[Iliad Blogged] Rhapsody ΙΕ
  But when their flight had taken them past the trench and the set
  stakes, and many had fallen by the hands of the Danaans, the Trojans
  made a halt on reaching their chariots, routed and pale with fear.
  Jove now woke on the crests of Ida, where he was lying with
  golden-throned Juno by his side, and starting to his feet he saw the
  Trojans and Achaeans, the one thrown into confusion, and the others
  driving them pell-mell before them with King Neptune in their midst.
  He saw Hector lying on the ground with his comrades gathered round
  him, gasping for breath, wandering in mind and vomiting blood, for
  it was not the feeblest of the Achaeans who struck him.

  The sire of gods and men had pity on him, and looked fiercely on
  Juno. "I see, Juno," said he, "you mischief- making trickster, that
  your cunning has stayed Hector from fighting and has caused the rout
  of his host. I am in half a mind to thrash you, in which case you
  will be the first to reap the fruits of your scurvy knavery. Do you
  not remember how once upon a time I had you hanged? I fastened two
  anvils on to your feet, and bound your hands in a chain of gold
  which none might break, and you hung in mid-air among the clouds.
  All the gods in Olympus were in a fury, but they could not reach you
  to set you free; when I caught any one of them I gripped him and
  hurled him from the heavenly threshold till he came fainting down to
  earth; yet even this did not relieve my mind from the incessant
  anxiety which I felt about noble Hercules whom you and Boreas had
  spitefully conveyed beyond the seas to Cos, after suborning the
  tempests; but I rescued him, and notwithstanding all his mighty
  labours I brought him back again to Argos. I would remind you of
  this that you may learn to leave off being so deceitful, and
  discover how much you are likely to gain by the embraces out of
  which you have come here to trick me."


  Juno trembled as he spoke, and said, "May heaven above and earth
  below be my witnesses, with the waters of the river Styx- and this
  is the most solemn oath that a blessed god can take- nay, I swear
  also by your own almighty head and by our bridal bed- things over
  which I could never possibly perjure myself- that Neptune is not
  punishing Hector and the Trojans and helping the Achaeans through
  any doing of mine; it is all of his own mere motion because he was
  sorry to see the Achaeans hard pressed at their ships: if I were
  advising him, I should tell him to do as you bid him."

  The sire of gods and men smiled and answered, "If you, Juno, were
  always to support me when we sit in council of the gods, Neptune,
  like it or no, would soon come round to your and my way of
  thinking. If, then, you are speaking the truth and mean what you
  say, go among the rank and file of the gods, and tell Iris and
  Apollo lord of the bow, that I want them- Iris, that she may go to
  the Achaean host and tell Neptune to leave off fighting and go home,
  and Apollo, that he may send Hector again into battle and give him
  fresh strength; he will thus forget his present sufferings, and
  drive the Achaeans back in confusion till they fall among the ships
  of Achilles son of Peleus.  Achilles will then send his comrade
  Patroclus into battle, and Hector will kill him in front of Ilius
  after he has slain many warriors, and among them my own noble son
  Sarpedon. Achilles will kill Hector to avenge Patroclus, and from
  that time I will bring it about that the Achaeans shall persistently
  drive the Trojans back till they fulfil the counsels of Minerva and
  take Ilius. But I will not stay my anger, nor permit any god to help
  the Danaans till I have accomplished the desire of the son of
  Peleus, according to the promise I made by bowing my head on the day
  when Thetis touched my knees and besought me to give him honour."

  Juno heeded his words and went from the heights of Ida to great
  Olympus. Swift as the thought of one whose fancy carries him over
  vast continents, and he says to himself, "Now I will be here, or
  there," and he would have all manner of things- even so swiftly did
  Juno wing her way till she came to high Olympus and went in among
  the gods who were gathered in the house of Jove. When they saw her
  they all of them came up to her, and held out their cups to her by
  way of greeting. She let the others be, but took the cup offered her
  by lovely Themis, who was first to come running up to her. "Juno,"
  said she, "why are you here? And you seem troubled- has your husband
  the son of Saturn been frightening you?"

