The Iliad by Homer

But whomsoever he found shrinking from hateful battle,

these he chode sore with angry words:

“Ye Argives,

warriors of the bow,

ye men of dishonour,

have ye no shame?

Why stand ye thus dazed like fawns that are weary with running over the long plain and so stand still, and no valour is found in their hearts at all?

Even thus stand ye dazed,

and fight not.

Is it that ye wait for the Trojans to come near where your good ships’ sterns are drawn up on the shore of the grey sea,

to see if Kronion will stretch his arm over you indeed?”

So masterfully ranged he through the ranks of warriors.

Then came he to the Cretans as he went through the throng of warriors;

and these were taking arms around wise Idomeneus;

Idomeneus amid the foremost,

valiant as a wild boar,

and Meriones the while was hastening his hindermost battalions.

Then Agamemnon king of men rejoiced to see them,

and anon spake to Idomeneus with kindly words:

“Idomeneus,

more than all the fleet-horsed Danaans do I honour thee,

whether in war or in task of other sort or in the feast,

when the chieftains of the Argives mingle in the bowl the gleaming wine of the counsellor.

For even though all the other flowing-haired Achaians drink one allotted portion,

yet thy cup standeth ever full even as mine,

to drink as oft as they soul biddeth thee.

Now arouse thee to war like such an one as thou avowest thyself to be of old.”

And Idomeneus the captain of the Cretans made answer to him:

“Atreides,

of very truth will I be to thee a trusty comrade even as at the first I promised and gave my pledge;

but do thou urge on all the flowing-haired Achaians,

that we may fight will all speed,

seeing the Trojans have disannulled the oaths.

But for all that death and sorrow hereafter shall be their lot,

because they were the first to transgress against the oaths.”

So said he,

and Agamemnon passed on glad at heart.

Then came he to the Aiantes as he went through the throng of warriors;

and these twain were arming,

and a cloud of footmen followed with them.

Even as when a goatherd from a place of outlook seeth a cloud coming across the deep before the blast of the west wind;

and to him being afar it seemeth ever blacker,

even as pitch,

as it goeth along the deep,

and bringeth a great whirlwind,

and he shuddereth to see it and driveth his flock beneath a cave;

even in such wise moved the serried battalions of young men,

the fosterlings of Zeus,

by the side of the Aiantes into furious war,

battalions dark of line,

bristling with shields and spears.

And lord Agamemnon rejoiced to see them and spake to them winged words,

and said:

“Aiantes,

leaders of the mail-clad Argives,

to you twain,

seeing it is not seemly to urge you,

give I no charge;

for of your own selves ye do indeed bid your folk to fight amain.

Ah,

father Zeus and Athene and Apollo,

would that all had like spirit in their breasts;

then would king Priam’s city soon bow captive and wasted beneath our hands.”

So saying he left them there,

and went to others.

Then found he Nestor,

the clear-voiced orator of the Pylians,

arraying his comrades,

and urging them to fight,

around great Pelegon and Alastor and Chromios and lord Haimon and Bias shepherd of the host.

And first he arrayed the horsemen with horses and chariots,

and behind them the footmen many and brave,

to be a bulwark of battle;

but the cowards he drave into the midst,

that every man,

even though he would not,

yet of necessity must fight.

First he laid charge upon the horsemen;

these he bade hold in their horses nor be entangled in the throng.

“Neither let any man,

trusting in his horsemanship and manhood,

be eager to fight the Trojans alone and before the rest,

nor yet let him draw back,

for so will ye be enfeebled.

But whomsoever a warrior from the place of his own car can come at a chariot of the foe,

let him thrust forth with his spear;

even so is the far better way.

Thus moreover did men of old time lay low cities and walls,

because they had this mind and spirit in their breasts.”

So did the old man charge them,

being well skilled of yore in battles.

And lord Agamemnon rejoiced to see hem,

and spake to him winged words,

and said:

“Old man, would to god that,

even as thy spirit is in thine own breast,

thy limbs might obey and thy strength be unabated.

But the common lot of age is heavy upon thee;

would that it had come upon some other man,

and thou wert amid the young.”

Then knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him:

“Atreides,

I verily,

even I too,

would wish to be as on the day when I slew noble Ereuthalion.

But the gods in no wise grant men all things at once.

As I was then a youth,

so doth old age now beset me.

Yet even so will I abide among the horsemen and urge them by counsel and words;

for that is the right of elders.

But the young men shall wield the spear,

they that are more youthful than I and have confidence in their strength.”

