The Iliad by Homer

So these twain shouted in the front,

and aroused the battle of the Achaians.

But as flakes of snow fall thick on a winter day,

when Zeus the Counsellor bath begun to snow,

showing forth these arrows of his to men,

and he hath lulled the winds,

and he snoweth continually,

till he hath covered the crests of the high hills,

and the uttermost headlands,

and the grassy plains,

and rich tillage of men;

and the snow is scattered over the havens and shores of the grey sea,

and only the wave as it rolleth in keeps off the snow,

but all other things are swathed over,

when the shower of Zeus cometh heavily,

so from both sides their stones flew thick,

some towards the Trojans,

and some from the Trojans against the Achaians,

while both sides were smitten,

and over all the wall the din arose.

Yet never would the Trojans,

then,

and renowned Hector have broken the gates of the wall,

and the long bar,

if Zeus the Counsellor had not roused his son Sarpedon against the Argives,

like a lion against the kine of crooked horn.

Straightway he held forth his fair round shield,

of hammered bronze,

that the bronze-smith had hammered out,

and within had stitched many bulls’ hides with rivets of gold,

all round the circle,

this held he forth,

and shook two spears;

and sped on his way,

like a mountain-nurtured lion,

that long lacketh meat,

and his brave spirit urgeth him to make assail on the sheep,

and come even against a well-builded homestead.

Nay,

even if he find herdsmen thereby,

guarding the sheep with hounds and spears,

yet hath he no mind to be driven without an effort from the steading,

but he either leapeth on a sheep,

and seizeth it,

or himself is smitten in the foremost place with a dart from a strong hand.

So did his heart then urge on the godlike Sarpedon to rush against the wall,

and break through the battlements.

And instantly he spake to Glaukos,

son of Hippolochos:

“Glaukos,

wherefore have we twain the chiefest honour,

—seats of honour,

and messes,

and full cups in Lykia,

and all men look on us as gods?

And wherefore hold we a great demesne by the banks of Xanthos,

a fair demesne of orchard-land,

and wheat-bearing tilth?

Therefore now it behoveth us to take our stand in the first rank of the Lykians,

and encounter fiery battle,

that certain of the well-corsleted Lykians may say,

‘Verily our kings that rule Lykia be no inglorious men,

they that eat fat sheep,

and drink the choice wine honey-sweet:

nay,

but they are also of excellent might,

for they war in the foremost ranks of the Lykians.’

Ah,

friend,

if once escaped from this battle we were for ever to be ageless and immortal,

neither would I fight myself in the foremost ranks,

nor would I send thee into the war that giveth men renown,

but now—for assuredly ten thousand fates of death do every way beset us,

and these no mortal may escape nor avoid—now let us go forward,

whether we shall give glory to other men,

or others to us.”

So spake he,

and Glaukos turned not apart,

nor disobeyed him,

and they twain went straight forward,

leading the great host of the Lykians.

Then Menestheus son of Peteos shuddered when he beheld them,

for against his tower they went,

bringing with them ruin;

and he looked along the tower of the Achaians if perchance he might see any of the leaders,

that would ward off destruction from his comrades,

and he beheld the two Aiantes,

insatiate of war,

standing there,

and Teukros hard by,

newly come from his hut;

but he could not cry to be heard of them,

so great was the din,

and the noise went up unto heaven of smitten shields and helms with horse-hair crests,

and of the gates,

for they had all been shut,

and the Trojans stood beside them,

and strove by force to break them,

and enter in.

Swiftly then to Aias he sent the herald Thootes:

“Go,

noble Thootes,

and run,

and call Aias:

or rather the twain,

for that will be far the best of all,

since quickly here will there be wrought utter ruin.

For hereby press the leaders of the Lykians,

who of old are fierce in strong battle.

But if beside them too war and toil arise,

yet at least let the strong Telamonian Aias come alone and let Teukros the skilled bowman follow with him.”

So spake he,

and the herald listened and disobeyed him not,

but started and ran by the wall of the mail-clad Achaians,

and came,

and stood by the Aiantes,

and straightway spake:

“Ye twain Aiantes,

leaders of the mail-clad Achaians,

the dear son of Peteos,

fosterling of Zeus,

biddeth you go thither,

that,

if it be but for a little while,

ye may take your part in battle:

both of you he more desireth,

for that will be far the best of all,

since quickly there will there be wrought utter ruin.

