Book XIII
  
     Now when Jove had thus brought Hector and the Trojans to the ships,
     he left them to their never-ending toil, and turned his keen eyes
     away, looking elsewhither towards the horse-breeders of Thrace, the
     Mysians, fighters at close quarters, the noble Hippemolgi, who live
     on milk, and the Abians, justest of mankind. He no longer turned so
     much as a glance towards Troy, for he did not think that any of the
     immortals would go and help either Trojans or Danaans. 
     
     But King Neptune had kept no blind look-out; he had been looking
     admiringly on the battle from his seat on the topmost crests of
     wooded Samothrace, whence he could see all Ida, with the city of
     Priam and the ships of the Achaeans. He had come from under the sea
     and taken his place here, for he pitied the Achaeans who were being
     overcome by the Trojans; and he was furiously angry with Jove. 
     
     Presently he came down from his post on the mountain top, and as he
     strode swiftly onwards the high hills and the forest quaked beneath
     the tread of his immortal feet. Three strides he took, and with the
     fourth he reached his goal- Aegae, where is his glittering golden
     palace, imperishable, in the depths of the sea. When he got there,
     he yoked his fleet brazen-footed steeds with their manes of gold all
     flying in the wind; he clothed himself in raiment of gold, grasped
     his gold whip, and took his stand upon his chariot. As he went his
     way over the waves the sea-monsters left their lairs, for they knew
     their lord, and came gambolling round him from every quarter of the
     deep, while the sea in her gladness opened a path before his
     chariot. So lightly did the horses fly that the bronze axle of the
     car was not even wet beneath it; and thus his bounding steeds took
     him to the ships of the Achaeans. 
     
     Now there is a certain huge cavern in the depths of the sea midway
     between Tenedos and rocky Imbrus; here Neptune lord of the
     earthquake stayed his horses, unyoked them, and set before them
     their ambrosial forage. He hobbled their feet with hobbles of gold
     which none could either unloose or break, so that they might stay
     there in that place until their lord should return. This done he
     went his way to the host of the Achaeans. 
     
     Now the Trojans followed Hector son of Priam in close array like a
     storm-cloud or flame of fire, fighting with might and main and
     raising the cry battle; for they deemed that they should take the
     ships of the Achaeans and kill all their chiefest heroes then and
     there. Meanwhile earth-encircling Neptune lord of the earthquake
     cheered on the Argives, for he had come up out of the sea and had
     assumed the form and voice of Calchas. 
     
     First he spoke to the two Ajaxes, who were doing their best already,
     and said, "Ajaxes, you two can be the saving of the Achaeans if you
     will put out all your strength and not let yourselves be daunted. I
     am not afraid that the Trojans, who have got over the wall in force,
     will be victorious in any other part, for the Achaeans can hold all
     of them in check, but I much fear that some evil will befall us here
     where furious Hector, who boasts himself the son of great Jove
     himself, is leading them on like a pillar of flame. May some god,
     then, put it into your hearts to make a firm stand here, and to
     incite others to do the like. In this case you will drive him from
     the ships even though he be inspired by Jove himself." 
     
     As he spoke the earth-encircling lord of the earthquake struck both
     of them with his sceptre and filled their hearts with daring. He
     made their legs light and active, as also their hands and their
     feet. Then, as the soaring falcon poises on the wing high above some
     sheer rock, and presently swoops down to chase some bird over the
     plain, even so did Neptune lord of the earthquake wing his flight
     into the air and leave them. Of the two, swift Ajax son of Oileus
     was the first to know who it was that had been speaking with them,
     and said to Ajax son of Telamon, "Ajax, this is one of the gods that
     dwell on Olympus, who in the likeness of the prophet is bidding us
     fight hard by our ships. It was not Calchas the seer and diviner of
     omens; I knew him at once by his feet and knees as he turned away,
     for the gods are soon recognised. Moreover I feel the lust of battle
     burn more fiercely within me, while my hands and my feet under me
     are more eager for the fray." 
     
     And Ajax son of Telamon answered, "I too feel my hands grasp my
     spear more firmly; my strength is greater, and my feet more nimble;
     I long, moreover, to meet furious Hector son of Priam, even in
     single combat." 
     
     Thus did they converse, exulting in the hunger after battle with
     which the god had filled them. Meanwhile the earth-encircler roused
     the Achaeans, who were resting in the rear by the ships overcome at
     once by hard fighting and by grief at seeing that the Trojans had
     got over the wall in force. Tears began falling from their eyes as
     they beheld them, for they made sure that they should not escape
     destruction; but the lord of the earthquake passed lightly about
     among them and urged their battalions to the front. 
     
