and +stripping him of his armour. Thrice did he spring forward with +might and main to slay him, and thrice did Apollo beat back his +gleaming shield. When he was coming on for the fourth time, as +though he were a god, Apollo shouted to him with an awful voice +and said, "Take heed, son of Tydeus, and draw off; think not to +match yourself against gods, for men that walk the earth cannot +hold their own with the immortals." + +The son of Tydeus then gave way for a little space, to avoid the +anger of the god, while Apollo took Aeneas out of the crowd and +set him in sacred Pergamus, where his temple stood. There, within +the mighty sanctuary, Latona and Diana healed him and made him +glorious to behold, while Apollo of the silver bow fashioned a +wraith in the likeness of Aeneas, and armed as he was. Round this +the Trojans and Achaeans hacked at the bucklers about one +another's breasts, hewing each other's round shields and light +hide-covered targets. Then Phoebus Apollo said to Mars, "Mars, +Mars, bane of men, blood-stained stormer of cities, can you not +go to this man, the son of Tydeus, who would now fight even with +father Jove, and draw him out of the battle? He first went up to +the Cyprian and wounded her in the hand near her wrist, and +afterwards sprang upon me too, as though he were a god." + +He then took his seat on the top of Pergamus, while murderous +Mars went about among the ranks of the Trojans, cheering them on, +in the likeness of fleet Acamas chief of the Thracians. "Sons of +Priam," said he, "how long will you let your people be thus +slaughtered by the Achaeans? Would you wait till they are at the +walls of Troy? Aeneas the son of Anchises has fallen, he whom we +held in as high honour as Hector himself. Help me, then, to +rescue our brave comrade from the stress of the fight." + +With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Then +Sarpedon rebuked Hector very sternly. "Hector," said he, "where +is your prowess now? You used to say that though you had neither +people nor allies you could hold the town alone with your +brothers and brothers-in-law. I see not one of them here; they +cower as hounds before a lion; it is we, your allies, who bear +the brunt of the battle. I have come from afar, even from Lycia +and the banks of the river Xanthus, where I have left my wife, my +infant son, and much wealth to tempt whoever is needy; +nevertheless, I head my Lycian soldiers and stand my ground +against any who would fight me though I have nothing here for the +Achaeans to plunder, while you look on, without even bidding your +men stand firm in defence of their wives. See that you fall not +into the hands of your foes as men caught in the meshes of a net, +and they sack your fair city forthwith. Keep this before your +mind night and day, and beseech the captains of your allies to +hold on without flinching, and thus put away their reproaches +from you." + +So spoke Sarpedon, and Hector smarted under his words. He sprang +from his chariot clad in his suit of armour, and went about among +the host brandishing his two spears, exhorting the men to fight +and raising the terrible cry of battle. Then they rallied and +again faced the Achaeans, but the Argives stood compact and firm, +and were not driven back. As the breezes sport with the chaff +upon some goodly threshing-floor, when men are winnowing--while +yellow Ceres blows with the wind to sift the chaff from the +grain, and the chaff-heaps grow whiter and whiter--even so did +the Achaeans whiten in the dust which the horses' hoofs raised to +the firmament of heaven, as their drivers turned them back to +battle, and they bore down with might upon the foe. Fierce Mars, +to help the Trojans, covered them in a veil of darkness, and went +about everywhere among them, inasmuch as Phoebus Apollo had told +him that when he saw Pallas, Minerva leave the fray he was to put +courage into the hearts of the Trojans--for it was she who was +helping the Danaans. Then Apollo sent Aeneas forth from his rich +sanctuary, and filled his heart with valour, whereon he took his +place among his comrades, who were overjoyed at seeing him alive, +sound, and of a good courage; but they could not ask him how it +had all happened, for they were too busy with the turmoil raised +by Mars and by Strife, who raged insatiably in their midst. + +The two Ajaxes, Ulysses and Diomed, cheered the Danaans on, +fearless of the fury and onset of the Trojans. They stood as +still as clouds which the son of Saturn has spread upon the +mountain tops when there is no air and fierce Boreas sleeps with +the other boisterous winds whose shrill blasts scatter the clouds +in all directions--even so did the Danaans stand firm and +unflinching against the Trojans. The son of Atreus went about +among them and exhorted them. "My friends," said he, "quit +yourselves like brave men, and shun dishonour in one another's +eyes amid the stress of battle. They that shun dishonour more +often live than get killed, but they that fly save neither life +nor name." + +As he spoke he hurled his spear and hit one of those who were in +the front rank, the comrade of Aeneas, Deicoon son of Pergasus, +whom the Trojans held in no less honour than the sons of Priam, +for he was ever quick to place himself among the foremost. The +spear of King Agamemnon struck his shield and went right through +it, for the shield stayed it not. It drove through his belt into +the lower part of his belly, and his armour rang rattling round +him as he fell heavily to the ground. + +Then Aeneas killed two champions of the Danaans, Crethon and +Orsilochus. Their father was a rich man who lived in the strong +city of Phere and was descended from the river Alpheus, whose +broad stream flows through the land of the Pylians. The river +begat Orsilochus, who ruled over much people and was father to +Diocles, who in his turn begat twin sons, Crethon and Orsilochus, +well skilled in all the arts of war. These, when they grew up, +went to Ilius with the Argive fleet in the cause of Menelaus and +Agamemnon sons of Atreus, and there they both of them fell. As +two lions whom their dam has reared in the depths of some +mountain forest to plunder homesteads and carry off sheep and +cattle till they get killed by the hand of man, so were these two +vanquished by Aeneas, and fell like high pine-trees to the +ground. + +Brave Menelaus pitied them in their fall, and made his way to the +front, clad in gleaming bronze and brandishing his spear, for +Mars egged him on to do so with intent that he should be killed +by Aeneas; but Antilochus the son of Nestor saw him and sprang +forward, fearing that the king might come to harm and thus bring +all their labour to nothing; when, therefore Aeneas and Menelaus +were setting their hands and spears against one another eager to +do battle, Antilochus placed himself by the side of Menelaus. +Aeneas, bold though he was, drew back on seeing the two heroes +side by side in front of him, so they drew the bodies of Crethon +and Orsilochus to the ranks of the Achaeans and committed the two +poor fellows into the hands of their comrades. They then turned +back and fought in the front ranks. + +They killed Pylaemenes peer of Mars, leader of the Paphlagonian +warriors. Menelaus struck him on the collar-bone as he was +standing on his chariot, while Antilochus hit his charioteer and +squire Mydon, the son of Atymnius, who was turning his horses in +flight. He hit him with a stone upon the elbow, and the reins, +enriched with white ivory, fell from his hands into the dust. +Antilochus rushed towards him and struck him on the temples with +his sword, whereon he fell head first from the chariot to the +ground. There he stood for a while with his head and shoulders +buried deep in the dust--for he had fallen on sandy soil till his +horses kicked him and laid him flat on the ground, as Antilochus +lashed them and drove them off to the host of the Achaeans. + +But Hector marked them from across the ranks, and with a loud cry +rushed towards them, followed by the strong battalions of the +Trojans. Mars and dread Enyo led them on, she fraught with +ruthless turmoil of battle, while Mars wielded a monstrous spear, +and went about, now in front of Hector and now behind him. + +Diomed shook with passion as he saw them. As a man crossing a +wide plain is dismayed to find himself on the brink of some great +river rolling swiftly to the sea--he sees its boiling waters and +starts back in fear--even so did the son of Tydeus give ground. +Then he said to his men, "My friends, how can we wonder that +Hector wields the spear so well? Some god is ever by his side to +protect him, and now Mars is with him in the likeness of mortal +man. Keep your faces therefore towards the Trojans, but give +ground backwards, for we dare not fight with gods." + +As he spoke the Trojans drew close up, and Hector killed two men, +both in one chariot, Menesthes and Anchialus, heroes well versed +in war. Ajax son of Telamon pitied them in their fall; he came +close up and hurled his spear, hitting Amphius the son of +Selagus, a man of great wealth who lived in Paesus and owned much +corn-growing land, but his lot had led him to come to the aid of +Priam and his sons. Ajax struck him in the belt; the spear +pierced the lower part of his belly, and he fell heavily to the +ground. Then Ajax ran towards him to strip him of his armour, but +the Trojans rained spears upon him, many of which fell upon his +shield. He planted his heel upon the body and drew out his spear, +but the darts pressed so heavily upon him that he could not strip +the goodly armour from his shoulders. The Trojan chieftains, +moreover, many and valiant, came about him with their spears, so +that he dared not stay; great, brave and valiant though he was, +they drove him from them and he was beaten back. + +Thus, then, did the battle rage between them. Presently the +strong hand of fate impelled Tlepolemus, the son of Hercules, a +man both brave and of great stature, to fight Sarpedon; so the +two, son and grandson of great Jove, drew near to one another, +and Tlepolemus spoke first. "Sarpedon," said he, "councillor of +the Lycians, why should you come skulking here you who are a man +of peace? They lie who call you son of aegis-bearing Jove, for +you are little like those who were of old his children. Far other +was Hercules, my own brave and lion-hearted father, who came here +for the horses of Laomedon, and though he had six ships only, and +few men to follow him, sacked the city of Ilius and made a +wilderness of her highways. You are a coward, and your people are +falling from you. For all your strength, and all your coming from +Lycia, you will be no help to the Trojans but will pass the gates +of Hades vanquished by my hand." + +And Sarpedon, captain of the Lycians, answered, "Tlepolemus, your +father overthrew Ilius by reason of Laomedon's folly in refusing +payment to one who had served him well. He would not give your +father the horses which he had come so far to fetch. As for +yourself, you shall meet death by my spear. You shall yield glory +to myself, and your soul to Hades of the noble steeds." + +Thus spoke Sarpedon, and Tlepolemus upraised his spear. They +threw at the same moment, and Sarpedon struck his foe in the +middle of his throat; the spear went right through, and the +darkness of death fell upon his eyes. Tlepolemus's spear struck +Sarpedon on the left thigh with such force that it tore through +the flesh and grazed the bone, but his father as yet warded off +destruction from him. + +His comrades bore Sarpedon out of the fight, in great pain by the +weight of the spear that was dragging from his wound. They were +in such haste and stress as they bore him that no one thought of +drawing the spear from his thigh so as to let him walk uprightly. +Meanwhile the Achaeans carried off the body of Tlepolemus, +whereon Ulysses was moved to pity, and panted for the fray as he +beheld them. He doubted whether to pursue the son of Jove, or to +make slaughter of the Lycian rank and file; it was not decreed, +however, that he should slay the son of Jove; Minerva, therefore, +turned him against the main body of the Lycians. He killed +Coeranus, Alastor, Chromius, Alcandrus, Halius, Noemon, and +Prytanis, and would have slain yet more, had not great Hector +marked him, and sped to the front of the fight clad in his suit +of mail, filling the Danaans with terror. Sarpedon was glad when +he saw him coming, and besought him, saying, "Son of Priam, let +me not be here to fall into the hands of the Danaans. Help me, +and since I may not return home to gladden the hearts of my wife +and of my infant son, let me die within the walls of your city." + +Hector made him no answer, but rushed onward to fall at once upon +the Achaeans and kill many among them. His comrades then bore +Sarpedon away and laid him beneath Jove's spreading oak tree. +Pelagon, his friend and comrade, drew the spear out of his thigh, +but Sarpedon fainted and a mist came over his eyes. Presently he +came to himself again, for the breath of the north wind as it +played upon him gave him new life, and brought him out of the +deep swoon into which he had fallen. + +Meanwhile the Argives were neither driven towards their ships by +Mars and Hector, nor yet did they attack them; when they knew +that Mars was with the Trojans they retreated, but kept their +faces still turned towards the foe. Who, then, was first and who +last to be slain by Mars and Hector? They were valiant Teuthras, +and Orestes the renowned charioteer, Trechus the Aetolian +warrior, Oenomaus, Helenus the son of Oenops, and Oresbius of the +gleaming girdle, who was possessed of great wealth, and dwelt by +the Cephisian lake with the other Boeotians who lived near him, +owners of a fertile country. + +Now when the goddess Juno saw the Argives thus falling, she said +to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, +the promise we made Menelaus that he should not return till he +had sacked the city of Ilius will be of no effect if we let Mars +rage thus furiously. Let us go into the fray at once." + +Minerva did not gainsay her. Thereon the august goddess, daughter +of great Saturn, began to harness her gold-bedizened steeds. Hebe +with all speed fitted on the eight-spoked wheels of bronze that +were on either side of the iron axle-tree. The felloes of the +wheels were of gold, imperishable, and over these there was a +tire of bronze, wondrous to behold. The naves of the wheels were +silver, turning round the axle upon either side. The car itself +was made with plaited bands of gold and silver, and it had a +double top-rail running all round it. From the body of the car +there went a pole of silver, on to the end of which she bound the +golden yoke, with the bands of gold that were to go under the +necks of the horses Then Juno put her steeds under the yoke, +eager for battle and the war-cry. + +Meanwhile Minerva flung her richly embroidered vesture, made with +her own hands, on to her father's threshold, and donned the shirt +of Jove, arming herself for battle. She threw her tasselled aegis +about her shoulders, wreathed round with Rout as with a fringe, +and on it were Strife, and Strength, and Panic whose blood runs +cold; moreover there was the head of the dread monster Gorgon, +grim and awful to behold, portent of aegis-bearing Jove. On her +head she set her helmet of gold, with four plumes, and coming to +a peak both in front and behind--decked with the emblems of a +hundred cities; then she stepped into her flaming chariot and +grasped the spear, so stout and sturdy and strong, with which she +quells the ranks of heroes who have displeased her. Juno lashed +the horses on, and the gates of heaven bellowed as they flew open +of their own accord--gates over which the Hours preside, in whose +hands are Heaven and Olympus, either to open the dense cloud that +hides them, or to close it. Through these the goddesses drove +their obedient steeds, and found the son of Saturn sitting all +alone on the topmost ridges of Olympus. There Juno stayed her +horses, and spoke to Jove the son of Saturn, lord of all. "Father +Jove," said she, "are you not angry with Mars for these high +doings? how great and goodly a host of the Achaeans he has +destroyed to my great grief, and without either right or reason, +while the Cyprian and Apollo are enjoying it all at their ease +and setting this unrighteous madman on to do further mischief. I +hope, Father Jove, that you will not be angry if I hit Mars hard, +and chase him out of the battle." + +And Jove answered, "Set Minerva on to him, for she punishes him +more often than any one else does." + +Juno did as he had said. She lashed her horses, and they flew +forward nothing loth midway betwixt earth and sky. As far as a +man can see when he looks out upon the sea from some high beacon, +so far can the loud-neighing horses of the gods spring at a +single bound. When they reached Troy and the place where its two +flowing streams Simois and Scamander meet, there Juno stayed them +and took them from the chariot. She hid them in a thick cloud, +and Simois made ambrosia spring up for them to eat; the two +goddesses then went on, flying like turtledoves in their +eagerness to help the Argives. When they came to the part where +the bravest and most in number were gathered about mighty Diomed, +fighting like lions or wild boars of great strength and +endurance, there Juno stood still and raised a shout like that of +brazen-voiced Stentor, whose cry was as loud as that of fifty men +together. "Argives," she cried; "shame on cowardly creatures, +brave in semblance only; as long as Achilles was fighting, if his +spear was so deadly that the Trojans dared not show themselves +outside the Dardanian gates, but now they sally far from the city +and fight even at your ships." + +With these words she put heart and soul into them all, while +Minerva sprang to the side of the son of Tydeus, whom she found +near his chariot and horses, cooling the wound that Pandarus had +given him. For the sweat caused by the hand that bore the weight +of his shield irritated the hurt: his arm was weary with pain, +and he was lifting up the strap to wipe away the blood. The +goddess laid her hand on the yoke of his horses and said, "The +son of Tydeus is not such another as his father. Tydeus was a +little man, but he could fight, and rushed madly into the fray +even when I told him not to do so. When he went all unattended as +envoy to the city of Thebes among the Cadmeans, I bade him feast +in their houses and be at peace; but with that high spirit which +was ever present with him, he challenged the youth of the +Cadmeans, and at once beat them in all that he attempted, so +mightily did I help him. I stand by you too to protect you, and I +bid you be instant in fighting the Trojans; but either you are +tired out, or you are afraid and out of heart, and in that case I +say that you are no true son of Tydeus the son of Oeneus." + +Diomed answered, "I know you, goddess, daughter of aegis-bearing +Jove, and will hide nothing from you. I am not afraid nor out of +heart, nor is there any slackness in me. I am only following your +own instructions; you told me not to fight any of the blessed +gods; but if Jove's daughter Venus came into battle I was to +wound her with my spear. Therefore I am retreating, and bidding +the other Argives gather in this place, for I know that Mars is +now lording it in the field." + +"Diomed, son of Tydeus," replied Minerva, "man after my own +heart, fear neither Mars nor any other of the immortals, for I +will befriend you. Nay, drive straight at Mars, and smite him in +close combat; fear not this raging madman, villain incarnate, +first on one side and then on the other. But now he was holding +talk with Juno and myself, saying he would help the Argives and +attack the Trojans; nevertheless he is with the Trojans, and has +forgotten the Argives." + +With this she caught hold of Sthenelus and lifted him off the +chariot on to the ground. In a second he was on the ground, +whereupon the goddess mounted the car and placed herself by the +side of Diomed. The oaken axle groaned aloud under the burden of +the awful goddess and the hero; Pallas Minerva took the whip and +reins, and drove straight at Mars. He was in the act of stripping +huge Periphas, son of Ochesius and bravest of the Aetolians. +Bloody Mars was stripping him of his armour, and Minerva donned +the helmet of Hades, that he might not see her; when, therefore, +he saw Diomed, he made straight for him and let Periphas lie +where he had fallen. As soon as they were at close quarters he +let fly with his bronze spear over the reins and yoke, thinking +to take Diomed's life, but Minerva caught the spear in her hand +and made it fly harmlessly over the chariot. Diomed then threw, +and Pallas Minerva drove the spear into the pit of Mars's stomach +where his under-girdle went round him. There Diomed wounded him, +tearing his fair flesh and then drawing his spear out again. Mars +roared as loudly as nine or ten thousand men in the thick of a +fight, and the Achaeans and Trojans were struck with panic, so +terrible was the cry he raised. + +As a dark cloud in the sky when it comes on to blow after heat, +even so did Diomed son of Tydeus see Mars ascend into the broad +heavens. With all speed he reached high Olympus, home of the +gods, and in great pain sat down beside Jove the son of Saturn. +He showed Jove the immortal blood that was flowing from his +wound, and spoke piteously, saying, "Father Jove, are you not +angered by such doings? We gods are continually suffering in the +most cruel manner at one another's hands while helping mortals; +and we all owe you a grudge for having begotten that mad +termagant of a daughter, who is always committing outrage of some +kind. We other gods must all do as you bid us, but her you +neither scold nor punish; you encourage her because the pestilent +creature is your daughter. See how she has been inciting proud +Diomed to vent his rage on the immortal gods. First he went up to +the Cyprian and wounded her in the hand near her wrist, and then +he sprang upon me too as though he were a god. Had I not run for +it I must either have lain there for long enough in torments +among the ghastly corpses, or have been eaten alive with spears +till I had no more strength left in me." + +Jove looked angrily at him and said, "Do not come whining here, +Sir Facing-both-ways. I hate you worst of all the gods in +Olympus, for you are ever fighting and making mischief. You have +the intolerable and stubborn spirit of your mother Juno: it is +all I can do to manage her, and it is her doing that you are now +in this plight: still, I cannot let you remain longer in such +great pain; you are my own offspring, and it was by me that your +mother conceived you; if, however, you had been the son of any +other god, you are so destructive that by this time you should +have been lying lower than the Titans." + +He then bade Paeeon heal him, whereon Paeeon spread pain-killing +herbs upon his wound and cured him, for he was not of mortal +mould. As the juice of the fig-tree curdles milk, and thickens it +in a moment though it is liquid, even so instantly did Paeeon +cure fierce Mars. Then Hebe washed him, and clothed him in goodly +raiment, and he took his seat by his father Jove all glorious to +behold. + +But Juno of Argos and Minerva of Alalcomene, now that they had +put a stop to the murderous doings of Mars, went back again to +the house of Jove. + + + +BOOK VI + + Glaucus and Diomed--The story of Bellerophon-- + Hector and Andromache. + +THE fight between Trojans and Achaeans was now left to rage as it +would, and the tide of war surged hither and thither over the +plain as they aimed their bronze-shod spears at one another +between the streams of Simois and Xanthus. + +First, Ajax son of Telamon, tower of strength to the Achaeans, +broke a phalanx of the Trojans, and came to the assistance of his +comrades by killing Acamas son of Eussorus, the best man among +the Thracians, being both brave and of great stature. The spear +struck the projecting peak of his helmet: its bronze point then +went through his forehead into the brain, and darkness veiled his +eyes. + +Then Diomed killed Axylus son of Teuthranus, a rich man who lived +in the strong city of Arisbe, and was beloved by all men; for he +had a house by the roadside, and entertained every one who +passed; howbeit not one of his guests stood before him to save +his life, and Diomed killed both him and his squire Calesius, who +was then his charioteer--so the pair passed beneath the earth. + +Euryalus killed Dresus and Opheltius, and then went in pursuit of +Aesepus and Pedasus, whom the naiad nymph Abarbarea had borne to +noble Bucolion. Bucolion was eldest son to Laomedon, but he was a +bastard. While tending his sheep he had converse with the nymph, +and she conceived twin sons; these the son of Mecisteus now slew, +and he stripped the armour from their shoulders. Polypoetes then +killed Astyalus, Ulysses Pidytes of Percote, and Teucer Aretaon. +Ablerus fell by the spear of Nestor's son Antilochus, and +Agamemnon, king of men, killed Elatus who dwelt in Pedasus by the +banks of the river Satnioeis. Leitus killed Phylacus as he was +flying, and Eurypylus slew Melanthus. + +Then Menelaus of the loud war-cry took Adrestus alive, for his +horses ran into a tamarisk bush, as they were flying wildly over +the plain, and broke the pole from the car; they went on towards +the city along with the others in full flight, but Adrestus +rolled out, and fell in the dust flat on his face by the wheel of +his chariot; Menelaus came up to him spear in hand, but Adrestus +caught him by the knees begging for his life. "Take me alive," he +cried, "son of Atreus, and you shall have a full ransom for me: +my father is rich and has much treasure of gold, bronze, and +wrought iron laid by in his house. From this store he will give +you a large ransom should he hear of my being alive and at the +ships of the Achaeans." + +Thus did he plead, and Menelaus was for yielding and giving him +to a squire to take to the ships of the Achaeans, but Agamemnon +came running up to him and rebuked him. "My good Menelaus," said +he, "this is no time for giving quarter. Has, then, your house +fared so well at the hands of the Trojans? Let us not spare a +single one of them--not even the child unborn and in its mother's +womb; let not a man of them be left alive, but let all in Ilius +perish, unheeded and forgotten." + +Thus did he speak, and his brother was persuaded by him, for his +words were just. Menelaus, therefore, thrust Adrestus from him, +whereon King Agamemnon struck him in the flank, and he fell: then +the son of Atreus planted his foot upon his breast to draw his +spear from the body. + +Meanwhile Nestor shouted to the Argives, saying, "My friends, +Danaan warriors, servants of Mars, let no man lag that he may +spoil the dead, and bring back much booty to the ships. Let us +kill as many as we can; the bodies will lie upon the plain, and +you can despoil them later at your leisure." + +With these words he put heart and soul into them all. And now the +Trojans would have been routed and driven back into Ilius, had +not Priam's son Helenus, wisest of augurs, said to Hector and +Aeneas, "Hector and Aeneas, you two are the mainstays of the +Trojans and Lycians, for you are foremost at all times, alike in +fight and counsel; hold your ground here, and go about among the +host to rally them in front of the gates, or they will fling +themselves into the arms of their wives, to the great joy of our +foes. Then, when you have put heart into all our companies, we +will stand firm here and fight the Danaans however hard they +press us, for there is nothing else to be done. Meanwhile do you, +Hector, go to the city and tell our mother what is happening. +Tell her to bid the matrons gather at the temple of Minerva in +the acropolis; let her then take her key and open the doors of +the sacred building; there, upon the knees of Minerva, let her +lay the largest, fairest robe she has in her house--the one she +sets most store by; let her, moreover, promise to sacrifice +twelve yearling heifers that have never yet felt the goad, in the +temple of the goddess, if she will take pity on the town, with +the wives and little ones of the Trojans, and keep the son of +Tydeus from falling on the goodly city of Ilius; for he fights +with fury and fills men's souls with panic. I hold him mightiest +of them all; we did not fear even their great champion Achilles, +son of a goddess though he be, as we do this man: his rage is +beyond all bounds, and there is none can vie with him in prowess" + +Hector did as his brother bade him. He sprang from his chariot, +and went about everywhere among the host, brandishing his spears, +urging the men on to fight, and raising the dread cry of battle. +Thereon they rallied and again faced the Achaeans, who gave +ground and ceased their murderous onset, for they deemed that +some one of the immortals had come down from starry heaven to +help the Trojans, so strangely had they rallied. And Hector +shouted to the Trojans, "Trojans and allies, be men, my friends, +and fight with might and main, while I go to Ilius and tell the +old men of our council and our wives to pray to the gods and vow +hecatombs in their honour." + +With this he went his way, and the black rim of hide that went +round his shield beat against his neck and his ancles. + +Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus, and the son of Tydeus went into +the open space between the hosts to fight in single combat. When +they were close up to one another Diomed of the loud war-cry was +the first to speak. "Who, my good sir," said he, "who are you +among men? I have never seen you in battle until now, but you are +daring beyond all others if you abide my onset. Woe to those +fathers whose sons face my might. If, however, you are one of the +immortals and have come down from heaven, I will not fight you; +for even valiant Lycurgus, son of Dryas, did not live long when +he took to fighting with the gods. He it was that drove the +nursing women who were in charge of frenzied Bacchus through the +land of Nysa, and they flung their thyrsi on the ground as +murderous Lycurgus beat them with his oxgoad. Bacchus himself +plunged terror-stricken into the sea, and Thetis took him to her +bosom to comfort him, for he was scared by the fury with which +the man reviled him. Thereon the gods who live at ease were angry +with Lycurgus and the son of Saturn struck him blind, nor did he +live much longer after he had become hateful to the immortals. +Therefore I will not fight with the blessed gods; but if you are +of them that eat the fruit of the ground, draw near and meet your +doom." + +And the son of Hippolochus answered, son of Tydeus, why ask me of +my lineage? Men come and go as leaves year by year upon the +trees. Those of autumn the wind sheds upon the ground, but when +spring returns the forest buds forth with fresh vines. Even so is +it with the generations of mankind, the new spring up as the old +are passing away. If, then, you would learn my descent, it is one +that is well known to many. There is a city in the heart of +Argos, pasture land of horses, called Ephyra, where Sisyphus +lived, who was the craftiest of all mankind. He was the son of +Aeolus, and had a son named Glaucus, who was father to +Bellerophon, whom heaven endowed with the most surpassing +comeliness and beauty. But Proetus devised his ruin, and being +stronger than he, drove him from the land of the Argives, over +which Jove had made him ruler. For Antea, wife of Proetus, lusted +after him, and would have had him lie with her in secret; but +Bellerophon was an honourable man and would not, so she told lies +about him to Proteus. 'Proetus,' said she, 'kill Bellerophon or +die, for he would have had converse with me against my will.' The +king was angered, but shrank from killing Bellerophon, so he sent +him to Lycia with lying letters of introduction, written on a +folded tablet, and containing much ill against the bearer. He +bade Bellerophon show these letters to his father-in-law, to the +end that he might thus perish; Bellerophon therefore went to +Lycia, and the gods convoyed him safely. + +"When he reached the river Xanthus, which is in Lycia, the king +received him with all goodwill, feasted him nine days, and killed +nine heifers in his honour, but when rosy-fingered morning +appeared upon the tenth day, he questioned him and desired to see +the letter from his son-in-law Proetus. When he had received the +wicked letter he first commanded Bellerophon to kill that savage +monster, the Chimaera, who was not a human being, but a goddess, +for she had the head of a lion and the tail of a serpent, while +her body was that of a goat, and she breathed forth flames of +fire; but Bellerophon slew her, for he was guided by signs from +heaven. He next fought the far-famed Solymi, and this, he said, +was the hardest of all his battles. Thirdly, he killed the +Amazons, women who were the peers of men, and as he was returning +thence the king devised yet another plan for his destruction; he +picked the bravest warriors in all Lycia, and placed them in +ambuscade, but not a man ever came back, for Bellerophon killed +every one of them. Then the king knew that he must be the valiant +offspring of a god, so he kept him in Lycia, gave him his +daughter in marriage, and made him of equal honour in the kingdom +with himself; and the Lycians gave him a piece of land, the best +in all the country, fair with vineyards and tilled fields, to +have and to hold. + +"The king's daughter bore Bellerophon three children, Isander, +Hippolochus, and Laodameia. Jove, the lord of counsel, lay with +Laodameia, and she bore him noble Sarpedon; but when Bellerophon +came to be hated by all the gods, he wandered all desolate and +dismayed upon the Alean plain, gnawing at his own heart, and +shunning the path of man. Mars, insatiate of battle, killed his +son Isander while he was fighting the Solymi; his daughter was +killed by Diana of the golden reins, for she was angered with +her; but Hippolochus was father to myself, and when he sent me to +Troy he urged me again and again to fight ever among the foremost +and outvie my peers, so as not to shame the blood of my fathers +who were the noblest in Ephyra and in all Lycia. This, then, is +the descent I claim." + +Thus did he speak, and the heart of Diomed was glad. He planted +his spear in the ground, and spoke to him with friendly words. +"Then," he said, "you are an old friend of my father's house. +Great Oeneus once entertained Bellerophon for twenty days, and +the two exchanged presents. Oeneus gave a belt rich with purple, +and Bellerophon a double cup, which I left at home when I set out +for Troy. I do not remember Tydeus, for he was taken from us +while I was yet a child, when the army of the Achaeans was cut to +pieces before Thebes. Henceforth, however, I must be your host in +middle Argos, and you mine in Lycia, if I should ever go there; +let us avoid one another's spears even during a general +engagement; there are many noble Trojans and allies whom I can +kill, if I overtake them and heaven delivers them into my hand; +so again with yourself, there are many Achaeans whose lives you +may take if you can; we two, then, will exchange armour, that all +present may know of the old ties that subsist between us." + +With these words they sprang from their chariots, grasped one +another's hands, and plighted friendship. But the son of Saturn +made Glaucus take leave of his wits, for he exchanged golden +armour for bronze, the worth of a hundred head of cattle for the +worth of nine. + +Now when Hector reached the Scaean gates and the oak tree, the +wives and daughters of the Trojans came running towards him to +ask after their sons, brothers, kinsmen, and husbands: he told +them to set about praying to the gods, and many were made +sorrowful as they heard him. + +Presently he reached the splendid palace of King Priam, adorned +with colonnades of hewn stone. In it there were fifty +bedchambers--all of hewn stone--built near one another, where the +sons of Priam slept, each with his wedded wife. Opposite these, +on the other side the courtyard, there were twelve upper rooms +also of hewn stone for Priam's daughters, built near one another, +where his sons-in-law slept with their wives. When Hector got +there, his fond mother came up to him with Laodice the fairest of +her daughters. She took his hand within her own and said, "My +son, why have you left the battle to come hither? Are the +Achaeans, woe betide them, pressing you hard about the city that +you have thought fit to come and uplift your hands to Jove from +the citadel? Wait till I can bring you wine that you may make +offering to Jove and to the other immortals, and may then drink +and be refreshed. Wine gives a man fresh strength when he is +wearied, as you now are with fighting on behalf of your kinsmen." + +And Hector answered, "Honoured mother, bring no wine, lest you +unman me and I forget my strength. I dare not make a +drink-offering to Jove with unwashed hands; one who is +bespattered with blood and filth may not pray to the son of +Saturn. Get the matrons together, and go with offerings to the +temple of Minerva driver of the spoil; there, upon the knees of +Minerva, lay the largest and fairest robe you have in your +house--the one you set most store by; promise, moreover, to +sacrifice twelve yearling heifers that have never yet felt the +goad, in the temple of the goddess if she will take pity on the +town, with the wives and little ones of the Trojans, and keep the +son of Tydeus from off the goodly city of Ilius, for he fights +with fury, and fills men's souls with panic. Go, then, to the +temple of Minerva, while I seek Paris and exhort him, if he will +hear my words. Would that the earth might open her jaws and +swallow him, for Jove bred him to be the bane of the Trojans, and +of Priam and Priam's sons. Could I but see him go down into the +house of Hades, my heart would forget its heaviness." + +His mother went into the house and called her waiting-women who +gathered the matrons throughout the city. She then went down into +her fragrant store-room, where her embroidered robes were kept, +the work of Sidonian women, whom Alexandrus had brought over from +Sidon when he sailed the seas upon that voyage during which he +carried off Helen. Hecuba took out the largest robe, and the one +that was most beautifully enriched with embroidery, as an +offering to Minerva: it glittered like a star, and lay at the +very bottom of the chest. With this she went on her way and many +matrons with her. + +When they reached the temple of Minerva, lovely Theano, daughter +of Cisseus and wife of Antenor, opened the doors, for the Trojans +had made her priestess of Minerva. The women lifted up their +hands to the goddess with a loud cry, and Theano took the robe to +lay it upon the knees of Minerva, praying the while to the +daughter of great Jove. "Holy Minerva," she cried, "protectress +of our city, mighty goddess, break the spear of Diomed and lay +him low before the Scaean gates. Do this, and we will sacrifice +twelve heifers that have never yet known the goad, in your +temple, if you will have pity upon the town, with the wives and +little ones of the Trojans." Thus she prayed, but Pallas Minerva +granted not her prayer. + +While they were thus praying to the daughter of great Jove, +Hector went to the fair house of Alexandrus, which he had built +for him by the foremost builders in the land. They had built him +his house, storehouse, and courtyard near those of Priam and +Hector on the acropolis. Here Hector entered, with a spear eleven +cubits long in his hand; the bronze point gleamed in front of +him, and was fastened to the shaft of the spear by a ring of +gold. He found Alexandrus within the house, busied about his +armour, his shield and cuirass, and handling his curved bow; +there, too, sat Argive Helen with her women, setting them their +several tasks; and as Hector saw him he rebuked him with words of +scorn. "Sir," said he, "you do ill to nurse this rancour; the +people perish fighting round this our town; you would yourself +chide one whom you saw shirking his part in the combat. Up then, +or ere long the city will be in a blaze." + +And Alexandrus answered, "Hector, your rebuke is just; listen +therefore, and believe me when I tell you that I am not here so +much through rancour or ill-will towards the Trojans, as from a +desire to indulge my grief. My wife was even now gently urging me +to battle, and I hold it better that I should go, for victory is +ever fickle. Wait, then, while I put on my armour, or go first +and I will follow. I shall be sure to overtake you." + +Hector made no answer, but Helen tried to soothe him. "Brother," +said she, "to my abhorred and sinful self, would that a whirlwind +had caught me up on the day my mother brought me forth, and had +borne me to some mountain or to the waves of the roaring sea that +should have swept me away ere this mischief had come about. But, +since the gods have devised these evils, would, at any rate, that +I had been wife to a better man--to one who could smart under +dishonour and men's evil speeches. This fellow was never yet to +be depended upon, nor never will be, and he will surely reap what +he has sown. Still, brother, come in and rest upon this seat, for +it is you who bear the brunt of that toil that has been caused by +my hateful self and by the sin of Alexandrus--both of whom Jove +has doomed to be a theme of song among those that shall be born +hereafter." + +And Hector answered, "Bid me not be seated, Helen, for all the +goodwill you bear me. I cannot stay. I am in haste to help the +Trojans, who miss me greatly when I am not among them; but urge +your husband, and of his own self also let him make haste to +overtake me before I am out of the city. I must go home to see my +household, my wife and my little son, for I know not whether I +shall ever again return to them, or whether the gods will cause +me to fill by the hands of the Achaeans." + +Then Hector left her, and forthwith was at his own house. He did +not find Andromache, for she was on the wall with her child and +one of her maids, weeping bitterly. Seeing, then, that she was +not within, he stood on the threshold of the women's rooms and +said, "Women, tell me, and tell me true, where did Andromache go +when she left the house? Was it to my sisters, or to my brothers' +wives? or is she at the temple of Minerva where the other women +are propitiating the awful goddess?" + +His good housekeeper answered, "Hector, since you bid me tell you +truly, she did not go to your sisters nor to your brothers' +wives, nor yet to the temple of Minerva, where the other women +are propitiating the awful goddess, but she is on the high wall +of Ilius, for she had heard the Trojans were being hard pressed, +and that the Achaeans were in great force: she went to the wall +in frenzied haste, and the nurse went with her carrying the +child." + +Hector hurried from the house when she had done speaking, and +went down the streets by the same way that he had come. When he +had gone through the city and had reached the Scaean gates +through which he would go out on to the plain, his wife came +running towards him, Andromache, daughter of great Eetion who +ruled in Thebe under the wooded slopes of Mt. Placus, and was +king of the Cilicians. His daughter had married Hector, and now +came to meet him with a nurse who carried his little child in her +bosom--a mere babe. Hector's darling son, and lovely as a star. +Hector had named him Scamandrius, but the people called him +Astyanax, for his father stood alone as chief guardian of Ilius. +Hector smiled as he looked upon the boy, but he did not speak, +and Andromache stood by him weeping and taking his hand in her +own. "Dear husband," said she, "your valour will bring you to +destruction; think on your infant son, and on my hapless self who +ere long shall be your widow--for the Achaeans will set upon you +in a body and kill you. It would be better for me, should I lose +you, to lie dead and buried, for I shall have nothing left to +comfort me when you are gone, save only sorrow. I have neither +father nor mother now. Achilles slew my father when he sacked +Thebe the goodly city of the Cilicians. He slew him, but did not +for very shame despoil him; when he had burned him in his +wondrous armour, he raised a barrow over his ashes and the +mountain nymphs, daughters of aegis-bearing Jove, planted a grove +of elms about his tomb. I had seven brothers in my father's +house, but on the same day they all went within the house of +Hades. Achilles killed them as they were with their sheep and +cattle. My mother--her who had been queen of all the land under +Mt. Placus--he brought hither with the spoil, and freed her for a +great sum, but the archer-queen Diana took her in the house of +your father. Nay--Hector--you who to me are father, mother, +brother, and dear husband--have mercy upon me; stay here upon +this wall; make not your child fatherless, and your wife a widow; +as for the host, place them near the fig-tree, where the city can +be best scaled, and the wall is weakest. Thrice have the bravest +of them come thither and assailed it, under the two Ajaxes, +Idomeneus, the sons of Atreus, and the brave son of Tydeus, +either of their own bidding, or because some soothsayer had told +them." + +And Hector answered, "Wife, I too have thought upon all this, but +with what face should I look upon the Trojans, men or women, if I +shirked battle like a coward? I cannot do so: I know nothing save +to fight bravely in the forefront of the Trojan host and win +renown alike for my father and myself. Well do I know that the +day will surely come when mighty Ilius shall be destroyed with +Priam and Priam's people, but I grieve for none of these--not +even for Hecuba, nor King Priam, nor for my brothers many and +brave who may fall in the dust before their foes--for none of +these do I grieve as for yourself when the day shall come on +which some one of the Achaeans shall rob you for ever of your +freedom, and bear you weeping away. It may be that you will have +to ply the loom in Argos at the bidding of a mistress, or to +fetch water from the springs Messeis or Hypereia, treated +brutally by some cruel task-master; then will one say who sees +you weeping, 'She was wife to Hector, the bravest warrior among +the Trojans during the war before Ilius.' On this your tears will +break forth anew for him who would have put away the day of +captivity from you. May I lie dead under the barrow that is +heaped over my body ere I hear your cry as they carry you into +bondage." + +He stretched his arms towards his child, but the boy cried and +nestled in his nurse's bosom, scared at the sight of his father's +armour, and at the horse-hair plume that nodded fiercely from his +helmet. His father and mother laughed to see him, but Hector took +the helmet from his head and laid it all gleaming upon the +ground. Then he took his darling child, kissed him, and dandled +him in his arms, praying over him the while to Jove and to all +the gods. "Jove," he cried, "grant that this my child may be even +as myself, chief among the Trojans; let him be not less excellent +in strength, and let him rule Ilius with his might. Then may one +say of him as he comes from battle, 'The son is far better than +the father.' May he bring back the blood-stained spoils of him +whom he has laid low, and let his mother's heart be glad." + +With this he laid the child again in the arms of his wife, who +took him to her own soft bosom, smiling through her tears. As her +husband watched her his heart yearned towards her and he caressed +her fondly, saying, "My own wife, do not take these things too +bitterly to heart. No one can hurry me down to Hades before my +time, but if a man's hour is come, be he brave or be he coward, +there is no escape for him when he has once been born. Go, then, +within the house, and busy yourself with your daily duties, your +loom, your distaff, and the ordering of your servants; for war is +man's matter, and mine above all others of them that have been +born in Ilius." + +He took his plumed helmet from the ground, and his wife went back +again to her house, weeping bitterly and often looking back +towards him. When she reached her home she found her maidens +within, and bade them all join in her lament; so they mourned +Hector in his own house though he was yet alive, for they deemed +that they should never see him return safe from battle, and from +the furious hands of the Achaeans. + +Paris did not remain long in his house. He donned his goodly +armour overlaid with bronze, and hasted through the city as fast +as his feet could take him. As a horse, stabled and fed, breaks +loose and gallops gloriously over the plain to the place where he +is wont to bathe in the fair-flowing river--he holds his head +high, and his mane streams upon his shoulders as he exults in his +strength and flies like the wind to the haunts and feeding ground +of the mares--even so went forth Paris from high Pergamus, +gleaming like sunlight in his armour, and he laughed aloud as he +sped swiftly on his way. Forthwith he came upon his brother +Hector, who was then turning away from the place where he had +held converse with his wife, and he was himself the first to +speak. "Sir," said he, "I fear that I have kept you waiting when +you are in haste, and have not come as quickly as you bade me." + +"My good brother," answered Hector, "you fight bravely, and no +man with any justice can make light of your doings in battle. But +you are careless and wilfully remiss. It grieves me to the heart +to hear the ill that the Trojans speak about you, for they have +suffered much on your account. Let us be going, and we will make +things right hereafter, should Jove vouchsafe us to set the cup +of our deliverance before ever-living gods of heaven in our own +homes, when we have chased the Achaeans from Troy." + + + +BOOK VII + + Hector and Ajax fight--Hector is getting worsted when night + comes on and parts them--They exchange presents--The + burial of the dead, and the building of a wall round their + ships by the Achaeans--The Achaeans buy their wine of + Agamemnon and Menelaus. + +WITH these words Hector passed through the gates, and his brother +Alexandrus with him, both eager for the fray. As when heaven +sends a breeze to sailors who have long looked for one in vain, +and have laboured at their oars till they are faint with toil, +even so welcome was the sight of these two heroes to the Trojans. + +Thereon Alexandrus killed Menesthius the son of Areithous; he +lived in Arne, and was son of Areithous the Mace-man, and of +Phylomedusa. Hector threw a spear at Eioneus and struck him dead +with a wound in the neck under the bronze rim of his helmet. +Glaucus, moreover, son of Hippolochus, captain of the Lycians, in +hard hand-to-hand fight smote Iphinous son of Dexius on the +shoulder, as he was springing on to his chariot behind his fleet +mares; so he fell to earth from the car, and there was no life +left in him. + +When, therefore, Minerva saw these men making havoc of the +Argives, she darted down to Ilius from the summits of Olympus, +and Apollo, who was looking on from Pergamus, went out to meet +her; for he wanted the Trojans to be victorious. The pair met by +the oak tree, and King Apollo son of Jove was first to speak. +"What would you have", said he, "daughter of great Jove, that +your proud spirit has sent you hither from Olympus? Have you no +pity upon the Trojans, and would you incline the scales of +victory in favour of the Danaans? Let me persuade you--for it +will be better thus--stay the combat for to-day, but let them +renew the fight hereafter till they compass the doom of Ilius, +since you goddesses have made up your minds to destroy the city." + +And Minerva answered, "So be it, Far-Darter; it was in this mind +that I came down from Olympus to the Trojans and Achaeans. Tell +me, then, how do you propose to end this present fighting?" + +Apollo, son of Jove, replied, "Let us incite great Hector to +challenge some one of the Danaans in single combat; on this the +Achaeans will be shamed into finding a man who will fight him." + +Minerva assented, and Helenus son of Priam divined the counsel of +the gods; he therefore went up to Hector and said, "Hector son of +Priam, peer of gods in counsel, I am your brother, let me then +persuade you. Bid the other Trojans and Achaeans all of them take +their seats, and challenge the best man among the Achaeans to +meet you in single combat. I have heard the voice of the +ever-living gods, and the hour of your doom is not yet come." + +Hector was glad when he heard this saying, and went in among the +Trojans, grasping his spear by the middle to hold them back, and +they all sat down. Agamemnon also bade the Achaeans be seated. +But Minerva and Apollo, in the likeness of vultures, perched on +father Jove's high oak tree, proud of their men; and the ranks +sat close ranged together, bristling with shield and helmet and +spear. As when the rising west wind furs the face of the sea and +the waters grow dark beneath it, so sat the companies of Trojans +and Achaeans upon the plain. And Hector spoke thus:-- + +"Hear me, Trojans and Achaeans, that I may speak even as I am +minded; Jove on his high throne has brought our oaths and +covenants to nothing, and foreshadows ill for both of us, till +you either take the towers of Troy, or are yourselves vanquished +at your ships. The princes of the Achaeans are here present in +the midst of you; let him, then, that will fight me stand forward +as your champion against Hector. Thus I say, and may Jove be +witness between us. If your champion slay me, let him strip me of +my armour and take it to your ships, but let him send my body +home that the Trojans and their wives may give me my dues of fire +when I am dead. In like manner, if Apollo vouchsafe me glory and +I slay your champion, I will strip him of his armour and take it +to the city of Ilius, where I will hang it in the temple of +Apollo, but I will give up his body, that the Achaeans may bury +him at their ships, and the build him a mound by the wide waters +of the Hellespont. Then will one say hereafter as he sails his +ship over the sea, 'This is the monument of one who died long +since a champion who was slain by mighty Hector.' Thus will one +say, and my fame shall not be lost." + +Thus did he speak, but they all held their peace, ashamed to +decline the challenge, yet fearing to accept it, till at last +Menelaus rose and rebuked them, for he was angry. "Alas," he +cried, "vain braggarts, women forsooth not men, double-dyed +indeed will be the stain upon us if no man of the Danaans will +now face Hector. May you be turned every man of you into earth +and water as you sit spiritless and inglorious in your places. I +will myself go out against this man, but the upshot of the fight +will be from on high in the hands of the immortal gods." + +With these words he put on his armour; and then, O Menelaus, your +life would have come to an end at the hands of hands of Hector, +for he was far better the man, had not the princes of the +Achaeans sprung upon you and checked you. King Agamemnon caught +him by the right hand and said, "Menelaus, you are mad; a truce +to this folly. Be patient in spite of passion, do not think of +fighting a man so much stronger than yourself as Hector son of +Priam, who is feared by many another as well as you. Even +Achilles, who is far more doughty than you are, shrank from +meeting him in battle. Sit down your own people, and the Achaeans +will send some other champion to fight Hector; fearless and fond +of battle though he be, I ween his knees will bend gladly under +him if he comes out alive from the hurly-burly of this fight." + +With these words of reasonable counsel he persuaded his brother, +whereon his squires gladly stripped the armour from off his +shoulders. Then Nestor rose and spoke, "Of a truth," said he, +"the Achaean land is fallen upon evil times. The old knight +Peleus, counsellor and orator among the Myrmidons, loved when I +was in his house to question me concerning the race and lineage +of all the Argives. How would it not grieve him could he hear of +them as now quailing before Hector? Many a time would he lift his +hands in prayer that his soul might leave his body and go down +within the house of Hades. Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and +Apollo, that I were still young and strong as when the Pylians +and Arcadians were gathered in fight by the rapid river Celadon +under the walls of Pheia, and round about the waters of the river +Iardanus. The godlike hero Ereuthalion stood forward as their +champion, with the armour of King Areithous upon his shoulders-- +Areithous whom men and women had surnamed 'the Mace-man,' because +he fought neither with bow nor spear, but broke the battalions of +the foe with his iron mace. Lycurgus killed him, not in fair +fight, but by entrapping him in a narrow way where his mace +served him in no stead; for Lycurgus was too quick for him and +speared him through the middle, so he fell to earth on his back. +Lycurgus then spoiled him of the armour which Mars had given him, +and bore it in battle thenceforward; but when he grew old and +stayed at home, he gave it to his faithful squire Ereuthalion, +who in this same armour challenged the foremost men among us. The +others quaked and quailed, but my high spirit bade me fight him +though none other would venture; I was the youngest man of them +all; but when I fought him Minerva vouchsafed me victory. He was +the biggest and strongest man that ever I killed, and covered +much ground as he lay sprawling upon the earth. Would that I were +still young and strong as I then was, for the son of Priam would +then soon find one who would face him. But you, foremost among +the whole host though you be, have none of you any stomach for +fighting Hector." + +Thus did the old man rebuke them, and forthwith nine men started +to their feet. Foremost of all uprose King Agamemnon, and after +him brave Diomed the son of Tydeus. Next were the two Ajaxes, men +clothed in valour as with a garment, and then Idomeneus, and +Meriones his brother in arms. After these Eurypylus son of +Euaemon, Thoas the son of Andraemon, and Ulysses also rose. Then +Nestor knight of Gerene again spoke, saying: "Cast lots among you +to see who shall be chosen. If he come alive out of this fight he +will have done good service alike to his own soul and to the +Achaeans." + +Thus he spoke, and when each of them had marked his lot, and had +thrown it into the helmet of Agamemnon son of Atreus, the people +lifted their hands in prayer, and thus would one of them say as +he looked into the vault of heaven, "Father Jove, grant that the +lot fall on Ajax, or on the son of Tydeus, or upon the king of +rich Mycene himself." + +As they were speaking, Nestor knight of Gerene shook the helmet, +and from it there fell the very lot which they wanted--the lot of +Ajax. The herald bore it about and showed it to all the +chieftains of the Achaeans, going from left to right; but they +none of them owned it. When, however, in due course he reached +the man who had written upon it and had put it into the helmet, +brave Ajax held out his hand, and the herald gave him the lot. +When Ajax saw his mark he knew it and was glad; he threw it to +the ground and said, "My friends, the lot is mine, and I rejoice, +for I shall vanquish Hector. I will put on my armour; meanwhile, +pray to King Jove in silence among yourselves that the Trojans +may not hear you--or aloud if you will, for we fear no man. None +shall overcome me, neither by force nor cunning, for I was born +and bred in Salamis, and can hold my own in all things." + +With this they fell praying to King Jove the son of Saturn, and +thus would one of them say as he looked into the vault of heaven, +"Father Jove that rulest from Ida, most glorious in power, +vouchsafe victory to Ajax, and let him win great glory: but if +you wish well to Hector also and would protect him, grant to each +of them equal fame and prowess." + +Thus they prayed, and Ajax armed himself in his suit of gleaming +bronze. When he was in full array he sprang forward as monstrous +Mars when he takes part among men whom Jove has set fighting with +one another--even so did huge Ajax, bulwark of the Achaeans, +spring forward with a grim smile on his face as he brandished his +long spear and strode onward. The Argives were elated as they +beheld him, but the Trojans trembled in every limb, and the heart +even of Hector beat quickly, but he could not now retreat and +withdraw into the ranks behind him, for he had been the +challenger. Ajax came up bearing his shield in front of him like +a wall--a shield of bronze with seven folds of oxhide--the work +of Tychius, who lived in Hyle and was by far the best worker in +leather. He had made it with the hides of seven full-fed bulls, +and over these he had set an eighth layer of bronze. Holding this +shield before him, Ajax son of Telamon came close up to Hector, +and menaced him saying, "Hector, you shall now learn, man to man, +what kind of champions the Danaans have among them even besides +lion-hearted Achilles cleaver of the ranks of men. He now abides +at the ships in anger with Agamemnon shepherd of his people, but +there are many of us who are well able to face you; therefore +begin the fight." + +And Hector answered, "Noble Ajax, son of Telamon, captain of the +host, treat me not as though I were some puny boy or woman that +cannot fight. I have been long used to the blood and butcheries +of battle. I am quick to turn my leathern shield either to right +or left, for this I deem the main thing in battle. I can charge +among the chariots and horsemen, and in hand to hand fighting can +delight the heart of Mars; howbeit I would not take such a man as +you are off his guard--but I will smite you openly if I can." + +He poised his spear as he spoke, and hurled it from him. It +struck the sevenfold shield in its outermost layer--the eighth, +which was of bronze--and went through six of the layers but in +the seventh hide it stayed. Then Ajax threw in his turn, and +struck the round shield of the son of Priam. The terrible spear +went through his gleaming shield, and pressed onward through his +cuirass of cunning workmanship; it pierced the shirt against his +side, but he swerved and thus saved his life. They then each of +them drew out the spear from his shield, and fell on one another +like savage lions or wild boars of great strength and endurance: +the son of Priam struck the middle of Ajax's shield, but the +bronze did not break, and the point of his dart was turned. Ajax +then sprang forward and pierced the shield of Hector; the spear +went through it and staggered him as he was springing forward to +attack; it gashed his neck and the blood came pouring from the +wound, but even so Hector did not cease fighting; he gave ground, +and with his brawny hand seized a stone, rugged and huge, that +was lying upon the plain; with this he struck the shield of Ajax +on the boss that was in its middle, so that the bronze rang +again. But Ajax in turn caught up a far larger stone, swung it +aloft, and hurled it with prodigious force. This millstone of a +rock broke Hector's shield inwards and threw him down on his back +with the shield crushing him under it, but Apollo raised him at +once. Thereon they would have hacked at one another in close +combat with their swords, had not heralds, messengers of gods and +men, come forward, one from the Trojans and the other from the +Achaeans--Talthybius and Idaeus both of them honourable men; +these parted them with their staves, and the good herald Idaeus +said, "My sons, fight no longer, you are both of you valiant, and +both are dear to Jove; we know this; but night is now falling, +and the behests of night may not be well gainsaid." + +Ajax son of Telamon answered, "Idaeus, bid Hector say so, for it +was he that challenged our princes. Let him speak first and I +will accept his saying." + +Then Hector said, "Ajax, heaven has vouchsafed you stature and +strength, and judgement; and in wielding the spear you excel all +others of the Achaeans. Let us for this day cease fighting; +hereafter we will fight anew till heaven decide between us, and +give victory to one or to the other; night is now falling, and +the behests of night may not be well gainsaid. Gladden, then, the +hearts of the Achaeans at your ships, and more especially those +of your own followers and clansmen, while I, in the great city of +King Priam, bring comfort to the Trojans and their women, who vie +with one another in their prayers on my behalf. Let us, moreover, +exchange presents that it may be said among the Achaeans and +Trojans, 'They fought with might and main, but were reconciled +and parted in friendship.'" + +On this he gave Ajax a silver-studded sword with its sheath and +leathern baldric, and in return Ajax gave him a girdle dyed with +purple. Thus they parted, the one going to the host of the +Achaeans, and the other to that of the Trojans, who rejoiced when +they saw their hero come to them safe and unharmed from the +strong hands of mighty Ajax. They led him, therefore, to the city +as one that had been saved beyond their hopes. On the other side +the Achaeans brought Ajax elated with victory to Agamemnon. + +When they reached the quarters of the son of Atreus, Agamemnon +sacrificed for them a five-year-old bull in honour of Jove the +son of Saturn. They flayed the carcass, made it ready, and +divided it into joints; these they cut carefully up into smaller +pieces, putting them on the spits, roasting them sufficiently, +and then drawing them off. When they had done all this and had +prepared the feast, they ate it, and every man had his full and +equal share, so that all were satisfied, and King Agamemnon gave +Ajax some slices cut lengthways down the loin, as a mark of +special honour. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, +old Nestor whose counsel was ever truest began to speak; with all +sincerity and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:-- + +"Son of Atreus, and other chieftains, inasmuch as many of the +Achaeans are now dead, whose blood Mars has shed by the banks of +the Scamander, and their souls have gone down to the house of +Hades, it will be well when morning comes that we should cease +fighting; we will then wheel our dead together with oxen and +mules and burn them not far from the ships, that when we sail +hence we may take the bones of our comrades home to their +children. Hard by the funeral pyre we will build a barrow that +shall be raised from the plain for all in common; near this let +us set about building a high wall, to shelter ourselves and our +ships, and let it have well-made gates that there may be a way +through them for our chariots. Close outside we will dig a deep +trench all round it to keep off both horse and foot, that the +Trojan chieftains may not bear hard upon us." + +Thus he spoke, and the princess shouted in applause. Meanwhile +the Trojans held a council, angry and full of discord, on the +acropolis by the gates of King Priam's palace; and wise Antenor +spoke. "Hear me," he said, "Trojans, Dardanians, and allies, that +I may speak even as I am minded. Let us give up Argive Helen and +her wealth to the sons of Atreus, for we are now fighting in +violation of our solemn covenants, and shall not prosper till we +have done as I say." + +He then sat down and Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen rose to +speak. "Antenor," said he, "your words are not to my liking; you +can find a better saying than this if you will; if, however, you +have spoken in good earnest, then indeed has heaven robbed you of +your reason. I will speak plainly, and hereby notify to the +Trojans that I will not give up the woman; but the wealth that I +brought home with her from Argos I will restore, and will add yet +further of my own." + +On this, when Paris had spoken and taken his seat, Priam of the +race of Dardanus, peer of gods in council, rose and with all +sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: "Hear me, Trojans, +Dardanians, and allies, that I may speak even as I am minded. Get +your suppers now as hitherto throughout the city, but keep your +watches and be wakeful. At daybreak let Idaeus go to the ships, +and tell Agamemnon and Menelaus sons of Atreus the saying of +Alexandrus through whom this quarrel has come about; and let him +also be instant with them that they now cease fighting till we +burn our dead; hereafter we will fight anew, till heaven decide +between us and give victory to one or to the other." + +Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. They took +supper in their companies and at daybreak Idaeus went his way to +the ships. He found the Danaans, servants of Mars, in council at +the stern of Agamemnon's ship, and took his place in the midst of +them. "Son of Atreus," he said, "and princes of the Achaean host, +Priam and the other noble Trojans have sent me to tell you the +saying of Alexandrus through whom this quarrel has come about, if +so be that you may find it acceptable. All the treasure he took +with him in his ships to Troy--would that he had sooner +perished--he will restore, and will add yet further of his own, +but he will not give up the wedded wife of Menelaus, though the +Trojans would have him do so. Priam bade me inquire further if +you will cease fighting till we burn our dead; hereafter we will +fight anew, till heaven decide between us and give victory to one +or to the other." + +They all held their peace, but presently Diomed of the loud +war-cry spoke, saying, "Let there be no taking, neither treasure, +nor yet Helen, for even a child may see that the doom of the +Trojans is at hand." + +The sons of the Achaeans shouted applause at the words that +Diomed had spoken, and thereon King Agamemnon said to Idaeus, +"Idaeus, you have heard the answer the Achaeans make you-and I +with them. But as concerning the dead, I give you leave to burn +them, for when men are once dead there should be no grudging them +the rites of fire. Let Jove the mighty husband of Juno be witness +to this covenant." + +As he spoke he upheld his sceptre in the sight of all the gods, +and Idaeus went back to the strong city of Ilius. The Trojans and +Dardanians were gathered in council waiting his return; when he +came, he stood in their midst and delivered his message. As soon +as they heard it they set about their twofold labour, some to +gather the corpses, and others to bring in wood. The Argives on +their part also hastened from their ships, some to gather the +corpses, and others to bring in wood. + +The sun was beginning to beat upon the fields, fresh risen into +the vault of heaven from the slow still currents of deep Oceanus, +when the two armies met. They could hardly recognise their dead, +but they washed the clotted gore from off them, shed tears over +them, and lifted them upon their waggons. Priam had forbidden the +Trojans to wail aloud, so they heaped their dead sadly and +silently upon the pyre, and having burned them went back to the +city of Ilius. The Achaeans in like manner heaped their dead +sadly and silently on the pyre, and having burned them went back +to their ships. + +Now in the twilight when it was not yet dawn, chosen bands of the +Achaeans were gathered round the pyre and built one barrow that +was raised in common for all, and hard by this they built a high +wall to shelter themselves and their ships; they gave it strong +gates that there might be a way through them for their chariots, +and close outside it they dug a trench deep and wide, and they +planted it within with stakes. + +Thus did the Achaeans toil, and the gods, seated by the side of +Jove the lord of lightning, marvelled at their great work; but +Neptune, lord of the earthquake, spoke, saying, "Father Jove, +what mortal in the whole world will again take the gods into his +counsel? See you not how the Achaeans have built a wall about +their ships and driven a trench all round it, without offering +hecatombs to the gods? The fame of this wall will reach as far as +dawn itself, and men will no longer think anything of the one +which Phoebus Apollo and myself built with so much labour for +Laomedon." + +Jove was displeased and answered, "What, O shaker of the earth, +are you talking about? A god less powerful than yourself might be +alarmed at what they are doing, but your fame reaches as far as +dawn itself. Surely when the Achaeans have gone home with their +ships, you can shatter their wall and fling it into the sea; you +can cover the beach with sand again, and the great wall of the +Achaeans will then be utterly effaced." + +Thus did they converse, and by sunset the work of the Achaeans +was completed; they then slaughtered oxen at their tents and got +their supper. Many ships had come with wine from Lemnos, sent by +Euneus the son of Jason, born to him by Hypsipyle. The son of +Jason freighted them with ten thousand measures of wine, which he +sent specially to the sons of Atreus, Agamemnon and Menelaus. +From this supply the Achaeans bought their wine, some with +bronze, some with iron, some with hides, some with whole heifers, +and some again with captives. They spread a goodly banquet and +feasted the whole night through, as also did the Trojans and +their allies in the city. But all the time Jove boded them ill +and roared with his portentous thunder. Pale fear got hold upon +them, and they spilled the wine from their cups on to the ground, +nor did any dare drink till he had made offerings to the most +mighty son of Saturn. Then they laid themselves down to rest and +enjoyed the boon of sleep. + + + +BOOK VIII + + Jove forbids the gods to interfere further--There is an even + fight till midday, but then Jove inclines the scales of victory + in favour of the Trojans, who eventually chase the Achaeans + within their wall--Juno and Minerva set out to help the + Trojans: Jove sends Iris to turn them back, but later on + he promises Juno that she shall have her way in the end-- + Hector's triumph is stayed by nightfall--The Trojans bivouac + on the plain. + +NOW when Morning, clad in her robe of saffron, had begun to +suffuse light over the earth, Jove called the gods in council on +the topmost crest of serrated Olympus. Then he spoke and all the +other gods gave ear. "Hear me," said he, "gods and goddesses, +that I may speak even as I am minded. Let none of you neither +goddess nor god try to cross me, but obey me every one of you +that I may bring this matter to an end. If I see anyone acting +apart and helping either Trojans or Danaans, he shall be beaten +inordinately ere he come back again to Olympus; or I will hurl +him down into dark Tartarus far into the deepest pit under the +earth, where the gates are iron and the floor bronze, as far +beneath Hades as heaven is high above the earth, that you may +learn how much the mightiest I am among you. Try me and find out +for yourselves. Hangs me a golden chain from heaven, and lay hold +of it all of you, gods and goddesses together--tug as you will, +you will not drag Jove the supreme counsellor from heaven to +earth; but were I to pull at it myself I should draw you up with +earth and sea into the bargain, then would I bind the chain about +some pinnacle of Olympus and leave you all dangling in the mid +firmament. So far am I above all others either of gods or men." + +They were frightened and all of them of held their peace, for he +had spoken masterfully; but at last Minerva answered, "Father, +son of Saturn, king of kings, we all know that your might is not +to be gainsaid, but we are also sorry for the Danaan warriors, +who are perishing and coming to a bad end. We will, however, +since you so bid us, refrain from actual fighting, but we will +make serviceable suggestions to the Argives that they may not all +of them perish in your displeasure." + +Jove smiled at her and answered, "Take heart, my child, +Trito-born; I am not really in earnest, and I wish to be kind to +you." + +With this he yoked his fleet horses, with hoofs of bronze and +manes of glittering gold. He girded himself also with gold about +the body, seized his gold whip and took his seat in his chariot. +Thereon he lashed his horses and they flew forward nothing loth +midway twixt earth and starry heaven. After a while he reached +many-fountained Ida, mother of wild beasts, and Gargarus, where +are his grove and fragrant altar. There the father of gods and +men stayed his horses, took them from the chariot, and hid them +in a thick cloud; then he took his seat all glorious upon the +topmost crests, looking down upon the city of Troy and the ships +of the Achaeans. + +The Achaeans took their morning meal hastily at the ships, and +afterwards put on their armour. The Trojans on the other hand +likewise armed themselves throughout the city, fewer in numbers +but nevertheless eager perforce to do battle for their wives and +children. All the gates were flung wide open, and horse and foot +sallied forth with the tramp as of a great multitude. + +When they were got together in one place, shield clashed with +shield, and spear with spear, in the conflict of mail-clad men. +Mighty was the din as the bossed shields pressed hard on one +another--death--cry and shout of triumph of slain and slayers, +and the earth ran red with blood. + +Now so long as the day waxed and it was still morning their +weapons beat against one another, and the people fell, but when +the sun had reached mid-heaven, the sire of all balanced his +golden scales, and put two fates of death within them, one for +the Trojans and the other for the Achaeans. He took the balance +by the middle, and when he lifted it up the day of the Achaeans +sank; the death-fraught scale of the Achaeans settled down upon +the ground, while that of the Trojans rose heavenwards. Then he +thundered aloud from Ida, and sent the glare of his lightning +upon the Achaeans; when they saw this, pale fear fell upon them +and they were sore afraid. + +Idomeneus dared not stay nor yet Agamemnon, nor did the two +Ajaxes, servants of Mars, hold their ground. Nestor knight of +Gerene alone stood firm, bulwark of the Achaeans, not of his own +will, but one of his horses was disabled. Alexandrus husband of +lovely Helen had hit it with an arrow just on the top of its head +where the mane begins to grow away from the skull, a very deadly +place. The horse bounded in his anguish as the arrow pierced his +brain, and his struggles threw others into confusion. The old man +instantly began cutting the traces with his sword, but Hector's +fleet horses bore down upon him through the rout with their bold +charioteer, even Hector himself, and the old man would have +perished there and then had not Diomed been quick to mark, and +with a loud cry called Ulysses to help him. + +"Ulysses," he cried, "noble son of Laertes where are you flying +to, with your back turned like a coward? See that you are not +struck with a spear between the shoulders. Stay here and help me +to defend Nestor from this man's furious onset." + +Ulysses would not give ear, but sped onward to the ships of the +Achaeans, and the son of Tydeus flinging himself alone into the +thick of the fight took his stand before the horses of the son of +Neleus. "Sir," said he, "these young warriors are pressing you +hard, your force is spent, and age is heavy upon you, your squire +is naught, and your horses are slow to move. Mount my chariot and +see what the horses of Tros can do--how cleverly they can scud +hither and thither over the plain either in flight or in pursuit. +I took them from the hero Aeneas. Let our squires attend to your +own steeds, but let us drive mine straight at the Trojans, that +Hector may learn how furiously I too can wield my spear." + +Nestor knight of Gerene hearkened to his words. Thereon the +doughty squires, Sthenelus and kind-hearted Eurymedon, saw to +Nestor's horses, while the two both mounted Diomed's chariot. +Nestor took the reins in his hands and lashed the horses on; they +were soon close up with Hector, and the son of Tydeus aimed a +spear at him as he was charging full speed towards them. He +missed him, but struck his charioteer and squire Eniopeus son of +noble Thebaeus in the breast by the nipple while the reins were +in his hands, so that he died there and then, and the horses +swerved as he fell headlong from the chariot. Hector was greatly +grieved at the loss of his charioteer, but let him lie for all +his sorrow, while he went in quest of another driver; nor did his +steeds have to go long without one, for he presently found brave +Archeptolemus the son of Iphitus, and made him get up behind the +horses, giving the reins into his hand. + +All had then been lost and no help for it, for they would have +been penned up in Ilius like sheep, had not the sire of gods and +men been quick to mark, and hurled a fiery flaming thunderbolt +which fell just in front of Diomed's horses with a flare of +burning brimstone. The horses were frightened and tried to back +beneath the car, while the reins dropped from Nestor's hands. +Then he was afraid and said to Diomed, "Son of Tydeus, turn your +horses in flight; see you not that the hand of Jove is against +you? To-day he vouchsafes victory to Hector; to-morrow, if it so +please him, he will again grant it to ourselves; no man, however +brave, may thwart the purpose of Jove, for he is far stronger +than any." + +Diomed answered, "All that you have said is true; there is a +grief however which pierces me to the very heart, for Hector will +talk among the Trojans and say, 'The son of Tydeus fled before me +to the ships.' This is the vaunt he will make, and may earth then +swallow me." + +"Son of Tydeus," replied Nestor, "what mean you? Though Hector +say that you are a coward the Trojans and Dardanians will not +believe him, nor yet the wives of the mighty warriors whom you +have laid low." + +So saying he turned the horses back through the thick of the +battle, and with a cry that rent the air the Trojans and Hector +rained their darts after them. Hector shouted to him and said, +"Son of Tydeus, the Danaans have done you honour hitherto as +regards your place at table, the meals they give you, and the +filling of your cup with wine. Henceforth they will despise you, +for you are become no better than a woman. Be off, girl and +coward that you are, you shall not scale our walls through any +flinching upon my part; neither shall you carry off our wives in +your ships, for I shall kill you with my own hand." + +The son of Tydeus was in two minds whether or no to turn his +horses round again and fight him. Thrice did he doubt, and thrice +did Jove thunder from the heights of Ida in token to the Trojans +that he would turn the battle in their favour. Hector then +shouted to them and said, "Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians, +lovers of close fighting, be men, my friends, and fight with +might and with main; I see that Jove is minded to vouchsafe +victory and great glory to myself, while he will deal destruction +upon the Danaans. Fools, for having thought of building this weak +and worthless wall. It shall not stay my fury; my horses will +spring lightly over their trench, and when I am at their ships +forget not to bring me fire that I may burn them, while I +slaughter the Argives who will be all dazed and bewildered by the +smoke." + +Then he cried to his horses, "Xanthus and Podargus, and you +Aethon and goodly Lampus, pay me for your keep now and for all +the honey-sweet corn with which Andromache daughter of great +Eetion has fed you, and for she has mixed wine and water for you +to drink whenever you would, before doing so even for me who am +her own husband. Haste in pursuit, that we may take the shield of +Nestor, the fame of which ascends to heaven, for it is of solid +gold, arm-rods and all, and that we may strip from the shoulders +of Diomed. the cuirass which Vulcan made him. Could we take these +two things, the Achaeans would set sail in their ships this +self-same night." + +Thus did he vaunt, but Queen Juno made high Olympus quake as she +shook with rage upon her throne. Then said she to the mighty god +of Neptune, "What now, wide ruling lord of the earthquake? Can +you find no compassion in your heart for the dying Danaans, who +bring you many a welcome offering to Helice and to Aegae? Wish +them well then. If all of us who are with the Danaans were to +drive the Trojans back and keep Jove from helping them, he would +have to sit there sulking alone on Ida." + +King Neptune was greatly troubled and answered, "Juno, rash of +tongue, what are you talking about? We other gods must not set +ourselves against Jove, for he is far stronger than we are." + +Thus did they converse; but the whole space enclosed by the +ditch, from the ships even to the wall, was filled with horses +and warriors, who were pent up there by Hector son of Priam, now +that the hand of Jove was with him. He would even have set fire +to the ships and burned them, had not Queen Juno put it into the +mind of Agamemnon, to bestir himself and to encourage the +Achaeans. To this end he went round the ships and tents carrying +a great purple cloak, and took his stand by the huge black hull +of Ulysses' ship, which was middlemost of all; it was from this +place that his voice would carry farthest, on the one hand +towards the tents of Ajax son of Telamon, and on the other +towards those of Achilles--for these two heroes, well assured of +their own strength, had valorously drawn up their ships at the +two ends of the line. From this spot then, with a voice that +could be heard afar, he shouted to the Danaans, saying, "Argives, +shame on you cowardly creatures, brave in semblance only; where +are now our vaunts that we should prove victorious--the vaunts we +made so vaingloriously in Lemnos, when we ate the flesh of horned +cattle and filled our mixing-bowls to the brim? You vowed that +you would each of you stand against a hundred or two hundred men, +and now you prove no match even for one--for Hector, who will be +ere long setting our ships in a blaze. Father Jove, did you ever +so ruin a great king and rob him so utterly of his greatness? +Yet, when to my sorrow I was coming hither, I never let my ship +pass your altars without offering the fat and thigh-bones of +heifers upon every one of them, so eager was I to sack the city +of Troy. Vouchsafe me then this prayer--suffer us to escape at +any rate with our lives, and let not the Achaeans be so utterly +vanquished by the Trojans." + +Thus did he pray, and father Jove pitying his tears vouchsafed +him that his people should live, not die; forthwith he sent them +an eagle, most unfailingly portentous of all birds, with a young +fawn in its talons; the eagle dropped the fawn by the altar on +which the Achaeans sacrificed to Jove the lord of omens; when, +therefore, the people saw that the bird had come from Jove, they +sprang more fiercely upon the Trojans and fought more boldly. + +There was no man of all the many Danaans who could then boast +that he had driven his horses over the trench and gone forth to +fight sooner than the son of Tydeus; long before any one else +could do so he slew an armed warrior of the Trojans, Agelaus the +son of Phradmon. He had turned his horses in flight, but the +spear struck him in the back midway between his shoulders and +went right through his chest, and his armour rang rattling round +him as he fell forward from his chariot. + +After him came Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons of Atreus, the two +Ajaxes clothed in valour as with a garment, Idomeneus and his +companion in arms Meriones, peer of murderous Mars, and Eurypylus +the brave son of Euaemon. Ninth came Teucer with his bow, and +took his place under cover of the shield of Ajax son of Telamon. +When Ajax lifted his shield Teucer would peer round, and when he +had hit any one in the throng, the man would fall dead; then +Teucer would hie back to Ajax as a child to its mother, and again +duck down under his shield. + +Which of the Trojans did brave Teucer first kill? Orsilochus, and +then Ormenus and Ophelestes, Daetor, Chromius, and godlike +Lycophontes, Amopaon son of Polyaemon, and Melanippus. these in +turn did he lay low upon the earth, and King Agamemnon was glad +when he saw him making havoc of the Trojans with his mighty bow. +He went up to him and said, "Teucer, man after my own heart, son +of Telamon, captain among the host, shoot on, and be at once the +saving of the Danaans and the glory of your father Telamon, who +brought you up and took care of you in his own house when you +were a child, bastard though you were. Cover him with glory +though he is far off; I will promise and I will assuredly +perform; if aegis-bearing Jove and Minerva grant me to sack the +city of Ilius, you shall have the next best meed of honour after +my own--a tripod, or two horses with their chariot, or a woman +who shall go up into your bed." + +And Teucer answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, you need not urge +me; from the moment we began to drive them back to Ilius, I have +never ceased so far as in me lies to look out for men whom I can +shoot and kill; I have shot eight barbed shafts, and all of them +have been buried in the flesh of warlike youths, but this mad dog +I cannot hit." + +As he spoke he aimed another arrow straight at Hector, for he was +bent on hitting him; nevertheless he missed him, and the arrow +hit Priam's brave son Gorgythion in the breast. His mother, fair +Castianeira, lovely as a goddess, had been married from Aesyme, +and now he bowed his head as a garden poppy in full bloom when it +is weighed down by showers in spring--even thus heavy bowed his +head beneath the weight of his helmet. + +Again he aimed at Hector, for he was longing to hit him, and +again his arrow missed, for Apollo turned it aside; but he hit +Hector's brave charioteer Archeptolemus in the breast, by the +nipple, as he was driving furiously into the fight. The horses +swerved aside as he fell headlong from the chariot, and there was +no life left in him. Hector was greatly grieved at the loss of +his charioteer, but for all his sorrow he let him lie where he +fell, and bade his brother Cebriones, who was hard by, take the +reins. Cebriones did as he had said. Hector thereon with a loud +cry sprang from his chariot to the ground, and seizing a great +stone made straight for Teucer with intent kill him. Teucer had +just taken an arrow from his quiver and had laid it upon the +bow-string, but Hector struck him with the jagged stone as he was +taking aim and drawing the string to his shoulder; he hit him +just where the collar-bone divides the neck from the chest, a +very deadly place, and broke the sinew of his arm so that his +wrist was less, and the bow dropped from his hand as he fell +forward on his knees. Ajax saw that his brother had fallen, and +running towards him bestrode him and sheltered him with his +shield. Meanwhile his two trusty squires, Mecisteus son of +Echius, and Alastor, came up and bore him to the ships groaning +in his great pain. + +Jove now again put heart into the Trojans, and they drove the +Achaeans to their deep trench with Hector in all his glory at +their head. As a hound grips a wild boar or lion in flank or +buttock when he gives him chase, and watches warily for his +wheeling, even so did Hector follow close upon the Achaeans, ever +killing the hindmost as they rushed panic-stricken onwards. When +they had fled through the set stakes and trench and many Achaeans +had been laid low at the hands of the Trojans, they halted at +their ships, calling upon one another and praying every man +instantly as they lifted up their hands to the gods; but Hector +wheeled his horses this way and that, his eyes glaring like those +of Gorgo or murderous Mars. + +Juno when she saw them had pity upon them, and at once said to +Minerva, "Alas, child of aegis-bearing Jove, shall you and I take +no more thought for the dying Danaans, though it be the last time +we ever do so? See how they perish and come to a bad end before +the onset of but a single man. Hector the son of Priam rages with +intolerable fury, and has already done great mischief." + +Minerva answered, "Would, indeed, this fellow might die in his +own land, and fall by the hands of the Achaeans; but my father +Jove is mad with spleen, ever foiling me, ever headstrong and +unjust. He forgets how often I saved his son when he was worn out +by the labours Eurystheus had laid on him. He would weep till his +cry came up to heaven, and then Jove would send me down to help +him; if I had had the sense to foresee all this, when Eurystheus +sent him to the house of Hades, to fetch the hell-hound from +Erebus, he would never have come back alive out of the deep +waters of the river Styx. And now Jove hates me, while he lets +Thetis have her way because she kissed his knees and took hold of +his beard, when she was begging him to do honour to Achilles. I +shall know what to do next time he begins calling me his +grey-eyed darling. Get our horses ready, while I go within the +house of aegis-bearing Jove and put on my armour; we shall then +find out whether Priam's son Hector will be glad to meet us in +the highways of battle, or whether the Trojans will glut hounds +and vultures with the fat of their flesh as they be dead by the +ships of the Achaeans." + +Thus did she speak and white-armed Juno, daughter of great +Saturn, obeyed her words; she set about harnessing her +gold-bedizened steeds, while Minerva daughter of aegis-bearing +Jove flung her richly vesture, made with her own hands, on to the +threshold of her father, and donned the shirt of Jove, arming +herself for battle. Then she stepped into her flaming chariot, +and grasped the spear so stout and sturdy and strong with which +she quells the ranks of heroes who have displeased her. Juno +lashed her horses, and the gates of heaven bellowed as they flew +open of their own accord--gates over which the Hours preside, in +whose hands are heaven and Olympus, either to open the dense +cloud that hides them or to close it. Through these the goddesses +drove their obedient steeds. + +But father Jove when he saw them from Ida was very angry, and +sent winged Iris with a message to them. "Go," said he, "fleet +Iris, turn them back, and see that they do not come near me, for +if we come to fighting there will be mischief. This is what I +say, and this is what I mean to do. I will lame their horses for +them; I will hurl them from their chariot, and will break it in +pieces. It will take them all ten years to heal the wounds my +lightning shall inflict upon them; my grey-eyed daughter will +then learn what quarrelling with her father means. I am less +surprised and angry with Juno, for whatever I say she always +contradicts me." + +With this Iris went her way, fleet as the wind, from the heights +of Ida to the lofty summits of Olympus. She met the goddesses at +the outer gates of its many valleys and gave them her message. +"What," said she, "are you about? Are you mad? The son of Saturn +forbids going. This is what he says, and this is he means to do, +he will lame your horses for you, he will hurl you from your +chariot, and will break it in pieces. It will take you all ten +years to heal the wounds his lightning will inflict upon you, +that you may learn, grey-eyed goddess, what quarrelling with your +father means. He is less hurt and angry with Juno, for whatever +he says she always contradicts him but you, bold hussy, will you +really dare to raise your huge spear in defiance of Jove?" + +With this she left them, and Juno said to Minerva, "Of a truth, +child of aegis-bearing Jove, I am not for fighting men's battles +further in defiance of Jove. Let them live or die as luck will +have it, and let Jove mete out his judgements upon the Trojans +and Danaans according to his own pleasure." + +She turned her steeds; the Hours presently unyoked them, made +them fast to their ambrosial mangers, and leaned the chariot +against the end wall of the courtyard. The two goddesses then sat +down upon their golden thrones, amid the company of the other +gods; but they were very angry. + +Presently father Jove drove his chariot to Olympus, and entered +the assembly of gods. The mighty lord of the earthquake unyoked +his horses for him, set the car upon its stand, and threw a cloth +over it. Jove then sat down upon his golden throne and Olympus +reeled beneath him. Minerva and Juno sat alone, apart from Jove, +and neither spoke nor asked him questions, but Jove knew what +they meant, and said, "Minerva and Juno, why are you so angry? +Are you fatigued with killing so many of your dear friends the +Trojans? Be this as it may, such is the might of my hands that +all the gods in Olympus cannot turn me; you were both of you +trembling all over ere ever you saw the fight and its terrible +doings. I tell you therefore-and it would have surely been--I +should have struck you with lighting, and your chariots would +never have brought you back again to Olympus." + +Minerva and Juno groaned in spirit as they sat side by side and +brooded mischief for the Trojans. Minerva sat silent without a +word, for she was in a furious passion and bitterly incensed +against her father; but Juno could not contain herself and said, +"What, dread son of Saturn, are you talking about? We know how +great your power is, nevertheless we have compassion upon the +Danaan warriors who are perishing and coming to a bad end. We +will, however, since you so bid us, refrain from actual fighting, +but we will make serviceable suggestions to the Argives, that +they may not all of them perish in your displeasure." + +And Jove answered, "To-morrow morning, Juno, if you choose to do +so, you will see the son of Saturn destroying large numbers of +the Argives, for fierce Hector shall not cease fighting till he +has roused the son of Peleus when they are fighting in dire +straits at their ships' sterns about the body of Patroclus. Like +it or no, this is how it is decreed; for aught I care, you may go +to the lowest depths beneath earth and sea, where Iapetus and +Saturn dwell in lone Tartarus with neither ray of light nor +breath of wind to cheer them. You may go on and on till you get +there, and I shall not care one whit for your displeasure; you +are the greatest vixen living." + +Juno made him no answer. The sun's glorious orb now sank into +Oceanus and drew down night over the land. Sorry indeed were the +Trojans when light failed them, but welcome and thrice prayed for +did darkness fall upon the Achaeans. + +Then Hector led the Trojans back from the ships, and held a +council on the open space near the river, where there was a spot +clear of corpses. They left their chariots and sat down on the +ground to hear the speech he made them. He grasped a spear eleven +cubits long, the bronze point of which gleamed in front of it, +while the ring round the spear-head was of gold. Spear in hand he +spoke. "Hear me," said he, "Trojans, Dardanians, and allies. I +deemed but now that I should destroy the ships and all the +Achaeans with them ere I went back to Ilius, but darkness came on +too soon. It was this alone that saved them and their ships upon +the seashore. Now, therefore, let us obey the behests of night, +and prepare our suppers. Take your horses out of their chariots +and give them their feeds of corn; then make speed to bring sheep +and cattle from the city; bring wine also and corn for your +horses and gather much wood, that from dark till dawn we may burn +watchfires whose flare may reach to heaven. For the Achaeans may +try to fly beyond the sea by night, and they must not embark +scatheless and unmolested; many a man among them must take a dart +with him to nurse at home, hit with spear or arrow as he is +leaping on board his ship, that others may fear to bring war and +weeping upon the Trojans. Moreover let the heralds tell it about +the city that the growing youths and grey-bearded men are to camp +upon its heaven-built walls. Let the women each of them light a +great fire in her house, and let watch be safely kept lest the +town be entered by surprise while the host is outside. See to it, +brave Trojans, as I have said, and let this suffice for the +moment; at daybreak I will instruct you further. I pray in hope +to Jove and to the gods that we may then drive those fate-sped +hounds from our land, for 'tis the fates that have borne them and +their ships hither. This night, therefore, let us keep watch, but +with early morning let us put on our armour and rouse fierce war +at the ships of the Achaeans; I shall then know whether brave +Diomed the son of Tydeus will drive me back from the ships to the +wall, or whether I shall myself slay him and carry off his +bloodstained spoils. To-morrow let him show his mettle, abide my +spear if he dare. I ween that at break of day, he shall be among +the first to fall and many another of his comrades round him. +Would that I were as sure of being immortal and never growing +old, and of being worshipped like Minerva and Apollo, as I am +that this day will bring evil to the Argives." + +Thus spoke Hector and the Trojans shouted applause. They took +their sweating steeds from under the yoke, and made them fast +each by his own chariot. They made haste to bring sheep and +cattle from the city, they brought wine also and corn from their +houses and gathered much wood. They then offered unblemished +hecatombs to the immortals, and the wind carried the sweet savour +of sacrifice to heaven--but the blessed gods partook not thereof, +for they bitterly hated Ilius with Priam and Priam's people. Thus +high in hope they sat through the livelong night by the highways +of war, and many a watchfire did they kindle. As when the stars +shine clear, and the moon is bright--there is not a breath of +air, not a peak nor glade nor jutting headland but it stands out +in the ineffable radiance that breaks from the serene of heaven; +the stars can all of them be told and the heart of the shepherd +is glad--even thus shone the watchfires of the Trojans before +Ilius midway between the ships and the river Xanthus. A thousand +camp-fires gleamed upon the plain, and in the glow of each there +sat fifty men, while the horses, champing oats and corn beside +their chariots, waited till dawn should come. + + + +BOOK IX + + The Embassy to Achilles. + +THUS did the Trojans watch. But Panic, comrade of blood-stained +Rout, had taken fast hold of the Achaeans, and their princes were +all of them in despair. As when the two winds that blow from +Thrace--the north and the northwest--spring up of a sudden and +rouse the fury of the main--in a moment the dark waves uprear +their heads and scatter their sea-wrack in all directions--even +thus troubled were the hearts of the Achaeans. + +The son of Atreus in dismay bade the heralds call the people to a +council man by man, but not to cry the matter aloud; he made +haste also himself to call them, and they sat sorry at heart in +their assembly. Agamemnon shed tears as it were a running stream +or cataract on the side of some sheer cliff; and thus, with many +a heavy sigh he spoke to the Achaeans. "My friends," said he, +"princes and councillors Of the Argives, the hand of heaven has +been laid heavily upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise +that I should sack the city of Troy before returning, but he has +played me false, and is now bidding me go ingloriously back to +Argos with the loss of much people. Such is the will of Jove, who +has laid many a proud city in the dust as he will yet lay others, +for his power is above all. Now, therefore, let us all do as I +say and sail back to our own country, for we shall not take +Troy." + +Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans for a long while sat +sorrowful there, but they all held their peace, till at last +Diomed of the loud battle-cry made answer saying, "Son of Atreus, +I will chide your folly, as is my right in council. Be not then +aggrieved that I should do so. In the first place you attacked me +before all the Danaans and said that I was a coward and no +soldier. The Argives young and old know that you did so. But the +son of scheming Saturn endowed you by halves only. He gave you +honour as the chief ruler over us, but valour, which is the +highest both right and might he did not give you. Sir, think you +that the sons of the Achaeans are indeed as unwarlike and +cowardly as you say they are? If your own mind is set upon going +home--go--the way is open to you; the many ships that followed +you from Mycene stand ranged upon the seashore; but the rest of +us stay here till we have sacked Troy. Nay though these too +should turn homeward with their ships, Sthenelus and myself will +still fight on till we reach the goal of Ilius, for heaven was +with us when we came." + +The sons of the Achaeans shouted applause at the words of Diomed, +and presently Nestor rose to speak. "Son of Tydeus," said he, "in +war your prowess is beyond question, and in council you excel all +who are of your own years; no one of the Achaeans can make light +of what you say nor gainsay it, but you have not yet come to the +end of the whole matter. You are still young--you might be the +youngest of my own children--still you have spoken wisely and +have counselled the chief of the Achaeans not without discretion; +nevertheless I am older than you and I will tell you everything; +therefore let no man, not even King Agamemnon, disregard my +saying, for he that foments civil discord is a clanless, +hearthless outlaw. + +"Now, however, let us obey the behests of night and get our +suppers, but let the sentinels every man of them camp by the +trench that is without the wall. I am giving these instructions +to the young men; when they have been attended to, do you, son of +Atreus, give your orders, for you are the most royal among us +all. Prepare a feast for your councillors; it is right and +reasonable that you should do so; there is abundance of wine in +your tents, which the ships of the Achaeans bring from Thrace +daily. You have everything at your disposal wherewith to +entertain guests, and you have many subjects. When many are got +together, you can be guided by him whose counsel is wisest--and +sorely do we need shrewd and prudent counsel, for the foe has lit +his watchfires hard by our ships. Who can be other than dismayed? +This night will either be the ruin of our host, or save it." + +Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. The +sentinels went out in their armour under command of Nestor's son +Thrasymedes, a captain of the host, and of the bold warriors +Ascalaphus and Ialmenus: there were also Meriones, Aphareus and +Deipyrus, and the son of Creion, noble Lycomedes. There were +seven captains of the sentinels, and with each there went a +hundred youths armed with long spears: they took their places +midway between the trench and the wall, and when they had done so +they lit their fires and got every man his supper. + +The son of Atreus then bade many councillors of the Achaeans to +his quarters prepared a great feast in their honour. They laid +their hands on the good things that were before them, and as soon +as they had enough to eat and drink, old Nestor, whose counsel +was ever truest, was the first to lay his mind before them. He, +therefore, with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus. + +"With yourself, most noble son of Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, +will I both begin my speech and end it, for you are king over +much people. Jove, moreover, has vouchsafed you to wield the +sceptre and to uphold righteousness, that you may take thought +for your people under you; therefore it behooves you above all +others both to speak and to give ear, and to out the counsel of +another who shall have been minded to speak wisely. All turns on +you and on your commands, therefore I will say what I think will +be best. No man will be of a truer mind than that which has been +mine from the hour when you, sir, angered Achilles by taking the +girl Briseis from his tent against my judgment. I urged you not +to do so, but you yielded to your own pride, and dishonoured a +hero whom heaven itself had honoured--for you still hold the +prize that had been awarded to him. Now, however, let us think +how we may appease him, both with presents and fair speeches that +may conciliate him." + +And King Agamemnon answered, "Sir, you have reproved my folly +justly. I was wrong. I own it. One whom heaven befriends is in +himself a host, and Jove has shown that he befriends this man by +destroying much people of the Achaeans. I was blinded with +passion and yielded to my worser mind; therefore I will make +amends, and will give him great gifts by way of atonement. I will +tell them in the presence of you all. I will give him seven +tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and ten talents of +gold. I will give him twenty iron cauldrons and twelve strong +horses that have won races and carried off prizes. Rich, indeed, +both in land and gold is he that has as many prizes as my horses +have won me. I will give him seven excellent workwomen, Lesbians, +whom I chose for myself when he took Lesbos--all of surpassing +beauty. I will give him these, and with them her whom I erewhile +took from him, the daughter of Briseus; and I swear a great oath +that I never went up into her couch, nor have been with her after +the manner of men and women. + +"All these things will I give him now, and if hereafter the gods +vouchsafe me to sack the city of Priam, let him come when we +Achaeans are dividing the spoil, and load his ship with gold and +bronze to his liking; furthermore let him take twenty Trojan +women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then, when we reach +Achaean Argos, wealthiest of all lands, he shall be my son-in-law +and I will show him like honour with my own dear son Orestes, who +is being nurtured in all abundance. I have three daughters, +Chrysothemis, Laodice, and Iphianassa, let him take the one of +his choice, freely and without gifts of wooing, to the house of +Peleus; I will add such dower to boot as no man ever yet gave his +daughter, and will give him seven well established cities, +Cardamyle, Enope, and Hire, where there is grass; holy Pherae and +the rich meadows of Anthea; Aepea also, and the vine-clad slopes +of Pedasus, all near the sea, and on the borders of sandy Pylos. +The men that dwell there are rich in cattle and sheep; they will +honour him with gifts as though he were a god, and be obedient to +his comfortable ordinances. All this will I do if he will now +forgo his anger. Let him then yield; it is only Hades who is +utterly ruthless and unyielding--and hence he is of all gods the +one most hateful to mankind. Moreover I am older and more royal +than himself. Therefore, let him now obey me." + +Then Nestor answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men, +Agamemnon. The gifts you offer are no small ones, let us then +send chosen messengers, who may go to the tent of Achilles son of +Peleus without delay. Let those go whom I shall name. Let +Phoenix, dear to Jove, lead the way; let Ajax and Ulysses follow, +and let the heralds Odius and Eurybates go with them. Now bring +water for our hands, and bid all keep silence while we pray to +Jove the son of Saturn, if so be that he may have mercy upon us." + +Thus did he speak, and his saying pleased them well. +Men-servants poured water over the hands of the guests, while +pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and water, and handed it +round after giving every man his drink-offering; then, when they +had made their offerings, and had drunk each as much as he was +minded, the envoys set out from the tent of Agamemnon son of +Atreus; and Nestor, looking first to one and then to another, but +most especially at Ulysses, was instant with them that they +should prevail with the noble son of Peleus. + +They went their way by the shore of the sounding sea, and prayed +earnestly to earth-encircling Neptune that the high spirit of the +son of Aeacus might incline favourably towards them. When they +reached the ships and tents of the Myrmidons, they found Achilles +playing on a lyre, fair, of cunning workmanship, and its +cross-bar was of silver. It was part of the spoils which he had +taken when he sacked the city of Eetion, and he was now diverting +himself with it and singing the feats of heroes. He was alone +with Patroclus, who sat opposite to him and said nothing, waiting +till he should cease singing. Ulysses and Ajax now came in-- +Ulysses leading the way--and stood before him. Achilles sprang +from his seat with the lyre still in his hand, and Patroclus, +when he saw the strangers, rose also. Achilles then greeted them +saying, "All hail and welcome--you must come upon some great +matter, you, who for all my anger are still dearest to me of the +Achaeans." + +With this he led them forward, and bade them sit on seats covered +with purple rugs; then he said to Patroclus who was close by him, +"Son of Menoetius, set a larger bowl upon the table, mix less +water with the wine, and give every man his cup, for these are +very dear friends, who are now under my roof." + +Patroclus did as his comrade bade him; he set the chopping-block +in front of the fire, and on it he laid the loin of a sheep, the +loin also of a goat, and the chine of a fat hog. Automedon held +the meat while Achilles chopped it; he then sliced the pieces and +put them on spits while the son of Menoetius made the fire burn +high. When the flame had died down, he spread the embers, laid +the spits on top of them, lifting them up and setting them upon +the spit-racks; and he sprinkled them with salt. When the meat +was roasted, he set it on platters, and handed bread round the +table in fair baskets, while Achilles dealt them their portions. +Then Achilles took his seat facing Ulysses against the opposite +wall, and bade his comrade Patroclus offer sacrifice to the gods; +so he cast the offerings into the fire, and they laid their hands +upon the good things that were before them. As soon as they had +had enough to eat and drink, Ajax made a sign to Phoenix, and +when he saw this, Ulysses filled his cup with wine and pledged +Achilles. + +"Hail," said he, "Achilles, we have had no scant of good cheer, +neither in the tent of Agamemnon, nor yet here; there has been +plenty to eat and drink, but our thought turns upon no such +matter. Sir, we are in the face of great disaster, and without +your help know not whether we shall save our fleet or lose it. +The Trojans and their allies have camped hard by our ships and by +the wall; they have lit watchfires throughout their host and deem +that nothing can now prevent them from falling on our fleet. +Jove, moreover, has sent his lightnings on their right; Hector, +in all his glory, rages like a maniac; confident that Jove is +with him he fears neither god nor man, but is gone raving mad, +and prays for the approach of day. He vows that he will hew the +high sterns of our ships in pieces, set fire to their hulls, and +make havoc of the Achaeans while they are dazed and smothered in +smoke; I much fear that heaven will make good his boasting, and +it will prove our lot to perish at Troy far from our home in +Argos. Up, then, and late though it be, save the sons of the +Achaeans who faint before the fury of the Trojans. You will +repent bitterly hereafter if you do not, for when the harm is +done there will be no curing it; consider ere it be too late, and +save the Danaans from destruction. + +"My good friend, when your father Peleus sent you from Phthia to +Agamemnon, did he not charge you saying, 'Son, Minerva and Juno +will make you strong if they choose, but check your high temper, +for the better part is in goodwill. Eschew vain quarrelling, and +the Achaeans old and young will respect you more for doing so.' +These were his words, but you have forgotten them. Even now, +however, be appeased, and put away your anger from you. Agamemnon +will make you great amends if you will forgive him; listen, and I +will tell you what he has said in his tent that he will give you. +He will give you seven tripods that have never yet been on the +fire, and ten talents of gold; twenty iron cauldrons, and twelve +strong horses that have won races and carried off prizes. Rich +indeed both in land and gold is he who has as many prizes as +these horses have won for Agamemnon. Moreover he will give you +seven excellent workwomen, Lesbians, whom he chose for himself, +when you took Lesbos--all of surpassing beauty. He will give you +these, and with them her whom he erewhile took from you, the +daughter of Briseus, and he will swear a great oath, he has never +gone up into her couch nor been with her after the manner of men +and women. All these things will he give you now down, and if +hereafter the gods vouchsafe him to sack the city of Priam, you +can come when we Achaeans are dividing the spoil, and load your +ship with gold and bronze to your liking. You can take twenty +Trojan women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then, when we +reach Achaean Argos, wealthiest of all lands, you shall be his +son-in-law, and he will show you like honour with his own dear +son Orestes, who is being nurtured in all abundance. Agamemnon +has three daughters, Chrysothemis, Laodice, and Iphianassa; you +may take the one of your choice, freely and without gifts of +wooing, to the house of Peleus; he will add such dower to boot as +no man ever yet gave his daughter, and will give you seven +well-established cities, Cardamyle, Enope, and Hire where there +is grass; holy Pheras and the rich meadows of Anthea; Aepea also, +and the vine-clad slopes of Pedasus, all near the sea, and on the +borders of sandy Pylos. The men that dwell there are rich in +cattle and sheep; they will honour you with gifts as though were +a god, and be obedient to your comfortable ordinances. All this +will he do if you will now forgo your anger. Moreover, though you +hate both him and his gifts with all your heart, yet pity the +rest of the Achaeans who are being harassed in all their host; +they will honour you as a god, and you will earn great glory at +their hands. You might even kill Hector; he will come within your +reach, for he is infatuated, and declares that not a Danaan whom +the ships have brought can hold his own against him." + +Achilles answered, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, I should give +you formal notice plainly and in all fixity of purpose that there +be no more of this cajoling, from whatsoever quarter it may come. +Him do I hate even as the gates of hell who says one thing while +he hides another in his heart; therefore I will say what I mean. +I will be appeased neither by Agamemnon son of Atreus nor by any +other of the Danaans, for I see that I have no thanks for all my +fighting. He that fights fares no better than he that does not; +coward and hero are held in equal honour, and death deals like +measure to him who works and him who is idle. I have taken +nothing by all my hardships--with my life ever in my hand; as a +bird when she has found a morsel takes it to her nestlings, and +herself fares hardly, even so many a long night have I been +wakeful, and many a bloody battle have I waged by day against +those who were fighting for their women. With my ships I have +taken twelve cities, and eleven round about Troy have I stormed +with my men by land; I took great store of wealth from every one +of them, but I gave all up to Agamemnon son of Atreus. He stayed +where he was by his ships, yet of what came to him he gave +little, and kept much himself. + +"Nevertheless he did distribute some meeds of honour among the +chieftains and kings, and these have them still; from me alone of +the Achaeans did he take the woman in whom I delighted--let him +keep her and sleep with her. Why, pray, must the Argives needs +fight the Trojans? What made the son of Atreus gather the host +and bring them? Was it not for the sake of Helen? Are the sons of +Atreus the only men in the world who love their wives? Any man of +common right feeling will love and cherish her who is his own, as +I this woman, with my whole heart, though she was but a fruitling +of my spear. Agamemnon has taken her from me; he has played me +false; I know him; let him tempt me no further, for he shall not +move me. Let him look to you, Ulysses, and to the other princes +to save his ships from burning. He has done much without me +already. He has built a wall; he has dug a trench deep and wide +all round it, and he has planted it within with stakes; but even +so he stays not the murderous might of Hector. So long as I +fought the Achaeans Hector suffered not the battle range far from +the city walls; he would come to the Scaean gates and to the oak +tree, but no further. Once he stayed to meet me and hardly did he +escape my onset: now, however, since I am in no mood to fight +him, I will to-morrow offer sacrifice to Jove and to all the +gods; I will draw my ships into the water and then victual them +duly; to-morrow morning, if you care to look, you will see my +ships on the Hellespont, and my men rowing out to sea with might +and main. If great Neptune vouchsafes me a fair passage, in three +days I shall be in Phthia. I have much there that I left behind +me when I came here to my sorrow, and I shall bring back still +further store of gold, of red copper, of fair women, and of iron, +my share of the spoils that we have taken; but one prize, he who +gave has insolently taken away. Tell him all as I now bid you, +and tell him in public that the Achaeans may hate him and beware +of him should he think that he can yet dupe others for his +effrontery never fails him. + +"As for me, hound that he is, he dares not look me in the face. +I will take no counsel with him, and will undertake nothing in +common with him. He has wronged me and deceived me enough, he +shall not cozen me further; let him go his own way, for Jove has +robbed him of his reason. I loathe his presents, and for himself +care not one straw. He may offer me ten or even twenty times what +he has now done, nay--not though it be all that he has in the +world, both now or ever shall have; he may promise me the wealth +of Orchomenus or of Egyptian Thebes, which is the richest city in +the whole world, for it has a hundred gates through each of which +two hundred men may drive at once with their chariots and horses; +he may offer me gifts as the sands of the sea or the dust of the +plain in multitude, but even so he shall not move me till I have +been revenged in full for the bitter wrong he has done me. I will +not marry his daughter; she may be fair as Venus, and skilful as +Minerva, but I will have none of her: let another take her, who +may be a good match for her and who rules a larger kingdom. If +the gods spare me to return home, Peleus will find me a wife; +there are Achaean women in Hellas and Phthia, daughters of kings +that have cities under them; of these I can take whom I will and +marry her. Many a time was I minded when at home in Phthia to woo +and wed a woman who would make me a suitable wife, and to enjoy +the riches of my old father Peleus. My life is more to me than +all the wealth of Ilius while it was yet at peace before the +Achaeans went there, or than all the treasure that lies on the +stone floor of Apollo's temple beneath the cliffs of Pytho. +Cattle and sheep are to be had for harrying, and a man buy both +tripods and horses if he wants them, but when his life has once +left him it can neither be bought nor harried back again. + +"My mother Thetis tells me that there are two ways in which I may +meet my end. If I stay here and fight, I shall not return alive +but my name will live for ever: whereas if I go home my name will +die, but it will be long ere death shall take me. To the rest of +you, then, I say, 'Go home, for you will not take Ilius.' Jove +has held his hand over her to protect her, and her people have +taken heart. Go, therefore, as in duty bound, and tell the +princes of the Achaeans the message that I have sent them; tell +them to find some other plan for the saving of their ships and +people, for so long as my displeasure lasts the one that they +have now hit upon may not be. As for Phoenix, let him sleep here +that he may sail with me in the morning if he so will. But I +will not take him by force." + +They all held their peace, dismayed at the sternness with which +he had denied them, till presently the old knight Phoenix in his +great fear for the ships of the Achaeans, burst into tears and +said, "Noble Achilles, if you are now minded to return, and in +the fierceness of your anger will do nothing to save the ships +from burning, how, my son, can I remain here without you? Your +father Peleus bade me go with you when he sent you as a mere lad +from Phthia to Agamemnon. You knew nothing neither of war nor of +the arts whereby men make their mark in council, and he sent me +with you to train you in all excellence of speech and action. +Therefore, my son, I will not stay here without you--no, not +though heaven itself vouchsafe to strip my years from off me, and +make me young as I was when I first left Hellas the land of fair +women. I was then flying the anger of father Amyntor, son of +Ormenus, who was furious with me in the matter of his concubine, +of whom he was enamoured to the wronging of his wife my mother. +My mother, therefore, prayed me without ceasing to lie with the +woman myself, that so she hate my father, and in the course of +time I yielded. But my father soon came to know, and cursed me +bitterly, calling the dread Erinyes to witness. He prayed that no +son of mine might ever sit upon knees--and the gods, Jove of the +world below and awful Proserpine, fulfilled his curse. I took +counsel to kill him, but some god stayed my rashness and bade me +think on men's evil tongues and how I should be branded as the +murderer of my father; nevertheless I could not bear to stay in +my father's house with him so bitter a against me. My cousins and +clansmen came about me, and pressed me sorely to remain; many a +sheep and many an ox did they slaughter, and many a fat hog did +they set down to roast before the fire; many a jar, too, did they +broach of my father's wine. Nine whole nights did they set a +guard over me taking it in turns to watch, and they kept a fire +always burning, both in the cloister of the outer court and in +the inner court at the doors of the room wherein I lay; but when +the darkness of the tenth night came, I broke through the closed +doors of my room, and climbed the wall of the outer court after +passing quickly and unperceived through the men on guard and the +women servants. I then fled through Hellas till I came to fertile +Phthia, mother of sheep, and to King Peleus, who made me welcome +and treated me as a father treats an only son who will be heir to +all his wealth. He made me rich and set me over much people, +establishing me on the borders of Phthia where I was chief ruler +over the Dolopians. + +"It was I, Achilles, who had the making of you; I loved you with +all my heart: for you would eat neither at home nor when you had +gone out elsewhere, till I had first set you upon my knees, cut +up the dainty morsel that you were to eat, and held the wine-cup +to your lips. Many a time have you slobbered your wine in baby +helplessness over my shirt; I had infinite trouble with you, but +I knew that heaven had vouchsafed me no offspring of my own, and +I made a son of you, Achilles, that in my hour of need you might +protect me. Now, therefore, I say battle with your pride and beat +it; cherish not your anger for ever; the might and majesty of +heaven are more than ours, but even heaven may be appeased; and +if a man has sinned he prays the gods, and reconciles them to +himself by his piteous cries and by frankincense, with +drink-offerings and the savour of burnt sacrifice. For prayers +are as daughters to great Jove; halt, wrinkled, with eyes +askance, they follow in the footsteps of sin, who, being fierce +and fleet of foot, leaves them far behind him, and ever baneful +to mankind outstrips them even to the ends of the world; but +nevertheless the prayers come hobbling and healing after. If a +man has pity upon these daughters of Jove when they draw near +him, they will bless him and hear him too when he is praying; but +if he deny them and will not listen to them, they go to Jove the +son of Saturn and pray that he may presently fall into sin--to +his ruing bitterly hereafter. Therefore, Achilles, give these +daughters of Jove due reverence, and bow before them as all good +men will bow. Were not the son of Atreus offering you gifts and +promising others later--if he were still furious and implacable-- +I am not he that would bid you throw off your anger and help the +Achaeans, no matter how great their need; but he is giving much +now, and more hereafter; he has sent his captains to urge his +suit, and has chosen those who of all the Argives are most +acceptable to you; make not then their words and their coming to +be of none effect. Your anger has been righteous so far. We have +heard in song how heroes of old time quarrelled when they were +roused to fury, but still they could be won by gifts, and fair +words could soothe them. + +"I have an old story in my mind--a very old one--but you are all +friends and I will tell it. The Curetes and the Aetolians were +fighting and killing one another round Calydon--the Aetolians +defending the city and the Curetes trying to destroy it. For +Diana of the golden throne was angry and did them hurt because +Oeneus had not offered her his harvest first-fruits. The other +gods had all been feasted with hecatombs, but to the daughter of +great Jove alone he had made no sacrifice. He had forgotten her, +or somehow or other it had escaped him, and this was a grievous +sin. Thereon the archer goddess in her displeasure sent a +prodigious creature against him--a savage wild boar with great +white tusks that did much harm to his orchard lands, uprooting +apple-trees in full bloom and throwing them to the ground. But +Meleager son of Oeneus got huntsmen and hounds from many cities +and killed it--for it was so monstrous that not a few were +needed, and many a man did it stretch upon his funeral pyre. On +this the goddess set the Curetes and the Aetolians fighting +furiously about the head and skin of the boar. + +"So long as Meleager was in the field things went badly with the +Curetes, and for all their numbers they could not hold their +ground under the city walls; but in the course of time Meleager +was angered as even a wise man will sometimes be. He was incensed +with his mother Althaea, and therefore stayed at home with his +wedded wife fair Cleopatra, who was daughter of Marpessa daughter +of Euenus, and of Ides the man then living. He it was who took +his bow and faced King Apollo himself for fair Marpessa's sake; +her father and mother then named her Alcyone, because her mother +had mourned with the plaintive strains of the halcyon-bird when +Phoebus Apollo had carried her off. Meleager, then, stayed at +home with Cleopatra, nursing the anger which he felt by reason of +his mother's curses. His mother, grieving for the death of her +brother, prayed the gods, and beat the earth with her hands, +calling upon Hades and on awful Proserpine; she went down upon +her knees and her bosom was wet with tears as she prayed that +they would kill her son--and Erinys that walks in darkness and +knows no ruth heard her from Erebus. + +"Then was heard the din of battle about the gates of Calydon, and +the dull thump of the battering against their walls. Thereon the +elders of the Aetolians besought Meleager; they sent the chiefest +of their priests, and begged him to come out and help them, +promising him a great reward. They bade him choose fifty +plough-gates, the most fertile in the plain of Calydon, the +one-half vineyard and the other open plough-land. The old warrior +Oeneus implored him, standing at the threshold of his room and +beating the doors in supplication. His sisters and his mother +herself besought him sore, but he the more refused them; those of +his comrades who were nearest and dearest to him also prayed him, +but they could not move him till the foe was battering at the +very doors of his chamber, and the Curetes had scaled the walls +and were setting fire to the city. Then at last his sorrowing +wife detailed the horrors that befall those whose city is taken; +she reminded him how the men are slain, and the city is given +over to the flames, while the women and children are carried into +captivity; when he heard all this, his heart was touched, and he +donned his armour to go forth. Thus of his own inward motion he +saved the city of the Aetolians; but they now gave him nothing of +those rich rewards that they had offered earlier, and though he +saved the city he took nothing by it. Be not then, my son, thus +minded; let not heaven lure you into any such course. When the +ships are burning it will be a harder matter to save them. Take +the gifts, and go, for the Achaeans will then honour you as a +god; whereas if you fight without taking them, you may beat the +battle back, but you will not be held in like honour." + +And Achilles answered, "Phoenix, old friend and father, I have no +need of such honour. I have honour from Jove himself, which will +abide with me at my ships while I have breath in my body, and my +limbs are strong. I say further--and lay my saying to your +heart--vex me no more with this weeping and lamentation, all in +the cause of the son of Atreus. Love him so well, and you may +lose the love I bear you. You ought to help me rather in +troubling those that trouble me; be king as much as I am, and +share like honour with myself; the others shall take my answer; +stay here yourself and sleep comfortably in your bed; at daybreak +we will consider whether to remain or go." + +On this she nodded quietly to Patroclus as a sign that he was to +prepare a bed for Phoenix, and that the others should take their +leave. Ajax son of Telamon then said, "Ulysses, noble son of +Laertes, let us be gone, for I see that our journey is vain. We +must now take our answer, unwelcome though it be, to the Danaans +who are waiting to receive it. Achilles is savage and +remorseless; he is cruel, and cares nothing for the love his +comrades lavished upon him more than on all the others. He is +implacable--and yet if a man's brother or son has been slain he +will accept a fine by way of amends from him that killed him, and +the wrong-doer having paid in full remains in peace among his own +people; but as for you, Achilles, the gods have put a wicked +unforgiving spirit in your heart, and this, all about one single +girl, whereas we now offer you the seven best we have, and much +else into the bargain. Be then of a more gracious mind, respect +the hospitality of your own roof. We are with you as messengers +from the host of the Danaans, and would fain he held nearest and +dearest to yourself of all the Achaeans." + +"Ajax," replied Achilles, "noble son of Telamon, you have spoken +much to my liking, but my blood boils when I think it all over, +and remember how the son of Atreus treated me with contumely as +though I were some vile tramp, and that too in the presence of +the Argives. Go, then, and deliver your message; say that I will +have no concern with fighting till Hector, son of noble Priam, +reaches the tents of the Myrmidons in his murderous course, and +flings fire upon their ships. For all his lust of battle, I take +it he will be held in check when he is at my own tent and ship." + +On this they took every man his double cup, made their +drink-offerings, and went back to the ships, Ulysses leading the +way. But Patroclus told his men and the maid-servants to make +ready a comfortable bed for Phoenix; they therefore did so with +sheepskins, a rug, and a sheet of fine linen. The old man then +laid himself down and waited till morning came. But Achilles +slept in an inner room, and beside him the daughter of Phorbas +lovely Diomede, whom he had carried off from Lesbos. Patroclus +lay on the other side of the room, and with him fair Iphis whom +Achilles had given him when he took Scyros the city of Enyeus. + +When the envoys reached the tents of the son of Atreus, the +Achaeans rose, pledged them in cups of gold, and began to +question them. King Agamemnon was the first to do so. "Tell me, +Ulysses," said he, "will he save the ships from burning, or did +he refuse, and is he still furious?" + +Ulysses answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men, +Agamemnon, Achilles will not be calmed, but is more fiercely +angry than ever, and spurns both you and your gifts. He bids you +take counsel with the Achaeans to save the ships and host as you +best may; as for himself, he said that at daybreak he should draw +his ships into the water. He said further that he should advise +every one to sail home likewise, for that you will not reach the +goal of Ilius. 