Book XII
  
     So the son of Menoetius was attending to the hurt of Eurypylus
     within the tent, but the Argives and Trojans still fought
     desperately, nor were the trench and the high wall above it, to keep
     the Trojans in check longer. They had built it to protect their
     ships, and had dug the trench all round it that it might safeguard
     both the ships and the rich spoils which they had taken, but they
     had not offered hecatombs to the gods. It had been built without the
     consent of the immortals, and therefore it did not last. So long as
     Hector lived and Achilles nursed his anger, and so long as the city
     of Priam remained untaken, the great wall of the Achaeans stood
     firm; but when the bravest of the Trojans were no more, and many
     also of the Argives, though some were yet left alive when, moreover,
     the city was sacked in the tenth year, and the Argives had gone back
     with their ships to their own country- then Neptune and Apollo took
     counsel to destroy the wall, and they turned on to it the streams of
     all the rivers from Mount Ida into the sea, Rhesus, Heptaporus,
     Caresus, Rhodius, Grenicus, Aesopus, and goodly Scamander, with
     Simois, where many a shield and helm had fallen, and many a hero of
     the race of demigods had bitten the dust. Phoebus Apollo turned the
     mouths of all these rivers together and made them flow for nine days
     against the wall, while Jove rained the whole time that he might
     wash it sooner into the sea. Neptune himself, trident in hand,
     surveyed the work and threw into the sea all the foundations of
     beams and stones which the Achaeans had laid with so much toil; he
     made all level by the mighty stream of the Hellespont, and then when
     he had swept the wall away he spread a great beach of sand over the
     place where it had been. This done he turned the rivers back into
     their old courses. 
     
     This was what Neptune and Apollo were to do in after time; but as
     yet battle and turmoil were still raging round the wall till its
     timbers rang under the blows that rained upon them. The Argives,
     cowed by the scourge of Jove, were hemmed in at their ships in fear
     of Hector the mighty minister of Rout, who as heretofore fought with
     the force and fury of a whirlwind. As a lion or wild boar turns
     fiercely on the dogs and men that attack him, while these form solid
     wall and shower their javelins as they face him- his courage is all
     undaunted, but his high spirit will be the death of him; many a time
     does he charge at his pursuers to scatter them, and they fall back
     as often as he does so- even so did Hector go about among the host
     exhorting his men, and cheering them on to cross the trench. 
     
     But the horses dared not do so, and stood neighing upon its brink,
     for the width frightened them. They could neither jump it nor cross
     it, for it had overhanging banks all round upon either side, above
     which there were the sharp stakes that the sons of the Achaeans had
     planted so close and strong as a defence against all who would
     assail it; a horse, therefore, could not get into it and draw his
     chariot after him, but those who were on foot kept trying their very
     utmost. Then Polydamas went up to Hector and said, "Hector, and you
     other captains of the Trojans and allies, it is madness for us to
     try and drive our horses across the trench; it will be very hard to
     cross, for it is full of sharp stakes, and beyond these there is the
     wall. Our horses therefore cannot get down into it, and would be of
     no use if they did; moreover it is a narrow place and we should come
     to harm. If, indeed, great Jove is minded to help the Trojans, and
     in his anger will utterly destroy the Achaeans, I would myself
     gladly see them perish now and here far from Argos; but if they
     should rally and we are driven back from the ships pell-mell into
     the trench there will be not so much as a man get back to the city
     to tell the tale. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say; let our
     squires hold our horses by the trench, but let us follow Hector in a
     body on foot, clad in full armour, and if the day of their doom is
     at hand the Achaeans will not be able to withstand us." 
     
     Thus spoke Polydamas and his saying pleased Hector, who sprang in
     full armour to the ground, and all the other Trojans, when they saw
     him do so, also left their chariots. Each man then gave his horses
     over to his charioteer in charge to hold them ready for him at the
     trench. Then they formed themselves into companies, made themselves
     ready, and in five bodies followed their leaders. Those that went
     with Hector and Polydamas were the bravest and most in number, and
     the most determined to break through the wall and fight at the
     ships. Cebriones was also joined with them as third in command, for
     Hector had left his chariot in charge of a less valiant soldier. The
     next company was led by Paris, Alcathous, and Agenor; the third by
     Helenus and Deiphobus, two sons of Priam, and with them was the hero
     Asius- Asius the son of Hyrtacus, whose great black horses of the
     breed that comes from the river Selleis had brought him from Arisbe.
     Aeneas the valiant son of Anchises led the fourth; he and the two
     sons of Antenor, Archelochus and Acamas, men well versed in all the
     arts of war. Sarpedon was captain over the allies, and took with him
     Glaucus and Asteropaeus whom he deemed most valiant after himself-
     for he was far the best man of them all. These helped to array one
     another in their ox-hide shields, and then charged straight at the
     Danaans, for they felt sure that they would not hold out longer and
     that they should themselves now fall upon the ships. 
     
