The Iliad by Homer

Now Glaukos son of Hippolochos and Tydeus’ son met in the mid-space of the foes,

eager to do battle.

Thus when the twain were come nigh in onset on each other,

to him first spake Diomedes of the loud war-cry:

“Who art thou, noble sir,

of mortal men?

For never have I beheld thee in glorious battle ere this,

yet now hast thou far outstripped all men in thy hardihood,

seeing thou abidest my far-shadowing spear.

Luckless are the fathers whose children face my might.

But if thou art some immortal come down from heaven,

then will not I fight with heavenly gods.

But if thou art of men that eat the fruit of the field,

come nigh,

that anon thou mayest enter the toils of destruction.”

Then Hippolochos’ glorious son made answer to him:

“Great-hearted Tydeides,

why enquirest thou of my generation?

Even as are the generations of leaves such are those likewise of men;

the leaves that be the wind scattereth on the earth,

and the forest buddeth and putteth forth more again,

when the season of spring is at hand;

so of the generations of men one putteth forth and another ceaseth.

Yet if thou wilt,

have thine answer,

that thou mayest well know our lineage,

whereof many men have knowledge.

Hippolochos,

son of Bellerophon,

begat me,

and of him do I declare me to be sprung;

he sent me to Troy and bade me very instantly to be ever the best and to excel all other men,

nor put to shame the lineage of my fathers that were of noblest blood in Ephyre and in wide Lykia.

This is the lineage and blood whereof I avow myself to be.”

So said he,

and Diomedes of the loud war-cry was glad.

He planted his spear in the bounteous earth and with soft words spake to the shepherd of the host:

“Surely then thou art to me a guest-friend of old times through my father:

for goodly Oineus of yore entertained noble Bellerophon in his halls and kept him twenty days.

Moreover they gave each the other goodly gifts of friendship;

Oineus gave a belt bright with purple,

and Bellerophon a gold two-handled cup.

Therefore now am I to thee a dear guest-friend in midmost Argos,

and thou in Lykia, whene’er I fare to your land.

So let us shun each other’s spears,

even amid the throng;

Trojans are there in multitudes and famous allies for me to slay,

whoe’er it be that God vouchsafeth me and my feet overtake;

and for thee are there Achaians in multitude,

to slay whome’er thou canst.

But let us make exchange of arms between us,

that these also may know how we avow ourselves to be guest-friends by lineage.”

So spake the twain,

and leaping from their cars clasped each the other by his hand,

and pledged their faith.

But now Zeus son of Kronos took from Glaukos his wits,

in that he made exchange with Diomedes Tydeus’ son of golden armour for bronze,

the price of five score oxen for the price of nine.

Now when Hector came to the Skaian gates and to the oak tree,

there came running round about him the Trojans’ wives and daughters,

enquiring of sons and brethren and friends and husbands.

But he bade them thereat all in turn pray to the gods;

but sorrow hung over many.

But when he came to Priam’s beautiful palace,

adorned with polished colonnades—and in it were fifty chambers of polished stone,

builded hard by one another,

wherein Priam’s sons slept beside their wedded wives;

and for his daughters over against them on the other side within the courtyard were twelve roofed chambers of polished stone builded hard by one another,

wherein slept Priam’s sons-in-law beside their chaste wives—then came there to meet him his bountiful mother,

leading with her Laodike,

fairest of her daughters to look on;

and she clasped her hand in his,

and spake,

and called upon his name:

“My son,

why hast thou left violent battle to come hither.

Surely the sons of the Achaians—name of evil!—press thee hard in fight about thy city,

and so thy spirit hath brought thee hither,

to come and stretch forth thy hands to Zeus from the citadel.

But tarry till I bring thee honey-sweet wine,

that thou mayest pour libation to Zeus and all the immortals first,

and then shalt thou thyself also be refreshed if thou wilt drink.

When a man is awearied wine greatly maketh his strength to wax,

even as thou art awearied in fighting for thy fellows.”

Then great Hector of the glancing helm answered her:

“Bring me no honey-hearted wine,

my lady mother,

lest thou cripple me of my courage and I be forgetful of my might.