So spake he,

and Atreides passed on glad at heart.

He found Menestheus the charioteer,

the son of Peteos,

standing still,

and round him were the Athenians,

masters of the battle-cry.

And hard by stood crafty Odysseus,

and round about him the ranks of Kephallenians,

no feeble folk,

stood still;

for their host had not yet heard the battle-cry,

seeing the battalions of horse-taming Trojans and Achaians had but just bestirred them to move;

so these stood still tarrying till some other column of the Achaians should advance to set upon the Trojans and begin the battle.

But when Agamemnon king of men saw it,

he upbraided them,

and spake to them winged words,

saying:

“O son of king Peteos fosterling of Zeus,

and thou skilled in evil wiles,

thou cunning of mind,

why stand ye shrinking apart,

and tarry for others?

You beseemeth it to stand in your place amid the foremost and to front the fiery battle;

for ye are the first to hear my bidding to the feast,

as oft as we Achaians prepare a feast for the counsellors.

Then are ye glad to eat roast meat and drink your cups of honey-sweet wine as long as ye will.

But now would ye gladly behold it,

yea,

if ten columns of Achaians in front of you were fighting with the pitiless sword.”

But Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely at him and said:

“Atreides,

what word is this that hath escaped the barrier of thy lips?

How sayest thou that we are slack in battle?

When once our [Or, “that we are slack in battle, when once we Achaians,” putting the note of interrogation after “tamers of horses.”] Achaians launch furious war on the Trojans,

tamers of horses,

then shalt thou,

if thou wilt,

and if thou hast any care therefor,

behold Telemachos’ dear father mingling with the champions of the Trojans,

the tamers of horses.

But that thou sayest is empty as air.”

Then lord Agamemnon spake to him smiling,

seeing how he was wroth,

and took back his saying:

“Heaven-sprung son of Laertes,

Odysseus full of devices,

neither do I chide thee beyond measure nor urge thee;

for I know that thy heart within thy breast is kindly disposed;

for thy thoughts are as my thoughts.

Go to,

we will make amends hereafter,

if any ill word hath been spoken now;

may the gods bring it all to none effect.”

So saying he left them there and went on to others.

The son of Tydeus found he,

high-hearted Diomedes,

standing still with horses and chariot well compact;

and by him stood Sthenelos son of Kapaneus.

Him lord Agamemnon saw and upbraided,

and spake to him winged words,

and said:

“Ah me,

thou son of wise Tydeus tamer of horses,

why shrinkest thou,

why gazest thou at the highways of the battle?

Not thus was Tydeus wont to shrink,

but rather to fight his enemies far in front of his dear comrades,

as they say that beheld him at the task;

for never did I meet him nor behold him,

but men say that he was preeminent amid all.

Of a truth he came to Mykene,

not in enmity,

but as a guest with godlike Polyneikes,

to raise him an army for the war that they were levying against the holy walls of Thebes;

and they besought earnestly that valiant allies might be given them,

and our folk were fain to grant them and made assent to their entreaty,

only Zeus showed omens of ill and turned their minds.

So when these were departed and were come on their way,

and had attained to Asopos deep in rushes,

that maketh his bed in grass,

there did the Achaians appoint Tydeus to be their ambassador.

So he went and found the multitude of the sons of Kadmos feasting in the palace of mighty Eteokles.

Yet was knightly Tydeus,

even though a stranger,

not afraid,

being alone amid the multitude of the Kadmeians,

but challenged them all to feats of strength,

and in every one vanquished he them easily;

so present a helper was Athene unto him.

But the Kadmeians,

the urgers of horses,

were wroth,

and as he fared back again they brought and set a strong ambush,

even fifty young men,

whose leaders were twain,

Maion son of Haimon,

like to the immortals,

and Autophonos’ son Polyphontes staunch in battle.

Still even on the Tydeus brought shameful death;

he slew them all,

save one that he sent home alone;

Maion to wit he sent away in obedience to the omens of heaven.

Such was Tydeus of Aitolia;

but he begat a son that in battle is worse than he;

only in harangue is he the better.”

So said he,

and stalwart Diomedes made no answer,

but had respect to the chiding of the king revered.

But the son of glorious Kapaneus answered him:

“Atreides,

utter not falsehood,

seeing thou knowest how to speak truly.

We avow ourselves to be better men by far than our fathers were:

we did take the seat of Thebes the seven gated,

though we led a scantier host against a stronger wall,

because we followed the omens of the gods and the salvation of Zeus;

but they perished by their own iniquities.

