Speaker 1: Book seventeen. Brave Menelaus, son of Atreus, now came to
Speaker 1: know that Patroclus had fallen, and made his way through
Speaker 1: the front ranks, clad in full armor, to bestride him
Speaker 1: as a cow stands lowing over her first calf. Even
Speaker 1: so did yellow haired Menelaus bestride Petroclus. He held his
Speaker 1: round shield and his spear in front of him, resolute
Speaker 1: to kill any who should dare face him. But the
Speaker 1: son of Panthous had also noted the body and came
Speaker 1: up to Menelaeus, saying, Menelaus, son of Atreus, draw back,
Speaker 1: leave the body, and let the blood stained spoils be.
Speaker 1: I was first of the Trojans and their brave allies
Speaker 1: to drive my spear into Petroclus. Let me therefore have
Speaker 1: my full glory among the Trojans, or I will take
Speaker 1: aim and kill you. To this, Menelaus answered in great
Speaker 1: anger by Father Jove, boasting is an ill thing. The
Speaker 1: pard is not more bold, nor the lion, nor savage
Speaker 1: wild boar, which is fiercest and most dauntless of all creatures,
Speaker 1: than are the proud sons of Panthouse. Yet Hypernore did
Speaker 1: not see out the days of his youth when he
Speaker 1: made light of me and withstood me, deeming me the
Speaker 1: meanest soldier among the Dinaans. His own feet never bore
Speaker 1: him back to gladden his wife and parents. Even so,
Speaker 1: shall I make an end of you too? If you
Speaker 1: withstand me, Get you back into the crowd and do
Speaker 1: not face me, or it shall be worse for you.
Speaker 1: Even a fool may be wise. After the event, Euphorbus
Speaker 1: would not listen and said, now, indeed, Menelaeus, shall you
Speaker 1: pay for the death of my brother, over whom you
Speaker 1: vaunted and whose wife you widowed in her bridal chamber
Speaker 1: while you brought grief unspeakable on his parents. I shall
Speaker 1: comfort these poor people if I bring your head and
Speaker 1: armor and place them in the hands of Panthouse and
Speaker 1: noble Frontis the time is come when this matter shall
Speaker 1: be fought out and settled for me or against me.
Speaker 1: As he spoke, he struck Menelaus full on the shield,
Speaker 1: but the spear did not go through, for the shield
Speaker 1: turned its point. Menelaus then took aim, praying to Father Jove.
Speaker 1: As he did so, Euphorbus was drawing back, and Menelaus
Speaker 1: struck him about the roots of his throat, leaning his
Speaker 1: whole weight on the spear, so as to drive it home.
Speaker 1: The point went clean through his neck, and his armor
Speaker 1: rang rattling round him. As he fell heavily to the ground.
Speaker 1: His hair, which was like that of the graces, and
Speaker 1: his locks, so deftly bound in bands of silver and gold,
Speaker 1: were all bedrabbled with blood. As one who has grown
Speaker 1: a fine young olive tree in a clear space where
Speaker 1: there is abundance of water. The plant is full of promise,
Speaker 1: and though the winds beat upon it from every quarter,
Speaker 1: it puts forth its white blossoms till the of some
Speaker 1: fierce hurricanes sweep down upon it and level it with
Speaker 1: the ground. Even so did Menelaeus strip the fair youth
Speaker 1: Euphorbus of his armor after he had slain him. Or
Speaker 1: as some fierce lion upon the mountains, in the pride
Speaker 1: of his strength, fastens on the finest heifer in a
Speaker 1: herd as it is feeding. First he breaks her neck
Speaker 1: with his strong jaws, and then gorges on her blood
Speaker 1: and entrails. Dogs and shepherds raise a hue and cry
Speaker 1: against him, but they stand aloof and will not come
Speaker 1: close to him, for they are pale with fear. Even
Speaker 1: so no one had the courage to face valiant Menelaus,
Speaker 1: the son of Atreus, would have then carried off the
Speaker 1: armor of the son of Panthouse with ease, had not
Speaker 1: Phoebus Apollo been angry and in the guise of Mentes,
Speaker 1: chief of the Secons, incited Hector to attack him. Ector
Speaker 1: said he, you are now going after the horses of
Speaker 1: the noble son of Aachus, but you will not take them.
Speaker 1: They cannot be kept in hand and driven by mortal man,
Speaker 1: save only by Achilles, who is son to an immortal mother. Meanwhile, Menelaeus,
Speaker 1: son of Atreus, has bestridden the body of Patroclus and
Speaker 1: killed the noblest of the Trojans, Euphorbus, son of Panthas,
Speaker 1: so that he can fight no more. The god then
Speaker 1: went back into the toil and turmoil, but the soul
Speaker 1: of Hector was darkened with a cloud of grief. He
Speaker 1: looked along the ranks and saw Euphorbus lying on the
Speaker 1: ground with the blood still flowing from his wound, and
Speaker 1: Menelaeus stripping him of his armor. On this he made
Speaker 1: his way to the front like a flame of fire,
Speaker 1: clad in his gleaming armor and crying with a loud voice.
Speaker 1: When the son of Atreus heard him, he said to
Speaker 1: himself in his dismay alas, what shall I do? I
Speaker 1: may not let the Trojans take the armor of Patroclus,
Speaker 1: who has fallen fighting on my behalf. Some dana Ann
Speaker 1: who sees me should cry shame upon me. Still, if
Speaker 1: for my honour's sake I fight Hector and the Trojans
Speaker 1: single handed, they will prove too many for me, for
Speaker 1: Hector is bringing them up in force. Why, however, should
Speaker 1: I thus hesitate. When a man fights in despite of
Speaker 1: Heaven with one whom a god befriends, he will soon
Speaker 1: ruin it. Let no danan think ill of me if
Speaker 1: I give place to Hector, for the hand of Heaven
Speaker 1: is with him. Yet, if I could find Ajax, the
Speaker 1: two of us would fight Hector and Heaven too. If
Speaker 1: we might only save the body of Patroclus for Achilles,
Speaker 1: son of Pelias, this of many evils would be the least.