'Jove,' he said, 'has laid his hand over the city +to protect it, and the people have taken heart.' This is what he +said, and the others who were with me can tell you the same +story--Ajax and the two heralds, men, both of them, who may be +trusted. The old man Phoenix stayed where he was to sleep, for so +Achilles would have it, that he might go home with him in the +morning if he so would; but he will not take him by force." + +They all held their peace, sitting for a long time silent and +dejected, by reason of the sternness with which Achilles had +refused them, till presently Diomed said, "Most noble son of +Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, you ought not to have sued the +son of Peleus nor offered him gifts. He is proud enough as it is, +and you have encouraged him in his pride still further. Let him +stay or go as he will. He will fight later when he is in the +humour, and heaven puts it in his mind to do so. Now, therefore, +let us all do as I say; we have eaten and drunk our fill, let us +then take our rest, for in rest there is both strength and stay. +But when fair rosy-fingered morn appears, forthwith bring out +your host and your horsemen in front of the ships, urging them +on, and yourself fighting among the foremost." + +Thus he spoke, and the other chieftains approved his words. They +then made their drink-offerings and went every man to his own +tent, where they laid down to rest and enjoyed the boon of sleep. + + + +BOOK X + + Ulysses and Diomed go out as spies, and meet Dolon, who gives + them information: they then kill him, and profiting by what + he had told them, kill Rhesus king of the Thracians and take + his horses. + +NOW the other princes of the Achaeans slept soundly the whole +night through, but Agamemnon son of Atreus was troubled, so that +he could get no rest. As when fair Juno's lord flashes his +lightning in token of great rain or hail or snow when the +snow-flakes whiten the ground, or again as a sign that he will +open the wide jaws of hungry war, even so did Agamemnon heave +many a heavy sigh, for his soul trembled within him. When he +looked upon the plain of Troy he marvelled at the many watchfires +burning in front of Ilius, and at the sound of pipes and flutes +and of the hum of men, but when presently he turned towards the +ships and hosts of the Achaeans, he tore his hair by handfuls +before Jove on high, and groaned aloud for the very disquietness +of his soul. In the end he deemed it best to go at once to Nestor +son of Neleus, and see if between them they could find any way of +the Achaeans from destruction. He therefore rose, put on his +shirt, bound his sandals about his comely feet, flung the skin of +a huge tawny lion over his shoulders--a skin that reached his +feet--and took his spear in his hand. + +Neither could Menelaus sleep, for he, too, boded ill for the +Argives who for his sake had sailed from far over the seas to +fight the Trojans. He covered his broad back with the skin of a +spotted panther, put a casque of bronze upon his head, and took +his spear in his brawny hand. Then he went to rouse his brother, +who was by far the most powerful of the Achaeans, and was +honoured by the people as though he were a god. He found him by +the stern of his ship already putting his goodly array about his +shoulders, and right glad was he that his brother had come. + +Menelaus spoke first. "Why," said he, "my dear brother, are you +thus arming? Are you going to send any of our comrades to exploit +the Trojans? I greatly fear that no one will do you this service, +and spy upon the enemy alone in the dead of night. It will be a +deed of great daring." + +And King Agamemnon answered, "Menelaus, we both of us need shrewd +counsel to save the Argives and our ships, for Jove has changed +his mind, and inclines towards Hector's sacrifices rather than +ours. I never saw nor heard tell of any man as having wrought +such ruin in one day as Hector has now wrought against the sons +of the Achaeans--and that too of his own unaided self, for he is +son neither to god nor goddess. The Argives will rue it long and +deeply. Run, therefore, with all speed by the line of the ships, +and call Ajax and Idomeneus. Meanwhile I will go to Nestor, and +bid him rise and go about among the companies of our sentinels to +give them their instructions; they will listen to him sooner than +to any man, for his own son, and Meriones brother in arms to +Idomeneus, are captains over them. It was to them more +particularly that we gave this charge." + +Menelaus replied, "How do I take your meaning? Am I to stay with +them and wait your coming, or shall I return here as soon as I +have given your orders?" "Wait," answered King Agamemnon, "for +there are so many paths about the camp that we might miss one +another. Call every man on your way, and bid him be stirring; +name him by his lineage and by his father's name, give each all +titular observance, and stand not too much upon your own dignity; +we must take our full share of toil, for at our birth Jove laid +this heavy burden upon us." + +With these instructions he sent his brother on his way, and went +on to Nestor shepherd of his people. He found him sleeping in his +tent hard by his own ship; his goodly armour lay beside him--his +shield, his two spears and his helmet; beside him also lay the +gleaming girdle with which the old man girded himself when he +armed to lead his people into battle--for his age stayed him not. +He raised himself on his elbow and looked up at Agamemnon. "Who +is it," said he, "that goes thus about the host and the ships +alone and in the dead of night, when men are sleeping? Are you +looking for one of your mules or for some comrade? Do not stand +there and say nothing, but speak. What is your business?" + +And Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, son of Neleus, honour to the +Achaean name, it is I, Agamemnon son of Atreus, on whom Jove has +laid labour and sorrow so long as there is breath in my body and +my limbs carry me. I am thus abroad because sleep sits not upon +my eyelids, but my heart is big with war and with the jeopardy of +the Achaeans. I am in great fear for the Danaans. I am at sea, +and without sure counsel; my heart beats as though it would leap +out of my body, and my limbs fail me. If then you can do +anything--for you too cannot sleep--let us go the round of the +watch, and see whether they are drowsy with toil and sleeping to +the neglect of their duty. The enemy is encamped hard and we know +not but he may attack us by night." + +Nestor replied, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men, +Agamemnon, Jove will not do all for Hector that Hector thinks he +will; he will have troubles yet in plenty if Achilles will lay +aside his anger. I will go with you, and we will rouse others, +either the son of Tydeus, or Ulysses, or fleet Ajax and the +valiant son of Phyleus. Some one had also better go and call Ajax +and King Idomeneus, for their ships are not near at hand but the +farthest of all. I cannot however refrain from blaming Menelaus, +much as I love him and respect him--and I will say so plainly, +even at the risk of offending you--for sleeping and leaving all +this trouble to yourself. He ought to be going about imploring +aid from all the princes of the Achaeans, for we are in extreme +danger." + +And Agamemnon answered, "Sir, you may sometimes blame him justly, +for he is often remiss and unwilling to exert himself--not +indeed from sloth, nor yet heedlessness, but because he looks to +me and expects me to take the lead. On this occasion, however, he +was awake before I was, and came to me of his own accord. I have +already sent him to call the very men whom you have named. And +now let us be going. We shall find them with the watch outside +the gates, for it was there I said that we would meet them." + +"In that case," answered Nestor, "the Argives will not blame him +nor disobey his orders when he urges them to fight or gives them +instructions." + +With this he put on his shirt, and bound his sandals about his +comely feet. He buckled on his purple coat, of two thicknesses, +large, and of a rough shaggy texture, grasped his redoubtable +bronze-shod spear, and wended his way along the line of the +Achaean ships. First he called loudly to Ulysses peer of gods in +counsel and woke him, for he was soon roused by the sound of the +battle-cry. He came outside his tent and said, "Why do you go +thus alone about the host, and along the line of the ships in the +stillness of the night? What is it that you find so urgent?" And +Nestor knight of Gerene answered, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, +take it not amiss, for the Achaeans are in great straits. Come +with me and let us wake some other, who may advise well with us +whether we shall fight or fly." + +On this Ulysses went at once into his tent, put his shield about +his shoulders and came out with them. First they went to Diomed +son of Tydeus, and found him outside his tent clad in his armour +with his comrades sleeping round him and using their shields as +pillows; as for their spears, they stood upright on the spikes of +their butts that were driven into the ground, and the burnished +bronze flashed afar like the lightning of father Jove. The hero +was sleeping upon the skin of an ox, with a piece of fine carpet +under his head; Nestor went up to him and stirred him with his +heel to rouse him, upbraiding him and urging him to bestir +himself. "Wake up," he exclaimed, "son of Tydeus. How can you +sleep on in this way? Can you not see that the Trojans are +encamped on the brow of the plain hard by our ships, with but a +little space between us and them?" + +On these words Diomed leaped up instantly and said, "Old man, +your heart is of iron; you rest not one moment from your labours. +Are there no younger men among the Achaeans who could go about to +rouse the princes? There is no tiring you." + +And Nestor knight of Gerene made answer, "My son, all that you +have said is true. I have good sons, and also much people who +might call the chieftains, but the Achaeans are in the gravest +danger; life and death are balanced as it were on the edge of a +razor. Go then, for you are younger than I, and of your courtesy +rouse Ajax and the fleet son of Phyleus." + +Diomed threw the skin of a great tawny lion about his shoulders-- +a skin that reached his feet--and grasped his spear. When he had +roused the heroes, he brought them back with him; they then went +the round of those who were on guard, and found the captains not +sleeping at their posts but wakeful and sitting with their arms +about them. As sheep dogs that watch their flocks when they are +yarded, and hear a wild beast coming through the mountain forest +towards them--forthwith there is a hue and cry of dogs and men, +and slumber is broken--even so was sleep chased from the eyes of +the Achaeans as they kept the watches of the wicked night, for +they turned constantly towards the plain whenever they heard any +stir among the Trojans. The old man was glad bade them be of good +cheer. "Watch on, my children," said he, "and let not sleep get +hold upon you, lest our enemies triumph over us." + +With this he passed the trench, and with him the other chiefs of +the Achaeans who had been called to the council. Meriones and the +brave son of Nestor went also, for the princes bade them. When +they were beyond the trench that was dug round the wall they held +their meeting on the open ground where there was a space clear of +corpses, for it was here that when night fell Hector had turned +back from his onslaught on the Argives. They sat down, therefore, +and held debate with one another. + +Nestor spoke first. "My friends," said he, "is there any man bold +enough to venture the Trojans, and cut off some straggler, or us +news of what the enemy mean to do whether they will stay here by +the ships away from the city, or whether, now that they have +worsted the Achaeans, they will retire within their walls. If he +could learn all this and come back safely here, his fame would be +high as heaven in the mouths of all men, and he would be rewarded +richly; for the chiefs from all our ships would each of them give +him a black ewe with her lamb--which is a present of surpassing +value--and he would be asked as a guest to all feasts and +clan-gatherings." + +They all held their peace, but Diomed of the loud war-cry spoke +saying, "Nestor, gladly will I visit the host of the Trojans over +against us, but if another will go with me I shall do so in +greater confidence and comfort. When two men are together, one of +them may see some opportunity which the other has not caught +sight of; if a man is alone he is less full of resource, and his +wit is weaker." + +On this several offered to go with Diomed. The two Ajaxes, +servants of Mars, Meriones, and the son of Nestor all wanted to +go, so did Menelaus son of Atreus; Ulysses also wished to go +among the host of the Trojans, for he was ever full of daring, +and thereon Agamemnon king of men spoke thus: "Diomed," said he, +"son of Tydeus, man after my own heart, choose your comrade for +yourself--take the best man of those that have offered, for many +would now go with you. Do not through delicacy reject the better +man, and take the worst out of respect for his lineage, because +he is of more royal blood." + +He said this because he feared for Menelaus. Diomed answered, "If +you bid me take the man of my own choice, how in that case can I +fail to think of Ulysses, than whom there is no man more eager to +face all kinds of danger--and Pallas Minerva loves him well? If +he were to go with me we should pass safely through fire itself, +for he is quick to see and understand." + +"Son of Tydeus," replied Ulysses, "say neither good nor ill about +me, for you are among Argives who know me well. Let us be going, +for the night wanes and dawn is at hand. The stars have gone +forward, two-thirds of the night are already spent, and the third +is alone left us." + +They then put on their armour. Brave Thrasymedes provided the son +of Tydeus with a sword and a shield (for he had left his own at +his ship) and on his head he set a helmet of bull's hide without +either peak or crest; it is called a skull-cap and is a common +headgear. Meriones found a bow and quiver for Ulysses, and on his +head he set a leathern helmet that was lined with a strong +plaiting of leathern thongs, while on the outside it was thickly +studded with boar's teeth, well and skilfully set into it; next +the head there was an inner lining of felt. This helmet had been +stolen by Autolycus out of Eleon when he broke into the house of +Amyntor son of Ormenus. He gave it to Amphidamas of Cythera to +take to Scandea, and Amphidamas gave it as a guest-gift to Molus, +who gave it to his son Meriones; and now it was set upon the head +of Ulysses. + +When the pair had armed, they set out, and left the other +chieftains behind them. Pallas Minerva sent them a heron by the +wayside upon their right hands; they could not see it for the +darkness, but they heard its cry. Ulysses was glad when he heard +it and prayed to Minerva: "Hear me," he cried, "daughter of +aegis-bearing Jove, you who spy out all my ways and who are with +me in all my hardships; befriend me in this mine hour, and grant +that we may return to the ships covered with glory after having +achieved some mighty exploit that shall bring sorrow to the +Trojans." + +Then Diomed of the loud war-cry also prayed: "Hear me too," said +he, "daughter of Jove, unweariable; be with me even as you were +with my noble father Tydeus when he went to Thebes as envoy sent +by the Achaeans. He left the Achaeans by the banks of the river +Aesopus, and went to the city bearing a message of peace to the +Cadmeians; on his return thence, with your help, goddess, he did +great deeds of daring, for you were his ready helper. Even so +guide me and guard me now, and in return I will offer you in +sacrifice a broad-browed heifer of a year old, unbroken, and +never yet brought by man under the yoke. I will gild her horns +and will offer her up to you in sacrifice." + +Thus they prayed, and Pallas Minerva heard their prayer. When +they had done praying to the daughter of great Jove, they went +their way like two lions prowling by night amid the armour and +blood-stained bodies of them that had fallen. + +Neither again did Hector let the Trojans sleep; for he too called +the princes and councillors of the Trojans that he might set his +counsel before them. "Is there one," said he, "who for a great +reward will do me the service of which I will tell you? He shall +be well paid if he will. I will give him a chariot and a couple +of horses, the fleetest that can be found at the ships of the +Achaeans, if he will dare this thing; and he will win infinite +honour to boot; he must go to the ships and find out whether they +are still guarded as heretofore, or whether now that we have +beaten them the Achaeans design to fly, and through sheer +exhaustion are neglecting to keep their watches." + +They all held their peace; but there was among the Trojans a +certain man named Dolon, son of Eumedes, the famous herald--a man +rich in gold and bronze. He was ill-favoured, but a good runner, +and was an only son among five sisters. He it was that now +addressed the Trojans. "I, Hector," said he, "Will to the ships +and will exploit them. But first hold up your sceptre and swear +that you will give me the chariot, bedight with bronze, and the +horses that now carry the noble son of Peleus. I will make you a +good scout, and will not fail you. I will go through the host +from one end to the other till I come to the ship of Agamemnon, +where I take it the princes of the Achaeans are now consulting +whether they shall fight or fly." + +When he had done speaking Hector held up his sceptre, and swore +him his oath saying, "May Jove the thundering husband of Juno +bear witness that no other Trojan but yourself shall mount those +steeds, and that you shall have your will with them for ever." + +The oath he swore was bootless, but it made Dolon more keen on +going. He hung his bow over his shoulder, and as an overall he +wore the skin of a grey wolf, while on his head he set a cap of +ferret skin. Then he took a pointed javelin, and left the camp +for the ships, but he was not to return with any news for Hector. +When he had left the horses and the troops behind him, he made +all speed on his way, but Ulysses perceived his coming and said +to Diomed, "Diomed, here is some one from the camp; I am not sure +whether he is a spy, or whether it is some thief who would +plunder the bodies of the dead; let him get a little past us, we +can then spring upon him and take him. If, however, he is too +quick for us, go after him with your spear and hem him in towards +the ships away from the Trojan camp, to prevent his getting back +to the town." + +With this they turned out of their way and lay down among the +corpses. Dolon suspected nothing and soon passed them, but when +he had got about as far as the distance by which a mule-plowed +furrow exceeds one that has been ploughed by oxen (for mules can +plow fallow land quicker than oxen) they ran after him, and when +he heard their footsteps he stood still, for he made sure they +were friends from the Trojan camp come by Hector's orders to bid +him return; when, however, they were only a spear's cast, or less +away form him, he saw that they were enemies as fast as his legs +could take him. The others gave chase at once, and as a couple of +well-trained hounds press forward after a doe or hare that runs +screaming in front of them, even so did the son of Tydeus and +Ulysses pursue Dolon and cut him off from his own people. But +when he had fled so far towards the ships that he would soon have +fallen in with the outposts, Minerva infused fresh strength into +the son of Tydeus for fear some other of the Achaeans might have +the glory of being first to hit him, and he might himself be only +second; he therefore sprang forward with his spear and said, +"Stand, or I shall throw my spear, and in that case I shall soon +make an end of you." + +He threw as he spoke, but missed his aim on purpose. The dart +flew over the man's right shoulder, and then stuck in the ground. +He stood stock still, trembling and in great fear; his teeth +chattered, and he turned pale with fear. The two came breathless +up to him and seized his hands, whereon he began to weep and +said, "Take me alive; I will ransom myself; we have great store +of gold, bronze, and wrought iron, and from this my father will +satisfy you with a very large ransom, should he hear of my being +alive at the ships of the Achaeans." + +"Fear not," replied Ulysses, "let no thought of death be in your +mind; but tell me, and tell me true, why are you thus going about +alone in the dead of night away from your camp and towards the +ships, while other men are sleeping? Is it to plunder the bodies +of the slain, or did Hector send you to spy out what was going on +at the ships? Or did you come here of your own mere notion?" + +Dolon answered, his limbs trembling beneath him: "Hector, with +his vain flattering promises, lured me from my better judgement. +He said he would give me the horses of the noble son of Peleus +and his bronze-bedizened chariot; he bade me go through the +darkness of the flying night, get close to the enemy, and find +out whether the ships are still guarded as heretofore, or +whether, now that we have beaten them, the Achaeans design to +fly, and through sheer exhaustion are neglecting to keep their +watches." + +Ulysses smiled at him and answered, "You had indeed set your +heart upon a great reward, but the horses of the descendant of +Aeacus are hardly to be kept in hand or driven by any other +mortal man than Achilles himself, whose mother was an immortal. +But tell me, and tell me true, where did you leave Hector when +you started? Where lies his armour and his horses? How, too, are +the watches and sleeping-ground of the Trojans ordered? What are +their plans? Will they stay here by the ships and away from the +city, or now that they have worsted the Achaeans, will they +retire within their walls?" + +And Dolon answered, "I will tell you truly all. Hector and the +other councillors are now holding conference by the monument of +great Ilus, away from the general tumult; as for the guards about +which you ask me, there is no chosen watch to keep guard over the +host. The Trojans have their watchfires, for they are bound to +have them; they, therefore, are awake and keep each other to +their duty as sentinels; but the allies who have come from other +places are asleep and leave it to the Trojans to keep guard, for +their wives and children are not here." + +Ulysses then said, "Now tell me; are they sleeping among the +Trojan troops, or do they lie apart? Explain this that I may +understand it." + +"I will tell you truly all," replied Dolon. "To the seaward lie +the Carians, the Paeonian bowmen, the Leleges, the Cauconians, +and the noble Pelasgi. The Lysians and proud Mysians, with the +Phrygians and Meonians, have their place on the side towards +Thymbra; but why ask about an this? If you want to find your way +into the host of the Trojans, there are the Thracians, who have +lately come here and lie apart from the others at the far end of +the camp; and they have Rhesus son of Eioneus for their king. His +horses are the finest and strongest that I have ever seen, they +are whiter than snow and fleeter than any wind that blows. His +chariot is bedight with silver and gold, and he has brought his +marvellous golden armour, of the rarest workmanship--too splendid +for any mortal man to carry, and meet only for the gods. Now, +therefore, take me to the ships or bind me securely here, until +you come back and have proved my words whether they be false or +true." + +Diomed looked sternly at him and answered, "Think not, Dolon, for +all the good information you have given us, that you shall escape +now you are in our hands, for if we ransom you or let you go, you +will come some second time to the ships of the Achaeans either as +a spy or as an open enemy, but if I kill you and an end of you, +you will give no more trouble." + +On this Dolon would have caught him by the beard to beseech him +further, but Diomed struck him in the middle of his neck with his +sword and cut through both sinews so that his head fell rolling +in the dust while he was yet speaking. They took the ferret-skin +cap from his head, and also the wolf-skin, the bow, and his long +spear. Ulysses hung them up aloft in honour of Minerva the +goddess of plunder, and prayed saying, "Accept these, goddess, +for we give them to you in preference to all the gods in Olympus: +therefore speed us still further towards the horses and +sleeping-ground of the Thracians." + +With these words he took the spoils and set them upon a tamarisk +tree, and they marked the place by pulling up reeds and gathering +boughs of tamarisk that they might not miss it as they came back +through the flying hours of darkness. The two then went onwards +amid the fallen armour and the blood, and came presently to the +company of Thracian soldiers, who were sleeping, tired out with +their day's toil; their goodly armour was lying on the ground +beside them all orderly in three rows, and each man had his yoke +of horses beside him. Rhesus was sleeping in the middle, and hard +by him his horses were made fast to the topmost rim of his +chariot. Ulysses from some way off saw him and said, "This, +Diomed, is the man, and these are the horses about which Dolon +whom we killed told us. Do your very utmost; dally not about your +armour, but loose the horses at once--or else kill the men +yourself, while I see to the horses." + +Thereon Minerva put courage into the heart of Diomed, and he +smote them right and left. They made a hideous groaning as they +were being hacked about, and the earth was red with their blood. +As a lion springs furiously upon a flock of sheep or goats when +he finds without their shepherd, so did the son of Tydeus set +upon the Thracian soldiers till he had killed twelve. As he +killed them Ulysses came and drew them aside by their feet one by +one, that the horses might go forward freely without being +frightened as they passed over the dead bodies, for they were not +yet used to them. When the son of Tydeus came to the king, he +killed him too (which made thirteen), as he was breathing hard, +for by the counsel of Minerva an evil dream, the seed of Oeneus, +hovered that night over his head. Meanwhile Ulysses untied the +horses, made them fast one to another and drove them off, +striking them with his bow, for he had forgotten to take the whip +from the chariot. Then he whistled as a sign to Diomed. + +But Diomed stayed where he was, thinking what other daring deed +he might accomplish. He was doubting whether to take the chariot +in which the king's armour was lying, and draw it out by the +pole, or to lift the armour out and carry it off; or whether +again, he should not kill some more Thracians. While he was thus +hesitating Minerva came up to him and said, "Get back, Diomed, to +the ships or you may be driven thither, should some other god +rouse the Trojans." + +Diomed knew that it was the goddess, and at once sprang upon the +horses. Ulysses beat them with his bow and they flew onward to +the ships of the Achaeans. + +But Apollo kept no blind look-out when he saw Minerva with the +son of Tydeus. He was angry with her, and coming to the host of +the Trojans he roused Hippocoon, a counsellor of the Thracians +and a noble kinsman of Rhesus. He started up out of his sleep and +saw that the horses were no longer in their place, and that the +men were gasping in their death-agony; on this he groaned aloud, +and called upon his friend by name. Then the whole Trojan camp +was in an uproar as the people kept hurrying together, and they +marvelled at the deeds of the heroes who had now got away towards +the ships. + +When they reached the place where they had killed Hector's scout, +Ulysses stayed his horses, and the son of Tydeus, leaping to the +ground, placed the blood-stained spoils in the hands of Ulysses +and remounted: then he lashed the horses onwards, and they flew +forward nothing loth towards the ships as though of their own +free will. Nestor was first to hear the tramp of their feet. "My +friends," said he, "princes and counsellors of the Argives, shall +I guess right or wrong?--but I must say what I think: there is a +sound in my ears as of the tramp of horses. I hope it may Diomed +and Ulysses driving in horses from the Trojans, but I much fear +that the bravest of the Argives may have come to some harm at +their hands." + +He had hardly done speaking when the two men came in and +dismounted, whereon the others shook hands right gladly with them +and congratulated them. Nestor knight of Gerene was first to +question them. "Tell me," said he, "renowned Ulysses, how did you +two come by these horses? Did you steal in among the Trojan +forces, or did some god meet you and give them to you? They are +like sunbeams. I am well conversant with the Trojans, for old +warrior though I am I never hold back by the ships, but I never +yet saw or heard of such horses as these are. Surely some god +must have met you and given them to you, for you are both of you +dear to Jove, and to Jove's daughter Minerva." + +And Ulysses answered, "Nestor son of Neleus, honour to the +Achaean name, heaven, if it so will, can give us even better +horses than these, for the gods are far mightier than we are. +These horses, however, about which you ask me, are freshly come +from Thrace. Diomed killed their king with the twelve bravest of +his companions. Hard by the ships we took a thirteenth man--a +scout whom Hector and the other Trojans had sent as a spy upon +our ships." + +He laughed as he spoke and drove the horses over the ditch, while +the other Achaeans followed him gladly. When they reached the +strongly built quarters of the son of Tydeus, they tied the +horses with thongs of leather to the manger, where the steeds of +Diomed stood eating their sweet corn, but Ulysses hung the +blood-stained spoils of Dolon at the stern of his ship, that they +might prepare a sacred offering to Minerva. As for themselves, +they went into the sea and washed the sweat from their bodies, +and from their necks and thighs. When the sea-water had taken all +the sweat from off them, and had refreshed them, they went into +the baths and washed themselves. After they had so done and had +anointed themselves with oil, they sat down to table, and drawing +from a full mixing-bowl, made a drink-offering of wine to +Minerva. + + + +BOOK XI + + In the forenoon the fight is equal, but Agamemnon turns the + fortune of the day towards the Achaeans until he gets + wounded and leaves the field--Hector then drives everything + before him till he is wounded by Diomed--Paris wounds + Diomed--Ulysses, Nestor, and Idomeneus perform prodigies + of valour--Machaon is wounded--Nestor drives him off in + his chariot--Achilles sees the pair driving towards the camp + and sends Patroclus to ask who it is that is wounded--This + is the beginning of evil for Patroclus--Nestor makes a long + speech. + +AND now as Dawn rose from her couch beside Tithonus, harbinger of +light alike to mortals and immortals, Jove sent fierce Discord +with the ensign of war in her hands to the ships of the Achaeans. +She took her stand by the huge black hull of Ulysses' ship which +was middlemost of all, so that her voice might carry farthest on +either side, on the one hand towards the tents of Ajax son of +Telamon, and on the other towards those of Achilles--for these +two heroes, well-assured of their own strength, had valorously +drawn up their ships at the two ends of the line. There she took +her stand, and raised a cry both loud and shrill that filled the +Achaeans with courage, giving them heart to fight resolutely and +with all their might, so that they had rather stay there and do +battle than go home in their ships. + +The son of Atreus shouted aloud and bade the Argives gird +themselves for battle while he put on his armour. First he girded +his goodly greaves about his legs, making them fast with ankle- +clasps of silver; and about his chest he set the breastplate +which Cinyras had once given him as a guest-gift. It had been +noised abroad as far as Cyprus that the Achaeans were about to +sail for Troy, and therefore he gave it to the king. It had ten +courses of dark cyanus, twelve of gold, and ten of tin. There +were serpents of cyanus that reared themselves up towards the +neck, three upon either side, like the rainbows which the son of +Saturn has set in heaven as a sign to mortal men. About his +shoulders he threw his sword, studded with bosses of gold; and +the scabbard was of silver with a chain of gold wherewith to hang +it. He took moreover the richly-dight shield that covered his +body when he was in battle--fair to see, with ten circles of +bronze running all round it. On the body of the shield there were +twenty bosses of white tin, with another of dark cyanus in the +middle: this last was made to show a Gorgon's head, fierce and +grim, with Rout and Panic on either side. The band for the arm to +go through was of silver, on which there was a writhing snake of +cyanus with three heads that sprang from a single neck, and went +in and out among one another. On his head Agamemnon set a helmet, +with a peak before and behind, and four plumes of horse-hair that +nodded menacingly above it; then he grasped two redoubtable +bronze-shod spears, and the gleam of his armour shot from him as +a flame into the firmament, while Juno and Minerva thundered in +honour of the king of rich Mycene. + +Every man now left his horses in charge of his charioteer to hold +them in readiness by the trench, while he went into battle on +foot clad in full armour, and a mighty uproar rose on high into +the dawning. The chiefs were armed and at the trench before the +horses got there, but these came up presently. The son of Saturn +sent a portent of evil sound about their host, and the dew fell +red with blood, for he was about to send many a brave man +hurrying down to Hades. + +The Trojans, on the other side upon the rising slope of the +plain, were gathered round great Hector, noble Polydamas, Aeneas +who was honoured by the Trojans like an immortal, and the three +sons of Antenor, Polybus, Agenor, and young Acamas beauteous as a +god. Hector's round shield showed in the front rank, and as some +baneful star that shines for a moment through a rent in the +clouds and is again hidden beneath them; even so was Hector now +seen in the front ranks and now again in the hindermost, and his +bronze armour gleamed like the lightning of aegis-bearing Jove. + +And now as a band of reapers mow swathes of wheat or barley upon +a rich man's land, and the sheaves fall thick before them, even +so did the Trojans and Achaeans fall upon one another; they were +in no mood for yielding but fought like wolves, and neither side +got the better of the other. Discord was glad as she beheld them, +for she was the only god that went among them; the others were +not there, but stayed quietly each in his own home among the +dells and valleys of Olympus. All of them blamed the son of +Saturn for wanting to give victory to the Trojans, but father +Jove heeded them not: he held aloof from all, and sat apart in +his all-glorious majesty, looking down upon the city of the +Trojans, the ships of the Achaeans, the gleam of bronze, and +alike upon the slayers and on the slain. + +Now so long as the day waxed and it was still morning, their +darts rained thick on one another and the people perished, but as +the hour drew nigh when a woodman working in some mountain forest +will get his midday meal--for he has felled till his hands are +weary; he is tired out, and must now have food--then the Danaans +with a cry that rang through all their ranks, broke the +battalions of the enemy. Agamemnon led them on, and slew first +Bienor, a leader of his people, and afterwards his comrade and +charioteer Oileus, who sprang from his chariot and was coming +full towards him; but Agamemnon struck him on the forehead with +his spear; his bronze visor was of no avail against the weapon, +which pierced both bronze and bone, so that his brains were +battered in and he was killed in full fight. + +Agamemnon stripped their shirts from off them and left them with +their breasts all bare to lie where they had fallen. He then went +on to kill Isus and Antiphus two sons of Priam, the one a +bastard, the other born in wedlock; they were in the same +chariot--the bastard driving, while noble Antiphus fought beside +him. Achilles had once taken both of them prisoners in the glades +of Ida, and had bound them with fresh withes as they were +shepherding, but he had taken a ransom for them; now, however, +Agamemnon son of Atreus smote Isus in the chest above the nipple +with his spear, while he struck Antiphus hard by the ear and +threw him from his chariot. Forthwith he stripped their goodly +armour from off them and recognized them, for he had already seen +them at ships when Achilles brought them in from Ida. As a lion +fastens on the fawns of a hind and crushes them in his great +jaws, robbing them of their tender life while he on his way back +to his lair--the hind can do nothing for them even though she be +close by, for she is in an agony of fear, and flies through the +thick forest, sweating, and at her utmost speed before the mighty +monster--so, no man of the Trojans could help Isus and Antiphus, +for they were themselves flying panic before the Argives. + +Then King Agamemnon took the two sons of Antimachus, Pisander and +brave Hippolochus. It was Antimachus who had been foremost in +preventing Helen's being restored to Menelaus, for he was largely +bribed by Alexandrus; and now Agamemnon took his two sons, both +in the same chariot, trying to bring their horses to a stand--for +they had lost hold of the reins and the horses were mad with +fear. The son of Atreus sprang upon them like a lion, and the +pair besought him from their chariot. "Take us alive," they +cried, "son of Atreus, and you shall receive a great ransom for +us. Our father Antimachus has great store of gold, bronze, and +wrought iron, and from this he will satisfy you with a very large +ransom should he hear of our being alive at the ships of the +Achaeans." + +With such piteous words and tears did they beseech the king, but +they heard no pitiful answer in return. "If," said Agamemnon, +"you are sons of Antimachus, who once at a council of Trojans +proposed that Menelaus and Ulysses, who had come to you as +envoys, should be killed and not suffered to return, you shall +now pay for the foul iniquity of your father." + +As he spoke he felled Pisander from his chariot to the earth, +smiting him on the chest with his spear, so that he lay face +uppermost upon the ground. Hippolochus fled, but him too did +Agamemnon smite; he cut off his hands and his head--which he sent +rolling in among the crowd as though it were a ball. There he let +them both lie, and wherever the ranks were thickest thither he +flew, while the other Achaeans followed. Foot soldiers drove the +foot soldiers of the foe in rout before them, and slew them; +horsemen did the like by horsemen, and the thundering tramp of +the horses raised a cloud of dust from off the plain. King +Agamemnon followed after, ever slaying them and cheering on the +Achaeans. As when some mighty forest is all ablaze--the eddying +gusts whirl fire in all directions till the thickets shrivel and +are consumed before the blast of the flame--even so fell the +heads of the flying Trojans before Agamemnon son of Atreus, and +many a noble pair of steeds drew an empty chariot along the +highways of war, for lack of drivers who were lying on the plain, +more useful now to vultures than to their wives. + +Jove drew Hector away from the darts and dust, with the carnage +and din of battle; but the son of Atreus sped onwards, calling +out lustily to the Danaans. They flew on by the tomb of old Ilus, +son of Dardanus, in the middle of the plain, and past the place +of the wild fig-tree making always for the city--the son of +Atreus still shouting, and with hands all bedrabbled in gore; but +when they had reached the Scaean gates and the oak tree, there +they halted and waited for the others to come up. Meanwhile the +Trojans kept on flying over the middle of the plain like a herd +of cows maddened with fright when a lion has attacked them in the +dead of night--he springs on one of them, seizes her neck in the +grip of his strong teeth and then laps up her blood and gorges +himself upon her entrails--even so did King Agamemnon son of +Atreus pursue the foe, ever slaughtering the hindmost as they +fled pell-mell before him. Many a man was flung headlong from his +chariot by the hand of the son of Atreus, for he wielded his +spear with fury. + +But when he was just about to reach the high wall and the city, +the father of gods and men came down from heaven and took his +seat, thunderbolt in hand, upon the crest of many-fountained Ida. +He then told Iris of the golden wings to carry a message for him. +"Go," said he, "fleet Iris, and speak thus to Hector--say that so +long as he sees Agamemnon heading his men and making havoc of the +Trojan ranks, he is to keep aloof and bid the others bear the +brunt of the battle, but when Agamemnon is wounded either by +spear or arrow, and takes to his chariot, then will I vouchsafe +him strength to slay till he reach the ships and night falls at +the going down of the sun." + +Iris hearkened and obeyed. Down she went to strong Ilius from the +crests of Ida, and found Hector son of Priam standing by his +chariot and horses. Then she said, "Hector son of Priam, peer of +gods in counsel, father Jove has sent me to bear you this +message--so long as you see Agamemnon heading his men and making +havoc of the Trojan ranks, you are to keep aloof and bid the +others bear the brunt of the battle, but when Agamemnon is +wounded either by spear or arrow, and takes to his chariot, then +will Jove vouchsafe you strength to slay till you reach the +ships, and till night falls at the going down of the sun." + +When she had thus spoken Iris left him, and Hector sprang full +armed from his chariot to the ground, brandishing his spear as he +went about everywhere among the host, cheering his men on to +fight, and stirring the dread strife of battle. The Trojans then +wheeled round, and again met the Achaeans, while the Argives on +their part strengthened their battalions. The battle was now in +array and they stood face to face with one another, Agamemnon +ever pressing forward in his eagerness to be ahead of all others. + +Tell me now ye Muses that dwell in the mansions of Olympus, who, +whether of the Trojans or of their allies, was first to face +Agamemnon? It was Iphidamas son of Antenor, a man both brave and +of great stature, who was brought up in fertile Thrace, the +mother of sheep. Cisses, his mother's father, brought him up in +his own house when he was a child--Cisses, father to fair Theano. +When he reached manhood, Cisses would have kept him there, and +was for giving him his daughter in marriage, but as soon as he +had married he set out to fight the Achaeans with twelve ships +that followed him: these he had left at Percote and had come on +by land to Ilius. He it was that now met Agamemnon son of Atreus. +When they were close up with one another, the son of Atreus +missed his aim, and Iphidamas hit him on the girdle below the +cuirass and then flung himself upon him, trusting to his strength +of arm; the girdle, however, was not pierced, nor nearly so, for +the point of the spear struck against the silver and was turned +aside as though it had been lead: King Agamemnon caught it from +his hand, and drew it towards him with the fury of a lion; he +then drew his sword, and killed Iphidamas by striking him on the +neck. So there the poor fellow lay, sleeping a sleep as it were +of bronze, killed in the defence of his fellow-citizens, far from +his wedded wife, of whom he had had no joy though he had given +much for her: he had given a hundred-head of cattle down, and had +promised later on to give a thousand sheep and goats mixed, from +the countless flocks of which he was possessed. Agamemnon son of +Atreus then despoiled him, and carried off his armour into the +host of the Achaeans. + +When noble Coon, Antenor's eldest son, saw this, sore indeed were +his eyes at the sight of his fallen brother. Unseen by Agamemnon +he got beside him, spear in hand, and wounded him in the middle +of his arm below the elbow, the point of the spear going right +through the arm. Agamemnon was convulsed with pain, but still not +even for this did he leave off struggling and fighting, but +grasped his spear that flew as fleet as the wind, and sprang upon +Coon who was trying to drag off the body of his brother--his +father's son--by the foot, and was crying for help to all the +bravest of his comrades; but Agamemnon struck him with a +bronze-shod spear and killed him as he was dragging the dead body +through the press of men under cover of his shield: he then cut +off his head, standing over the body of Iphidamas. Thus did the +sons of Antenor meet their fate at the hands of the son of +Atreus, and go down into the house of Hades. + +As long as the blood still welled warm from his wound Agamemnon +went about attacking the ranks of the enemy with spear and sword +and with great handfuls of stone, but when the blood had ceased +to flow and the wound grew dry, the pain became great. As the +sharp pangs which the Eilithuiae, goddesses of childbirth, +daughters of Juno and dispensers of cruel pain, send upon a woman +when she is in labour--even so sharp were the pangs of the son of +Atreus. He sprang on to his chariot, and bade his charioteer +drive to the ships, for he was in great agony. With a loud clear +voice he shouted to the Danaans, "My friends, princes and +counsellors of the Argives, defend the ships yourselves, for Jove +has not suffered me to fight the whole day through against the +Trojans." + +With this the charioteer turned his horses towards the ships, and +they flew forward nothing loth. Their chests were white with foam +and their bellies with dust, as they drew the wounded king out of +the battle. + +When Hector saw Agamemnon quit the field, he shouted to the +Trojans and Lycians saying, "Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanian +warriors, be men, my friends, and acquit yourselves in battle +bravely; their best man has left them, and Jove has vouchsafed me +a great triumph; charge the foe with your chariots that you may +win still greater glory." + +With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and as a +huntsman hounds his dogs on against a lion or wild boar, even so +did Hector, peer of Mars, hound the proud Trojans on against the +Achaeans. Full of hope he plunged in among the foremost, and fell +on the fight like some fierce tempest that swoops down upon the +sea, and lashes its deep blue waters into fury. + +What, then is the full tale of those whom Hector son of Priam +killed in the hour of triumph which Jove then vouchsafed him? +First Asaeus, Autonous, and Opites; Dolops son of Clytius, +Opheltius and Agelaus; Aesymnus, Orus and Hipponous steadfast in +battle; these chieftains of the Achaeans did Hector slay, and +then he fell upon the rank and file. As when the west wind +hustles the clouds of the white south and beats them down with +the fierceness of its fury--the waves of the sea roll high, and +the spray is flung aloft in the rage of the wandering wind--even +so thick were the heads of them that fell by the hand of Hector. + +All had then been lost and no help for it, and the Achaeans would +have fled pell-mell to their ships, had not Ulysses cried out to +Diomed, "Son of Tydeus, what has happened to us that we thus +forget our prowess? Come, my good fellow, stand by my side and +help me, we shall be shamed for ever if Hector takes the ships." + +And Diomed answered, "Come what may, I will stand firm; but we +shall have scant joy of it, for Jove is minded to give victory to +the Trojans rather than to us." + +With these words he struck Thymbraeus from his chariot to the +ground, smiting him in the left breast with his spear, while +Ulysses killed Molion who was his squire. These they let lie, now +that they had stopped their fighting; the two heroes then went on +playing havoc with the foe, like two wild boars that turn in fury +and rend the hounds that hunt them. Thus did they turn upon the +Trojans and slay them, and the Achaeans were thankful to have +breathing time in their flight from Hector. + +They then took two princes with their chariot, the two sons of +Merops of Percote, who excelled all others in the arts of +divination. He had forbidden his sons to go to the war, but they +would not obey him, for fate lured them to their fall. Diomed son +of Tydeus slew them both and stripped them of their armour, while +Ulysses killed Hippodamus and Hypeirochus. + +And now the son of Saturn as he looked down from Ida ordained +that neither side should have the advantage, and they kept on +killing one another. The son of Tydeus speared Agastrophus son of +Paeon in the hip-joint with his spear. His chariot was not at +hand for him to fly with, so blindly confident had he been. His +squire was in charge of it at some distance and he was fighting +on foot among the foremost until he lost his life. Hector soon +marked the havoc Diomed and Ulysses were making, and bore down +upon them with a loud cry, followed by the Trojan ranks; brave +Diomed was dismayed when he saw them, and said to Ulysses who was +beside him, "Great Hector is bearing down upon us and we shall be +undone; let us stand firm and wait his onset." + +He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it, nor did he miss +his mark. He had aimed at Hector's head near the top of his +helmet, but bronze was turned by bronze, and Hector was +untouched, for the spear was stayed by the visored helm made with +three plates of metal, which Phoebus Apollo had given him. Hector +sprang back with a great bound under cover of the ranks; he fell +on his knees and propped himself with his brawny hand leaning on +the ground, for darkness had fallen on his eyes. The son of +Tydeus having thrown his spear dashed in among the foremost +fighters, to the place where he had seen it strike the ground; +meanwhile Hector recovered himself and springing back into his +chariot mingled with the crowd, by which means he saved his life. +But Diomed made at him with his spear and said, "Dog, you have +again got away though death was close on your heels. Phoebus +Apollo, to whom I ween you pray ere you go into battle, has again +saved you, nevertheless I will meet you and make an end of you +hereafter, if there is any god who will stand by me too and be my +helper. For the present I must pursue those I can lay hands on." + +As he spoke he began stripping the spoils from the son of Paeon, +but Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen aimed an arrow at him, +leaning against a pillar of the monument which men had raised to +Ilus son of Dardanus, a ruler in days of old. Diomed had taken +the cuirass from off the breast of Agastrophus, his heavy helmet +also, and the shield from off his shoulders, when Paris drew his +bow and let fly an arrow that sped not from his hand in vain, but +pierced the flat of Diomed's right foot, going right through it +and fixing itself in the ground. Thereon Paris with a hearty +laugh sprang forward from his hiding-place, and taunted him +saying, "You are wounded--my arrow has not been shot in vain; +would that it had hit you in the belly and killed you, for thus +the Trojans, who fear you as goats fear a lion, would have had a +truce from evil." + +Diomed all undaunted answered, "Archer, you who without your bow +are nothing, slanderer and seducer, if you were to be tried in +single combat fighting in full armour, your bow and your arrows +would serve you in little stead. Vain is your boast in that you +have scratched the sole of my foot. I care no more than if a girl +or some silly boy had hit me. A worthless coward can inflict but +a light wound; when I wound a man though I but graze his skin it +is another matter, for my weapon will lay him low. His wife will +tear her cheeks for grief and his children will be fatherless: +there will he rot, reddening the earth with his blood, and +vultures, not women, will gather round him." + +Thus he spoke, but Ulysses came up and stood over him. Under this +cover he sat down to draw the arrow from his foot, and sharp was +the pain he suffered as he did so. Then he sprang on to his +chariot and bade the charioteer drive him to the ships, for he +was sick at heart. + +Ulysses was now alone; not one of the Argives stood by him, for +they were all panic-stricken. "Alas," said he to himself in his +dismay, "what will become of me? It is ill if I turn and fly +before these odds, but it will be worse if I am left alone and +taken prisoner, for the son of Saturn has struck the rest of the +Danaans with panic. But why talk to myself in this way? Well do I +know that though cowards quit the field, a hero, whether he wound +or be wounded, must stand firm and hold his own." + +While he was thus in two minds, the ranks of the Trojans advanced +and hemmed him in, and bitterly did they come to rue it. As +hounds and lusty youths set upon a wild boar that sallies from +his lair whetting his white tusks--they attack him from every +side and can hear the gnashing of his jaws, but for all his +fierceness they still hold their ground--even so furiously did +the Trojans attack Ulysses. First he sprang spear in hand upon +Deiopites and wounded him on the shoulder with a downward blow; +then he killed Thoon and Ennomus. After these he struck +Chersidamas in the loins under his shield as he had just sprung +down from his chariot; so he fell in the dust and clutched the +earth in the hollow of his hand. These he let lie, and went on to +wound Charops son of Hippasus own brother to noble Socus. Socus, +hero that he was, made all speed to help him, and when he was +close to Ulysses he said, "Far-famed Ulysses, insatiable of craft +and toil, this day you shall either boast of having killed both +the sons of Hippasus and stripped them of their armour, or you +shall fall before my spear." + +With these words he struck the shield of Ulysses. The spear went +through the shield and passed on through his richly wrought +cuirass, tearing the flesh from his side, but Pallas Minerva did +not suffer it to pierce the entrails of the hero. Ulysses knew +that his hour was not yet come, but he gave ground and said to +Socus, "Wretch, you shall now surely die. You have stayed me from +fighting further with the Trojans, but you shall now fall by my +spear, yielding glory to myself, and your soul to Hades of the +noble steeds." + +Socus had turned in flight, but as he did so, the spear struck +him in the back midway between the shoulders, and went right +through his chest. He fell heavily to the ground and Ulysses +vaunted over him saying, "O Socus, son of Hippasus tamer of +horses, death has been too quick for you and you have not escaped +him: poor wretch, not even in death shall your father and mother +close your eyes, but the ravening vultures shall enshroud you +with the flapping of their dark wings and devour you. Whereas +even though I fall the Achaeans will give me my due rites of +burial." + +So saying he drew Socus's heavy spear out of his flesh and from +his shield, and the blood welled forth when the spear was +withdrawn so that he was much dismayed. When the Trojans saw that +Ulysses was bleeding they raised a great shout and came on in a +body towards him; he therefore gave ground, and called his +comrades to come and help him. Thrice did he cry as loudly as man +can cry, and thrice did brave Menelaus hear him; he turned, +therefore, to Ajax who was close beside him and said, "Ajax, +noble son of Telamon, captain of your people, the cry of Ulysses +rings in my ears, as though the Trojans had cut him off and were +worsting him while he is single-handed. Let us make our way +through the throng; it will be well that we defend him; I fear he +may come to harm for all his valour if he be left without +support, and the Danaans would miss him sorely." + +He led the way and mighty Ajax went with him. The Trojans had +gathered round Ulysses like ravenous mountain jackals round the +carcase of some horned stag that has been hit with an arrow--the +stag has fled at full speed so long as his blood was warm and his +strength has lasted, but when the arrow has overcome him, the +savage jackals devour him in the shady glades of the forest. Then +heaven sends a fierce lion thither, whereon the jackals fly in +terror and the lion robs them of their prey--even so did Trojans +many and brave gather round crafty Ulysses, but the hero stood at +bay and kept them off with his spear. Ajax then came up with his +shield before him like a wall, and stood hard by, whereon the +Trojans fled in all directions. Menelaus took Ulysses by the +hand, and led him out of the press while his squire brought up +his chariot, but Ajax rushed furiously on the Trojans and killed +Doryclus, a bastard son of Priam; then he wounded Pandocus, +Lysandrus, Pyrasus, and Pylartes; as some swollen torrent comes +rushing in full flood from the mountains on to the plain, big +with the rain of heaven--many a dry oak and many a pine does it +engulf, and much mud does it bring down and cast into the sea-- +even so did brave Ajax chase the foe furiously over the plain, +slaying both men and horses. + +Hector did not yet know what Ajax was doing, for he was fighting +on the extreme left of the battle by the banks of the river +Scamander, where the carnage was thickest and the war-cry loudest +round Nestor and brave Idomeneus. Among these Hector was making +great slaughter with his spear and furious driving, and was +destroying the ranks that were opposed to him; still the Achaeans +would have given no ground, had not Alexandrus husband of lovely +Helen stayed the prowess of Machaon, shepherd of his people, by +wounding him in the right shoulder with a triple-barbed arrow. +The Achaeans were in great fear that as the fight had turned +against them the Trojans might take him prisoner, and Idomeneus +said to Nestor, "Nestor son of Neleus, honour to the Achaean +name, mount your chariot at once; take Machaon with you and drive +your horses to the ships as fast as you can. A physician is worth +more than several other men put together, for he can cut out +arrows and spread healing herbs." + +Nestor knight of Gerene did as Idomeneus had counselled; he at +once mounted his chariot, and Machaon son of the famed physician +Aesculapius, went with him. He lashed his horses and they flew +onward nothing loth towards the ships, as though of their own +free will. + +Then Cebriones seeing the Trojans in confusion said to Hector +from his place beside him, "Hector, here are we two fighting on +the extreme wing of the battle, while the other Trojans are in +pell-mell rout, they and their horses. Ajax son of Telamon is +driving them before him; I know him by the breadth of his shield: +let us turn our chariot and horses thither, where horse and foot +are fighting most desperately, and where the cry of battle is +loudest." + +With this he lashed his goodly steeds, and when they felt the +whip they drew the chariot full speed among the Achaeans and +Trojans, over the bodies and shields of those that had fallen: +the axle was bespattered with blood, and the rail round the car +was covered with splashes both from the horses' hoofs and from +the tyres of the wheels. Hector tore his way through and flung +himself into the thick of the fight, and his presence threw the +Danaans into confusion, for his spear was not long idle; +nevertheless though he went among the ranks with sword and spear, +and throwing great stones, he avoided Ajax son of Telamon, for +Jove would have been angry with him if he had fought a better man +than himself. + +Then father Jove from his high throne struck fear into the heart +of Ajax, so that he stood there dazed and threw his shield behind +him--looking fearfully at the throng of his foes as though he +were some wild beast, and turning hither and thither but +crouching slowly backwards. As peasants with their hounds chase a +lion from their stockyard, and watch by night to prevent his +carrying off the pick of their herd--he makes his greedy spring, +but in vain, for the darts from many a strong hand fall thick +around him, with burning brands that scare him for all his fury, +and when morning comes he slinks foiled and angry away--even so +did Ajax, sorely against his will, retreat angrily before the +Trojans, fearing for the ships of the Achaeans. Or as some lazy +ass that has had many a cudgel broken about his back, when he +into a field begins eating the corn--boys beat him but he is too +many for them, and though they lay about with their sticks they +cannot hurt him; still when he has had his fill they at last +drive him from the field--even so did the Trojans and their +allies pursue great Ajax, ever smiting the middle of his shield +with their darts. Now and again he would turn and show fight, +keeping back the battalions of the Trojans, and then he would +again retreat; but he prevented any of them from making his way +to the ships. Single-handed he stood midway between the Trojans +and Achaeans: the spears that sped from their hands stuck some of +them in his mighty shield, while many, though thirsting for his +blood, fell to the ground ere they could reach him to the +wounding of his fair flesh. + +Now when Eurypylus the brave son of Euaemon saw that Ajax was +being overpowered by the rain of arrows, he went up to him and +hurled his spear. He struck Apisaon son of Phausius in the liver +below the midriff, and laid him low. Eurypylus sprang upon him, +and stripped the armour from his shoulders; but when Alexandrus +saw him, he aimed an arrow at him which struck him in the right +thigh; the arrow broke, but the point that was left in the wound +dragged on the thigh; he drew back, therefore, under cover of his +comrades to save his life, shouting as he did so to the Danaans, +"My friends, princes and counsellors of the Argives, rally to the +defence of Ajax who is being overpowered, and I doubt whether he +will come out of the fight alive. Hither, then, to the rescue of +great Ajax son of Telamon." + +Even so did he cry when he was wounded; thereon the others came +near, and gathered round him, holding their shields upwards from +their shoulders so as to give him cover. Ajax then made towards +them, and turned round to stand at bay as soon as he had reached +his men. + +Thus then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. Meanwhile the +mares of Neleus, all in a lather with sweat, were bearing Nestor +out of the fight, and with him Machaon shepherd of his people. +Achilles saw and took note, for he was standing on the stern of +his ship watching the hard stress and struggle of the fight. He +called from the ship to his comrade Patroclus, who heard him in +the tent and came out looking like Mars himself--here indeed was +the beginning of the ill that presently befell him. "Why," said +he, "Achilles, do you call me? What do you want with me?" And +Achilles answered, "Noble son of Menoetius, man after my own +heart, I take it that I shall now have the Achaeans praying at my +knees, for they are in great straits; go, Patroclus, and ask +Nestor who it is that he is bearing away wounded from the field; +from his back I should say it was Machaon son of Aesculapius, but +I could not see his face for the horses went by me at full +speed." + +Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him, and set off +running by the ships and tents of the Achaeans. + +When Nestor and Machaon had reached the tents of the son of +Neleus, they dismounted, and an esquire, Eurymedon, took the +horses from the chariot. The pair then stood in the breeze by the +seaside to dry the sweat from their shirts, and when they had so +done they came inside and took their seats. Fair Hecamede, whom +Nestor had had awarded to him from Tenedos when Achilles took it, +mixed them a mess; she was daughter of wise Arsinous, and the +Achaeans had given her to Nestor because he excelled all of them +in counsel. First she set for them a fair and well-made table +that had feet of cyanus; on it there was a vessel of bronze and +an onion to give relish to the drink, with honey and cakes of +barley-meal. There was also a cup of rare workmanship which the +old man had brought with him from home, studded with bosses of +gold; it had four handles, on each of which there were two golden +doves feeding, and it had two feet to stand on. Any one else +would hardly have been able to lift it from the table when it was +full, but Nestor could do so quite easily. In this the woman, as +fair as a goddess, mixed them a mess with Pramnian wine; she +grated goat's milk cheese into it with a bronze grater, threw in +a handful of white barley-meal, and having thus prepared the mess +she bade them drink it. When they had done so and had thus +quenched their thirst, they fell talking with one another, and at +this moment Patroclus appeared at the door. + +When the old man saw him he sprang from his seat, seized his +hand, led him into the tent, and bade him take his place among +them; but Patroclus stood where he was and said, "Noble sir, I +may not stay, you cannot persuade me to come in; he that sent me +is not one to be trifled with, and he bade me ask who the wounded +man was whom you were bearing away from the field. I can now see +for myself that he is Machaon, shepherd of his people. I must go +back and tell Achilles. You, sir, know what a terrible man he is, +and how ready to blame even where no blame should lie." + +And Nestor answered, "Why should Achilles care to know how many +of the Achaeans may be wounded? He recks not of the dismay that +reigns in our host; our most valiant chieftains lie disabled, +brave Diomed, son of Tydeus, is wounded; so are Ulysses and +Agamemnon; Eurypylus has been hit with an arrow in the thigh, and +I have just been bringing this man from the field--he too wounded +with an arrow. Nevertheless, Achilles, so valiant though he be, +cares not and knows no ruth. Will he wait till the ships, do what +we may, are in a blaze, and we perish one upon the other? As for +me, I have no strength nor stay in me any longer; would that I +were still young and strong as in the days when there was a fight +between us and the men of Elis about some cattle-raiding. I then +killed Itymoneus, the valiant son of Hypeirochus, a dweller in +Elis, as I was driving in the spoil; he was hit by a dart thrown +by my hand while fighting in the front rank in defence of his +cows, so he fell and the country people around him were in great +fear. We drove off a vast quantity of booty from the plain, fifty +herds of cattle and as many flocks of sheep; fifty droves also of +pigs, and as many wide-spreading flocks of goats. Of horses, +moreover, we seized a hundred and fifty, all of them mares, and +many had foals running with them. All these did we drive by night +to Pylus, the city of Neleus, taking them within the city; and +the heart of Neleus was glad in that I had taken so much, though +it was the first time I had ever been in the field. At daybreak +the heralds went round crying that all in Elis to whom there was +a debt owing should come; and the leading Pylians assembled to +divide the spoils. There were many to whom the Epeans owed +chattels, for we men of Pylus were few and had been oppressed +with wrong; in former years Hercules had come, and had laid his +hand heavy upon us, so that all our best men had perished. Neleus +had had twelve sons, but I alone was left; the others had all +been killed. The Epeans presuming upon all this had looked down +upon us and had done us much evil. My father chose a herd of +cattle and a great flock of sheep--three hundred in all--and he +took their shepherds with him, for there was a great debt due to +him in Elis, to wit four horses, winners of prizes. They and +their chariots with them had gone to the games and were to run +for a tripod, but King Augeas took them, and sent back their +driver grieving for the loss of his horses. Neleus was angered by +what he had both said and done, and took great value in return, +but he divided the rest, that no man might have less than his +full share. + +"Thus did we order all things, and offer sacrifices to the gods +throughout the city; but three days afterwards the Epeans came in +a body, many in number, they and their chariots, in full array, +and with them the two Moliones in their armour, though they were +still lads and unused to fighting. Now there is a certain town, +Thryoessa, perched upon a rock on the river Alpheus, the border +city Pylus. This they would destroy, and pitched their camp about +it, but when they had crossed their whole plain, Minerva darted +down by night from Olympus and bade us set ourselves in array; +and she found willing soldiers in Pylos, for the men meant +fighting. Neleus would not let me arm, and hid my horses, for he +said that as yet I could know nothing about war; nevertheless +Minerva so ordered the fight that, all on foot as I was, I fought +among our mounted forces and vied with the foremost of them. +There is a river Minyeius that falls into the sea near Arene, and +there they that were mounted (and I with them) waited till +morning, when the companies of foot soldiers came up with us in +force. Thence in full panoply and equipment we came towards noon +to the sacred waters of the Alpheus, and there we offered victims +to almighty Jove, with a bull to Alpheus, another to Neptune, and +a herd-heifer to Minerva. After this we took supper in our +companies, and laid us down to rest each in his armour by the +river. + +"The Epeans were beleaguering the city and were determined to +take it, but ere this might be there was a desperate fight in +store for them. When the sun's rays began to fall upon the earth +we joined battle, praying to Jove and to Minerva, and when the +fight had begun, I was the first to kill my man and take his +horses--to wit the warrior Mulius. He was son-in-law to Augeas, +having married his eldest daughter, golden-haired Agamede, who +knew the virtues of every herb which grows upon the face of the +earth. I speared him as he was coming towards me, and when he +fell headlong in the dust, I sprang upon his chariot and took my +place in the front ranks. The Epeans fled in all directions when +they saw the captain of their horsemen (the best man they had) +laid low, and I swept down on them like a whirlwind, taking fifty +chariots--and in each of them two men bit the dust, slain by my +spear. I should have even killed the two Moliones, sons of Actor, +unless their real father, Neptune lord of the earthquake, had +hidden them in a thick mist and borne them out of the fight. +Thereon Jove vouchsafed the Pylians a great victory, for we +chased them far over the plain, killing the men and bringing in +their armour, till we had brought our horses to Buprasium, rich +in wheat, and to the Olenian rock, with the hill that is called +Alision, at which point Minerva turned the people back. There I +slew the last man and left him; then the Achaeans drove their +horses back from Buprasium to Pylos and gave thanks to Jove among +the gods, and among mortal men to Nestor. + +"Such was I among my peers, as surely as ever was, but Achilles +is for keeping all his valour for himself; bitterly will he rue +it hereafter when the host is being cut to pieces. My good +friend, did not Menoetius charge you thus, on the day when he +sent you from Phthia to Agamemnon? Ulysses and I were in the +house, inside, and heard all that he said to you; for we came to +the fair house of Peleus while beating up recruits throughout all +Achaea, and when we got there we found Menoetius and yourself, +and Achilles with you. The old knight Peleus was in the outer +court, roasting the fat thigh-bones of a heifer to Jove the lord +of thunder; and he held a gold chalice in his hand from which he +poured drink-offerings of wine over the burning sacrifice. You +two were busy cutting up the heifer, and at that moment we stood +at the gates, whereon Achilles sprang to his feet, led us by the +hand into the house, placed us at table, and set before us such +hospitable entertainment as guests expect. When we had satisfied +ourselves with meat and drink, I said my say and urged both of +you to join us. You were ready enough to do so, and the two old +men charged you much and straitly. Old Peleus bade his son +Achilles fight ever among the foremost and outvie his peers, +while Menoetius the son of Actor spoke thus to you: 'My son,' +said he, 'Achilles is of nobler birth than you are, but you are +older than he, though he is far the better man of the two. +Counsel him wisely, guide him in the right way, and he will +follow you to his own profit.' Thus did your father charge you, +but you have forgotten; nevertheless, even now, say all this to +Achilles if he will listen to you. Who knows but with heaven's +help you may talk him over, for it is good to take a friend's +advice. If, however, he is fearful about some oracle, or if his +mother has told him something from Jove, then let him send you, +and let the rest of the Myrmidons follow with you, if perchance +you may bring light and saving to the Danaans. And let him send +you into battle clad in his own armour, that the Trojans may +mistake you for him and leave off fighting; the sons of the +Achaeans may thus have time to get their breath, for they are +hard pressed and there is little breathing time in battle. You, +who are fresh, might easily drive a tired enemy back to his walls +and away from the tents and ships." + +With these words he moved the heart of Patroclus, who set off +running by the line of the ships to Achilles, descendant of +Aeacus. When he had got as far as the ships of Ulysses, where was +their place of assembly and court of justice, with their altars +dedicated to the gods, Eurypylus son of Euaemon, met him, wounded +in the thigh with an arrow, and limping out of the fight. Sweat +rained from his head and shoulders, and black blood welled from +his cruel wound, but his mind did not wander. The son of +Menoetius when he saw him had compassion upon him and spoke +piteously saying, "O unhappy princes and counsellors of the +Danaans, are you then doomed to feed the hounds of Troy with your +fat, far from your friends and your native land? Say, noble +Eurypylus, will the Achaeans be able to hold great Hector in +check, or will they fall now before his spear?" + +Wounded Eurypylus made answer, "Noble Patroclus, there is no hope +left for the Achaeans but they will perish at their ships. All +they that were princes among us are lying struck down and wounded +at the hands of the Trojans, who are waxing stronger and +stronger. But save me and take me to your ship; cut out the arrow +from my thigh; wash the black blood from off it with warm water, +and lay upon it those gracious herbs which, so they say, have +been shown you by Achilles, who was himself shown them by Chiron, +most righteous of all the centaurs. For of the physicians +Podalirius and Machaon, I hear that the one is lying wounded in +his tent and is himself in need of healing, while the other is +fighting the Trojans upon the plain." + +"Hero Eurypylus," replied the brave son of Menoetius, "how may +these things be? What can I do? I am on my way to bear a message +to noble Achilles from Nestor of Gerene, bulwark of the Achaeans, +but even so I will not be unmindful of your distress." + +With this he clasped him round the middle and led him into the +tent, and a servant, when he saw him, spread bullock-skins on the +ground for him to lie on. He laid him at full length and cut out +the sharp arrow from his thigh; he washed the black blood from +the wound with warm water; he then crushed a bitter herb, rubbing +it between his hands, and spread it upon the wound; this was a +virtuous herb which killed all pain; so the wound presently dried +and the blood left off flowing. + + + +BOOK XII + + The Trojans and their allies break the wall, led on by Hector. + +SO THE son of Menoetius was attending to the hurt of Eurypylus +within the tent, but the Argives and Trojans still fought +desperately, nor were the trench and the high wall above it, to +keep the Trojans in check longer. They had built it to protect +their ships, and had dug the trench all round it that it might +safeguard both the ships and the rich spoils which they had +taken, but they had not offered hecatombs to the gods. It had +been built without the consent of the immortals, and therefore it +did not last. So long as Hector lived and Achilles nursed his +anger, and so long as the city of Priam remained untaken, the +great wall of the Achaeans stood firm; but when the bravest of +the Trojans were no more, and many also of the Argives, though +some were yet left alive--when, moreover, the city was sacked in +the tenth year, and the Argives had gone back with their ships to +their own country--then Neptune and Apollo took counsel to +destroy the wall, and they turned on to it the streams of all the +rivers from Mount Ida into the sea, Rhesus, Heptaporus, Caresus, +Rhodius, Grenicus, Aesopus, and goodly Scamander, with Simois, +where many a shield and helm had fallen, and many a hero of the +race of demigods had bitten the dust. Phoebus Apollo turned the +mouths of all these rivers together and made them flow for nine +days against the wall, while Jove rained the whole time that he +might wash it sooner into the sea. Neptune himself, trident in +hand, surveyed the work and threw into the sea all the +foundations of beams and stones which the Achaeans had laid with +so much toil; he made all level by the mighty stream of the +Hellespont, and then when he had swept the wall away he spread a +great beach of sand over the place where it had been. This done +he turned the rivers back into their old courses. + +This was what Neptune and Apollo were to do in after time; but as +yet battle and turmoil were still raging round the wall till its +timbers rang under the blows that rained upon them. The Argives, +cowed by the scourge of Jove, were hemmed in at their ships in +fear of Hector the mighty minister of Rout, who as heretofore +fought with the force and fury of a whirlwind. As a lion or wild +boar turns fiercely on the dogs and men that attack him, while +these form solid wall and shower their javelins as they face +him--his courage is all undaunted, but his high spirit will be +the death of him; many a time does he charge at his pursuers to +scatter them, and they fall back as often as he does so--even so +did Hector go about among the host exhorting his men, and +cheering them on to cross the trench. + +But the horses dared not do so, and stood neighing upon its +brink, for the width frightened them. They could neither jump it +nor cross it, for it had overhanging banks all round upon either +side, above which there were the sharp stakes that the sons of +the Achaeans had planted so close and strong as a defence against +all who would assail it; a horse, therefore, could not get into +it and draw his chariot after him, but those who were on foot +kept trying their very utmost. Then Polydamas went up to Hector +and said, "Hector, and you other captains of the Trojans and +allies, it is madness for us to try and drive our horses across +the trench; it will be very hard to cross, for it is full of +sharp stakes, and beyond these there is the wall. Our horses +therefore cannot get down into it, and would be of no use if they +did; moreover it is a narrow place and we should come to harm. +If, indeed, great Jove is minded to help the Trojans, and in his +anger will utterly destroy the Achaeans, I would myself gladly +see them perish now and here far from Argos; but if they should +rally and we are driven back from the ships pell-mell into the +trench there will be not so much as a man get back to the city to +tell the tale. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say; let our +squires hold our horses by the trench, but let us follow Hector +in a body on foot, clad in full armour, and if the day of their +doom is at hand the Achaeans will not be able to withstand us." + +Thus spoke Polydamas and his saying pleased Hector, who sprang in +full armour to the ground, and all the other Trojans, when they +saw him do so, also left their chariots. Each man then gave his +horses over to his charioteer in charge to hold them ready for +him at the trench. Then they formed themselves into companies, +made themselves ready, and in five bodies followed their leaders. +Those that went with Hector and Polydamas were the bravest and +most in number, and the most determined to break through the wall +and fight at the ships. Cebriones was also joined with them as +third in command, for Hector had left his chariot in charge of a +less valiant soldier. The next company was led by Paris, +Alcathous, and Agenor; the third by Helenus and Deiphobus, two +sons of Priam, and with them was the hero Asius--Asius, the son +of Hyrtacus, whose great black horses of the breed that comes +from the river Selleis had brought him from Arisbe. Aeneas, the +valiant son of Anchises, led the fourth; he and the two sons of +Antenor, Archelochus and Acamas, men well versed in all the arts +of war. Sarpedon was captain over the allies, and took with him +Glaucus and Asteropaeus whom he deemed most valiant after +himself--for he was far the best man of them all. These helped to +array one another in their ox-hide shields, and then charged +straight at the Danaans, for they felt sure that they would not +hold out longer and that they should themselves now fall upon the +ships. + +The rest of the Trojans and their allies now followed the counsel +of Polydamas but Asius, son of Hyrtacus, would not leave his +horses and his esquire behind him; in his foolhardiness he took +them on with him towards the ships, nor did he fail to come by +his end in consequence. Nevermore was he to return to wind-beaten +Ilius, exulting in his chariot and his horses; ere he could do +so, death of ill-omened name had overshadowed him and he had +fallen by the spear of Idomeneus the noble son of Deucalion. He +had driven towards the left wing of the ships, by which way the +Achaeans used to return with their chariots and horses from the +plain. Hither he drove and found the gates with their doors +opened wide, and the great bar down--for the gatemen kept them +open so as to let those of their comrades enter who might be +flying towards the ships. Hither of set purpose did he direct his +horses, and his men followed him with a loud cry, for they felt +sure that the Achaeans would not hold out longer, and that they +should now fall upon the ships. Little did they know that at the +gates they should find two of the bravest chieftains, proud sons +of the fighting Lapithae--the one, Polypoetes, mighty son of +Pirithous, and the other Leonteus, peer of murderous Mars. These +stood before the gates like two high oak trees upon the +mountains, that tower from their wide-spreading roots, and year +after year battle with wind and rain--even so did these two men +await the onset of great Asius confidently and without flinching. +The Trojans led by him and by Iamenus, Orestes, Adamas the son of +Asius, Thoon and Oenomaus, raised a loud cry of battle and made +straight for the wall, holding their shields of dry ox-hide above +their heads; for a while the two defenders remained inside and +cheered the Achaeans on to stand firm in the defence of their +ships; when, however, they saw that the Trojans were attacking +the wall, while the Danaans were crying out for help and being +routed, they rushed outside and fought in front of the gates like +two wild boars upon the mountains that abide the attack of men +and dogs, and charging on either side break down the wood all +round them tearing it up by the roots, and one can hear the +clattering of their tusks, till some one hits them and makes an +end of them--even so did the gleaming bronze rattle about their +breasts, as the weapons fell upon them; for they fought with +great fury, trusting to their own prowess and to those who were +on the wall above them. These threw great stones at their +assailants in defence of themselves their tents and their ships. +The stones fell thick as the flakes of snow which some fierce +blast drives from the dark clouds and showers down in sheets upon +the earth--even so fell the weapons from the hands alike of +Trojans and Achaeans. Helmet and shield rang out as the great +stones rained upon them, and Asius, the son of Hyrtacus, in his +dismay cried aloud and smote his two thighs. "Father Jove," he +cried, "of a truth you too are altogether given to lying. I made +sure the Argive heroes could not withstand us, whereas like +slim-waisted wasps, or bees that have their nests in the rocks by +the wayside--they leave not the holes wherein they have built +undefended, but fight for their little ones against all who would +take them--even so these men, though they be but two, will not be +driven from the gates, but stand firm either to slay or be +slain." + +He spoke, but moved not the mind of Jove, whose counsel it then +was to give glory to Hector. Meanwhile the rest of the Trojans +were fighting about the other gates; I, however, am no god to be +able to tell about all these things, for the battle raged +everywhere about the stone wall as it were a fiery furnace. The +Argives, discomfited though they were, were forced to defend +their ships, and all the gods who were defending the Achaeans +were vexed in spirit; but the Lapithae kept on fighting with +might and main. + +Thereon Polypoetes, mighty son of Pirithous, hit Damasus with a +spear upon his cheek-pierced helmet. The helmet did not protect +him, for the point of the spear went through it, and broke the +bone, so that the brain inside was scattered about, and he died +fighting. He then slew Pylon and Ormenus. Leonteus, of the race +of Mars, killed Hippomachus the son of Antimachus by striking him +with his spear upon the girdle. He then drew his sword and sprang +first upon Antiphates whom he killed in combat, and who fell face +upwards on the earth. After him he killed Menon, Iamenus, and +Orestes, and laid them low one after the other. + +While they were busy stripping the armour from these heroes, the +youths who were led on by Polydamas and Hector (and these were +the greater part and the most valiant of those that were trying +to break through the wall and fire the ships) were still standing +by the trench, uncertain what they should do; for they had seen a +sign from heaven when they had essayed to cross it--a soaring +eagle that flew skirting the left wing of their host, with a +monstrous blood-red snake in its talons still alive and +struggling to escape. The snake was still bent on revenge, +wriggling and twisting itself backwards till it struck the bird +that held it, on the neck and breast; whereon the bird being in +pain, let it fall, dropping it into the middle of the host, and +then flew down the wind with a sharp cry. The Trojans were struck +with terror when they saw the snake, portent of aegis-bearing +Jove, writhing in the midst of them, and Polydamas went up to +Hector and said, "Hector, at our councils of war you are ever +given to rebuke me, even when I speak wisely, as though it were +not well, forsooth, that one of the people should cross your will +either in the field or at the council board; you would have them +support you always: nevertheless I will say what I think will be +best; let us not now go on to fight the Danaans at their ships, +for I know what will happen if this soaring eagle which skirted +the left wing of our host with a monstrous blood-red snake in its +talons (the snake being still alive) was really sent as an omen +to the Trojans on their essaying to cross the trench. The eagle +let go her hold; she did not succeed in taking it home to her +little ones, and so will it be--with ourselves; even though by a +mighty effort we break through the gates and wall of the +Achaeans, and they give way before us, still we shall not return +in good order by the way we came, but shall leave many a man +behind us whom the Achaeans will do to death in defence of their +ships. Thus would any seer who was expert in these matters, and +was trusted by the people, read the portent." + +Hector looked fiercely at him and said, "Polydamas, I like not of +your reading. You can find a better saying than this if you will. +If, however, you have spoken in good earnest, then indeed has +heaven robbed you of your reason. You would have me pay no heed +to the counsels of Jove, nor to the promises he made me--and he +bowed his head in confirmation; you bid me be ruled rather by the +flight of wild-fowl. What care I whether they fly towards dawn or +dark, and whether they be on my right hand or on my left? Let us +put our trust rather in the counsel of great Jove, king of +mortals and immortals. There is one omen, and one only--that a +man should fight for his country. Why are you so fearful? Though +we be all of us slain at the ships of the Argives you are not +likely to be killed yourself, for you are not steadfast nor +courageous. If you will not fight, or would talk others over from +doing so, you shall fall forthwith before my spear." + +With these words he led the way, and the others followed after +with a cry that rent the air. Then Jove the lord of thunder sent +the blast of a mighty wind from the mountains of Ida, that bore +the dust down towards the ships; he thus lulled the Achaeans into +security, and gave victory to Hector and to the Trojans, who, +trusting to their own might and to the signs he had shown them, +essayed to break through the great wall of the Achaeans. They +tore down the breastworks from the walls, and overthrew the +battlements; they upheaved the buttresses, which the Achaeans had +set in front of the wall in order to support it; when they had +pulled these down they made sure of breaking through the wall, +but the Danaans still showed no sign of giving ground; they still +fenced the battlements with their shields of ox-hide, and hurled +their missiles down upon the foe as soon as any came below the +wall. + +The two Ajaxes went about everywhere on the walls cheering on the +Achaeans, giving fair words to some while they spoke sharply to +any one whom they saw to be remiss. "My friends," they cried, +"Argives one and all--good bad and indifferent, for there was +never fight yet, in which all were of equal prowess--there is now +work enough, as you very well know, for all of you. See that you +none of you turn in flight towards the ships, daunted by the +shouting of the foe, but press forward and keep one another in +heart, if it may so be that Olympian Jove the lord of lightning +will vouchsafe us to repel our foes, and drive them back towards +the city." + +Thus did the two go about shouting and cheering the Achaeans on. +As the flakes that fall thick upon a winter's day, when Jove is +minded to snow and to display these his arrows to mankind--he +lulls the wind to rest, and snows hour after hour till he has +buried the tops of the high mountains, the headlands that jut +into the sea, the grassy plains, and the tilled fields of men; +the snow lies deep upon the forelands, and havens of the grey +sea, but the waves as they come rolling in stay it that it can +come no further, though all else is wrapped as with a mantle, so +heavy are the heavens with snow--even thus thickly did the stones +fall on one side and on the other, some thrown at the Trojans, +and some by the Trojans at the Achaeans; and the whole wall was +in an uproar. + +Still the Trojans and brave Hector would not yet have broken down +the gates and the great bar, had not Jove turned his son Sarpedon +against the Argives as a lion against a herd of horned cattle. +Before him he held his shield of hammered bronze, that the smith +had beaten so fair and round, and had lined with ox hides which +he had made fast with rivets of gold all round the shield; this +he held in front of him, and brandishing his two spears came on +like some lion of the wilderness, who has been long famished for +want of meat and will dare break even into a well-fenced +homestead to try and get at the sheep. He may find the shepherds +keeping watch over their flocks with dogs and spears, but he is +in no mind to be driven from the fold till he has had a try for +it; he will either spring on a sheep and carry it off, or be hit +by a spear from some strong hand--even so was Sarpedon fain to +attack the wall and break down its battlements. Then he said to +Glaucus son of Hippolochus, "Glaucus, why in Lycia do we receive +especial honour as regards our place at table? Why are the +choicest portions served us and our cups kept brimming, and why +do men look up to us as though we were gods? Moreover we hold a +large estate by the banks of the river Xanthus, fair with orchard +lawns and wheat-growing land; it becomes us, therefore, to take +our stand at the head of all the Lycians and bear the brunt of +the fight, that one may say to another, 'Our princes in Lycia eat +the fat of the land and drink best of wine, but they are fine +fellows; they fight well and are ever at the front in battle.' My +good friend, if, when we were once out of this fight, we could +escape old age and death thenceforward and forever, I should +neither press forward myself nor bid you do so, but death in ten +thousand shapes hangs ever over our heads, and no man can elude +him; therefore let us go forward and either win glory for +ourselves, or yield it to another." + +Glaucus heeded his saying, and the pair forthwith led on the host +of Lycians. Menestheus son of Peteos was dismayed when he saw +them, for it was against his part of the wall that they came-- +bringing destruction with them; he looked along the wall for some +chieftain to support his comrades and saw the two Ajaxes, men +ever eager for the fray, and Teucer, who had just come from his +tent, standing near them; but he could not make his voice heard +by shouting to them, so great an uproar was there from crashing +shields and helmets and the battering of gates with a din which +reached the skies. For all the gates had been closed, and the +Trojans were hammering at them to try and break their way through +them. Menestheus, therefore, sent Thootes with a message to Ajax. +"Run, good Thootes," he said, "and call Ajax, or better still bid +both come, for it will be all over with us here directly; the +leaders of the Lycians are upon us, men who have ever fought +desperately heretofore. But if they have too much on their hands +to let them come, at any rate let Ajax son of Telamon do so, and +let Teucer, the famous bowman, come with him." + +The messenger did as he was told, and set off running along the +wall of the Achaeans. When he reached the Ajaxes he said to them, +"Sirs, princes of the Argives, the son of noble Peteos bids you +come to him for a while and help him. You had better both come if +you can, or it will be all over with him directly; the leaders of +the Lycians are upon him, men who have ever fought desperately +heretofore; if you have too much on your hands to let both come, +at any rate let Ajax, son of Telamon, do so, and let Teucer, the +famous bowman, come with him." + +Great Ajax son of Telamon heeded the message, and at once spoke +to the son of Oileus. "Ajax," said he, "do you two, yourself and +brave Lycomedes, stay here and keep the Danaans in heart to fight +their hardest. I will go over yonder, and bear my part in the +fray, but I will come back here at once as soon as I have given +them the help they need." + +With this, Ajax son of Telamon set off, and Teucer, his brother +by the same father, went also, with Pandion to carry Teucer's +bow. They went along inside the wall, and when they came to the +tower where Menestheus was (and hard pressed indeed did they find +him) the brave captains and leaders of the Lycians were storming +the battlements as it were a thick dark cloud, fighting in close +quarters, and raising the battle-cry aloud. + +First, Ajax son of Telamon killed brave Epicles, a comrade of +Sarpedon, hitting him with a jagged stone that lay by the +battlements at the very top of the wall. As men now are, even one +who is in the bloom of youth could hardly lift it with his two +hands, but Ajax raised it high aloft and flung it down, smashing +Epicles' four-crested helmet so that the bones of his head were +crushed to pieces, and he fell from the high wall as though he +were diving, with no more life left in him. Then Teucer wounded +Glaucus the brave son of Hippolochus as he was coming on to +attack the wall. He saw his shoulder bare and aimed an arrow at +it, which made Glaucus leave off fighting. Thereon he sprang +covertly down for fear some of the Achaeans might see that he was +wounded and taunt him. Sarpedon was stung with grief when he saw +Glaucus leave him, still he did not leave off fighting, but aimed +his spear at Alcmaon the son of Thestor and hit him. He drew his +spear back again and Alcmaon came down headlong after it with his +bronzed armour rattling round him. Then Sarpedon seized the +battlement in his strong hands, and tugged at it till it all gave +way together, and a breach was made through which many might +pass. + +Ajax and Teucer then both of them attacked him. Teucer hit him +with an arrow on the band that bore the shield which covered his +body, but Jove saved his son from destruction that he might not +fall by the ships' sterns. Meanwhile Ajax sprang on him and +pierced his shield, but the spear did not go clean through, +though it hustled him back that he could come on no further. He +therefore retired a little space from the battlement, yet without +losing all his ground, for he still thought to cover himself with +glory. Then he turned round and shouted to the brave Lycians +saying, "Lycians, why do you thus fail me? For all my prowess I +cannot break through the wall and open a way to the ships +single-handed. Come close on behind me, for the more there are of +us the better." + +The Lycians, shamed by his rebuke, pressed closer round him who +was their counsellor and their king. The Argives on their part +got their men in fighting order within the wall, and there was a +deadly struggle between them. The Lycians could not break through +the wall and force their way to the ships, nor could the Danaans +drive the Lycians from the wall now that they had once reached +it. As two men, measuring-rods in hand, quarrel about their +boundaries in a field that they own in common, and stickle for +their rights though they be but in a mere strip, even so did the +battlements now serve as a bone of contention, and they beat one +another's round shields for their possession. Many a man's body +was wounded with the pitiless bronze, as he turned round and +bared his back to the foe, and many were struck clean through +their shields; the wall and battlements were everywhere deluged +with the blood alike of Trojans and of Achaeans. But even so the +Trojans could not rout the Achaeans, who still held on; and as +some honest hard-working woman weighs wool in her balance and +sees that the scales be true, for she would gain some pitiful +earnings for her little ones, even so was the fight balanced +evenly between them till the time came when Jove gave the greater +glory to Hector son of Priam, who was first to spring towards the +wall of the Achaeans. When he had done so, he cried aloud to the +Trojans, "Up, Trojans, break the wall of the Argives, and fling +fire upon their ships." + +Thus did he hound them on, and in one body they rushed straight +at the wall as he had bidden them, and scaled the battlements +with sharp spears in their hands. Hector laid hold of a stone +that lay just outside the gates and was thick at one end but +pointed at the other; two of the best men in a town, as men now +are, could hardly raise it from the ground and put it on to a +waggon, but Hector lifted it quite easily by himself, for the son +of scheming Saturn made it light for him. As a shepherd picks up +a ram's fleece with one hand and finds it no burden, so easily +did Hector lift the great stone and drive it right at the doors +that closed the gates so strong and so firmly set. These doors +were double and high, and were kept closed by two cross-bars to +which there was but one key. When he had got close up to them, +Hector strode towards them that his blow might gain in force and +struck them in the middle, leaning his whole weight against them. +He broke both hinges, and the stone fell inside by reason of its +great weight. The portals re-echoed with the sound, the bars held +no longer, and the doors flew open, one one way, and the other +the other, through the force of the blow. Then brave Hector +leaped inside with a face as dark as that of flying night. The +gleaming bronze flashed fiercely about his body and he had two +spears in his hand. None but a god could have withstood him as he +flung himself into the gateway, and his eyes glared like fire. +Then he turned round towards the Trojans and called on them to +scale the wall, and they did as he bade them--some of them at +once climbing over the wall, while others passed through the +gates. The Danaans then fled panic-stricken towards their ships, +and all was uproar and confusion. + + + +BOOK XIII + + Neptune helps the Achaeans--The feats of Idomeneus-- + Hector at the ships. + +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 serried 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 it 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 +will 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 frightened 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 dust. 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 unavenged; 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 of 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, outvied everyone 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 someone 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 particularly 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 before 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 hands 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. + + + +BOOK XIV + + Agamemnon proposes that the Achaeans should sail home, and + is rebuked by Ulysses--Juno beguiles Jupiter--Hector is + wounded. + +NESTOR was sitting over his wine, but the cry of battle did not +escape him, and he said to the son of Aesculapius, "What, noble +Machaon, is the meaning of all this? The shouts of men fighting +by our ships grow stronger and stronger; stay here, therefore, +and sit over your wine, while fair Hecamede heats you a bath and +washes the clotted blood from off you. I will go at once to the +look-out station and see what it is all about." + +As he spoke he took up the shield of his son Thrasymedes that was +lying in his tent, all gleaming with bronze, for Thrasymedes had +taken his father's shield; he grasped his redoubtable bronze-shod +spear, and as soon as he was outside saw the disastrous rout of +the Achaeans who, now that their wall was overthrown, were flying +pell-mell before the Trojans. As when there is a heavy swell upon +the sea, but the waves are dumb--they keep their eyes on the +watch for the quarter whence the fierce winds may spring upon +them, but they stay where they are and set neither this way nor +that, till some particular wind sweeps down from heaven to +determine them--even so did the old man ponder whether to make +for the crowd of Danaans, or go in search of Agamemnon. In the +end he deemed it best to go to the son of Atreus; but meanwhile +the hosts were fighting and killing one another, and the hard +bronze rattled on their bodies, as they thrust at one another +with their swords and spears. + +The wounded kings, the son of Tydeus, Ulysses, and Agamemnon son +of Atreus, fell in Nestor as they were coming up from their +ships--for theirs were drawn up some way from where the fighting +was going on, being on the shore itself inasmuch as they had been +beached first, while the wall had been built behind the +hindermost. The stretch of the shore, wide though it was, did not +afford room for all the ships, and the host was cramped for +space, therefore they had placed the ships in rows one behind the +other, and had filled the whole opening of the bay between the +two points that formed it. The kings, leaning on their spears, +were coming out to survey the fight, being in great anxiety, and +when old Nestor met them they were filled with dismay. Then King +Agamemnon said to him, "Nestor son of Neleus, honour to the +Achaean name, why have you left the battle to come hither? I fear +that what dread Hector said will come true, when he vaunted among +the Trojans saying that he would not return to Ilius till he had +fired our ships and killed us; this is what he said, and now it +is all coming true. Alas! others of the Achaeans, like Achilles, +are in anger with me that they refuse to fight by the sterns of +our ships." + +Then Nestor knight of Gerene, answered, "It is indeed as you say; +it is all coming true at this moment, and even Jove who thunders +from on high cannot prevent it. Fallen is the wall on which we +relied as an impregnable bulwark both for us and our fleet. The +Trojans are fighting stubbornly and without ceasing at the ships; +look where you may you cannot see from what quarter the rout of +the Achaeans is coming; they are being killed in a confused mass +and the battle-cry ascends to heaven; let us think, if counsel +can be of any use, what we had better do; but I do not advise our +going into battle ourselves, for a man cannot fight when he is +wounded." + +And King Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, if the Trojans are indeed +fighting at the rear of our ships, and neither the wall nor the +trench has served us--over which the Danaans toiled so hard, and +which they deemed would be an impregnable bulwark both for us and +our fleet--I see it must be the will of Jove that the Achaeans +should perish ingloriously here, far from Argos. I knew when Jove +was willing to defend us, and I know now that he is raising the +Trojans to like honour with the gods, while us, on the other +hand, he has bound hand and foot. Now, therefore, let us all do +as I say; let us bring down the ships that are on the beach and +draw them into the water; let us make them fast to their +mooring-stones a little way out, against the fall of night--if +even by night the Trojans will desist from fighting; we may then +draw down the rest of the fleet. There is nothing wrong in flying +ruin even by night. It is better for a man that he should fly and +be saved than be caught and killed." + +Ulysses looked fiercely at him and said, "Son of Atreus, what are +you talking about? Wretch, you should have commanded some other +and baser army, and not been ruler over us to whom Jove has +allotted a life of hard fighting from youth to old age, till we +every one of us perish. Is it thus that you would quit the city +of Troy, to win which we have suffered so much hardship? Hold +your peace, lest some other of the Achaeans hear you say what no +man who knows how to give good counsel, no king over so great a +host as that of the Argives should ever have let fall from his +lips. I despise your judgement utterly for what you have been +saying. Would you, then, have us draw down our ships into the +water while the battle is raging, and thus play further into the +hands of the conquering Trojans? It would be ruin; the Achaeans +will not go on fighting when they see the ships being drawn into +the water, but will cease attacking and keep turning their eyes +towards them; your counsel, therefore, sir captain, would be our +destruction." + +Agamemnon answered, "Ulysses, your rebuke has stung me to the +heart. I am not, however, ordering the Achaeans to draw their +ships into the sea whether they will or no. Someone, it may be, +old or young, can offer us better counsel which I shall rejoice +to hear." + +Then said Diomed, "Such an one is at hand; he is not far to seek, +if you will listen to me and not resent my speaking though I am +younger than any of you. I am by lineage son to a noble sire, +Tydeus, who lies buried at Thebes. For Portheus had three noble +sons, two of whom, Agrius and Melas, abode in Pleuron and rocky +Calydon. The third was the knight Oeneus, my father's father, and +he was the most valiant of them all. Oeneus remained in his own +country, but my father (as Jove and the other gods ordained it) +migrated to Argos. He married into the family of Adrastus, and +his house was one of great abundance, for he had large estates of +rich corn-growing land, with much orchard ground as well, and he +had many sheep; moreover he excelled all the Argives in the use +of the spear. You must yourselves have heard whether these things +are true or no; therefore when I say well despise not my words as +though I were a coward or of ignoble birth. I say, then, let us +go to the fight as we needs must, wounded though we be. When +there, we may keep out of the battle and beyond the range of the +spears lest we get fresh wounds in addition to what we have +already, but we can spur on others, who have been indulging their +spleen and holding aloof from battle hitherto." + +Thus did he speak; whereon they did even as he had said and set +out, King Agamemnon leading the way. + +Meanwhile Neptune had kept no blind look-out, and came up to them +in the semblance of an old man. He took Agamemnon's right hand in +his own and said, "Son of Atreus, I take it Achilles is glad now +that he sees the Achaeans routed and slain, for he is utterly +without remorse--may he come to a bad end and heaven confound +him. As for yourself, the blessed gods are not yet so bitterly +angry with you but that the princes and counsellors of the +Trojans shall again raise the dust upon the plain, and you shall +see them flying from the ships and tents towards their city." + +With this he raised a mighty cry of battle, and sped forward to +the plain. The voice that came from his deep chest was as that of +nine or ten thousand men when they are shouting in the thick of a +fight, and it put fresh courage into the hearts of the Achaeans +to wage war and do battle without ceasing. + +Juno of the golden throne looked down as she stood upon a peak of +Olympus and her heart was gladdened at the sight of him who was +at once her brother and her brother-in-law, hurrying hither and +thither amid the fighting. Then she turned her eyes to Jove as he +sat on the topmost crests of many-fountained Ida, and loathed +him. She set herself to think how she might hoodwink him, and in +the end she deemed that it would be best for her to go to Ida and +array herself in rich attire, in the hope that Jove might become +enamoured of her, and wish to embrace her. While he was thus +engaged a sweet and careless sleep might be made to steal over +his eyes and senses. + +She went, therefore, to the room which her son Vulcan had made +her, and the doors of which he had cunningly fastened by means of +a secret key so that no other god could open them. Here she +entered and closed the doors behind her. She cleansed all the +dirt from her fair body with ambrosia, then she anointed herself +with olive oil, ambrosial, very soft, and scented specially for +herself--if it were so much as shaken in the bronze-floored house +of Jove, the scent pervaded the universe of heaven and earth. +With this she anointed her delicate skin, and then she plaited +the fair ambrosial locks that flowed in a stream of golden +tresses from her immortal head. She put on the wondrous robe +which Minerva had worked for her with consummate art, and had +embroidered with manifold devices; she fastened it about her +bosom with golden clasps, and she girded herself with a girdle +that had a hundred tassels: then she fastened her earrings, three +brilliant pendants that glistened most beautifully, through the +pierced lobes of her ears, and threw a lovely new veil over her +head. She bound her sandals on to her feet, and when she had +arrayed herself perfectly to her satisfaction, she left her room +and called Venus to come aside and speak to her. "My dear child," +said she, "will you do what I am going to ask of you, or will +refuse me because you are angry at my being on the Danaan side, +while you are on the Trojan?" + +Jove's daughter Venus answered, "Juno, august queen of goddesses, +daughter of mighty Saturn, say what you want, and I will do it +for you at once, if I can, and if it can be done at all." + +Then Juno told her a lying tale and said, "I want you to endow me +with some of those fascinating charms, the spells of which bring +all things mortal and immortal to your feet. I am going to the +world's end to visit Oceanus (from whom all we gods proceed) and +mother Tethys: they received me in their house, took care of me, +and brought me up, having taken me over from Rhaea when Jove +imprisoned great Saturn in the depths that are under earth and +sea. I must go and see them that I may make peace between them; +they have been quarrelling, and are so angry that they have not +slept with one another this long while; if I can bring them round +and restore them to one another's embraces, they will be grateful +to me and love me for ever afterwards." + +Thereon laughter-loving Venus said, "I cannot and must not refuse +you, for you sleep in the arms of Jove who is our king." + +As she spoke she loosed from her bosom the curiously embroidered +girdle into which all her charms had been wrought--love, desire, +and that sweet flattery which steals the judgement even of the +most prudent. She gave the girdle to Juno and said, "Take this +girdle wherein all my charms reside and lay it in your bosom. If +you will wear it I promise you that your errand, be it what it +may, will not be bootless." + +When she heard this Juno smiled, and still smiling she laid the +girdle in her bosom. + +Venus now went back into the house of Jove, while Juno darted +down from the summits of Olympus. She passed over Pieria and fair +Emathia, and went on and on till she came to the snowy ranges of +the Thracian horsemen, over whose topmost crests she sped without +ever setting foot to ground. When she came to Athos she went on +over the, waves of the sea till she reached Lemnos, the city of +noble Thoas. There she met Sleep, own brother to Death, and +caught him by the hand, saying, "Sleep, you who lord it alike +over mortals and immortals, if you ever did me a service in times +past, do one for me now, and I shall be grateful to you ever +after. Close Jove's keen eyes for me in slumber while I hold him +clasped in my embrace, and I will give you a beautiful golden +seat, that can never fall to pieces; my clubfooted son Vulcan +shall make it for you, and he shall give it a footstool for you +to rest your fair feet upon when you are at table." + +Then Sleep answered, "Juno, great queen of goddesses, daughter of +mighty Saturn, I would lull any other of the gods to sleep +without compunction, not even excepting the waters of Oceanus +from whom all of them proceed, but I dare not go near Jove, nor +send him to sleep unless he bids me. I have had one lesson +already through doing what you asked me, on the day when Jove's +mighty son Hercules set sail from Ilius after having sacked the +city of the Trojans. At your bidding I suffused my sweet self +over the mind of aegis-bearing Jove, and laid him to rest; +meanwhile you hatched a plot against Hercules, and set the blasts +of the angry winds beating upon the sea, till you took him to the +goodly city of Cos, away from all his friends. Jove was furious +when he awoke, and began hurling the gods about all over the +house; he was looking more particularly for myself, and would +have flung me down through space into the sea where I should +never have been heard of any more, had not Night who cows both +men and gods protected me. I fled to her and Jove left off +looking for me in spite of his being so angry, for he did not +dare do anything to displease Night. And now you are again asking +me to do something on which I cannot venture." + +And Juno said, "Sleep, why do you take such notions as those into +your head? Do you think Jove will be as anxious to help the +Trojans, as he was about his own son? Come, I will marry you to +one of the youngest of the Graces, and she shall be your own-- +Pasithea, whom you have always wanted to marry." + +Sleep was pleased when he heard this, and answered, "Then swear +it to me by the dread waters of the river Styx; lay one hand on +the bounteous earth, and the other on the sheen of the sea, so +that all the gods who dwell down below with Saturn may be our +witnesses, and see that you really do give me one of the youngest +of the Graces--Pasithea, whom I have always wanted to marry." + +Juno did as he had said. She swore, and invoked all the gods of +the nether world, who are called Titans, to witness. When she had +completed her oath, the two enshrouded themselves in a thick mist +and sped lightly forward, leaving Lemnos and Imbrus behind them. +Presently they reached many-fountained Ida, mother of wild +beasts, and Lectum where they left the sea to go on by land, and +the tops of the trees of the forest soughed under the going of +their feet. Here Sleep halted, and ere Jove caught sight of him +he climbed a lofty pine-tree--the tallest that reared its head +towards heaven on all Ida. He hid himself behind the branches and +sat there in the semblance of the sweet-singing bird that haunts +the mountains and is called Chalcis by the gods, but men call it +Cymindis. Juno then went to Gargarus, the topmost peak of Ida, +and Jove, driver of the clouds, set eyes upon her. As soon as he +did so he became inflamed with the same passionate desire for her +that he had felt when they had first enjoyed each other's +embraces, and slept with one another without their dear parents +knowing anything about it. He went up to her and said, "What do +you want that you have come hither from Olympus--and that too +with neither chariot nor horses to convey you?" + +Then Juno told him a lying tale and said, "I am going to the +world's end, to visit Oceanus, from whom all we gods proceed, and +mother Tethys; they received me into their house, took care of +me, and brought me up. I must go and see them that I may make +peace between them: they have been quarrelling, and are so angry +that they have not slept with one another this long time. The +horses that will take me over land and sea are stationed on the +lowermost spurs of many-fountained Ida, and I have come here from +Olympus on purpose to consult you. I was afraid you might be +angry with me later on, if I went to the house of Oceanus without +letting you know." + +And Jove said, "Juno, you can choose some other time for paying +your visit to Oceanus--for the present let us devote ourselves to +love and to the enjoyment of one another. Never yet have I been +so overpowered by passion neither for goddess nor mortal woman as +I am at this moment for yourself--not even when I was in love +with the wife of Ixion who bore me Pirithous, peer of gods in +counsel, nor yet with Danae the daintily-ancled daughter of +Acrisius, who bore me the famed hero Perseus. Then there was the +daughter of Phoenix, who bore me Minos and Rhadamanthus: there +was Semele, and Alcmena in Thebes by whom I begot my lion-hearted +son Hercules, while Semele became mother to Bacchus the comforter +of mankind. There was queen Ceres again, and lovely Leto, and +yourself--but with none of these was I ever so much enamoured as +I now am with you." + +Juno again answered him with a lying tale. "Most dread son of +Saturn," she exclaimed, "what are you talking about? Would you +have us enjoy one another here on the top of Mount Ida, where +everything can be seen? What if one of the ever-living gods +should see us sleeping together, and tell the others? It would be +such a scandal that when I had risen from your embraces I could +never show myself inside your house again; but if you are so +minded, there is a room which your son Vulcan has made me, and he +has given it good strong doors; if you would so have it, let us +go thither and lie down." + +And Jove answered, "Juno, you need not be afraid that either god +or man will see you, for I will enshroud both of us in such a +dense golden cloud, that the very sun for all his bright piercing +beams shall not see through it." + +With this the son of Saturn caught his wife in his embrace; +whereon the earth sprouted them a cushion of young grass, with +dew-bespangled lotus, crocus, and hyacinth, so soft and thick +that it raised them well above the ground. Here they laid +themselves down and overhead they were covered by a fair cloud of +gold, from which there fell glittering dew-drops. + +Thus, then, did the sire of all things repose peacefully on the +crest of Ida, overcome at once by sleep and love, and he held his +spouse in his arms. Meanwhile Sleep made off to the ships of the +Achaeans, to tell earth-encircling Neptune, lord of the +earthquake. When he had found him he said, "Now, Neptune, you can +help the Danaans with a will, and give them victory though it be +only for a short time while Jove is still sleeping. I have sent +him into a sweet slumber, and Juno has beguiled him into going to +bed with her." + +Sleep now departed and went his ways to and fro among mankind, +leaving Neptune more eager than ever to help the Danaans. He +darted forward among the first ranks and shouted saying, +"Argives, shall we let Hector son of Priam have the triumph of +taking our ships and covering himself with glory? This is what he +says that he shall now do, seeing that Achilles is still in +dudgeon at his ship; we shall get on very well without him if we +keep each other in heart and stand by one another. Now, +therefore, let us all do as I say. Let us each take the best and +largest shield we can lay hold of, put on our helmets, and sally +forth with our longest spears in our hands; I will lead you on, +and Hector son of Priam, rage as he may, will not dare to hold +out against us. If any good staunch soldier has only a small +shield, let him hand it over to a worse man, and take a larger +one for himself." + +Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. The son of +Tydeus, Ulysses, and Agamemnon, wounded though they were, set the +others in array, and went about everywhere effecting the +exchanges of armour; the most valiant took the best armour, and +gave the worse to the worse man. When they had donned their +bronze armour they marched on with Neptune at their head. In his +strong hand he grasped his terrible sword, keen of edge and +flashing like lightning; woe to him who comes across it in the +day of battle; all men quake for fear and keep away from it. + +Hector on the other side set the Trojans in array. Thereon +Neptune and Hector waged fierce war on one another--Hector on the +Trojan and Neptune on the Argive side. Mighty was the uproar as +the two forces met; the sea came rolling in towards the ships and +tents of the Achaeans, but waves do not thunder on the shore more +loudly when driven before the blast of Boreas, nor do the flames +of a forest fire roar more fiercely when it is well alight upon +the mountains, nor does the wind bellow with ruder music as it +tears on through the tops of when it is blowing its hardest, than +the terrible shout which the Trojans and Achaeans raised as they +sprang upon one another. + +Hector first aimed his spear at Ajax, who was turned full towards +him, nor did he miss his aim. The spear struck him where two +bands passed over his chest--the band of his shield and that of +his silver-studded sword--and these protected his body. Hector +was angry that his spear should have been hurled in vain, and +withdrew under cover of his men. As he was thus retreating, Ajax +son of Telamon, struck him with a stone, of which there were many +lying about under the men's feet as they fought--brought there to +give support to the ships' sides as they lay on the shore. Ajax +caught up one of them and struck Hector above the rim of his +shield close to his neck; the blow made him spin round like a top +and reel in all directions. As an oak falls headlong when +uprooted by the lightning flash of father Jove, and there is a +terrible smell of brimstone--no man can help being dismayed if he +is standing near it, for a thunderbolt is a very awful thing-- +even so did Hector fall to earth and bite the dust. His spear +fell from his hand, but his shield and helmet were made fast +about his body, and his bronze armour rang about him. + +The sons of the Achaeans came running with a loud cry towards +him, hoping to drag him away, and they showered their darts on +the Trojans, but none of them could wound him before he was +surrounded and covered by the princes Polydamas, Aeneas, Agenor, +Sarpedon captain of the Lycians, and noble Glaucus. Of the +others, too, there was not one who was unmindful of him, and they +held their round shields over him to cover him. His comrades then +lifted him off the ground and bore him away from the battle to +the place where his horses stood waiting for him at the rear of +the fight with their driver and the chariot; these then took him +towards the city groaning and in great pain. When they reached +the ford of the fair stream of Xanthus, begotten of Immortal +Jove, they took him from off his chariot and laid him down on the +ground; they poured water over him, and as they did so he +breathed again and opened his eyes. Then kneeling on his knees he +vomited blood, but soon fell back on to the ground, and his eyes +were again closed in darkness for he was still stunned by the +blow. + +When the Argives saw Hector leaving the field, they took heart +and set upon the Trojans yet more furiously. Ajax fleet son of +Oileus began by springing on Satnius son of Enops, and wounding +him with his spear: a fair naiad nymph had borne him to Enops as +he was herding cattle by the banks of the river Satnioeis. The +son of Oileus came up to him and struck him in the flank so that +he fell, and a fierce fight between Trojans and Danaans raged +round his body. Polydamas son of Panthous drew near to avenge +him, and wounded Prothoenor son of Areilycus on the right +shoulder; the terrible spear went right through his shoulder, and +he clutched the earth as he fell in the dust. Polydamas vaunted +loudly over him saying, "Again I take it that the spear has not +sped in vain from the strong hand of the son of Panthous; an +Argive has caught it in his body, and it will serve him for a +staff as he goes down into the house of Hades." + +The Argives were maddened by this boasting. Ajax son of Telamon +was more angry than any, for the man had fallen close beside him; +so he aimed at Polydamas as he was retreating, but Polydamas +saved himself by swerving aside and the spear struck Archelochus +son of Antenor, for heaven counselled his destruction; it struck +him where the head springs from the neck at the top joint of the +spine, and severed both the tendons at the back of the head. His +head, mouth, and nostrils reached the ground long before his legs +and knees could do so, and Ajax shouted to Polydamas saying, +"Think, Polydamas, and tell me truly whether this man is not as +well worth killing as Prothoenor was: he seems rich, and of rich +family, a brother, it may be, or son of the knight Antenor, for +he is very like him." + +But he knew well who it was, and the Trojans were greatly +angered. Acamas then bestrode his brother's body and wounded +Promachus the Boeotian with his spear, for he was trying to drag +his brother's body away. Acamas vaunted loudly over him saying, +"Argive archers, braggarts that you are, toil and suffering shall +not be for us only, but some of you too shall fall here as well +as ourselves. See how Promachus now sleeps, vanquished by my +spear; payment for my brother's blood has not been long delayed; +a man, therefore, may well be thankful if he leaves a kinsman in +his house behind him to avenge his fall." + +His taunts infuriated the Argives, and Peneleos was more enraged +than any of them. He sprang towards Acamas, but Acamas did not +stand his ground, and he killed Ilioneus son of the rich +flock-master Phorbas, whom Mercury had favoured and endowed with +greater wealth than any other of the Trojans. Ilioneus was his +only son, and Peneleos now wounded him in the eye under his +eyebrows, tearing the eye-ball from its socket: the spear went +right through the eye into the nape of the neck, and he fell, +stretching out both hands before him. Peneleos then drew his +sword and smote him on the neck, so that both head and helmet +came tumbling down to the ground with the spear still sticking in +the eye; he then held up the head, as though it had been a +poppy-head, and showed it to the Trojans, vaunting over them as +he did so. "Trojans," he cried, "bid the father and mother of +noble Ilioneus make moan for him in their house, for the wife +also of Promachus son of Alegenor will never be gladdened by the +coming of her dear husband--when we Argives return with our ships +from Troy." + +As he spoke fear fell upon them, and every man looked round about +to see whither he might fly for safety. + +Tell me now, O Muses that dwell on Olympus, who was the first of +the Argives to bear away blood-stained spoils after Neptune lord +of the earthquake had turned the fortune of war. Ajax son of +Telamon was first to wound Hyrtius son of Gyrtius, captain of the +staunch Mysians. Antilochus killed Phalces and Mermerus, while +Meriones slew Morys and Hippotion, Teucer also killed Prothoon +and Periphetes. The son of Atreus then wounded Hyperenor shepherd +of his people, in the flank, and the bronze point made his +entrails gush out as it tore in among them; on this his life came +hurrying out of him at the place where he had been wounded, and +his eyes were closed in darkness. Ajax son of Oileus killed more +than any other, for there was no man so fleet as he to pursue +flying foes when Jove had spread panic among them. + + + +BOOK XV + + Jove awakes, tells Apollo to heal Hector, and the Trojans + again become victorious. + +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, alarmed 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 pell-mell 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 the prayer of +the aged son of Neleus. When they 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. + + + +BOOK XVI + + Fire being now thrown on the ship of Protesilaus, Patroclus + fights in the armour of Achilles--He drives the Trojans back, + but is in the end killed by Euphorbus and Hector. + +THUS did they fight about the ship of Protesilaus. Then Patroclus +drew near to Achilles with tears welling from his eyes, as from +some spring whose crystal stream falls over the ledges of a high +precipice. When Achilles saw him thus weeping he was sorry for +him and said, "Why, Patroclus, do you stand there weeping like +some silly child that comes running to her mother, and begs to be +taken up and carried--she catches hold of her mother's dress to +stay her though she is in a hurry, and looks tearfully up until +her mother carries her--even such tears, Patroclus, are you now +shedding. Have you anything to say to the Myrmidons or to myself? +or have you had news from Phthia which you alone know? They tell +me Menoetius son of Actor is still alive, as also Peleus son of +Aeacus, among the Myrmidons--men whose loss we two should +bitterly deplore; or are you grieving about the Argives and the +way in which they are being killed at the ships, through their +own high-handed doings? Do not hide anything from me but tell me +that both of us may know about it." + +Then, O knight Patroclus, with a deep sigh you answered, +"Achilles, son of Peleus, foremost champion of the Achaeans, do +not be angry, but I weep for the disaster that has now befallen +the Argives. All those who have been their champions so far are +lying at the ships, wounded by sword or spear. Brave Diomed son +of Tydeus has been hit with a spear, while famed Ulysses and +Agamemnon have received sword-wounds; Eurypylus again has been +struck with an arrow in the thigh; skilled apothecaries are +attending to these heroes, and healing them of their wounds; are +you still, O Achilles, so inexorable? May it never be my lot to +nurse such a passion as you have done, to the baning of your own +good name. Who in future story will speak well of you unless you +now save the Argives from ruin? You know no pity; knight Peleus +was not your father nor Thetis your mother, but the grey sea bore +you and the sheer cliffs begot you, so cruel and remorseless are +you. If however you are kept back through knowledge of some +oracle, or if your mother Thetis has told you something from the +mouth of Jove, at least send me and the Myrmidons with me, if I +may bring deliverance to the Danaans. Let me moreover wear your +armour; the Trojans may thus mistake me for you and quit the +field, so that the hard-pressed sons of the Achaeans may have +breathing time--which while they are fighting may hardly be. We +who are fresh might soon drive tired men back from our ships and +tents to their own city." + +He knew not what he was asking, nor that he was suing for his own +destruction. Achilles was deeply moved and answered, "What, noble +Patroclus, are you saying? I know no prophesyings which I am +heeding, nor has my mother told me anything from the mouth of +Jove, but I am cut to the very heart that one of my own rank +should dare to rob me because he is more powerful than I am. +This, after all that I have gone through, is more than I can +endure. The girl whom the sons of the Achaeans chose for me, whom +I won as the fruit of my spear on having sacked a city--her has +King Agamemnon taken from me as though I were some common +vagrant. Still, let bygones be bygones: no man may keep his anger +for ever; I said I would not relent till battle and the cry of +war had reached my own ships; nevertheless, now gird my armour +about your shoulders, and lead the Myrmidons to battle, for the +dark cloud of Trojans has burst furiously over our fleet; the +Argives are driven back on to the beach, cooped within a narrow +space, and the whole people of Troy has taken heart to sally out +against them, because they see not the visor of my helmet +gleaming near them. Had they seen this, there would not have been +a creek nor grip that had not been filled with their dead as they +fled back again. And so it would have been, if only King +Agamemnon had dealt fairly by me. As it is the Trojans have beset +our host. Diomed son of Tydeus no longer wields his spear to +defend the Danaans, neither have I heard the voice of the son of +Atreus coming from his hated head, whereas that of murderous +Hector rings in my cars as he gives orders to the Trojans, who +triumph over the Achaeans and fill the whole plain with their cry +of battle. But even so, Patroclus, fall upon them and save the +fleet, lest the Trojans fire it and prevent us from being able to +return. Do, however, as I now bid you, that you may win me great +honour from all the Danaans, and that they may restore the girl +to me again and give me rich gifts into the bargain. When you +have driven the Trojans from the ships, come back again. Though +Juno's thundering husband should put triumph within your reach, +do not fight the Trojans further in my absence, or you will rob +me of glory that should be mine. And do not for lust of battle go +on killing the Trojans nor lead the Achaeans on to Ilius, lest +one of the ever-living gods from Olympus attack you--for Phoebus +Apollo loves them well: return when you have freed the ships from +peril, and let others wage war upon the plain. Would, by father +Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that not a single man of all the +Trojans might be left alive, nor yet of the Argives, but that we +two might be alone left to tear aside the mantle that veils the +brow of Troy." + +Thus did they converse. But Ajax could no longer hold his ground +for the shower of darts that rained upon him; the will of Jove +and the javelins of the Trojans were too much for him; the helmet +that gleamed about his temples rang with the continuous clatter +of the missiles that kept pouring on to it and on to the +cheek-pieces that protected his face. Moreover his left shoulder +was tired with having held his shield so long, yet for all this, +let fly at him as they would, they could not make him give +ground. He could hardly draw his breath, the sweat rained from +every pore of his body, he had not a moment's respite, and on all +sides he was beset by danger upon danger. + +And now, tell me, O Muses that hold your mansions on Olympus, how +fire was thrown upon the ships of the Achaeans. Hector came close +up and let drive with his great sword at the ashen spear of Ajax. +He cut it clean in two just behind where the point was fastened +on to the shaft of the spear. Ajax, therefore, had now nothing +but a headless spear, while the bronze point flew some way off +and came ringing down on to the ground. Ajax knew the hand of +heaven in this, and was dismayed at seeing that Jove had now left +him utterly defenceless and was willing victory for the Trojans. +Therefore he drew back, and the Trojans flung fire upon the ship +which was at once wrapped in flame. + +The fire was now flaring about the ship's stern, whereon Achilles +smote his two thighs and said to Patroclus, "Up, noble knight, +for I see the glare of hostile fire at our fleet; up, lest they +destroy our ships, and there be no way by which we may retreat. +Gird on your armour at once while I call our people together." + +As he spoke Patroclus put on his armour. First he greaved his +legs with greaves of good make, and fitted with ancle-clasps of +silver; after this he donned the cuirass of the son of Aeacus, +richly inlaid and studded. He hung his silver-studded sword of +bronze about his shoulders, and then his mighty shield. On his +comely head he set his helmet, well wrought, with a crest of +horse-hair that nodded menacingly above it. He grasped two +redoubtable spears that suited his hands, but he did not take the +spear of noble Achilles, so stout and strong, for none other of +the Achaeans could wield it, though Achilles could do so easily. +This was the ashen spear from Mount Pelion, which Chiron had cut +upon a mountain top and had given to Peleus, wherewith to deal +out death among heroes. He bade Automedon yoke his horses with +all speed, for he was the man whom he held in honour next after +Achilles, and on whose support in battle he could rely most +firmly. Automedon therefore yoked the fleet horses Xanthus and +Balius, steeds that could fly like the wind: these were they whom +the harpy Podarge bore to the west wind, as she was grazing in a +meadow by the waters of the river Oceanus. In the side traces he +set the noble horse Pedasus, whom Achilles had brought away with +him when he sacked the city of Eetion, and who, mortal steed +though he was, could take his place along with those that were +immortal. + +Meanwhile Achilles went about everywhere among the tents, and +bade his Myrmidons put on their armour. Even as fierce ravening +wolves that are feasting upon a homed stag which they have killed +upon the mountains, and their jaws are red with blood--they go in +a pack to lap water from the clear spring with their long thin +tongues; and they reek of blood and slaughter; they know not what +fear is, for it is hunger drives them--even so did the leaders +and counsellors of the Myrmidons gather round the good squire of +the fleet descendant of Aeacus, and among them stood Achilles +himself cheering on both men and horses. + +Fifty ships had noble Achilles brought to Troy, and in each there +was a crew of fifty oarsmen. Over these he set five captains whom +he could trust, while he was himself commander over them all. +Menesthius of the gleaming corslet, son to the river Spercheius +that streams from heaven, was captain of the first company. Fair +Polydora daughter of Peleus bore him to ever-flowing +Spercheius--a woman mated with a god--but he was called son of +Borus son of Perieres, with whom his mother was living as his +wedded wife, and who gave great wealth to gain her. The second +company was led by noble Eudorus, son to an unwedded woman. +Polymele, daughter of Phylas the graceful dancer, bore him; the +mighty slayer of Argos was enamoured of her as he saw her among +the singing women at a dance held in honour of Diana the rushing +huntress of the golden arrows; he therefore--Mercury, giver of +all good--went with her into an upper chamber, and lay with her +in secret, whereon she bore him a noble son Eudorus, singularly +fleet of foot and in fight valiant. When Ilithuia goddess of the +pains of child-birth brought him to the light of day, and he saw +the face of the sun, mighty Echecles son of Actor took the mother +to wife, and gave great wealth to gain her, but her father Phylas +brought the child up, and took care of him, doting as fondly upon +him as though he were his own son. The third company was led by +Pisander son of Maemalus, the finest spearman among all the +Myrmidons next to Achilles' own comrade Patroclus. The old knight +Phoenix was captain of the fourth company, and Alcimedon, noble +son of Laerceus of the fifth. + +When Achilles had chosen his men and had stationed them all with +their captains, he charged them straitly saying, "Myrmidons, +remember your threats against the Trojans while you were at the +ships in the time of my anger, and you were all complaining of +me. 'Cruel son of Peleus,' you would say, 'your mother must have +suckled you on gall, so ruthless are you. You keep us here at the +ships against our will; if you are so relentless it were better +we went home over the sea.' Often have you gathered and thus +chided with me. The hour is now come for those high feats of arms +that you have so long been pining for, therefore keep high hearts +each one of you to do battle with the Trojans." + +With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and they +serried their companies yet more closely when they heard the of +their king. As the stones which a builder sets in the wall of +some high house which is to give shelter from the winds--even so +closely were the helmets and bossed shields set against one +another. Shield pressed on shield, helm on helm, and man on man; +so close were they that the horse-hair plumes on the gleaming +ridges of their helmets touched each other as they bent their +heads. + +In front of them all two men put on their armour--Patroclus and +Automedon--two men, with but one mind to lead the Myrmidons. Then +Achilles went inside his tent and opened the lid of the strong +chest which silver-footed Thetis had given him to take on board +ship, and which she had filled with shirts, cloaks to keep out +the cold, and good thick rugs. In this chest he had a cup of rare +workmanship, from which no man but himself might drink, nor would +he make offering from it to any other god save only to father +Jove. He took the cup from the chest and cleansed it with +sulphur; this done he rinsed it clean water, and after he had +washed his hands he drew wine. Then he stood in the middle of the +court and prayed, looking towards heaven, and making his +drink-offering of wine; nor was he unseen of Jove whose joy is in +thunder. "King Jove," he cried, "lord of Dodona, god of the +Pelasgi, who dwellest afar, you who hold wintry Dodona in your +sway, where your prophets the Selli dwell around you with their +feet unwashed and their couches made upon the ground--if you +heard me when I prayed to you aforetime, and did me honour while +you sent disaster on the Achaeans, vouchsafe me now the +fulfilment of yet this further prayer. I shall stay here where my +ships are lying, but I shall send my comrade into battle at the +head of many Myrmidons. Grant, O all-seeing Jove, that victory +may go with him; put your courage into his heart that Hector may +learn whether my squire is man enough to fight alone, or whether +his might is only then so indomitable when I myself enter the +turmoil of war. Afterwards when he has chased the fight and the +cry of battle from the ships, grant that he may return unharmed, +with his armour and his comrades, fighters in close combat." + +Thus did he pray, and all-counselling Jove heard his prayer. +Part of it he did indeed vouchsafe him--but not the whole. He +granted that Patroclus should thrust back war and battle from the +ships, but refused to let him come safely out of the fight. + +When he had made his drink-offering and had thus prayed, Achilles +went inside his tent and put back the cup into his chest. + +Then he again came out, for he still loved to look upon the +fierce fight that raged between the Trojans and Achaeans. + +Meanwhile the armed band that was about Patroclus marched on till +they sprang high in hope upon the Trojans. They came swarming out +like wasps whose nests are by the roadside, and whom silly +children love to tease, whereon any one who happens to be passing +may get stung--or again, if a wayfarer going along the road vexes +them by accident, every wasp will come flying out in a fury to +defend his little ones--even with such rage and courage did the +Myrmidons swarm from their ships, and their cry of battle rose +heavenwards. Patroclus called out to his men at the top of his +voice, "Myrmidons, followers of Achilles son of Peleus, be men my +friends, fight with might and with main, that we may win glory +for the son of Peleus, who is far the foremost man at the ships +of the Argives--he, and his close fighting followers. The son of +Atreus King Agamemnon will thus learn his folly in showing no +respect to the bravest of the Achaeans." + +With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and they +fell in a body upon the Trojans. The ships rang again with the +cry which the Achaeans raised, and when the Trojans saw the brave +son of Menoetius and his squire all gleaming in their armour, +they were daunted and their battalions were thrown into +confusion, for they thought the fleet son of Peleus must now have +put aside his anger, and have been reconciled to Agamemnon; every +one, therefore, looked round about to see whither he might fly +for safety. + +Patroclus first aimed a spear into the middle of the press where +men were packed most closely, by the stern of the ship of +Protesilaus. He hit Pyraechmes who had led his Paeonian horsemen +from the Amydon and the broad waters of the river Axius; the +spear struck him on the right shoulder, and with a groan he fell +backwards in the dust; on this his men were thrown into +confusion, for by killing their leader, who was the finest +soldier among them, Patroclus struck panic into them all. He thus +drove them from the ship and quenched the fire that was then +blazing--leaving the half-burnt ship to lie where it was. The +Trojans were now driven back with a shout that rent the skies, +while the Danaans poured after them from their ships, shouting +also without ceasing. As when Jove, gatherer of the +thunder-cloud, spreads a dense canopy on the top of some lofty +mountain, and all the peaks, the jutting headlands, and forest +glades show out in the great light that flashes from the bursting +heavens, even so when the Danaans had now driven back the fire +from their ships, they took breath for a little while; but the +fury of the fight was not yet over, for the Trojans were not +driven back in utter rout, but still gave battle, and were ousted +from their ground only by sheer fighting. + +The fight then became more scattered, and the chieftains killed +one another when and how they could. The valiant son of Menoetius +first drove his spear into the thigh of Areilycus just as he was +turning round; the point went clean through, and broke the bone +so that he fell forward. Meanwhile Menelaus struck Thoas in the +chest, where it was exposed near the rim of his shield, and he +fell dead. The son of Phyleus saw Amphiclus about to attack him, +and ere he could do so took aim at the upper part of his thigh, +where the muscles are thicker than in any other part; the spear +tore through all the sinews of the leg, and his eyes were closed +in darkness. Of the sons of Nestor one, Antilochus, speared +Atymnius, driving the point of the spear through his throat, and +down he fell. Maris then sprang on Antilochus in hand-to-hand +fight to avenge his brother, and bestrode the body spear in hand; +but valiant Thrasymedes was too quick for him, and in a moment +had struck him in the shoulder ere he could deal his blow; his +aim was true, and the spear severed all the muscles at the root +of his arm, and tore them right down to the bone, so he fell +heavily to the ground and his eyes were closed in darkness. Thus +did these two noble comrades of Sarpedon go down to Erebus slain +by the two sons of Nestor; they were the warrior sons of +Amisodorus, who had reared the invincible Chimaera, to the bane +of many. Ajax son of Oileus sprang on Cleobulus and took him +alive as he was entangled in the crush; but he killed him then +and there by a sword-blow on the neck. The sword reeked with his +blood, while dark death and the strong hand of fate gripped him +and closed his eyes. + +Peneleos and Lycon now met in close fight, for they had missed +each other with their spears. They had both thrown without +effect, so now they drew their swords. Lycon struck the plumed +crest of Peneleos' helmet but his sword broke at the hilt, while +Peneleos smote Lycon on the neck under the ear. The blade sank so +deep that the head was held on by nothing but the skin, and there +was no more life left in him. Meriones gave chase to Acamas on +foot and caught him up just as he was about to mount his chariot; +he drove a spear through his right shoulder so that he fell +headlong from the car, and his eyes were closed in darkness. +Idomeneus speared Erymas in the mouth; the bronze point of the +spear went clean through it beneath the brain, crashing in among +the white bones and smashing them up. His teeth were all of them +knocked out and the blood came gushing in a stream from both his +eyes; it also came gurgling up from his mouth and nostrils, and +the darkness of death enfolded him round about. + +Thus did these chieftains of the Danaans each of them kill his +man. As ravening wolves seize on kids or lambs, fastening on them +when they are alone on the hillsides and have strayed from the +main flock through the carelessness of the shepherd--and when the +wolves see this they pounce upon them at once because they cannot +defend themselves--even so did the Danaans now fall on the +Trojans, who fled with ill-omened cries in their panic and had no +more fight left in them. + +Meanwhile great Ajax kept on trying to drive a spear into Hector, +but Hector was so skilful that he held his broad shoulders well +under cover of his ox-hide shield, ever on the look-out for the +whizzing of the arrows and the heavy thud of the spears. He well +knew that the fortunes of the day had changed, but still stood +his ground and tried to protect his comrades. + +As when a cloud goes up into heaven from Olympus, rising out of a +clear sky when Jove is brewing a gale--even with such panic +stricken rout did the Trojans now fly, and there was no order in +their going. Hector's fleet horses bore him and his armour out of +the fight, and he left the Trojan host penned in by the deep +trench against their will. Many a yoke of horses snapped the pole +of their chariots in the trench and left their master's car +behind them. Patroclus gave chase, calling impetuously on the +Danaans and full of fury against the Trojans, who, being now no +longer in a body, filled all the ways with their cries of panic +and rout; the air was darkened with the clouds of dust they +raised, and the horses strained every nerve in their flight from +the tents and ships towards the city. + +Patroclus kept on heading his horses wherever he saw most men +flying in confusion, cheering on his men the while. Chariots were +being smashed in all directions, and many a man came tumbling +down from his own car to fall beneath the wheels of that of +Patroclus, whose immortal steeds, given by the gods to Peleus, +sprang over the trench at a bound as they sped onward. He was +intent on trying to get near Hector, for he had set his heart on +spearing him, but Hector's horses were now hurrying him away. As +the whole dark earth bows before some tempest on an autumn day +when Jove rains his hardest to punish men for giving crooked +judgement in their courts, and arriving justice therefrom without +heed to the decrees of heaven--all the rivers run full and the +torrents tear many a new channel as they roar headlong from the +mountains to the dark sea, and it fares ill with the works of +men--even such was the stress and strain of the Trojan horses in +their flight. + +Patroclus now cut off the battalions that were nearest to him and +drove them back to the ships. They were doing their best to reach +the city, but he would not let them, and bore down on them +between the river and the ships and wall. Many a fallen comrade +did he then avenge. First he hit Pronous with a spear on the +chest where it was exposed near the rim of his shield, and he +fell heavily to the ground. Next he sprang on Thestor son of +Enops, who was sitting all huddled up in his chariot, for he had +lost his head and the reins had been torn out of his hands. +Patroclus went up to him and drove a spear into his right jaw; he +thus hooked him by the teeth and the spear pulled him over the +rim of his car, as one who sits at the end of some jutting rock +and draws a strong fish out of the sea with a hook and a line-- +even so with his spear did he pull Thestor all gaping from his +chariot; he then threw him down on his face and he died while +falling. On this, as Erylaus was on to attack him, he struck him +full on the head with a stone, and his brains were all battered +inside his helmet, whereon he fell headlong to the ground and the +pangs of death took hold upon him. Then he laid low, one after +the other, Erymas, Amphoterus, Epaltes, Tlepolemus, Echius son of +Damastor, Pyris, Ipheus, Euippus and Polymelus son of Argeas. + +Now when Sarpedon saw his comrades, men who wore ungirdled +tunics, being overcome by Patroclus son of Menoetius, he rebuked +the Lycians saying. "Shame on you, where are you flying to? Show +your mettle; I will myself meet this man in fight and learn who +it is that is so masterful; he has done us much hurt, and has +stretched many a brave man upon the ground." + +He sprang from his chariot as he spoke, and Patroclus, when he +saw this, leaped on to the ground also. The two then rushed at +one another with loud cries like eagle-beaked crook-taloned +vultures that scream and tear at one another in some high +mountain fastness. + +The son of scheming Saturn looked down upon them in pity and said +to Juno who was his wife and sister, "Alas, that it should be the +lot of Sarpedon whom I love so dearly to perish by the hand of +Patroclus. I am in two minds whether to catch him up out of the +fight and set him down safe and sound in the fertile land of +Lycia, or to let him now fall by the hand of the son of +Menoetius." + +And Juno answered, "Most dread son of Saturn, what is this that +you are saying? Would you snatch a mortal man, whose doom has +long been fated, out of the jaws of death? Do as you will, but we +shall not all of us be of your mind. I say further, and lay my +saying to your heart, that if you send