Do not thou therefore in any wise have our fathers in like honour with us.”

But stalwart Diomedes looked sternly at him,

and said:

“Brother,

sit silent and obey my saying.

I grudge not that Agamemnon shepherd of the host should urge on the well-greaved Achaians to fight;

for him the glory will attend if the Achaians lay the Trojans low and take holy Ilios;

and his will be the great sorrow if the Achaians be laid low.

Go to now,

let us too bethink us of impetuous valour.”

He spake and leapt in his armour from the chariot to earth,

and terribly rang the bronze upon the chieftail’s breast as he moved;

thereat might fear have come even upon one stout-hearted.

As when on the echoing beach the sea-wave lifteth up itself in close array before the driving of the west wind;

out on the deep doth it first raise its head,

and then breaketh upon the land and belloweth aloud and goeth with arching crest about the promontories,

and speweth the foaming brine afar;

even so in close array moved the battalions of the Danaans without pause to battle.

Each captain gave his men the word,

and the rest went silently;

thou wouldest not deem that all the great host following them had any voice within their breasts;

in silence feared they their captains.

On every man glittered the inwrought armour wherewith they went clad.

But for the Trojans,

like sheep beyond number that stand in the courtyard of a man of great substance,

to be milked of their white milk,

and bleat without ceasing to hear their lambs’ cry,

even so arose the clamour of the Trojans through the wide host.

For they had not all like speech nor one language,

but their tongues were mingled,

and they were brought from many lands.

These were urged on of Ares,

and those of bright-eyed Athene,

and Terror and Rout,

and Strife whose fury wearieth not,

sister and friend of murderous Ares;

her crest is but lowly at the first,

but afterward she holdeth up her head in heaven and her feet walk upon the earth.

She now cast common discord in their midst,

as she fared through the throng and made the lamentation of men to wax.

Now when they were met together and come unto one spot,

then clashed they targe and spear and fury of bronze-clad warrior;

the bossed shields pressed each on each and mighty din arose.

Then were heard the voice of groaning and the voice of triumph together of the slayers and the slain,

and the earth streamed with blood.

As when two winter torrents flow down the mountains to a watersmeet and join their furious flood within the ravine from their great springs,

and the shepherd heareth the roaring far off among the hills:

even so from the joining of battle came there forth shouting and travail.

Antilochos first slew a Trojan warrior in full array,

valiant amid the champions,

Echepolos son of Thalysios;

him was he first to smite upon the ridge of his crested helmet,

and he drave the spear into his brow and the point of bronze passed within the bone;

darkness clouded his eyes,

and he crashed like a tower amid the press of fight.

As he fell lord Elephenor caught him by the foot,

Chalkodol’s son,

captain of the great-hearted Abantes,

and dragged him from beneath the darts,

eager with all speed to despoil him of his armour.

Yet but for a little endured his essay;

great-hearted Agenor saw him haling away the corpse,

and where his side was left uncovered of his buckler as he bowed him down,

there smote he him with bronze-tipped spear-shaft and unstrung his limbs.

So his life departed from him,

and over his corpse the task of Trojans and Achaians grew hot;

like wolves leapt they one at another,

and man lashed at man.

Next Telamonian Aias smote Anthemiol’s son,

the lusty stripling Simoeisios,

whose erst is mother bare beside the banks of Simoeis on the way down from Ida whither she had followed with her parents to see their flocks.

Therefore they called him Simoeisios,

but he repaid not his dear parents the recompense of his nurture;

scanty was his span of life by reason of the spear of great-hearted Aias that laid him low.

For as he went he first was smitten on his right breast beside the pap;

straight though his shoulder passed the spear of bronze,

and he fell to the ground in the dust like a poplar-tree,

that hath grown up smooth in the lowland of a great marsh,

and its branches grow upon the top thereof;

this hath a wainwright felled with gleaming steel,

to bend him a felloe for a goodly chariot,

and so it lies drying by a river’s banks.

In such a fashion did heaven-sprung Aias slay Simoeisios son of Anthemion;

then at him Antiphos of the glancing corslet,

Priam’s son,

made a cast with his keen javelin across the throng.

Him he missed,

but smote Odysseus’ valiant comrade Leukos in the groin as he drew the corpse his way,

so that he fell upon it and the body dropped from his hands.

Then Odysseus was very wroth at heart for the slaying of him,

and strode through the forefront of the battle harnessed in flashing bronze,

and went and stood hard by and glanced around him,

and cast his bright javelin;

and the Trojans shrank before the casting of the hero.