Speaker 1: While he was thus in two minds, the Trojans came
Speaker 1: up to him, with Hector at their head. He therefore
Speaker 1: drew back and left the body, turning about like some
Speaker 1: bearded lion who is being chased by dogs and men
Speaker 1: from a stockyard with spears and hue and cry, whereon
Speaker 1: he is daunted and SLINKs sulkily off. Even so did Menelaeus,
Speaker 1: son of Atreus, turn and leave the body of Petroclus.
Speaker 1: When among the body of his men, he looked around
Speaker 1: for mighty Ajax, son of Telamann, and presently saw him
Speaker 1: on the extreme left of the fight, cheering on his
Speaker 1: men and exhorting them to keep on fighting. For Phoebus
Speaker 1: Apollo had spread a great panic among them. He ran
Speaker 1: up to him and said, Ajax, my good friend, come
Speaker 1: with me at once to dead Patroclus, if so be
Speaker 1: that we may take the body to Achilles. As for
Speaker 1: his armor, Hector already has it. These words stirred the
Speaker 1: heart of Ajax, and he made his way among the
Speaker 1: front ranks, Menelaeus going with him. Hector had stripped Petroclus
Speaker 1: of his armor and was dragging him away to cut
Speaker 1: off his head and take the body to fling before
Speaker 1: the dogs of Troy. But Ajax came up with him,
Speaker 1: shield like wall before him, on which Hector withdrew under
Speaker 1: shelter of his men and sprang on to his chariot,
Speaker 1: giving the armor over to the Trojans to take to
Speaker 1: the city as a great trophy for himself. Ajax therefore
Speaker 1: covered the body of Patroclus with his broad shield and
Speaker 1: bestrode him as a lion stands over his whelps. If
Speaker 1: hunters have come upon him in a forest, when he
Speaker 1: is with his little ones, in the pride and fierceness
Speaker 1: of his strength, he draws his knit brows down till
Speaker 1: they cover his eyes. Even so did Ajax bestride the
Speaker 1: body of Patroclus, and by his side stood Menelaeus, son
Speaker 1: of Atreus, nursing great sorrow in his heart. Then Glaucus,
Speaker 1: son of Hippolochus, looked fiercely at Hector and rebuked him sternly.
Speaker 1: Hector said, he you make a brave show, but in
Speaker 1: fight you are sadly wanting. A runaway like yourself, has
Speaker 1: no claim to so great a reputation. Think how you
Speaker 1: may now save your town and citadel by the hands
Speaker 1: of your own people born in Ilius. For you will
Speaker 1: get no Lycians to fight for you, seeing what thanks
Speaker 1: they have had for their incessant hardships. Are you likely, sir,
Speaker 1: to do anything to help a man of less note?
Speaker 1: After leaving Sarpadan, who was at once your guest and
Speaker 1: comrade in arms, to be the spoil and prey of
Speaker 1: the Danaans. So long as he lived, he did good
Speaker 1: service both to your city and yourself. Yet you had
Speaker 1: no stomach to save his body from the dogs. If
Speaker 1: the Lysians will listen to me, they will go home
Speaker 1: and leave Troy to its fate. If the Trojans had
Speaker 1: any of that daring, fearless spirit which lays hold of
Speaker 1: men who are fighting for their country and harassing those
Speaker 1: who would attack it, we should soon bear off Patroclus
Speaker 1: into Ilius. Could we get this dead man away and
Speaker 1: bring him into the city of Priam, the archives would
Speaker 1: readily give up the armor of Sarpedon, and we should
Speaker 1: get his body to boot, For he whose squire has
Speaker 1: been now killed is the foremost man at the ships
Speaker 1: of the Achaeans, he and his close fighting followers. Nevertheless,
Speaker 1: you dared not make a stand against Ajax, nor face
Speaker 1: him eye to eye, with battle all round you, for
Speaker 1: he is a braver man than you are. Hector scowled
Speaker 1: at him and answered, Glaucus, you should know better. I
Speaker 1: have held you so far as a man of more
Speaker 1: understanding than any in all Lycia. But now I despise
Speaker 1: you for saying that I am afraid of Ajax. I
Speaker 1: fear neither battle nor the din of chariots. But Jove's
Speaker 1: will is stronger than ours. Jove at one time makes
Speaker 1: even a strong man draw back and snatches victory from
Speaker 1: his grasp, while at another he will set him on
Speaker 1: to fight. Come hither, then, my friend, stand by me,
Speaker 1: and see indeed whether I shall play the coward the
Speaker 1: whole day through as you say, or whether I shall
Speaker 1: not stay some even of the boldest dyn arms from
Speaker 1: fighting round the body of Patroclus. He spoke. He called
Speaker 1: loudly on the Trojans, saying, Trojans, Lysians and Dardanians fighters
Speaker 1: in close combat. Be men, my friends, and fight might
Speaker 1: and main. While I put on the goodly armor of Achilles,
Speaker 1: which I took when I killed Patroclus. With this, Hector
Speaker 1: left the fight and ran full speed after his men,
Speaker 1: who were taking the armor of Achilles to Troy, but
Speaker 1: had not yet got far. Standing for a while, apart
Speaker 1: from the woeful fight, he changed his armor, his own.
Speaker 1: He sent to the strong city of Ilius and to
Speaker 1: the Trojans, while he put on the immortal armor of
Speaker 1: the son of Pelias, which the gods had given to Pelias,
Speaker 1: who in his age gave it to his son. But
Speaker 1: the son did not grow old in his father's armor.
