The Iliad by Homer

So spake he,

and stripped the son of Paeon,

spearman renowned.

But Alexandros,

the lord of fair-tressed Helen,

aimed with his arrows at Tydeides,

shepherd of the host;

leaning as he aimed against a pillar on the barrow,

by men fashioned,

of Ilos,

son of Dardanos,

an elder of the people in time gone by.

Now Diomedes was stripping the shining corslet of strong Agastrophos from about his breast,

and the shield from his shoulders,

and his strong helmet,

when Paris drew the centre of his bow;

nor vainly did the shaft fly from his hand,

for he smote the flat of the right foot of Diomedes,

and the arrow went clean through,

and stood fixed in the earth;

and right sweetly laughing Paris leaped up from his lair,

and boasted,

and said:

“Thou art smitten,

nor vainly hath the dart flown forth;

would that I had smitten thee in the nether belly,

and taken thy life away.

So should the Trojans have breathed again from their trouble,

they that shudder at thee,

as bleating goats at a lion.”

But him answered strong Diomedes,

no wise dismayed:

“Bowman,

reviler,

proud in thy bow of horn,

thou gaper after girls,

verily if thou madest trial in full harness,

man to man,

thy bow and showers of shafts would nothing avail thee,

but now thou boastest vainly,

for that thou hast grazed the sole of my foot.

I care not,

more than if a woman had struck me or a senseless boy,

for feeble is the dart of a craven man and a worthless.

In other wise from my hand,

yea,

if it do but touch,

the sharp shaft flieth,

and straightway layeth low its man,

and torn are the cheeks of his wife,

and fatherless his children,

and he,

reddening the earth with his blood,

doth rot away,

more birds than women round him.”

So spake he,

and Odysseus,

spearman renowned,

drew near,

and stood in front of him,

and Diomedes sat down behind him,

and drew the sharp arrow from his foot,

and a sore pang passed through his flesh.

Then sprang he into his car,

and bade his charioteer drive back to the hollow ships,

for he was hurt at heart.

Then Odysseus,

spearman renowned,

was left alone,

nor did one of the Argives abide by him,

for fear had fallen on them all.

Then in heaviness he spoke to his own great-hearted spirit:

“Ah me,

what thing shall befall me!

A great evil it is if I flee,

in dread of the throng;

yet worse is this,

if I be taken all alone,

for the other Danaans bath Kronion scattered in flight.

But wherefore doth my heart thus converse with herself?

for I know that they are cowards,

who flee the fight,

but whosoever is a hero in war,

him it mainly behoves to stand stubbornly,

whether he be smitten,

or whether he smite another.”

While he pondered thus in heart and spirit,

the ranks came on of the Trojans under shield,

and hemmed him in the midst,

setting among them their own bane.

And even as when hounds and young men in their bloom press round a boar,

and he cometh forth from his deep lair,

whetting his white tusk between crooked jaws,

and round him they rush,

and the sound of the gnashing of tusks ariseth,

and straightway they await his assault,

so dread as he is,

even so then round Odysseus,

dear to Zeus,

rushed the Trojans.

And first he wounded noble Deiopites,

from above,

in the shoulder,

leaping on him with sharp spear,

and next he slew Thoon and Ennomos,

and next Chersidamas,

being leapt down from his chariot,

he smote with the spear on the navel beneath the bossy shield,

and he fell in the dust and clutched the ground with the hollow of his hand.

These left he,

and wounded Charops,

son of Hippasos,

with the spear,

the brother of high-born Sokos.

And to help him came Sokos,

a godlike man,

and stood hard by him,

and spake saying:

“O renowned Odysseus,

insatiable of craft and toil,

to-day shalt thou either boast over two sons of Hippasos,

as having slain two such men of might,

and stripped their harness,

or smitten by my spear shaft lose thy life.”

So spake he,

and smote him on the circle of his shield;

through the shining shield passed the strong spear,

and through the fair-dight corslet it was thrust,

and tore clean off the flesh of the flanks,

but Pallas Athens did not suffer it to mingle with the bowels of the hero,

and Odysseus knew that the dart had in nowise lighted on a deadly spot,

and drawing backward,

he spake unto Sokos

“Ah,

wretched one,

verily sheer destruction is come upon thee.

Surely thou hast made me to cease from warring among the Trojans,

but here to thee I declare that slaying and black Fate will be upon thee this day,

and beneath my spear overthrown shalt thou give glory to me,

and thy soul to Hades of the noble steeds.”