     The rest of the Trojans and their allies now followed the counsel of
     Polydamas but Asius son of Hyrtacus would not leave his horses and
     his esquire behind him; in his foolhardiness he took them on with
     him towards the ships, nor did he fail to come by his end in
     consequence. Nevermore was he to return to wind-beaten Ilius,
     exulting in his chariot and his horses; ere he could do so, death of
     ill-omened name had overshadowed him and he had fallen by the spear
     of Idomeneus the noble son of Deucalion. He had driven towards the
     left wing of the ships, by which way the Achaeans used to return
     with their chariots and horses from the plain. Hither he drove and
     found the gates with their doors opened wide, and the great bar
     down- for the gatemen kept them open so as to let those of their
     comrades enter who might be flying towards the ships. Hither of set
     purpose did he direct his horses, and his men followed him with a
     loud cry, for they felt sure that the Achaeans would not hold out
     longer, and that they should now fall upon the ships. Little did
     they know that at the gates they should find two of the bravest
     chieftains, proud sons of the fighting Lapithae- the one,
     Polypoetes, mighty son of Pirithous, and the other Leonteus, peer of
     murderous Mars. These stood before the gates like two high oak trees
     upon the mountains, that tower from their wide-spreading roots, and
     year after year battle with wind and rain- even so did these two men
     await the onset of great Asius confidently and without flinching.
     The Trojans led by him and by Iamenus, Orestes, Adamas the son of
     Asius, Thoon and Oenomaus, raised a loud cry of battle and made
     straight for the wall, holding their shields of dry ox-hide above
     their heads; for a while the two defenders remained inside and
     cheered the Achaeans on to stand firm in the defence of their ships;
     when, however, they saw that the Trojans were attacking the wall,
     while the Danaans were crying out for help and being routed, they
     rushed outside and fought in front of the gates like two wild boars
     upon the mountains that abide the attack of men and dogs, and
     charging on either side break down the wood all round them tearing
     it up by the roots, and one can hear the clattering of their tusks,
     till some one hits them and makes an end of them- even so did the
     gleaming bronze rattle about their breasts, as the weapons fell upon
     them; for they fought with great fury, trusting to their own prowess
     and to those who were on the wall above them. These threw great
     stones at their assailants in defence of themselves their tents and
     their ships. The stones fell thick as the flakes of snow which some
     fierce blast drives from the dark clouds and showers down in sheets
     upon the earth- even so fell the weapons from the hands alike of
     Trojans and Achaeans. Helmet and shield rang out as the great stones
     rained upon them, and Asius the son of Hyrtacus in his dismay cried
     aloud and smote his two thighs. "Father Jove," he cried, "of a truth
     you too are altogether given to lying. I made sure the Argive heroes
     could not withstand us, whereas like slim-waisted wasps, or bees
     that have their nests in the rocks by the wayside- they leave not
     the holes wherein they have built undefended, but fight for their
     little ones against all who would take them- even so these men,
     though they be but two, will not be driven from the gates, but stand
     firm either to slay or be slain." 
     
     He spoke, but moved not the mind of Jove, whose counsel it then was
     to give glory to Hector. Meanwhile the rest of the Trojans were
     fighting about the other gates; I, however, am no god to be able to
     tell about all these things, for the battle raged everywhere about
     the stone wall as it were a fiery furnace. The Argives, discomfited
     though they were, were forced to defend their ships, and all the
     gods who were defending the Achaeans were vexed in spirit; but the
     Lapithae kept on fighting with might and main. 
     
     Thereon Polypoetes, mighty son of Pirithous, hit Damasus with a
     spear upon his cheek-pierced helmet. The helmet did not protect him,
     for the point of the spear went through it, and broke the bone, so
     that the brain inside was scattered about, and he died fighting. He
     then slew Pylon and Ormenus. Leonteus, of the race of Mars, killed
     Hippomachus the son of Antimachus by striking him with his spear
     upon the girdle. He then drew his sword and sprang first upon
     Antiphates whom he killed in combat, and who fell face upwards on
     the earth. After him he killed Menon, Iamenus, and Orestes, and laid
     them low one after the other. 
     