     First he went up to Teucer and Leitus, the hero Peneleos, and Thoas
     and Deipyrus; Meriones also and Antilochus, valiant warriors; all
     did he exhort. "Shame on you young Argives," he cried, "it was on
     your prowess I relied for the saving of our ships; if you fight not
     with might and main, this very day will see us overcome by the
     Trojans. Of a truth my eyes behold a great and terrible portent
     which I had never thought to see- the Trojans at our ships- they,
     who were heretofore like panic-stricken hinds, the prey of jackals
     and wolves in a forest, with no strength but in flight for they
     cannot defend themselves. Hitherto the Trojans dared not for one
     moment face the attack of the Achaeans, but now they have sallied
     far from their city and are fighting at our very ships through the
     cowardice of our leader and the disaffection of the people
     themselves, who in their discontent care not to fight in defence of
     the ships but are being slaughtered near them. True, King Agamemnon
     son of Atreus is the cause of our disaster by having insulted the
     son of Peleus, still this is no reason why we should leave off
     fighting. Let us be quick to heal, for the hearts of the brave heal
     quickly. You do ill to be thus remiss, you, who are the finest
     soldiers in our whole army. I blame no man for keeping out of battle
     if he is a weakling, but I am indignant with such men as you are. My
     good friends, matters will soon become even worse through this
     slackness; think, each one of you, of his own honour and credit, for
     the hazard of the fight is extreme. Great Hector is now fighting at
     our ships; he has broken through the gates and the strong bolt that
     held them." 
     
     Thus did the earth-encircler address the Achaeans and urge them on.
     Thereon round the two Ajaxes there gathered strong bands of men, of
     whom not even Mars nor Minerva, marshaller of hosts could make light
     if they went among them, for they were the picked men of all those
     who were now awaiting the onset of Hector and the Trojans. They made
     a living fence, spear to spear, shield to shield, buckler to
     buckler, helmet to helmet, and man to man. The horse-hair crests on
     their gleaming helmets touched one another as they nodded forward,
     so closely seffied were they; the spears they brandished in their
     strong hands were interlaced, and their hearts were set on battle. 
     
     The Trojans advanced in a dense body, with Hector at their head
     pressing right on as a rock that comes thundering down the side of
     some mountain from whose brow the winter torrents have torn it; the
     foundations of the dull thing have been loosened by floods of rain,
     and as it bounds headlong on its way it sets the whole forest in an
     uproar; it swerves neither to right nor left till it reaches level
     ground, but then for all its fury it can go no further- even so
     easily did Hector for a while seem as though he would career through
     the tents and ships of the Achaeans till he had reached the sea in
     his murderous course; but the closely serried battalions stayed him
     when he reached them, for the sons of the Achaeans thrust at him
     with swords and spears pointed at both ends, and drove him from them
     so that he staggered and gave ground; thereon he shouted to the
     Trojans, "Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians, fighters in close
     combat, stand firm: the Achaeans have set themselves as a wall
     against me, but they will not check me for long; they will give
     ground before me if the mightiest of the gods, the thundering spouse
     of Juno, has indeed inspired my onset." 
     
     With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Deiphobus son
     of Priam went about among them intent on deeds of daring with his
     round shield before him, under cover of which he strode quickly
     forward. Meriones took aim at him with a spear, nor did he fail to
     hit the broad orb of ox-hide; but he was far from piercing it for
     the spear broke in two pieces long ere he could do so; moreover
     Deiphobus had seen it coming and had held his shield well away from
     him. Meriones drew back under cover of his comrades, angry alike at
     having failed to vanquish Deiphobus, and having broken his spear. He
     turned therefore towards the ships and tents to fetch a spear which
     he had left behind in his tent. 
     
     The others continued fighting, and the cry of battle rose up into
     the heavens. Teucer son of Telamon was the first to kill his man, to
     wit, the warrior Imbrius son of Mentor rich in horses. Until the
     Achaeans came he had lived in Pedaeum, and had married Medesicaste a
     bastard daughter of Priam; but on the arrival of the Danaan fleet he
     had gone back to Ilius, and was a great man among the Trojans,
     dwelling near Priam himself, who gave him like honour with his own
     sons. The son of Telamon now struck him under the ear with a spear
     which he then drew back again, and Imbrius fell headlong as an
     ash-tree when it is felled on the crest of some high mountain
     beacon, and its delicate green foliage comes toppling down to the
     ground. Thus did he fall with his bronze-dight armour ringing
     harshly round him, and Teucer sprang forward with intent to strip
     him of his armour; but as he was doing so, Hector took aim at him
     with a spear. Teucer saw the spear coming and swerved aside, whereon
     it hit Amphimachus, son of Cteatus son of Actor, in the chest as he
     was coming into battle, and his armour rang rattling round him as he
     fell heavily to the ground. Hector sprang forward to take
     Amphimachus's helmet from off his temples, and in a moment Ajax
     threw a spear at him, but did not wound him, for he was encased all
     over in his terrible armour; nevertheless the spear struck the boss
     of his shield with such force as to drive him back from the two
     corpses, which the Achaeans then drew off. Stichius and Menestheus,
     captains of the Athenians, bore away Amphimachus to the host of the
     Achaeans, while the two brave and impetuous Ajaxes did the like by
     Imbrius. As two lions snatch a goat from the hounds that have it in
     their fangs, and bear it through thick brushwood high above the
     ground in their jaws, thus did the Ajaxes bear aloft the body of
     Imbrius, and strip it of its armour. Then the son of Oileus severed
     the head from the neck in revenge for the death of Amphimachus, and
     sent it whirling over the crowd as though it had been a ball, till
     fell in the dust at Hector's feet. 
     