He spake,

and the other turned,

and started to flee,

and in his back as he turned he fixed the spear,

between the shoulders,

and drave it through the breast.

Then he fell with a crash,

and noble Odysseus boasted over him:

“Ah,

Sokos,

son of wise-hearted Hippasos the tamer of horses,

the end of death hath come upon and caught thee,

nor hast thou avoided.

Ah, wretch,

thy father and lady mother shall not close thine eyes in death,

but birds that eat flesh raw shall tear thee,

shrouding thee in the multitude of their wings.

But to me,

if I die,

the noble Achaians will yet give due burial.”

So spake he,

and drew the mighty spear of wise-hearted Sokos forth from his flesh,

and from his bossy shield,

and his blood flowed forth when the spear was drawn away,

and afflicted his spirit.

And the great-hearted Trojans when they beheld the blood of Odysseus,

with clamour through the throng came all together against him.

But he gave ground,

and shouted unto his comrades:

thrice he shouted then,

as loud as mal’s mouth might cry,

and thrice did Menelaos dear to Zeus hear his call,

and quickly he spake to Aias that was hard by him:

“Aias,

of the seed of Zeus,

child of Telamon,

lord of the hosts,

the shout of Odysseus of the hardy heart rings round me,

like as though the Trojans were oppressing him alone among them,

and had cut him off in the strong battle.

Nay,

let us speed into the throng,

for better it is to rescue him.

I fear lest he suffer some evil,

being alone among the Trojans,

so brave as he is,

and lest great sorrow for his loss come upon the Danaans.”

So spake he,

and led the way,

and the other followed him,

a godlike man.

Then found they Odysseus dear to Zeus,

and the Trojans beset him like tawny jackals from the hills round a wounded horned stag,

that a man hath smitten with an arrow from the bow-string,

and the stag hath fled from him by speed of foot,

as long as the blood is warm and his limbs are strong,

but when the swift arrow hath overcome him,

then do the ravening jackals rend him in the hills,

in a dark wood,

and then god leadeth a murderous lion thither,

and the jackals flee before him,

but he rendeth them,

so then,

round wise-hearted Odysseus of the crafty counsels,

did the Trojans gather,

many and mighty,

but that hero thrusting on with the spear held off the pitiless day.

Then Aias drew near,

bearing his shield like a tower,

and stood thereby,

and the Trojans fled from him,

where each man might.

Then warlike Menelaos led Odysseus out of the press,

holding him by the hand,

till the squire drave up the horses.

Then Aias leaped on the Trojans,

and slew Doyrklos,

bastard son of Priam,

and thereafter wounded he Pandokos,

and he wounded Lysandros,

and Pyrasos,

and Pylartes.

And as when a brimming river cometh down upon the plain,

in winter flood from the hills,

swollen by the rain of Zeus,

and many dry oaks and many pines it sucketh in,

and much soil it casteth into the sea,

even so renowned Aias charged them,

pursuing through the plain,

slaying horses and men.

Nor wist Hector thereof at all,

for he was fighting on the left of all the battle,

by the banks of the river Skamandros,

whereby chiefly fell the heads of men,

and an unquenchable cry arose,

around great Nestor and warlike Idomeneus.

And Hector with them was warring,

and terrible things did he,

with the spear and in horsemanship,

and he ravaged the battalions of the young men.

Nor would the noble Achaians have yet given ground from the path,

if Alexandros,

the lord of fair-tressed Helen,

had not stayed Machaon shepherd of the host in his valorous deeds,

and smitten him on the right shoulder with a three-barbed arrow.

Therefore were the Achaians,

breathing valour,

in great fear,

lest men should seize Machaon in the turning of the fight.

Then Idomeneus spake to noble Nestor:

“O Nestor,

son of Neleus,

great glory of the Achaians,

arise,

get thee up into thy chariot,

and with thee let Machaon go,

and swiftly drive to the ships the whole-hooved horses.

For a leech is worth many other men,

to cut out arrows,

and spread soothing medicaments.”

So spake he,

nor did knightly Nestor of Gerenia disobey him,

but straightway gat up into his chariot,

and with him went Machaon,

son of Asklepios the good leech,

and he lashed the horses,

and willingly flew they forward to the hollow ships,

where they desired to be.