For thereby press the leaders of the Lykians,

who of old are fierce in strong battle.

But if beside you too war and toil arise,

yet at least let the strong Telamonian Aias come alone,

and let Teukros the skilled bowman follow with him.”

So spake he,

nor did the strong Telamonian Aias disobey,

but instantly spake winged words to the son of Oileus:

“Aias,

do ye twain stand here,

thyself and strong Lykomedes,

and urge the Danaans to war with all their might;

but I go thither,

to take my part in battle,

and quickly will I come again,

when I have well aided them.”

So spake Telamonian Aias and departed,

and Teukros went with him,

his brother by the same father,

and with them Pandion bare the bended bow of Teukros.

Now when they came to the tower of great-hearted Menestheus,

passing within the wall,

—and to men sore pressed they came,

—the foe were climbing upon the battlements,

like a dark whirlwind,

even the strong leaders and counsellors of the Lykians;

and they hurled together into the war and the battle-cry arose.

Now first did Aias Telamol’s son slay a man,

Epikles great of heart,

the comrade of Sarpedon.

With a jagged stone he smote him,

a great stone that lay uppermost within the wall,

by the battlements.

Not lightly could a man hold it in both hands,

however strong in his youth,

of such mortals as now are,

but Aias lifted it,

and cast it from above,

and shattered the helm of fourfold crest,

and broke the bones of the head,

and he fell like a diver from the lofty tower,

and his life left his bones.

And Teukros smote Glaukos,

the strong son of Hippolochos,

as he came on,

with an arrow from the lofty wall;

even where he saw his shoulder bare he smote him,

and made him cease from delight in battle.

Back from the wall he leapt secretly,

lest any of the Achaians should see him smitten,

and speak boastfully.

But sorrow came on Sarpedon when Glaukos departed,

so soon as he was aware thereof,

but he forgot not the joy of battle.

He aimed at Alkmaon,

son of Thestor,

with the spear,

and smote him,

and drew out the spear.

And Alkmaon following the spear fell prone,

and his bronze-dight arms rang round him.

Then Sarpedon seized with strong hands the battlement,

and dragged,

and it all gave way together,

while above the wall was stripped bare,

and made a path for many.

Then Aias and Teukros did encounter him:

Teukros smote him with an arrow,

on the bright baldric of his covering shield,

about the breast,

but Zeus warded off the Fates from his son,

that he should not be overcome beside the ships’ sterns.

Then Aias leaped on and smote his shield,

nor did the spear pass clean through,

yet shook he Sarpedon in his eagerness.

He gave ground a little way from the battlement,

yet retreated not wholly,

since his heart hoped to win renown.

Then he turned and cried to the godlike Lykians:

“O Lykians,

wherefore thus are ye slack in impetuous valour.

Hard it is for me,

stalwart as I am,

alone to break through,

and make a path to the ships,

nay,

follow hard after me,

for the more men,

the better work.”

So spake he,

and they,

dreading the rebuke of their king,

pressed on the harder around the counsellor and king.

And the Argives on the other side made strong their battalions within the wall,

and mighty toil began for them.

For neither could the strong Lykians burst through the wall of the Danaans,

and make a way to the ships,

nor could the warlike Danaans drive back the Lykians from the wall,

when once they had drawn near thereto.

But as two men contend about the marches of their land,

with measuring rods in their hands,

in a common field,

when in narrow space they strive for equal shares,

even so the battlements divided them,

and over those they smote the round shields of ox hide about the breasts of either side,

and the fluttering bucklers.

And many were wounded in the flesh with the ruthless bronze,

whensoever the back of any of the warriors was laid bare as he turned,

ay,

and many clean through the very shield.

Yea,

everywhere the towers and battlements swam with the blood of men shed on either side,

by Trojans and Achaians.

But even so they could not put the Argives to rout,

but they held their ground,

as an honest woman that laboureth with her hands holds the balance,

and raises the weight and the wool together,

balancing them,

that she may win scant wages for her children;

so evenly was strained their war and battle,

till the moment when Zeus gave the greater renown to Hector,

son of Priam,

who was the first to leap within the wall of the Achaians.

In a piercing voice he cried aloud to the Trojans:

“Rise, ye horse-taming Trojans,

break the wall of the Argives,

and cast among the ships fierce blazing fire.”