     Neptune was exceedingly angry that his grandson Amphimachus should
     have fallen; he therefore went to the tents and ships of the
     Achaeans to urge the Danaans still further, and to devise evil for
     the Trojans. Idomeneus met him, as he was taking leave of a comrade,
     who had just come to him from the fight, wounded in the knee. His
     fellow-soldiers bore him off the field, and Idomeneus having given
     orders to the physicians went on to his tent, for he was still
     thirsting for battle. Neptune spoke in the likeness and with the
     voice of Thoas son of Andraemon who ruled the Aetolians of all
     Pleuron and high Calydon, and was honoured among his people as
     though he were a god. "Idomeneus," said he, "lawgiver to the
     Cretans, what has now become of the threats with which the sons of
     the Achaeans used to threaten the Trojans?" 
     
     And Idomeneus chief among the Cretans answered, "Thoas, no one, so
     far as I know, is in fault, for we can all fight. None are held back
     neither by fear nor slackness, but it seems to be the of almighty
     Jove that the Achaeans should perish ingloriously here far from
     Argos: you, Thoas, have been always staunch, and you keep others in
     heart if you see any fail in duty; be not then remiss now, but
     exhort all to do their utmost." 
     
     To this Neptune lord of the earthquake made answer, "Idomeneus, may
     he never return from Troy, but remain here for dogs to batten upon,
     who is this day wilfully slack in fighting. Get your armour and go,
     we must make all haste together if we may be of any use, though we
     are only two. Even cowards gain courage from companionship, and we
     two can hold our own with the bravest." 
     
     Therewith the god went back into the thick of the fight, and
     Idomeneus when he had reached his tent donned his armour, grasped
     his two spears, and sallied forth. As the lightning which the son of
     Saturn brandishes from bright Olympus when he would show a sign to
     mortals, and its gleam flashes far and wide- even so did his armour
     gleam about him as he ran. Meriones his sturdy squire met him while
     he was still near his tent (for he was going to fetch his spear) and
     Idomeneus said 
     
     "Meriones, fleet son of Molus, best of comrades, why have you left
     the field? Are you wounded, and is the point of the weapon hurting
     you? or have you been sent to fetch me? I want no fetching; I had
     far rather fight than stay in my tent." 
     
     "Idomeneus," answered Meriones, "I come for a spear, if I can find
     one in my tent; I have broken the one I had, in throwing it at the
     shield of Deiphobus." 
     
     And Idomeneus captain of the Cretans answered, "You will find one
     spear, or twenty if you so please, standing up against the end wall
     of my tent. I have taken them from Trojans whom I have killed, for I
     am not one to keep my enemy at arm's length; therefore I have
     spears, bossed shields, helmets, and burnished corslets." 
     
     Then Meriones said, "I too in my tent and at my ship have spoils
     taken from the Trojans, but they are not at hand. I have been at all
     times valorous, and wherever there has been hard fighting have held
     my own among the foremost. There may be those among the Achaeans who
     do not know how I fight, but you know it well enough yourself." 
     
     Idomeneus answered, "I know you for a brave man: you need not tell
     me. If the best men at the ships were being chosen to go on an
     ambush- and there is nothing like this for showing what a man is
     made of; it comes out then who is cowardly and who brave; the coward
     will change colour at every touch and turn; he is full of fears, and
     keeps shifting his weight first on one knee and then on the other;
     his heart beats fast as he thinks of death, and one can hear the
     chattering of his teeth; whereas the brave man will not change
     colour nor be on finding himself in ambush, but is all the time
     longing to go into action- if the best men were being chosen for
     such a service, no one could make light of your courage nor feats of
     arms. If you were struck by a dart or smitten in close combat, it
     would not be from behind, in your neck nor back, but the weapon
     would hit you in the chest or belly as you were pressing forward to
     a place in the front ranks. But let us no longer stay here talking
     like children, lest we be ill spoken of; go, fetch your spear from
     the tent at once." 
     
     On this Meriones, peer of Mars, went to the tent and got himself a
     spear of bronze. He then followed after Idomeneus, big with great
     deeds of valour. As when baneful Mars sallies forth to battle, and
     his son Panic so strong and dauntless goes with him, to strike
     terror even into the heart of a hero- the pair have gone from Thrace
     to arm themselves among the Ephyri or the brave Phlegyans, but they
     will not listen to both the contending hosts, and will give victory
     to one side or to the other- even so did Meriones and Idomeneus,
     captains of men, go out to battle clad in their bronze armour.
     Meriones was first to speak. "Son of Deucalion," said he, "where
     would you have us begin fighting? On the right wing of the host, in
     the centre, or on the left wing, where I take it the Achaeans will
     be weakest?" 
     
     Idomeneus answered, "There are others to defend the centre- the two
     Ajaxes and Teucer, who is the finest archer of all the Achaeans, and
     is good also in a hand-to-hand fight. These will give Hector son of
     Priam enough to do; fight as he may, he will find it hard to
     vanquish their indomitable fury, and fire the ships, unless the son
     of Saturn fling a firebrand upon them with his own hand. Great Ajax
     son of Telamon will yield to no man who is in mortal mould and eats
     the grain of Ceres, if bronze and great stones can overthrow him. He
     would not yield even to Achilles in hand-to-hand fight, and in
     fleetness of foot there is none to beat him; let us turn therefore
     towards the left wing, that we may know forthwith whether we are to
     give glory to some other, or he to us." 
     