But go thou to the temple of Athene,

driver of the spoil,

with offerings,

and gather the aged wives together;

and the robe that seemeth to thee the most gracious and greatest in thy palace,

and dearest unto thyself,

that lay thou upon the knees of beauteous-haired Athene,

and vow to her to sacrifice in her temple twelve sleek kine,

that have not felt the goad,

if she will have mercy on the city and the Trojans’ wives and little children.

So go thou to the temple of Athene,

driver of the spoil;

and I will go after Paris,

to summon him,

if perchance he will hearken to my voice.

Would that the earth forthwith might swallow him up!

The Olympian fostered him to be a sore bane to the Trojans and to great-hearted Priam,

and to Priam’s sons.

If I but saw him going down to the gates of death,

then might I deem that my heart had forgotten its sorrows.”

So said he,

and she went unto the hall,

and called to her handmaidens,

and they gathered the aged wives throughout the city.

Then she herself went down to her fragrant chamber where were her embroidered robes,

the work of Sidonian women,

whom godlike Alexandros himself brought from Sidon,

when he sailed over the wide sea,

that journey wherein he brought home high-born Helen.

Of these Hekabe took one to bear for an offering to Athene,

the one that was fairest for adornment and greatest,

and shone like a star,

and lay nethermost of all.

Then went she her way and the multitude of aged wives hasted after her.

And Hector was come to Alexandros’ fair palace,

that himself had builded with them that were most excellent carpenters then in deep-soiled Troy-land;

these made him his chamber and hall and courtyard hard by to Priam and Hector,

in the upper city.

There entered in Hector dear to Zeus,

and his hand bare his spear,

eleven cubits long:

before his face glittered the bronze spear-point,

and a ring of gold ran round about it.

And he found Paris in his chamber busied with his beauteous arms,

his shield and breastplate,

and handling his curved bow;

and Helen of Argos sate among her serving-women and appointed brave handiwork for her handmaidens.

Then when Hector saw him he rebuked him with scornful words:

“Good sir,

thou dost not well to cherish this rancour in thy heart.

The folk are perishing about the city and high wall in battle,

and for thy sake the battle-cry is kindled and war around this city;

yes thyself wouldest thou fall out with another,

didst thou see him shrinking from hateful war.

Up then,

lest the city soon be scorched with burning fire.”

And godlike Alexandros answered him:

“Hector,

since in measure thou chidest me and not beyond measure,

therefore will I tell thee;

lay thou it to thine heart and hearken to me.

Not by reason so much of the Trojans,

for wrath and indignation,

sate I me in my chamber,

but fain would I yield me to my sorrow.

Even now my wife hath persuaded me with soft words,

and urged me into battle;

and I moreover,

even I,

deem that it will be better so;

for victory shifteth from man to man.

Go to then,

tarry awhile,

let me put on my armour of war;

or else fare thou forth,

and I will follow;

and I think to overtake thee.”

So said he,

but Hector of the glancing helm answered him not a word.

But Helen spake to him with gentle words:

“My brother,

even mine that am a dog,

mischievous and abominable,

would that on the day when my mother bare me at the first,

an evil storm-wind had caught me away to a mountain or a billow of the loud-sounding sea,

where the billow might have swept me away before all these things came to pass.

Howbeit,

seeing the gods devised all these ills in this wise,

would that then I had been mated with a better man,

that felt dishonour and the multitude of mel’s reproachings.

But as for him,

neither hath he now sound heart,

nor ever will have;

thereof deem I moreover that he will reap the fruit.

But now come, enter in and sit thee here upon this bench,

my brother,

since thy heart chiefly trouble hath encompassed,

for the sake of me, that am a dog,

and for Alexandros’ sin;

on whom Zeus bringeth evil doom,

that even in days to come we may be a song in the ears of men that shall be hereafter.”

Then great Hector of the glancing helm answered her:

“Bid me not sit,

Helen,

of thy love;

thou wilt not persuade me.