Sarpedon safely to his own +home, some other of the gods will be also wanting to escort his +son out of battle, for there are many sons of gods fighting round +the city of Troy, and you will make every one jealous. If, +however, you are fond of him and pity him, let him indeed fall by +the hand of Patroclus, but as soon as the life is gone out of +him, send Death and sweet Sleep to bear him off the field and +take him to the broad lands of Lycia, where his brothers and his +kinsmen will bury him with mound and pillar, in due honour to the +dead." + +The sire of gods and men assented, but he shed a rain of blood +upon the earth in honour of his son whom Patroclus was about to +kill on the rich plain of Troy far from his home. + +When they were now come close to one another Patroclus struck +Thrasydemus, the brave squire of Sarpedon, in the lower part of +the belly, and killed him. Sarpedon then aimed a spear at +Patroclus and missed him, but he struck the horse Pedasus in the +right shoulder, and it screamed aloud as it lay, groaning in the +dust until the life went out of it. The other two horses began to +plunge; the pole of the chariot cracked and they got entangled in +the reins through the fall of the horse that was yoked along with +them; but Automedon knew what to do; without the loss of a moment +he drew the keen blade that hung by his sturdy thigh and cut the +third horse adrift; whereon the other two righted themselves, and +pulling hard at the reins again went together into battle. + +Sarpedon now took a second aim at Patroclus, and again missed +him, the point of the spear passed over his left shoulder without +hitting him. Patroclus then aimed in his turn, and the spear sped +not from his hand in vain, for he hit Sarpedon just where the +midriff surrounds the ever-beating heart. He fell like some oak +or silver poplar or tall pine to which woodmen have laid their +axes upon the mountains to make timber for ship-building--even so +did he lie stretched at full length in front of his chariot and +horses, moaning and clutching at the blood-stained dust. As when +a lion springs with a bound upon a herd of cattle and fastens on +a great black bull which dies bellowing in its clutches--even so +did the leader of the Lycian warriors struggle in death as he +fell by the hand of Patroclus. He called on his trusty comrade +and said, "Glaucus, my brother, hero among heroes, put forth all +your strength, fight with might and main, now if ever quit +yourself like a valiant soldier. First go about among the Lycian +captains and bid them fight for Sarpedon; then yourself also do +battle to save my armour from being taken. My name will haunt you +henceforth and for ever if the Achaeans rob me of my armour now +that I have fallen at their ships. Do your very utmost and call +all my people together." + +Death closed his eyes as he spoke. Patroclus planted his heel on +his breast and drew the spear from his body, whereon his senses +came out along with it, and he drew out both spear-point and +Sarpedon's soul at the same time. Hard by the Myrmidons held his +snorting steeds, who were wild with panic at finding themselves +deserted by their lords. + +Glaucus was overcome with grief when he heard what Sarpedon said, +for he could not help him. He had to support his arm with his +other hand, being in great pain through the wound which Teucer's +arrow had given him when Teucer was defending the wall as he, +Glaucus, was assailing it. Therefore he prayed to far-darting +Apollo saying, "Hear me O king from your seat, may be in the rich +land of Lycia, or may be in Troy, for in all places you can hear +the prayer of one who is in distress, as I now am. I have a +grievous wound; my hand is aching with pain, there is no +staunching the blood, and my whole arm drags by reason of my +hurt, so that I cannot grasp my sword nor go among my foes and +fight them, thou our prince, Jove's son Sarpedon, is slain. Jove +defended not his son, do you, therefore, O king, heal me of my +wound, ease my pain and grant me strength both to cheer on the +Lycians and to fight along with them round the body of him who +has fallen." + +Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He eased his pain, +staunched the black blood from the wound, and gave him new +strength. Glaucus perceived this, and was thankful that the +mighty god had answered his prayer; forthwith, therefore, he went +among the Lycian captains, and bade them come to fight about the +body of Sarpedon. From these he strode on among the Trojans to +Polydamas son of Panthous and Agenor; he then went in search of +Aeneas and Hector, and when he had found them he said, "Hector, +you have utterly forgotten your allies, who languish here for +your sake far from friends and home while you do nothing to +support them. Sarpedon leader of the Lycian warriors has fallen-- +he who was at once the right and might of Lycia; Mars has laid +him low by the spear of Patroclus. Stand by him, my friends, and +suffer not the Myrmidons to strip him of his armour, nor to treat +his body with contumely in revenge for all the Danaans whom we +have speared at the ships." + +As he spoke the Trojans were plunged in extreme and ungovernable +grief; for Sarpedon, alien though he was, had been one of the +main stays of their city, both as having much people with him, +and himself the foremost among them all. Led by Hector, who was +infuriated by the fall of Sarpedon, they made instantly for the +Danaans with all their might, while the undaunted spirit of +Patroclus son of Menoetius cheered on the Achaeans. First he +spoke to the two Ajaxes, men who needed no bidding. "Ajaxes," +said he, "may it now please you to show yourselves the men you +have always been, or even better--Sarpedon is fallen--he who was +first to overleap the wall of the Achaeans; let us take the body +and outrage it; let us strip the armour from his shoulders, and +kill his comrades if they try to rescue his body." + +He spoke to men who of themselves were full eager; both sides, +therefore, the Trojans and Lycians on the one hand, and the +Myrmidons and Achaeans on the other, strengthened their +battalions, and fought desperately about the body of Sarpedon, +shouting fiercely the while. Mighty was the din of their armour +as they came together, and Jove shed a thick darkness over the +fight, to increase the toil of the battle over the body of his +son. + +At first the Trojans made some headway against the Achaeans, for +one of the best men among the Myrmidons was killed, Epeigeus, son +of noble Agacles who had erewhile been king in the good city of +Budeum; but presently, having killed a valiant kinsman of his +own, he took refuge with Peleus and Thetis, who sent him to Ilius +the land of noble steeds to fight the Trojans under Achilles. +Hector now struck him on the head with a stone just as he had +caught hold of the body, and his brains inside his helmet were +all battered in, so that he fell face foremost upon the body of +Sarpedon, and there died. Patroclus was enraged by the death of +his comrade, and sped through the front ranks as swiftly as a +hawk that swoops down on a flock of daws or starlings. Even so +swiftly, O noble knight Patroclus, did you make straight for the +Lycians and Trojans to avenge your comrade. Forthwith he struck +Sthenelaus the son of Ithaemenes on the neck with a stone, and +broke the tendons that join it to the head and spine. On this +Hector and the front rank of his men gave ground. As far as a man +can throw a javelin when competing for some prize, or even in +battle--so far did the Trojans now retreat before the Achaeans. +Glaucus, captain of the Lycians, was the first to rally them, by +killing Bathycles son of Chalcon who lived in Hellas and was the +richest man among the Myrmidons. Glaucus turned round suddenly, +just as Bathycles who was pursuing him was about to lay hold of +him, and drove his spear right into the middle of his chest, +whereon he fell heavily to the ground, and the fall of so good a +man filled the Achaeans with dismay, while the Trojans were +exultant, and came up in a body round the corpse. Nevertheless +the Achaeans, mindful of their prowess, bore straight down upon +them. + +Meriones then killed a helmed warrior of the Trojans, Laogonus +son of Onetor, who was priest of Jove of Mt. Ida, and was +honoured by the people as though he were a god. Meriones struck +him under the jaw and ear, so that life went out of him and the +darkness of death laid hold upon him. Aeneas then aimed a spear +at Meriones, hoping to hit him under the shield as he was +advancing, but Meriones saw it coming and stooped forward to +avoid it, whereon the spear flew past him and the point stuck in +the ground, while the butt-end went on quivering till Mars robbed +it of its force. The spear, therefore, sped from Aeneas's hand in +vain and fell quivering to the ground. Aeneas was angry and said, +"Meriones, you are a good dancer, but if I had hit you my spear +would soon have made an end of you." + +And Meriones answered, "Aeneas, for all your bravery, you will +not be able to make an end of every one who comes against you. +You are only a mortal like myself, and if I were to hit you in +the middle of your shield with my spear, however strong and +self-confident you may be, I should soon vanquish you, and you +would yield your life to Hades of the noble steeds." + +On this the son of Menoetius rebuked him and said, "Meriones, +hero though you be, you should not speak thus; taunting speeches, +my good friend, will not make the Trojans draw away from the dead +body; some of them must go under ground first; blows for battle, +and words for council; fight, therefore, and say nothing." + +He led the way as he spoke and the hero went forward with him. +As the sound of woodcutters in some forest glade upon the +mountains--and the thud of their axes is heard afar--even such a +din now rose from earth-clash of bronze armour and of good +ox-hide shields, as men smote each other with their swords and +spears pointed at both ends. A man had need of good eyesight now +to know Sarpedon, so covered was he from head to foot with spears +and blood and dust. Men swarmed about the body, as flies that +buzz round the full milk-pails in spring when they are brimming +with milk--even so did they gather round Sarpedon; nor did Jove +turn his keen eyes away for one moment from the fight, but kept +looking at it all the time, for he was settling how best to kill +Patroclus, and considering whether Hector should be allowed to +end him now in the fight round the body of Sarpedon, and strip +him of his armour, or whether he should let him give yet further +trouble to the Trojans. In the end, he deemed it best that the +brave squire of Achilles son of Peleus should drive Hector and +the Trojans back towards the city and take the lives of many. +First, therefore, he made Hector turn fainthearted, whereon he +mounted his chariot and fled, bidding the other Trojans fly also, +for he saw that the scales of Jove had turned against him. +Neither would the brave Lycians stand firm; they were dismayed +when they saw their king lying struck to the heart amid a heap of +corpses--for when the son of Saturn made the fight wax hot many +had fallen above him. The Achaeans, therefore stripped the +gleaming armour from his shoulders and the brave son of Menoetius +gave it to his men to take to the ships. Then Jove lord of the +storm-cloud said to Apollo, "Dear Phoebus, go, I pray you, and +take Sarpedon out of range of the weapons; cleanse the black +blood from off him, and then bear him a long way off where you +may wash him in the river, anoint him with ambrosia, and clothe +him in immortal raiment; this done, commit him to the arms of the +two fleet messengers, Death, and Sleep, who will carry him +straightway to the rich land of Lycia, where his brothers and +kinsmen will inter him, and will raise both mound and pillar to +his memory, in due honour to the dead." + +Thus he spoke. Apollo obeyed his father's saying, and came down +from the heights of Ida into the thick of the fight; forthwith he +took Sarpedon out of range of the weapons, and then bore him a +long way off, where he washed him in the river, anointed him with +ambrosia and clothed him in immortal raiment; this done, he +committed him to the arms of the two fleet messengers, Death, and +Sleep, who presently set him down in the rich land of Lycia. + +Meanwhile Patroclus, with many a shout to his horses and to +Automedon, pursued the Trojans and Lycians in the pride and +foolishness of his heart. Had he but obeyed the bidding of the +son of Peleus, he would have, escaped death and have been +scatheless; but the counsels of Jove pass man's understanding; he +will put even a brave man to flight and snatch victory from his +grasp, or again he will set him on to fight, as he now did when +he put a high spirit into the heart of Patroclus. + +Who then first, and who last, was slain by you, O Patroclus, when +the gods had now called you to meet your doom? First Adrestus, +Autonous, Echeclus, Perimus the son of Megas, Epistor and +Melanippus; after these he killed Elasus, Mulius, and Pylartes. +These he slew, but the rest saved themselves by flight. + +The sons of the Achaeans would now have taken Troy by the hands +of Patroclus, for his spear flew in all directions, had not +Phoebus Apollo taken his stand upon the wall to defeat his +purpose and to aid the Trojans. Thrice did Patroclus charge at an +angle of the high wall, and thrice did Apollo beat him back, +striking his shield with his own immortal hands. When Patroclus +was coming on like a god for yet a fourth time, Apollo shouted to +him with an awful voice and said, "Draw back, noble Patroclus, it +is not your lot to sack the city of the Trojan chieftains, nor +yet will it be that of Achilles who is a far better man than you +are." On hearing this, Patroclus withdrew to some distance and +avoided the anger of Apollo. + +Meanwhile Hector was waiting with his horses inside the Scaean +gates, in doubt whether to drive out again and go on fighting, or +to call the army inside the gates. As he was thus doubting +Phoebus Apollo drew near him in the likeness of a young and lusty +warrior Asius, who was Hector's uncle, being own brother to +Hecuba, and son of Dymas who lived in Phrygia by the waters of +the river Sangarius; in his likeness Jove's son Apollo now spoke +to Hector saying, "Hector, why have you left off fighting? It is +ill done of you. If I were as much better a man than you, as I am +worse, you should soon rue your slackness. Drive straight towards +Patroclus, if so be that Apollo may grant you a triumph over him, +and you may rule him." + +With this the god went back into the hurly-burly, and Hector bade +Cebriones drive again into the fight. Apollo passed in among +them, and struck panic into the Argives, while he gave triumph to +Hector and the Trojans. Hector let the other Danaans alone and +killed no man, but drove straight at Patroclus. Patroclus then +sprang from his chariot to the ground, with a spear in his left +hand, and in his right a jagged stone as large as his hand could +hold. He stood still and threw it, nor did it go far without +hitting some one; the cast was not in vain, for the stone struck +Cebriones, Hector's charioteer, a bastard son of Priam, as he +held the reins in his hands. The stone hit him on the forehead +and drove his brows into his head for the bone was smashed, and +his eyes fell to the ground at his feet. He dropped dead from his +chariot as though he were diving, and there was no more life left +in him. Over him did you then vaunt, O knight Patroclus, saying, +"Bless my heart, how active he is, and how well he dives. If we +had been at sea this fellow would have dived from the ship's side +and brought up as many oysters as the whole crew could stomach, +even in rough water, for he has dived beautifully off his chariot +on to the ground. It seems, then, that there are divers also +among the Trojans." + +As he spoke he flung himself on Cebriones with the spring, as it +were, of a lion that while attacking a stockyard is himself +struck in the chest, and his courage is his own bane--even so +furiously, O Patroclus, did you then spring upon Cebriones. +Hector sprang also from his chariot to the ground. The pair then +fought over the body of Cebriones. As two lions fight fiercely on +some high mountain over the body of a stag that they have killed, +even so did these two mighty warriors, Patroclus son of Menoetius +and brave Hector, hack and hew at one another over the corpse of +Cebriones. Hector would not let him go when he had once got him +by the head, while Patroclus kept fast hold of his feet, and a +fierce fight raged between the other Danaans and Trojans. As the +east and south wind buffet one another when they beat upon some +dense forest on the mountains--there is beech and ash and +spreading cornel; the top of the trees roar as they beat on one +another, and one can hear the boughs cracking and breaking--even +so did the Trojans and Achaeans spring upon one another and lay +about each other, and neither side would give way. Many a pointed +spear fell to ground and many a winged arrow sped from its +bow-string about the body of Cebriones; many a great stone, +moreover, beat on many a shield as they fought around his body, +but there he lay in the whirling clouds of dust, all huge and +hugely, heedless of his driving now. + +So long as the sun was still high in mid-heaven the weapons of +either side were alike deadly, and the people fell; but when he +went down towards the time when men loose their oxen, the +Achaeans proved to be beyond all forecast stronger, so that they +drew Cebriones out of range of the darts and tumult of the +Trojans, and stripped the armour from his shoulders. Then +Patroclus sprang like Mars with fierce intent and a terrific +shout upon the Trojans, and thrice did he kill nine men; but as +he was coming on like a god for a time, then, O Patroclus, was +the hour of your end approaching, for Phoebus fought you in fell +earnest. Patroclus did not see him as he moved about in the +crush, for he was enshrouded in thick darkness, and the god +struck him from behind on his back and his broad shoulders with +the flat of his hand, so that his eyes turned dizzy. Phoebus +Apollo beat the helmet from off his head, and it rolled rattling +off under the horses' feet, where its horse-hair plumes were all +begrimed with dust and blood. Never indeed had that helmet fared +so before, for it had served to protect the head and comely +forehead of the godlike hero Achilles. Now, however, Zeus +delivered it over to be worn by Hector. Nevertheless the end of +Hector also was near. The bronze-shod spear, so great and so +strong, was broken in the hand of Patroclus, while his shield +that covered him from head to foot fell to the ground as did also +the band that held it, and Apollo undid the fastenings of his +corslet. + +On this his mind became clouded; his limbs failed him, and he +stood as one dazed; whereon Euphorbus son of Panthous a +Dardanian, the best spearman of his time, as also the finest +horseman and fleetest runner, came behind him and struck him in +the back with a spear, midway between the shoulders. This man as +soon as ever he had come up with his chariot had dismounted +twenty men, so proficient was he in all the arts of war--he it +was, O knight Patroclus, that first drove a weapon into you, but +he did not quite overpower you. Euphorbus then ran back into the +crowd, after drawing his ashen spear out of the wound; he would +not stand firm and wait for Patroclus, unarmed though he now was, +to attack him; but Patroclus unnerved, alike by the blow the god +had given him and by the spear-wound, drew back under cover of +his men in fear for his life. Hector on this, seeing him to be +wounded and giving ground, forced his way through the ranks, and +when close up with him struck him in the lower part of the belly +with a spear, driving the bronze point right through it, so that +he fell heavily to the ground to the great of the Achaeans. As +when a lion has fought some fierce wild-boar and worsted him--the +two fight furiously upon the mountains over some little fountain +at which they would both drink, and the lion has beaten the boar +till he can hardly breathe--even so did Hector son of Priam take +the life of the brave son of Menoetius who had killed so many, +striking him from close at hand, and vaunting over him the while. +"Patroclus," said he, "you deemed that you should sack our city, +rob our Trojan women of their freedom, and carry them off in your +ships to your own country. Fool; Hector and his fleet horses were +ever straining their utmost to defend them. I am foremost of all +the Trojan warriors to stave the day of bondage from off them; as +for you, vultures shall devour you here. Poor wretch, Achilles +with all his bravery availed you nothing; and yet I ween when you +left him he charged you straitly saying, 'Come not back to the +ships, knight Patroclus, till you have rent the bloodstained +shirt of murderous Hector about his body.' Thus I ween did he +charge you, and your fool's heart answered him 'yea' within you." + +Then, as the life ebbed out of you, you answered, O knight +Patroclus: "Hector, vaunt as you will, for Jove the son of Saturn +and Apollo have vouchsafed you victory; it is they who have +vanquished me so easily, and they who have stripped the armour +from my shoulders; had twenty such men as you attacked me, all of +them would have fallen before my spear. Fate and the son of Leto +have overpowered me, and among mortal men Euphorbus; you are +yourself third only in the killing of me. I say further, and lay +my saying to your heart, you too shall live but for a little +season; death and the day of your doom are close upon you, and +they will lay you low by the hand of Achilles son of Aeacus." + +When he had thus spoken his eyes were closed in death, his soul +left his body and flitted down to the house of Hades, mourning +its sad fate and bidding farewell to the youth and vigor of its +manhood. Dead though he was, Hector still spoke to him saying, +"Patroclus, why should you thus foretell my doom? Who knows but +Achilles, son of lovely Thetis, may be smitten by my spear and +die before me?" + +As he spoke he drew the bronze spear from the wound, planting his +foot upon the body, which he thrust off and let lie on its back. +He then went spear in hand after Automedon, squire of the fleet +descendant of Aeacus, for he longed to lay him low, but the +immortal steeds which the gods had given as a rich gift to Peleus +bore him swiftly from the field. + + + +BOOK XVII + + The light around the body of Patroclus. + +BRAVE Menelaus son of Atreus now came to know that Patroclus had +fallen, and made his way through the front ranks clad in full +armour to bestride him. As a cow stands lowing over her first +calf, even so did yellow-haired Menelaus bestride Patroclus. He +held his round shield and his spear in front of him, resolute to +kill any who should dare face him. But the son of Panthous had +also noted the body, and came up to Menelaus saying, "Menelaus, +son of Atreus, draw back, leave the body, and let the +bloodstained spoils be. I was first of the Trojans and their +brave allies to drive my spear into Patroclus, let me, therefore, +have my full glory among the Trojans, or I will take aim and kill +you." + +To this Menelaus answered in great anger "By father Jove, +boasting is an ill thing. The pard is not more bold, nor the lion +nor savage wild-boar, which is fiercest and most dauntless of all +creatures, than are the proud sons of Panthous. Yet Hyperenor did +not see out the days of his youth when he made light of me and +withstood me, deeming me the meanest soldier among the Danaans. +His own feet never bore him back to gladden his wife and parents. +Even so shall I make an end of you too, if you withstand me; get +you back into the crowd and do not face me, or it shall be worse +for you. Even a fool may be wise after the event." + +Euphorbus would not listen, and said, "Now indeed, Menelaus, +shall you pay for the death of my brother over whom you vaunted, +and whose wife you widowed in her bridal chamber, while you +brought grief unspeakable on his parents. I shall comfort these +poor people if I bring your head and armour and place them in the +hands of Panthous and noble Phrontis. The time is come when this +matter shall be fought out and settled, for me or against me." + +As he spoke he struck Menelaus full on the shield, but the spear +did not go through, for the shield turned its point. Menelaus +then took aim, praying to father Jove as he did so; Euphorbus was +drawing back, and Menelaus struck him about the roots of his +throat, leaning his whole weight on the spear, so as to drive it +home. The point went clean through his neck, and his armour rang +rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. His hair +which was like that of the Graces, and his locks so deftly bound +in bands of silver and gold, were all bedrabbled with blood. As +one who has grown a fine young olive tree in a clear space where +there is abundance of water--the plant is full of promise, and +though the winds beat upon it from every quarter it puts forth +its white blossoms till the blasts of some fierce hurricane sweep +down upon it and level it with the ground--even so did Menelaus +strip the fair youth Euphorbus of his armour after he had slain +him. Or as some fierce lion upon the mountains in the pride of +his strength fastens on the finest heifer in a herd as it is +feeding--first he breaks her neck with his strong jaws, and then +gorges on her blood and entrails; dogs and shepherds raise a hue +and cry against him, but they stand aloof and will not come close +to him, for they are pale with fear--even so no one had the +courage to face valiant Menelaus. The son of Atreus would have +then carried off the armour of the son of Panthous with ease, had +not Phoebus Apollo been angry, and in the guise of Mentes chief +of the Cicons incited Hector to attack him. "Hector," said he, +"you are now going after the horses of the noble son of Aeacus, +but you will not take them; they cannot be kept in hand and +driven by mortal man, save only by Achilles, who is son to an +immortal mother. Meanwhile Menelaus son of Atreus has bestridden +the body of Patroclus and killed the noblest of the Trojans, +Euphorbus son of Panthous, so that he can fight no more." + +The god then went back into the toil and turmoil, but the soul of +Hector was darkened with a cloud of grief; he looked along the +ranks and saw Euphorbus lying on the ground with the blood still +flowing from his wound, and Menelaus stripping him of his armour. +On this he made his way to the front like a flame of fire, clad +in his gleaming armour, and crying with a loud voice. When the +son of Atreus heard him, he said to himself in his dismay, "Alas! +what shall I do? I may not let the Trojans take the armour of +Patroclus who has fallen fighting on my behalf, lest some Danaan +who sees me should cry shame upon me. Still if for my honour's +sake I fight Hector and the Trojans single-handed, they will +prove too many for me, for Hector is bringing them up in force. +Why, however, should I thus hesitate? When a man fights in +despite of heaven with one whom a god befriends, he will soon rue +it. Let no Danaan think ill of me if I give place to Hector, for +the hand of heaven is with him. Yet, if I could find Ajax, the +two of us would fight Hector and heaven too, if we might only +save the body of Patroclus for Achilles son of Peleus. This, of +many evils would be the least." + +While he was thus in two minds, the Trojans came up to him with +Hector at their head; he therefore drew back and left the body, +turning about like some bearded lion who is being chased by dogs +and men from a stockyard with spears and hue and cry, whereon he +is daunted and slinks sulkily off--even so did Menelaus son of +Atreus turn and leave the body of Patroclus. When among the body +of his men, he looked around for mighty Ajax son of Telamon, and +presently saw him on the extreme left of the fight, cheering on +his men and exhorting them to keep on fighting, for Phoebus +Apollo had spread a great panic among them. He ran up to him and +said, "Ajax, my good friend, come with me at once to dead +Patroclus, if so be that we may take the body to Achilles--as for +his armour, Hector already has it." + +These words stirred the heart of Ajax, and he made his way among +the front ranks, Menelaus going with him. Hector had stripped +Patroclus of his armour, and was dragging him away to cut off his +head and take the body to fling before the dogs of Troy. But Ajax +came up with his shield like wall before him, on which Hector +withdrew under shelter of his men, and sprang on to his chariot, +giving the armour over to the Trojans to take to the city, as a +great trophy for himself; Ajax, therefore, covered the body of +Patroclus with his broad shield and bestrode him; as a lion +stands over his whelps if hunters have come upon him in a forest +when he is with his little ones--in the pride and fierceness of +his strength he draws his knit brows down till they cover his +eyes--even so did Ajax bestride the body of Patroclus, and by his +side stood Menelaus son of Atreus, nursing great sorrow in his +heart. + +Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus looked fiercely at Hector and +rebuked him sternly. "Hector," said he, "you make a brave show, +but in fight you are sadly wanting. A runaway like yourself has +no claim to so great a reputation. Think how you may now save +your town and citadel by the hands of your own people born in +Ilius; for you will get no Lycians to fight for you, seeing what +thanks they have had for their incessant hardships. Are you +likely, sir, to do anything to help a man of less note, after +leaving Sarpedon, who was at once your guest and comrade in arms, +to be the spoil and prey of the Danaans? So long as he lived he +did good service both to your city and yourself; yet you had no +stomach to save his body from the dogs. If the Lycians will +listen to me, they will go home and leave Troy to its fate. If +the Trojans had any of that daring fearless spirit which lays +hold of men who are fighting for their country and harassing +those who would attack it, we should soon bear off Patroclus into +Ilius. Could we get this dead man away and bring him into the +city of Priam, the Argives would readily give up the armour of +Sarpedon, and we should get his body to boot. For he whose squire +has been now killed is the foremost man at the ships of the +Achaeans--he and his close-fighting followers. Nevertheless you +dared not make a stand against Ajax, nor face him, eye to eye, +with battle all round you, for he is a braver man than you are." + +Hector scowled at him and answered, "Glaucus, you should know +better. I have held you so far as a man of more understanding +than any in all Lycia, but now I despise you for saying that I am +afraid of Ajax. I fear neither battle nor the din of chariots, +but Jove's will is stronger than ours; Jove at one time makes +even a strong man draw back and snatches victory from his grasp, +while at another he will set him on to fight. Come hither then, +my friend, stand by me and see indeed whether I shall play the +coward the whole day through as you say, or whether I shall not +stay some even of the boldest Danaans from fighting round the +body of Patroclus." + +As he spoke he called loudly on the Trojans saying, "Trojans, +Lycians, and Dardanians, fighters in close combat, be men, my +friends, and fight might and main, while I put on the goodly +armour of Achilles, which I took when I killed Patroclus." + +With this Hector left the fight, and ran full speed after his men +who were taking the armour of Achilles to Troy, but had not yet +got far. Standing for a while apart from the woeful fight, he +changed his armour. His own he sent to the strong city of Ilius +and to the Trojans, while he put on the immortal armour of the +son of Peleus, which the gods had given to Peleus, who in his age +gave it to his son; but the son did not grow old in his father's +armour. + +When Jove, lord of the storm-cloud, saw Hector standing aloof and +arming himself in the armour of the son of Peleus, he wagged his +head and muttered to himself saying, "A! poor wretch, you arm in +the armour of a hero, before whom many another trembles, and you +reck nothing of the doom that is already close upon you. You have +killed his comrade so brave and strong, but it was not well that +you should strip the armour from his head and shoulders. I do +indeed endow you with great might now, but as against this you +shall not return from battle to lay the armour of the son of +Peleus before Andromache." + +The son of Saturn bowed his portentous brows, and Hector fitted +the armour to his body, while terrible Mars entered into him, and +filled his whole body with might and valour. With a shout he +strode in among the allies, and his armour flashed about him so +that he seemed to all of them like the great son of Peleus +himself. He went about among them and cheered them on--Mesthles, +Glaucus, Medon, Thersilochus, Asteropaeus, Deisenor and +Hippothous, Phorcys, Chromius and Ennomus the augur. All these +did he exhort saying, "Hear me, allies from other cities who are +here in your thousands, it was not in order to have a crowd about +me that I called you hither each from his several city, but that +with heart and soul you might defend the wives and little ones of +the Trojans from the fierce Achaeans. For this do I oppress my +people with your food and the presents that make you rich. +Therefore turn, and charge at the foe, to stand or fall as is the +game of war; whoever shall bring Patroclus, dead though he be, +into the hands of the Trojans, and shall make Ajax give way +before him, I will give him one half of the spoils while I keep +the other. He will thus share like honour with myself." + +When he had thus spoken they charged full weight upon the Danaans +with their spears held out before them, and the hopes of each ran +high that he should force Ajax son of Telamon to yield up the +body--fools that they were, for he was about to take the lives of +many. Then Ajax said to Menelaus, "My good friend Menelaus, you +and I shall hardly come out of this fight alive. I am less +concerned for the body of Patroclus, who will shortly become meat +for the dogs and vultures of Troy, than for the safety of my own +head and yours. Hector has wrapped us round in a storm of battle +from every quarter, and our destruction seems now certain. Call +then upon the princes of the Danaans if there is any who can hear +us." + +Menelaus did as he said, and shouted to the Danaans for help at +the top of his voice. "My friends," he cried, "princes and +counsellors of the Argives, all you who with Agamemnon and +Menelaus drink at the public cost, and give orders each to his +own people as Jove vouchsafes him power and glory, the fight is +so thick about me that I cannot distinguish you severally; come +on, therefore, every man unbidden, and think it shame that +Patroclus should become meat and morsel for Trojan hounds." + +Fleet Ajax son of Oileus heard him and was first to force his way +through the fight and run to help him. Next came Idomeneus and +Meriones his esquire, peer of murderous Mars. As for the others +that came into the fight after these, who of his own self could +name them? + +The Trojans with Hector at their head charged in a body. As a +great wave that comes thundering in at the mouth of some +heaven-born river, and the rocks that jut into the sea ring with +the roar of the breakers that beat and buffet them--even with +such a roar did the Trojans come on; but the Achaeans in +singleness of heart stood firm about the son of Menoetius, and +fenced him with their bronze shields. Jove, moreover, hid the +brightness of their helmets in a thick cloud, for he had borne no +grudge against the son of Menoetius while he was still alive and +squire to the descendant of Aeacus; therefore he was loth to let +him fall a prey to the dogs of his foes the Trojans, and urged +his comrades on to defend him. + +At first the Trojans drove the Achaeans back, and they withdrew +from the dead man daunted. The Trojans did not succeed in killing +any one, nevertheless they drew the body away. But the Achaeans +did not lose it long, for Ajax, foremost of all the Danaans after +the son of Peleus alike in stature and prowess, quickly rallied +them and made towards the front like a wild boar upon the +mountains when he stands at bay in the forest glades and routs +the hounds and lusty youths that have attacked him--even so did +Ajax son of Telamon passing easily in among the phalanxes of the +Trojans, disperse those who had bestridden Patroclus and were +most bent on winning glory by dragging him off to their city. At +this moment Hippothous brave son of the Pelasgian Lethus, in his +zeal for Hector and the Trojans, was dragging the body off by the +foot through the press of the fight, having bound a strap round +the sinews near the ancle; but a mischief soon befell him from +which none of those could save him who would have gladly done so, +for the son of Telamon sprang forward and smote him on his +bronze-cheeked helmet. The plumed headpiece broke about the point +of the weapon, struck at once by the spear and by the strong hand +of Ajax, so that the bloody brain came oozing out through the +crest-socket. His strength then failed him and he let Patroclus' +foot drop from his hand, as he fell full length dead upon the +body; thus he died far from the fertile land of Larissa, and +never repaid his parents the cost of bringing him up, for his +life was cut short early by the spear of mighty Ajax. Hector then +took aim at Ajax with a spear, but he saw it coming and just +managed to avoid it; the spear passed on and struck Schedius son +of noble Iphitus, captain of the Phoceans, who dwelt in famed +Panopeus and reigned over much people; it struck him under the +middle of the collar-bone the bronze point went right through +him, coming out at the bottom of his shoulder-blade, and his +armour rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. +Ajax in his turn struck noble Phorcys son of Phaenops in the +middle of the belly as he was bestriding Hippothous, and broke +the plate of his cuirass; whereon the spear tore out his entrails +and he clutched the ground in his palm as he fell to earth. +Hector and those who were in the front rank then gave ground, +while the Argives raised a loud cry of triumph, and drew off the +bodies of Phorcys and Hippothous which they stripped presently of +their armour. + +The Trojans would now have been worsted by the brave Achaeans and +driven back to Ilius through their own cowardice, while the +Argives, so great was their courage and endurance, would have +achieved a triumph even against the will of Jove, if Apollo had +not roused Aeneas, in the likeness of Periphas son of Epytus, an +attendant who had grown old in the service of Aeneas' aged +father, and was at all times devoted to him. In his likeness, +then, Apollo said, "Aeneas, can you not manage, even though +heaven be against us, to save high Ilius? I have known men, whose +numbers, courage, and self-reliance have saved their people in +spite of Jove, whereas in this case he would much rather give +victory to us than to the Danaans, if you would only fight +instead of being so terribly afraid." + +Aeneas knew Apollo when he looked straight at him, and shouted to +Hector saying, "Hector and all other Trojans and allies, shame on +us if we are beaten by the Achaeans and driven back to Ilius +through our own cowardice. A god has just come up to me and told +me that Jove the supreme disposer will be with us. Therefore let +us make for the Danaans, that it may go hard with them ere they +bear away dead Patroclus to the ships." + +As he spoke he sprang out far in front of the others, who then +rallied and again faced the Achaeans. Aeneas speared Leiocritus +son of Arisbas, a valiant follower of Lycomedes, and Lycomedes +was moved with pity as he saw him fall; he therefore went close +up, and speared Apisaon son of Hippasus shepherd of his people in +the liver under the midriff, so that he died; he had come from +fertile Paeonia and was the best man of them all after +Asteropaeus. Asteropaeus flew forward to avenge him and attack +the Danaans, but this might no longer be, inasmuch as those about +Patroclus were well covered by their shields, and held their +spears in front of them, for Ajax had given them strict orders +that no man was either to give ground, or to stand out before the +others, but all were to hold well together about the body and +fight hand to hand. Thus did huge Ajax bid them, and the earth +ran red with blood as the corpses fell thick on one another alike +on the side of the Trojans and allies, and on that of the +Danaans; for these last, too, fought no bloodless fight though +many fewer of them perished, through the care they took to defend +and stand by one another. + +Thus did they fight as it were a flaming fire; it seemed as +though it had gone hard even with the sun and moon, for they were +hidden over all that part where the bravest heroes were fighting +about the dead son of Menoetius, whereas the other Danaans and +Achaeans fought at their ease in full daylight with brilliant +sunshine all round them, and there was not a cloud to be seen +neither on plain nor mountain. These last moreover would rest for +a while and leave off fighting, for they were some distance apart +and beyond the range of one another's weapons, whereas those who +were in the thick of the fray suffered both from battle and +darkness. All the best of them were being worn out by the great +weight of their armour, but the two valiant heroes, Thrasymedes +and Antilochus, had not yet heard of the death of Patroclus, and +believed him to be still alive and leading the van against the +Trojans; they were keeping themselves in reserve against the +death or rout of their own comrades, for so Nestor had ordered +when he sent them from the ships into battle. + +Thus through the livelong day did they wage fierce war, and the +sweat of their toil rained ever on their legs under them, and on +their hands and eyes, as they fought over the squire of the fleet +son of Peleus. It was as when a man gives a great ox-hide all +drenched in fat to his men, and bids them stretch it; whereon +they stand round it in a ring and tug till the moisture leaves +it, and the fat soaks in for the many that pull at it, and it is +well stretched--even so did the two sides tug the dead body +hither and thither within the compass of but a little space--the +Trojans steadfastly set on dragging it into Ilius, while the +Achaeans were no less so on taking it to their ships; and fierce +was the fight between them. Not Mars himself the lord of hosts, +nor yet Minerva, even in their fullest fury could make light of +such a battle. + +Such fearful turmoil of men and horses did Jove on that day +ordain round the body of Patroclus. Meanwhile Achilles did not +know that he had fallen, for the fight was under the wall of Troy +a long way off the ships. He had no idea, therefore, that +Patroclus was dead, and deemed that he would return alive as soon +as he had gone close up to the gates. He knew that he was not to +sack the city neither with nor without himself, for his mother +had often told him this when he had sat alone with her, and she +had informed him of the counsels of great Jove. Now, however, she +had not told him how great a disaster had befallen him in the +death of the one who was far dearest to him of all his comrades. + +The others still kept on charging one another round the body with +their pointed spears and killing each other. Then would one say, +"My friends, we can never again show our faces at the ships-- +better, and greatly better, that earth should open and swallow us +here in this place, than that we should let the Trojans have the +triumph of bearing off Patroclus to their city." + +The Trojans also on their part spoke to one another saying, +"Friends, though we fall to a man beside this body, let none +shrink from fighting." With such words did they exhort each +other. They fought and fought, and an iron clank rose through the +void air to the brazen vault of heaven. The horses of the +descendant of Aeacus stood out of the fight and wept when they +heard that their driver had been laid low by the hand of +murderous Hector. Automedon, valiant son of Diores, lashed them +again and again; many a time did he speak kindly to them, and +many a time did he upbraid them, but they would neither go back +to the ships by the waters of the broad Hellespont, nor yet into +battle among the Achaeans; they stood with their chariot stock +still, as a pillar set over the tomb of some dead man or woman, +and bowed their heads to the ground. Hot tears fell from their +eyes as they mourned the loss of their charioteer, and their +noble manes drooped all wet from under the yokestraps on either +side the yoke. + +The son of Saturn saw them and took pity upon their sorrow. He +wagged his head, and muttered to himself, saying, "Poor things, +why did we give you to King Peleus who is a mortal, while you are +yourselves ageless and immortal? Was it that you might share the +sorrows that befall mankind? for of all creatures that live and +move upon the earth there is none so pitiable as he is--still, +Hector son of Priam shall drive neither you nor your chariot. I +will not have it. It is enough that he should have the armour +over which he vaunts so vainly. Furthermore I will give you +strength of heart and limb to bear Automedon safely to the ships +from battle, for I shall let the Trojans triumph still further, +and go on killing till they reach the ships; whereon night shall +fall and darkness overshadow the land." + +As he spoke he breathed heart and strength into the horses so +that they shook the dust from out of their manes, and bore their +chariot swiftly into the fight that raged between Trojans and +Achaeans. Behind them fought Automedon full of sorrow for his +comrade, as a vulture amid a flock of geese. In and out, and here +and there, full speed he dashed amid the throng of the Trojans, +but for all the fury of his pursuit he killed no man, for he +could not wield his spear and keep his horses in hand when alone +in the chariot; at last, however, a comrade, Alcimedon, son of +Laerces son of Haemon caught sight of him and came up behind his +chariot. "Automedon," said he, "what god has put this folly into +your heart and robbed you of your right mind, that you fight the +Trojans in the front rank single-handed? He who was your comrade +is slain, and Hector plumes himself on being armed in the armour +of the descendant of Aeacus." + +Automedon son of Diores answered, "Alcimedon, there is no one +else who can control and guide the immortal steeds so well as you +can, save only Patroclus--while he was alive--peer of gods in +counsel. Take then the whip and reins, while I go down from the +car and fight." + +Alcimedon sprang on to the chariot, and caught up the whip and +reins, while Automedon leaped from off the car. When Hector saw +him he said to Aeneas who was near him, "Aeneas, counsellor of +the mail-clad Trojans, I see the steeds of the fleet son of +Aeacus come into battle with weak hands to drive them. I am sure, +if you think well, that we might take them; they will not dare +face us if we both attack them." + +The valiant son of Anchises was of the same mind, and the pair +went right on, with their shoulders covered under shields of +tough dry ox-hide, overlaid with much bronze. Chromius and Aretus +went also with them, and their hearts beat high with hope that +they might kill the men and capture the horses--fools that they +were, for they were not to return scatheless from their meeting +with Automedon, who prayed to father Jove and was forthwith +filled with courage and strength abounding. He turned to his +trusty comrade Alcimedon and said, "Alcimedon, keep your horses +so close up that I may feel their breath upon my back; I doubt +that we shall not stay Hector son of Priam till he has killed us +and mounted behind the horses; he will then either spread panic +among the ranks of the Achaeans, or himself be killed among the +foremost." + +On this he cried out to the two Ajaxes and Menelaus, "Ajaxes +captains of the Argives, and Menelaus, give the dead body over to +them that are best able to defend it, and come to the rescue of +us living; for Hector and Aeneas who are the two best men among +the Trojans, are pressing us hard in the full tide of war. +Nevertheless the issue lies on the lap of heaven, I will +therefore hurl my spear and leave the rest to Jove." + +He poised and hurled as he spoke, whereon the spear struck the +round shield of Aretus, and went right through it for the shield +stayed it not, so that it was driven through his belt into the +lower part of his belly. As when some sturdy youth, axe in hand, +deals his blow behind the horns of an ox and severs the tendons +at the back of its neck so that it springs forward and then +drops, even so did Aretus give one bound and then fall on his +back the spear quivering in his body till it made an end of him. +Hector then aimed a spear at Automedon but he saw it coming and +stooped forward to avoid it, so that it flew past him and the +point stuck in the ground, while the butt-end went on quivering +till Mars robbed it of its force. They would then have fought +hand to hand with swords had not the two Ajaxes forced their way +through the crowd when they heard their comrade calling, and +parted them for all their fury--for Hector, Aeneas, and Chromius +were afraid and drew back, leaving Aretus to lie there struck to +the heart. Automedon, peer of fleet Mars, then stripped him of +his armour and vaunted over him saying, "I have done little to +assuage my sorrow for the son of Menoetius, for the man I have +killed is not so good as he was." + +As he spoke he took the blood-stained spoils and laid them upon +his chariot; then he mounted the car with his hands and feet all +steeped in gore as a lion that has been gorging upon a bull. + +And now the fierce groanful fight again raged about Patroclus, +for Minerva came down from heaven and roused its fury by the +command of far-seeing Jove, who had changed his mind and sent her +to encourage the Danaans. As when Jove bends his bright bow in +heaven in token to mankind either of war or of the chill storms +that stay men from their labour and plague the flocks--even so, +wrapped in such radiant raiment, did Minerva go in among the host +and speak man by man to each. First she took the form and voice +of Phoenix and spoke to Menelaus son of Atreus, who was standing +near her. "Menelaus," said she, "it will be shame and dishonour +to you, if dogs tear the noble comrade of Achilles under the +walls of Troy. Therefore be staunch, and urge your men to be so +also." + +Menelaus answered, "Phoenix, my good old friend, may Minerva +vouchsafe me strength and keep the darts from off me, for so +shall I stand by Patroclus and defend him; his death has gone to +my heart, but Hector is as a raging fire and deals his blows +without ceasing, for Jove is now granting him a time of triumph." + +Minerva was pleased at his having named herself before any of the +other gods. Therefore she put strength into his knees and +shoulders, and made him as bold as a fly, which, though driven +off will yet come again and bite if it can, so dearly does it +love man's blood--even so bold as this did she make him as he +stood over Patroclus and threw his spear. Now there was among the +Trojans a man named Podes, son of Eetion, who was both rich and +valiant. Hector held him in the highest honour for he was his +comrade and boon companion; the spear of Menelaus struck this man +in the girdle just as he had turned in flight, and went right +through him. Whereon he fell heavily forward, and Menelaus son of +Atreus drew off his body from the Trojans into the ranks of his +own people. + +Apollo then went up to Hector and spurred him on to fight, in the +likeness of Phaenops son of Asius who lived in Abydos and was the +most favoured of all Hector's guests. In his likeness Apollo +said, "Hector, who of the Achaeans will fear you henceforward now +that you have quailed before Menelaus who has ever been rated +poorly as a soldier? Yet he has now got a corpse away from the +Trojans single-handed, and has slain your own true comrade, a man +brave among the foremost, Podes son of Eetion." + +A dark cloud of grief fell upon Hector as he heard, and he made +his way to the front clad in full armour. Thereon the son of +Saturn seized his bright tasselled aegis, and veiled Ida in +cloud: he sent forth his lightnings and his thunders, and as he +shook his aegis he gave victory to the Trojans and routed the +Achaeans. + +The panic was begun by Peneleos the Boeotian, for while keeping +his face turned ever towards the foe he had been hit with a spear +on the upper part of the shoulder; a spear thrown by Polydamas +had grazed the top of the bone, for Polydamas had come up to him +and struck him from close at hand. Then Hector in close combat +struck Leitus son of noble Alectryon in the hand by the wrist, +and disabled him from fighting further. He looked about him in +dismay, knowing that never again should he wield spear in battle +with the Trojans. While Hector was in pursuit of Leitus, +Idomeneus struck him on the breastplate over his chest near the +nipple; but the spear broke in the shaft, and the Trojans cheered +aloud. Hector then aimed at Idomeneus son of Deucalion as he was +standing on his chariot, and very narrowly missed him, but the +spear hit Coiranus, a follower and charioteer of Meriones who had +come with him from Lyctus. Idomeneus had left the ships on foot +and would have afforded a great triumph to the Trojans if +Coiranus had not driven quickly up to him, he therefore brought +life and rescue to Idomeneus, but himself fell by the hand of +murderous Hector. For Hector hit him on the jaw under the ear; +the end of the spear drove out his teeth and cut his tongue in +two pieces, so that he fell from his chariot and let the reins +fall to the ground. Meriones gathered them up from the ground and +took them into his own hands, then he said to Idomeneus, "Lay on, +till you get back to the ships, for you must see that the day is +no longer ours." + +On this Idomeneus lashed the horses to the ships, for fear had +taken hold upon him. + +Ajax and Menelaus noted how Jove had turned the scale in favour +of the Trojans, and Ajax was first to speak. "Alas," said he, +"even a fool may see that father Jove is helping the Trojans. All +their weapons strike home; no matter whether it be a brave man or +a coward that hurls them, Jove speeds all alike, whereas ours +fall each one of them without effect. What, then, will be best +both as regards rescuing the body, and our return to the joy of +our friends who will be grieving as they look hitherwards; for +they will make sure that nothing can now check the terrible hands +of Hector, and that he will fling himself upon our ships. I wish +that some one would go and tell the son of Peleus at once, for I +do not think he can have yet heard the sad news that the dearest +of his friends has fallen. But I can see not a man among the +Achaeans to send, for they and their chariots are alike hidden in +darkness. O father Jove, lift this cloud from over the sons of +the Achaeans; make heaven serene, and let us see; if you will +that we perish, let us fall at any rate by daylight." + +Father Jove heard him and had compassion upon his tears. +Forthwith he chased away the cloud of darkness, so that the sun +shone out and all the fighting was revealed. Ajax then said to +Menelaus, "Look, Menelaus, and if Antilochus son of Nestor be +still living, send him at once to tell Achilles that by far the +dearest to him of all his comrades has fallen." + +Menelaus heeded his words and went his way as a lion from a +stockyard--the lion is tired of attacking the men and hounds, who +keep watch the whole night through and will not let him feast on +the fat of their herd. In his lust of meat he makes straight at +them but in vain, for darts from strong hands assail him, and +burning brands which daunt him for all his hunger, so in the +morning he slinks sulkily away--even so did Menelaus sorely +against his will leave Patroclus, in great fear lest the Achaeans +should be driven back in rout and let him fall into the hands of +the foe. He charged Meriones and the two Ajaxes straitly saying, +"Ajaxes and Meriones, leaders of the Argives, now indeed remember +how good Patroclus was; he was ever courteous while alive, bear +it in mind now that he is dead." + +With this Menelaus left them, looking round him as keenly as an +eagle, whose sight they say is keener than that of any other +bird--however high he may be in the heavens, not a hare that runs +can escape him by crouching under bush or thicket, for he will +swoop down upon it and make an end of it--even so, O Menelaus, +did your keen eyes range round the mighty host of your followers +to see if you could find the son of Nestor still alive. Presently +Menelaus saw him on the extreme left of the battle cheering on +his men and exhorting them to fight boldly. Menelaus went up to +him and said, "Antilochus, come here and listen to sad news, +which I would indeed were untrue. You must see with your own eyes +that heaven is heaping calamity upon the Danaans, and giving +victory to the Trojans. Patroclus has fallen, who was the bravest +of the Achaeans, and sorely will the Danaans miss him. Run +instantly to the ships and tell Achilles, that he may come to +rescue the body and bear it to the ships. As for the armour, +Hector already has it." + +Antilochus was struck with horror. For a long time he was +speechless; his eyes filled with tears and he could find no +utterance, but he did as Menelaus had said, and set off running +as soon as he had given his armour to a comrade, Laodocus, who +was wheeling his horses round, close beside him. + +Thus, then, did he run weeping from the field, to carry the bad +news to Achilles son of Peleus. Nor were you, O Menelaus, minded +to succour his harassed comrades, when Antilochus had left the +Pylians--and greatly did they miss him--but he sent them noble +Thrasymedes, and himself went back to Patroclus. He came running +up to the two Ajaxes and said, "I have sent Antilochus to the +ships to tell Achilles, but rage against Hector as he may, he +cannot come, for he cannot fight without armour. What then will +be our best plan both as regards rescuing the dead, and our own +escape from death amid the battle-cries of the Trojans?" + +Ajax answered, "Menelaus, you have said well: do you, then, and +Meriones stoop down, raise the body, and bear it out of the fray, +while we two behind you keep off Hector and the Trojans, one in +heart as in name, and long used to fighting side by side with one +another." + +On this Menelaus and Meriones took the dead man in their arms and +lifted him high aloft with a great effort. The Trojan host raised +a hue and cry behind them when they saw the Achaeans bearing the +body away, and flew after them like hounds attacking a wounded +boar at the loo of a band of young huntsmen. For a while the +hounds fly at him as though they would tear him in pieces, but +now and again he turns on them in a fury, scaring and scattering +them in all directions--even so did the Trojans for a while +charge in a body, striking with sword and with spears pointed at +both the ends, but when the two Ajaxes faced them and stood at +bay, they would turn pale and no man dared press on to fight +further about the dead. + +In this wise did the two heroes strain every nerve to bear the +body to the ships out of the fight. The battle raged round them +like fierce flames that when once kindled spread like wildfire +over a city, and the houses fall in the glare of its burning-- +even such was the roar and tramp of men and horses that pursued +them as they bore Patroclus from the field. Or as mules that put +forth all their strength to draw some beam or great piece of +ship's timber down a rough mountain-track, and they pant and +sweat as they, go even so did Menelaus and pant and sweat as they +bore the body of Patroclus. Behind them the two Ajaxes held +stoutly out. As some wooded mountain-spur that stretches across a +plain will turn water and check the flow even of a great river, +nor is there any stream strong enough to break through it--even +so did the two Ajaxes face the Trojans and stem the tide of their +fighting though they kept pouring on towards them and foremost +among them all was Aeneas son of Anchises with valiant Hector. As +a flock of daws or starlings fall to screaming and chattering +when they see a falcon, foe to all small birds, come soaring near +them, even so did the Achaean youth raise a babel of cries as +they fled before Aeneas and Hector, unmindful of their former +prowess. In the rout of the Danaans much goodly armour fell round +about the trench, and of fighting there was no end. + + + +BOOK XVIII + + The grief of Achilles over Patroclus--The visit of Thetis + to Vulcan and the armour that he made for Achilles. + +THUS then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. Meanwhile the +fleet runner Antilochus, who had been sent as messenger, reached +Achilles, and found him sitting by his tall ships and boding that +which was indeed too surely true. "Alas," said he to himself in +the heaviness of his heart, "why are the Achaeans again scouring +the plain and flocking towards the ships? Heaven grant the gods +be not now bringing that sorrow upon me of which my mother Thetis +spoke, saying that while I was yet alive the bravest of the +Myrmidons should fall before the Trojans, and see the light of +the sun no longer. I fear the brave son of Menoetius has fallen +through his own daring and yet I bade him return to the ships as +soon as he had driven back those that were bringing fire against +them, and not join battle with Hector." + +As he was thus pondering, the son of Nestor came up to him and +told his sad tale, weeping bitterly the while. "Alas," he cried, +"son of noble Peleus, I bring you bad tidings, would indeed that +they were untrue. Patroclus has fallen, and a fight is raging +about his naked body--for Hector holds his armour." + +A dark cloud of grief fell upon Achilles as he listened. He +filled both hands with dust from off the ground, and poured it +over his head, disfiguring his comely face, and letting the +refuse settle over his shirt so fair and new. He flung himself +down all huge and hugely at full length, and tore his hair with +his hands. The bondswomen whom Achilles and Patroclus had taken +captive screamed aloud for grief, beating their breasts, and with +their limbs failing them for sorrow. Antilochus bent over him the +while, weeping and holding both his hands as he lay groaning for +he feared that he might plunge a knife into his own throat. Then +Achilles gave a loud cry and his mother heard him as she was +sitting in the depths of the sea by the old man her father, +whereon she screamed, and all the goddesses daughters of Nereus +that dwelt at the bottom of the sea, came gathering round her. +There were Glauce, Thalia and Cymodoce, Nesaia, Speo, Thoe and +dark-eyed Halie, Cymothoe, Actaea and Limnorea, Melite, Iaera, +Amphithoe and Agave, Doto and Proto, Pherusa and Dynamene, +Dexamene, Amphinome and Callianeira, Doris, Panope, and the +famous sea-nymph Galatea, Nemertes, Apseudes and Callianassa. +There were also Clymene, Ianeira and Ianassa, Maera, Oreithuia +and Amatheia of the lovely locks, with other Nereids who dwell in +the depths of the sea. The crystal cave was filled with their +multitude and they all beat their breasts while Thetis led them +in their lament. + +"Listen," she cried, "sisters, daughters of Nereus, that you may +hear the burden of my sorrows. Alas, woe is me, woe in that I +have borne the most glorious of offspring. I bore him fair and +strong, hero among heroes, and he shot up as a sapling; I tended +him as a plant in a goodly garden, and sent him with his ships to +Ilius to fight the Trojans, but never shall I welcome him back to +the house of Peleus. So long as he lives to look upon the light +of the sun he is in heaviness, and though I go to him I cannot +help him. Nevertheless I will go, that I may see my dear son and +learn what sorrow has befallen him though he is still holding +aloof from battle." + +She left the cave as she spoke, while the others followed weeping +after, and the waves opened a path before them. When they reached +the rich plain of Troy, they came up out of the sea in a long +line on to the sands, at the place where the ships of the +Myrmidons were drawn up in close order round the tents of +Achilles. His mother went up to him as he lay groaning; she laid +her hand upon his head and spoke piteously, saying, "My son, why +are you thus weeping? What sorrow has now befallen you? Tell me; +hide it not from me. Surely Jove has granted you the prayer you +made him, when you lifted up your hands and besought him that the +Achaeans might all of them be pent up at their ships, and rue it +bitterly in that you were no longer with them." + +Achilles groaned and answered, "Mother, Olympian Jove has indeed +vouchsafed me the fulfilment of my prayer, but what boots it to +me, seeing that my dear comrade Patroclus has fallen--he whom I +valued more than all others, and loved as dearly as my own life? +I have lost him; aye, and Hector when he had killed him stripped +the wondrous armour, so glorious to behold, which the gods gave +to Peleus when they laid you in the couch of a mortal man. Would +that you were still dwelling among the immortal sea-nymphs, and +that Peleus had taken to himself some mortal bride. For now you +shall have grief infinite by reason of the death of that son whom +you can never welcome home--nay, I will not live nor go about +among mankind unless Hector fall by my spear, and thus pay me for +having slain Patroclus son of Menoetius." + +Thetis wept and answered, "Then, my son, is your end near at +hand--for your own death awaits you full soon after that of +Hector." + +Then said Achilles in his great grief, "I would die here and now, +in that I could not save my comrade. He has fallen far from home, +and in his hour of need my hand was not there to help him. What +is there for me? Return to my own land I shall not, and I have +brought no saving neither to Patroclus nor to my other comrades +of whom so many have been slain by mighty Hector; I stay here by +my ships a bootless burden upon the earth, I, who in fight have +no peer among the Achaeans, though in council there are better +than I. Therefore, perish strife both from among gods and men, +and anger, wherein even a righteous man will harden his +heart--which rises up in the soul of a man like smoke, and the +taste thereof is sweeter than drops of honey. Even so has +Agamemnon angered me. And yet--so be it, for it is over; I will +force my soul into subjection as I needs must; I will go; I will +pursue Hector who has slain him whom I loved so dearly, and will +then abide my doom when it may please Jove and the other gods to +send it. Even Hercules, the best beloved of Jove--even he could +not escape the hand of death, but fate and Juno's fierce anger +laid him low, as I too shall lie when I am dead if a like doom +awaits me. Till then I will win fame, and will bid Trojan and +Dardanian women wring tears from their tender cheeks with both +their hands in the grievousness of their great sorrow; thus shall +they know that he who has held aloof so long will hold aloof no +longer. Hold me not back, therefore, in the love you bear me, for +you shall not move me." + +Then silver-footed Thetis answered, "My son, what you have said +is true. It is well to save your comrades from destruction, but +your armour is in the hands of the Trojans; Hector bears it in +triumph upon his own shoulders. Full well I know that his vaunt +shall not be lasting, for his end is close at hand; go not, +however, into the press of battle till you see me return hither; +to-morrow at break of day I shall be here, and will bring you +goodly armour from King Vulcan." + +On this she left her brave son, and as she turned away she said +to the sea-nymphs her sisters, "Dive into the bosom of the sea +and go to the house of the old sea-god my father. Tell him +everything; as for me, I will go to the cunning workman Vulcan on +high Olympus, and ask him to provide my son with a suit of +splendid armour." + +When she had so said, they dived forthwith beneath the waves, +while silver-footed Thetis went her way that she might bring the +armour for her son. + +Thus, then, did her feet bear the goddess to Olympus, and +meanwhile the Achaeans were flying with loud cries before +murderous Hector till they reached the ships and the Hellespont, +and they could not draw the body of Mars's servant Patroclus out +of reach of the weapons that were showered upon him, for Hector +son of Priam with his host and horsemen had again caught up to +him like the flame of a fiery furnace; thrice did brave Hector +seize him by the feet, striving with might and main to draw him +away and calling loudly on the Trojans, and thrice did the two +Ajaxes, clothed in valour as with a garment, beat him from off +the body; but all undaunted he would now charge into the thick of +the fight, and now again he would stand still and cry aloud, but +he would give no ground. As upland shepherds that cannot chase +some famished lion from a carcase, even so could not the two +Ajaxes scare Hector son of Priam from the body of Patroclus. + +And now he would even have dragged it off and have won +imperishable glory, had not Iris fleet as the wind, winged her +way as messenger from Olympus to the son of Peleus and bidden him +arm. She came secretly without the knowledge of Jove and of the +other gods, for Juno sent her, and when she had got close to him +she said, "Up, son of Peleus, mightiest of all mankind; rescue +Patroclus about whom this fearful fight is now raging by the +ships. Men are killing one another, the Danaans in defence of the +dead body, while the Trojans are trying to hale it away, and take +it to windy Ilius: Hector is the most furious of them all; he is +for cutting the head from the body and fixing it on the stakes of +the wall. Up, then, and bide here no longer; shrink from the +thought that Patroclus may become meat for the dogs of Troy. +Shame on you, should his body suffer any kind of outrage." + +And Achilles said, "Iris, which of the gods was it that sent you +to me?" + +Iris answered, "It was Juno the royal spouse of Jove, but the son +of Saturn does not know of my coming, nor yet does any other of +the immortals who dwell on the snowy summits of Olympus." + +Then fleet Achilles answered her saying, "How can I go up into +the battle? They have my armour. My mother forbade me to arm till +I should see her come, for she promised to bring me goodly armour +from Vulcan; I know no man whose arms I can put on, save only the +shield of Ajax son of Telamon, and he surely must be fighting in +the front rank and wielding his spear about the body of dead +Patroclus." + +Iris said, "We know that your armour has been taken, but go as +you are; go to the deep trench and show yourself before the +Trojans, that they may fear you and cease fighting. Thus will the +fainting sons of the Achaeans gain some brief breathing-time, +which in battle may hardly be." + +Iris left him when she had so spoken. But Achilles dear to Jove +arose, and Minerva flung her tasselled aegis round his strong +shoulders; she crowned his head with a halo of golden cloud from +which she kindled a glow of gleaming fire. As the smoke that goes +up into heaven from some city that is being beleaguered on an +island far out at sea--all day long do men sally from the city +and fight their hardest, and at the going down of the sun the +line of beacon-fires blazes forth, flaring high for those that +dwell near them to behold, if so be that they may come with their +ships and succour them--even so did the light flare from the head +of Achilles, as he stood by the trench, going beyond the wall-- +but he aid not join the Achaeans for he heeded the charge which +his mother laid upon him. + +There did he stand and shout aloud. Minerva also raised her voice +from afar, and spread terror unspeakable among the Trojans. +Ringing as the note of a trumpet that sounds alarm then the foe +is at the gates of a city, even so brazen was the voice of the +son of Aeacus, and when the Trojans heard its clarion tones they +were dismayed; the horses turned back with their chariots for +they boded mischief, and their drivers were awe-struck by the +steady flame which the grey-eyed goddess had kindled above the +head of the great son of Peleus. + +Thrice did Achilles raise his loud cry as he stood by the trench, +and thrice were the Trojans and their brave allies thrown into +confusion; whereon twelve of their noblest champions fell beneath +the wheels of their chariots and perished by their own spears. +The Achaeans to their great joy then drew Patroclus out of reach +of