     While they were busy stripping the armour from these heroes, the
     youths who were led on by Polydamas and Hector (and these were the
     greater part and the most valiant of those that were trying to break
     through the wall and fire the ships) were still standing by the
     trench, uncertain what they should do; for they had seen a sign from
     heaven when they had essayed to cross it- a soaring eagle that flew
     skirting the left wing of their host, with a monstrous blood-red
     snake in its talons still alive and struggling to escape. The snake
     was still bent on revenge, wriggling and twisting itself backwards
     till it struck the bird that held it, on the neck and breast;
     whereon the bird being in pain, let it fall, dropping it into the
     middle of the host, and then flew down the wind with a sharp cry.
     The Trojans were struck with terror when they saw the snake, portent
     of aegis-bearing Jove, writhing in the midst of them, and Polydamas
     went up to Hector and said, "Hector, at our councils of war you are
     ever given to rebuke me, even when I speak wisely, as though it were
     not well, forsooth, that one of the people should cross your will
     either in the field or at the council board; you would have them
     support you always: nevertheless I will say what I think will be
     best; let us not now go on to fight the Danaans at their ships, for
     I know what will happen if this soaring eagle which skirted the left
     wing of our with a monstrous blood-red snake in its talons (the
     snake being still alive) was really sent as an omen to the Trojans
     on their essaying to cross the trench. The eagle let go her hold;
     she did not succeed in taking it home to her little ones, and so
     will it be- with ourselves; even though by a mighty effort we break
     through the gates and wall of the Achaeans, and they give way before
     us, still we shall not return in good order by the way we came, but
     shall leave many a man behind us whom the Achaeans will do to death
     in defence of their ships. Thus would any seer who was expert in
     these matters, and was trusted by the people, read the portent." 
     
     Hector looked fiercely at him and said, "Polydamas, I like not of
     your reading. You can find a better saying than this if you will.
     If, however, you have spoken in good earnest, then indeed has heaven
     robbed you of your reason. You would have me pay no heed to the
     counsels of Jove, nor to the promises he made me- and he bowed his
     head in confirmation; you bid me be ruled rather by the flight of
     wild-fowl. What care I whether they fly towards dawn or dark, and
     whether they be on my right hand or on my left? Let us put our trust
     rather in the counsel of great Jove, king of mortals and immortals.
     There is one omen, and one only- that a man should fight for his
     country. Why are you so fearful? Though we be all of us slain at the
     ships of the Argives you are not likely to be killed yourself, for
     you are not steadfast nor courageous. If you will. not fight, or
     would talk others over from doing so, you shall fall forthwith
     before my spear." 
     
     With these words he led the way, and the others followed after with
     a cry that rent the air. Then Jove the lord of thunder sent the
     blast of a mighty wind from the mountains of Ida, that bore the dust
     down towards the ships; he thus lulled the Achaeans into security,
     and gave victory to Hector and to the Trojans, who, trusting to
     their own might and to the signs he had shown them, essayed to break
     through the great wall of the Achaeans. They tore down the
     breastworks from the walls, and overthrew the battlements; they
     upheaved the buttresses, which the Achaeans had set in front of the
     wall in order to support it; when they had pulled these down they
     made sure of breaking through the wall, but the Danaans still showed
     no sign of giving ground; they still fenced the battlements with
     their shields of ox-hide, and hurled their missiles down upon the
     foe as soon as any came below the wall. 
     
     The two Ajaxes went about everywhere on the walls cheering on the
     Achaeans, giving fair words to some while they spoke sharply to any
     one whom they saw to be remiss. "My friends," they cried, "Argives
     one and all- good bad and indifferent, for there was never fight
     yet, in which all were of equal prowess- there is now work enough,
     as you very well know, for all of you. See that you none of you turn
     in flight towards the ships, daunted by the shouting of the foe, but
     press forward and keep one another in heart, if it may so be that
     Olympian Jove the lord of lightning will vouchsafe us to repel our
     foes, and drive them back towards the city." 
     