So spake he,

spurring them on,

and they all heard him with their ears,

and in one mass rushed straight against the wall,

and with sharp spears in their hands climbed upon the machicolations of the towers.

And Hector seized and carried a stone that lay in front of the gates,

thick in the hinder part,

but sharp at point:

a stone that not the two best men of the people,

such as mortals now are,

could lightly lift from the ground on to a wain,

but easily he wielded it alone,

for the son of crooked-counselling Kronos made it light for him.

And as when a shepherd lightly beareth the fleece of a ram,

taking it in one hand, and little doth it burden him,

so Hector lifted the stone,

and bare it straight against the doors that closely guarded the stubborn-set portals,

double gates and tall,

and two cross bars held them within,

and one bolt fastened them.

And he came,

and stood hard by,

and firmly planted himself,

and smote them in the midst,

setting his legs well apart,

that his cast might lack no strength.

And he brake both the hinges,

and the stone fell within by reason of its weight,

and the gates rang loud around,

and the bars held not,

and the doors burst this way and that beneath the rush of the stone.

Then glorious Hector leaped in,

with face like the sudden night,

shining in wondrous mail that was clad about his body,

and with two spears in his hands.

No man that met him could have held him back when once he leaped within the gates:

none but the gods,

and his eyes shone with fire.

Turning towards the throng he cried to the Trojans to overleap the wall,

and they obeyed his summons,

and speedily some overleaped the wall,

and some poured into the fair-wrought gateways,

and the Danaans fled in fear among the hollow ships,

and a ceaseless clamour arose.

BOOK XIII.​

Poseidon stirreth up the Achaians to defend the ships.

The valour of Idomeneus.

Now Zeus,

after that he had brought the Trojans and Hector to the ships,

left them to their toil and endless labour there,

but otherwhere again he turned his shining eyes,

and looked upon the land of the Thracian horsebreeders,

and the Mysians,

fierce fighters hand to hand, and the proud Hippemolgoi that drink mare’s milk,

and the Abioi,

the most righteous of men.

To Troy no more at all he turned his shining eyes,

for he deemed in his heart that not one of the Immortals would draw near,

to help either Trojans or Danaans.

But the mighty Earth-shaker held no blind watch,

who sat and marvelled on the war and strife,

high on the topmost crest of wooded Samothrace,

for thence all Ida was plain to see;

and plain to see were the city of Priam,

and the ships of the Achaians.

Thither did he go from the sea and sate him down,

and he had pity on the Achaians,

that they were subdued to the Trojans,

and strong was his anger against Zeus.

Then forthwith he went down from the rugged hill,

faring with swift steps,

and the high hills trembled,

and the woodland,

beneath the immortal footsteps of Poseidon as he moved.

Three strides he made,

and with the fourth he reached his goal,

even Aigae,

and there was his famous palace in the deeps of the mere,

his glistering golden mansions builded,

imperishable for ever.

Thither went he,

and let harness to the car his bronze-hooved horses,

swift of flight,

clothed with their golden manes.

He girt his own golden array about his body,

and seized the well-wrought lash of gold,

and mounted his chariot,

and forth he drove across the waves.

And the sea beasts frolicked beneath him,

on all sides out of the deeps,

for well they knew their lord,

and with gladness the sea stood asunder,

and swiftly they sped,

and the axle of bronze was not wetted beneath,

and the bounding steeds bare him on to the ships of the Achaians.

Now there is a spacious cave in the depths of the deep mere,

between Tenedos and rugged Imbros;

there did Poseidon,

the Shaker of the earth,

stay his horses,

and loosed them out of the chariot,

and cast before them ambrosial food to graze withal,

and golden tethers he bound about their hooves,

tethers neither to be broken nor loosed,

that there the horses might continually await their lord’s return.

And he went to the host of the Achaians.

Now the Trojans like flame or storm-wind were following in close array,

with fierce intent,

after Hector,

son of Priam.

With shouts and cries they came,

and thought to take the ships of the Achaians,

and to slay thereby all the bravest of the host.

But Poseidon,

that girdleth the world,

the Shaker of the earth,

was urging on the Argives,

and forth he came from the deep salt sea,

in form and untiring voice like unto Kalchas.

First he spake to the two Aiantes,

that themselves were eager for battle:

“Ye Aiantes twain,

ye shall save the people of the Achaians,

if ye are mindful of your might,

and reckless of chill fear.