     Meriones, peer of fleet Mars, then led the way till they came to the
     part of the host which Idomeneus had named. 
     
     Now when the Trojans saw Idomeneus coming on like a flame of fire,
     him and his squire clad in their richly wrought armour, they shouted
     and made towards him all in a body, and a furious hand-to-hand fight
     raged under the ships' sterns. Fierce as the shrill winds that
     whistle upon a day when dust lies deep on the roads, and the gusts
     raise it into a thick cloud- even such was the fury of the combat,
     and might and main did they hack at each other with spear and sword
     throughout the host. The field bristled with the long and deadly
     spears which they bore. Dazzling was the sheen of their gleaming
     helmets, their fresh-burnished breastplates, and glittering shields
     as they joined battle with one another. Iron indeed must be his
     courage who could take pleasure in the sight of such a turmoil, and
     look on it without being dismayed. 
     
     Thus did the two mighty sons of Saturn devise evil for mortal
     heroes. Jove was minded to give victory to the Trojans and to
     Hector, so as to do honour to fleet Achilles, nevertheless he did
     not mean to utterly overthrow the Achaean host before Ilius, and
     only wanted to glorify Thetis and her valiant son. Neptune on the
     other hand went about among the Argives to incite them, having come
     up from the grey sea in secret, for he was grieved at seeing them
     vanquished by the Trojans, and was furiously angry with Jove. Both
     were of the same race and country, but Jove was elder born and knew
     more, therefore Neptune feared to defend the Argives openly, but in
     the likeness of man, he kept on encouraging them throughout their
     host. Thus, then, did these two devise a knot of war and battle,
     that none could unloose or break, and set both sides tugging at it,
     to the failing of men's knees beneath them. 
     
     And now Idomeneus, though his hair was already flecked with grey,
     called loud on the Danaans and spread panic among the Trojans as he
     leaped in among them. He slew Othryoneus from Cabesus, a sojourner,
     who had but lately come to take part in the war. He sought Cassandra
     the fairest of Priam's daughters in marriage, but offered no gifts
     of wooing, for he promised a great thing, to wit, that he would
     drive the sons of the Achaeans willy nilly from Troy; old King Priam
     had given his consent and promised her to him, whereon he fought on
     the strength of the promises thus made to him. Idomeneus aimed a
     spear, and hit him as he came striding on. His cuirass of bronze did
     not protect him, and the spear stuck in his belly, so that he fell
     heavily to the ground. Then Idomeneus vaunted over him saying,
     "Othryoneus, there is no one in the world whom I shall admire more
     than I do you, if you indeed perform what you have promised Priam
     son of Dardanus in return for his daughter. We too will make you an
     offer; we will give you the loveliest daughter of the son of Atreus,
     and will bring her from Argos for you to marry, if you will sack the
     goodly city of Ilius in company with ourselves; so come along with
     me, that we may make a covenant at the ships about the marriage, and
     we will not be hard upon you about gifts of wooing." 
     
     With this Idomeneus began dragging him by the foot through the thick
     of the fight, but Asius came up to protect the body, on foot, in
     front of his horses which his esquire drove so close behind him that
     he could feel their 'breath upon his shoulder. He was longing to
     strike down Idomeneus, but ere he could do so Idomeneus smote him
     with his spear in the throat under the chin, and the bronze point
     went clean through it. He fell as an oak, or poplar, or pine which
     shipwrights have felled for ship's timber upon the mountains with
     whetted axes- even thus did he lie full length in front of his
     chariot and horses, grinding his teeth and clutching at the
     bloodstained just. His charioteer was struck with panic and did not
     dare turn his horses round and escape: thereupon Antilochus hit him
     in the middle of his body with a spear; his cuirass of bronze did
     not protect him, and the spear stuck in his belly. He fell gasping
     from his chariot and Antilochus great Nestor's son, drove his horses
     from the Trojans to the Achaeans. 
     
     Deiphobus then came close up to Idomeneus to avenge Asius, and took
     aim at him with a spear, but Idomeneus was on the look-out and
     avoided it, for he was covered by the round shield he always bore- a
     shield of oxhide and bronze with two arm-rods on the inside. He
     crouched under cover of this, and the spear flew over him, but the
     shield rang out as the spear grazed it, and the weapon sped not in
     vain from the strong hand of Deiphobus, for it struck Hypsenor son
     of Hippasus, shepherd of his people, in the liver under the midriff,
     and his limbs failed beneath him. Deiphobus vaunted over him and
     cried with a loud voice saying, "Of a truth Asius has not fallen
     unavenied; he will be glad even while passing into the house of
     Hades, strong warden of the gate, that I have sent some one to
     escort him." 
     