But Kebriones,

the charioteer of Hector,

beheld the Trojans driven in flight,

and spake to him,

and said:

“Hector,

here do we contend with the Danaans,

at the limit of the wailful war,

but,

lo,

the other Trojans are driven in flight confusedly,

men and horses.

And Aias son of Telamon is driving them;

well I know him,

for wide is the shield round his shoulders.

Nay,

let us too urge thither the horses and chariot,

there where horsemen and footmen thickest in the forefront of evil strife are slaying each other,

and the cry goes up unquenchable.”

So spake he,

and smote the fair-maned horses with the shrill-sounding whip,

and they felt the lash,

and fleetly bore the swift chariot among the Trojans and Achaians,

treading on the dead,

and the shields,

and with blood was sprinkled all the axle-tree beneath,

and the rims round the car with the drops from the hooves of the horses,

and with drops from the tires about the wheels.

And Hector was eager to enter the press of men,

and to leap in and break through,

and evil din of battle he brought among the Danaans,

and brief space rested he from smiting with the spear.

Nay,

but he ranged among the ranks of other men,

with spear,

and sword,

and with great stones,

but he avoided the battle of Aias son of Telamon.

Now father Zeus,

throned in the highest,

roused dread in Aias,

and he stood in amaze,

and cast behind him his sevenfold shield of bull’s hide,

and gazed round in fear upon the throng,

like a wild beast,

turning this way and that,

and slowly retreating step by step.

And as when hounds and country folk drive a tawny lion from the mid-fold of the kine,

and suffer him not to carry away the fattest of the herd;

all night they watch,

and he in great desire for the flesh maketh his onset,

but takes nothing thereby,

for thick the darts fly from strong hands against him,

and the burning brands,

and these he dreads for all his fury,

and in the dawn he departeth with vexed heart;

even so at that time departed Aias,

vexed at heart,

from among the Trojans,

right unwillingly,

for he feared sore for the ships of the Achaians.

And as when a lazy ass going past a field hath the better of the boys with him,

an ass that hath had many a cudgel broken about his sides,

and he fareth into the deep crop,

and wasteth it,

while the boys smite him with cudgels,

and feeble is the force of them,

but yet with might and main they drive him forth,

when he hath had his fill of fodder,

even so did the high-hearted Trojans and allies,

called from many lands,

smite great Aias,

son of Telamon,

with darts on the centre of his shield,

and ever followed after him.

And Aias would now be mindful of his impetuous valour,

and turn again,

and hold at bay the battalions of the horse-taming Trojans,

and once more he would turn him again to flee.

Yet he hindered them all from making their way to the fleet ships,

and himself stood and smote between the Trojans and the Achaians,

and the spears from strong hands stuck some of them in his great shield,

fain to win further,

and many or ever they reached his white body stood fast halfway in the earth,

right eager to sate themselves with his flesh.

So they fought like unto burning fire.

But the mares of Neleus all sweating bare Nestor out of the battle,

and also carried they Machaon,

shepherd of the host.

Then the noble Achilles,

swift of foot,

beheld and was ware of him,

for Achilles was standing by the stern of his great ship,

watching the dire toil,

and the woful rout of battle.

And straightway he spake to his own comrade,

Patroklos,

calling to him from beside the ship,

and he heard,

and from the hut he came,

like unto Ares;

and this to him was the beginning of evil.

Then the strong son of Menoitios spake first to Achilles:

“Why dost thou call me,

Achilles,

what need hast thou of me?”

Then swift-footed Achilles answered him and spake:

“Noble son of Menoitios,

dear to my heart,

now methinks that the Achaians will stand in prayer about my knees,

for need no longer tolerable cometh upon them.

But go now,

Patroklos dear to Zeus,

and ask Nestor who is this that he bringeth wounded from the war.

Verily from behind he is most like Machaon,

that child of Asklepios,

but I beheld not the eyes of the man,

for the horses sped past me,

straining forward eagerly.”

So spake he and Patroklos obeyed his dear comrade,

and started and ran past the ships,

and the huts of the Achaians.

Now when they came to the hut of the son of Neleus,

they lighted down on the bounteous earth,

and the squire,

Eurymedon,

loosed the horses of that old man from the car,

and they dried the sweat from their doublets,

standing before the breeze,

by the shore of the sea,

and thereafter came they to the hut,

and sat them down on chairs.