the weapons, and laid him on a litter: his comrades stood +mourning round him, and among them fleet Achilles who wept +bitterly as he saw his true comrade lying dead upon his bier. He +had sent him out with horses and chariots into battle, but his +return he was not to welcome. + +Then Juno sent the busy sun, loth though he was, into the waters +of Oceanus; so he set, and the Achaeans had rest from the tug and +turmoil of war. + +Now the Trojans when they had come out of the fight, unyoked +their horses and gathered in assembly before preparing their +supper. They kept their feet, nor would any dare to sit down, for +fear had fallen upon them all because Achilles had shown himself +after having held aloof so long from battle. Polydamas son of +Panthous was first to speak, a man of judgement, who alone among +them could look both before and after. He was comrade to Hector, +and they had been born upon the same night; with all sincerity +and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:-- + +"Look to it well, my friends; I would urge you to go back now to +your city and not wait here by the ships till morning, for we are +far from our walls. So long as this man was at enmity with +Agamemnon the Achaeans were easier to deal with, and I would have +gladly camped by the ships in the hope of taking them; but now I +go in great fear of the fleet son of Peleus; he is so daring that +he will never bide here on the plain whereon the Trojans and +Achaeans fight with equal valour, but he will try to storm our +city and carry off our women. Do then as I say, and let us +retreat. For this is what will happen. The darkness of night will +for a time stay the son of Peleus, but if he find us here in the +morning when he sallies forth in full armour, we shall have +knowledge of him in good earnest. Glad indeed will he be who can +escape and get back to Ilius, and many a Trojan will become meat +for dogs and vultures may I never live to hear it. If we do as I +say, little though we may like it, we shall have strength in +counsel during the night, and the great gates with the doors that +close them will protect the city. At dawn we can arm and take our +stand on the walls; he will then rue it if he sallies from the +ships to fight us. He will go back when he has given his horses +their fill of being driven all whithers under our walls, and will +be in no mind to try and force his way into the city. Neither +will he ever sack it, dogs shall devour him ere he do so." + +Hector looked fiercely at him and answered, "Polydamas, your +words are not to my liking in that you bid us go back and be pent +within the city. Have you not had enough of being cooped up +behind walls? In the old-days the city of Priam was famous the +whole world over for its wealth of gold and bronze, but our +treasures are wasted out of our houses, and much goods have been +sold away to Phrygia and fair Meonia, for the hand of Jove has +been laid heavily upon us. Now, therefore, that the son of +scheming Saturn has vouchsafed me to win glory here and to hem +the Achaeans in at their ships, prate no more in this fool's wise +among the people. You will have no man with you; it shall not be; +do all of you as I now say;--take your suppers in your companies +throughout the host, and keep your watches and be wakeful every +man of you. If any Trojan is uneasy about his possessions, let +him gather them and give them out among the people. Better let +these, rather than the Achaeans, have them. At daybreak we will +arm and fight about the ships; granted that Achilles has again +come forward to defend them, let it be as he will, but it shall +go hard with him. I shall not shun him, but will fight him, to +fall or conquer. The god of war deals out like measure to all, +and the slayer may yet be slain." + +Thus spoke Hector; and the Trojans, fools that they were, shouted +in applause, for Pallas Minerva had robbed them of their +understanding. They gave ear to Hector with his evil counsel, but +the wise words of Polydamas no man would heed. They took their +supper throughout the host, and meanwhile through the whole night +the Achaeans mourned Patroclus, and the son of Peleus led them in +their lament. He laid his murderous hands upon the breast of his +comrade, groaning again and again as a bearded lion when a man +who was chasing deer has robbed him of his young in some dense +forest; when the lion comes back he is furious, and searches +dingle and dell to track the hunter if he can find him, for he is +mad with rage--even so with many a sigh did Achilles speak among +the Myrmidons saying, "Alas! vain were the words with which I +cheered the hero Menoetius in his own house; I said that I would +bring his brave son back again to Opoeis after he had sacked +Ilius and taken his share of the spoils--but Jove does not give +all men their heart's desire. The same soil shall be reddened +here at Troy by the blood of us both, for I too shall never be +welcomed home by the old knight Peleus, nor by my mother Thetis, +but even in this place shall the earth cover me. Nevertheless, O +Patroclus, now that I am left behind you, I will not bury you, +till I have brought hither the head and armour of mighty Hector +who has slain you. Twelve noble sons of Trojans will I behead +before your bier to avenge you; till I have done so you shall lie +as you are by the ships, and fair women of Troy and Dardanus, +whom we have taken with spear and strength of arm when we sacked +men's goodly cities, shall weep over you both night and day." + +Then Achilles told his men to set a large tripod upon the fire +that they might wash the clotted gore from off Patroclus. Thereon +they set a tripod full of bath water on to a clear fire: they +threw sticks on to it to make it blaze, and the water became hot +as the flame played about the belly of the tripod. When the water +in the cauldron was boiling they washed the body, anointed it +with oil, and closed its wounds with ointment that had been kept +nine years. Then they laid it on a bier and covered it with a +linen cloth from head to foot, and over this they laid a fair +white robe. Thus all night long did the Myrmidons gather round +Achilles to mourn Patroclus. + +Then Jove said to Juno his sister-wife, "So, Queen Juno, you have +gained your end, and have roused fleet Achilles. One would think +that the Achaeans were of your own flesh and blood." + +And Juno answered, "Dread son of Saturn, why should you say this +thing? May not a man though he be only mortal and knows less than +we do, do what he can for another person? And shall not I-- +foremost of all goddesses both by descent and as wife to you who +reign in heaven--devise evil for the Trojans if I am angry with +them?" + +Thus did they converse. Meanwhile Thetis came to the house of +Vulcan, imperishable, star-bespangled, fairest of the abodes in +heaven, a house of bronze wrought by the lame god's own hands. +She found him busy with his bellows, sweating and hard at work, +for he was making twenty tripods that were to stand by the wall +of his house, and he set wheels of gold under them all that they +might go of their own selves to the assemblies of the gods, and +come back again--marvels indeed to see. They were finished all +but the ears of cunning workmanship which yet remained to be +fixed to them: these he was now fixing, and he was hammering at +the rivets. While he was thus at work silver-footed Thetis came +to the house. Charis, of graceful head-dress, wife to the +far-famed lame god, came towards her as soon as she saw her, and +took her hand in her own, saying, "Why have you come to our +house, Thetis, honoured and ever welcome--for you do not visit us +often? Come inside and let me set refreshment before you." + +The goddess led the way as she spoke, and bade Thetis sit on a +richly decorated seat inlaid with silver; there was a footstool +also under her feet. Then she called Vulcan and said, "Vulcan, +come here, Thetis wants you"; and the far-famed lame god +answered, "Then it is indeed an august and honoured goddess who +has come here; she it was that took care of me when I was +suffering from the heavy fall which I had through my cruel +mother's anger--for she would have got rid of me because I was +lame. It would have gone hardly with me had not Eurynome, +daughter of the ever-encircling waters of Oceanus, and Thetis, +taken me to their bosom. Nine years did I stay with them, and +many beautiful works in bronze, brooches, spiral armlets, cups, +and chains, did I make for them in their cave, with the roaring +waters of Oceanus foaming as they rushed ever past it; and no one +knew, neither of gods nor men, save only Thetis and Eurynome who +took care of me. If, then, Thetis has come to my house I must +make her due requital for having saved me; entertain her, +therefore, with all hospitality, while I put by my bellows and +all my tools." + +On this the mighty monster hobbled off from his anvil, his thin +legs plying lustily under him. He set the bellows away from the +fire, and gathered his tools into a silver chest. Then he took a +sponge and washed his face and hands, his shaggy chest and brawny +neck; he donned his shirt, grasped his strong staff, and limped +towards the door. There were golden handmaids also who worked for +him, and were like real young women, with sense and reason, voice +also and strength, and all the learning of the immortals; these +busied themselves as the king bade them, while he drew near to +Thetis, seated her upon a goodly seat, and took her hand in his +own, saying, "Why have you come to our house, Thetis honoured and +ever welcome--for you do not visit us often? Say what you want, +and I will do it for you at once if I can, and if it can be done +at all." + +Thetis wept and answered, "Vulcan, is there another goddess in +Olympus whom the son of Saturn has been pleased to try with so +much affliction as he has me? Me alone of the marine goddesses +did he make subject to a mortal husband, Peleus son of Aeacus, +and sorely against my will did I submit to the embraces of one +who was but mortal, and who now stays at home worn out with age. +Neither is this all. Heaven vouchsafed me a son, hero among +heroes, and he shot up as a sapling. I tended him as a plant in a +goodly garden and sent him with his ships to Ilius to fight the +Trojans, but never shall I welcome him back to the house of +Peleus. So long as he lives to look upon the light of the sun, he +is in heaviness, and though I go to him I cannot help him; King +Agamemnon has made him give up the maiden whom the sons of the +Achaeans had awarded him, and he wastes with sorrow for her sake. +Then the Trojans hemmed the Achaeans in at their ships' sterns +and would not let them come forth; the elders, therefore, of the +Argives besought Achilles and offered him great treasure, whereon +he refused to bring deliverance to them himself, but put his own +armour on Patroclus and sent him into the fight with much people +after him. All day long they fought by the Scaean gates and would +have taken the city there and then, had not Apollo vouchsafed +glory to Hector and slain the valiant son of Menoetius after he +had done the Trojans much evil. Therefore I am suppliant at your +knees if haply you may be pleased to provide my son, whose end is +near at hand, with helmet and shield, with goodly greaves fitted +with ancle-clasps, and with a breastplate, for he lost his own +when his true comrade fell at the hands of the Trojans, and he +now lies stretched on earth in the bitterness of his soul." + +And Vulcan answered, "Take heart, and be no more disquieted about +this matter; would that I could hide him from death's sight when +his hour is come, so surely as I can find him armour that shall +amaze the eyes of all who behold it." + +When he had so said he left her and went to his bellows, turning +them towards the fire and bidding them do their office. Twenty +bellows blew upon the melting-pots, and they blew blasts of every +kind, some fierce to help him when he had need of them, and +others less strong as Vulcan willed it in the course of his work. +He threw tough copper into the fire, and tin, with silver and +gold; he set his great anvil on its block, and with one hand +grasped his mighty hammer while he took the tongs in the other. + +First he shaped the shield so great and strong, adorning it all +over and binding it round with a gleaming circuit in three +layers; and the baldric was made of silver. He made the shield in +five thicknesses, and with many a wonder did his cunning hand +enrich it. + +He wrought the earth, the heavens, and the sea; the moon also at +her full and the untiring sun, with all the signs that glorify +the face of heaven--the Pleiads, the Hyads, huge Orion, and the +Bear, which men also call the Wain and which turns round ever in +one place, facing. Orion, and alone never dips into the stream of +Oceanus. + +He wrought also two cities, fair to see and busy with the hum of +men. In the one were weddings and wedding-feasts, and they were +going about the city with brides whom they were escorting by +torchlight from their chambers. Loud rose the cry of Hymen, and +the youths danced to the music of flute and lyre, while the women +stood each at her house door to see them. + +Meanwhile the people were gathered in assembly, for there was a +quarrel, and two men were wrangling about the blood-money for a +man who had been killed, the one saying before the people that he +had paid damages in full, and the other that he had not been +paid. Each was trying to make his own case good, and the people +took sides, each man backing the side that he had taken; but the +heralds kept them back, and the elders sate on their seats of +stone in a solemn circle, holding the staves which the heralds +had put into their hands. Then they rose and each in his turn +gave judgement, and there were two talents laid down, to be given +to him whose judgement should be deemed the fairest. + +About the other city there lay encamped two hosts in gleaming +armour, and they were divided whether to sack it, or to spare it +and accept the half of what it contained. But the men of the city +would not yet consent, and armed themselves for a surprise; their +wives and little children kept guard upon the walls, and with +them were the men who were past fighting through age; but the +others sallied forth with Mars and Pallas Minerva at their head-- +both of them wrought in gold and clad in golden raiment, great +and fair with their armour as befitting gods, while they that +followed were smaller. When they reached the place where they +would lay their ambush, it was on a riverbed to which live stock +of all kinds would come from far and near to water; here, then, +they lay concealed, clad in full armour. Some way off them there +were two scouts who were on the look-out for the coming of sheep +or cattle, which presently came, followed by two shepherds who +were playing on their pipes, and had not so much as a thought of +danger. When those who were in ambush saw this, they cut off the +flocks and herds and killed the shepherds. Meanwhile the +besiegers, when they heard much noise among the cattle as they +sat in council, sprang to their horses, and made with all speed +towards them; when they reached them they set battle in array by +the banks of the river, and the hosts aimed their bronze-shod +spears at one another. With them were Strife and Riot, and fell +Fate who was dragging three men after her, one with a fresh +wound, and the other unwounded, while the third was dead, and she +was dragging him along by his heel: and her robe was bedrabbled +in men's blood. They went in and out with one another and fought +as though they were living people haling away one another's dead. + +He wrought also a fair fallow field, large and thrice ploughed +already. Many men were working at the plough within it, turning +their oxen to and fro, furrow after furrow. Each time that they +turned on reaching the headland a man would come up to them and +give them a cup of wine, and they would go back to their furrows +looking forward to the time when they should again reach the +headland. The part that they had ploughed was dark behind them, +so that the field, though it was of gold, still looked as if it +were being ploughed--very curious to behold. + +He wrought also a field of harvest corn, and the reapers were +reaping with sharp sickles in their hands. Swathe after swathe +fell to the ground in a straight line behind them, and the +binders bound them in bands of twisted straw. There were three +binders, and behind them there were boys who gathered the cut +corn in armfuls and kept on bringing them to be bound: among them +all the owner of the land stood by in silence and was glad. The +servants were getting a meal ready under an oak, for they had +sacrificed a great ox, and were busy cutting him up, while the +women were making a porridge of much white barley for the +labourers' dinner. + +He wrought also a vineyard, golden and fair to see, and the vines +were loaded with grapes. The bunches overhead were black, but the +vines were trained on poles of silver. He ran a ditch of dark +metal all round it, and fenced it with a fence of tin; there was +only one path to it, and by this the vintagers went when they +would gather the vintage. Youths and maidens all blithe and full +of glee, carried the luscious fruit in plaited baskets; and with +them there went a boy who made sweet music with his lyre, and +sang the Linos-song with his clear boyish voice. + +He wrought also a herd of horned cattle. He made the cows of gold +and tin, and they lowed as they came full speed out of the yards +to go and feed among the waving reeds that grow by the banks of +the river. Along with the cattle there went four shepherds, all +of them in gold, and their nine fleet dogs went with them. Two +terrible lions had fastened on a bellowing bull that was with the +foremost cows, and bellow as he might they haled him, while the +dogs and men gave chase: the lions tore through the bull's thick +hide and were gorging on his blood and bowels, but the herdsmen +were afraid to do anything, and only hounded on their dogs; the +dogs dared not fasten on the lions but stood by barking and +keeping out of harm's way. + +The god wrought also a pasture in a fair mountain dell, and a +large flock of sheep, with a homestead and huts, and sheltered +sheepfolds. + +Furthermore he wrought a green, like that which Daedalus once +made in Cnossus for lovely Ariadne. Hereon there danced youths +and maidens whom all would woo, with their hands on one another's +wrists. The maidens wore robes of light linen, and the youths +well woven shirts that were slightly oiled. The girls were +crowned with garlands, while the young men had daggers of gold +that hung by silver baldrics; sometimes they would dance deftly +in a ring with merry twinkling feet, as it were a potter sitting +at his work and making trial of his wheel to see whether it will +run, and sometimes they would go all in line with one another, +and much people was gathered joyously about the green. There was +a bard also to sing to them and play his lyre, while two tumblers +went about performing in the midst of them when the man struck up +with his tune. + +All round the outermost rim of the shield he set the mighty +stream of the river Oceanus. + +Then when he had fashioned the shield so great and strong, he +made a breastplate also that shone brighter than fire. He made a +helmet, close fitting to the brow, and richly worked, with a +golden plume overhanging it; and he made greaves also of beaten +tin. + +Lastly, when the famed lame god had made all the armour, he took +it and set it before the mother of Achilles; whereon she darted +like a falcon from the snowy summits of Olympus and bore away the +gleaming armour from the house of Vulcan. + + + +BOOK XIX + + Achilles is reconciled with Agamemnon, puts on the armour + which Vulcan had made him, and goes out to fight. + +NOW when Dawn in robe of saffron was hasting from the streams of +Oceanus, to bring light to mortals and immortals, Thetis reached +the ships with the armour that the god had given her. She found +her son fallen about the body of Patroclus and weeping bitterly. +Many also of his followers were weeping round him, but when the +goddess came among them she clasped his hand in her own, saying, +"My son, grieve as we may we must let this man lie, for it is by +heaven's will that he has fallen; now, therefore, accept from +Vulcan this rich and goodly armour, which no man has ever yet +borne upon his shoulders." + +As she spoke she set the armour before Achilles, and it rang out +bravely as she did so. The Myrmidons were struck with awe, and +none dared look full at it, for they were afraid; but Achilles +was roused to still greater fury, and his eyes gleamed with a +fierce light, for he was glad when he handled the splendid +present which the god had made him. Then, as soon as he had +satisfied himself with looking at it, he said to his mother, +"Mother, the god has given me armour, meet handiwork for an +immortal and such as no-one living could have fashioned; I will +now arm, but I much fear that flies will settle upon the son of +Menoetius and breed worms about his wounds, so that his body, now +he is dead, will be disfigured and the flesh will rot." + +Silver-footed Thetis answered, "My son, be not disquieted about +this matter. I will find means to protect him from the swarms of +noisome flies that prey on the bodies of men who have been killed +in battle. He may lie for a whole year, and his flesh shall still +be as sound as ever, or even sounder. Call, therefore, the +Achaean heroes in assembly; unsay your anger against Agamemnon; +arm at once, and fight with might and main." + +As she spoke she put strength and courage into his heart, and she +then dropped ambrosia and red nectar into the wounds of +Patroclus, that his body might suffer no change. + +Then Achilles went out upon the seashore, and with a loud cry +called on the Achaean heroes. On this even those who as yet had +stayed always at the ships, the pilots and helmsmen, and even the +stewards who were about the ships and served out rations, all +came to the place of assembly because Achilles had shown himself +after having held aloof so long from fighting. Two sons of Mars, +Ulysses and the son of Tydeus, came limping, for their wounds +still pained them; nevertheless they came, and took their seats +in the front row of the assembly. Last of all came Agamemnon, +king of men, he too wounded, for Coon son of Antenor had struck +him with a spear in battle. + +When the Achaeans were got together Achilles rose and said, "Son +of Atreus, surely it would have been better alike for both you +and me, when we two were in such high anger about Briseis, surely +it would have been better, had Diana's arrow slain her at the +ships on the day when I took her after having sacked Lyrnessus. +For so, many an Achaean the less would have bitten dust before +the foe in the days of my anger. It has been well for Hector and +the Trojans, but the Achaeans will long indeed remember our +quarrel. Now, however, let it be, for it is over. If we have been +angry, necessity has schooled our anger. I put it from me: I dare +not nurse it for ever; therefore, bid the Achaeans arm forthwith +that I may go out against the Trojans, and learn whether they +will be in a mind to sleep by the ships or no. Glad, I ween, will +he be to rest his knees who may fly my spear when I wield it." + +Thus did he speak, and the Achaeans rejoiced in that he had put +away his anger. + +Then Agamemnon spoke, rising in his place, and not going into the +middle of the assembly. "Danaan heroes," said he, "servants of +Mars, it is well to listen when a man stands up to speak, and it +is not seemly to interrupt him, or it will go hard even with a +practised speaker. Who can either hear or speak in an uproar? +Even the finest orator will be disconcerted by it. I will expound +to the son of Peleus, and do you other Achaeans heed me and mark +me well. Often have the Achaeans spoken to me of this matter and +upbraided me, but it was not I that did it: Jove, and Fate, and +Erinys that walks in darkness struck me mad when we were +assembled on the day that I took from Achilles the meed that had +been awarded to him. What could I do? All things are in the hand +of heaven, and Folly, eldest of Jove's daughters, shuts men's +eyes to their destruction. She walks delicately, not on the solid +earth, but hovers over the heads of men to make them stumble or +to ensnare them. + +"Time was when she fooled Jove himself, who they say is greatest +whether of gods or men; for Juno, woman though she was, beguiled +him on the day when Alcmena was to bring forth mighty Hercules in +the fair city of Thebes. He told it out among the gods saying, +'Hear me, all gods and goddesses, that I may speak even as I am +minded; this day shall an Ilithuia, helper of women who are in +labour, bring a man child into the world who shall be lord over +all that dwell about him who are of my blood and lineage.' Then +said Juno all crafty and full of guile, 'You will play false, and +will not hold to your word. Swear me, O Olympian, swear me a +great oath, that he who shall this day fall between the feet of a +woman, shall be lord over all that dwell about him who are of +your blood and lineage.' + +"Thus she spoke, and Jove suspected her not, but swore the great +oath, to his much ruing thereafter. For Juno darted down from the +high summit of Olympus, and went in haste to Achaean Argos where +she knew that the noble wife of Sthenelus son of Perseus then +was. She being with child and in her seventh month, Juno brought +the child to birth though there was a month still wanting, but +she stayed the offspring of Alcmena, and kept back the Ilithuiae. +Then she went to tell Jove the son of Saturn, and said, 'Father +Jove, lord of the lightning--I have a word for your ear. There is +a fine child born this day, Eurystheus, son to Sthenelus the son +of Perseus; he is of your lineage; it is well, therefore, that he +should reign over the Argives.' + +"On this Jove was stung to the very quick, and in his rage he +caught Folly by the hair, and swore a great oath that never +should she again invade starry heaven and Olympus, for she was +the bane of all. Then he whirled her round with a twist of his +hand, and flung her down from heaven so that she fell on to the +fields of mortal men; and he was ever angry with her when he saw +his son groaning under the cruel labours that Eurystheus laid +upon him. Even so did I grieve when mighty Hector was killing the +Argives at their ships, and all the time I kept thinking of Folly +who had so baned me. I was blind, and Jove robbed me of my +reason; I will now make atonement, and will add much treasure by +way of amends. Go, therefore, into battle, you and your people +with you. I will give you all that Ulysses offered you yesterday +in your tents: or if it so please you, wait, though you would +fain fight at once, and my squires shall bring the gifts from my +ship, that you may see whether what I give you is enough." + +And Achilles answered, "Son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, you +can give such gifts as you think proper, or you can withhold +them: it is in your own hands. Let us now set battle in array; it +is not well to tarry talking about trifles, for there is a deed +which is as yet to do. Achilles shall again be seen fighting +among the foremost, and laying low the ranks of the Trojans: bear +this in mind each one of you when he is fighting." + +Then Ulysses said, "Achilles, godlike and brave, send not the +Achaeans thus against Ilius to fight the Trojans fasting, for the +battle will be no brief one, when it is once begun, and heaven +has filled both sides with fury; bid them first take food both +bread and wine by the ships, for in this there is strength and +stay. No man can do battle the livelong day to the going down of +the sun if he is without food; however much he may want to fight +his strength will fail him before he knows it; hunger and thirst +will find him out, and his limbs will grow weary under him. But a +man can fight all day if he is full fed with meat and wine; his +heart beats high, and his strength will stay till he has routed +all his foes; therefore, send the people away and bid them +prepare their meal; King Agamemnon will bring out the gifts in +presence of the assembly, that all may see them and you may be +satisfied. Moreover let him swear an oath before the Argives that +he has never gone up into the couch of Briseis, nor been with her +after the manner of men and women; and do you, too, show yourself +of a gracious mind; let Agamemnon entertain you in his tents with +a feast of reconciliation, that so you may have had your dues in +full. As for you, son of Atreus, treat people more righteously in +future; it is no disgrace even to a king that he should make +amends if he was wrong in the first instance." + +And King Agamemnon answered, "Son of Laertes, your words please +me well, for throughout you have spoken wisely. I will swear as +you would have me do; I do so of my own free will, neither shall +I take the name of heaven in vain. Let, then, Achilles wait, +though he would fain fight at once, and do you others wait also, +till the gifts come from my tent and we ratify the oath with +sacrifice. Thus, then, do I charge you: take some noble young +Achaeans with you, and bring from my tents the gifts that I +promised yesterday to Achilles, and bring the women also; +furthermore let Talthybius find me a boar from those that are +with the host, and make it ready for sacrifice to Jove and to the +sun." + +Then said Achilles, "Son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, see to +these matters at some other season, when there is breathing time +and when I am calmer. Would you have men eat while the bodies of +those whom Hector son of Priam slew are still lying mangled upon +the plain? Let the sons of the Achaeans, say I, fight fasting and +without food, till we have avenged them; afterwards at the going +down of the sun let them eat their fill. As for me, Patroclus is +lying dead in my tent, all hacked and hewn, with his feet to the +door, and his comrades are mourning round him. Therefore I can +take thought of nothing save only slaughter and blood and the +rattle in the throat of the dying." + +Ulysses answered, "Achilles, son of Peleus, mightiest of all the +Achaeans, in battle you are better than I, and that more than a +little, but in counsel I am much before you, for I am older and +of greater knowledge. Therefore be patient under my words. +Fighting is a thing of which men soon surfeit, and when Jove, who +is war's steward, weighs the upshot, it may well prove that the +straw which our sickles have reaped is far heavier than the +grain. It may not be that the Achaeans should mourn the dead with +their bellies; day by day men fall thick and threefold +continually; when should we have respite from our sorrow? Let us +mourn our dead for a day and bury them out of sight and mind, but +let those of us who are left eat and drink that we may arm and +fight our foes more fiercely. In that hour let no man hold back, +waiting for a second summons; such summons shall bode ill for him +who is found lagging behind at our ships; let us rather sally as +one man and loose the fury of war upon the Trojans." + +When he had thus spoken he took with him the sons of Nestor, with +Meges son of Phyleus, Thoas, Meriones, Lycomedes son of Creontes, +and Melanippus, and went to the tent of Agamemnon son of Atreus. +The word was not sooner said than the deed was done: they +brought out the seven tripods which Agamemnon had promised, with +the twenty metal cauldrons and the twelve horses; they also +brought the women skilled in useful arts, seven in number, with +Briseis, which made eight. Ulysses weighed out the ten talents of +gold and then led the way back, while the young Achaeans brought +the rest of the gifts, and laid them in the middle of the +assembly. + +Agamemnon then rose, and Talthybius whose voice was like that of +a god came to him with the boar. The son of Atreus drew the knife +which he wore by the scabbard of his mighty sword, and began by +cutting off some bristles from the boar, lifting up his hands in +prayer as he did so. The other Achaeans sat where they were all +silent and orderly to hear the king, and Agamemnon looked into +the vault of heaven and prayed saying, "I call Jove the first and +mightiest of all gods to witness, I call also Earth and Sun and +the Erinyes who dwell below and take vengeance on him who shall +swear falsely, that I have laid no hand upon the girl Briseis, +neither to take her to my bed nor otherwise, but that she has +remained in my tents inviolate. If I swear falsely may heaven +visit me with all the penalties which it metes out to those who +perjure themselves." + +He cut the boar's throat as he spoke, whereon Talthybius whirled +it round his head, and flung it into the wide sea to feed the +fishes. Then Achilles also rose and said to the Argives, "Father +Jove, of a truth you blind men's eyes and bane them. The son of +Atreus had not else stirred me to so fierce an anger, nor so +stubbornly taken Briseis from me against my will. Surely Jove +must have counselled the destruction of many an Argive. Go, now, +and take your food that we may begin fighting." + +On this he broke up the assembly, and every man went back to his +own ship. The Myrmidons attended to the presents and took them +away to the ship of Achilles. They placed them in his tents, +while the stable-men drove the horses in among the others. + +Briseis, fair as Venus, when she saw the mangled body of +Patroclus, flung herself upon it and cried aloud, tearing her +breast, her neck, and her lovely face with both her hands. +Beautiful as a goddess she wept and said, "Patroclus, dearest +friend, when I went hence I left you living; I return, O prince, +to find you dead; thus do fresh sorrows multiply upon me one +after the other. I saw him to whom my father and mother married +me, cut down before our city, and my three own dear brothers +perished with him on the self-same day; but you, Patroclus, even +when Achilles slew my husband and sacked the city of noble Mynes, +told me that I was not to weep, for you said you would make +Achilles marry me, and take me back with him to Phthia, we should +have a wedding feast among the Myrmidons. You were always kind to +me and I shall never cease to grieve for you." + +She wept as she spoke, and the women joined in her lament-making +as though their tears were for Patroclus, but in truth each was +weeping for her own sorrows. The elders of the Achaeans gathered +round Achilles and prayed him to take food, but he groaned and +would not do so. "I pray you," said he, "if any comrade will hear +me, bid me neither eat nor drink, for I am in great heaviness, +and will stay fasting even to the going down of the sun." + +On this he sent the other princes away, save only the two sons of +Atreus and Ulysses, Nestor, Idomeneus, and the knight Phoenix, +who stayed behind and tried to comfort him in the bitterness of +his sorrow: but he would not be comforted till he should have +flung himself into the jaws of battle, and he fetched sigh on +sigh, thinking ever of Patroclus. Then he said-- + +"Hapless and dearest comrade, you it was who would get a good +dinner ready for me at once and without delay when the Achaeans +were hasting to fight the Trojans; now, therefore, though I have +meat and drink in my tents, yet will I fast for sorrow. Grief +greater than this I could not know, not even though I were to +hear of the death of my father, who is now in Phthia weeping for +the loss of me his son, who am here fighting the Trojans in a +strange land for the accursed sake of Helen, nor yet though I +should hear that my son is no more--he who is being brought up in +Scyros--if indeed Neoptolemus is still living. Till now I made +sure that I alone was to fall here at Troy away from Argos, while +you were to return to Phthia, bring back my son with you in your +own ship, and show him all my property, my bondsmen, and the +greatness of my house--for Peleus must surely be either dead, or +what little life remains to him is oppressed alike with the +infirmities of age and ever present fear lest he should hear the +sad tidings of my death." + +He wept as he spoke, and the elders sighed in concert as each +thought on what he had left at home behind him. The son of Saturn +looked down with pity upon them, and said presently to Minerva, +"My child, you have quite deserted your hero; is he then gone so +clean out of your recollection? There he sits by the ships all +desolate for the loss of his dear comrade, and though the others +are gone to their dinner he will neither eat nor drink. Go then +and drop nectar and ambrosia into his breast, that he may know no +hunger." + +With these words he urged Minerva, who was already of the same +mind. She darted down from heaven into the air like some falcon +sailing on his broad wings and screaming. Meanwhile the Achaeans +were arming throughout the host, and when Minerva had dropped +nectar and ambrosia into Achilles so that no cruel hunger should +cause his limbs to fail him, she went back to the house of her +mighty father. Thick as the chill snow-flakes shed from the hand +of Jove and borne on the keen blasts of the north wind, even so +thick did the gleaming helmets, the bossed shields, the strongly +plated breastplates, and the ashen spears stream from the ships. +The sheen pierced the sky, the whole land was radiant with their +flashing armour, and the sound of the tramp of their treading +rose from under their feet. In the midst of them all Achilles put +on his armour; he gnashed his teeth, his eyes gleamed like fire, +for his grief was greater than he could bear. Thus, then, full of +fury against the Trojans, did he don the gift of the god, the +armour that Vulcan had made him. + +First he put on the goodly greaves fitted with ancle-clasps, and +next he did on the breastplate about his chest. He slung the +silver-studded sword of bronze about his shoulders, and then took +up the shield so great and strong that shone afar with a +splendour as of the moon. As the light seen by sailors from out +at sea, when men have lit a fire in their homestead high up among +the mountains, but the sailors are carried out to sea by wind and +storm far from the haven where they would be--even so did the +gleam of Achilles' wondrous shield strike up into the heavens. He +lifted the redoubtable helmet, and set it upon his head, from +whence it shone like a star, and the golden plumes which Vulcan +had set thick about the ridge of the helmet, waved all around it. +Then Achilles made trial of himself in his armour to see whether +it fitted him, so that his limbs could play freely under it, and +it seemed to buoy him up as though it had been wings. + +He also drew his father's spear out of the spear-stand, a spear +so great and heavy and strong that none of the Achaeans save only +Achilles had strength to wield it; this was the spear of Pelian +ash from the topmost ridges of Mt. Pelion, which Chiron had once +given to Peleus, fraught with the death of heroes. Automedon and +Alcimus busied themselves with the harnessing of his horses; they +made the bands fast about them, and put the bit in their mouths, +drawing the reins back towards the chariot. Automedon, whip in +hand, sprang up behind the horses, and after him Achilles mounted +in full armour, resplendent as the sun-god Hyperion. Then with a +loud voice he chided with his father's horses saying, "Xanthus +and Balius, famed offspring of Podarge--this time when we have +done fighting be sure and bring your driver safely back to the +host of the Achaeans, and do not leave him dead on the plain as +you did Patroclus." + +Then fleet Xanthus answered under the yoke--for white-armed Juno +had endowed him with human speech--and he bowed his head till his +mane touched the ground as it hung down from under the yoke-band. +"Dread Achilles," said he, "we will indeed save you now, but the +day of your death is near, and the blame will not be ours, for it +will be heaven and stern fate that will destroy you. Neither was +it through any sloth or slackness on our part that the Trojans +stripped Patroclus of his armour; it was the mighty god whom +lovely Leto bore that slew him as he fought among the foremost, +and vouchsafed a triumph to Hector. We two can fly as swiftly as +Zephyrus who they say is fleetest of all winds; nevertheless it +is your doom to fall by the hand of a man and of a god." + +When he had thus said the Erinyes stayed his speech, and Achilles +answered him in great sadness, saying, "Why, O Xanthus, do you +thus foretell my death? You need not do so, for I well know that +I am to fall here, far from my dear father and mother; none the +more, however, shall I stay my hand till I have given the Trojans +their fill of fighting." + +So saying, with a loud cry he drove his horses to the front. + + + +BOOK XX + + The gods hold a council and determine to watch the fight, from + the hill Callicolone, and the barrow of Hercules--A fight + between Achilles and AEneas is interrupted by Neptune, who + saves AEneas--Achilles kills many Trojans. + +THUS, then, did the Achaeans arm by their ships round you, O son +of Peleus, who were hungering for battle; while the Trojans over +against them armed upon the rise of the plain. + +Meanwhile Jove from the top of many-delled Olympus, bade Themis +gather the gods in council, whereon she went about and called +them to the house of Jove. There was not a river absent except +Oceanus, nor a single one of the nymphs that haunt fair groves, +or springs of rivers and meadows of green grass. When they +reached the house of cloud-compelling Jove, they took their seats +in the arcades of polished marble which Vulcan with his +consummate skill had made for father Jove. + +In such wise, therefore, did they gather in the house of Jove. +Neptune also, lord of the earthquake, obeyed the call of the +goddess, and came up out of the sea to join them. There, sitting +in the midst of them, he asked what Jove's purpose might be. +"Why," said he, "wielder of the lightning, have you called the +gods in council? Are you considering some matter that concerns +the Trojans and Achaeans--for the blaze of battle is on the point +of being kindled between them?" + +And Jove answered, "You know my purpose, shaker of earth, and +wherefore I have called you hither. I take thought for them even +in their destruction. For my own part I shall stay here seated on +Mt. Olympus and look on in peace, but do you others go about +among Trojans and Achaeans, and help either side as you may be +severally disposed. If Achilles fights the Trojans without +hindrance they will make no stand against him; they have ever +trembled at the sight of him, and now that he is roused to such +fury about his comrade, he will override fate itself and storm +their city." + +Thus spoke Jove and gave the word for war, whereon the gods took +their several sides and went into battle. Juno, Pallas Minerva, +earth-encircling Neptune, Mercury bringer of good luck and +excellent in all cunning--all these joined the host that came +from the ships; with them also came Vulcan in all his glory, +limping, but yet with his thin legs plying lustily under him. +Mars of gleaming helmet joined the Trojans, and with him Apollo +of locks unshorn, and the archer goddess Diana, Leto, Xanthus, +and laughter-loving Venus. + +So long as the gods held themselves aloof from mortal warriors +the Achaeans were triumphant, for Achilles who had long refused +to fight was now with them. There was not a Trojan but his limbs +failed him for fear as he beheld the fleet son of Peleus all +glorious in his armour, and looking like Mars himself. When, +however, the Olympians came to take their part among men, +forthwith uprose strong Strife, rouser of hosts, and Minerva +raised her loud voice, now standing by the deep trench that ran +outside the wall, and now shouting with all her might upon the +shore of the sounding sea. Mars also bellowed out upon the other +side, dark as some black thunder-cloud, and called on the Trojans +at the top of his voice, now from the acropolis, and now speeding +up the side of the river Simois till he came to the hill +Callicolone. + +Thus did the gods spur on both hosts to fight, and rouse fierce +contention also among themselves. The sire of gods and men +thundered from heaven above, while from beneath Neptune shook the +vast earth, and bade the high hills tremble. The spurs and crests +of many-fountained Ida quaked, as also the city of the Trojans +and the ships of the Achaeans. Hades, king of the realms below, +was struck with fear; he sprang panic-stricken from his throne +and cried aloud in terror lest Neptune, lord of the earthquake, +should crack the ground over his head, and lay bare his mouldy +mansions to the sight of mortals and immortals--mansions so +ghastly grim that even the gods shudder to think of them. Such +was the uproar as the gods came together in battle. Apollo with +his arrows took his stand to face King Neptune, while Minerva +took hers against the god of war; the archer-goddess Diana with +her golden arrows, sister of far-darting Apollo, stood to face +Juno; Mercury the lusty bringer of good luck faced Leto, while +the mighty eddying river whom men can Scamander, but gods +Xanthus, matched himself against Vulcan. + +The gods, then, were thus ranged against one another. But the +heart of Achilles was set on meeting Hector son of Priam, for it +was with his blood that he longed above all things else to glut +the stubborn lord of battle. Meanwhile Apollo set Aeneas on to +attack the son of Peleus, and put courage into his heart, +speaking with the voice of Lycaon son of Priam. In his likeness +therefore, he said to Aeneas, "Aeneas, counsellor of the Trojans, +where are now the brave words with which you vaunted over your +wine before the Trojan princes, saying that you would fight +Achilles son of Peleus in single combat?" + +And Aeneas answered, "Why do you thus bid me fight the proud son +of Peleus, when I am in no mind to do so? Were I to face him now, +it would not be for the first time. His spear has already put me +to Right from Ida, when he attacked our cattle and sacked +Lyrnessus and Pedasus; Jove indeed saved me in that he vouchsafed +me strength to fly, else had the fallen by the hands of Achilles +and Minerva, who went before him to protect him and urged him to +fall upon the Lelegae and Trojans. No man may fight Achilles, for +one of the gods is always with him as his guardian angel, and +even were it not so, his weapon flies ever straight, and fails +not to pierce the flesh of him who is against him; if heaven +would let me fight him on even terms he should not soon overcome +me, though he boasts that he is made of bronze." + +Then said King Apollo, son to Jove, "Nay, hero, pray to the +ever-living gods, for men say that you were born of Jove's +daughter Venus, whereas Achilles is son to a goddess of inferior +rank. Venus is child to Jove, while Thetis is but daughter to the +old man of the sea. Bring, therefore, your spear to bear upon +him, and let him not scare you with his taunts and menaces." + +As he spoke he put courage into the heart of the shepherd of his +people, and he strode in full armour among the ranks of the +foremost fighters. Nor did the son of Anchises escape the notice +of white-armed Juno, as he went forth into the throng to meet +Achilles. She called the gods about her, and said, "Look to it, +you two, Neptune and Minerva, and consider how this shall be; +Phoebus Apollo has been sending Aeneas clad in full armour to +fight Achilles. Shall we turn him back at once, or shall one of +us stand by Achilles and endow him with strength so that his +heart fail not, and he may learn that the chiefs of the immortals +are on his side, while the others who have all along been +defending the Trojans are but vain helpers? Let us all come down +from Olympus and join in the fight, that this day he may take no +hurt at the hands of the Trojans. Hereafter let him suffer +whatever fate may have spun out for him when he was begotten and +his mother bore him. If Achilles be not thus assured by the voice +of a god, he may come to fear presently when one of us meets him +in battle, for the gods are terrible if they are seen face to +face." + +Neptune lord of the earthquake answered her saying, "Juno, +restrain your fury; it is not well; I am not in favour of forcing +the other gods to fight us, for the advantage is too greatly on +our own side; let us take our places on some hill out of the +beaten track, and let mortals fight it out among themselves. If +Mars or Phoebus Apollo begin fighting, or keep Achilles in check +so that he cannot fight, we too, will at once raise the cry of +battle, and in that case they will soon leave the field and go +back vanquished to Olympus among the other gods." + +With these words the dark-haired god led the way to the high +earth-barrow of Hercules, built round solid masonry, and made by +the Trojans and Pallas Minerva for him fly to when the +sea-monster was chasing him from the shore on to the plain. Here +Neptune and those that were with him took their seats, wrapped in +a thick cloud of darkness; but the other gods seated themselves +on the brow of Callicolone round you, O Phoebus, and Mars the +waster of cities. + +Thus did the gods sit apart and form their plans, but neither +side was willing to begin battle with the other, and Jove from +his seat on high was in command over them all. Meanwhile the +whole plain was alive with men and horses, and blazing with the +gleam of armour. The earth rang again under the tramp of their +feet as they rushed towards each other, and two champions, by far +the foremost of them all, met between the hosts to fight--to wit, +Aeneas son of Anchises, and noble Achilles. + +Aeneas was first to stride forward in attack, his doughty helmet +tossing defiance as he came on. He held his strong shield before +his breast, and brandished his bronze spear. The son of Peleus +from the other side sprang forth to meet him, like some fierce +lion that the whole country-side has met to hunt and kill--at +first he bodes no ill, but when some daring youth has struck him +with a spear, he crouches openmouthed, his jaws foam, he roars +with fury, he lashes his tail from side to side about his ribs +and loins, and glares as he springs straight before him, to find +out whether he is to slay, or be slain among the foremost of his +foes--even with such fury did Achilles burn to spring upon +Aeneas. + +When they were now close up with one another Achilles was first +to speak. "Aeneas," said he, "why do you stand thus out before +the host to fight me? Is it that you hope to reign over the +Trojans in the seat of Priam? Nay, though you kill me Priam will +not hand his kingdom over to you. He is a man of sound judgement, +and he has sons of his own. Or have the Trojans been allotting +you a demesne of passing richness, fair with orchard lawns and +corn lands, if you should slay me? This you shall hardly do. I +have discomfited you once already. Have you forgotten how when +you were alone I chased you from your herds helter-skelter down +the slopes of Ida? You did not turn round to look behind you; you +took refuge in Lyrnessus, but I attacked the city, and with the +help of Minerva and father Jove I sacked it and carried its women +into captivity, though Jove and the other gods rescued you. You +think they will protect you now, but they will not do so; +therefore I say go back into the host, and do not face me, or you +will rue it. Even a fool may be wise after the event." + +Then Aeneas answered, "Son of Peleus, think not that your words +can scare me as though I were a child. I too, if I will, can brag +and talk unseemly. We know one another's race and parentage as +matters of common fame, though neither have you ever seen my +parents nor I yours. Men say that you are son to noble Peleus, +and that your mother is Thetis, fair-haired daughter of the sea. +I have noble Anchises for my father, and Venus for my mother; the +parents of one or other of us shall this day mourn a son, for it +will be more than silly talk that shall part us when the fight is +over. Learn, then, my lineage if you will--and it is known to +many. + +"In the beginning Dardanus was the son of Jove, and founded +Dardania, for Ilius was not yet stablished on the plain for men +to dwell in, and her people still abode on the spurs of +many-fountained Ida. Dardanus had a son, king Erichthonius, who +was wealthiest of all men living; he had three thousand mares +that fed by the water-meadows, they and their foals with them. +Boreas was enamoured of them as they were feeding, and covered +them in the semblance of a dark-maned stallion. Twelve filly +foals did they conceive and bear him, and these, as they sped +over the rich plain, would go bounding on over the ripe ears of +corn and not break them; or again when they would disport +themselves on the broad back of Ocean they could gallop on the +crest of a breaker. Erichthonius begat Tros, king of the Trojans, +and Tros had three noble sons, Ilus, Assaracus, and Ganymede who +was comeliest of mortal men; wherefore the gods carried him off +to be Jove's cupbearer, for his beauty's sake, that he might +dwell among the immortals. Ilus begat Laomedon, and Laomedon +begat Tithonus, Priam, Lampus, Clytius, and Hiketaon of the stock +of Mars. But Assaracus was father to Capys, and Capys to +Anchises, who was my father, while Hector is son to Priam. + +"Such do I declare my blood and lineage, but as for valour, Jove +gives it or takes it as he will, for he is lord of all. And now +let there be no more of this prating in mid-battle as though we +were children. We could fling taunts without end at one another; +a hundred-oared galley would not hold them. The tongue can run +all whithers and talk all wise; it can go here and there, and as +a man says, so shall he be gainsaid. What is the use of our +bandying hard like women who when they fall foul of one another +go out and wrangle in the streets, one half true and the other +lies, as rage inspires them? No words of yours shall turn me now +that I am fain to fight--therefore let us make trial of one +another with our spears." + +As he spoke he drove his spear at the great and terrible shield +of Achilles, which rang out as the point struck it. The son of +Peleus held the shield before him with his strong hand, and he +was afraid, for he deemed that Aeneas's spear would go through it +quite easily, not reflecting that the god's glorious gifts were +little likely to yield before the blows of mortal men; and indeed +Aeneas's spear did not pierce the shield, for the layer of gold, +gift of the god, stayed the point. It went through two layers, +but the god had made the shield in five, two of bronze, the two +innermost ones of tin, and one of gold; it was in this that the +spear was stayed. + +Achilles in his turn threw, and struck the round shield of Aeneas +at the very edge, where the bronze was thinnest; the spear of +Pelian ash went clean through, and the shield rang under the +blow; Aeneas was afraid, and crouched backwards, holding the +shield away from him; the spear, however, flew over his back, and +stuck quivering in the ground, after having gone through both +circles of the sheltering shield. Aeneas though he had avoided +the spear, stood still, blinded with fear and grief because the +weapon had gone so near him; then Achilles sprang furiously upon +him, with a cry as of death and with his keen blade drawn, and +Aeneas seized a great stone, so huge that two men, as men now +are, would be unable to lift it, but Aeneas wielded it quite +easily. + +Aeneas would then have struck Achilles as he was springing +towards him, either on the helmet, or on the shield that covered +him, and Achilles would have closed with him and despatched him +with his sword, had not Neptune lord of the earthquake been quick +to mark, and said forthwith to the immortals, "Alas, I am sorry +for great Aeneas, who will now go down to the house of Hades, +vanquished by the son of Peleus. Fool that he was to give ear to +the counsel of Apollo. Apollo will never save him from +destruction. Why should this man suffer when he is guiltless, to +no purpose, and in another's quarrel? Has he not at all times +offered acceptable sacrifice to the gods that dwell in heaven? +Let us then snatch him from death's jaws, lest the son of Saturn +be angry should Achilles slay him. It is fated, moreover, that he +should escape, and that the race of Dardanus, whom Jove loved +above all the sons born to him of mortal women, shall not perish +utterly without seed or sign. For now indeed has Jove hated the +blood of Priam, while Aeneas shall reign over the Trojans, he and +his children's children that shall be born hereafter." + +Then answered Juno, "Earth-shaker, look to this matter yourself, +and consider concerning Aeneas, whether you will save him, or +suffer him, brave though he be, to fall by the hand of Achilles +son of Peleus. For of a truth we two, I and Pallas Minerva, have +sworn full many a time before all the immortals, that never would +we shield Trojans from destruction, not even when all Troy is +burning in the flames that the Achaeans shall kindle." + +When earth-encircling Neptune heard this he went into the battle +amid the clash of spears, and came to the place where Achilles +and Aeneas were. Forthwith he shed a darkness before the eyes of +the son of Peleus, drew the bronze-headed ashen spear from the +shield of Aeneas, and laid it at the feet of Achilles. Then he +lifted Aeneas on high from off the earth and hurried him away. +Over the heads of many a band of warriors both horse and foot did +he soar as the god's hand sped him, till he came to the very +fringe of the battle where the Cauconians were arming themselves +for fight. Neptune, shaker of the earth, then came near to him +and said, "Aeneas, what god has egged you on to this folly in +fighting the son of Peleus, who is both a mightier man of valour +and more beloved of heaven than you are? Give way before him +whensoever you meet him, lest you go down to the house of Hades +even though fate would have it otherwise. When Achilles is dead +you may then fight among the foremost undaunted, for none other +of the Achaeans shall slay you." + +The god left him when he had given him these instructions, and at +once removed the darkness from before the eyes of Achilles, who +opened them wide indeed and said in great anger, "Alas! what +marvel am I now beholding? Here is my spear upon the ground, but +I see not him whom I meant to kill when I hurled it. Of a truth +Aeneas also must be under heaven's protection, although I had +thought his boasting was idle. Let him go hang; he will be in no +mood to fight me further, seeing how narrowly he has missed being +killed. I will now give my orders to the Danaans and attack some +other of the Trojans." + +He sprang forward along the line and cheered his men on as he did +so. "Let not the Trojans," he cried, "keep you at arm's length, +Achaeans, but go for them and fight them man for man. However +valiant I may be, I cannot give chase to so many and fight all of +them. Even Mars, who is an immortal, or Minerva, would shrink +from flinging himself into the jaws of such a fight and laying +about him; nevertheless, so far as in me lies I will show no +slackness of hand or foot nor want of endurance, not even for a +moment; I will utterly break their ranks, and woe to the Trojan +who shall venture within reach of my spear." + +Thus did he exhort them. Meanwhile Hector called upon the Trojans +and declared that he would fight Achilles. "Be not afraid, proud +Trojans," said he, "to face the son of Peleus; I could fight gods +myself if the battle were one of words only, but they would be +more than a match for me, if we had to use our spears. Even so +the deed of Achilles will fall somewhat short of his word; he +will do in part, and the other part he will clip short. I will go +up against him though his hands be as fire--though his hands be +fire and his strength iron." + +Thus urged the Trojans lifted up their spears against the +Achaeans, and raised the cry of battle as they flung themselves +into the midst of their ranks. But Phoebus Apollo came up to +Hector and said, "Hector, on no account must you challenge +Achilles to single combat; keep a lookout for him while you are +under cover of the others and away from the thick of the fight, +otherwise he will either hit you with a spear or cut you down at +close quarters." + +Thus he spoke, and Hector drew back within the crowd, for he was +afraid when he heard what the god had said to him. Achilles then +sprang upon the Trojans with a terrible cry, clothed in valour as +with a garment. First he killed Iphition son of Otrynteus, a +leader of much people whom a naiad nymph had borne to Otrynteus +waster of cities, in the land of Hyde under the snowy heights of +Mt. Tmolus. Achilles struck him full on the head as he was coming +on towards him, and split it clean in two; whereon he fell +heavily to the ground and Achilles vaunted over him saying, "You +be low, son of Otrynteus, mighty hero; your death is here, but +your lineage is on the Gygaean lake where your father's estate +lies, by Hyllus, rich in fish, and the eddying waters of Hermus." + +Thus did he vaunt, but darkness closed the eyes of the other. +The chariots of the Achaeans cut him up as their wheels passed +over him in the front of the battle, and after him Achilles +killed Demoleon, a valiant man of war and son to Antenor. He +struck him on the temple through his bronze-cheeked helmet. The +helmet did not stay the spear, but it went right on, crushing the +bone so that the brain inside was shed in all directions, and his +lust of fighting was ended. Then he struck Hippodamas in the +midriff as he was springing down from his chariot in front of +him, and trying to escape. He breathed his last, bellowing like a +bull bellows when young men are dragging him to offer him in +sacrifice to the King of Helice, and the heart of the +earth-shaker is glad; even so did he bellow as he lay dying. +Achilles then went in pursuit of Polydorus son of Priam, whom his +father had always forbidden to fight because he was the youngest +of his sons, the one he loved best, and the fastest runner. He, +in his folly and showing off the fleetness of his feet, was +rushing about among front ranks until he lost his life, for +Achilles struck him in the middle of the back as he was darting +past him: he struck him just at the golden fastenings of his belt +and where the two pieces of the double breastplate overlapped. +The point of the spear pierced him through and came out by the +navel, whereon he fell groaning on to his knees and a cloud of +darkness overshadowed him as he sank holding his entrails in his +hands. + +When Hector saw his brother Polydorus with his entrails in his +hands and sinking down upon the ground, a mist came over his +eyes, and he could not bear to keep longer at a distance; he +therefore poised his spear and darted towards Achilles like a +flame of fire. When Achilles saw him he bounded forward and +vaunted saying, "This is he that has wounded my heart most deeply +and has slain my beloved comrade. Not for long shall we two quail +before one another on the highways of war." + +He looked fiercely on Hector and said, "Draw near, that you may +meet your doom the sooner." Hector feared him not and answered, +"Son of Peleus, think not that your words can scare me as though +I were a child; I too if I will can brag and talk unseemly; I +know that you are a mighty warrior, mightier by far than I, +nevertheless the issue lies in the lap of heaven whether I, worse +man though I be, may not slay you with my spear, for this too has +been found keen ere now." + +He hurled his spear as he spoke, but Minerva breathed upon it, +and though she breathed but very lightly she turned it back from +going towards Achilles, so that it returned to Hector and lay at +his feet in front of him. Achilles then sprang furiously on him +with a loud cry, bent on killing him, but Apollo caught him up +easily as a god can, and hid him in a thick darkness. Thrice did +Achilles spring towards him spear in hand, and thrice did he +waste his blow upon the air. When he rushed forward for the +fourth time as though he were a god, he shouted aloud saying, +"Hound, this time too you have escaped death--but of a truth it +came exceedingly near you. Phoebus Apollo, to whom it seems you +pray before you go into battle, has again saved you; but if I too +have any friend among the gods I will surely make an end of you +when I come across you at some other time. Now, however, I will +pursue and overtake other Trojans." + +On this he struck Dryops with his spear, about the middle of his +neck, and he fell headlong at his feet. There he let him lie and +stayed Demouchus son of Philetor, a man both brave and of great +stature, by hitting him on the knee with a spear; then he smote +him with his sword and killed him. After this he sprang on +Laogonus and Dardanus, sons of Bias, and threw them from their +chariot, the one with a blow from a thrown spear, while the other +he cut down in hand-to-hand fight. There was also Tros the son of +Alastor--he came up to Achilles and clasped his knees in the hope +that he would spare him and not kill him but let him go, because +they were both of the same age. Fool, he might have known that he +should not prevail with him, for the man was in no mood for pity +or forbearance but was in grim earnest. Therefore when Tros laid +hold of his knees and sought a hearing for his prayers, Achilles +drove his sword into his liver, and the liver came rolling out, +while his bosom was all covered with the black blood that welled +from the wound. Thus did death close his eyes as he lay lifeless. + +Achilles then went up to Mulius and struck him on the ear with a +spear, and the bronze spear-head came right out at the other ear. +He also struck Echeclus son of Agenor on the head with his sword, +which became warm with the blood, while death and stern fate +closed the eyes of Echeclus. Next in order the bronze point of +his spear wounded Deucalion in the fore-arm where the sinews of +the elbow are united, whereon he waited Achilles' onset with his +arm hanging down and death staring him in the face. Achilles cut +his head off with a blow from his sword and flung it helmet and +all away from him, and the marrow came oozing out of his backbone +as he lay. He then went in pursuit of Rhigmus, noble son of +Peires, who had come from fertile Thrace, and struck him through +the middle with a spear which fixed itself in his belly, so that +he fell headlong from his chariot. He also speared Areithous +squire to Rhigmus in the back as he was turning his horses in +flight, and thrust him from his chariot, while the horses were +struck with panic. + +As a fire raging in some mountain glen after long drought--and +the dense forest is in a blaze, while the wind carries great +tongues of fire in every direction--even so furiously did +Achilles rage, wielding his spear as though he were a god, and +giving chase to those whom he would slay, till the dark earth ran +with blood. Or as one who yokes broad-browed oxen that they may +tread barley in a threshing-floor--and it is soon bruised small +under the feet of the lowing cattle--even so did the horses of +Achilles trample on the shields and bodies of the slain. The axle +underneath and the railing that ran round the car were +bespattered with clots of blood thrown up by the horses' hoofs, +and from the tyres of the wheels; but the son of Peleus pressed +on to win still further glory, and his hands were bedrabbled with +gore. + + + +BOOK XXI + + The fight between Achilles and the river Scamander--The gods + fight among themselves--Achilles drives the Trojans within + their gates. + +NOW when they came to the ford of the full-flowing river Xanthus, +begotten of immortal Jove, Achilles cut their forces in two: one +half he chased over the plain towards the city by the same way +that the Achaeans had taken when flying panic-stricken on the +preceding day with Hector in full triumph; this way did they fly +pell-mell, and Juno sent down a thick mist in front of them to +stay them. The other half were hemmed in by the deep +silver-eddying stream, and fell into it with a great uproar. The +waters resounded, and the banks rang again, as they swam hither +and thither with loud cries amid the whirling eddies. As locusts +flying to a river before the blast of a grass fire--the flame +comes on and on till at last it overtakes them and they huddle +into the water--even so was the eddying stream of Xanthus filled +with the uproar of men and horses, all struggling in confusion +before Achilles. + +Forthwith the hero left his spear upon the bank, leaning it +against a tamarisk bush, and plunged into the river like a god, +armed with his sword only. Fell was his purpose as he hewed the +Trojans down on every side. Their dying groans rose hideous as +the sword smote them, and the river ran red with blood. As when +fish fly scared before a huge dolphin, and fill every nook and +corner of some fair haven--for he is sure to eat all he can +catch--even so did the Trojans cower under the banks of the +mighty river, and when Achilles' arms grew weary with killing +them, he drew twelve youths alive out of the water, to sacrifice +in revenge for Patroclus son of Menoetius. He drew them out like +dazed fawns, bound their hands behind them with the girdles of +their own shirts, and gave them over to his men to take back to +the ships. Then he sprang into the river, thirsting for still +further blood. + +There he found Lycaon, son of Priam seed of Dardanus, as he was +escaping out of the water; he it was whom he had once taken +prisoner when he was in his father's vineyard, having set upon +him by night, as he was cutting young shoots from a wild fig-tree +to make the wicker sides of a chariot. Achilles then caught him +to his sorrow unawares, and sent him by sea to Lemnos, where the +son of Jason bought him. But a guest-friend, Eetion of Imbros, +freed him with a great sum, and sent him to Arisbe, whence he had +escaped and returned to his father's house. He had spent eleven +days happily with his friends after he had come from Lemnos, but +on the twelfth heaven again delivered him into the hands of +Achilles, who was to send him to the house of Hades sorely +against his will. He was unarmed when Achilles caught sight of +him, and had neither helmet nor shield; nor yet had he any spear, +for he had thrown all his armour from him on to the bank, and was +sweating with his struggles to get out of the river, so that his +strength was now failing him. + +Then Achilles said to himself in his surprise, "What marvel do I +see here? If this man can come back alive after having been sold +over into Lemnos, I shall have the Trojans also whom I have slain +rising from the world below. Could not even the waters of the +grey sea imprison him, as they do many another whether he will or +no? This time let him taste my spear, that I may know for certain +whether mother earth who can keep even a strong man down, will be +able to hold him, or whether thence too he will return." + +Thus did he pause and ponder. But Lycaon came up to him dazed and +trying hard to embrace his knees, for he would fain live, not +die. Achilles thrust at him with his spear, meaning to kill him, +but Lycaon ran crouching up to him and caught his knees, whereby +the spear passed over his back, and stuck in the ground, +hungering though it was for blood. With one hand he caught +Achilles' knees as he besought him, and with the other he +clutched the spear and would not let it go. Then he said, +"Achilles, have mercy upon me and spare me, for I am your +suppliant. It was in your tents that I first broke bread on the +day when you took me prisoner in the vineyard; after which you +sold me away to Lemnos far from my father and my friends, and I +brought you the price of a hundred oxen. I have paid three times +as much to gain my freedom; it is but twelve days that I have +come to Ilius after much suffering, and now cruel fate has again +thrown me into your hands. Surely father Jove must hate me, that +he has given me over to you a second time. Short of life indeed +did my mother Laothoe bear me, daughter of aged Altes--of Altes +who reigns over the warlike Lelegae and holds steep Pedasus on +the river Satnioeis. Priam married his daughter along with many +other women and two sons were born of her, both of whom you will +have slain. Your spear slew noble Polydorus as he was fighting in +the front ranks, and now evil will here befall me, for I fear +that I shall not escape you since heaven has delivered me over to +you. Furthermore I say, and lay my saying to your heart, spare +me, for I am not of the same womb as Hector who slew your brave +and noble comrade." + +With such words did the princely son of Priam beseech Achilles; +but Achilles answered him sternly. "Idiot," said he, "talk not to +me of ransom. Until Patroclus fell I preferred to give the +Trojans quarter, and sold beyond the sea many of those whom I