     Thus did the two go about shouting and cheering the Achaeans on. As
     the flakes that fall thick upon a winter's day, when Jove is minded
     to snow and to display these his arrows to mankind- he lulls the
     wind to rest, and snows hour after hour till he has buried the tops
     of the high mountains, the headlands that jut into the sea, the
     grassy plains, and the tilled fields of men; the snow lies deep upon
     the forelands, and havens of the grey sea, but the waves as they
     come rolling in stay it that it can come no further, though all else
     is wrapped as with a mantle so heavy are the heavens with snow- even
     thus thickly did the stones fall on one side and on the other, some
     thrown at the Trojans, and some by the Trojans at the Achaeans; and
     the whole wall was in an uproar. 
     
     Still the Trojans and brave Hector would not yet have broken down
     the gates and the great bar, had not Jove turned his son Sarpedon
     against the Argives as a lion against a herd of horned cattle.
     Before him he held his shield of hammered bronze, that the smith had
     beaten so fair and round, and had lined with ox hides which he had
     made fast with rivets of gold all round the shield; this he held in
     front of him, and brandishing his two spears came on like some lion
     of the wilderness, who has been long famished for want of meat and
     will dare break even into a well-fenced homestead to try and get at
     the sheep. He may find the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks
     with dogs and spears, but he is in no mind to be driven from the
     fold till he has had a try for it; he will either spring on a sheep
     and carry it off, or be hit by a spear from strong hand- even so was
     Sarpedon fain to attack the wall and break down its battlements.
     Then he said to Glaucus son of Hippolochus, "Glaucus, why in Lycia
     do we receive especial honour as regards our place at table? Why are
     the choicest portions served us and our cups kept brimming, and why
     do men look up to us as though we were gods? Moreover we hold a
     large estate by the banks of the river Xanthus, fair with orchard
     lawns and wheat-growing land; it becomes us, therefore, to take our
     stand at the head of all the Lycians and bear the brunt of the
     fight, that one may say to another, Our princes in Lycia eat the fat
     of the land and drink best of wine, but they are fine fellows; they
     fight well and are ever at the front in battle.' My good friend, if,
     when we were once out of this fight, we could escape old age and
     death thenceforward and for ever, I should neither press forward
     myself nor bid you do so, but death in ten thousand shapes hangs
     ever over our heads, and no man can elude him; therefore let us go
     forward and either win glory for ourselves, or yield it to another."
     
     
     Glaucus heeded his saying, and the pair forthwith led on the host of
     Lycians. Menestheus son of Peteos was dismayed when he saw them, for
     it was against his part of the wall that they came- bringing
     destruction with them; he looked along the wall for some chieftain
     to support his comrades and saw the two Ajaxes, men ever eager for
     the fray, and Teucer, who had just come from his tent, standing near
     them; but he could not make his voice heard by shouting to them, so
     great an uproar was there from crashing shields and helmets and the
     battering of gates with a din which reached the skies. For all the
     gates had been closed, and the Trojans were hammering at them to try
     and break their way through them. Menestheus, therefore, sent
     Thootes with a message to Ajax. "Run, good Thootes," said and call
     Ajax, or better still bid both come, for it will be all over with us
     here directly; the leaders of the Lycians are upon us, men who have
     ever fought desperately heretofore. But if the have too much on
     their hands to let them come, at any rate let Ajax son of Telamon do
     so, and let Teucer the famous bowman come with him." 
     
     The messenger did as he was told, and set off running along the wall
     of the Achaeans. When he reached the Ajaxes he said to them, "Sirs,
     princes of the Argives, the son of noble Peteos bids you come to him
     for a while and help him. You had better both come if you can, or it
     will be all over with him directly; the leaders of the Lycians are
     upon him, men who have ever fought desperately heretofore; if you
     have too much on your hands to let both come, at any rate let Ajax
     son of Telamon do so, and let Teucer the famous bowman come with
     him." 
     
     Great Ajax, son of Telamon, heeded the message, and at once spoke to
     the son of Oileus. "Ajax," said he, "do you two, yourself and brave
     Lycomedes, stay here and keep the Danaans in heart to fight their
     hardest. I will go over yonder, and bear my part in the fray, but I
     will come back here at once as soon as I have given them the help
     they need." 
     
     With this, Ajax son of Telamon set off, and Teucer his brother by
     the same father went also, with Pandion to carry Teucer's bow. They
     went along inside the wall, and when they came to the tower where
     Menestheus was (and hard pressed indeed did they find him) the brave
     captains and leaders of the Lycians were storming the battlements as
     it were a thick dark cloud, fighting in close quarters, and raising
     the battle-cry aloud. 
     