Speaker 1: When Jove, lord of the storm Cloud, saw Hector standing
Speaker 1: aloof and arming himself in the armor of the son
Speaker 1: of Pelias, he wagged his head and muttered to himself, saying, ah,
Speaker 1: poor wretch, you arm in the armor of a hero
Speaker 1: before whom many another trembles, and you wreck nothing of
Speaker 1: the doom that is already close upon you. You have
Speaker 1: killed his comrade, so brave and strong, but it was
Speaker 1: not well that you should strip the armor from his
Speaker 1: head and shoulders. I do indeed endow you with great
Speaker 1: might now, but as against this, you shall not return
Speaker 1: from battle to lay the armor of the son of
Speaker 1: Pelias before Andromache, the son of Saturn, bowed his portentous brows,
Speaker 1: and Hector fitted the armor to his body, while terrible
Speaker 1: Mars entered into him and filled his whole body with
Speaker 1: might and valor. With a shout, he strode in among
Speaker 1: the allies, and his armor flashed about him, so that
Speaker 1: he seemed to all of them like the great son
Speaker 1: of Pelias himself. He went about among them and cheered
Speaker 1: them on. Mesthelees, Glaucus, Medon, Thersilicus, Asteropaeus, Dysonor and Hippothos,
Speaker 1: forces Chromius, and Anemous the Auger. All these did he exhort, saying,
Speaker 1: hear me, allies from other cities, who are here in
Speaker 1: your thousands. It was not in order to have a
Speaker 1: crowd about me that I called you hither, each from
Speaker 1: his several city, but that with heart and soul you
Speaker 1: might defend the wives and little ones of the Trojans
Speaker 1: from the fierce a Kaians. For this do I oppress
Speaker 1: my people, with your food and the presence that make
Speaker 1: you rich. Therefore, turn and charge at the foe, to
Speaker 1: stand or fall, as is the game of war. Whoever
Speaker 1: shall bring Patroclus dead, though he be, into the hands
Speaker 1: of the Trojans, and shall make Ajax give way before him,
Speaker 1: I will give him one half of the spoils, while
Speaker 1: I keep the other. He will thus share like honor
Speaker 1: with myself. When he had thus spoken, they charged full
Speaker 1: weight upon the Dnaans, with their spears held out before them,
Speaker 1: and the hope of each ran high that he should
Speaker 1: force Ajax, son of Telemann, to yield up the body
Speaker 1: fools that they were, for he was about to take
Speaker 1: the lives of many. Then Ajax said to Menelaus, my
Speaker 1: good friend, Menilaeus, you and I shall hardly come out
Speaker 1: of this fight alive. I am less concerned for the
Speaker 1: body of Patroclus, who will shortly become meat for the
Speaker 1: dogs and vultures of Troy, than for the safety of
Speaker 1: my own head and yours. Hector has wrapped us round
Speaker 1: in a storm of battle from every quarter, and our
Speaker 1: destruction seems now certain. Call then, upon the princes of
Speaker 1: the Dinans, if there is any who can hear us.
Speaker 1: Menelaeus did as he said, and shouted to the Dinans
Speaker 1: for help at the top of his voice. My friends,
Speaker 1: he cried, princes and counselors of the argives all you
Speaker 1: who with Agamemnon and Menelaeus drink at the public cost,
Speaker 1: and give orders each to his own people, as Jove
Speaker 1: vouchsafes him power and glory. The fight is so thick
Speaker 1: about me that I cannot distinguish you severally. Come on, therefore,
Speaker 1: every man, unbidden, and think it shame that Patroclus should
Speaker 1: become meat and morsel for Trojan hounds. Fleet Ajax son
Speaker 1: of Eulius, heard him, and was first to force his
Speaker 1: way through the fight and run to help him. Next
Speaker 1: came my Dominius, and merionis his esquire, peer of murderous Mars.
Speaker 1: As for the others that came into the fight after these,
Speaker 1: who of his own self could name them, The Trojans,
Speaker 1: with hector at their head, charged in a body as
Speaker 1: a great wave that comes thundering in at the mouth
Speaker 1: of some heaven born river, and the rocks that jut
Speaker 1: into the sea ring with the roar of the breakers
Speaker 1: that beat and buffet them. Even with such a roar
Speaker 1: did the Trojans come on. But the Achaeans, in singleness
Speaker 1: of heart, stood firm about the son of Menoetius, and
Speaker 1: fenced him with their bronze shields. Jove moreover hid the
Speaker 1: brightness of their helmets in a thick cloud. For he
Speaker 1: had borne no grudge against the son of Menoetius while
Speaker 1: he was still alive and squire to the descendant of Iarchus. Therefore,
Speaker 1: he was loth to let him fall a prey to
Speaker 1: the dogs of his foes, the Trojans, and urged his
Speaker 1: comrades on to defend him. At first, the Trojans drove
Speaker 1: the Achaeans back, and they withdrew from the dead man. Daunted,
Speaker 1: the Trojans did not succeed in killing anyone. Nevertheless, they
Speaker 1: drew the body away, but the Achaeans did not lose
Speaker 1: it long for Ajax, foremost of all the Denans, after
Speaker 1: the son of Pelias, alike in stature and prowess, quickly
Speaker 1: rallied them and made towards the front. Like a wild
Speaker 1: boar upon the mountains when he stands at bay in
Speaker 1: the forest glades and routs the hounds and lusty youths
Speaker 1: that have attacked him. Even so did Ajax, son of
Speaker 1: ten Eleemon, passing easily in among the phalanxes of the Trojans,
Speaker 1: dispersed those who had bestridden Patroclus and were most bent
Speaker 1: on winning glory by dragging him off to their city.