  And Juno answered, "Themis, do not ask me about it. You know what a
  proud and cruel disposition my husband has. Lead the gods to table,
  where you and all the immortals can hear the wicked designs which he
  has avowed. Many a one, mortal and immortal, will be angered by
  them, however peaceably he may be feasting now."

  On this Juno sat down, and the gods were troubled throughout the
  house of Jove. Laughter sat on her lips but her brow was furrowed
  with care, and she spoke up in a rage. "Fools that we are," she
  cried, "to be thus madly angry with Jove; we keep on wanting to go
  up to him and stay him by force or by persuasion, but he sits aloof
  and cares for nobody, for he knows that he is much stronger than any
  other of the immortals. Make the best, therefore, of whatever ills
  he may choose to send each one of you; Mars, I take it, has had a
  taste of them already, for his son Ascalaphus has fallen in battle-
  the man whom of all others he loved most dearly and whose father he
  owns himself to be."

  When he heard this Mars smote his two sturdy thighs with the flat of
  his hands, and said in anger, "Do not blame me, you gods that dwell
  in heaven, if I go to the ships of the Achaeans and avenge the death
  of my son, even though it end in my being struck by Jove's lightning
  and lying in blood and dust among the corpses."

  As he spoke he gave orders to yoke his horses Panic and Rout, while
  he put on his armour. On this, Jove would have been roused to still
  more fierce and implacable enmity against the other immortals, had
  not Minerva, ararmed for the safety of the gods, sprung from her
  seat and hurried outside. She tore the helmet from his head and the
  shield from his shoulders, and she took the bronze spear from his
  strong hand and set it on one side; then she said to Mars, "Madman,
  you are undone; you have ears that hear not, or you have lost all
  judgement and understanding; have you not heard what Juno has said
  on coming straight from the presence of Olympian Jove? Do you wish
  to go through all kinds of suffering before you are brought back
  sick and sorry to Olympus, after having caused infinite mischief to
  all us others? Jove would instantly leave the Trojans and Achaeans
  to themselves; he would come to Olympus to punish us, and would grip
  us up one after another, guilty or not guilty. Therefore lay aside
  your anger for the death of your son; better men than he have either
  been killed already or will fall hereafter, and one cannot protect
  every one's whole family."

  With these words she took Mars back to his seat. Meanwhile Juno
  called Apollo outside, with Iris the messenger of the gods. "Jove,"
  she said to them, "desires you to go to him at once on Mt. Ida; when
  you have seen him you are to do as he may then bid you."

  Thereon Juno left them and resumed her seat inside, while Iris and
Apollo made all haste on their way. When they reached
many-fountained Ida, mother of wild beasts, they found Jove seated
on topmost Gargarus with a fragrant cloud encircling his head as
with a diadem. They stood before his presence, and he was pleased with
them for having been so quick in obeying the orders his wife had given
them.

  He spoke to Iris first. "Go," said he, "fleet Iris, tell King
  Neptune what I now bid you- and tell him true. Bid him leave off
  fighting, and either join the company of the gods, or go down into
  the sea. If he takes no heed and disobeys me, let him consider well
  whether he is strong enough to hold his own against me if I attack
  him. I am older and much stronger than he is; yet he is not afraid
  to set himself up as on a level with myself, of whom all the other
  gods stand in awe."

  Iris, fleet as the wind, obeyed him, and as the cold hail or
  snowflakes that fly from out the clouds before the blast of Boreas,
  even so did she wing her way till she came close up to the great
  shaker of the earth. Then she said, "I have come, O dark-haired king
  that holds the world in his embrace, to bring you a message from
  Jove.  He bids you leave off fighting, and either join the company
  of the gods or go down into the sea; if, however, you take no heed
  and disobey him, he says he will come down here and fight you. He
  would have you keep out of his reach, for he is older and much
  stronger than you are, and yet you are not afraid to set yourself up
  as on a level with himself, of whom all the other gods stand in
  awe."