And fair-tressed Hekamede mixed for them a mess,

Hekamede that the old man won from Tenedos,

when Achilles sacked it,

and she was the daughter of great-hearted Arsinoos,

and her the Achaians chose out for him,

because always in counsel he excelled them all.

First she drew before them a fair table,

polished well,

with feet of cyanus,

and thereon a vessel of bronze,

with onion,

for relish to the drink,

and pale honey,

and the grain of sacred barley,

and beside it a right goodly cup,

that the old man brought from home,

embossed with studs of gold,

and four handles there were to it,

and round each two golden doves were feeding,

and to the cup were two feet below.

Another man could scarce have lifted the cup from the table,

when it was full,

but Nestor the Old raised it easily.

In this cup the woman,

like unto the goddesses,

mixed a mess for them,

with Pramnian wine,

and therein grated cheese of goats’ milk,

with a grater of bronze,

and scattered white barley thereover,

and bade them drink,

whenas she had made ready the mess.

So when the twain had drunk,

and driven away parching thirst,

they took their pleasure in discourse,

speaking each to the other.

Now Patroklos stood at the doors,

a godlike man,

and when the old man beheld him,

he arose from his shining chair,

and took him by the hand,

and led him in,

and bade him be seated.

But Patroklos,

from over against him,

was for refusing,

and spake and said:

“No time to sit have I,

old man,

fosterling of Zeus,

nor wilt thou persuade me.

Revered and dreaded is he that sent me forth to ask thee who this man is that thou bringest home wounded.

Nay,

but I know myself,

for I see Machaon,

shepherd of the host.

And now will I go back again,

a messenger,

to speak a word to Achilles.

And well dost thou know,

old man,

fosterling of Zeus,

how terrible a man he is;

lightly would he blame even one that is blameless.”

Then knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him again:

“Wherefore is Achilles thus sorry for the sons of the Achaians,

for as many as are wounded with darts?

He knoweth not at all what grief hath arisen in the camp:

for the best men lie in the ships,

wounded by shaft or smitten by spear.

Wounded with the shaft is strong Diomedes,

son of Tydeus,

and smitten is Odysseus,

spearman renowned,

and Agamemnon,

and this other have I but newly carried out of battle,

wounded with an arrow from the bowstring.

But Achilles,

for all his valiance,

careth not for the Danaans,

nor pities them at all.

Doth he wait till the fleet ships hard by the shore shall burn in the consuming fire,

and till we be slain one upon another?

Nay,

but even now speak thou thus and thus to wise-hearted Achilles,

if perchance he will obey thee.

Who knows but that,

God helping,

thou mightst stir his spirit with thy persuading?

and good is the persuasion of a friend.

But if in his heart he be shunning some oracle of God,

and his lady mother hath told him somewhat from Zeus,

natheless let him send forth thee,

and let the rest of the host of the Myrmidons follow with thee,

if perchance any light shall arise from thee to the Danaans;

and let him give thee his fair harness,

to bear into the war,

if perchance the Trojans may take thee for him,

and withhold them from the strife,

and the warlike sons of the Achaians might take breath,

being wearied;

for brief is the breathing time in battle.

And lightly might ye,

being unwearied,

drive men wearied in the war unto the city,

away from the ships and the huts.”

So spake he,

and roused his heart within his breast,

and he started and ran by the ships to Achilles of the seed of Aiakos.

BOOK XII.​

How the Trojans and allies broke within the wall of the Achaians.

So in the huts the strong son of Menortios was tending the wounded Eurypylos,

but still they fought confusedly,

the Argives and Trojans.

Nor were the fosse of the Danaans and their wide wall above long to protect them,

the wall they had builded for defence of the ships,

and the fosse they had drawn round about;

for neither had they given goodly hecatombs to the gods,

that it might guard with its bounds their swift ships and rich spoil.

Nay,

maugre the deathless gods was it builded,

wherefore it abode steadfast for no long time.

While Hector yet lived,

and yet Achilles kept his wrath,

and unsacked was the city of Priam the king,

so long the great wall of the Achaians likewise abode steadfast.

But when all the bravest of the Trojans died,

and many of the Argives,

—some were taken,

and some were left,

—and the city of Priam was sacked in the tenth year,

and the Argives had gone back in their ships to their own dear country,

then verily did Poseidon and Apollo take counsel to wash away the wall,

bringing in the might of the rivers,

of all that flow from the hills of Ida to the sea.