Already my heart is set to succour the men of Troy,

that have great desire for me that am not with them.

But rouse thou this fellow,

yea let himself make speed,

to overtake me yet within the city.

For I shall go into mine house to behold my housefolk and my dear wife,

and infant boy;

for I know not if I shall return home to them again,

or if the gods will now overthrow me at the hands of the Achaians.”

So spake Hector of the glancing helm and departed;

and anon he came to his well-stablished house.

But he found not white-armed Andromache in the halls;

she with her boy and fair-robed handmaiden had taken her stand upon the tower,

weeping and wailing.

And when Hector found not his noble wife within,

he came and stood upon the threshold and spake amid the serving women:

“Come tell me now true,

my serving women.

Whither went white-armed Andromache forth from the hall?

Hath she gone out to my sisters or unto my brothers’ fair-robed wives,

or to Athene’s temple,

where all the fair-tressed Trojan women propitiate the awful goddess?”

Then a busy housedame spake in answer to him:

“Hector,

seeing thou straitly chargest us tell thee true,

neither hath she gone out to any of thy sisters or thy brothers’ fair-robed wives,

neither to Athene’s temple,

where all the fair-tressed Trojan women are propitiating the awful goddess;

but she went to the great tower of Ilios,

because she heard the Trojans were hard pressed,

and great victory was for the Achaians.

So hath she come in haste to the wall,

like unto one frenzied;

and the nurse with her beareth the child.”

So spake the housedame,

and Hector hastened from his house back by the same way down the well-builded streets.

When he had passed through the great city and was come to the Skaian gates,

whereby he was minded to issue upon the plain,

then came his dear-won wife,

running to meet him,

even Andromache daughter of great-hearted Eetion.

So she met him now,

and with her went the handmaid bearing in her bosom the tender boy,

the little child,

Hector’s loved son,

like unto a beautiful star.

Him Hector called Skamandrios,

but all the folk Astyanax [Astyanax = “City King.”];

for only Hector guarded Ilios.

So now he smiled and gazed at his boy silently,

and Andromache stood by his side weeping,

and clasped her hand in his,

and spake and called upon his name.

“Dear my lord,

this thy hardihood will undo thee,

neither hast thou any pity for thine infant boy,

nor for me forlorn that soon shall be thy widow;

for soon will the Achaians all set upon thee and slay thee.

But it were better for me to go down to the grave if I lose thee;

for never more will any comfort be mine,

when once thou,

even thou,

hast met thy fate,

but only sorrow.

Nay,

Hector,

thou art to me father and lady mother,

yea and brother,

even as thou art my goodly husband.

Come now,

have pity and abide here upon the tower,

lest thou make thy child an orphan and thy wife a widow.”

Then great Hector of the glancing helm answered her:

“Surely I take thought for all these things,

my wife;

but I have very sore shame of the Trojans and Trojan dames with trailing robes,

if like a coward I shrink away from battle.

Moreover mine own soul forbiddeth me,

seeing I have learnt ever to be valiant and fight in the forefront of the Trojans,

winning my father’s great glory and mine own.

Yea of a surety I know this in heart and soul;

the day shall come for holy Ilios to be laid low,

and Priam and the folk of Priam of the good ashen spear.

Yet doth the anguish of the Trojans hereafter not so much trouble me,

neither Hekabe’s own,

neither king Priam’s,

neither my brethrel’s,

the many and brave that shall fall in the dust before their foemen,

as doth thine anguish in the day when some mail-clad Achaian shall lead thee weeping and rob thee of the light of freedom.

So shalt thou abide in Argos and ply the loom at another womal’s bidding,

and bear water from fount Messeis or Hypereia,

being grievously entreated,

and sore constraint shall be laid upon thee.

And then shall one say that beholdeth thee weep:

‘This is the wife of Hector,

that was foremost in battle of the horse-taming Trojans when men fought about Ilios.’

"Thus shall one say hereafter,

and fresh grief will be thine for lack of such an husband as thou hadst to ward off the day of thraldom.

But me in death may the heaped-up earth be covering,

ere I hear thy crying and thy carrying into captivity.”