  Neptune was very angry and said, "Great heavens! strong as Jove may
  be, he has said more than he can do if he has threatened violence
  against me, who am of like honour with himself. We were three
  brothers whom Rhea bore to Saturn- Jove, myself, and Hades who rules
  the world below. Heaven and earth were divided into three parts, and
  each of us was to have an equal share. When we cast lots, it fell to
  me to have my dwelling in the sea for evermore; Hades took the
  darkness of the realms under the earth, while air and sky and clouds
  were the portion that fell to Jove; but earth and great Olympus are
  the common property of all. Therefore I will not walk as Jove would
  have me. For all his strength, let him keep to his own third share
  and be contented without threatening to lay hands upon me as though
  I were nobody. Let him keep his bragging talk for his own sons and
  daughters, who must perforce obey him.

  Iris fleet as the wind then answered, "Am I really, Neptune, to take
  this daring and unyielding message to Jove, or will you reconsider
  your answer? Sensible people are open to argument, and you know that
  the Erinyes always range themselves on the side of the older
  person."

  Neptune answered, "Goddess Iris, your words have been spoken in
  season. It is well when a messenger shows so much discretion.
  Nevertheless it cuts me to the very heart that any one should rebuke
  so angrily another who is his own peer, and of like empire with
  himself. Now, however, I will give way in spite of my displeasure;
  furthermore let me tell you, and I mean what I say- if contrary to
  the desire of myself, Minerva driver of the spoil, Juno, Mercury,
  and King Vulcan, Jove spares steep Ilius, and will not let the
  Achaeans have the great triumph of sacking it, let him understand
  that he will incur our implacable resentment."

  Neptune now left the field to go down under the sea, and sorely did
  the Achaeans miss him. Then Jove said to Apollo, "Go, dear Phoebus,
  to Hector, for Neptune who holds the earth in his embrace has now
  gone down under the sea to avoid the severity of my displeasure.
  Had he not done so those gods who are below with Saturn would have
  come to hear of the fight between us. It is better for both of us
  that he should have curbed his anger and kept out of my reach, for I
  should have had much trouble with him. Take, then, your tasselled
  aegis, and shake it furiously, so as to set the Achaean heroes in a
  panic; take, moreover, brave Hector, O Far-Darter, into your own
  care, and rouse him to deeds of daring, till the Achaeans are sent
  flying back to their ships and to the Hellespont. From that point I
  will think it well over, how the Achaeans may have a respite from
  their troubles."

  Apollo obeyed his father's saying, and left the crests of Ida,
  flying like a falcon, bane of doves and swiftest of all birds. He
  found Hector no longer lying upon the ground, but sitting up, for he
  had just come to himself again. He knew those who were about him,
  and the sweat and hard breathing had left him from the moment when
  the will of aegis-bearing Jove had revived him. Apollo stood beside
  him and said, "Hector, son of Priam, why are you so faint, and why
  are you here away from the others? Has any mishap befallen you?"

  Hector in a weak voice answered, "And which, kind sir, of the gods
  are you, who now ask me thus? Do you not know that Ajax struck me on
  the chest with a stone as I was killing his comrades at the ships of
  the Achaeans, and compelled me to leave off fighting? I made sure
  that this very day I should breathe my last and go down into the
  house of Hades."

  Then King Apollo said to him, "Take heart; the son of Saturn has
  sent you a mighty helper from Ida to stand by you and defend you,
  even me, Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, who have been guardian
  hitherto not only of yourself but of your city. Now, therefore,
  order your horsemen to drive their chariots to the ships in great
  multitudes. I will go before your horses to smooth the way for them,
  and will turn the Achaeans in flight."

  As he spoke he infused great strength into the shepherd of his
  people. And as a horse, stabled and full-fed, breaks loose and
  gallops gloriously over the plain to the place where he is wont to
  take his bath in the river- he tosses his head, and his mane streams
  over his shoulders as in all the pride of his strength he flies full
  speed to the pastures where the mares are feeding- even so Hector,
  when he heard what the god said, urged his horsemen on, and sped
  forward as fast as his limbs could take him. As country peasants set
  their hounds on to a homed stag or wild goat- he has taken shelter
  under rock or thicket, and they cannot find him, but, lo, a bearded
  lion whom their shouts have roused stands in their path, and they
  are in no further humour for the chase- even so the Achaeans were
  still charging on in a body, using their swords and spears pointed
  at both ends, but when they saw Hector going about among his men
  they were afraid, and their hearts fell down into their feet.