Rhesos there was,

and Heptaporos,

and Karesos,

and Rhodios,

Grenikos,

and Aisepos,

and goodly Skamandros,

and Simoeis,

whereby many shields and helms fell in the dust,

and the generation of men half divine;

the mouths of all these waters did Phoebus Apollo turn together,

and for nine days he drave their stream against the wall;

and still Zeus rained unceasingly,

that the quicker he might mingle the wall with the salt sea.

And the Shaker of the earth,

with his trident in his hands,

was himself the leader,

and sent forth into the waves all the foundations of beams and stones that the Achaians had laid with toil,

and made all smooth by the strong current of the Hellespont,

and covered again the great beach with sand,

when he had swept away the wall,

and turned the rivers back to flow in their channel,

where of old they poured down their fair flow of water.

So were Poseidon and Apollo to do in the aftertime;

but then war and the din of war sounded about the well-builded wall,

and the beams of the towers rang beneath the strokes;

while the Argives,

subdued by the scourge of Zeus,

were penned and driven in by the hollow ships,

in dread of Hector,

the mighty maker of flight,

but he,

as aforetime,

fought like a whirlwind.

And as when,

among hounds and hunting men,

a boar or lion wheeleth him about,

raging in his strength,

and these array themselves in fashion like a tower,

and stand up against him,

casting many javelins from their hands;

but never is his stout heart confused nor afraid,

and his courage is his bane,

and often he wheeleth him about,

and maketh trial of the ranks of men,

and wheresoever he maketh onset there the ranks of men give way,

even so Hector went and besought his comrades through the press,

and spurred them on to cross the dyke.

But his swift-footed horses dared not,

but loud they neighed,

standing by the sheer edge,

for the wide fosse affrighted them,

neither easy to leap from hard by,

nor to cross,

for overhanging banks stood round about it all on either hand,

and above it was furnished with sharp stakes that the sons of the Achaians had planted there,

thick set and great,

a bulwark against hostile men.

Thereby not lightly might a horse enter,

drawing a well-wheeled chariot;

but the footmen were eager,

if they might accomplish it.

Then Polydamas drew near valiant Hector,

and spake to him:

“Hector and ye other leaders of the Trojans and allies,

foolishly do we drive our fleet horses through the dyke;

nay right hard it is to cross,

for sharp stakes stand in it,

and over against them the wall of the Achaians.

Thereby none may go down and fight in chariots,

for strait is the place wherein,

methinks,

we might come by a mischief.

For if Zeus that thunders on high is utterly to destroy them in his evil will,

and is minded to help the Trojans,

verily then I too would desire that even instantly this might be,

that the Achaians should perish here nameless far from Argos:

but and if they turn again,

and we flee back from among the ships,

and rush into the delved ditch,

then methinks that not even one from among us to bear the tidings will win back to the city before the force of the Achaians when they rally.

But come as I declare,

let us all obey.

Let our squires hold the horses by the dyke,

while we being harnessed in our gear as foot soldiers follow all together with Hector,

and the Achaians will not withstand us,

if indeed the bands of death be made fast upon them.”

So spake Polydamas,

and his wise word pleased Hector well,

and straightway in his harness he leaped from his chariot to the ground.

Nor were the other Trojans gathered upon the chariots,

but they all leaped forth,

when they beheld goodly Hector.

There each gave it into the charge of his own charioteer,

to keep the horses orderly there by the fosse.

And they divided,

and arrayed themselves,

and ordered in five companies they followed with the leaders.

Now they that went with Hector and noble Polydamas,

these were most,

and bravest,

and most were eager to break the wall,

and fight by the hollow ships;

and with them followed Kebriones for the third,

for Hector had left another man with his chariot,

a weaker warrior than Kebriones.

The second company Paris led,

and Alkathoos,

and Agenor:

and the third company Helenos led,

and godlike Deiphobos,

—two sons of Priam,

—the third was the warrior Asios,

Asios Hyrtakos’ son,

whom his tall sorrel steeds brought out of Arisbe,

from the river Selleeis.

And of the fourth company was the brave son of Anchises leader,

even Aineias;

and with him were two sons of Antenor,

Archelochos and Akamas,

both well skilled in all warfare.

And Sarpedon led the glorious allies,

and to be with him he chose Glaukos and warlike Asteropaios,

for they seamed to him to be manifestly the bravest of all after himself but he was excellent,

yea,

above all the host.