     Thus did he vaunt, and the Argives were stung by his saying. Noble
     Antilochus was more angry than any one, but grief did not make him
     forget his friend and comrade. He ran up to him, bestrode him, and
     covered him with his shield; then two of his staunch comrades,
     Mecisteus son of Echius, and Alastor stooped down, and bore him away
     groaning heavily to the ships. But Idomeneus ceased not his fury. He
     kept on striving continually either to enshroud some Trojan in the
     darkness of death, or himself to fall while warding off the evil day
     from the Achaeans. Then fell Alcathous son of noble Aesyetes: he was
     son-in-law to Anchises, having married his eldest daughter
     Hippodameia who was the darling of her father and mother, and
     excelled all her generation in beauty, accomplishments, and
     understanding, wherefore the bravest man in all Troy had taken her
     to wife- him did Neptune lay low by the hand of Idomeneus, blinding
     his bright eyes and binding his strong limbs in fetters so that he
     could neither go back nor to one side, but stood stock still like
     pillar or lofty tree when Idomeneus struck him with a spear in the
     middle of his chest. The coat of mail that had hitherto protected
     his body was now broken, and rang harshly as the spear tore through
     it. He fell heavily to the ground, and the spear stuck in his heart,
     which still beat, and made the butt-end of the spear quiver till
     dread Mars put an end to his life. Idomeneus vaunted over him and
     cried with a loud voice saying, "Deiphobus, since you are in a mood
     to vaunt, shall we cry quits now that we have killed three men to
     your one? Nay, sir, stand in fight with me yourself, that you may
     learn what manner of Jove-begotten man am I that have come hither.
     Jove first begot Minos chief ruler in Crete, and Minos in his turn
     begot a son, noble Deucalion; Deucalion begot me to be a ruler over
     many men in Crete, and my ships have now brought me hither, to be
     the bane of yourself, your father, and the Trojans." 
     
     Thus did he speak, and Deiphobus was in two minds, whether to go
     back and fetch some other Trojan to help him, or to take up the
     challenge single-handed. In the end, he deemed it best to go and
     fetch Aeneas, whom he found standing in the rear, for he had long
     been aggrieved with Priam because in spite his brave deeds he did
     not give him his due share of honour. Deiphobus went up to him and
     said, "Aeneas, prince among the Trojans, if you know any ties of
     kinship, help me now to defend the body of your sister's husband;
     come with me to the rescue of Alcathous, who being husband to your
     sister brought you up when you were a child in his house, and now
     Idomeneus has slain him." 
     
     With these words he moved the heart of Aeneas, and he went in
     pursuit of Idomeneus, big with great deeds of valour; but Idomeneus
     was not to be thus daunted as though he were a mere child; he held
     his ground as a wild boar at bay upon the mountains, who abides the
     coming of a great crowd of men in some lonely place- the bristles
     stand upright on his back, his eyes flash fire, and he whets his
     tusks in his eagerness to defend himself against hounds and men-
     even so did famed Idomeneus hold his ground and budge not at the
     coming of Aeneas. He cried aloud to his comrades looking towards
     Ascalaphus, Aphareus, Deipyrus, Meriones, and Antilochus, all of
     them brave soldiers- "Hither my friends," he cried, "and leave me
     not single-handed- I go in great fear by fleet Aeneas, who is coming
     against me, and is a redoubtable dispenser of death battle. Moreover
     he is in the flower of youth when a man's strength is greatest; if I
     was of the same age as he is and in my present mind, either he or I
     should soon bear away the prize of victory 
     
     On this, all of them as one man stood near him, shield on shoulder.
     Aeneas on the other side called to his comrades, looking towards
     Deiphobus, Paris, and Agenor, who were leaders of the Trojans along
     with himself, and the people followed them as sheep follow the ram
     when they go down to drink after they have been feeding, and the
     heart of the shepherd is glad- even so was the heart of Aeneas
     gladdened when he saw his people follow him. 
     
     Then they fought furiously in close combat about the body of
     Alcathous, wielding their long spears; and the bronze armour about
     their bodies rang fearfully as they took aim at one another in the
     press of the fight, while the two heroes Aeneas and Idomeneus, peers
     of Mars, outxied every one in their desire to hack at each other
     with sword and spear. Aeneas took aim first, but Idomeneus was on
     the lookout and avoided the spear, so that it sped from Aeneas'
     strong hand in vain, and fell quivering in the ground. Idomeneus
     meanwhile smote Oenomaus in the middle of his belly, and broke the
     plate of his corslet, whereon his bowels came gushing out and he
     clutched the earth in the palms of his hands as he fell sprawling in
     the dust. Idomeneus drew his spear out of the body, but could not
     strip him of the rest of his armour for the rain of darts that were
     showered upon him: moreover his strength was now beginning to fail
     him so that he could no longer charge, and could neither spring
     forward to recover his own weapon nor swerve aside to avoid one that
     was aimed at him; therefore, though he still defended himself in
     hand-to-hand fight, his heavy feet could not bear him swiftly out of
     the battle. Deiphobus aimed a spear at him as he was retreating
     slowly from the field, for his bitterness against him was as fierce
     as ever, but again he missed him, and hit Ascalaphus, the son of
     Mars; the spear went through his shoulder, and he clutched the earth
     in the palms of his hands as he fell sprawling in the dust. 
     