For verily I do not otherwhere dread the invincible hands of the Trojans,

that have climbed the great wall in their multitude,

nay,

the well-greaved Achaians will hold them all at bay;

but hereby verily do I greatly dread lest some evil befall us,

even here where that furious one is leading like a flame of fire,

Hector,

who boasts him to be son of mighty Zeus.

Nay,

but here may some god put it into the hearts of you twain,

to stand sturdily yourselves,

and urge others to do the like;

thereby might ye drive him from the fleet-faring ships,

despite his eagerness,

yea,

even if the Olympian himself is rousing him to war.”

Therewith the Shaker of the world,

the girdler of the earth,

struck the twain with his staff,

and filled them with strong courage,

and their limbs he made light,

and their feet,

and their hands withal.

Then,

even as a swift-winged hawk speeds forth to fly,

poised high above a tall sheer rock,

and swoops to chase some other bird across the plain,

even so Poseidon sped from them,

the Shaker of the world.

And of the twain Oileus’ son,

the swift-footed Aias,

was the first to know the god,

and instantly he spake to Aias,

son of Telamon:

“Aias,

since it is one of the gods who hold Olympus,

that in the semblance of a seer commands us now to fight beside the ships-not Kalchas is he,

the prophet and sooth-sayer,

for easily I knew the tokens of his feet and knees as he turned away,

and the gods are easy to discern

—lo,

then mine own heart within my breast is more eagerly set on war and battle,

and my feet beneath and my hands above are lusting for the fight.”

Then Aias,

son of Telamon,

answered him saying:

“Even so,

too,

my hands invincible now rage about the spear-shaft,

and wrath has risen within me,

and both my feet are swift beneath me;

yea,

I am keen to meet,

even in single fight,

the ceaseless rage of Hector son of Priam.”

So they spake to each other,

rejoicing in the delight of battle,

which the god put in their heart.

Then the girdler of the earth stirred up the Achaians that were in the rear and were renewing their strength beside the swift ships.

Their limbs were loosened by their grievous toil,

yea,

and their souls filled with sorrow at the sight of the Trojans,

that had climbed over the great wall in their multitude.

And they looked on them,

and shed tears beneath their brows,

thinking that never would they escape destruction.

But the Shaker of the earth right easily came among them,

and urged on the strong battalions of warriors.

Teukros first he came and summoned,

and Leitos,

and the hero Peneleos,

and Thoas,

and Deipyros,

and Meriones,

and Antilochos,

lords of the war-cry,

all these he spurred on with winged words:

“Shame on you,

Argives,

shame,

ye striplings,

in your battle had I trusted for the salvation of our ships.

But if you are to withdraw from grievous war,

now indeed the day doth shine that shall see us conquered by the Trojans.

Out on it,

for verily a great marvel is this that mine eyes behold,

a terrible thing that methought should never come to pass,

the Trojans advancing against our ships!

Of yore they were like fleeting hinds,

that in the wild wood are the prey of jackals,

and pards,

and wolves,

and wander helpless,

strengthless,

empty of the joy of battle.

Even so the Trojans of old cared never to wait and face the wrath and the hands of the Achaians,

not for a moment.

But now they are fighting far from the town,

by the hollow ships,

all through the baseness of our leader and the remissness of the people,

who, being at strife with the chief,

have no heart to defend the swift-faring ships,

nay,

thereby they are slain.

But if indeed and in truth the hero Agamemnon,

the wide-ruling son of Atreus,

is the very cause of all,

for that he did dishonour the swift-footed son of Peleus,

not even so may we refrain in any wise from war.

Nay,

let us right our fault with speed,

for easily righted are the hearts of the brave.

No longer do ye well to refrain from impetuous might,

all ye that are the best men of the host.

I myself would not quarrel with one that,

being a weakling,

abstained from war,

but with you I am heartily wroth.

Ah,

friends,

soon shall ye make the mischief more through this remissness,

—but let each man conceive shame in his heart,

and indignation,

for verily great is the strife that hath arisen.

Lo,

the mighty Hector of the loud war-cry is fighting at the ships,

and the gates and the long bar he hath burst in sunder.”

On this wise did the Earth-enfolder call to and spur on the Achaians.

And straightway they made a stand around the two Aiantes,

strong bands that Ares himself could not enter and make light of,

nor Athene that marshals the host.