And these when they had arrayed one another with well-fashioned shields of bulls’ hide,

went straight and eager against the Danaans,

nor deemed that they could longer resist them,

but that themselves should fall on the black ships.

Then the rest of the Trojans and the far-famed allies obeyed the counsel of blameless Polydamas,

but Asios,

son of Hyrtakos,

leader of men,

willed not to leave his horses there,

and his squire the charioteer,

but with them he drew near the swift ships,

fond man!

for never was he,

avoiding evil Fates,

to return,

rejoicing in his horses and chariot,

back from the ships to windy Ilios.

Nay,

ere that the Fate of ill name over-shadowed him,

by the spear of Idomeneus,

the haughty son of Deukalion.

For Asios went against the left flank of the ships,

whereby the Achaians returned out of the plain with chariots and horses:

there he drave through his horses and his car,

nor found he the doors shut on the gates,

and the long bar,

but men were holding them open if perchance they might save any of their comrades fleeing out of the battle towards the ships.

Straight thereby held he his horses with unswerving aim,

and his men followed him,

crying shrilly,

for they deemed that the Achaians could no longer hold them off,

but that themselves would fall on the black ships:

fools,

for in the gates they found two men of the bravest,

the high-hearted sons of the warrior Lapithae,

one the son of Peirithoos,

strong Polypoites,

and one Leonteus,

peer of Ares the bane of men.

These twain stood in front of the lofty gates,

like high-crested oak trees in the hills,

that for ever abide the wind and rain,

firm fixed with roots great and long;

even so these twain,

trusting to the mightiness of their hands,

abode the coming of great Asios,

and fled not.

But straight came the Trojans against the well-builded wall,

holding their shields of dry bulls’ hide on high,

with mighty clamour,

round the prince Asios,

and Iamenos,

and Orestes,

and Adamas,

son of Asios,

and Thoon,

and Oinomaos.

But the other twain for a while,

being within the wall,

urged the well-greaved Achaians to fight for the ships;

but when they saw the Trojans assailing the wall,

while the Danaans cried and turned in flight,

then forth rushed the twain,

and fought in front of the gates like wild boars that in the mountains abide the assailing crew of men and dogs,

and charging on either flank they crush the wood around them,

cutting it at the root,

and the clatter of their tusks wages loud,

till one smite them and take their life away:

so clattered the bright bronze on the breasts of the twain,

as they were smitten in close fight,

for right hardily they fought,

trusting to the host above them,

and to their own strength.

For the men above were casting with stones from the well-builded towers,

in defence of themselves and of the huts,

and of the swift-faring ships.

And like snowflakes the stones fell earthward,

flakes that a tempestuous wind,

as it driveth the dark clouds,

rains thickly down on the bounteous earth:

so thick fell the missiles from the hands of Achaians and Trojans alike,

and their helms rang harsh and their bossy shields,

being smitten with mighty stones.

Verily then Asios,

son of Hyrtakos,

groaned and smote both his thighs,

and indignantly he spake:

“Zeus,

verily thou too dost greatly love a lie,

for I deemed not that the Achaian heroes could withstand our might and our hands invincible.

But they like wasps of nimble body,

or bees that have made their dwellings in a rugged path,

and leave not their hollow hold,

but abide and keep the hunters at bay for the sake of their little ones,

even so these men have no will to give ground from the gates,

though they are but two,

ere they slay or be slain.”

So spake he,

nor with his speech did he persuade the mind of Zeus,

for his will was to give renown to Hector.

But the others were fighting about the other gates,

and hard it were for me like a god to tell all these things,

for everywhere around the wall of stone rose the fire divine;

the Argives,

for all their sorrow,

defending the ships of necessity;

and all the gods were grieved at heart,

as many as were defenders of the Danaans in battle.

And together the Lapithae waged war and strife.

There the son of Peirithoos,

mighty Polypoites,

smote Damasos with the spear,

through the helmet with cheekpieces of bronze;

nor did the bronze helm stay the spear,

but the point of bronze brake clean through the bone,

and all the brain within was scattered,

and the spear overcame him in his eagerness.

Thereafter he slew Pylon and Ormenos.

And Leonteus of the stock of Ares smote Hippomachos,

son of Antimachos,

with the spear,

striking him on the girdle.

Then again he drew his sharp sword from the sheath,

and smote Antiphates first in close fight,

rushing on him through the throng,

that he fell on his back on the ground;

and thereafter he brought down Menon,

and Iamenos,

and Orestes one after the other,

to the bounteous earth.