Speaker 1: At this moment, Hippothous, brave, son of the Pelasgian Lethus,
Speaker 1: in his zeal for Hector and the Trojans, was dragging
Speaker 1: the body off by the foot through the press of
Speaker 1: the fight, having bound a strap round the sinews near
Speaker 1: the ankle. But a mischief soon befell him, from which
Speaker 1: none of those could save him. Who would have gladly
Speaker 1: done so, for the son of Telemonn sprang forward and
Speaker 1: smote him on his bronze cheeked helmet. The plumed head
Speaker 1: piece broke about the point of the weapon, struck at
Speaker 1: once by the spear and by the strong hand of Ajax,
Speaker 1: so that the bloody brain came oozing out through the
Speaker 1: crest socket. His strength then failed him, and he let
Speaker 1: Patroclus's foot drop from his hand as he fell full
Speaker 1: length dead upon the body. Thus he died far from
Speaker 1: the fertile land of Larissa, and never repaid his parents
Speaker 1: the cost of bringing him up, for his life was
Speaker 1: cut short early by the spear of mighty Ajax. Hector
Speaker 1: then took aim at Ajax with a spear, but he
Speaker 1: saw it coming and just managed to avoid it. The
Speaker 1: spear passed on and struck Skedias, son of noble Ephytus,
Speaker 1: captain of the Phocians, who dwelt in famed Panopeus and
Speaker 1: reigned over much people. It struck him under the middle
Speaker 1: of the collarbone. The bronze point went right through him,
Speaker 1: coming out at the bottom of his shoulder blade, and
Speaker 1: his armor rang rattling round him as he fell heavily
Speaker 1: to the ground. Ajax, in his turn, struck noble Force's
Speaker 1: son of Phoenops, in the middle of the belly as
Speaker 1: he was bestriding Hippothous, and broke the plate of his cuirass,
Speaker 1: whereon the spear tore out his entrails, and he clutched
Speaker 1: the ground in his palm as he fell to earth.
Speaker 1: Hector and those who were in the front rank then
Speaker 1: gave ground, while the Argives raised a loud cry of
Speaker 1: triumph and drew off the bodies of Forces and Hippothous,
Speaker 1: which they stripped presently of their armor. The Trojans would
Speaker 1: now have been worsted by the brave Achaeans and driven
Speaker 1: back to Ilius through their own cowardice, while the Argives,
Speaker 1: so great was their courage and endurance, would have achieved
Speaker 1: a triumph even against the will of Jove. If Apollo
Speaker 1: had not roused Aeneus in the likeness of Periphus, son
Speaker 1: of Epeitus, an attendant who had grown old in the
Speaker 1: service of Aeneus's aged father, and was at all times
Speaker 1: devoted to him in his likeness, then Apollo said, Eneus,
Speaker 1: can you not manage, even though Heaven be against us
Speaker 1: to save high Ilius. I have known men whose numbers, courage,
Speaker 1: and self reliance have saved their people in spite of Jove,
Speaker 1: whereas in this case he would much rather give victory
Speaker 1: to us than to the Dnans, if you would only
Speaker 1: fight instead of being so terribly afraid. Eneus knew Apollo
Speaker 1: when he looked straight at him and shouted to Hector, saying,
Speaker 1: Hector and all other Trojans and allies, shame on us
Speaker 1: if we are beaten by the Achaeans and driven back
Speaker 1: to Ilius through our own cowardice. A god has just
Speaker 1: come up to me and told me that Jove, the
Speaker 1: supreme disposer, will be with us. Therefore, let us make
Speaker 1: for the Danons, that it may go hard with them
Speaker 1: ere they bear away dead Patroclus to the ships. As
Speaker 1: he spoke, he sprang out far in front of the others,
Speaker 1: who then rallied and again faced the Achaeans. Eneas Spearedlyocritus,
Speaker 1: son of arisbas a valiant follower of Lycomedes, and Lycomedes
Speaker 1: was moved with pity as he saw him fall. He
Speaker 1: therefore went close up and speared Apisaeon's son of Hippasus,
Speaker 1: shepherd of his people in the liver under the midriff,
Speaker 1: so that he died. He had come from fertile Paeonia,
Speaker 1: and was the best man of them all after astor Apaeus.
Speaker 1: Astor Apaeus flew forward to avenge him and attack the Denians.
Speaker 1: But this might no longer be inasmuch as those about
Speaker 1: Patroclus were well covered by their shields and held their
Speaker 1: spears in front of them, for Ajax had given them
Speaker 1: strict orders that no man was either to give ground
Speaker 1: or to stand out before the others, but all were
Speaker 1: to hold well together about the body and fight hand
Speaker 1: to hand. Thus did huge Ajax bid them, and the
Speaker 1: earth ran red with blood as the corpses fell thick
Speaker 1: on one another alike, on the side of the Trojans
Speaker 1: and allies, and on that of the Darn'ans. For these
Speaker 1: last two fought no bloodless fight, though many fewer of
Speaker 1: them perished through the care they took to defend and
Speaker 1: stand by one another. Thus did they fight, as it
Speaker 1: were a flaming fire. It seemed as though it had
Speaker 1: gone hard even with the sun and moon, for they
Speaker 1: were hidden over all that part where the bravest heroes
Speaker 1: were fighting about the dead son of Menoetius, whereas the
Speaker 1: other Danaeans and Achaeans fought at their ease in full daylight,
Speaker 1: with brilliant sunshine all round them, and there was not
Speaker 1: a cloud to be seen, neither on plain nor mountain.
Speaker 1: These last, moreover would rest for a while and leave
Speaker 1: off fighting, for they were some distance apart and beyond
Speaker 1: the range of one another's weapons. Whereas those who were
Speaker 1: in the thick of the fray suffered both from battle
Speaker 1: and darkness. All the best of them were being worn
Speaker 1: out by the great weight of their armour. But the
Speaker 1: two valiant heroes, through Symides and Antilochus, had not yet
Speaker 1: heard of the death of Patroclus, and believed him to
Speaker 1: be still alive and leading the van against the Trojans.