He sped not the dart in vain,

but smote Demokoon,

Priam’s bastard son that had come to him from tending his fleet mares in Abydos.

Him Odysseus,

being wroth for his comrade’s sake,

smote with his javelin on one temple;

and through both temples passed the point of bronze,

and darkness clouded his eyes,

and he fell with a crash and his armour clanged upon him.

Then the forefighters and glorious Hector yielded,

and the Argives shouted aloud,

and drew the bodies unto them,

and pressed yet further onward.

But Apollo looked down from Pergamos,

and had indignation,

and with a shout called to the Trojans:

“Arise,

ye Trojans,

tamers of horses;

yield not to the Argives in fight;

not of stone nor iron is their flesh,

that it should resist the piercing bronze when they are smitten.

Moreover Achilles,

son of Thetis of the fair tresses,

fighteth not,

but amid the ships broodeth on his bitter anger.”

So spake the dread god from the city;

and the Achaians likewise were urged on of Zeus’ daughter the Triton-born,

most glorious,

as she passed through the throng wheresoever she beheld them slackening.

Next was Diores son of Amrynkeus caught in the snare of fate;

for he was smitten by a jagged stone on the right leg hard by the ankle,

and the caster thereof was captain of the men of Thrace,

Peirros son of Imbrasos that had come from Ainos.

The pitiless stone crushed utterly the two sinews and the bones;

back fell he in the dust,

and stretched out both his hands to his dear comrades,

gasping out his soul.

Then he that smote him,

even Peiroos, sprang at him and pierced him with a spear beside the navel;

so all his bowels gushed forth upon the ground,

and darkness clouded his eyes.

But even as Peiroos departed from him Thoas of Aitolia smote with a spear his chest above the pap,

and the point fixed in his lung.

Then Thoas came close,

and plucked out from his breast the ponderous spear,

and drew his sharp sword,

wherewith he smote his belly in the midst,

and took his life.

Yet he stripped not off his armour;

for his comrades,

the men of Thrace that wear the top-knot,

stood around,

their long spears in their hands,

and albeit he was great and valiant and proud they drave him off from them and he gave ground reeling.

So were the two captains stretched in the dust side by side,

he of the Thracians and he of the mail-clad Epeians;

and around them were many others likewise slain.

Now would none any more enter in and make light of the battle,

could it be that a man yet unwounded by dart or thrust of keen bronze might roam in the midst,

being led of Pallas Athene by the hand,

and by her guarded from the flying shafts.

For many Trojans that day and many Achaians were laid side by side upon their faces in the dust.

BOOK V.​

How Diomedes by his great valour made havoc of the Trojans,

and wounded even Aphrodite and Ares by the help of Athene.

But now to Tydeus’ son Diomedes Athene gave might and courage,

for him to be pre-eminent amid all the Argives and win glorious renown.

She kindled flame unwearied from his helmet and shield,

like to the star of summer that above all others glittereth bright after he hath bathed in the ocean stream.

In such wise kindled she flame from his head and shoulders and sent him into the midst,

where men thronged the thickest.

Now there was amid the Trojans one Dares,

rich and noble,

priest of Hephaistos;

and he had two sons,

Phegeus and Idaios,

well skilled in all the art of battle.

These separated themselves and assailed him face to face,

they setting on him from their car and he on foot upon the ground.

And when they were now come near in onset on each other,

first Phegeus hurled his far-shadowing spear;

and over Tydeides’ left shoulder the spear point passed,

and smote not his body.

Then next Tydeides made a spear-cast,

and the javelin sped not from his hand in vain,

but smote his breast between the nipples,

and thrust him from the chariot.

So Idaios sprang away,

leaving his beautiful car,

and dared not to bestride his slain brother;

else had neither he himself escaped black fate:

but Hephaistos guarded him and saved him in a veil of darkness,

that he might not have his aged priest all broken with sorrow.

And the son of great-hearted Tydeus drave away the horses and gave them to his men to take to the hollow ships.

But when the great-hearted Trojans beheld the sons of Dares,

how one was fled,

and one was slain beside his chariot,

the spirit of all was stirred.

But bright-eyed Athene took impetuous Ares by the hand and spake to him and said:

“Ares,

Ares,

blood-stained bane of mortals,

thou stormer of walls,

can we not now leave the Trojans and Achaians to fight,

on whichsoever it be that father Zeus bestoweth glory?

But let us twain give place,

and escape the wrath of Zeus.”

So saying she led impetuous Ares from the battle.