So spake glorious Hector,

and stretched out his arm to his boy.

But the child shrunk crying to the bosom of his fair-girdled nurse,

dismayed at his dear father’s aspect,

and in dread at the bronze and horse-hair crest that he beheld nodding fiercely from the helmet’s top.

Then his dear father laughed aloud,

and his lady mother;

forthwith glorious Hector took the helmet from his head,

and laid it,

all gleaming,

upon the earth;

then kissed he his dear son and dandled him in his arms,

and spake in prayer to Zeus and all the gods,

“O Zeus and all ye gods,

vouchsafe ye that this my son may likewise prove even as I, pre-eminent amid the Trojans,

and as valiant in might,

and be a great king of Ilios.

Then may men say of him,

‘Far greater is he than his father’ as he returneth home from battle;

and may he bring with him blood-stained spoils from the foeman he hath slain,

and may his mother’s heart be glad.”

So spake he,

and laid his son in his dear wife’s arms;

and she took him to her fragrant bosom,

smiling tearfully.

And her husband had pity to see her,

and caressed her with his hand,

and spake and called upon her name:

“Dear one,

I pray thee be not of oversorrowful heart;

no man against my fate shall hurl me to Hades;

only destiny,

I ween,

no man hath escaped,

be he coward or be he valiant,

when once he hath been born.

But go thou to thine house and see to thine own tasks,

the loom and distaff,

and bid thine handmaidens ply their work;

but for war shall men provide,

and I in chief of all men that dwell in Ilios.”

So spake glorious Hector,

and took up his horse-hair crested helmet;

and his dear wife departed to her home,

oft looking back,

and letting fall big tears.

Anon she came to the well-stablished house of man-slaying Hector,

and found therein her many handmaidens,

and stirred lamentation in them all.

So bewailed they Hector,

while yet he lived,

within his house:

for they deemed that he would no more come back to them from battle,

nor escape the fury of the hands of the Achaians.

Neither lingered Paris long in his lofty house,

but clothed on him his brave armour,

bedight with bronze,

and hasted through the city,

trusting to his nimble feet.

Even as when a stalled horse,

full-fed at the manger,

breaketh his tether and speedeth at the gallop across the plain,

being wont to bathe him in the fair-flowing stream,

exultingly;

and holdeth his head on high,

and his mane floateth about his shoulders,

and he trusteth in his glory,

and nimbly his limbs bear him to the haunts and pasturages of mares;

even so Priam’s son Paris,

glittering in his armour like the shining sun,

strode down from high Pergamos laughingly,

and his swift feet bare him.

Forthwith he overtook his brother noble Hector,

even as he was on the point to turn him away from the spot where he had dallied with his wife.

To him first spake godlike Alexandros:

“Sir,

in good sooth I have delayed thee in thine haste by my tarrying,

and came not rightly as thou badest me.”

And Hector of the glancing helm answered him and said:

“Good brother,

no man that is rightminded could make light of thy doings in fight,

seeing thou art strong:

but thou art wilfully remiss and hast no care;

and for this my heart is grieved within me,

that I hear shameful words concerning thee in the Trojans’ mouths,

who for thy sake endure much toil.

But let us be going;

all this will we make good hereafter,

if Zeus ever vouchsafe us to set before the heavenly gods that are for everlasting the cup of deliverance in our halls,

when we have chased out of Troy-land the well-greaved Achaians.”

BOOK VII.​

Of the single combat between Aias and Hector,

and of the burying of the dead,

and the building of a wall about the Achaian ships.

So spake glorious Hector and issued from the gates,

and with him went his brother Alexandros; and both were eager of soul for fight and battle.

Even as God giveth to longing seamen fair wind when they have grown weary of beating the main with polished oars,

and their limbs are fordone with toil,

even so appeared these to the longing Trojans.

Now when the goddess bright-eyed Athene marked them making havoc of the Argives in the press of battle,

she darted down from the crests of Olympus to holy Ilios.

But Apollo rose to meet her,

for he beheld her from Pergamos,

and would have victory for the Trojans.