Speaker 1: They were keeping themselves in reserve against the death or
Speaker 1: rout of their own comrades, for so Nestor had ordered
Speaker 1: when he sent them from the ships into battle. Thus
Speaker 1: through the live long day did they wage fierce war,
Speaker 1: and the sweat of their toil reigned ever on their
Speaker 1: legs under them, and on their hands and eyes. As
Speaker 1: they fought over the squire of the fleet sun of Pelias.
Speaker 1: It was as when a man gives a great ox hide,
Speaker 1: all drenched in fat, to his men, and bids them
Speaker 1: stretch it, whereon they stand round it in a ring,
Speaker 1: and tug till the moisture leaves it and the fat
Speaker 1: soaks in, for the many that pull at it, and
Speaker 1: it is well stretched. Even so did the two sides
Speaker 1: tug the dead body hither and thither, within the compass
Speaker 1: of but a little space. The Trojans steadfastly set on
Speaker 1: dragging it into Ilius, while the Achaeans were no less
Speaker 1: so on taking it to their ships. And fierce was
Speaker 1: the fight between them. Not Mars himself, the lord of Hosts,
Speaker 1: nor yet Minerva, even in their fullest fury, could make
Speaker 1: light of such a battle. Such fearful turmoil of men
Speaker 1: and horses did jove on that day ordain round the
Speaker 1: body of Patroclus. Meanwhile, Achilles did not know that he
Speaker 1: had fallen, for the fight was under the wall of Troy,
Speaker 1: a long way off the ships. He had no idea, therefore,
Speaker 1: that Patroclus was dead, and deemed that he would return alive.
Speaker 1: As soon as he had gone close up to the gates.
Speaker 1: He knew that he was not to sack the city
Speaker 1: neither with nor without himself. For his mother had often
Speaker 1: told him this when he had sat alone with her,
Speaker 1: and she had informed him of the councils of great Jove. Now, however,
Speaker 1: she had not told him how great a disaster had
Speaker 1: befallen him in the death of the one who was
Speaker 1: far dearest to him of all his comrades. The others
Speaker 1: still kept on charging one another round the body with
Speaker 1: their pointed spears and killing each other. Then would one say,
Speaker 1: my friends, we can never again show our faces at
Speaker 1: the ships. Better and greatly better that earth should open
Speaker 1: and swallow us here in this place, than that we
Speaker 1: should let the Trojans have the triumph of bearing off
Speaker 1: Patroclus to their city. The Trojans, also, on their part,
Speaker 1: spoke to one another, saying, friends, though we fall to
Speaker 1: a man beside this body, let none shrink from fighting.
Speaker 1: With such words, did they exhort each other. They fought
Speaker 1: and fought, and an iron clank rose through the void
Speaker 1: air to the brazen vault of heaven. The horses of
Speaker 1: the descendant of Aecus stood out of the fight and
Speaker 1: wept when they heard that their driver had been laid
Speaker 1: low by the hand of murderous Hector Automodon Valiant, son
Speaker 1: of Dioris, lashed them again and again. Many a time
Speaker 1: did he speak kindly to them, and many a time
Speaker 1: did he upbraid them. But they would neither go back
Speaker 1: to the ships by the waters of the broad Hellespont,
Speaker 1: nor yet into battle. Among the Achaeans. They stood with
Speaker 1: their chariot stock still as a pillar set over the
Speaker 1: tomb of some dead man or woman, and bowed their
Speaker 1: heads to the ground. Hot tears fell from their eyes
Speaker 1: as they mourned the loss of their charioteer, and their
Speaker 1: noble manes drooped, all wet from under the yoke straps
Speaker 1: on either side the yoke. The son of Satin saw
Speaker 1: them and took pity upon their sorrow. He wagged his
Speaker 1: head and muttered to himself, saying, poor things, Why did
Speaker 1: we give you to King Pelias, who is a mortal,
Speaker 1: while you are yourselves ageless and immortal? Was it that
Speaker 1: you might share the sorrows that befall mankind? For of
Speaker 1: all creatures that live and move upon the earth, there
Speaker 1: is none so pitiable as he is. Still, Hector, son
Speaker 1: of Priam, shall drive neither you nor your chariot. I
Speaker 1: will not have it. It is enough that he should
Speaker 1: have the armor over which he vaunts so vainly. Furthermore,
Speaker 1: I will give you strength of heart and limb to
Speaker 1: bear Automodon safely to the ships from battle, For I
Speaker 1: shall let the Trojans triumph still further and go on
Speaker 1: killing till they reach the ships, whereon night shall fall
Speaker 1: and darkness overshadow the land. As he spoke, he breathed
Speaker 1: heart and strength into the horses, so that they shook
Speaker 1: the dust from out of their manes and bore their
Speaker 1: chariot swiftly into the fight that raged between Trojans and Achaeans.