While they were stripping from these the shining arms,

the young men who followed with Polydamas and Hector,

they that were most in number and bravest,

and most were eager to break the wall and set the ships on fire,

these still stood doubtful by the fosse,

for as they were eager to pass over a bird had appeared to them,

an eagle of lofty flight,

skirting the host on the left hand.

In its talons it bore a blood-red monstrous snake,

alive,

and struggling still;

yea,

not yet had it forgotten the joy of battle,

but writhed backward and smote the bird that held it on the breast,

beside the neck,

and the bird cast it from him down to the earth,

in sore pain,

and dropped it in the midst of the throng;

then with a cry sped away down the gusts of the wind.

And the Trojans shuddered when they saw the gleaming snake lying in the midst of them;

an omen of aegis-bearing Zeus.

Then verily Polydamas stood by brave Hector,

and spake:

“Hector,

ever dost thou rebuke me in the assemblies,

though I counsel wisely;

since it by no means beseemeth one of the people to speak contrary to thee,

in council or in war,

but always to increase thy power;

but now again will I say all that seemeth to me to be best.

Let us not advance and fight with the Danaans for the ships.

For even thus,

methinks,

the end will be,

if indeed this bird hath come for the Trojans when they were eager to cross the dyke,

this eagle of lofty flight,

skirting the host on the left hand,

bearing in his talons a blood-red monstrous snake,

yet living;

then straightway left he hold of him,

before he reached his own nest,

nor brought him home in the end to give to his nestlings.

Even so shall we,

though we burst with mighty force the gates and wall of the Achaians,

and the Achaians give ground,

even so we shall return in disarray from the ships by the way we came;

for many of the Trojans shall we leave behind,

whom the Achaians will slay with the sword,

in defence of the ships.

Even so would a soothsayer interpret that in his heart had clear knowledge of omens,

and whom the people obeyed.”

Then Hector of the glancing helm lowered on him and said:

“Polydamas,

that thou speakest is no longer pleasing to me;

yea,

thou knowest how to conceive another counsel better than this.

But if thou verily speakest thus in earnest,

then the gods themselves have utterly destroyed thy wits;

thou that bidst us forget the counsels of loud-thundering Zeus,

that himself promised me,

and confirmed with a nod of his head!

But thou bidst us be obedient to birds long of wing,

whereto I give no heed,

nor take any care thereof,

whether they fare to the right,

to the dawn and to the sun,

or to the left,

to mist and darkness.

Nay,

for us,

let us trust to the counsel of mighty Zeus,

who is king over all mortals and immortals.

One omen is best,

to fight for our own country.

And wherefore dost thou fear war and battle?

For if all the rest of us be slain by the ships of the Argives,

yet needst thou not fear to perish,

for thy heart is not warlike,

nor enduring in battle.

But if thou dost hold aloof from the fight,

or winnest any other with thy words to turn him from war,

straightway by my spear shalt thou be smitten,

and lose thy life.”

So spake he,

and led on,

and they followed with a wondrous din;

and Zeus that joyeth in the thunder roused from the hills of Ida,

a blast of wind,

which bare the dust straight against the ships;

and he made weak the heart of the Achaians,

but gave renown to the Trojans and to Hector.

Trusting then in his omens,

and their might,

they strove to break the great wall of the Achaians.

They dragged down the machicolations [projecting galleries] of the towers,

and overthrew the battlements,

and heaved up the projecting buttresses,

that the Achaians set first in the earth,

to be the props of the towers.

These they overthrew,

and hoped to break the wall of the Achaians.

Nor even now did the Danaans give ground from the path,

but closed up the battlements with shields of bulls’ hides,

and cast from them at the foemen as they went below the walls.

Now the two Aiantes went everywhere on the towers,

ever urging, and arousing the courage of the Achaians.

One they would accost with honeyed words,

another with hard words they would rebuke,

whomsoever they saw utterly giving ground from the fight:

“O friends,

whosoever is eminent,

or whosoever is of middle station among the Argives,

ay,

or lower yet,

for in no wise are all men equal in war,

now is there work for all,

and this yourselves well know.

Let none turn back to the ships,

for that he hath heard one threatening aloud;

nay,

get ye forward,

and cheer another on,

if perchance Olympian Zeus,

the lord of lightning,

will grant us to drive back the assault,

and push the foe to the city.”