     Grim Mars of awful voice did not yet know that his son had fallen,
     for he was sitting on the summits of Olympus under the golden
     clouds, by command of Jove, where the other gods were also sitting,
     forbidden to take part in the battle. Meanwhile men fought furiously
     about the body. Deiphobus tore the helmet from off his head, but
     Meriones sprang upon him, and struck him on the arm with a spear so
     that the visored helmet fell from his hand and came ringing down
     upon the ground. Thereon Meriones sprang upon him like a vulture,
     drew the spear from his shoulder, and fell back under cover of his
     men. Then Polites, own brother of Deiphobus passed his arms around
     his waist, and bore him away from the battle till he got to his
     horses that were standing in the rear of the fight with the chariot
     and their driver. These took him towards the city groaning and in
     great pain, with the blood flowing from his arm. 
     
     The others still fought on, and the battle-cry rose to heaven
     without ceasing. Aeneas sprang on Aphareus son of Caletor, and
     struck him with a spear in his throat which was turned towards him;
     his head fell on one side, his helmet and shield came down along
     with him, and death, life's foe, was shed around him. Antilochus
     spied his chance, flew forward towards Thoon, and wounded him as he
     was turning round. He laid open the vein that runs all the way up
     the back to the neck; he cut this vein clean away throughout its
     whole course, and Thoon fell in the dust face upwards, stretching
     out his hands imploringly towards his comrades. Antilochus sprang
     upon him and stripped the armour from his shoulders, glaring round
     him fearfully as he did so. The Trojans came about him on every side
     and struck his broad and gleaming shield, but could not wound his
     body, for Neptune stood guard over the son of Nestor, though the
     darts fell thickly round him. He was never clear of the foe, but was
     always in the thick of the fight; his spear was never idle; he
     poised and aimed it in every direction, so eager was he to hit some
     one from a distance or to fight him hand to hand. 
     
     As he was thus aiming among the crowd, he was seen by Adamas son of
     Asius, who rushed towards him and struck him with a spear in the
     middle of his shield, but Neptune made its point without effect, for
     he grudged him the life of Antilochus. One half, therefore, of the
     spear stuck fast like a charred stake in Antilochus's shield, while
     the other lay on the ground. Adamas then sought shelter under cover
     of his men, but Meriones followed after and hit him with a spear
     midway between the private parts and the navel, where a wound is
     particualrly painful to wretched mortals. There did Meriones
     transfix him, and he writhed convulsively about the spear as some
     bull whom mountain herdsmen have bound with ropes of withes and are
     taking away perforce. Even so did he move convulsively for a while,
     but not for very long, till Meriones came up and drew the spear out
     of his body, and his eyes were veiled in darkness. 
     
     Helenus then struck Deipyrus with a great Thracian sword, hitting
     him on the temple in close combat and tearing the helmet from his
     head; the helmet fell to the ground, and one of those who were
     fighting on the Achaean side took charge of it as it rolled at his
     feet, but the eyes of Deipyrus were closed in the darkness of death.
     
     
     On this Menelaus was grieved, and made menacingly towards Helenus,
     brandishing his spear; but Helenus drew his bow, and the two
     attacked one another at one and the same moment, the one with his
     spear, and the other with his bow and arrow. The son of Priam hit
     the breastplate of Menelaus's corslet, but the arrow glanced from
     off it. As black beans or pulse come pattering down on to a
     threshing-floor from the broad winnowing-shovel, blown by shrill
     winds and shaken by the shovel- even so did the arrow glance off and
     recoil from the shield of Menelaus, who in his turn wounded the hand
     with which Helenus carried his bow; the spear went right through his
     hand and stuck in the bow itself, so that to his life he retreated
     under cover of his men, with his hand dragging by his side- for the
     spear weighed it down till Agenor drew it out and bound the hand
     carefully up in a woollen sling which his esquire had with him. 
     
     Pisander then made straight at Menelaus- his evil destiny luring him
     on to his doom, for he was to fall in fight with you, O Menelaus.
     When the two were hard by one another the spear of the son of Atreus
     turned aside and he missed his aim; Pisander then struck the shield
     of brave Menelaus but could not pierce it, for the shield stayed the
     spear and broke the shaft; nevertheless he was glad and made sure of
     victory; forthwith, however, the son of Atreus drew his sword and
     sprang upon him. Pisander then seized the bronze battle-axe, with
     its long and polished handle of olive wood that hung by his side
     under his shield, and the two made at one another. Pisander struck
     the peak of Menelaus's crested helmet just under the crest itself,
     and Menelaus hit Pisander as he was coming towards him, on the
     forehead, just at the rise of his nose; the bones cracked and his
     two gore-bedrabbled eyes fell by his feet in the dust. He fell
     backwards to the ground, and Menelaus set his heel upon him,
     stripped him of his armour, and vaunted over him saying, "Even thus
     shall you Trojans leave the ships of the Achaeans, proud and
     insatiate of battle though you be: nor shall you lack any of the
     disgrace and shame which you have heaped upon myself. Cowardly
     she-wolves that you are, you feared not the anger of dread Jove,
     avenger of violated hospitality, who will one day destroy your city;
     you stole my wedded wife and wickedly carried off much treasure when
     you were her guest, and now you would fling fire upon our ships, and
     kill our heroes. A day will come when, rage as you may, you shall be
     stayed. O father Jove, you, who they say art above all both gods and
     men in wisdom, and from whom all things that befall us do proceed,
     how can you thus favour the Trojans- men so proud and overweening,
     that they are never tired of fighting? All things pall after a
     while- sleep, love, sweet song, and stately dance- still these are
     things of which a man would surely have his fill rather than of
     battle, whereas it is of battle that the Trojans are insatiate." 
     