Speaker 1: Behind them fought Automodon full of sorrow for his comrade,
Speaker 1: as a vulture amid a flock of geese, in and out,
Speaker 1: and here and there. Full speed he dashed amid the
Speaker 1: throng of the Trojans. But for all the fury of
Speaker 1: his pursuit, he killed no man, for he could not
Speaker 1: wield his spear and keep his horses in hand when
Speaker 1: alone in the chariot. At last, however, a comrade Alcimodon,
Speaker 1: son of Laerces, son of Haemon, caught sight of him
Speaker 1: and came up behind his chariot, Automodon said he what
Speaker 1: God has put this folly into your heart and robbed
Speaker 1: you of your right mind? That you fight the Trojans
Speaker 1: in the front rank single handed. He who was your
Speaker 1: comrade is slain, and Hector plumes himself on being armed
Speaker 1: in the armor of the descendant of Iiarchus. Automodon's son
Speaker 1: of Diores, answered, Alcimodon, there is no one else who
Speaker 1: can control and guide the immortal steeds so well as
Speaker 1: you can save only Patroclus while he was alive, peer
Speaker 1: of gods in council, Take then the whip and reins,
Speaker 1: while I go down from the car and fight. Alcimodon
Speaker 1: sprang on to the chariot and caught up the whip
Speaker 1: and reins, while Automodon leaped from off the car. When
Speaker 1: Hector saw him, he said to Aeneas, who was near him. Eneas,
Speaker 1: counselor of the mail clad Trojans, I see the steeds
Speaker 1: of the fleet, son of Iarchus, come into battle with
Speaker 1: weak hands to drive them. I am sure if you
Speaker 1: think well that we might take them, they will not
Speaker 1: dare face us if we both attack them. The valiant
Speaker 1: son of Anchises, was of the same mind, and the
Speaker 1: pair went right on, with their shoulders covered under shields
Speaker 1: of tough, dry ox hide overlaid with much bronze. Chromius
Speaker 1: and Aretas went also with them, and their hearts beat
Speaker 1: high with hope that they might kill the men and
Speaker 1: capture the horses. Fools that they were, for they were
Speaker 1: not to return scathless from their meeting with Automedon, who
Speaker 1: prayed to Father Jove and was forthwith filled with courage
Speaker 1: and strength abounding. He turned to his trusty comrade Alchimodon
Speaker 1: and said, Alkimodon, keep your horses so close up that
Speaker 1: I may feel their breath upon my back. I doubt
Speaker 1: that we shall not stay Hector, son of Priam, till
Speaker 1: he has killed us and mounted behind the horses. He
Speaker 1: will then either spread panic among the ranks of the Achaeans,
Speaker 1: or himself be killed among the foremost. On this he
Speaker 1: cried out to the two Ajaxes and Menelaeus, are Jaxi's
Speaker 1: captains of the archives, and Menelaeus, give the dead body
Speaker 1: over to them that are best able to defend it,
Speaker 1: and come to the rescue of us living. For Hector
Speaker 1: and Aeneas, who are the two best men among the
Speaker 1: Trojans are pressing us hard in the full tide of war. Nevertheless,
Speaker 1: the issue lies on the lap of heaven. I will
Speaker 1: therefore hurl my spear and leave the rest to jove.
Speaker 1: He poised, and hurled as he spoke, whereon the spear
Speaker 1: struck the round shield of Aretus and went right through it.
Speaker 1: For the shield stayed it not so that it was
Speaker 1: driven through his belt into the lower part of his belly,
Speaker 1: as when some sturdy youth, axe in hand deals his
Speaker 1: blow behind the horns of an ox and severs the
Speaker 1: tendons at the back of its neck, so that it
Speaker 1: springs forward and then drops. Even so did Aretus give
Speaker 1: one bound and then fall on his back, the spear
Speaker 1: quivering in his body till it made an end of him.
Speaker 1: Hector then aimed a spear at Automodon, but he saw
Speaker 1: it coming and stooped forward to avoid it, so that
Speaker 1: it flew past him, and the points stuck in the ground,
Speaker 1: while the butt end went on quivering till Mars robbed
Speaker 1: it of its force. They would then have fought hand
Speaker 1: to hand with swords, had not the two Ajaxes forced
Speaker 1: their way through the crowd when they heard their comrade,
Speaker 1: calling and parted them for all their fury. For hector,
Speaker 1: Aeneas and Chromius were afraid and drew back, leaving Aretus
Speaker 1: to lie there struck to the heart. Automodon, peer of
Speaker 1: fleet Mars, then stripped him of his armor and vaunted
Speaker 1: over him, saying, I have done little to assuage my
Speaker 1: sorrow for the son of Menutius. For the man I've
Speaker 1: killed is not so good as he was as he spoke.
Speaker 1: He took the bloodstained spoils and laid them upon his chariot.
Speaker 1: Then he mounted the car, with his hands and feet
Speaker 1: all steeped in gore, as a lion that has been
Speaker 1: gorging upon a bull. And now the fierce, groanful fight
Speaker 1: again raged about Patroclus, for Minerva came down from heaven
Speaker 1: and roused its fury by the command of far seeing Jove,
Speaker 1: who had changed his mind and sent her to encourage
Speaker 1: the Dinans, as when Jove bends his bright bow in
Speaker 1: heaven in token to mankind, either of war or of
Speaker 1: the chill storms that stay men from their labor and
Speaker 1: plague the flocks. Even so wrapped in such radiant raiment,
Speaker 1: did Minerva go in among the host and speak man
Speaker 1: by man to each. First, she took the form and
Speaker 1: voice of Phoenix, and spoke to Menelaeus, son of Atreus,
Speaker 1: who was standing near her. Menelaus said she, it will
Speaker 1: be shame and dishonor to you if dogs tear the
Speaker 1: noble comrade of Achilles under the walls of Troy. Therefore
Speaker 1: be staunch, and urge your men to be so also.
Speaker 1: Menelaus answered Phoenix, my good old friend, May Minerva vouchsafe
Speaker 1: me strength and keep the darts from off me? For
Speaker 1: so shall I stand by Patroclus and defend him. His
Speaker 1: death has gone to my heart. But Hector is as
Speaker 1: a raging fire, and deals his blows without ceasing, for
Speaker 1: Jove is now granting him a time of triumph. Minerva
Speaker 1: was pleased at his having named herself before any of
Speaker 1: the other gods. Therefore she put strength into his knees
Speaker 1: and shoulders, and made him as bold as a fly, which,
Speaker 1: though driven off, will yet come again and bite if
Speaker 1: it can. So dearly does it love man's blood? Even
Speaker 1: so bold as this did she make him. As he
Speaker 1: stood over Patroclus and through his spear. Now there was
Speaker 1: among the Trojans a man named Podis, son of Etian,
Speaker 1: who was both rich and valiant. Hector held him in
Speaker 1: the highest honor, for he was his comrade and boon companion.