Then she made him sit down beside loud Skamandros,

and the Danaans pushed the Trojans back.

So they laboured in the violent mellay;

but of Tydeides man could not tell with whom he were joined,

whether he consorted with Trojans or with Achaians.

For he stormed across the plain like a winter torrent at the full,

that in swift course scattereth the causeys [Causeways.];

neither can the long lines of causeys hold it in,

nor the fences of fruitful orchards stay its sudden coming when the rain of heaven driveth it;

and before it perish in multitudes the fair works of the sons of men.

Thus before Tydeides the serried battalions of the Trojans were overthrown,

and they abode him not for all they were so many.

But when Lykaol’s glorious son marked him storming across the plain,

overthrowing battalions before him,

anon he bent his crooked bow against Tydeides,

and smote him as he sped onwards,

hitting hard by his right shoulder the plate of his corslet;

the bitter arrow flew through and held straight upon its way,

and the corslet was dabbled with blood.

Over him then loudly shouted Lykaol’s glorious son:

“Bestir you,

great-hearted Trojans,

urgers of horses;

the best man of the Achaians is wounded,

and I deem that he shall not for long endure the violent dart.”

So spake he boasting;

yet was the other not vanquished of the swift dart,

only he gave place and stood before his horses and his chariot and spake to Sthenelos son of Kapaneus:

“Haste thee,

dear son of Kapaneus;

descend from thy chariot,

to draw me from my shoulder the bitter arrow.”

So said he,

and Sthenelos leapt from his chariot to earth and stood beside him and drew the swift shaft right through,

out of his shoulder;

and the blood darted up through the pliant tunic.

Then Diomedes of the loud war-cry prayed thereat:

“Hear me,

daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus,

unwearied maiden!

If ever in kindly mood thou stoodest by my father in the heat of battle,

even so now be thou likewise kind to me,

Athene.

Grant me to slay this man,

and bring within my spear-cast him that took advantage to shoot me,

and boasteth over me,

deeming that not for long shall I see the bright light of the sun.”

So spake he in prayer,

and Pallas Athene heard him,

and made his limbs nimble,

his feet and his hands withal,

and came near and spake winged words:

“Be of good courage now,

Diomedes,

to fight the Trojans;

for in thy breast I have set thy father’s courage undaunted,

even as it was in knightly Tydeus,

wielder of the buckler.

Moreover I have taken from thine eyes the mist that erst was on them,

that thou mayest well discern both god and man.

Therefore if any god come hither to make trial of thee,

fight not thou face to face with any of the immortal gods;

save only if Aphrodite daughter of Zeus enter into the battle,

her smite thou with the keen bronze.”

So saying bright-eyed Athene went her way and Tydeides returned and entered the forefront of the battle;

even though erst his soul was eager to do battle with the Trojans,

yet now did threefold courage come upon him,

as upon a lion whom some shepherd in the field guarding his fleecy sheep hath wounded,

being sprung into the fold,

yet hath not vanquished him;

he hath roused his might,

and then cannot beat him back,

but lurketh amid the steading,

and his forsaken flock is affrighted;

so the sheep are cast in heaps,

one upon the other,

and the lion in his fury leapeth out of the high fold;

even so in fury mingled mighty Diomedes with the Trojans.

Him Aineias beheld making havoc of the ranks of warriors,

and went his way along the battle and amid the hurtling of spears,

seeking godlike Pandaros,

if haply he might find him.

Lykaol’s son he found,

the noble and stalwart,

and stood before his face,

and spake a word unto him.

“Pandaros,

where now are thy bow and thy winged arrows,

and the fame wherein no man of this land rivalleth thee,

nor any in Lykia boasteth to be thy better?

Go to now,

lift thy hands in prayer to Zeus and shoot thy dart at this fellow,

whoe’er he be that lordeth it here and hath already wrought the Trojans much mischief,

seeing he hath unstrung the knees of many a brave man;

if indeed it be not some god wroth with the Trojans,

in anger by reason of sacrifices;

the wrath of god is a sore thing to fall on men.”

And Lykaol’s glorious son made answer to him:

“Aineias,

counsellor of the mail-clad Trojans,

in everything liken I him to the wise son of Tydeus;

I discern him by his shield and crested helmet,

and by the aspect of his horses;

yet know I not surely if it be not a god.

But if it be the man I deem, even the wise son of Tydeus,

then not without help of a god is he thus furious,

but some immortal standeth beside him with a cloud wrapped about his shoulders and turned aside from him my swift dart even as it lighted.