had +taken alive; but now not a man shall live of those whom heaven +delivers into my hands before the city of Ilius--and of all +Trojans it shall fare hardest with the sons of Priam. Therefore, +my friend, you too shall die. Why should you whine in this way? +Patroclus fell, and he was a better man than you are. I too--see +you not how I am great and goodly? I am son to a noble father, +and have a goddess for my mother, but the hands of doom and death +overshadow me all as surely. The day will come, either at dawn or +dark, or at the noontide, when one shall take my life also in +battle, either with his spear, or with an arrow sped from his +bow." + +Thus did he speak, and Lycaon's heart sank within him. He loosed +his hold of the spear, and held out both hands before him; but +Achilles drew his keen blade, and struck him by the collar-bone +on his neck; he plunged his two-edged sword into him to the very +hilt, whereon he lay at full length on the ground, with the dark +blood welling from him till the earth was soaked. Then Achilles +caught him by the foot and flung him into the river to go down +stream, vaunting over him the while, and saying, "Lie there among +the fishes, who will lick the blood from your wound and gloat +over it; your mother shall not lay you on any bier to mourn you, +but the eddies of Scamander shall bear you into the broad bosom +of the sea. There shall the fishes feed on the fat of Lycaon as +they dart under the dark ripple of the waters--so perish all of +you till we reach the citadel of strong Ilius--you in flight, and +I following after to destroy you. The river with its broad silver +stream shall serve you in no stead, for all the bulls you offered +him and all the horses that you flung living into his waters. +None the less miserably shall you perish till there is not a man +of you but has paid in full for the death of Patroclus and the +havoc you wrought among the Achaeans whom you have slain while I +held aloof from battle." + +So spoke Achilles, but the river grew more and more angry, and +pondered within himself how he should stay the hand of Achilles +and save the Trojans from disaster. Meanwhile the son of Peleus, +spear in hand, sprang upon Asteropaeus son of Pelegon to kill +him. He was son to the broad river Axius and Periboea eldest +daughter of Acessamenus; for the river had lain with her. +Asteropaeus stood up out of the water to face him with a spear in +either hand, and Xanthus filled him with courage, being angry for +the death of the youths whom Achilles was slaying ruthlessly +within his waters. When they were close up with one another +Achilles was first to speak. "Who and whence are you," said he, +"who dare to face me? Woe to the parents whose son stands up +against me." And the son of Pelegon answered, "Great son of +Peleus, why should you ask my lineage. I am from the fertile land +of far Paeonia, captain of the Paeonians, and it is now eleven +days that I am at Ilius. I am of the blood of the river Axius--of +Axius that is the fairest of all rivers that run. He begot the +famed warrior Pelegon, whose son men call me. Let us now fight, +Achilles." + +Thus did he defy him, and Achilles raised his spear of Pelian +ash. Asteropaeus failed with both his spears, for he could use +both hands alike; with the one spear he struck Achilles' shield, +but did not pierce it, for the layer of gold, gift of the god, +stayed the point; with the other spear he grazed the elbow of +Achilles' right arm drawing dark blood, but the spear itself went +by him and fixed itself in the ground, foiled of its bloody +banquet. Then Achilles, fain to kill him, hurled his spear at +Asteropaeus, but failed to hit him and struck the steep bank of +the river, driving the spear half its length into the earth. The +son of Peleus then drew his sword and sprang furiously upon him. +Asteropaeus vainly tried to draw Achilles' spear out of the bank +by main force; thrice did he tug at it, trying with all his might +to draw it out, and thrice he had to leave off trying; the fourth +time he tried to bend and break it, but ere he could do so +Achilles smote him with his sword and killed him. He struck him +in the belly near the navel, so that all his bowels came gushing +out on to the ground, and the darkness of death came over him as +he lay gasping. Then Achilles set his foot on his chest and +spoiled him of his armour, vaunting over him and saying, "Lie +there--begotten of a river though you be, it is hard for you to +strive with the offspring of Saturn's son. You declare yourself +sprung from the blood of a broad river, but I am of the seed of +mighty Jove. My father is Peleus, son of Aeacus ruler over the +many Myrmidons, and Aeacus was the son of Jove. Therefore as Jove +is mightier than any river that flows into the sea, so are his +children stronger than those of any river whatsoever. Moreover +you have a great river hard by if he can be of any use to you, +but there is no fighting against Jove the son of Saturn, with +whom not even King Achelous can compare, nor the mighty stream of +deep-flowing Oceanus, from whom all rivers and seas with all +springs and deep wells proceed; even Oceanus fears the lightnings +of great Jove, and his thunder that comes crashing out of +heaven." + +With this he drew his bronze spear out of the bank, and now that +he had killed Asteropaeus, he let him lie where he was on the +sand, with the dark water flowing over him and the eels and +fishes busy nibbling and gnawing the fat that was about his +kidneys. Then he went in chase of the Paeonians, who were flying +along the bank of the river in panic when they saw their leader +slain by the hands of the son of Peleus. Therein he slew +Thersilochus, Mydon, Astypylus, Mnesus, Thrasius, Oeneus, and +Ophelestes, and he would have slain yet others, had not the river +in anger taken human form, and spoken to him from out the deep +waters saying, "Achilles, if you excel all in strength, so do you +also in wickedness, for the gods are ever with you to protect +you: if, then, the son of Saturn has vouchsafed it to you to +destroy all the Trojans, at any rate drive them out of my stream, +and do your grim work on land. My fair waters are now filled with +corpses, nor can I find any channel by which I may pour myself +into the sea for I am choked with dead, and yet you go on +mercilessly slaying. I am in despair, therefore, O captain of +your host, trouble me no further." + +Achilles answered, "So be it, Scamander, Jove-descended; but I +will never cease dealing out death among the Trojans, till I have +pent them up in their city, and made trial of Hector face to +face, that I may learn whether he is to vanquish me, or I him." + +As he spoke he set upon the Trojans with a fury like that of the +gods. But the river said to Apollo, "Surely, son of Jove, lord of +the silver bow, you are not obeying the commands of Jove who +charged you straitly that you should stand by the Trojans and +defend them, till twilight fades, and darkness is over an the +earth." + +Meanwhile Achilles sprang from the bank into mid-stream, whereon +the river raised a high wave and attacked him. He swelled his +stream into a torrent, and swept away the many dead whom Achilles +had slain and left within his waters. These he cast out on to the +land, bellowing like a bull the while, but the living he saved +alive, hiding them in his mighty eddies. The great and terrible +wave gathered about Achilles, falling upon him and beating on his +shield, so that he could not keep his feet; he caught hold of a +great elm-tree, but it came up by the roots, and tore away the +bank, damming the stream with its thick branches and bridging it +all across; whereby Achilles struggled out of the stream, and +fled full speed over the plain, for he was afraid. + +But the mighty god ceased not in his pursuit, and sprang upon him +with a dark-crested wave, to stay his hands and save the Trojans +from destruction. The son of Peleus darted away a spear's throw +from him; swift as the swoop of a black hunter-eagle which is the +strongest and fleetest of all birds, even so did he spring +forward, and the armour rang loudly about his breast. He fled on +in front, but the river with a loud roar came tearing after. As +one who would water his garden leads a stream from some fountain +over his plants, and all his ground-spade in hand he clears away +the dams to free the channels, and the little stones run rolling +round and round with the water as it goes merrily down the bank +faster than the man can follow--even so did the river keep +catching up with Achilles albeit he was a fleet runner, for the +gods are stronger than men. As often as he would strive to stand +his ground, and see whether or no all the gods in heaven were in +league against him, so often would the mighty wave come beating +down upon his shoulders, and he would have to keep flying on and +on in great dismay; for the angry flood was tiring him out as it +flowed past him and ate the ground from under his feet. + +Then the son of Peleus lifted up his voice to heaven saying, +"Father Jove, is there none of the gods who will take pity upon +me, and save me from the river? I do not care what may happen to +me afterwards. I blame none of the other dwellers on Olympus so +severely as I do my dear mother, who has beguiled and tricked me. +She told me I was to fall under the walls of Troy by the flying +arrows of Apollo; would that Hector, the best man among the +Trojans, might there slay me; then should I fall a hero by the +hand of a hero; whereas now it seems that I shall come to a most +pitiable end, trapped in this river as though I were some +swineherd's boy, who gets carried down a torrent while trying to +cross it during a storm." + +As soon as he had spoken thus, Neptune and Minerva came up to him +in the likeness of two men, and took him by the hand to reassure +him. Neptune spoke first. "Son of Peleus," said he, "be not so +exceeding fearful; we are two gods, come with Jove's sanction to +assist you, I, and Pallas Minerva. It is not your fate to perish +in this river; he will abate presently as you will see; moreover +we strongly advise you, if you will be guided by us, not to stay +your hand from fighting till you have pent the Trojan host within +the famed walls of Ilius--as many of them as may escape. Then +kill Hector and go back to the ships, for we will vouchsafe you a +triumph over him." + +When they had so said they went back to the other immortals, but +Achilles strove onward over the plain, encouraged by the charge +the gods had laid upon him. All was now covered with the flood of +waters, and much goodly armour of the youths that had been slain +was rifting about, as also many corpses, but he forced his way +against the stream, speeding right onwards, nor could the broad +waters stay him, for Minerva had endowed him with great strength. +Nevertheless Scamander did not slacken in his pursuit, but was +still more furious with the son of Peleus. He lifted his waters +into a high crest and cried aloud to Simois saying, "Dear +brother, let the two of us unite to save this man, or he will +sack the mighty city of King Priam, and the Trojans will not hold +out against him. Help me at once; fill your streams with water +from their sources, rouse all your torrents to a fury; raise your +wave on high, and let snags and stones come thundering down you +that we may make an end of this savage creature who is now +lording it as though he were a god. Nothing shall serve him +longer, not strength nor comeliness, nor his fine armour, which +forsooth shall soon be lying low in the deep waters covered over +with mud. I will wrap him in sand, and pour tons of shingle round +him, so that the Achaeans shall not know how to gather his bones +for the silt in which I shall have hidden him, and when they +celebrate his funeral they need build no barrow." + +On this he upraised his tumultuous flood high against Achilles, +seething as it was with foam and blood and the bodies of the +dead. The dark waters of the river stood upright and would have +overwhelmed the son of Peleus, but Juno, trembling lest Achilles +should be swept away in the mighty torrent, lifted her voice on +high and called out to Vulcan her son. "Crook-foot," she cried, +"my child, be up and doing, for I deem it is with you that +Xanthus is fain to fight; help us at once, kindle a fierce fire; +I will then bring up the west and the white south wind in a +mighty hurricane from the sea, that shall bear the flames against +the heads and armour of the Trojans and consume them, while you +go along the banks of Xanthus burning his trees and wrapping him +round with fire. Let him not turn you back neither by fair words +nor foul, and slacken not till I shout and tell you. Then you may +stay your flames." + +On this Vulcan kindled a fierce fire, which broke out first upon +the plain and burned the many dead whom Achilles had killed and +whose bodies were lying about in great numbers; by this means the +plain was dried and the flood stayed. As the north wind, blowing +on an orchard that has been sodden with autumn rain, soon dries +it, and the heart of the owner is glad--even so the whole plain +was dried and the dead bodies were consumed. Then he turned +tongues of fire on to the river. He burned the elms the willows +and the tamarisks, the lotus also, with the rushes and marshy +herbage that grew abundantly by the banks of the river. The eels +and fishes that go darting about everywhere in the water, these, +too, were sorely harassed by the flames that cunning Vulcan had +kindled, and the river himself was scalded, so that he spoke +saying, "Vulcan, there is no god can hold his own against you. I +cannot fight you when you flare out your flames in this way; +strive with me no longer. Let Achilles drive the Trojans out of +city immediately. What have I to do with quarrelling and helping +people?" + +He was boiling as he spoke, and all his waters were seething. As +a cauldron upon a large fire boils when it is melting the lard of +some fatted hog, and the lard keeps bubbling up all over when the +dry faggots blaze under it--even so were the goodly waters of +Xanthus heated with the fire till they were boiling. He could +flow no longer but stayed his stream, so afflicted was he by the +blasts of fire which cunning Vulcan had raised. Then he prayed to +Juno and besought her saying, "Juno, why should your son vex my +stream with such especial fury? I am not so much to blame as all +the others are who have been helping the Trojans. I will leave +off, since you so desire it, and let son leave off also. +Furthermore I swear never again will I do anything to save the +Trojans from destruction, not even when all Troy is burning in +the flames which the Achaeans will kindle." + +As soon as Juno heard this she said to her son Vulcan, "Son +Vulcan, hold now your flames; we ought not to use such violence +against a god for the sake of mortals." + +When she had thus spoken Vulcan quenched his flames, and the +river went back once more into his own fair bed. + +Xanthus was now beaten, so these two left off fighting, for Juno +stayed them though she was still angry; but a furious quarrel +broke out among the other gods, for they were of divided +counsels. They fell on one another with a mighty uproar--earth +groaned, and the spacious firmament rang out as with a blare of +trumpets. Jove heard as he was sitting on Olympus, and laughed +for joy when he saw the gods coming to blows among themselves. +They were not long about beginning, and Mars piercer of shields +opened the battle. Sword in hand he sprang at once upon Minerva +and reviled her. "Why, vixen," said he, "have you again set the +gods by the ears in the pride and haughtiness of your heart? Have +you forgotten how you set Diomed son of Tydeus on to wound me, +and yourself took visible spear and drove it into me to the hurt +of my fair body? You shall now suffer for what you then did to +me." + +As he spoke he struck her on the terrible tasselled aegis--so +terrible that not even can Jove's lightning pierce it. Here did +murderous Mars strike her with his great spear. She drew back and +with her strong hand seized a stone that was lying on the plain-- +great and rugged and black--which men of old had set for the +boundary of a field. With this she struck Mars on the neck, and +brought him down. Nine roods did he cover in his fall, and his +hair was all soiled in the dust, while his armour rang rattling +round him. But Minerva laughed and vaunted over him saying, +"Idiot, have you not learned how far stronger I am than you, but +you must still match yourself against me? Thus do your mother's +curses now roost upon you, for she is angry and would do you +mischief because you have deserted the Achaeans and are helping +the Trojans." + +She then turned her two piercing eyes elsewhere, whereon Jove's +daughter Venus took Mars by the hand and led him away groaning +all the time, for it was only with great difficulty that he had +come to himself again. When Queen Juno saw her, she said to +Minerva, "Look, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, that +vixen Venus is again taking Mars through the crowd out of the +battle; go after her at once." + +Thus she spoke. Minerva sped after Venus with a will, and made at +her, striking her on the bosom with her strong hand so that she +fell fainting to the ground, and there they both lay stretched at +full length. Then Minerva vaunted over her saying, "May all who +help the Trojans against the Argives prove just as redoubtable +and stalwart as Venus did when she came across me while she was +helping Mars. Had this been so, we should long since have ended +the war by sacking the strong city of Ilius." + +Juno smiled as she listened. Meanwhile King Neptune turned to +Apollo saying, "Phoebus, why should we keep each other at arm's +length? it is not well, now that the others have begun fighting; +it will be disgraceful to us if we return to Jove's +bronze-floored mansion on Olympus without having fought each +other; therefore come on, you are the younger of the two, and I +ought not to attack you, for I am older and have had more +experience. Idiot, you have no sense, and forget how we two alone +of all the gods fared hardly round about Ilius when we came from +Jove's house and worked for Laomedon a whole year at a stated +wage and he gave us his orders. I built the Trojans the wall +about their city, so wide and fair that it might be impregnable, +while you, Phoebus, herded cattle for him in the dales of many +valleyed Ida. When, however, the glad hours brought round the +time of payment, mighty Laomedon robbed us of all our hire and +sent us off with nothing but abuse. He threatened to bind us hand +and foot and sell us over into some distant island. He tried, +moreover, to cut off the ears of both of us, so we went away in a +rage, furious about the payment he had promised us, and yet +withheld; in spite of all this, you are now showing favour to his +people, and will not join us in compassing the utter ruin of the +proud Trojans with their wives and children." + +And King Apollo answered, "Lord of the earthquake, you would have +no respect for me if I were to fight you about a pack of +miserable mortals, who come out like leaves in summer and eat the +fruit of the field, and presently fall lifeless to the ground. +Let us stay this fighting at once and let them settle it among +themselves." + +He turned away as he spoke, for he would lay no hand on the +brother of his own father. But his sister the huntress Diana, +patroness of wild beasts, was very angry with him and said, "So +you would fly, Far-Darter, and hand victory over to Neptune with +a cheap vaunt to boot. Baby, why keep your bow thus idle? Never +let me again hear you bragging in my father's house, as you have +often done in the presence of the immortals, that you would stand +up and fight with Neptune." + +Apollo made her no answer, but Jove's august queen was angry and +upbraided her bitterly. "Bold vixen," she cried, "how dare you +cross me thus? For all your bow you will find it hard to hold +your own against me. Jove made you as a lion among women, and +lets you kill them whenever you choose. You will find it better +to chase wild beasts and deer upon the mountains than to fight +those who are stronger than you are. If you would try war, do so, +and find out by pitting yourself against me, how far stronger I +am than you are." + +She caught both Diana's wrists with her left hand as she spoke, +and with her right she took the bow from her shoulders, and +laughed as she beat her with it about the ears while Diana +wriggled and writhed under her blows. Her swift arrows were shed +upon the ground, and she fled weeping from under Juno's hand as a +dove that flies before a falcon to the cleft of some hollow rock, +when it is her good fortune to escape. Even so did she fly +weeping away, leaving her bow and arrows behind her. + +Then the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, said to Leto, +"Leto, I shall not fight you; it is ill to come to blows with any +of Jove's wives. Therefore boast as you will among the immortals +that you worsted me in fair fight." + +Leto then gathered up Diana's bow and arrows that had fallen +about amid the whirling dust, and when she had got them she made +all haste after her daughter. Diana had now reached Jove's +bronze-floored mansion on Olympus, and sat herself down with many +tears on the knees of her father, while her ambrosial raiment was +quivering all about her. The son of Saturn drew her towards him, +and laughing pleasantly the while began to question her saying, +"Which of the heavenly beings, my dear child, has been treating +you in this cruel manner, as though you had been misconducting +yourself in the face of everybody?" and the fair-crowned goddess +of the chase answered, "It was your wife Juno, father, who has +been beating me; it is always her doing when there is any +quarrelling among the immortals." + +Thus did they converse, and meanwhile Phoebus Apollo entered the +strong city of Ilius, for he was uneasy lest the wall should not +hold out and the Danaans should take the city then and there, +before its hour had come; but the rest of the ever-living gods +went back, some angry and some triumphant to Olympus, where they +took their seats beside Jove lord of the storm cloud, while +Achilles still kept on dealing out death alike on the Trojans and +on their horses. As when the smoke from some burning city ascends +to heaven when the anger of the gods has kindled it--there is +then toil for all, and sorrow for not a few--even so did Achilles +bring toil and sorrow on the Trojans. + +Old King Priam stood on a high tower of the wall looking down on +huge Achilles as the Trojans fled panic-stricken before him, and +there was none to help them. Presently he came down from off the +tower and with many a groan went along the wall to give orders to +the brave warders of the gate. "Keep the gates," said he, "wide +open till the people come flying into the city, for Achilles is +hard by and is driving them in rout before him. I see we are in +great peril. As soon as our people are inside and in safety, +close the strong gates for I fear lest that terrible man should +come bounding inside along with the others." + +As he spoke they drew back the bolts and opened the gates, and +when these were opened there was a haven of refuge for the +Trojans. Apollo then came full speed out of the city to meet them +and protect them. Right for the city and the high wall, parched +with thirst and grimy with dust, still they fied on, with +Achilles wielding his spear furiously behind them. For he was as +one possessed, and was thirsting after glory. + +Then had the sons of the Achaeans taken the lofty gates of Troy +if Apollo had not spurred on Agenor, valiant and noble son to +Antenor. He put courage into his heart, and stood by his side to +guard him, leaning against a beech tree and shrouded in thick +darkness. When Agenor saw Achilles he stood still and his heart +was clouded with care. "Alas," said he to himself in his dismay, +"if I fly before mighty Achilles, and go where all the others are +being driven in rout, he will none the less catch me and kill me +for a coward. How would it be were I to let Achilles drive the +others before him, and then fly from the wall to the plain that +is behind Ilius till I reach the spurs of Ida and can hide in the +underwood that is thereon? I could then wash the sweat from off +me in the river and in the evening return to Ilius. But why +commune with myself in this way? Like enough he would see me as I +am hurrying from the city over the plain, and would speed after +me till he had caught me--I should stand no chance against him, +for he is mightiest of all mankind. What, then, if I go out and +meet him in front of the city? His flesh too, I take it, can be +pierced by pointed bronze. Life is the same in one and all, and +men say that he is but mortal despite the triumph that Jove son +of Saturn vouchsafes him." + +So saying he stood on his guard and awaited Achilles, for he was +now fain to fight him. As a leopardess that bounds from out a +thick covert to attack a hunter--she knows no fear and is not +dismayed by the baying of the hounds; even though the man be too +quick for her and wound her either with thrust or spear, still, +though the spear has pierced her she will not give in till she +has either caught him in her grip or been killed outright--even +so did noble Agenor son of Antenor refuse to fly till he had made +trial of Achilles, and took aim at him with his spear, holding +his round shield before him and crying with a loud voice. "Of a +truth," said he, "noble Achilles, you deem that you shall this +day sack the city of the proud Trojans. Fool, there will be +trouble enough yet before it, for there is many a brave man of us +still inside who will stand in front of our dear parents with our +wives and children, to defend Ilius. Here therefore, huge and +mighty warrior though you be, here shall you die." + +As he spoke his strong hand hurled his javelin from him, and the +spear struck Achilles on the leg beneath the knee; the greave of +newly wrought tin rang loudly, but the spear recoiled from the +body of him whom it had struck, and did not pierce it, for the +gods gift stayed it. Achilles in his turn attacked noble Agenor, +but Apollo would not vouchsafe him glory, for he snatched Agenor +away and hid him in a thick mist, sending him out of the battle +unmolested Then he craftily drew the son of Peleus away from +going after the host, for he put on the semblance of Agenor and +stood in front of Achilles, who ran towards him to give him chase +and pursued him over the corn lands of the plain, turning him +towards the deep waters of the river Scamander. Apollo ran but a +little way before him and beguiled Achilles by making him think +all the time that he was on the point of overtaking him. +Meanwhile the rabble of routed Trojans was thankful to crowd +within the city till their numbers thronged it; no longer did +they dare wait for one another outside the city walls, to learn +who had escaped and who were fallen in fight, but all whose feet +and knees could still carry them poured pell-mell into the town. + + + +BOOK XXII + + The death of Hector. + +THUS the Trojans in the city, scared like fawns, wiped the sweat +from off them and drank to quench their thirst, leaning against +the goodly battlements, while the Achaeans with their shields +laid upon their shoulders drew close up to the walls. But stern +fate bade Hector stay where he was before Ilius and the Scaean +gates. Then Phoebus Apollo spoke to the son of Peleus saying, +"Why, son of Peleus, do you, who are but man, give chase to me +who am immortal? Have you not yet found out that it is a god whom +you pursue so furiously? You did not harass the Trojans whom you +had routed, and now they are within their walls, while you have +been decoyed hither away from them. Me you cannot kill, for death +can take no hold upon me." + +Achilles was greatly angered and said, "You have baulked me, +Far-Darter, most malicious of all gods, and have drawn me away +from the wall, where many another man would have bitten the dust +ere he got within Ilius; you have robbed me of great glory and +have saved the Trojans at no risk to yourself, for you have +nothing to fear, but I would indeed have my revenge if it were in +my power to do so." + +On this, with fell intent he made towards the city, and as the +winning horse in a chariot race strains every nerve when he is +flying over the plain, even so fast and furiously did the limbs +of Achilles bear him onwards. King Priam was first to note him as +he scoured the plain, all radiant as the star which men call +Orion's Hound, and whose beams blaze forth in time of harvest +more brilliantly than those of any other that shines by night; +brightest of them all though he be, he yet bodes ill for mortals, +for he brings fire and fever in his train--even so did Achilles' +armour gleam on his breast as he sped onwards. Priam raised a cry +and beat his head with his hands as he lifted them up and shouted +out to his dear son, imploring him to return; but Hector still +stayed before the gates, for his heart was set upon doing battle +with Achilles. The old man reached out his arms towards him and +bade him for pity's sake come within the walls. "Hector," he +cried, "my son, stay not to face this man alone and unsupported, +or you will meet death at the hands of the son of Peleus, for he +is mightier than you. Monster that he is; would indeed that the +gods loved him no better than I do, for so, dogs and vultures +would soon devour him as he lay stretched on earth, and a load of +grief would be lifted from my heart, for many a brave son has he +reft from me, either by killing them or selling them away in the +islands that are beyond the sea: even now I miss two sons from +among the Trojans who have thronged within the city, Lycaon and +Polydorus, whom Laothoe peeress among women bore me. Should they +be still alive and in the hands of the Achaeans, we will ransom +them with gold and bronze, of which we have store, for the old +man Altes endowed his daughter richly; but if they are already +dead and in the house of Hades, sorrow will it be to us two who +were their parents; albeit the grief of others will be more +short-lived unless you too perish at the hands of Achilles. Come, +then, my son, within the city, to be the guardian of Trojan men +and Trojan women, or you will both lose your own life and afford +a mighty triumph to the son of Peleus. Have pity also on your +unhappy father while life yet remains to him--on me, whom the son +of Saturn will destroy by a terrible doom on the threshold of old +age, after I have seen my sons slain and my daughters haled away +as captives, my bridal chambers pillaged, little children dashed +to earth amid the rage of battle, and my sons' wives dragged away +by the cruel hands of the Achaeans; in the end fierce hounds will +tear me in pieces at my own gates after some one has beaten the +life out of my body with sword or spear-hounds that I myself +reared and fed at my own table to guard my gates, but who will +yet lap my blood and then lie all distraught at my doors. When a +young man falls by the sword in battle, he may lie where he is +and there is nothing unseemly; let what will be seen, all is +honourable in death, but when an old man is slain there is +nothing in this world more pitiable than that dogs should defile +his grey hair and beard and all that men hide for shame." + +The old man tore his grey hair as he spoke, but he moved not the +heart of Hector. His mother hard by wept and moaned aloud as she +bared her bosom and pointed to the breast which had suckled him. +"Hector," she cried, weeping bitterly the while, "Hector, my son, +spurn not this breast, but have pity upon me too: if I have ever +given you comfort from my own bosom, think on it now, dear son, +and come within the wall to protect us from this man; stand not +without to meet him. Should the wretch kill you, neither I nor +your richly dowered wife shall ever weep, dear offshoot of +myself, over the bed on which you lie, for dogs will devour you +at the ships of the Achaeans." + +Thus did the two with many tears implore their son, but they +moved not the heart of Hector, and he stood his ground awaiting +huge Achilles as he drew nearer towards him. As serpent in its +den upon the mountains, full fed with deadly poisons, waits for +the approach of man--he is filled with fury and his eyes glare +terribly as he goes writhing round his den--even so Hector leaned +his shield against a tower that jutted out from the wall and +stood where he was, undaunted. + +"Alas," said he to himself in the heaviness of his heart, "if I +go within the gates, Polydamas will be the first to heap reproach +upon me, for it was he that urged me to lead the Trojans back to +the city on that awful night when Achilles again came forth +against us. I would not listen, but it would have been indeed +better if I had done so. Now that my folly has destroyed the +host, I dare not look Trojan men and Trojan women in the face, +lest a worse man should say, 'Hector has ruined us by his +self-confidence.' Surely it would be better for me to return +after having fought Achilles and slain him, or to die gloriously +here before the city. What, again, if I were to lay down my +shield and helmet, lean my spear against the wall and go straight +up to noble Achilles? What if I were to promise to give up Helen, +who was the fountainhead of all this war, and all the treasure +that Alexandrus brought with him in his ships to Troy, aye, and +to let the Achaeans divide the half of everything that the city +contains among themselves? I might make the Trojans, by the +mouths of their princes, take a solemn oath that they would hide +nothing, but would divide into two shares all that is within the +city--but why argue with myself in this way? Were I to go up to +him he would show me no kind of mercy; he would kill me then and +there as easily as though I were a woman, when I had off my +armour. There is no parleying with him from some rock or oak +tree as young men and maidens prattle with one another. Better +fight him at once, and learn to which of us Jove will vouchsafe +victory." + +Thus did he stand and ponder, but Achilles came up to him as it +were Mars himself, plumed lord of battle. From his right shoulder +he brandished his terrible spear of Pelian ash, and the bronze +gleamed around him like flashing fire or the rays of the rising +sun. Fear fell upon Hector as he beheld him, and he dared not +stay longer where he was but fled in dismay from before the +gates, while Achilles darted after him at his utmost speed. As a +mountain falcon, swiftest of all birds, swoops down upon some +cowering dove--the dove flies before him but the falcon with a +shrill scream follows close after, resolved to have her--even so +did Achilles make straight for Hector with all his might, while +Hector fled under the Trojan wall as fast as his limbs could take +him. + +On they flew along the waggon-road that ran hard by under the +wall, past the lookout station, and past the weather-beaten wild +fig-tree, till they came to two fair springs which feed the river +Scamander. One of these two springs is warm, and steam rises from +it as smoke from a burning fire, but the other even in summer is +as cold as hail or snow, or the ice that forms on water. Here, +hard by the springs, are the goodly washing-troughs of stone, +where in the time of peace before the coming of the Achaeans the +wives and fair daughters of the Trojans used to wash their +clothes. Past these did they fly, the one in front and the other +giving chase behind him: good was the man that fled, but better +far was he that followed after, and swiftly indeed did they run, +for the prize was no mere beast for sacrifice or bullock's hide, +as it might be for a common foot-race, but they ran for the life +of Hector. As horses in a chariot race speed round the +turning-posts when they are running for some great prize--a +tripod or woman--at the games in honour of some dead hero, so did +these two run full speed three times round the city of Priam. All +the gods watched them, and the sire of gods and men was the first +to speak. + +"Alas," said he, "my eyes behold a man who is dear to me being +pursued round the walls of Troy; my heart is full of pity for +Hector, who has burned the thigh-bones of many a heifer in my +honour, one while on the crests of many-valleyed Ida, and again +on the citadel of Troy; and now I see noble Achilles in full +pursuit of him round the city of Priam. What say you? Consider +among yourselves and decide whether we shall now save him or let +him fall, valiant though he be, before Achilles, son of Peleus." + +Then Minerva said, "Father, wielder of the lightning, lord of +cloud and storm, what mean you? Would you pluck this mortal whose +doom has long been decreed out of the jaws of death? Do as you +will, but we others shall not be of a mind with you." + +And Jove answered, "My child, Trito-born, take heart. I did not +speak in full earnest, and I will let you have your way. Do +without let or hindrance as you are minded." + +Thus did he urge Minerva who was already eager, and down she +darted from the topmost summits of Olympus. + +Achilles was still in full pursuit of Hector, as a hound chasing +a fawn which he has started from its covert on the mountains, and +hunts through glade and thicket. The fawn may try to elude him by +crouching under cover of a bush, but he will scent her out and +follow her up until he gets her--even so there was no escape for +Hector from the fleet son of Peleus. Whenever he made a set to +get near the Dardanian gates and under the walls, that his people +might help him by showering down weapons from above, Achilles +would gain on him and head him back towards the plain, keeping +himself always on the city side. As a man in a dream who fails to +lay hands upon another whom he is pursuing--the one cannot escape +nor the other overtake--even so neither could Achilles come up +with Hector, nor Hector break away from Achilles; nevertheless he +might even yet have escaped death had not the time come when +Apollo, who thus far had sustained his strength and nerved his +running, was now no longer to stay by him. Achilles made signs to +the Achaean host, and shook his head to show that no man was to +aim a dart at Hector, lest another might win the glory of having +hit him and he might himself come in second. Then, at last, as +they were nearing the fountains for the fourth time, the father +of all balanced his golden scales and placed a doom in each of +them, one for Achilles and the other for Hector. As he held the +scales by the middle, the doom of Hector fell down deep into the +house of Hades--and then Phoebus Apollo left him. Thereon Minerva +went close up to the son of Peleus and said, "Noble Achilles, +favoured of heaven, we two shall surely take back to the ships a +triumph for the Achaeans by slaying Hector, for all his lust of +battle. Do what Apollo may as he lies grovelling before his +father, aegis-bearing Jove, Hector cannot escape us longer. Stay +here and take breath, while I go up to him and persuade him to +make a stand and fight you." + +Thus spoke Minerva. Achilles obeyed her gladly, and stood still, +leaning on his bronze-pointed ashen spear, while Minerva left him +and went after Hector in the form and with the voice of +Deiphobus. She came close up to him and said, "Dear brother, I +see you are hard pressed by Achilles who is chasing you at full +speed round the city of Priam, let us await his onset and stand +on our defence." + +And Hector answered, "Deiphobus, you have always been dearest to +me of all my brothers, children of Hecuba and Priam, but +henceforth I shall rate you yet more highly, inasmuch as you have +ventured outside the wall for my sake when all the others remain +inside." + +Then Minerva said, "Dear brother, my father and mother went down +on their knees and implored me, as did all my comrades, to remain +inside, so great a fear has fallen upon them all; but I was in an +agony of grief when I beheld you; now, therefore, let us two make +a stand and fight, and let there be no keeping our spears in +reserve, that we may learn whether Achilles shall kill us and +bear off our spoils to the ships, or whether he shall fall before +you." + +Thus did Minerva inveigle him by her cunning, and when the two +were now close to one another great Hector was first to speak. "I +will-no longer fly you, son of Peleus," said he, "as I have been +doing hitherto. Three times have I fled round the mighty city of +Priam, without daring to withstand you, but now, let me either +slay or be slain, for I am in the mind to face you. Let us, then, +give pledges to one another by our gods, who are the fittest +witnesses and guardians of all covenants; let it be agreed +between us that if Jove vouchsafes me the longer stay and I take +your life, I am not to treat your dead body in any unseemly +fashion, but when I have stripped you of your armour, I am to +give up your body to the Achaeans. And do you likewise." + +Achilles glared at him and answered, "Fool, prate not to me about +covenants. There can be no covenants between men and lions, +wolves and lambs can never be of one mind, but hate each other +out and out an through. Therefore there can be no understanding +between you and me, nor may there be any covenants between us, +till one or other shall fall and glut grim Mars with his life's +blood. Put forth all your strength; you have need now to prove +yourself indeed a bold soldier and man of war. You have no more +chance, and Pallas Minerva will forthwith vanquish you by my +spear: you shall now pay me in full for the grief you have caused +me on account of my comrades whom you have killed in battle." + +He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it. Hector saw it +coming and avoided it; he watched it and crouched down so that it +flew over his head and stuck in the ground beyond; Minerva then +snatched it up and gave it back to Achilles without Hector's +seeing her; Hector thereon said to the son of Peleus, "You have +missed your aim, Achilles, peer of the gods, and Jove has not yet +revealed to you the hour of my doom, though you made sure that he +had done so. You were a false-tongued liar when you deemed that I +should forget my valour and quail before you. You shall not drive +spear into the back of a runaway--drive it, should heaven so +grant you power, drive it into me as I make straight towards you; +and now for your own part avoid my spear if you can--would that +you might receive the whole of it into your body; if you were +once dead the Trojans would find the war an easier matter, for it +is you who have harmed them most." + +He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it. His aim was true +for he hit the middle of Achilles' shield, but the spear +rebounded from it, and did not pierce it. Hector was angry when +he saw that the weapon had sped from his hand in vain, and stood +there in dismay for he had no second spear. With a loud cry he +called Deiphobus and asked him for one, but there was no man; +then he saw the truth and said to himself, "Alas! the gods have +lured me on to my destruction. I deemed that the hero Deiphobus +was by my side, but he is within the wall, and Minerva has +inveigled me; death is now indeed exceedingly near at hand and +there is no way out of it--for so Jove and his son Apollo the +far-darter have willed it, though heretofore they have been ever +ready to protect me. My doom has come upon me; let me not then +die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some +great thing that shall be told among men hereafter." + +As he spoke he drew the keen blade that hung so great and strong +by his side, and gathering himself together be sprang on Achilles +like a soaring eagle which swoops down from the clouds on to some +lamb or timid hare--even so did Hector brandish his sword and +spring upon Achilles. Achilles mad with rage darted towards him, +with his wondrous shield before his breast, and his gleaming +helmet, made with four layers of metal, nodding fiercely forward. +The thick tresses of gold with which Vulcan had crested the +helmet floated round it, and as the evening star that shines +brighter than all others through the stillness of night, even +such was the gleam of the spear which Achilles poised in his +right hand, fraught with the death of noble Hector. He eyed his +fair flesh over and over to see where he could best wound it, but +all was protected by the goodly armour of which Hector had +spoiled Patroclus after he had slain him, save only the throat +where the collar-bones divide the neck from the shoulders, and +this is a most deadly place: here then did Achilles strike him as +he was coming on towards him, and the point of his spear went +right through the fleshy part of the neck, but it did not sever +his windpipe so that he could still speak. Hector fell headlong, +and Achilles vaunted over him saying, "Hector, you deemed that +you should come off scatheless when you were spoiling Patroclus, +and recked not of myself who was not with him. Fool that you +were: for I, his comrade, mightier far than he, was still left +behind him at the ships, and now I have laid you low. The +Achaeans shall give him all due funeral rites, while dogs and +vultures shall work their will upon yourself." + +Then Hector said, as the life ebbed out of him, "I pray you by +your life and knees, and by your parents, let not dogs devour me +at the ships of the Achaeans, but accept the rich treasure of +gold and bronze which my father and mother will offer you, and +send my body home, that the Trojans and their wives may give me +my dues of fire when I am dead." + +Achilles glared at him and answered, "Dog, talk not to me neither +of knees nor parents; would that I could be as sure of being able +to cut your flesh into pieces and eat it raw, for the ill you +have done me, as I am that nothing shall save you from the +dogs--it shall not be, though they bring ten or twenty-fold +ransom and weigh it out for me on the spot, with promise of yet +more hereafter. Though Priam son of Dardanus should bid them +offer me your weight in gold, even so your mother shall never lay +you out and make lament over the son she bore, but dogs and +vultures shall eat you utterly up." + +Hector with his dying breath then said, "I know you what you are, +and was sure that I should not move you, for your heart is hard +as iron; look to it that I bring not heaven's anger upon you on +the day when Paris and Phoebus Apollo, valiant though you be, +shall slay you at the Scaean gates." + +When he had thus said the shrouds of death enfolded him, whereon +his soul went out of him and flew down to the house of Hades, +lamenting its sad fate that it should enjoy youth and strength no +longer. But Achilles said, speaking to the dead body, "Die; for +my part I will accept my fate whensoever Jove and the other gods +see fit to send it." + +As he spoke he drew his spear from the body and set it on one +side; then he stripped the blood-stained armour from Hector's +shoulders while the other Achaeans came running up to view his +wondrous strength and beauty; and no one came near him without +giving him a fresh wound. Then would one turn to his neighbour +and say, "It is easier to handle Hector now than when he was +flinging fire on to our ships" and as he spoke he would thrust +his spear into him anew. + +When Achilles had done spoiling Hector of his armour, he stood +among the Argives and said, "My friends, princes and counsellors +of the Argives, now that heaven has vouchsafed us to overcome +this man, who has done us more hurt than all the others together, +consider whether we should not attack the city in force, and +discover in what mind the Trojans may be. We should thus learn +whether they will desert their city now that Hector has fallen, +or will still hold out even though he is no longer living. But +why argue with myself in this way, while Patroclus is still lying +at the ships unburied, and unmourned--he whom I can never forget +so long as I am alive and my strength fails not? Though men +forget their dead when once they are within the house of Hades, +yet not even there will I forget the comrade whom I have lost. +Now, therefore, Achaean youths, let us raise the song of victory +and go back to the ships taking this man along with us; for we +have achieved a mighty triumph and have slain noble Hector to +whom the Trojans prayed throughout their city as though he were a +god." + +On this he treated the body of Hector with contumely: he pierced +the sinews at the back of both his feet from heel to ancle and +passed thongs of ox-hide through the slits he had made: thus he +made the body fast to his chariot, letting the head trail upon +the ground. Then when he had put the goodly armour on the chariot +and had himself mounted, he lashed his horses on and they flew +forward nothing loth. The dust rose from Hector as he was being +dragged along, his dark hair flew all abroad, and his head once +so comely was laid low on earth, for Jove had now delivered him +into the hands of his foes to do him outrage in his own land. + +Thus was the head of Hector being dishonoured in the dust. His +mother tore her hair, and flung her veil from her with a loud cry +as she looked upon her son. His father made piteous moan, and +throughout the city the people fell to weeping and wailing. It +was as though the whole of frowning Ilius was being smirched with +fire. Hardly could the people hold Priam back in his hot haste to +rush without the gates of the city. He grovelled in the mire and +besought them, calling each one of them by his name. "Let be, my +friends," he cried, "and for all your sorrow, suffer me to go +single-handed to the ships of the Achaeans. Let me beseech this +cruel and terrible man, if maybe he will respect the feeling of +his fellow-men, and have compassion on my old age. His own father +is even such another as myself--Peleus, who bred him and reared +him to be the bane of us Trojans, and of myself more than of all +others. Many a son of mine has he slain in the flower of his +youth, and yet, grieve for these as I may, I do so for one-- +Hector--more than for them all, and the bitterness of my sorrow +will bring me down to the house of Hades. Would that he had died +in my arms, for so both his ill-starred mother who bore him, and +myself, should have had the comfort of weeping and mourning over +him." + +Thus did he speak with many tears, and all the people of the city +joined in his lament. Hecuba then raised the cry of wailing among +the Trojans. "Alas, my son," she cried, "what have I left to live +for now that you are no more? Night and day did I glory in you +throughout the city, for you were a tower of strength to all in +Troy, and both men and women alike hailed you as a god. So long +as you lived you were their pride, but now death and destruction +have fallen upon you." + +Hector's wife had as yet heard nothing, for no one had come to +tell her that her husband had remained without the gates. She was +at her loom in an inner part of the house, weaving a double +purple web, and embroidering it with many flowers. She told her +maids to set a large tripod on the fire, so as to have a warm +bath ready for Hector when he came out of battle; poor woman, she +knew not that he was now beyond the reach of baths, and that +Minerva had laid him low by the hands of Achilles. She heard the +cry coming as from the wall, and trembled in every limb; the +shuttle fell from her hands, and again she spoke to her +waiting-women. "Two of you," she said, "come with me that I may +learn what it is that has befallen; I heard the voice of my +husband's honoured mother; my own heart beats as though it would +come into my mouth and my limbs refuse to carry me; some great +misfortune for Priam's children must be at hand. May I never live +to hear it, but I greatly fear that Achilles has cut off the +retreat of brave Hector and has chased him on to the plain where +he was singlehanded; I fear he may have put an end to the +reckless daring which possessed my husband, who would never +remain with the body of his men, but would dash on far in front, +foremost of them all in valour." + +Her heart beat fast, and as she spoke she flew from the house +like a maniac, with her waiting-women following after. When she +reached the battlements and the crowd of people, she stood +looking out upon the wall, and saw Hector being borne away in +front of the city--the horses dragging him without heed or care +over the ground towards the ships of the Achaeans. Her eyes were +then shrouded as with the darkness of night and she fell fainting +backwards. She tore the attiring from her head and flung it from +her, the frontlet and net with its plaited band, and the veil +which golden Venus had given her on the day when Hector took her +with him from the house of Eetion, after having given countless +gifts of wooing for her sake. Her husband's sisters and the wives +of his brothers crowded round her and supported her, for she was +fain to die in her distraction; when she again presently breathed +and came to herself, she sobbed and made lament among the Trojans +saying, "Woe is me, O Hector; woe, indeed, that to share a common +lot we were born, you at Troy in the house of Priam, and I at +Thebes under the wooded mountain of Placus in the house of Eetion +who brought me up when I was a child--ill-starred sire of an +ill-starred daughter--would that he had never begotten me. You +are now going into the house of Hades under the secret places of +the earth, and you leave me a sorrowing widow in your house. The +child, of whom you and I are the unhappy parents, is as yet a +mere infant. Now that you are gone, O Hector, you can do nothing +for him nor he for you. Even though he escape the horrors of this +woeful war with the Achaeans, yet shall his life henceforth be +one of labour and sorrow, for others will seize his lands. The +day that robs a child of his parents severs him from his own +kind; his head is bowed, his cheeks are wet with tears, and he +will go about destitute among the friends of his father, plucking +one by the cloak and another by the shirt. Some one or other of +these may so far pity him as to hold the cup for a moment towards +him and let him moisten his lips, but he must not drink enough to +wet the roof of his mouth; then one whose parents are alive will +drive him from the table with blows and angry words. 'Out with +you,' he will say, 'you have no father here,' and the child will +go crying back to his widowed mother--he, Astyanax, who erewhile +would sit upon his father's knees, and have none but the +daintiest and choicest morsels set before him. When he had played +till he was tired and went to sleep, he would lie in a bed, in +the arms of his nurse, on a soft couch, knowing neither want nor +care, whereas now that he has lost his father his lot will be +full of hardship--he, whom the Trojans name Astyanax, because +you, O Hector, were the only defence of their gates and +battlements. The wriggling writhing worms will now eat you at the +ships, far from your parents, when the dogs have glutted +themselves upon you. You will lie naked, although in your house +you have fine and goodly raiment made by hands of women. This +will I now burn; it is of no use to you, for you can never again +wear it, and thus you will have respect shown you by the Trojans +both men and women." + +In such wise did she cry aloud amid her tears, and the women +joined in her lament. + + + +BOOK XXIII + + The funeral of Patroclus, and the funeral games. + +Thus did they make their moan throughout the city, while the +Achaeans when they reached the Hellespont went back every man to +his own ship. But Achilles would not let the Myrmidons go, and +spoke to his brave comrades saying, "Myrmidons, famed horsemen +and my own trusted friends, not yet, forsooth, let us unyoke, but +with horse and chariot draw near to the body and mourn Patroclus, +in due honour to the dead. When we have had full comfort of +lamentation we will unyoke our horses and take supper all of us +here." + +On this they all joined in a cry of wailing and Achilles led them +in their lament. Thrice did they drive their chariots all +sorrowing round the body, and Thetis stirred within them a still +deeper yearning. The sands of the seashore and the men's armour +were wet with their weeping, so great a minister of fear was he +whom they had lost. Chief in all their mourning was the son of +Peleus: he laid his bloodstained hand on the breast of his +friend. "Fare well," he cried, "Patroclus, even in the house of +Hades. I will now do all that I erewhile promised you; I will +drag Hector hither and let dogs devour him raw; twelve noble sons +of Trojans will I also slay before your pyre to avenge you." + +As he spoke he treated the body of noble Hector with contumely, +laying it at full length in the dust beside the bier of +Patroclus. The others then put off every man his armour, took the +horses from their chariots, and seated themselves in great +multitude by the ship of the fleet descendant of Aeacus, who +thereon feasted them with an abundant funeral banquet. Many a +goodly ox, with many a sheep and bleating goat did they butcher +and cut up; many a tusked boar moreover, fat and well-fed, did +they singe and set to roast in the flames of Vulcan; and rivulets +of blood flowed all round the place where the body was lying. + +Then the princes of the Achaeans took the son of Peleus to +Agamemnon, but hardly could they persuade him to come with them, +so wroth was he for the death of his comrade. As soon as they +reached Agamemnon's tent they told the serving-men to set a large +tripod over the fire in case they might persuade the son of +Peleus to wash the clotted gore from this body, but he denied +them sternly, and swore it with a solemn oath, saying, "Nay, by +King Jove, first and mightiest of all gods, it is not meet that +water should touch my body, till I have laid Patroclus on the +flames, have built him a barrow, and shaved my head--for so long +as I live no such second sorrow shall ever draw nigh me. Now, +therefore, let us do all that this sad festival demands, but at +break of day, King Agamemnon, bid your men bring wood, and +provide all else that the dead may duly take into the realm of +darkness; the fire shall thus burn him out of our sight the +sooner, and the people shall turn again to their own labours." + +Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. They made +haste to prepare the meal, they ate, and every man had his full +share so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough +to eat and drink, the others went to their rest each in his own +tent, but the son of Peleus lay grieving among his Myrmidons by +the shore of the sounding sea, in an open place where the waves +came surging in one after another. Here a very deep slumber took +hold upon him and eased the burden of his sorrows, for his limbs +were weary with chasing Hector round windy Ilius. Presently the +sad spirit of Patroclus drew near him, like what he had been in +stature, voice, and the light of his beaming eyes, clad, too, as +he had been clad in life. The spirit hovered over his head and +said-- + +"You sleep, Achilles, and have forgotten me; you loved me living, +but now that I am dead you think for me no further. Bury me with +all speed that I may pass the gates of Hades; the ghosts, vain +shadows of men that can labour no more, drive me away from them; +they will not yet suffer me to join those that are beyond the +river, and I wander all desolate by the wide gates of the house +of Hades. Give me now your hand I pray you, for when you have +once given me my dues of fire, never shall I again come forth out +of the house of Hades. Nevermore shall we sit apart and take +sweet counsel among the living; the cruel fate which was my +birth-right has yawned its wide jaws around me--nay, you too +Achilles, peer of gods, are doomed to die beneath the wall of the +noble Trojans. + +"One prayer more will I make you, if you will grant it; let not +my bones be laid apart from yours, Achilles, but with them; even +as we were brought up together in your own home, what time +Menoetius brought me to you as a child from Opoeis because by a +sad spite I had killed the son of Amphidamas--not of set purpose, +but in childish quarrel over the dice. The knight Peleus took me +into his house, entreated me kindly, and named me to be your +squire; therefore let our bones lie in but a single urn, the +two-handled golden vase given to you by your mother." + +And Achilles answered, "Why, true heart, are you come hither to +lay these charges upon me? will of my own self do all as you have +bidden me. Draw closer to me, let us once more throw our arms +around one another, and find sad comfort in the sharing of our +sorrows." + +He opened his arms towards him as he spoke and would have clasped +him in them, but there was nothing, and the spirit vanished as a +vapour, gibbering and whining into the earth. Achilles sprang to +his feet, smote his two hands, and made lamentation saying, "Of a +truth even in the house of Hades there are ghosts and phantoms +that have no life in them; all night long the sad spirit of +Patroclus has hovered over head making piteous moan, telling me +what I am to do for him, and looking wondrously like himself." + +Thus did he speak and his words set them all weeping and mourning +about the poor dumb dead, till rosy-fingered morn appeared. Then +King Agamemnon sent men and mules from all parts of the camp, to +bring wood, and Meriones, squire to Idomeneus, was in charge over +them. They went out with woodmen's axes and strong ropes in their +hands, and before them went the mules. Up hill and down dale did +they go, by straight ways and crooked, and when they reached the +heights of many-fountained Ida, they laid their axes to the roots +of many a tall branching oak that came thundering down as they +felled it. They split the trees and bound them behind the mules, +which then wended their way as they best could through the thick +brushwood on to the plain. All who had been cutting wood bore +logs, for so Meriones squire to Idomeneus had bidden them, and +they threw them down in a line upon the seashore at the place +where Achilles would make a mighty monument for Patroclus and for +himself. + +When they had thrown down their great logs of wood over the whole +ground, they stayed all of them where they were, but Achilles +ordered his brave Myrmidons to gird on their armour, and to yoke +each man his horses; they therefore rose, girded on their armour +and mounted each his chariot--they and their charioteers with +them. The chariots went before, and they that were on foot +followed as a cloud in their tens of thousands after. In the +midst of them his comrades bore Patroclus and covered him with +the locks of their hair which they cut off and threw upon his +body. Last came Achilles with his head bowed for sorrow, so noble +a comrade was he taking to the house of Hades. + +When they came to the place of which Achilles had told them they +laid the body down and built up the wood. Achilles then bethought +him of another matter. He went a space away from the pyre, and +cut off the yellow lock which he had let grow for the river +Spercheius. He looked all sorrowfully out upon the dark sea, and +said, "Spercheius, in vain did my father Peleus vow to you that +when I returned home to my loved native land I should cut off +this lock and offer you a holy hecatomb; fifty she-goats was I to +sacrifice to you there at your springs, where is your grove and +your altar fragrant with burnt-offerings. Thus did my father vow, +but you have not fulfilled his prayer; now, therefore, that I +shall see my home no more, I give this lock as a keepsake to the +hero Patroclus." + +As he spoke he placed the lock in the hands of his dear comrade, +and all who stood by were filled with yearning and lamentation. +The sun would have gone down upon their mourning had not Achilles +presently said to Agamemnon, "Son of Atreus, for it is to you +that the people will give ear, there is a time to mourn and a +time to cease from mourning; bid the people now leave the pyre +and set about getting their dinners: we, to whom the dead is +dearest, will see to what is wanted here, and let the other +princes also stay by me." + +When King Agamemnon heard this he dismissed the people to their +ships, but those who were about the dead heaped up wood and built +a pyre a hundred feet this way and that; then they laid the dead +all sorrowfully upon the top of it. They flayed and dressed many +fat sheep and oxen before the pyre, and Achilles took fat from +all of them and wrapped the body therein from head to foot, +heaping the flayed carcases all round it. Against the bier he +leaned two-handled jars of honey and unguents; four proud horses +did he then cast upon the pyre, groaning the while he did so. The +dead hero had had house-dogs; two of them did Achilles slay and +threw upon the pyre; he also put twelve brave sons of noble +Trojans to the sword and laid them with the rest, for he was full +of bitterness and fury. Then he committed all to the resistless +and devouring might of the fire; he groaned aloud and called on +his dead comrade by name. "Fare well," he cried, "Patroclus, even +in the house of Hades; I am now doing all that I have promised +you. Twelve brave sons of noble Trojans shall the flames consume +along with yourself, but dogs, not fire, shall devour the flesh +of Hector son of Priam." + +Thus did he vaunt, but the dogs came not about the body of +Hector, for Jove's daughter Venus kept them off him night and +day, and anointed him with ambrosial oil of roses that his flesh +might not be torn when Achilles was dragging him about. Phoebus +Apollo moreover sent a dark cloud from heaven to earth, which +gave shade to the whole place where Hector lay, that the heat of +the sun might not parch his body. + +Now the pyre about dead Patroclus would not kindle. Achilles +therefore bethought him of another matter; he went apart and +prayed to the two winds Boreas and Zephyrus vowing them goodly +offerings. He made them many drink-offerings from the golden cup +and besought them to come and help him that the wood might make +haste to kindle and the dead bodies be consumed. Fleet Iris heard +him praying and started off to fetch the winds. They were holding +high feast in the house of boisterous Zephyrus when Iris came +running up to the stone threshold of the house and stood there, +but as soon as they set eyes on her they all came towards her and +each of them called her to him, but Iris would not sit down. "I +cannot stay," she said, "I must go back to the streams of Oceanus +and the land of the Ethiopians who are offering hecatombs to the +immortals, and I would have my share; but Achilles prays that +Boreas and shrill Zephyrus will come to him, and he vows them +goodly offerings; he would have you blow upon the pyre of +Patroclus for whom all the Achaeans are lamenting." + +With this she left them, and the two winds rose with a cry that +rent the air and swept the clouds before them. They blew on and +on until they came to the sea, and the waves rose high beneath +them, but when they reached Troy they fell upon the pyre till the +mighty flames roared under the blast that they blew. All night +long did they blow hard and beat upon the fire, and all night +long did Achilles grasp his double cup, drawing wine from a +mixing-bowl of gold, and calling upon the spirit of dead +Patroclus as he poured it upon the ground until the earth was +drenched. As a father mourns when he is burning the bones of his +bridegroom son whose death has wrung the hearts of his parents, +even so did Achilles mourn while burning the body of his comrade, +pacing round the bier with piteous groaning and lamentation. + +At length as the Morning Star was beginning to herald the light +which saffron-mantled Dawn was soon to suffuse over the sea, the +flames fell and the fire began to die. The winds then went home +beyond the Thracian sea, which roared and boiled as they swept +over it. The son of Peleus now turned away from the pyre and lay +down, overcome with toil, till he fell into a sweet slumber. +Presently they who were about the son of Atreus drew near in a +body, and roused him with the noise and tramp of their coming. He +sat upright and said, "Son of Atreus, and all other princes of +the Achaeans, first pour red wine everywhere upon the fire and +quench it; let us then gather the bones of Patroclus son of +Menoetius, singling them out with care; they are easily found, +for they lie in the middle of the pyre, while all else, both men +and horses, has been thrown in a heap and burned at the outer +edge. We will lay the bones in a golden urn, in two layers of +fat, against the time when I shall myself go down into the house +of Hades. As for the barrow, labour not to raise a great one now, +but such as is reasonable. Afterwards, let those Achaeans who may +be left at the ships when I am gone, build it both broad and +high." + +Thus he spoke and they obeyed the word of the son of Peleus. +First they poured red wine upon the thick layer of ashes and +quenched the fire. With many tears they singled out the whitened +bones of their loved comrade and laid them within a golden urn in +two layers of fat: they then covered the urn with a linen cloth +and took it inside the tent. They marked off the circle where the +barrow should be, made a foundation for it about the pyre, and +forthwith heaped up the earth. When they had thus raised a mound +they were going away, but Achilles stayed the people and made +them sit in assembly. He brought prizes from the ships--cauldrons, +tripods, horses and mules, noble oxen, women with fair girdles, +and swart iron. + +The first prize he offered was for the chariot races--a woman +skilled in all useful arts, and a three-legged cauldron that had +ears for handles, and would hold twenty-two measures. This was +for the man who came in first. For the second there was a +six-year old mare, unbroken, and in foal to a he-ass; the third +was to have a goodly cauldron that had never yet been on the +fire; it was still bright as when it left the maker, and would +hold four measures. The fourth prize was two talents of gold, and +the fifth a two-handled urn as yet unsoiled by smoke. Then he +stood up and spoke among the Argives saying-- + +"Son of Atreus, and all other Achaeans, these are the prizes that +lie waiting the winners of the chariot races. At any other time I +should carry off the first prize and take it to my own tent; you +know how far my steeds excel all others--for they are immortal; +Neptune gave them to my father Peleus, who in his turn gave them +to myself; but I shall hold aloof, I and my steeds that have lost +their brave and kind driver, who many a time has washed them in +clear water and anointed their manes with oil. See how they stand +weeping here, with their manes trailing on the ground in the +extremity of their sorrow. But do you others set yourselves in +order throughout the host, whosoever has confidence in his horses +and in the strength of his chariot." + +Thus spoke the son of Peleus and the drivers of chariots +bestirred themselves. First among them all uprose Eumelus, king +of men, son of Admetus, a man excellent in horsemanship. Next to +him rose mighty Diomed son of Tydeus; he yoked the Trojan horses +which he had taken from Aeneas, when Apollo bore him out of the +fight. Next to him, yellow-haired Menelaus son of Atreus rose and +yoked his fleet horses, Agamemnon's mare Aethe, and his own horse +Podargus. The mare had been given to Agamemnon by Echepolus son +of Anchises, that he might not have to follow him to Ilius, but +might stay at home and take his ease; for Jove had endowed him +with great wealth and he lived in spacious Sicyon. This mare, all +eager for the race, did Menelaus put under the yoke. + +Fourth in order Antilochus, son to noble Nestor son of Neleus, +made ready his horses. These were bred in Pylos, and his father +came up to him to give him good advice of which, however, he +stood in but little need. "Antilochus," said Nestor, "you are +young, but Jove and Neptune have loved you well, and have made +you an excellent horseman. I need not therefore say much by way +of instruction. You are skilful at wheeling your horses round the +post, but the horses themselves are very slow, and it is this +that will, I fear, mar your chances. The other drivers know less +than you do, but their horses are fleeter; therefore, my dear +son, see if you cannot hit upon some artifice whereby you may +insure that the prize shall not slip through your fingers. The +woodman does more by skill than by brute force; by skill the +pilot guides his storm-tossed barque over the sea, and so by +skill one driver can beat another. If a man go wide in rounding +this way and that, whereas a man who knows what he is doing may +have worse horses, but he will keep them well in hand when he +sees the doubling-post; he knows the precise moment at which to +pull the rein, and keeps his eye well on the man in front of him. +I will give you this certain token which cannot escape your +notice. There is a stump of a dead tree--oak or pine as it may +be--some six feet above the ground, and not yet rotted away by +rain; it stands at the fork of the road; it has two white stones +set one on each side, and there is a clear course all round it. +It may have been a monument to some one long since dead, or it +may have been used as a doubling-post in days gone by; now, +however, it has been fixed on by Achilles as the mark round which +the chariots shall turn; hug it as close as you can, but as you +stand in your chariot lean over a little to the left; urge on +your right-hand horse with voice and lash, and give him a loose +rein, but let the left-hand horse keep so close in, that the nave +of your wheel shall almost graze the post; but mind the stone, or +you will wound your horses and break your chariot in pieces, +which would be sport for others but confusion for yourself. +Therefore, my dear son, mind well what you are about, for if you +can be first to round the post there is no chance of any one +giving you the go-by later, not even though you had Adrestus's +horse Arion behind you--a horse which is of divine race--or those +of Laomedon, which are the noblest in this country." + +When Nestor had made an end of counselling his son he sat down in +his place, and fifth in order Meriones got ready his horses. +They then all mounted their chariots and cast lots. Achilles +shook the helmet, and the lot of Antilochus son of Nestor fell +out first; next came that of King Eumelus, and after his, those +of Menelaus son of Atreus and of Meriones. The last place fell to +the lot of Diomed son of Tydeus, who was the best man of them +all. They took their places in line; Achilles showed them the +doubling-post round which they were to turn, some way off upon +the plain; here he stationed his father's follower Phoenix as +umpire, to note the running, and report truly. + +At the same instant they all of them lashed their horses, struck +them with the reins, and shouted at them with all their might. +They flew full speed over the plain away from the ships, the dust +rose from under them as it were a cloud or whirlwind, and their +manes were all flying in the wind. At one moment the chariots +seemed to touch the ground, and then again they bounded into the +air; the drivers stood erect, and their hearts beat fast and +furious in their lust of victory. Each kept calling on his +horses, and the horses scoured the plain amid the clouds of dust +that they raised. + +It was when they were doing the last part of the course on their +way back towards the sea that their pace was strained to the +utmost and it was seen what each could do. The horses of the +descendant of Pheres now took the lead, and close behind them +came the Trojan stallions of Diomed. They seemed as if about to +mount Eumelus's chariot, and he could feel their warm breath on +his back and on his broad shoulders, for their heads were close +to him as they flew over the course. Diomed would have now passed +him, or there would have been a dead heat, but Phoebus Apollo to +spite him made him drop his whip. Tears of anger fell from his +eyes as he saw the mares going on faster than ever, while his own +horses lost ground through his having no whip. Minerva saw the +trick which Apollo had played the son of Tydeus, so she brought +him his whip and put spirit into his horses; moreover she went +after the son of Admetus in a rage and broke his yoke for him; +the mares went one to one side of the course, and the other to +the other, and the pole was broken against the ground. Eumelus +was thrown from his chariot close to the wheel; his elbows, +mouth, and nostrils were all torn, and his forehead was bruised +above his eyebrows; his eyes filled with tears and he could find +no utterance. But the son of Tydeus turned his horses aside and +shot far ahead, for Minerva put fresh strength into them and +covered Diomed himself with glory. + +Menelaus son of Atreus came next behind him, but Antilochus +called to his father's horses. "On with you both," he cried, "and +do your very utmost. I do not bid you try to beat the steeds of +the son of Tydeus, for Minerva has put running into them, and has +covered Diomed with glory; but you must overtake the horses of +the son of Atreus and not be left behind, or Aethe who is so +fleet will taunt you. Why, my good fellows, are you lagging? I +tell you, and it shall surely be--Nestor will keep neither of +you, but will put both of you to the sword, if we win any the +worse a prize through your carelessness. Fly after them at your +utmost speed; I will hit on a plan for passing them in a narrow +part of the way, and it shall not fail me." + +They feared the rebuke of their master, and for a short space +went quicker. Presently Antilochus saw a narrow place where the +road had sunk. The ground was broken, for the winter's rain had +gathered and had worn the road so that the whole place was +deepened. Menelaus was making towards it so as to get there +first, for fear of a foul, but Antilochus turned his horses out +of the way, and followed him a little on one side. The son of +Atreus was afraid and shouted out, "Antilochus, you are driving +recklessly; rein in your horses; the road is too narrow here, it +will be wider soon, and you can pass me then; if you foul my +chariot you may bring both of us to a mischief." + +But Antilochus plied his whip, and drove faster, as though he had +not heard him. They went side by side for about as far as a young +man can hurl a disc from his shoulder when he is trying his +strength, and then Menelaus's mares drew behind, for he left off +driving for fear the horses should foul one another and upset the +chariots; thus, while pressing on in quest of victory, they might +both come headlong to the ground. Menelaus then upbraided +Antilochus and said, "There is no greater trickster living than +you are; go, and bad luck go with you; the Achaeans say not well +that you have understanding, and come what may you shall not bear +away the prize without sworn protest on my part." + +Then he called on his horses and said to them, "Keep your pace, +and slacken not; the limbs of the other horses will weary sooner +than yours, for they are neither of them young." + +The horses feared the rebuke of their master, and went faster, so +that they were soon nearly up with the others. + +Meanwhile the Achaeans from their seats were watching how the +horses went, as they scoured the plain amid clouds of their own +dust. Idomeneus captain of the Cretans was first to make out the +running, for he was not in the thick of the crowd, but stood on +the most commanding part of the ground. The driver was a long way +off, but Idomeneus could hear him shouting, and could see the +foremost horse quite plainly--a chestnut with a round white star, +like the moon, on its forehead. He stood up and said among the +Argives, "My friends, princes and counsellors of the Argives, can +you see the running as well as I can? There seems to be another +pair in front now, and another driver; those that led off at the +start must have been disabled out on the plain. I saw them at +first making their way round the doubling-post, but now, though I +search the plain of Troy, I cannot find them. Perhaps the reins +fell from the driver's hand so that he lost command of his horses +at the doubling-post, and could not turn it. I suppose he must +have been thrown out there, and broken his chariot, while his +mares have left the course and gone off wildly in a panic. Come +up and see for yourselves, I cannot make out for certain, but the +driver seems an Aetolian by descent, ruler over the Argives, +brave Diomed the son of Tydeus." + +Ajax the son of Oileus took him up rudely and said, "Idomeneus, +why should you be in such a hurry to tell us all about it, when +the mares are still so far out upon the plain? You are none of +the youngest, nor your eyes none of the sharpest, but you are +always laying down the law. You have no right to do so, for there +are better men here than you are. Eumelus's horses are in front +now, as they always have been, and he is on the chariot holding +the reins." + +The captain of the Cretans was angry, and answered, "Ajax you are +an excellent railer, but you have no judgement, and are wanting +in much else as well, for you have a vile temper. I will wager +you a tripod or cauldron, and Agamemnon son of Atreus shall +decide whose horses are first. You will then know to your cost." + +Ajax son of Oileus was for making him an angry answer, and there +would have been yet further brawling between them, had not +Achilles risen in his place and said, "Cease your railing, Ajax +and Idomeneus; is it not you would be scandalised if you saw any +one else do the like: sit down and keep your eyes on the horses; +they are speeding towards the winning-post and will be here +directly. You will then both of you know whose horses are first, +and whose come after." + +As he was speaking, the son of Tydeus came driving in, plying his +whip lustily from his shoulder, and his horses stepping high as +they flew over the course. The sand and grit rained thick on the +driver, and the chariot inlaid with gold and tin ran close behind +his fleet horses. There was little trace of wheel-marks in the +fine dust, and the horses came flying in at their utmost speed. +Diomed stayed them in the middle of the crowd, and the sweat from +their manes and chests fell in streams on to the ground. +Forthwith he sprang from his goodly chariot, and leaned his whip +against his horses' yoke; brave Sthenelus now lost no time, but +at once brought on the prize, and gave the woman and the +ear-handled cauldron to his comrades to take away. Then he +unyoked the horses. + +Next after him came in Antilochus of the race of Neleus, who had +passed Menelaus by a trick and not by the fleetness of his +horses; but even so Menelaus came in as close behind him as the +wheel is to the horse that draws both the chariot and its master. +The end hairs of a horse's tail touch the tyre of the wheel, and +there is never much space between wheel and horse when the +chariot is going; Menelaus was no further than this behind +Antilochus, though at first he had been a full disc's throw +behind him. He had soon caught him up again, for Agamemnon's mare +Aethe kept pulling stronger and stronger, so that if the course +had been longer he would have passed him, and there would not +even have been a dead heat. Idomeneus's brave squire Meriones was +about a spear's cast behind Menelaus. His horses were slowest of +all, and he was the worst driver. Last of them all came the son +of Admetus, dragging his chariot and driving his horses on in +front. When Achilles saw him he was sorry, and stood up among the +Argives saying, "The best man is coming in last. Let us give him +a prize for it is reasonable. He shall have the second, but the +first must go to the son of Tydeus." + +Thus did he speak and the others all of them applauded his +saying, and were for doing as he had said, but Nestor's son +Antilochus stood up and claimed his rights from the son of +Peleus. "Achilles," said he, "I shall take it much amiss if you +do this thing; you would rob me of my prize, because you think +Eumelus's chariot and horses were thrown out, and himself too, +good man that he is. He should have prayed duly to the immortals; +he would not have come in last if he had done so. If you are +sorry for him and so choose, you have much gold in your tents, +with bronze, sheep, cattle and horses. Take something from this +store if you would have the Achaeans speak well of you, and give +him a better prize even than that which you have now offered; but +I will not give up the mare, and he that will fight me for her, +let him come on." + +Achilles smiled as he heard this, and was pleased with +Antilochus, who was one of his dearest comrades. So he said-- + +"Antilochus, if you would have me find Eumelus another prize, I +will give him the bronze breastplate with a rim of tin running +all round it which I took from Asteropaeus. It will be worth much +money to him." + +He bade his comrade Automedon bring the breastplate from his +tent, and he did so. Achilles then gave it over to Eumelus, who +received it gladly. + +But Menelaus got up in a rage, furiously angry with Antilochus. +An attendant placed his staff in his hands and bade the Argives +keep silence: the hero then addressed them. "Antilochus," said +he, "what is this from you who have been so far blameless? You +have made me cut a poor figure and baulked my horses by flinging +your own in front of them, though yours are much worse than mine +are; therefore, O princes and counsellors of the Argives, judge +between us and show no favour, lest one of the Achaeans say, +'Menelaus has got the mare through lying and corruption; his +horses were far inferior to Antilochus's, but he has greater +weight and influence.' Nay, I will determine the matter myself, +and no man will blame me, for I shall do what is just. Come here, +Antilochus, and stand, as our custom is, whip in hand before your +chariot and horses; lay your hand on your steeds, and swear by +earth-encircling Neptune that you did not purposely and +guilefully get in the way of my horses." + +And Antilochus answered, "Forgive me; I am much younger, King +Menelaus, than you are; you stand higher than I do and are the +better man of the two; you know how easily young men are betrayed +into indiscretion; their tempers are more hasty and they have +less judgement; make due allowances therefore, and bear with me; +I will of my own accord give up the mare that I have won, and if +you claim any further chattel from my own possessions, I would +rather yield it to you, at once, than fall from your good graces +henceforth, and do wrong in the sight of heaven." + +The son of Nestor then took the mare and gave her over to +Menelaus, whose anger was thus appeased; as when dew falls upon a +field of ripening corn, and the lands are bristling with the +harvest--even so, O Menelaus, was your heart made glad within +you. He turned to Antilochus and said, "Now, Antilochus, angry +though I have been, I can give way to you of my own free will; +you have never been headstrong nor ill-disposed hitherto, but +this time your youth has got the better of your judgement; be +careful how you outwit your betters in future; no one else could +have brought me round so easily, but your good father, your +brother, and yourself have all of you had infinite trouble on my +behalf; I therefore yield to your entreaty, and will give up the +mare to you, mine though it indeed be; the people will thus see +that I am neither harsh nor vindictive." + +With this he gave the mare over to Antilochus's comrade Noemon, +and then took the cauldron. Meriones, who had come in fourth, +carried off the two talents of gold, and the fifth prize, the +two-handled urn, being unawarded, Achilles gave it to Nestor, +going up to him among the assembled Argives and saying, "Take +this, my good old friend, as an heirloom and memorial of the +funeral of Patroclus--for you shall see him no more among the +Argives. I give you this prize though you cannot win one; you can +now neither wrestle nor fight, and cannot enter for the +javelin-match nor foot-races, for the hand of age has been laid +heavily upon you." + +So saying he gave the urn over to Nestor, who received it gladly +and answered, "My son, all that you have said is true; there is +no strength now in my legs and feet, nor can I hit out with my +hands from either shoulder. Would that I were still young and +strong as when the Epeans were burying King Amarynceus in +Buprasium, and his sons offered prizes in his honour. There was +then none that could vie with me neither of the Epeans nor the +Pylians themselves nor the Aetolians. In boxing I overcame +Clytomedes son of Enops, and in wrestling, Ancaeus of Pleuron who +had come forward against me. Iphiclus was a good runner, but I +beat him, and threw farther with my spear than either Phyleus or +Polydorus. In chariot-racing alone did the two sons of Actor +surpass me by crowding their horses in front of me, for they were +angry at the way victory had gone, and at the greater part of the +prizes remaining in the place in which they had been offered. +They were twins, and the one kept on holding the reins, and +holding the reins, while the other plied the whip. Such was I +then, but now I must leave these matters to younger men; I must +bow before the weight of years, but in those days I was eminent +among heroes. And now, sir, go on with the funeral contests in +honour of your comrade: gladly do I accept this urn, and my heart +rejoices that you do not forget me but are ever mindful of my +goodwill towards you, and of the respect due to me from the +Achaeans. For all which may the grace of heaven be vouchsafed you +in great abundance." + +Thereon the son of Peleus, when he had listened to all the thanks +of Nestor, went about among the concourse of the Achaeans, and +presently offered prizes for skill in the painful art of boxing. +He brought out a strong mule, and made it fast in the middle of +the crowd--a she-mule never yet broken, but six years old--when +it is hardest of all to break them: this was for the victor, and +for the vanquished he offered a double cup. Then he stood up and +said among the Argives, "Son of Atreus, and all other Achaeans, I +invite our two champion boxers to lay about them lustily and +compete for these prizes. He to whom Apollo vouchsafes the +greater endurance, and whom the Achaeans acknowledge as victor, +shall take the mule back with him to his own tent, while he that +is vanquished shall have the double cup." + +As he spoke there stood up a champion both brave and great +stature, a skilful boxer, Epeus, son of Panopeus. He laid his +hand on the mule and said, "Let the man who is to have the cup +come hither, for none but myself will take the mule. I am the +best boxer of all here present, and none can beat me. Is it not +enough that I should fall short of you in actual fighting? Still, +no man can be good at everything. I tell you plainly, and it +shall come true; if any man will box with me I will bruise his +body and break his bones; therefore let his friends stay here in +a body and be at hand to take him away when I have done with +him." + +They all held their peace, and no man rose save Euryalus son of +Mecisteus, who was son of Talaus. Mecisteus went once to Thebes +after the fall of Oedipus, to attend his funeral, and he beat all +the people of Cadmus. The son of Tydeus was Euryalus's second, +cheering him on and hoping heartily that he would win. First he +put a waistband round him and then he gave him some well-cut +thongs of ox-hide; the two men being now girt went into the +middle of the ring, and immediately fell to; heavily indeed did +they punish one another and lay about them with their brawny +fists. One could hear the horrid crashing of their jaws, and they +sweated from every pore of their skin. Presently Epeus came on +and gave Euryalus a blow on the jaw as he was looking round; +Euryalus could not keep his legs; they gave way under him in a +moment and he sprang up with a bound, as a fish leaps into the +air near some shore that is all bestrewn with sea-wrack, when +Boreas furs the top of the waves, and then falls back into deep +water. But noble Epeus caught hold of him and raised him up; his +comrades also came round him and led him from the ring, unsteady +in his gait, his head hanging on one side, and spitting great +clots of gore. They set him down in a swoon and then went to +fetch the double cup. + +The son of Peleus now brought out the prizes for the third +contest and showed them to the Argives. These were for the +painful art of wrestling. For the winner there was a great tripod +ready for setting upon the fire, and the Achaeans valued it among +themselves at twelve oxen. For the loser he brought out a woman +skilled in all manner of arts, and they valued her at four oxen. +He rose and said among the Argives, "Stand forward, you who will +essay this contest." + +Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of Telamon, and crafty +Ulysses, full of wiles, rose also. The two girded themselves and +went into the middle of the ring. They gripped each other in +their strong hands like the rafters which some master-builder +frames for the roof of a high house to keep the wind out. Their +backbones cracked as they tugged at one another with their mighty +arms--and sweat rained from them in torrents. Many a bloody weal +sprang up on their sides and shoulders, but they kept on striving +with might and main for victory and to win the tripod. Ulysses +could not throw Ajax, nor Ajax him; Ulysses was too strong for +him; but when the Achaeans began to tire of watching them, Ajax +said to Ulysses, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, you shall either +lift me, or I you, and let Jove settle it between us." + +He lifted him from the ground as he spoke, but Ulysses did not +forget his cunning. He hit Ajax in the hollow at back of his +knee, so that he could not keep his feet, but fell on his back +with Ulysses lying upon his chest, and all who saw it marvelled. +Then Ulysses in turn lifted Ajax and stirred him a little from +the ground but could not lift him right off it, his knee sank +under him, and the two fell side by side on the ground and were +all begrimed with dust. They now sprang towards one another and +were for wrestling yet a third time, but Achilles rose and stayed +them. "Put not each other further," said he, "to such cruel +suffering; the victory is with both alike, take each of you an +equal prize, and let the other Achaeans now compete." + +Thus did he speak and they did even as he had said, and put on +their shirts again after wiping the dust from off their bodies. + +The son of Peleus then offered prizes for speed in running--a +mixing-bowl beautifully wrought, of pure silver. It would hold +six measures, and far exceeded all others in the whole world for +beauty; it was the work of cunning artificers in Sidon, and had +been brought into port by Phoenicians from beyond the sea, who +had made a present of it to Thoas. Eueneus son of Jason had given +it to Patroclus in ransom of Priam's son Lycaon, and Achilles now +offered it as a prize in honour of his comrade to him who should +be the swiftest runner. For the second prize he offered a large +ox, well fattened, while for the last there was to be half a +talent of gold. He then rose and said among the Argives, "Stand +forward, you who will essay this contest." + +Forthwith uprose fleet Ajax son of Oileus, with cunning Ulysses, +and Nestor's son Antilochus, the fastest runner among all the +youth of his time. They stood side by side and Achilles showed +them the goal. The course was set out for them from the +starting-post, and the son of Oileus took the lead at once, with +Ulysses as close behind him as the shuttle is to a woman's bosom +when she throws the woof across the warp and holds it close up to +her; even so close behind him was Ulysses--treading in his +footprints before the dust could settle there, and Ajax could +feel his breath on the back of his head as he ran swiftly on. The +Achaeans all shouted applause as they saw him straining his +utmost, and cheered him as he shot past them; but when they were +now nearing the end of the course Ulysses prayed inwardly to +Minerva. "Hear me," he cried, "and help my feet, O goddess." Thus +did he pray, and Pallas Minerva heard his prayer; she made his +hands and his feet feel light, and when the runners were at the +point of pouncing upon the prize, Ajax, through Minerva's spite +slipped upon some offal that was lying there from the cattle +which Achilles had slaughtered in honour of Patroclus, and his +mouth and nostrils were all filled with cow dung. Ulysses +therefore carried off the mixing-bowl, for he got before Ajax and +came in first. But Ajax took the ox and stood with his hand on +one of its horns, spitting the dung out of his mouth. Then he +said to the Argives, "Alas, the goddess has spoiled my running; +she watches over Ulysses and stands by him as though she were his +own mother." Thus did he speak and they all of them laughed +heartily. + +Antilochus carried off the last prize and smiled as he said to +the bystanders, "You all see, my friends, that now too the gods +have shown their respect for seniority. Ajax is somewhat older +than I am, and as for Ulysses, he belongs to an earlier +generation, but he is hale in spite of his years, and no man of +the Achaeans can run against him save only Achilles." + +He said this to pay a compliment to the son of Peleus, and +Achilles answered, "Antilochus, you shall not have praised me to +no purpose; I shall give you an additional half talent of gold." +He then gave the half talent to Antilochus, who received it +gladly. + +Then the son of Peleus brought out the spear, helmet and shield +that had been borne by Sarpedon, and were taken from him by +Patroclus. He stood up and said among the Argives, "We bid two +champions put on their armour, take their keen blades, and make +trial of one another in the presence of the multitude; whichever +of them can first wound the flesh of the other, cut through his +armour, and draw blood, to him will I give this goodly Thracian +sword inlaid with silver, which I took from Asteropaeus, but the +armour let both hold in partnership, and I will give each of them +a hearty meal in my own tent." + +Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of Telamon, as also mighty +Diomed son of Tydeus. When they had put on their armour each on +his own side of the ring, they both went into the middle eager to +engage, and with fire flashing from their eyes. The Achaeans +marvelled as they beheld them, and when the two were now close up +with one another, thrice did they spring forward and thrice try +to strike each other in close combat. Ajax pierced Diomed's round +shield, but did not draw blood, for the cuirass beneath the +shield protected him; thereon the son of Tydeus from over his +huge shield kept aiming continually at Ajax's neck with the point +of his spear, and the Achaeans alarmed for his safety bade them +leave off fighting and divide the prize between them. Achilles +then gave the great sword to the son of Tydeus, with its +scabbard, and the leathern belt with which to hang it. + +Achilles next offered the massive iron quoit which mighty Eetion +had erewhile been used to hurl, until Achilles had slain him and +carried it off in his ships along with other spoils. He stood up +and said among the Argives, "Stand forward, you who would essay +this contest. He who wins it will have a store of iron that will +last him five years as they go rolling round, and if his fair +fields lie far from a town his shepherd or ploughman will not +have to make a journey to buy iron, for he will have a stock of +it on his own premises." + +Then uprose the two mighty men Polypoetes and Leonteus, with Ajax +son of Telamon and noble Epeus. They stood up one after the other +and Epeus took the quoit, whirled it, and flung it from him, +which set all the Achaeans laughing. After him threw Leonteus of +the race of Mars. Ajax son of Telamon threw third, and sent the +quoit beyond any mark that had been made yet, but when mighty +Polypoetes took the quoit he hurled it as though it had been a +stockman's stick which he sends flying about among his cattle +when he is driving them, so far did his throw out-distance those +of the others. All who saw it roared applause, and his comrades +carried the prize for him and set it on board his ship. + +Achilles next offered a prize of iron for archery--ten +double-edged axes and ten with single edges: he set up a ship's +mast, some way off upon the sands, and with a fine string tied a +pigeon to it by the foot; this was what they were to aim at. +"Whoever," he said, "can hit the pigeon shall have all the axes +and take them away with him; he who hits the string without +hitting the bird will have taken a worse aim and shall have the +single-edged axes." + +Then uprose King Teucer, and Meriones the stalwart squire of +Idomeneus rose also, They cast lots in a bronze helmet and the +lot of Teucer fell first. He let fly with his arrow forthwith, +but he did not promise hecatombs of firstling lambs to King +Apollo, and missed his bird, for Apollo foiled his aim; but he +hit the string with which the bird was tied, near its foot; the +arrow cut the string clean through so that it hung down towards +the ground, while the bird flew up into the sky, and the Achaeans +shouted applause. Meriones, who had his arrow ready while Teucer +was aiming, snatched the bow out of his hand, and at once +promised that he would sacrifice a hecatomb of firstling lambs to +Apollo lord of the bow; then espying the pigeon high up under the +clouds, he hit her in the middle of the wing as she was circling +upwards; the arrow went clean through the wing and fixed itself +in the ground at Meriones' feet, but the bird perched on the +ship's mast hanging her head and with all her feathers drooping; +the life went out of her, and she fell heavily from the mast. +Meriones, therefore, took all ten double-edged axes, while Teucer +bore off the single-edged ones to his ships. + +Then the son of Peleus brought in a spear and a cauldron that had +never been on the fire; it was worth an ox, and was chased with a +pattern of flowers; and those that throw the javelin stood up--to +wit the son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, and Meriones, +stalwart squire of Idomeneus. But Achilles spoke saying, "Son of +Atreus, we know how far you excel all others both in power and in +throwing the javelin; take the cauldron back with you to your +ships, but if it so please you, let us give the spear to +Meriones; this at least is what I should myself wish." + +King Agamemnon assented. So he gave the bronze spear to Meriones, +and handed the goodly cauldron to Talthybius his esquire. + + + +BOOK XXIV + + Priam ransoms the body of Hector--Hector's funeral. + +THE assembly now broke up and the people went their ways each to +his own ship. There they made ready their supper, and then +bethought them of the blessed boon of sleep; but Achilles still +wept for thinking of his dear comrade, and sleep, before whom all +things bow, could take no hold upon him. This way and that did he +turn as he yearned after the might and manfulness of Patroclus; +he thought of all they had done together, and all they had gone +through both on the field of battle and on the waves of the weary +sea. As he dwelt on these things he wept bitterly and lay now on +his side, now on his back, and now face downwards, till at last +he rose and went out as one distraught to wander upon the +seashore. Then, when he saw dawn breaking over beach and sea, he +yoked his horses to his chariot, and bound the body of Hector +behind it that he might drag it about. Thrice did he drag it +round the tomb of the son of Menoetius, and then went back into +his tent, leaving the body on the ground full length and with its +face downwards. But Apollo would not suffer it to be disfigured, +for he pitied the man, dead though he now was; therefore he +shielded him with his golden aegis continually, that he might +take no hurt while Achilles was dragging him. + +Thus shamefully did Achilles in his fury dishonour Hector; but +the blessed gods looked down in pity from heaven, and urged +Mercury, slayer of Argus, to steal the body. All were of this +mind save only Juno, Neptune, and Jove's grey-eyed daughter, who +persisted in the hate which they had ever borne towards Ilius +with Priam and his people; for they forgave not the wrong done +them by Alexandrus in disdaining the goddesses who came to him +when he was in his sheepyards, and preferring her who had offered +him a wanton to his ruin. + +When, therefore, the morning of the twelfth day had now come, +Phoebus Apollo spoke among the immortals saying, "You gods ought +to be ashamed of yourselves; you are cruel and hard-hearted. Did +not Hector burn you thigh-bones of heifers and of unblemished +goats? And now dare you not rescue even his dead body, for his +wife to look upon, with his mother and child, his father Priam, +and his people, who would forthwith commit him to the flames, and +give him his due funeral rites? So, then, you would all be on the +side of mad Achilles, who knows neither right nor ruth? He is +like some savage lion that in the pride of his great strength and +daring springs upon men's flocks and gorges on them. Even so has +Achilles flung aside all pity, and all that conscience which at +once so greatly banes yet greatly boons him that will heed it. +man may lose one far dearer than Achilles has lost--a son, it may +be, or a brother born from his own mother's womb; yet when he has +mourned him and wept over him he will let him bide, for it takes +much sorrow to kill a man; whereas Achilles, now that he has +slain noble Hector, drags him behind his chariot round the tomb +of his comrade. It were better of him, and for him, that he +should not do so, for brave though he be we gods may take it ill +that he should vent his fury upon dead clay." + +Juno spoke up in a rage. "This were well," she cried, "O lord of +the silver bow, if you would give like honour to Hector and to +Achilles; but Hector was mortal and suckled at a woman's breast, +whereas Achilles is the offspring of a goddess whom I myself +reared and brought up. I married her to Peleus, who is above +measure dear to the immortals; you gods came all of you to her +wedding; you feasted along with them yourself and brought your +lyre--false, and fond of low company, that you have ever been." + +Then said Jove, "Juno, be not so bitter. Their honour shall not +be equal, but of all that dwell in Ilius, Hector was dearest to +the gods, as also to myself, for his offerings never failed me. +Never was my altar stinted of its dues, nor of the +drink-offerings and savour of sacrifice which we claim of right. +I shall therefore permit the body of mighty Hector to be stolen; +and yet this may hardly be without Achilles coming to know it, +for his mother keeps night and day beside him. Let some one of +you, therefore, send Thetis to me, and I will impart my counsel +to her, namely that Achilles is to accept a ransom from Priam, +and give up the body." + +On this Iris fleet as the wind went forth to carry his message. +Down she plunged into the dark sea midway between Samos and rocky +Imbrus; the waters hissed as they closed over her, and she sank +into the bottom as the lead at the end of an ox-horn, that is +sped to carry death to fishes. She found Thetis sitting in a +great cave with the other sea-goddesses gathered round her; there +she sat in the midst of them weeping for her noble son who was to +fall far from his own land, on the rich plains of Troy. Iris went +up to her and said, "Rise Thetis; Jove, whose counsels fail not, +bids you come to him." And Thetis answered, "Why does the mighty +god so bid me? I am in great grief, and shrink from going in and +out among the immortals. Still, I will go, and the word that he +may speak shall not be spoken in vain." + +The goddess took her dark veil, than which there can be no robe +more sombre, and went forth with fleet Iris leading the way +before her. The waves of the sea opened them a path, and when +they reached the shore they flew up into the heavens, where they +found the all-seeing son of Saturn with the blessed gods that +live for ever assembled near him. Minerva gave up her seat to +her, and she sat down by the side of father Jove. Juno then +placed a fair golden cup in her hand, and spoke to her in words +of comfort, whereon Thetis drank and gave her back the cup; and +the sire of gods and men was the first to speak. + +"So, goddess," said he, "for all your sorrow, and the grief that +I well know reigns ever in your heart, you have come hither to +Olympus, and I will tell you why I have sent for you. This nine +days past the immortals have been quarrelling about Achilles +waster of cities and the body of Hector. The gods would have +Mercury slayer of Argus steal the body, but in furtherance of our +peace and amity henceforward, I will concede such honour to your +son as I will now tell you. Go, then, to the host and lay these +commands upon him; say that the gods are angry with him, and that +I am myself more angry than them all, in that he keeps Hector at +the ships and will not give him up. He may thus fear me and let +the body go. At the same time I will send Iris to great Priam to +bid him go to the ships of the Achaeans, and ransom his son, +taking with him such gifts for Achilles as may give him +satisfaction." + +Silver-footed Thetis did as the god had told her, and forthwith +down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus. She went to +her son's tents where she found him grieving bitterly, while his +trusty comrades round him were busy preparing their morning meal, +for which they had killed a great woolly sheep. His mother sat +down beside him and caressed him with her hand saying, "My son, +how long will you keep on thus grieving and making moan? You are +gnawing at your own heart, and think neither of food nor of +woman's embraces; and yet these too were well, for you have no +long time to live, and death with the strong hand of fate are +already close beside you. Now, therefore, heed what I say, for I +come as a messenger from Jove; he says that the gods are angry +with you, and himself more angry than them all, in that you keep +Hector at the ships and will not give him up. Therefore let him +go, and accept a ransom for his body." + +And Achilles answered, "So be it. If Olympian Jove of his own +motion thus commands me, let him that brings the ransom bear the +body away." + +Thus did mother and son talk together at the ships in long +discourse with one another. Meanwhile the son of Saturn sent Iris +to the strong city of Ilius. "Go," said he, "fleet Iris, from the +mansions of Olympus, and tell King Priam in Ilius, that he is to +go to the ships of the Achaeans and free the body of his dear +son. He is to take such gifts with him as shall give satisfaction +to Achilles, and he is to go alone, with no other Trojan, save +only some honoured servant who may drive his mules and waggon, +and bring back the body of him whom noble Achilles has slain. Let +him have no thought nor fear of death in his heart, for we will +send the slayer of Argus to escort him, and bring him within the +tent of Achilles. Achilles will not kill him nor let another do +so, for he will take heed to his ways and sin not, and he will +entreat a suppliant with all honourable courtesy." + +On this Iris, fleet as the wind, sped forth to deliver her +message. She went to Priam's house, and found weeping and +lamentation therein. His sons were seated round their father in +the outer courtyard, and their raiment was wet with tears: the +old man sat in the midst of them with his mantle wrapped close +about his body, and his head and neck all covered with the filth +which he had clutched as he lay grovelling in the mire. His +daughters and his sons' wives went wailing about the house, as +they thought of the many and brave men who lay dead, slain by the +Argives. The messenger of Jove stood by Priam and spoke softly to +him, but fear fell upon him as she did so. "Take heart," she +said, "Priam offspring of Dardanus, take heart and fear not. I +bring no evil tidings, but am minded well towards you. I come as +a messenger from Jove, who though he be not near, takes thought +for you and pities you. The lord of Olympus bids you go and +ransom noble Hector, and take with you such gifts as shall give +satisfaction to Achilles. You are to go alone, with no Trojan, +save only some honoured servant who may drive your mules and +waggon, and bring back to the city the body of him whom noble +Achilles has slain. You are to have no thought, nor fear of +death, for Jove will send the slayer of Argus to escort you. When +he has brought you within Achilles' tent, Achilles will not kill +you nor let another do so, for he will take heed to his ways and +sin not, and he will entreat a suppliant with all honourable +courtesy." + +Iris went her way when she had thus spoken, and Priam told his +sons to get a mule-waggon ready, and to make the body of the +waggon fast upon the top of its bed. Then he went down into his +fragrant store-room, high-vaulted, and made of cedar-wood, where +his many treasures were kept, and he called Hecuba his wife. +"Wife," said he, "a messenger has come to me from Olympus, and +has told me to go to the ships of the Achaeans to ransom my dear +son, taking with me such gifts as shall give satisfaction to +Achilles. What think you of this matter? for my own part I am +greatly moved to pass through the camps of the Achaeans and go to +their ships." + +His wife cried aloud as she heard him, and said, "Alas, what has +become of that judgement for which you have been ever famous both +among strangers and your own people? How can you venture alone to +the ships of the Achaeans, and look into the face of him who has +slain so many of your brave sons? You must have iron courage, for +if the cruel savage sees you and lays hold on you, he will know +neither respect nor pity. Let us then weep Hector from afar here +in our own house, for when I gave him birth the threads of +overruling fate were spun for him that dogs should eat his flesh +far from his parents, in the house of that terrible man on whose +liver I would fain fasten and devour it. Thus would I avenge my +son, who showed no cowardice when Achilles slew him, and thought +neither of flight nor of avoiding battle as he stood in defence +of Trojan men and Trojan women." + +Then Priam said, "I would go, do not therefore stay me nor be as +a bird of ill omen in my house, for you will not move me. Had it +been some mortal man who had sent me some prophet or priest who +divines from sacrifice--I should have deemed him false and have +given him no heed; but now I have heard the goddess and seen her +face to face, therefore I will go and her saying shall not be in +vain. If it be my fate to die at the ships of the Achaeans even +so would I have it; let Achilles slay me, if I may but first have +taken my son in my arms and mourned him to my heart's +comforting." + +So saying he lifted the lids of his chests, and took out twelve +goodly vestments. He took also twelve cloaks of single fold, +twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles, and an equal number of shirts. +He weighed out ten talents of gold, and brought moreover two +burnished tripods, four cauldrons, and a very beautiful cup which +the Thracians had given him when he had gone to them on an +embassy; it was very precious, but he grudged not even this, so +eager was he to ransom the body of his son. Then he chased all +the Trojans from the court and rebuked them with words of anger. +"Out," he cried, "shame and disgrace to me that you are. Have you +no grief in your own homes that you are come to plague me here? +Is it a small thing, think you, that the son of Saturn has sent +this sorrow upon me, to lose the bravest of my sons? Nay, you +shall prove it in person, for now he is gone the Achaeans will +have easier work in killing you. As for me, let me go down within +the house of Hades, ere mine eyes behold the sacking and wasting +of the city." + +He drove the men away with his staff, and they went forth as the +old man sped them. Then he called to his sons, upbraiding +Helenus, Paris, noble Agathon, Pammon, Antiphonus, Polites of the +loud battle-cry, Deiphobus, Hippothous, and Dius. These nine did +the old man call near him. "Come to me at once," he cried, +"worthless sons who do me shame; would that you had all been +killed at the ships rather than Hector. Miserable man that I am, +I have had the bravest sons in all Troy--noble Nestor, Troilus +the dauntless charioteer, and Hector who was a god among men, so +that one would have thought he was son to an immortal--yet there +is not one of them left. Mars has slain them and those of whom I +am ashamed are alone left me. Liars, and light of foot, heroes of +the dance, robbers of lambs and kids from your own people, why do +you not get a waggon ready for me at once, and put all these +things upon it that I may set out on my way?" + +Thus did he speak, and they feared the rebuke of their father. +They brought out a strong mule-waggon, newly made, and set the +body of the waggon fast on its bed. They took the mule-yoke from +the peg on which it hung, a yoke of boxwood with a knob on the +top of it and rings for the reins to go through. Then they +brought a yoke-band eleven cubits long, to bind the yoke to the +pole; they bound it on at the far end of the pole, and put the +ring over the upright pin making it fast with three turns of the +band on either side the knob, and bending the thong of the yoke +beneath it. This done, they brought from the store-chamber the +rich ransom that was to purchase the body of Hector, and they set +it all orderly on the waggon; then they yoked the strong +harness-mules which the Mysians had on a time given as a goodly +present to Priam; but for Priam himself they yoked horses which +the old king had bred, and kept for own use. + +Thus heedfully did Priam and his servant see to the yolking of +their cars at the palace. Then Hecuba came to them all sorrowful, +with a golden goblet of wine in her right hand, that they might +make a drink-offering before they set out. She stood in front of +the horses and said, "Take this, make a drink-offering to father +Jove, and since you are minded to go to the ships in spite of me, +pray that you may come safely back from the hands of your +enemies. Pray to the son of Saturn lord of the whirlwind, who +sits on Ida and looks down over all Troy, pray him to send his +swift messenger on your right hand, the bird of omen which is +strongest and most dear to him of all birds, that you may see it +with your own eyes and trust it as you go forth to the ships of +the Danaans. If all-seeing Jove will not send you this messenger, +however set upon it you may be, I would not have you go to the +ships of the Argives." + +And Priam answered, "Wife, I will do as you desire me; it is well +to lift hands in prayer to Jove, if so be he may have mercy upon +me." + +With this the old man bade the serving-woman pour pure water over +his hands, and the woman came, bearing the water in a bowl. He +washed his hands and took the cup from his wife; then he made the +drink-offering and prayed, standing in the middle of the +courtyard and turning his eyes to heaven. "Father Jove," he said, +"that rulest from Ida, most glorious and most great, grant that I +may be received kindly and compassionately in the tents of +Achilles; and send your swift messenger upon my right hand, the +bird of omen which is strongest and most dear to you of all +birds, that I may see it with my own eyes and trust it as I go +forth to the ships of the Danaans." + +So did he pray, and Jove the lord of counsel heard his prayer. +Forthwith he sent an eagle, the most unerring portent of all +birds that fly, the dusky hunter that men also call the Black +Eagle. His wings were spread abroad on either side as wide as the +well-made and well-bolted door of a rich man's chamber. He came +to them flying over the city upon their right hands, and when +they saw him they were glad and their hearts took comfort within +them. The old man made haste to mount his chariot, and drove out +through the inner gateway and under the echoing gatehouse of the +outer court. Before him went the mules drawing the four-wheeled +waggon, and driven by wise Idaeus; behind these were the horses, +which the old man lashed with his whip and drove swiftly through +the city, while his friends followed after, wailing and lamenting +for him as though he were on his road to death. As soon as they +had come down from the city and had reached the plain, his sons +and sons-in-law who had followed him went back to Ilius. + +But Priam and Idaeus as they showed out upon the plain did not +escape the ken of all-seeing Jove, who looked down upon the old +man and pitied him; then he spoke to his son Mercury and said, +"Mercury, for it is you who are the most disposed to escort men +on their way, and to hear those whom you will hear, go, and so +conduct Priam to the ships of the Achaeans that no other of the +Danaans shall see him nor take note of him until he reach the son +of Peleus." + +Thus he spoke and Mercury, guide and guardian, slayer of Argus, +did as he was told. Forthwith he bound on his glittering golden +sandals with which he could fly like the wind over land and sea; +he took the wand with which he seals men's eyes in sleep, or +wakes them just as he pleases, and flew holding it in his hand +till he came to Troy and to the Hellespont. To look at, he was +like a young man of noble birth in the hey-day of his youth and +beauty with the down just coming upon his face. + +Now when Priam and Idaeus had driven past the great tomb of +Ilius, they stayed their mules and horses that they might drink +in the river, for the shades of night were falling, when, +therefore, Idaeus saw Mercury standing near them he said to +Priam, "Take heed, descendant of Dardanus; here is matter which +demands consideration. I see a man who I think will presently +fall upon us; let us fly with our horses, or at least embrace his +knees and implore him to take compassion upon us?" + +When he heard this the old man's heart failed him, and he was in +great fear; he stayed where he was as one dazed, and the hair +stood on end over his whole body; but the bringer of good luck +came up to him and took him by the hand, saying, "Whither, +father, are you thus driving your mules and horses in the dead of +night when other men are asleep? Are you not afraid of the fierce +Achaeans who are hard by you, so cruel and relentless? Should +some one of them see you bearing so much treasure through the +darkness of the flying night, what would not your state then be? +You are no longer young, and he who is with you is too old to +protect you from those who would attack you. For myself, I will +do you no harm, and I will defend you from any one else, for you +remind me of my own father." + +And Priam answered, "It is indeed as you say, my dear son; +nevertheless some god has held his hand over me, in that he has +sent such a wayfarer as yourself to meet me so opportunely; you +are so comely in mien and figure, and your judgement is so +excellent that you must come of blessed parents." + +Then said the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, "Sir, all that +you have said is right; but tell me and tell me true, are you +taking this rich treasure to send it to a foreign people where it +may be safe, or are you all leaving strong Ilius in dismay now +that your son has fallen who was the bravest man among you and +was never lacking in battle with the Achaeans?" + +And Priam said, "Who are you, my friend, and who are your +parents, that you speak so truly about the fate of my unhappy +son?" + +The slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, answered him, "Sir, you +would prove me, that you question me about noble Hector. Many a +time have I set eyes upon him in battle when he was driving the +Argives to their ships and putting them to the sword. We stood +still and marvelled, for Achilles in his anger with the son of +Atreus suffered us not to fight. I am his squire, and came with +him in the same ship. I am a Myrmidon, and my father's name is +Polyctor: he is a rich man and about as old as you are; he has +six sons besides myself, and I am the seventh. We cast lots, and +it fell upon me to sail hither with Achilles. I am now come from +the ships on to the plain, for with daybreak the Achaeans will +set battle in array about the city. They chafe at doing nothing, +and are so eager that their princes cannot hold them back." + +Then answered Priam, "If you are indeed the squire of Achilles +son of Peleus, tell me now the whole truth. Is my son still at +the ships, or has Achilles hewn him limb from limb, and given him +to his hounds?" + +"Sir," replied the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, "neither +hounds nor vultures have yet devoured him; he is still just lying +at the tents by the ship of Achilles, and though it is now twelve +days that he has lain there, his flesh is not wasted nor have the +worms eaten him although they feed on warriors. At daybreak +Achilles drags him cruelly round the sepulchre of his dear +comrade, but it does him no hurt. You should come yourself and +see how he lies fresh as dew, with the blood all washed away, and +his wounds every one of them closed though many pierced him with +their spears. Such care have the blessed gods taken of your brave +son, for he was dear to them beyond all measure." + +The old man was comforted as he heard him and said, "My son, see +what a good thing it is to have made due offerings to the +immortals; for as sure as that he was born my son never forgot +the gods that hold Olympus, and now they requite it to him even +in death. Accept therefore at my hands this goodly chalice; guard +me and with heaven's help guide me till I come to the tent of the +son of Peleus." + +Then answered the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, "Sir, you +are tempting me and playing upon my youth, but you shall not move +me, for you are offering me presents without the knowledge of +Achilles whom I fear and hold it great guilt to defraud, lest +some evil presently befall me; but as your guide I would go with +you even to Argos itself, and would guard you so carefully +whether by sea or land, that no one should attack you through +making light of him who was with you." + +The bringer of good luck then sprang on to the chariot, and +seizing the whip and reins he breathed fresh spirit into the +mules and horses. When they reached the trench and the wall that +was before the ships, those who were on guard had just been +getting their suppers, and the slayer of Argus threw them all +into a deep sleep. Then he drew back the bolts to open the gates, +and took Priam inside with the treasure he had upon his waggon. +Ere long they came to the lofty dwelling of the son of Peleus for +which the Myrmidons had cut pine and which they had built for +their king; when they had built it they thatched it with coarse +tussock-grass which they had mown out on the plain, and all round +it they made a large courtyard, which was fenced with stakes set +close together. The gate was barred with a single bolt of pine +which it took three men to force into its place, and three to +draw back so as to open the gate, but Achilles could draw it by +himself. Mercury opened the gate for the old man, and brought in +the treasure that he was taking with him for the son of Peleus. +Then he sprang from the chariot on to the ground and said, "Sir, +it is I, immortal Mercury, that am come with you, for my father +sent me to escort you. I will now leave you, and will not enter +into the presence of Achilles, for it might anger him that a god +should befriend mortal men thus openly. Go you within, and +embrace the knees of the son of Peleus: beseech him by his +father, his lovely mother, and his son; thus you may move him." + +With these words Mercury went back to high Olympus. Priam sprang +from his chariot to the ground, leaving Idaeus where he was, in +charge of the mules and horses. The old man went straight into +the house where Achilles, loved of the gods, was sitting. There +he found him with his men seated at a distance from him: only +two, the hero Automedon, and Alcimus of the race of Mars, were +busy in attendance about his person, for he had but just done +eating and drinking, and the table was still there. King Priam +entered without their seeing him, and going right up to Achilles +he clasped his knees and kissed the dread murderous hands that +had slain so many of his sons. + +As when some cruel spite has befallen a man that he should have +killed some one in his own country, and must fly to a great man's +protection in a land of strangers, and all marvel who see him, +even so did Achilles marvel as he beheld Priam. The others looked +one to another and marvelled also, but Priam besought Achilles +saying, "Think of your father, O Achilles like unto the gods, who +is such even as I am, on the sad threshold of old age. It may be +that those who dwell near him harass him, and there is none to +keep war and ruin from him. Yet when he hears of you being still +alive, he is glad, and his days are full of hope that he shall +see his dear son come home to him from Troy; but I, wretched man +that I am, had the bravest in all Troy for my sons, and there is +not one of them left. I had fifty sons when the Achaeans came +here; nineteen of them were from a single womb, and the others +were borne to me by the women of my household. The greater part +of them has fierce Mars laid low, and Hector, him who was alone +left, him who was the guardian of the city and ourselves, him +have you lately slain; therefore I am now come to the ships of +the Achaeans to ransom his body from you with a great ransom. +Fear, O Achilles, the wrath of heaven; think on your own father +and have compassion upon me, who am the more pitiable, for I have +steeled myself as no man yet has ever steeled himself before me, +and have raised to my lips the hand of him who slew my son." + +Thus spoke Priam, and the heart of Achilles yearned as he +bethought him of his father. He took the old man's hand and moved +him gently away. The two wept bitterly--Priam, as he lay at +Achilles' feet, weeping for Hector, and Achilles now for his +father and now for Patroclus, till the house was filled with +their lamentation. But when Achilles was now sated with grief and +had unburthened the bitterness of his sorrow, he left his seat +and raised the old man by the hand, in pity for his white hair +and beard; then he said, "Unhappy man, you have indeed been +greatly daring; how could you venture to come alone to the ships +of the Achaeans, and enter the presence of him who has slain so +many of your brave sons? You must have iron courage: sit now upon +this seat, and for all our grief we will hide our sorrows in our +hearts, for weeping will not avail us. The immortals know no +care, yet the lot they spin for man is full of sorrow; on the +floor of Jove's palace there stand two urns, the one filled with +evil gifts, and the other with good ones. He for whom Jove the +lord of thunder mixes the gifts he sends, will meet now with good +and now with evil fortune; but he to whom Jove sends none but +evil gifts will be pointed at by the finger of scorn, the hand of +famine will pursue him to the ends of the world, and he will go +up and down the face of the earth, respected neither by gods nor +men. Even so did it befall Peleus; the gods endowed him with all +good things from his birth upwards, for he reigned over the +Myrmidons excelling all men in prosperity and wealth, and mortal +though he was they gave him a goddess for his bride. But even on +him too did heaven send misfortune, for there is no race of royal +children born to him in his house, save one son who is doomed to +die all untimely; nor may I take care of him now that he is +growing old, for I must stay here at Troy to be the bane of you +and your children. And you too, O Priam, I have heard that you +were aforetime happy. They say that in wealth and plenitude of +offspring you surpassed all that is in Lesbos, the realm of Makar +to the northward, Phrygia that is more inland, and those that +dwell upon the great Hellespont; but from the day when the +dwellers in heaven sent this evil upon you, war and slaughter +have been about your city continually. Bear up against it, and +let there be some intervals in your sorrow. Mourn as you may for +your brave son, you will take nothing by it. You cannot raise him +from the dead, ere you do so yet another sorrow shall befall +you." + +And Priam answered, "O king, bid me not be seated, while Hector +is still lying uncared for in your tents, but accept the great +ransom which I have brought you, and give him to me at once that +I may look upon him. May you prosper with the ransom and reach +your own land in safety, seeing that you have suffered me to live +and to look upon the light of the sun." + +Achilles looked at him sternly and said, "Vex me, sir, no longer; +I am of myself minded to give up the body of Hector. My mother, +daughter of the old man of the sea, came to me from Jove to bid +me deliver it to you. Moreover I know well, O Priam, and you +cannot hide it, that some god has brought you to the ships of the +Achaeans, for else, no man however strong and in his prime would +dare to come to our host; he could neither pass our guard unseen, +nor draw the bolt of my gates thus easily; therefore, provoke me +no further, lest I sin against the word of Jove, and suffer you +not, suppliant though you are, within my tents." + +The old man feared him and obeyed. Then the son of Peleus sprang +like a lion through the door of his house, not alone, but with +him went his two squires Automedon and Alcimus who were closer to +him than any others of his comrades now that Patroclus was no +more. These unyoked the horses and mules, and bade Priam's herald +and attendant be seated within the house. They lifted the ransom +for Hector's body from the waggon, but they left two mantles and +a goodly shirt, that Achilles might wrap the body in them when he +gave it to be taken home. Then he called to his servants and +ordered them to wash the body and anoint it, but he first took it +to a place where Priam should not see it, lest if he did so, he +should break out in the bitterness of his grief, and enrage +Achilles, who might then kill him and sin against the word of +Jove. When the servants had washed the body and anointed it, and +had wrapped it in a fair shirt and mantle, Achilles himself +lifted it on to a bier, and he and his men then laid it on the +waggon. He cried aloud as he did so and called on the name of his +dear comrade, "Be not angry with me, Patroclus," he said, "if you +hear even in the house of Hades that I have given Hector to his +father for a ransom. It has been no unworthy one, and I will +share it equitably with you." + +Achilles then went back into the tent and took his place on the +richly inlaid seat from which he had risen, by the wall that was +at right angles to the one against which Priam was sitting. +"Sir," he said, "your son is now laid upon his bier and is +ransomed according to desire; you shall look upon him when you +him away at daybreak; for the present let us prepare our supper. +Even lovely Niobe had to think about eating, though her twelve +children--six daughters and six lusty sons--had been all slain in +her house. Apollo killed the sons with arrows from his silver +bow, to punish Niobe, and Diana slew the daughters, because Niobe +had vaunted herself against Leto; she said Leto had borne two +children only, whereas she had herself borne many--whereon the +two killed the many. Nine days did they lie weltering, and there +was none to bury them, for the son of Saturn turned the people +into stone; but on the tenth day the gods in heaven themselves +buried them, and Niobe then took food, being worn out with +weeping. They say that somewhere among the rocks on the mountain +pastures of Sipylus, where the nymphs live that haunt the river +Achelous, there, they say, she lives in stone and still nurses +the sorrows sent upon her by the hand of heaven. Therefore, noble +sir, let us two now take food; you can weep for your dear son +hereafter as you are bearing him back to Ilius--and many a tear +will he cost you." + +With this Achilles sprang from his seat and killed a sheep of +silvery whiteness, which his followers skinned and made ready all +in due order. They cut the meat carefully up into smaller pieces, +spitted them, and drew them off again when they were well +roasted. Automedon brought bread in fair baskets and served it +round the table, while Achilles dealt out the meat, and they laid +their hands on the good things that were before them. As soon as +they had had enough to eat and drink, Priam, descendant of +Dardanus, marvelled at the strength and beauty of Achilles for he +was as a god to see, and Achilles marvelled at Priam as he +listened to him and looked upon his noble presence. When they had +gazed their fill Priam spoke first. "And now, O king," he said, +"take me to my couch that we may lie down and enjoy the blessed +boon of sleep. Never once have my eyes been closed from the day +your hands took the life of my son; I have grovelled without +ceasing in the mire of my stable-yard, making moan and brooding +over my countless sorrows. Now, moreover, I have eaten bread and +drunk wine; hitherto I have tasted nothing." + +As he spoke Achilles told his men and the women-servants to set +beds in the room that was in the gatehouse, and make them with +good red rugs, and spread coverlets on the top of them with +woollen cloaks for Priam and Idaeus to wear. So the maids went +out carrying a torch and got the two beds ready in all haste. +Then Achilles said laughingly to Priam, "Dear sir, you shall lie +outside, lest some counsellor of those who in due course keep +coming to advise with me should see you here in the darkness of +the flying night, and tell it to Agamemnon. This might cause +delay in the delivery of the body. And now tell me and tell me +true, for how many days would you celebrate the funeral rites of +noble Hector? Tell me, that I may hold aloof from war and +restrain the host." + +And Priam answered, "Since, then, you suffer me to bury my noble +son with all due rites, do thus, Achilles, and I shall be +grateful. You know how we are pent up within our city; it is far +for us to fetch wood from the mountain, and the people live in +fear. Nine days, therefore, will we mourn Hector in my house; on +the tenth day we will bury him and there shall be a public feast +in his honour; on the eleventh we will build a mound over his +ashes, and on the twelfth, if there be need, we will fight." + +And Achilles answered, "All, King Priam, shall be as you have +said. I will stay our fighting for as long a time as you have +named." + +As he spoke he laid his hand on the old man's right wrist, in +token that he should have no fear; thus then did Priam and his +attendant sleep there in the forecourt, full of thought, while +Achilles lay in an inner room of the house, with fair Briseis by +his side. + +And now both gods and mortals were fast asleep through the +livelong night, but upon Mercury alone, the bringer of good luck, +sleep could take no hold for he was thinking all the time how to +get King Priam away from the ships without his being seen by the +strong force of sentinels. He hovered therefore over Priam's head +and said, "Sir, now that Achilles has spared your life, you seem +to have no fear about sleeping in the thick of your foes. You +have paid a great ransom, and have received the body of your son; +were you still alive and a prisoner the sons whom you have left +at home would have to give three times as much to free you; and +so it would be if Agamemnon and the other Achaeans were to know +of your being here." + +When he heard this the old man was afraid and roused his servant. +Mercury then yoked their horses and mules, and drove them quickly +through the host so that no man perceived them. When they came to +the ford of eddying Xanthus, begotten of immortal Jove, Mercury +went back to high Olympus, and dawn in robe of saffron began to +break over all the land. Priam and Idaeus then drove on toward +the city lamenting and making moan, and the mules drew the body +of Hector. No one neither man nor woman saw them, till Cassandra, +fair as golden Venus standing on Pergamus, caught sight of her +dear father in his chariot, and his servant that was the city's +herald with him. Then she saw him that was lying upon the bier, +drawn by the mules, and with a loud cry she went about the city +saying, "Come hither Trojans, men and women, and look on Hector; +if ever you rejoiced to see him coming from battle when he was +alive, look now on him that was the glory of our city and all our +people." + +At this there was not man nor woman left in the city, so great a +sorrow had possessed them. Hard by the gates they met Priam as he +was bringing in the body. Hector's wife and his mother were the +first to mourn him: they flew towards the waggon and laid their +hands upon his head, while the crowd stood weeping round them. +They would have stayed before the gates, weeping and lamenting +the livelong day to the going down of the sun, had not Priam +spoken to them from the chariot and said, "Make way for the mules +to pass you. Afterwards when I have taken the body home you shall +have your fill of weeping." + +On this the people stood asunder, and made a way for the waggon. +When they had borne the body within the house they laid it upon a +bed and seated minstrels round it to lead the dirge, whereon the +women joined in the sad music of their lament. Foremost among +them all Andromache led their wailing as she clasped the head of +mighty Hector in her embrace. "Husband," she cried, "you have +died young, and leave me in your house a widow; he of whom we are +the ill-starred parents is still a mere child, and I fear he may +not reach manhood. Ere he can do so our city will be razed and +overthrown, for you who watched over it are no more--you who were +its saviour, the guardian of our wives and children. Our women +will be carried away captives to the ships, and I among them; +while you, my child, who will be with me will be put to some +unseemly tasks, working for a cruel master. Or, may be, some +Achaean will hurl you (O miserable death) from our walls, to +avenge some brother, son, or father whom Hector slew; many of +them have indeed bitten the dust at his hands, for your father's +hand in battle was no light one. Therefore do the people mourn +him. You have left, O Hector, sorrow unutterable to your parents, +and my own grief is greatest of all, for you did not stretch +forth your arms and embrace me as you lay dying, nor say to me +any words that might have lived with me in my tears night and day +for evermore." + +Bitterly did she weep the while, and the women joined in her +lament. Hecuba in her turn took up the strains of woe. "Hector," +she cried, "dearest to me of all my children. So long as you were +alive the gods loved you well, and even in death they have not +been utterly unmindful of you; for when Achilles took any other +of my sons, he would sell him beyond the seas, to Samos Imbrus or +rugged Lemnos; and when he had slain you too with his sword, many +a time did he drag you round the sepulchre of his comrade--though +this could not give him life--yet here you lie all fresh as dew, +and comely as one whom Apollo has slain with his painless +shafts." + +Thus did she too speak through her tears with bitter moan, and +then Helen for a third time took up the strain of lamentation. +"Hector," said she, "dearest of all my brothers-in-law--for I am +wife to Alexandrus who brought me hither to Troy--would that I +had died ere he did so--twenty years are come and gone since I +left my home and came from over the sea, but I have never heard +one word of insult or unkindness from you. When another would +chide with me, as it might be one of your brothers or sisters or +of your brothers' wives, or my mother-in-law--for Priam was as +kind to me as though he were my own father--you would rebuke and +check them with words of gentleness and goodwill. Therefore my +tears flow both for you and for my unhappy self, for there is no +one else in Troy who is kind to me, but all shrink and shudder as +they go by me." + +She wept as she spoke and the vast crowd that was gathered round +her joined in her lament. Then King Priam spoke to them saying, +"Bring wood, O Trojans, to the city, and fear no cunning ambush +of the Argives, for Achilles when he dismissed me from the ships +gave me his word that they should not attack us until the morning +of the twelfth day." + +Forthwith they yoked their oxen and mules and gathered together +before the city. Nine days long did they bring in great heaps of +wood, and on the morning of the tenth day with many tears they +took brave Hector forth, laid his dead body upon the summit of +the pile, and set the fire thereto. Then when the child of +morning, rosy-fingered dawn, appeared on the eleventh day, the +people again assembled, round the pyre of mighty Hector. When +they were got together, they first quenched the fire with wine +wherever it was burning, and then his brothers and comrades with +many a bitter tear gathered his white bones, wrapped them in soft +robes of purple, and laid them in a golden urn, which they placed +in a grave and covered over with large stones set close together. +Then they built a barrow hurriedly over it keeping guard on every +side lest the Achaeans should attack them before they had +finished. When they had heaped up the barrow they went back again +into the city, and being well assembled they held high feast in +the house of Priam their king. + +Thus, then, did they celebrate the funeral of Hector tamer of +horses. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Iliad of Homer, +translated by Samuel Butler + |