So the twain met each the other by the oak-tree.

To her spake first king Apollo son of Zeus:

“Why now art thou come thus eagerly from Olympus,

thou daughter of great Zeus,

and why hath thy high heart sent thee?

Surely it is to give the Danaans unequal victory in battle! seeing thou hast no mercy on the Trojans,

that perish.

But if thou wouldest hearken to me—and it were far better so—let us now stay battle and warring for the day;

hereafter shall they fight again,

till they reach the goal of Ilios,

since thus it seemeth good to your hearts,

goddesses immortal,

to lay waste this city.”

And the goddess bright-eyed Athene made answer to him: “So be it,

Far-darter; in this mind I likewise came from Olympus to the midst of

Trojans and Achaians. But come, how thinkest thou to stay the battle of

the warriors?”

And king Apollo,

son of Zeus,

made answer to her:

“Let us arouse the stalwart spirit of horse-taming Hector,

if so be he will challenge some one of the Danaans in single fight man to man to meet him in deadly combat.

So shall the bronze-greaved Achaians be jealous and stir up one to fight singly with goodly Hector.”

So spake he and the bright-eyed goddess Athene disregarded not.

Now Helenos Priam’s dear son understood in spirit their resolve that the gods in counsel had approved;

and he went to Hector and stood beside him,

and spake a word to him:

“Hector son of Priam,

peer of Zeus in counsel,

wouldest thou now hearken at all to me?

for I am thy brother.

Make the other Trojans sit,

and all the Achaians,

and thyself challenge him that is best of the Achaians to meet thee man to man in deadly combat.

It is not yet thy destiny to die and meet thy doom;

for thus heard I the voice of the gods that are from everlasting.”

So said he,

and Hector rejoiced greatly to hear his saying,

and went into the midst and refrained the battalions of the Trojans with his spear grasped by the middle;

and they all sate them down:

and Agamemnon made the well-greaved Achaians sit.

And Athene withal and Apollo of the silver bow,

in the likeness of vulture birds,

sate them upon a tall oak holy to aegis-bearing father Zeus,

rejoicing in their warriors;

and the ranks of all of them sate close together,

bristling with shields and plumes and spears.

Even as there spreadeth across the main the ripple of the west wind newly risen,

and the sea grows black beneath it,

so sate the ranks of Achaians and Trojans upon the plain.

And Hector spake between both hosts:

“Hearken to me,

Trojans and well-greaved Achaians,

that I may speak what my mind within my breast biddeth me.

Our oaths of truce Kronos’ son,

enthroned on high,

accomplished not;

but evil is his intent and ordinance for both our hosts,

until either ye take fair-towered Troy or yourselves be vanquished beside your seafaring ships.

But in the midst of you are the chiefest of all the Achaians;

therefore now let the man whose heart biddeth him fight with me come hither from among you all to be your champion against goodly Hector.

And this declare I,

and be Zeus our witness thereto;

if that man slay me with the long-edged sword,

let him spoil me of my armour and bear it to the hollow ships,

but give back my body to my home,

that Trojans and Trojans’ wives may give me my due of burning in my death.

But if I slay him and Apollo vouchsafe me glory,

I will spoil him of his armour and bear it to holy Ilios and hang it upon the temple of far-darting Apollo,

but his corpse will I render back to the well-decked ships,

that the flowing-haired Achaians may entomb him,

and build him a barrow beside wide Hellespont.

So shall one say even of men that be late born,

as he saileth in his benched ship over the wine-dark sea:

‘This is the barrow of a man that died in days of old,

a champion whom glorious Hector slew.’

So shall a man say hereafter,

and this my glory shall never die.”

So spake he and they all were silent and held their peace;

to deny him they were ashamed,

and feared to meet him.

But at the last stood up Menelaos and spake amid them and chiding upbraided them,

and groaned deep at heart:

“Ah me,

vain threateners,

ye women of Achaia and no more men,

surely all this shall be a shame,

evil of evil,

if no one of the Danaans now goeth to meet Hector.