Yea,

they were the chosen best that abode the Trojans and goodly Hector,

and spear on spear made close-set fence,

and shield on serried shield,

buckler pressed on buckler,

and helm on helm,

and man on man.

The horse-hair crests on the bright helmet-ridges touched each other as they nodded,

so close they stood each by other,

and spears brandished in bold hands were interlaced;

and their hearts were steadfast and lusted for battle.

Then the Trojans drave forward in close array,

and Hector led them,

pressing straight onwards,

like a rolling rock from a cliff,

that the winter-swollen water thrusteth from the crest of a hill,

having broken the foundations of the stubborn rock with its wondrous flood;

leaping aloft it flies,

and the wood echoes under it,

and unstayed it runs its course,

till it reaches the level plain,

and then it rolls no more for all its eagerness,

—even so Hector for a while threatened lightly to win to the sea through the huts and the ships of the Achaians,

slaying as he came,

but when he encountered the serried battalions,

he was stayed when he drew near against them.

But they of the other part,

the sons of the Achaians,

thrust with their swords and double-pointed spears,

and drave him forth from them,

that he gave ground and reeled backward.

Then he cried with a piercing voice,

calling on the Trojans:

“Trojans,

and Lykians,

and close-fighting Dardanians,

hold your ground,

for the Achaians will not long ward me off,

nay,

though they have arrayed themselves in fashion like a tower.

Rather,

methinks,

they will flee back before the spear,

if verily the chief of gods has set me on,

the loud-thundering lord of Hera.”

Therewith he spurred on the heart and spirit of each man;

and Deiphobos,

the son of Priam,

strode among them with high thoughts,

and held in front of him the circle of his shield,

and lightly he stepped with his feet,

advancing beneath the cover of his shield.

Then Meriones aimed at him with a shining spear,

and struck,

and missed not,

but smote the circle of the bulls-hide shield,

yet no whit did he pierce it;

nay,

well ere that might be,

the long spear-shaft snapped in the socket.

Now Deiphobos was holding off from him the bulls-hide shield,

and his heart feared the lance of wise Meriones,

but that hero shrunk back among the throng of his comrades,

greatly in wrath both for the loss of victory,

and of his spear,

that he had shivered.

So he set forth to go to the huts and the ships of the Achaians,

to bring a long spear,

that he had left in his hut.

Meanwhile the others were fighting on,

and there arose an inextinguishable cry.

First Teukros,

son of Telamon,

slew a man,

the spearman Imbrios,

the son of Mentor rich in horses.

In Pedaion he dwelt,

before the coming of the sons of the Achaians,

and he had for wife a daughter of Priam,

born out of wedlock,

Medesikaste;

but when the curved ships of the Danaans came,

he returned again to Ilios,

and was pre-eminent among the Trojans,

and dwelt with Priam,

who honoured him like his own children.

Him the son of Telemon pierced below the ear with his long lance,

and plucked back the spear.

Then he fell like an ash that on the crest of a far-seen hill is smitten with the axe of bronze,

and brings its delicate foliage to the ground;

even so he fell,

and round him rang his armour bedight with bronze.

Then Teukros rushed forth,

most eager to strip his armour,

and Hector cast at him as he came with his shining spear.

But Teukros,

steadily regarding him,

avoided by a little the spear of bronze;

so Hector struck Amphimachos,

son of Kteatos,

son of Aktor,

in the breast with the spear,

as he was returning to the battle.

With a crash he fell,

and his armour rang upon him.

Then Hector sped forth to tear from the head of great-hearted Amphimachos the helmet closely fitted to his temples,

but Aias aimed at Hector as he came,

with a shining spear,

yet in no wise touched his body,

for he was all clad in dread armour of bronze;

but he smote the boss of his shield,

and drave him back by main force,

and he gave place from behind the two dead men,

and the Achaians drew them out of the battle.

So Stichios and goodly Menestheus,

leaders of the Athenians,

conveyed Amphimachos back among the host of the Achaians,

but Imbrios the two Aiantes carried,

with hearts full of impetuous might.

And as when two lions have snatched away a goat from sharp-toothed hounds,

and carry it through the deep thicket,

holding the body on high above the ground in their jaws,

so the two warrior Aiantes held Imbrios aloft and spoiled his arms.

Then the son of Oileus cut his head from his delicate neck,

in wrath for the sake of Amphimachos,

and sent it rolling like a ball through the throng,

and it dropped in the dust before the feet of Hector.