  Then spoke Thoas son of Andraemon, leader of the Aetolians, a man
  who could throw a good throw, and who was staunch also in close
  fight, while few could surpass him in debate when opinions were
  divided. He then with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them
  thus: "What, in heaven's name, do I now see? Is it not Hector come
  to life again?  Every one made sure he had been killed by Ajax son
  of Telamon, but it seems that one of the gods has again rescued
  him. He has killed many of us Danaans already, and I take it will
  yet do so, for the hand of Jove must be with him or he would never
  dare show himself so masterful in the forefront of the battle. Now,
  therefore, let us all do as I say; let us order the main body of our
  forces to fall back upon the ships, but let those of us who profess
  to be the flower of the army stand firm, and see whether we cannot
  hold Hector back at the point of our spears as soon as he comes near
  us; I conceive that he will then think better of it before he tries
  to charge into the press of the Danaans."

  Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. Those who were
  about Ajax and King Idomeneus, the followers moreover of Teucer,
  Meriones, and Meges peer of Mars called all their best men about
  them and sustained the fight against Hector and the Trojans, but the
  main body fell back upon the ships of the Achaeans.

  The Trojans pressed forward in a dense body, with Hector striding on
  at their head. Before him went Phoebus Apollo shrouded in cloud
  about his shoulders. He bore aloft the terrible aegis with its
  shaggy fringe, which Vulcan the smith had given Jove to strike
  terror into the hearts of men. With this in his hand he led on the
  Trojans.

  The Argives held together and stood their ground. The cry of battle
  rose high from either side, and the arrows flew from the
  bowstrings. Many a spear sped from strong hands and fastened in the
  bodies of many a valiant warrior, while others fell to earth midway,
  before they could taste of man's fair flesh and glut themselves with
  blood. So long as Phoebus Apollo held his aegis quietly and without
  shaking it, the weapons on either side took effect and the people
  fell, but when he shook it straight in the face of the Danaans and
  raised his mighty battle-cry their hearts fainted within them and
  they forgot their former prowess. As when two wild beasts spring in
  the dead of night on a herd of cattle or a large flock of sheep when
  the herdsman is not there- even so were the Danaans struck helpless,
  for Apollo filled them with panic and gave victory to Hector and the
  Trojans.

  The fight then became more scattered and they killed one another
  where they best could. Hector killed Stichius and Arcesilaus, the
  one, leader of the Boeotians, and the other, friend and comrade of
  Menestheus. Aeneas killed Medon and Iasus. The first was bastard son
  to Oileus, and brother to Ajax, but he lived in Phylace away from
  his own country, for he had killed a man, a kinsman of his
  stepmother Eriopis whom Oileus had married. Iasus had become a
  leader of the Athenians, and was son of Sphelus the son of Boucolos.
  Polydamas killed Mecisteus, and Polites Echius, in the front of the
  battle, while Agenor slew Clonius. Paris struck Deiochus from behind
  in the lower part of the shoulder, as he was flying among the
  foremost, and the point of the spear went clean through him.

  While they were spoiling these heroes of their armour, the Achaeans
  were flying pellmell to the trench and the set stakes, and were
  forced back within their wall. Hector then cried out to the Trojans,
  "Forward to the ships, and let the spoils be. If I see any man
  keeping back on the other side the wall away from the ships I will
  have him killed: his kinsmen and kinswomen shall not give him his
  dues of fire, but dogs shall tear him in pieces in front of our
  city."