Nay,

turn ye all to earth and water,

sitting there each man disheartened,

helplessly inglorious;

against him will I myself array me;

and from on high the threads of victory are guided of the immortal gods.”

So spake he and donned his fair armour.

And now,

O Menelaos,

had the end of life appeared for thee at Hector’s hands,

seeing he was stronger far,

but that the princes of the Achaians started up and caught thee.

And Atreus’ son himself,

wide-ruling Agamemnon,

took him by his right hand and spake a word and called upon his name:

“Thou doest madly,

Menelaos fosterling of Zeus;

yet is it no time for this thy madness.

Draw back,

though it be with pain,

nor think for contentiol’s sake to fight with one better than thou,

with Hector Priam’s son,

whom others beside thee abhor.

Yea,

this man even Achilles dreadeth to meet in battle,

wherein is the warrior’s glory;

and Achilles is better far than thou.

Go therefore now and sit amid the company of thy fellows;

against him shall the Achaians put forth another champion.

Fearless though he be and insatiate of turmoil,

I ween that he shall be fain to rest his knees,

if he escape from the fury of war and terrible fray.”

So spake the hero and persuaded his brother’s heart with just counsel;

and he obeyed.

So his squires thereat with gladness took his armour from his shoulders;

and Nestor stood up and spake amid the Argives:

“Fie upon it,

verily sore lamentation cometh on the land of Achaia.

Verily old Peleus driver of chariots would groan sore,

that goodly counsellor of the Myrmidons and orator,

who erst questioned me in his house,

and rejoiced greatly,

inquiring of the lineage and birth of all the Argives.

If he heard now of those that all were cowering before Hector,

then would he lift his hands to the immortals,

instantly praying that his soul might depart from his limbs down to the house of Hades.

Would to God I were thus young and my strength were sound;

then would Hector of the glancing helm soon find his combat.

But of those of you that be chieftains of the host of the Achaians,

yet desireth no man of good heart to meet Hector face to face.”

So the old man upbraided them,

and there stood up nine in all.

Far first arose Agamemnon king of men,

and after him rose Tydeus’ son stalwart Diomedes,

and after them the Aiantes clothed with impetuous might,

and after them Idomeneus and Idomeneus’ brother-in-arms Meriones,

peer of Enyalios slayer of men,

and after them Eurypylos Euaimol’s glorious son;

and up rose Thoas Andraimol’s son and goodly Odysseus.

So all these were fain to fight with goodly Hector.

And among them spake again knightly Nestor of Gerenia:

“Now cast ye the lot from the first unto the last,

for him that shall be chosen:

for he shall in truth profit the well-greaved Achaians,

yea and he shall have profit of his own soul,

if he escape from the fury of war and terrible fray.”

So said he,

and they marked each man his lot and cast them in the helmet of Agamemnon Atreus’ son;

and the hosts prayed and lifted up their hands to the gods.

And thus would one say,

looking up to wide heaven:

“O father Zeus,

vouchsafe that the lot fall upon Aias or Tydeus’ son,

or else on the king of Mykene rich in gold.”

So spake they,

and knightly Nestor of Gerenia shook the helmet,

and there leapt forth the lot that themselves desired,

even the lot of Aias.

And Aias saw and knew the token upon the lot,

and rejoiced in heart,

and spake:

“My friends,

verily the lot is mine,

yea and myself am glad at heart,

because I deem that I shall vanquish goodly Hector.

But come now,

while I clothe me in my armour of battle,

pray ye the while to Kronos’ son king Zeus,

in silence to yourselves,

that the Trojans hear you not—nay rather,

openly if ye will,

for we have no fear of any man soever.

For none by force shall chase me,

he willing me unwilling,

neither by skill;

seeing I hope that not so skill-less,

either,

was I born in Salamis nor nurtured.”

So said he,

and they prayed to Kronos’ son,

king Zeus;

and thus would one speak,

looking up to wide heaven:

“O father Zeus that rulest from Ida,

most glorious,

most great,

vouchsafe to Aias victory and the winning of great glory.