For already have I shot my dart at him and smote his right shoulder right through the breastplate of his corslet,

yea and I thought to hurl him headlong to Aidoneus,

yet I vanquished him not;

surely it is some wrathful god.

Already have I aimed at two princes,

Tydeus’ and Atreus’ sons,

and both I smote and surely drew forth blood,

yet only roused them the more.

Therefore in an evil hour I took from the peg my curved bow on that day when I led my Trojans to lovely Ilios,

to do noble Hector pleasure.

But if I return and mine eyes behold my native land and wife and great palace lofty-roofed,

then may an alien forthwith cut my head from me if I break not this bow with mine hands and cast it upon the blazing fire;

worthless is its service to me as air.”

Then Aineias captain of the Trojans answered him:

“Nay,

talk not thus;

naught shall be mended before that we with horses and chariot have gone to face this man,

and made trial of him in arms.

Come then,

mount upon my car that thou mayest see of what sort are the steeds of Tros,

well skilled for following or for fleeing hither or thither very fleetly across the plain;

they will e’en bring us to the city safe and sound,

even though Zeus hereafter give victory to Diomedes son of Tydeus.

Come therefore,

take thou the lash and shining reins,

and I will stand upon the car to fight;

or else withstand thou him,

and to the horses will I look.”

To him made answer Lykaol’s glorious son:

“Aineias,

take thou thyself the reins and thine own horses;

better will they draw the curved car for their wonted charioteer,

if perchance it hap that we must flee from Tydeus’ son;

lest they go wild for fear and will not take us from the fight,

for lack of thy voice,

and so the son of great-hearted Tydeus attack us and slay us both and drive away the whole-hooved horses.

So drive thou thyself thy chariot and thy horses,

and I will await his onset with my keen spear.”

So saying mounted they upon the well dight chariot,

and eagerly drave the fleet horses against Tydeides,

And Sthenelos,

the glorious son of Kapaneus,

saw them,

and anon spake to Tydeides winged words:

“Diomedes son of Tydeus,

dear to mine heart,

I behold two stalwart warriors eager to fight against thee,

endued with might beyond measure.

The one is well skilled in the bow,

even Pandaros,

and he moreover boasteth him to be Lykaol’s son;

and Aineias boasteth himself to be born son of great-hearted Anchises,

and his mother is Aphrodite.

Come now,

let us give place upon the chariot,

neither rage thou thus,

I pray thee,

in the forefront of battle,

lest perchance thou lose thy life.”

Then stalwart Diomedes looked sternly at him and said:

“Speak to me no word of flight,

for I ween that thou shalt not at all persuade me;

not in my blood is it to fight a skulking fight or cower down;

my force is steadfast still.

I have no mind to mount the chariot,

nay,

even as I am will I go to face them; P

allas Athene biddeth me not be afraid.

And as for these,

their fleet horses shall not take both back from us again,

even if one or other escape.

And this moreover tell I thee,

and lay thou it to heart:

if Athene rich in counsel grant me this glory,

to slay them both,

then refrain thou here these my fleet horses,

and bind the reins tight to the chariot rim;

and be mindful to leap upon Aineias’ horses,

and drive them forth from the Trojans amid the well-greaved Achaians.

For they are of that breed whereof farseeing Zeus gave to Tros recompense for Ganymede his child,

because they were the best of all horses beneath the daylight and the sun.”

In such wise talked they one to the other,

and anon those other twain came near,

driving their fleet horses.

First to him spake Lykaol’s glorious son:

“O thou strong-souled and cunning,

son of proud Tydeus,

verily my swift dart vanquished thee not,

the bitter arrow;

so now will I make trial with my spear if I can hit thee.”

He spake and poised and hurled his far-shadowing spear,

and smote upon Tydeides’ shield;

right through it sped the point of bronze and reached the breastplate.

So over him shouted loudly Lykaol’s glorious son:

“Thou art smitten on the belly right through,

and I ween thou shalt not long hold up thine head;

so thou givest me great renown.”

But mighty Diomedes unaffrighted answered him:

“Thou hast missed,

and not hit;

but ye twain I deem shall not cease till one or other shall have fallen and glutted with blood Ares the stubborn god of war.”

So spake he and hurled;

and Athene guided the dart upon his nose beside the eye,

and it pierced through his white teeth.

So the hard bronze cut through his tongue at the root and the point issued forth by the base of the chin.

He fell from his chariot,

and his splendid armour gleaming clanged upon him,

and the fleet-footed horses swerved aside;

so there his soul and strength were unstrung.