Speaker 1: The spear of Menelaeus struck this man in the girdle
Speaker 1: just as he had turned in flight, and went right
Speaker 1: through him, whereon he fell heavily forward, and Menelaus, son
Speaker 1: of Atreus, drew off his body from the Trojans into
Speaker 1: the ranks of his own people. Apollo then went up
Speaker 1: to Hector and spurred him on to fight in the
Speaker 1: likeness of Phenops, son of Aesius, who lived in a Bidos,
Speaker 1: and was the most favored of all Hector's guests. In
Speaker 1: his likeness, Apollo said, Hector, who of the Achaeans will
Speaker 1: fear you, henceforward, now that you have quailed before Menelaeus,
Speaker 1: who has ever been rated poorly as a soldier, Yet
Speaker 1: he has now got a corpse away from the Trojans
Speaker 1: single handed, and has slain your own true comrade, a
Speaker 1: man brave among the foremost POD's, son of Etian. A
Speaker 1: dark cloud of grief fell upon Hector as he heard,
Speaker 1: and he made his way to the front, clad in
Speaker 1: full armor. Thereon, the son of Saturn, seized his bright
Speaker 1: tasseled egis and veiled Ida in cloud. He sent forth
Speaker 1: his lightnings and his thunders, and as he shook his egis,
Speaker 1: he gave victory to the Trojans and routed the Achaeans.
Speaker 1: The panic was begun by Penelus the Bayotan, for while
Speaker 1: keeping his face turned ever towards the foe, he had
Speaker 1: been hit with a spear on the upper part of
Speaker 1: the shoulder. A spear thrown by Polydaemus had grazed the
Speaker 1: top of the bone. For polydami had come up to
Speaker 1: him and struck him from close at hand. Then Hector,
Speaker 1: in close combat, struck light As, son of noble Electrian,
Speaker 1: in the hand by the wrist, and disabled him from
Speaker 1: fighting further. He looked about him in dismay, knowing that
Speaker 1: never again should he wield spear in battle with the Trojans.
Speaker 1: While Hector was in pursuit of Ltus I, Dominaeus struck
Speaker 1: him on the breastplate over his chest, near the nipple,
Speaker 1: but the spear broke in the shaft, and the Trojans
Speaker 1: cheered aloud. Hector then aimed at Idomineus, son of Deucalion,
Speaker 1: as he was standing on his chariot, and very narrowly
Speaker 1: missed him, but the spear hit Kirranus, a follower and
Speaker 1: charioteer of Meriones, who had come with him from Lictus.
Speaker 1: Idomineus had left the ships on foot, and would have
Speaker 1: afforded a great triumph to the Trojans if Koiranus had
Speaker 1: not driven quickly up to him. He therefore brought life
Speaker 1: and rescue to Idomineus, but himself fell by the hand
Speaker 1: of murderous hect for Hector hit him on the jaw
Speaker 1: under the ear. The end of the spear drove out
Speaker 1: his teeth and cut his tongue in two pieces, so
Speaker 1: that he fell from his chariot and let the reins
Speaker 1: fall to the ground. Mariones gathered them up from the
Speaker 1: ground and took them into his own hands. Then he
Speaker 1: said to Idominaeus, lay on till you get back to
Speaker 1: the ships, for you must see that the day is
Speaker 1: no longer ours. On this Idomineus lashed the horses to
Speaker 1: the ships, for fear had taken hold upon him. Ajax
Speaker 1: and Menelaeus noted how Jove had turned the scale in
Speaker 1: favor of the Trojans, and Ajax was first to speak.
Speaker 1: Alas said he, even a fool may see that Father
Speaker 1: Jove is helping the Trojans all their weapons strike home,
Speaker 1: no matter whether it be a brave man or a
Speaker 1: coward that hurls them. Jove speeds all alike, whereas ours fall,
Speaker 1: each one of them without effect. What then will be best,
Speaker 1: both as regards rescuing the body and our return to
Speaker 1: the joy of our friends, who will be grieving as
Speaker 1: they look hitherwards, For they will make sure that nothing
Speaker 1: can now check the terrible hands of Hector, and that
Speaker 1: he will fling himself upon our ships. I wish that
Speaker 1: someone would go and tell the Son of Pelias at once,
Speaker 1: for I do not think he can have yet heard
Speaker 1: the sad news that the dearest of his friends has fallen.
Speaker 1: But I can see not a man among the Achaeans
Speaker 1: to send, for they and their chariots are alike hidden
Speaker 1: in darkness. Oh, Father Jove, lift this cloud from over
Speaker 1: the suns of the Achaeans. Make heaven serene, and let
Speaker 1: us see, if you will that we perish, let us
Speaker 1: fall at any rate by daylight. Father Jove heard him,
Speaker 1: and had compassion upon his tears. Forthwith he chased away
Speaker 1: the cloud of darkness, so that the sun shone out,
Speaker 1: and all the fighting was revealed. Ajax then said to Menelaeus, Look, Menelaeus,
Speaker 1: and if Antilochus, son of Nestor, be still living, send
Speaker 1: him at once to tell Achilles that by far the
Speaker 1: dearest to him of all his comrades has fallen. Menelaus
Speaker 1: heeded his words and went his way as a lion
Speaker 1: from a stockyard. The lion is tired of attacking the
Speaker 1: men and hounds, who keep watch the whole night through
Speaker 1: and will not let him feast on the fat of
Speaker 1: their herd. In his lust of meat, he makes straight
Speaker 1: at them, but in vain for darts from strong hands
Speaker 1: assail him, and burning brands which daunt him for all
Speaker 1: his hunger. So in the morning he SLINKs sulkily away.