But if thou so lovest Hector indeed,

and carest for him,

grant unto either equal prowess and renown.”

So said they,

while Aias arrayed him in flashing bronze.

And when he had now clothed upon his flesh all his armour,

then marched he as huge Ares coming forth,

when he goeth to battle amid heroes whom Kronos’ son setteth to fight in fury of heart-consuming strife.

So rose up huge Aias,

bulwark of the Achaians,

with a smile on his grim face:

and went with long strides of his feet beneath him,

shaking his far-shadowing spear.

Then moreover the Argives rejoiced to look upon him,

but sore trembling came upon the Trojans,

on the limbs of every man,

and Hector’s own heart beat within his breast.

But in no wise could he now flee nor shrink back into the throng of the host,

seeing he had challenged him to battle.

And Aias came near bearing his tower-like shield of bronze,

with sevenfold ox-hide,

and stood near to Hector,

and spake to him threatening:

“Hector,

now verily shalt thou well know,

man to man,

what manner of princes the Danaans likewise have among them,

even after Achilles,

render of men,

the lion-hearted.

But he amid his beaked seafaring ships lieth in sore wrath with Agamemnon shepherd of the host;

yet are we such as to face thee,

yea and many of us.

But make thou beginning of war and battle.”

And great Hector of the glancing helm answered him:

“Aias of the seed of Zeus,

son of Telamon,

chieftain of the host,

tempt not thou me like some puny boy or woman that knoweth not deeds of battle.

But I well know wars and slaughterings.

To right know I,

to left know I the wielding of my tough targe;

therein I deem is stalwart soldiership.

And I know how to charge into the mellay of fleet chariots,

and how in close battle to join in furious Ares’ dance.

Howbeit,

I have no mind to smite thee,

being such an one as thou art,

by spying thee unawares;

but rather openly,

if perchance I may hit thee.”

He spake,

and poised his far-shadowing spear,

and hurled and smote Aias’ dread shield of sevenfold hide upon the uttermost bronze,

the eighth layer that was thereon.

Through six folds went the stubborn bronze cleaving,

but in the seventh hide it stayed.

Then heaven-sprung Aias hurled next his far-shadowing spear,

and smote upon the circle of the shield of Priam’s son.

Through the bright shield passed the violent spear,

and through the curiously wrought corslet pressed it on;

and straight forth beside the flank the spear rent his doublet;

but he swerved aside and escaped black death.

Then both together with their hands plucked forth their long spears and fell to like ravening lions or wild boars whose might is nowise feeble.

Then Priam’s son smote the shield’s midst with his dart,

but the bronze brake not through,

for the point turned back;

but Aias leapt on him and pierced his buckler,

and straight through went the spear and staggered him in his onset,

and cleft its way unto his neck,

so that the dark blood gushed up.

Yet even then did not Hector of the glancing helm cease from fight,

but yielded ground and with stout hand seized a stone lying upon the plain,

black and rugged and great;

therewith hurled he and smote Aias’ dread shield of sevenfold ox-hide in the midst upon the boss,

and the bronze resounded.

Next Aias lifted a far greater stone,

and swung and hurled it,

putting might immeasurable therein.

So smote he the buckler and burst it inwards with the rock like unto a millstone,

and beat down his knees;

and he was stretched upon his back,

pressed into his shield;

but Apollo straightway raised him up.

And now had they been smiting hand to hand with swords,

but that the heralds,

messengers of gods and men,

came, one from the Trojans,

one from the mail-clad Achaians,

even Talthybios and Idaios,

both men discreet.

Between the two held they their staves,

and herald Idaios spake a word,

being skilled in wise counsel:

“Fight ye no more,

dear sons,

neither do battle;

seeing Zeus the cloud-gatherer loveth you both,

and both are men of war;

that verily know we all.

But night already is upon us:

it is well withal to obey the hest [behest] of night.”

Then Telamonian Aias answered and said to him:

“Idaios,

bid ye Hector to speak those words;

of his own self he challenged to combat all our best.

Let him be first,

and I will surely follow as he saith.”