     So saying Menelaus stripped the blood-stained armour from the body
     of Pisander, and handed it over to his men; then he again ranged
     himself among those who were in the front of the fight. 
     
     Harpalion son of King Pylaemenes then sprang upon him; he had come
     to fight at Troy along with his father, but he did not go home
     again. He struck the middle of Menelaus's shield with his spear but
     could not pierce it, and to save his life drew back under cover of
     his men, looking round him on every side lest he should be wounded.
     But Meriones aimed a bronze-tipped arrow at him as he was leaving
     the field, and hit him on the right buttock; the arrow pierced the
     bone through and through, and penetrated the bladder, so he sat down
     where he was and breathed his last in the arms of his comrades,
     stretched like a worm upon the ground and watering the earth with
     the blood that flowed from his wound. The brave Paphlagonians tended
     him with all due care; they raised him into his chariot, and bore
     him sadly off to the city of Troy; his father went also with him
     weeping bitterly, but there was no ransom that could bring his dead
     son to life again. 
     
     Paris was deeply grieved by the death of Harpalion, who was his host
     when he went among the Paphlagonians; he aimed an arrow, therefore,
     in order to avenge him. Now there was a certain man named Euchenor,
     son of Polyidus the prophet, a brave man and wealthy, whose home was
     in Corinth. This Euchenor had set sail for Troy well knowing that it
     would be the death of him, for his good old father Polyidus had
     often told him that he must either stay at home and die of a
     terrible disease, or go with the Achaeans and perish at the hands of
     the Trojans; he chose, therefore, to avoid incurring the heavy fine
     the Achaeans would have laid upon him, and at the same time to
     escape the pain and suffering of disease. Paris now smote him on the
     jaw under his ear, whereon the life went out of him and he was
     enshrouded in the darkness of death. 
     
     Thus then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. But Hector had
     not yet heard, and did not know that the Argives were making havoc
     of his men on the left wing of the battle, where the Achaeans ere
     long would have triumphed over them, so vigorously did Neptune cheer
     them on and help them. He therefore held on at the point where he
     had first forced his way through the gates and the wall, after
     breaking through the serried ranks of Danaan warriors. It was here
     that the ships of Ajax and Protesilaus were drawn up by the
     sea-shore; here the wall was at its lowest, and the fight both of
     man and horse raged most fiercely. The Boeotians and the Ionians
     with their long tunics, the Locrians, the men of Phthia, and the
     famous force of the Epeans could hardly stay Hector as he rushed on
     towards the ships, nor could they drive him from them, for he was as
     a wall of fire. The chosen men of the Athenians were in the van, led
     by Menestheus son of Peteos, with whom were also Pheidas, Stichius,
     and stalwart Bias: Meges son of Phyleus, Amphion, and Dracius
     commanded the Epeans, while Medon and staunch Podarces led the men
     of Phthia. Of these, Medon was bastard son to Oileus and brother of
     Ajax, but he lived in Phylace away from his own country, for he had
     killed the brother of his stepmother Eriopis, the wife of Oileus;
     the other, Podarces, was the son of Iphiclus son of Phylacus. These
     two stood in the van of the Phthians, and defended the ships along
     with the Boeotians. 
     
     Ajax son of Oileus never for a moment left the side of Ajax son of
     Telamon, but as two swart oxen both strain their utmost at the
     plough which they are drawing in a fallow field, and the sweat
     steams upwards from about the roots of their horns- nothing but the
     yoke divides them as they break up the ground till they reach the
     end of the field- even so did the two Ajaxes stand shoulder to
     shoulder by one another. Many and brave comrades followed the son of
     Telamon, to relieve him of his shield when he was overcome with
     sweat and toil, but the Locrians did not follow so close after the
     son of Oileus, for they could not hold their own in a hand-to-hand
     fight. They had no bronze helmets with plumes of horse-hair, neither
     had they shields nor ashen spears, but they had come to Troy armed
     with bows, and with slings of twisted wool from which they showered
     their missiles to break the ranks of the Trojans. The others,
     therefore, with their heavy armour bore the brunt of the fight with
     the Trojans and with Hector, while the Locrians shot from behind,
     under their cover; and thus the Trojans began to lose heart, for the
     arrows threw them into confusion. 
     