  As he spoke he laid his whip about his horses' shoulders and called
  to the Trojans throughout their ranks; the Trojans shouted with a
  cry that rent the air, and kept their horses neck and neck with his
  own. Phoebus Apollo went before, and kicked down the banks of the
  deep trench into its middle so as to make a great broad bridge, as
  broad as the throw of a spear when a man is trying his strength. The
  Trojan battalions poured over the bridge, and Apollo with his
  redoubtable aegis led the way. He kicked down the wall of the
  Achaeans as easily as a child who playing on the sea-shore has built
  a house of sand and then kicks it down again and destroys it- even
  so did you, O Apollo, shed toil and trouble upon the Argives,
  filling them with panic and confusion.

  Thus then were the Achaeans hemmed in at their ships, calling out to
  one another and raising their hands with loud cries every man to
  heaven. Nestor of Gerene, tower of strength to the Achaeans, lifted
  up his hands to the starry firmament of heaven, and prayed more
  fervently than any of them. "Father Jove," said he, "if ever any one
  in wheat-growing Argos burned you fat thigh-bones of sheep or heifer
  and prayed that he might return safely home, whereon you bowed your
  head to him in assent, bear it in mind now, and suffer not the
  Trojans to triumph thus over the Achaeans."

  All counselling Jove thundered loudly in answer to die prayer of the
  aged son of Neleus. When the heard Jove thunder they flung
  themselves yet more fiercely on the Achaeans. As a wave breaking
  over the bulwarks of a ship when the sea runs high before a gale-
  for it is the force of the wind that makes the waves so great- even
  so did the Trojans spring over the wall with a shout, and drive
  their chariots onwards. The two sides fought with their
  double-pointed spears in hand-to-hand encounter-the Trojans from
  their chariots, and the Achaeans climbing up into their ships and
  wielding the long pikes that were lying on the decks ready for use
  in a sea-fight, jointed and shod with bronze.

  Now Patroclus, so long as the Achaeans and Trojans were fighting
  about the wall, but were not yet within it and at the ships,
  remained sitting in the tent of good Eurypylus, entertaining him
  with his conversation and spreading herbs over his wound to ease his
  pain. When, however, he saw the Trojans swarming through the breach
  in the wall, while the Achaeans were clamouring and struck with
  panic, he cried aloud, and smote his two thighs with the flat of his
  hands.  "Eurypylus," said he in his dismay, "I know you want me
  badly, but I cannot stay with you any longer, for there is hard
  fighting going on; a servant shall take care of you now, for I must
  make all speed to Achilles, and induce him to fight if I can; who
  knows but with heaven's help I may persuade him. A man does well to
  listen to the advice of a friend."

  When he had thus spoken he went his way. The Achaeans stood firm and
  resisted the attack of the Trojans, yet though these were fewer in
  number, they could not drive them back from the ships, neither could
  the Trojans break the Achaean ranks and make their way in among the
  tents and ships. As a carpenter's line gives a true edge to a piece
  of ship's timber, in the hand of some skilled workman whom Minerva
  has instructed in all kinds of useful arts- even so level was the
  issue of the fight between the two sides, as they fought some round
  one and some round another.

  Hector made straight for Ajax, and the two fought fiercely about the
  same ship. Hector could not force Ajax back and fire the ship, nor
  yet could Ajax drive Hector from the spot to which heaven had
  brought him.

  Then Ajax struck Caletor son of Clytius in the chest with a spear as
  he was bringing fire towards the ship. He fell heavily to the ground
  and the torch dropped from his hand. When Hector saw his cousin
  fallen in front of the ship he shouted to the Trojans and Lycians
  saying, "Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians good in close fight, bate
  not a jot, but rescue the son of Clytius lest the Achaeans strip him
  of his armour now that he has fallen."

  He then aimed a spear at Ajax, and missed him, but he hit Lycophron
  a follower of Ajax, who came from Cythera, but was living with Ajax
  inasmuch as he had killed a man among the Cythereans.  Hector's
  spear struck him on the head below the ear, and he fell headlong
  from the ship's prow on to the ground with no life left in him. Ajax
  shook with rage and said to his brother, "Teucer, my good fellow,
  our trusty comrade the son of Mastor has fallen, he came to live
  with us from Cythera and whom we honoured as much as our own
  parents. Hector has just killed him; fetch your deadly arrows at
  once and the bow which Phoebus Apollo gave you."