     First, Ajax son of Telamon killed brave Epicles, a comrade of
     Sarpedon, hitting him with a jagged stone that lay by the
     battlements at the very top of the wall. As men now are, even one
     who is in the bloom of youth could hardly lift it with his two
     hands, but Ajax raised it high aloft and flung it down, smashing
     Epicles' four-crested helmet so that the bones of his head were
     crushed to pieces, and he fell from the high wall as though he were
     diving, with no more life left in him. Then Teucer wounded Glaucus
     the brave son of Hippolochus as he was coming on to attack the wall.
     He saw his shoulder bare and aimed an arrow at it, which made
     Glaucus leave off fighting. Thereon he sprang covertly down for fear
     some of the Achaeans might see that he was wounded and taunt him.
     Sarpedon was stung with grief when he saw Glaucus leave him, still
     he did not leave off fighting, but aimed his spear at Alcmaon the
     son of Thestor and hit him. He drew his spear back again Alcmaon
     came down headlong after it with his bronzed armour rattling round
     him. Then Sarpedon seized the battlement in his strong hands, and
     tugged at it till it an gave way together, and a breach was made
     through which many might pass. 
     
     Ajax and Teucer then both of them attacked him. Teucer hit him with
     an arrow on the band that bore the shield which covered his body,
     but Jove saved his son from destruction that he might not fall by
     the ships' sterns. Meanwhile Ajax sprang on him and pierced his
     shield, but the spear did not go clean through, though it hustled
     him back that he could come on no further. He therefore retired a
     little space from the battlement, yet without losing all his ground,
     for he still thought to cover himself with glory. Then he turned
     round and shouted to the brave Lycians saying, "Lycians, why do you
     thus fail me? For all my prowess I cannot break through the wall and
     open a way to the ships single-handed. Come close on behind me, for
     the more there are of us the better." 
     
     The Lycians, shamed by his rebuke, pressed closer round him who was
     their counsellor their king. The Argives on their part got their men
     in fighting order within the wall, and there was a deadly struggle
     between them. The Lycians could not break through the wall and force
     their way to the ships, nor could the Danaans drive the Lycians from
     the wall now that they had once reached it. As two men,
     measuring-rods in hand, quarrel about their boundaries in a field
     that they own in common, and stickle for their rights though they be
     but in a mere strip, even so did the battlements now serve as a bone
     of contention, and they beat one another's round shields for their
     possession. Many a man's body was wounded with the pitiless bronze,
     as he turned round and bared his back to the foe, and many were
     struck clean through their shields; the wall and battlements were
     everywhere deluged with the blood alike of Trojans and of Achaeans.
     But even so the Trojans could not rout the Achaeans, who still held
     on; and as some honest hard-working woman weighs wool in her balance
     and sees that the scales be true, for she would gain some pitiful
     earnings for her little ones, even so was the fight balanced evenly
     between them till the time came when Jove gave the greater glory to
     Hector son of Priam, who was first to spring towards the wall of the
     Achaeans. As he did so, he cried aloud to the Trojans, "Up, Trojans,
     break the wall of the Argives, and fling fire upon their ships." 
     
     Thus did he hound them on, and in one body they rushed straight at
     the wall as he had bidden them, and scaled the battlements with
     sharp spears in their hands. Hector laid hold of a stone that lay
     just outside the gates and was thick at one end but pointed at the
     other; two of the best men in a town, as men now are, could hardly
     raise it from the ground and put it on to a waggon, but Hector
     lifted it quite easily by himself, for the son of scheming Saturn
     made it light for him. As a shepherd picks up a ram's fleece with
     one hand and finds it no burden, so easily did Hector lift the great
     stone and drive it right at the doors that closed the gates so
     strong and so firmly set. These doors were double and high, and were
     kept closed by two cross-bars to which there was but one key. When
     he had got close up to them, Hector strode towards them that his
     blow might gain in force and struck them in the middle, leaning his
     whole weight against them. He broke both hinges, and the stone fell
     inside by reason of its great weight. The portals re-echoed with the
     sound, the bars held no longer, and the doors flew open, one one
     way, and the other the other, through the force of the blow. Then
     brave Hector leaped inside with a face as dark as that of flying
     night. The gleaming bronze flashed fiercely about his body and he
     had tow spears in his hand. None but a god could have withstood him
     as he flung himself into the gateway, and his eyes glared like fire.
     Then he turned round towards the Trojans and called on them to scale
     the wall, and they did as he bade them- some of them at once
     climbing over the wall, while others passed through the gates. The
     Danaans then fled panic-stricken towards their ships, and all was
     uproar and confusion.