Then verily was Poseidon wroth at heart,

when his sol’s son fell in the terrible fray.

[Kteatos, father of Amphimachos, was Poseidol’s son.]

So he set forth to go by the huts and the ships of the Achaians,

to spur on the Danaans,

and sorrows he was contriving for the Trojans.

Then Idomeneus,

spearman renowned,

met him on his way from his comrade that had but newly returned to him out of the battle,

wounded on the knee with the sharp bronze.

Him his comrades carried forth,

and Idomeneus gave charge to the leeches,

and so went on to his hut,

for he still was eager to face the war.

Then the mighty Shaker of the earth addressed him,

in the voice of Thoas,

son of Andraimon,

that ruled over the Aitolians in all Pleuron,

and mountainous Kalydon,

and was honoured like a god by the people:

“Idomeneus,

thou counsellor of the Cretans,

say,

whither have thy threats fared,

wherewith the sons of the Achaians threatened the Trojans?”

Then Idomeneus,

leader of the Cretans,

answered him again:

“O Thaos,

now is there no man to blame,

that I wot of,

for we all are skilled in war.

Neither is there any man that spiritless fear holds aloof,

nor any that gives place to cowardice,

and shuns the cruel war,

nay,

but even thus,

methinks,

must it have seemed good to almighty Kronion,

even that the Achaians should perish nameless here,

far away from Argos.

But Thoas,

seeing that of old thou wert staunch,

and dost spur on some other man,

wheresoever thou mayst see any give ground,

therefore slacken not now,

but call aloud to every warrior.”

Then Poseidon,

the Shaker of the earth,

answered him again:

“Idomeneus,

never may that man go forth out of Troy-land,

but here may he be the sport of dogs,

who this day wilfully is slack in battle.

Nay,

come,

take thy weapons and away:

herein we must play the man together,

if any avail there may be,

though we are no more than two.

Ay,

and very cowards get courage from company,

but we twain know well how to battle even with the brave.”

Therewith the god went back again into the strife of men,

but Idomeneus,

so soon as he came to his well-builded hut,

did on his fair armour about his body,

and grasped two spears,

and set forth like the lightning that Kronion seizes in his hand and brandishes from radiant Olympus,

showing forth a sign to mortal men,

and far seen are the flames thereof.

Even so shone the bronze about the breast of Idomeneus as he ran,

and Meriones,

his good squire,

met him,

while he was still near his hut,

—he was going to bring his spear of bronze,

—and mighty Idomeneus spake to him:

“Meriones son of Molos,

fleet of foot,

dearest of my company,

wherefore hast thou come hither and left the war and strife?

Art thou wounded at all,

and vexed by a dart’s point,

or dost thou come with a message for me concerning aught?

Verily I myself have no desire to sit in the huts,

but to fight.”

Then wise Meriones answered him again,

saying:

“I have come to fetch a spear,

if perchance thou hast one left in the huts,

for that which before I carried I have shivered in casting at the shield of proud Deiphobos.”

Then Idomeneus,

leader of the Cretans,

answered him again:

“Spears,

if thou wilt,

thou shalt find,

one,

ay,

and twenty,

standing in the hut,

against the shining side walls,

spears of the Trojans whereof I have spoiled their slain.

Yea,

it is not my mood to stand and fight with foemen from afar,

wherefore I have spears,

and bossy shields,

and helms,

and corslets of splendid sheen.”

Then wise Meriones answered him again:

“Yea,

and in mine own hut and my black ship are many spoils of the Trojans,

but not ready to my hand.

Nay,

for methinks that neither am I forgetful of valour;

but stand forth among the foremost to face the glorious war,

whensoever ariseth the strife of battle.

Any other,

methinks,

of the mail-clad Achaians should sooner forget my prowess,

but thou art he that knoweth it.”

Then Idomeneus,

leader of the Cretans,

answered him again:

“I know what a man of valour thou art,

wherefore shouldst thou tell me thereof?

Nay,

if now beside the ships all the best of us were being chosen for an ambush

—wherein the valour of men is best discerned;

there the coward,

and the brave man most plainly declare themselves:

for the colour of the coward changes often,

and his spirit cannot abide firm within him,

but now he kneels on one knee,

now on the other,

and rests on either foot,

and his heart beats noisily in his breast,

as he thinks of doom,

and his teeth chatter loudly.