Speaker 1: Even so did Menelaeus, sorely, against his will, leave Patroclus
Speaker 1: in great fear, lest the Achaeans should be driven back
Speaker 1: in rout and let him fall into the hands of
Speaker 1: the foe. He charged Mariones and the two as Jaxon's
Speaker 1: straightly saying, are Jaxes and Merionis leaders of the Argives. Now, indeed,
Speaker 1: remember how good Patroclus was. He was ever courteous while alive.
Speaker 1: Bear it in mind now that he is dead. With this,
Speaker 1: Menelaus left them looking round him as keenly as an eagle,
Speaker 1: whose sight they say, is keener than that of any
Speaker 1: other bird. However high he may be in the heavens,
Speaker 1: not a hare that runs can escape him by crouching
Speaker 1: under bush or thicket, for he will swoop down upon
Speaker 1: it and make an end of it. Even so, o, Menelaus,
Speaker 1: did your keen eyes range round the mighty host of
Speaker 1: your followers to see if you could find the son
Speaker 1: of Nestor still alive. Presently, Menelaeus saw him on the
Speaker 1: extreme left of the battle, cheering on his men and
Speaker 1: exhorting them to fight boldly. Menelaus went up to him
Speaker 1: and said, Antilochus, come here and listen to sad news
Speaker 1: which I would indeed were untrue. You must see with
Speaker 1: your own eyes that Heaven is heaping calamity upon the
Speaker 1: Danaans and giving victory to the Trojans. Patroclus has fallen,
Speaker 1: who was the bravest of the Achaeans, and sorely will
Speaker 1: the Danaans miss him. Run instantly to the ships and
Speaker 1: tell Achilles that he may come to rescue the body
Speaker 1: and bear it to the ships. As for the armor,
Speaker 1: Hector already has it. Antilochus was struck with horror for
Speaker 1: a long time. He was speechless, his eyes filled with tears,
Speaker 1: and he could find no utterance. But he did as
Speaker 1: Menelaeus had said, and set off running as soon as
Speaker 1: he had given his armor to a comrade, Leodocus, who
Speaker 1: was wheeling his horses round close beside him. Thus then
Speaker 1: did he run, weeping from the field, to carry the
Speaker 1: bad news to Achilles, son of Pelias. Nor were you, o, Menelaeus,
Speaker 1: minded to succor his harassed comrades when Antilochus had left
Speaker 1: the pillions, and greatly did they miss him. But he
Speaker 1: sent them noble Thrysymides, and himself went back to Patroclus.
Speaker 1: He came running up to the two Ajaxes and said,
Speaker 1: I have sent Antilochus to the ships to tell Achilles,
Speaker 1: but rage against Hector as he may. He cannot come,
Speaker 1: for he cannot fight without armor. What then will be
Speaker 1: our best plan, both as regards rescuing the dead and
Speaker 1: our own escape from death? Amid the battle cries of
Speaker 1: the Trojans. Ajax answered, Menelaeus, you have said, well, do
Speaker 1: you then, and Meriones stooped down, raise the body and
Speaker 1: bear it out of the fray, while we two behind
Speaker 1: you keep off. Hector and the Trojans one in heart
Speaker 1: as in name, and long used to fighting side by
Speaker 1: side with one another. On this Menelaeus and Mariones took
Speaker 1: the dead man in their arms and lifted him high
Speaker 1: aloft with a great effort. The Trojan host raised a
Speaker 1: hue and cry behind them when they saw the Achaeans
Speaker 1: bearing the body away, and flew after them like hounds
Speaker 1: attacking a wounded boar at the loo of a band
Speaker 1: of young huntsmen. For a while the hounds fly at
Speaker 1: him as though they would tear him in pieces. But
Speaker 1: now and again he turns on them in a fury,
Speaker 1: scaring and scattering them in all directions. Even so did
Speaker 1: the Trojans for a wild charge in a body, striking
Speaker 1: with sword and with spears pointed at both the ends.
Speaker 1: But when the two Ajaxes faced them and stood at bay,
Speaker 1: they would turn pale, and no man dared press on
Speaker 1: to fight further about the dead. In this wise did
Speaker 1: the two heroes strain every nerve to bear the body
Speaker 1: to the ships out of the fight. The battle raged
Speaker 1: round them like fierce flames that, when once kindled, spread
Speaker 1: like wildfire over a city, and the houses fall in
Speaker 1: the glare of its burning. Even such was the roar
Speaker 1: and tramp of men and horses that pursued them as
Speaker 1: they bore Patroclus from the field, or as mules that
Speaker 1: put forth all their strength to draw some beam or
Speaker 1: great piece of sh ships timber down a rough mountain track,
Speaker 1: and they pant and sweat as they go. Even so
Speaker 1: did Menelaeus and pant and sweat as they bore the
Speaker 1: body of Patroclus behind them. The two Ajaxes held stoutly out,
Speaker 1: as some wooded mountain spur that stretches across a plain
Speaker 1: will turn water and check the floe even of a
Speaker 1: great river, nor is there any stream strong enough to
Speaker 1: break through it. Even so did the two Ajaxes face
Speaker 1: the Trojans and stern the tide of their fighting, though
Speaker 1: they kept pouring on towards them. And foremost among them
Speaker 1: all was Aeneas, son of Anchises, with valiant hector. As
Speaker 1: a flock of doors or starlings fall to screaming and
Speaker 1: chattering when they see a falcon foe to all small
Speaker 1: birds come soaring near them. Even so did the Achaean
Speaker 1: youth raise a babel of cries as they fled before
Speaker 1: Eneus and Hector, unmindful of their former prowess, in the
Speaker 1: route of the Danaans. Much goodly armour fell round about
Speaker 1: the trench, and of fighting there was no end.