     The Trojans would now have been driven in sorry plight from the
     ships and tents back to windy Ilius, had not Polydamas presently
     said to Hector, "Hector, there is no persuading you to take advice.
     Because heaven has so richly endowed you with the arts of war, you
     think that you must therefore excel others in counsel; but you
     cannot thus claim preeminence in all things. Heaven has made one man
     an excellent soldier; of another it has made a dancer or a singer
     and player on the lyre; while yet in another Jove has implanted a
     wise understanding of which men reap fruit to the saving of many,
     and he himself knows more about it than any one; therefore I will
     say what I think will be best. The fight has hemmed you in as with a
     circle of fire, and even now that the Trojans are within the wall
     some of them stand aloof in full armour, while others are fighting
     scattered and outnumbered near the ships. Draw back, therefore, and
     call your chieftains round you, that we may advise together whether
     to fall now upon the ships in the hope that heaven may vouchsafe us
     victory, or to beat a retreat while we can yet safely do so. I
     greatly fear that the Achaeans will pay us their debt of yesterday
     in full, for there is one abiding at their ships who is never weary
     of battle, and who will not hold aloof much longer." 
     
     Thus spoke Polydamas, and his words pleased Hector well. He sprang
     in full armour from his chariot and said, "Polydamas, gather the
     chieftains here; I will go yonder into the fight, but will return at
     once when I have given them their orders." 
     
     He then sped onward, towering like a snowy mountain, and with a loud
     cry flew through the ranks of the Trojans and their allies. When
     they heard his voice they all hastened to gather round Polydamas the
     excellent son of Panthous, but Hector kept on among the foremost,
     looking everywhere to find Deiphobus and prince Helenus, Adamas son
     of Asius, and Asius son of Hyrtacus; living, indeed, and scatheless
     he could no longer find them, for the two last were lying by the
     sterns of the Achaean ships, slain by the Argives, while the others
     had been also stricken and wounded by them; but upon the left wing
     of the dread battle he found Alexandrus, husband of lovely Helen,
     cheering his men and urging them on to fight. He went up to him and
     upbraided him. "Paris," said he, "evil-hearted Paris, fair to see
     but woman-mad and false of tongue, where are Deiphobus and King
     Helenus? Where are Adamas son of Asius, and Asius son of Hyrtacus?
     Where too is Othryoneus? Ilius is undone and will now surely fall!" 
     
     Alexandrus answered, "Hector, why find fault when there is no one to
     find fault with? I should hold aloof from battle on any day rather
     than this, for my mother bore me with nothing of the coward about
     me. From the moment when you set our men fighting about the ships we
     have been staying here and doing battle with the Danaans. Our
     comrades about whom you ask me are dead; Deiphobus and King Helenus
     alone have left the field, wounded both of them in the hand, but the
     son of Saturn saved them alive. Now, therefore, lead on where you
     would have us go, and we will follow with right goodwill; you shall
     not find us fail you in so far as our strength holds out, but no man
     can do more than in him lies, no matter how willing he may be." 
     
     With these words he satisfied his brother, and the two went towards
     the part of the battle where the fight was thickest, about
     Cebriones, brave Polydamas, Phalces, Orthaeus, godlike Polyphetes,
     Palmys, Ascanius, and Morys son of Hippotion, who had come from
     fertile Ascania on the preceding day to relieve other troops. Then
     Jove urged them on to fight. They flew forth like the blasts of some
     fierce wind that strike earth in the van of a thunderstorm- they
     buffet the salt sea into an uproar; many and mighty are the great
     waves that come crashing in one after the other upon the shore with
     their arching heads all crested with foam- even so did rank behind
     rank of Trojans arrayed in gleaming armour follow their leaders
     onward. The way was led by Hector son of Priam, peer of murderous
     Mars, with his round shield before him- his shield of ox-hides
     covered with plates of bronze- and his gleaming helmet upon his
     temples. He kept stepping forward under cover of his shield in every
     direction, making trial of the ranks to see if they would give way
     be him, but he could not daunt the courage of the Achaeans. Ajax was
     the first to stride out and challenge him. "Sir," he cried, "draw
     near; why do you think thus vainly to dismay the Argives? We
     Achaeans are excellent soldiers, but the scourge of Jove has fallen
     heavily upon us. Your heart, forsooth, is set on destroying our
     ships, but we too have bands that can keep you at bay, and your own
     fair town shall be sooner taken and sacked by ourselves. The time is
     near when you shall pray Jove and all the gods in your flight, that
     your steeds may be swifter than hawks as they raise the dust on the
     plain and bear you back to your city." 
     
     As he was thus speaking a bird flew by upon his right hand, and the
     host of the Achaeans shouted, for they took heart at the omen. But
     Hector answered, "Ajax, braggart and false of tongue, would that I
     were as sure of being son for evermore to aegis-bearing Jove, with
     Queen Juno for my mother, and of being held in like honour with
     Minerva and Apollo, as I am that this day is big with the
     destruction of the Achaeans; and you shall fall among them if you
     dare abide my spear; it shall rend your fair body and bid you glut
     our hounds and birds of prey with your fat and your flesh, as you
     fall by the ships of the Achaeans." 
     
     With these words he led the way and the others followed after with a
     cry that rent the air, while the host shouted behind them. The
     Argives on their part raised a shout likewise, nor did they forget
     their prowess, but stood firm against the onslaught of the Trojan
     chieftains, and the cry from both the hosts rose up to heaven and to
     the brightness of Jove's presence.