But the colour of the brave man does not change,

nor is he greatly afraid,

from the moment that he enters the ambush of heroes,

but his prayer is to mingle instantly in woeful war.

Were we being chosen for such an ambush,

I say,

not even then would any man reckon lightly of thy courage and thy strength.

Nay,

and even if thou wert stricken in battle from afar,

or smitten in close fight,

the dart would not strike thee in the hinder part of the neck,

nor in the back,

but would encounter thy breast or belly,

as thou dost press on,

towards the gathering of the foremost fighters.

But come,

no more let us talk thus,

like children,

loitering here,

lest any man be vehemently wroth,

but go thou to the hut,

and bring the strong spear.”

Thus he spake,

and Meriones,

the peer of swift Ares,

quickly bare the spear of bronze from the hut,

and went after Idomeneus,

with high thoughts of battle.

And even as Ares,

the bane of men,

goes forth into the war,

and with him follows his dear son Panic,

stark and fearless,

that terrifies even the hardy warrior;

and these twain leave Thrace,

and harness them for fight with the Ephyri,

or the great-hearted Phlegyans,

yet hearken not to both peoples,

but give honour to one only;

like these gods did Meriones and Idomeneus,

leaders of men,

set forth into the fight,

harnessed in gleaming bronze.

And Meriones spake first to Idomeneus saying:

“Child of Deukalion,

whither art thou eager to enter into the throng:

on the right of all the host,

or in the centre,

or on the left?

Ay,

and no other where,

methinks,

are the flowing-haired Achaians so like to fail in fight.”

Then Idomeneus,

the leader of the Cretans,

answered him again:

“In the centre of the ships there are others to bear the brunt,

the two Aiantes,

and Teukros,

the best bowman of the Achaians,

ay,

and a good man in close fight;

these will give Hector Priam’s son toil enough,

howsoever keen he be for battle;

yea,

though he be exceeding stalwart.

Hard will he find it,

with all his lust for war,

to overcome their strength and their hands invincible,

and to fire the ships,

unless Kronion himself send down on the swift ships a burning brand.

But not to a man would he yield,

the great Telamonian Aias,

to a man that is mortal and eateth Demeter’s grain,

and may be chosen with the sword of bronze,

and with hurling of great stones.

Nay,

not even to Achilles the breaker of the ranks of men would he give way,

not in close fight;

but for speed of foot none may in any wise strive with Achilles.

But guide us twain,

as thou sayest,

to the left hand of the host,

that speedily we may learn whether we are to win glory from others,

or other men from us.”

So he spake,

and Meriones,

the peer of swift Ares,

led the way,

till they came to the host,

in that place whither he bade him go.

And when the Trojans saw Idomeneus,

strong as flame,

and his squire with him,

and their glorious armour,

they all shouted and made for him through the press.

Then their mellay began,

by the sterns of the ships.

And as the gusts speed on,

when shrill winds blow,

on a day when dust lies thickest on the roads,

and the winds raise together a great cloud of dust,

even so their battle clashed together,

and all were fain of heart to slay each other in the press with the keen bronze.

And the battle,

the bane of men,

bristled with the long spears,

the piercing spears they grasped,

and the glitter of bronze from gleaming helmets dazzled the eyes,

and the sheen of new-burnished corslets,

and shining shields,

as the men thronged all together.

Right hardy of heart would he have been that joyed and sorrowed not at the sight of this labour of battle.

Thus the two mighty sons of Kronos,

with contending will,

were contriving sorrow and anguish for the heroes.

Zeus desired victory for the Trojans and Hector,

giving glory to swift-footed Achilles;

yet he did not wish the Achaian host to perish utterly before Ilios,

but only to give renown to Thetis and her strong-hearted son.

But Poseidon went among the Argives and stirred them to war,

stealing secretly forth from the grey salt sea:

for he was sore vexed that they were overcome by the Trojans,

and was greatly in wrath against Zeus.

Verily both were of the same lineage and the same place of birth,

but Zeus was the elder and the wiser.

Therefore also Poseidon avoided to give open aid,

but secretly ever he spurred them on,

throughout the host,

in the likeness of a man.

These twain had strained the ends of the cords of strong strife and equal war,

and had stretched them over both Trojans and Achaians,

a knot that none might break nor undo,

for the loosening of the knees of many.