  Teucer heard him and hastened towards him with his bow and quiver in
  his hands. Forthwith he showered his arrows on the Trojans, and hit
  Cleitus the son of Pisenor, comrade of Polydamas the noble son of
  Panthous, with the reins in his hands as he was attending to his
  horses; he was in the middle of the very thickest part of the fight,
  doing good service to Hector and the Trojans, but evil had now come
  upon him, and not one of those who were fain to do so could avert
  it, for the arrow struck him on the back of the neck. He fell from
  his chariot and his horses shook the empty car as they swerved
  aside. King Polydamas saw what had happened, and was the first to
  come up to the horses; he gave them in charge to Astynous son of
  Protiaon, and ordered him to look on, and to keep the horses near at
  hand. He then went back and took his place in the front ranks.

  Teucer then aimed another arrow at Hector, and there would have been
  no more fighting at the ships if he had hit him and killed him then
  and there: Jove, however, who kept watch over Hector, had his eyes
  on Teucer, and deprived him of his triumph, by breaking his
  bowstring for him just as he was drawing it and about to take his
  aim; on this the arrow went astray and the bow fell from his hands.
  Teucer shook with anger and said to his brother, "Alas, see how
  heaven thwarts us in all we do; it has broken my bowstring and
  snatched the bow from my hand, though I strung it this selfsame
  morning that it might serve me for many an arrow."

  Ajax son of Telamon answered, "My good fellow, let your bow and your
  arrows be, for Jove has made them useless in order to spite the
  Danaans. Take your spear, lay your shield upon your shoulder, and
  both fight the Trojans yourself and urge others to do so. They may
  be successful for the moment but if we fight as we ought they will
  find it a hard matter to take the ships."

  Teucer then took his bow and put it by in his tent. He hung a shield
  four hides thick about his shoulders, and on his comely head he set
  his helmet well wrought with a crest of horse-hair that nodded
  menacingly above it; he grasped his redoubtable bronze-shod spear,
  and forthwith he was by the side of Ajax.

  When Hector saw that Teucer's bow was of no more use to him, he
  shouted out to the Trojans and Lycians, "Trojans, Lycians, and
  Dardanians good in close fight, be men, my friends, and show your
  mettle here at the ships, for I see the weapon of one of their
  chieftains made useless by the hand of Jove. It is easy to see when
  Jove is helping people and means to help them still further, or
  again when he is bringing them down and will do nothing for them; he
  is now on our side, and is going against the Argives. Therefore
  swarm round the ships and fight. If any of you is struck by spear or
  sword and loses his life, let him die; he dies with honour who dies
  fighting for his country; and he will leave his wife and children
  safe behind him, with his house and allotment unplundered if only
  the Achaeans can be driven back to their own land, they and their
  ships."

  With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Ajax on the
  other side exhorted his comrades saying, "Shame on you Argives, we
  are now utterly undone, unless we can save ourselves by driving the
  enemy from our ships. Do you think, if Hector takes them, that you
  will be able to get home by land? Can you not hear him cheering on
  his whole host to fire our fleet, and bidding them remember that
  they are not at a dance but in battle? Our only course is to fight
  them with might and main; we had better chance it, life or death,
  once for all, than fight long and without issue hemmed in at our
  ships by worse men than ourselves."

  With these words he put life and soul into them all. Hector then
  killed Schedius son of Perimedes, leader of the Phoceans, and Ajax
  killed Laodamas captain of foot soldiers and son to
  Antenor. Polydamas killed Otus of Cyllene a comrade of the son of
  Phyleus and chief of the proud Epeans. When Meges saw this he sprang
  upon him, but Polydamas crouched down, and he missed him, for Apollo
  would not suffer the son of Panthous to fall in battle; but the
  spear hit Croesmus in the middle of his chest, whereon he fell
  heavily to the ground, and Meges stripped him of his armour. At that
  moment the valiant soldier Dolops son of Lampus sprang upon Lampus
  was son of Laomedon and for his valour, while his son Dolops was
  versed in all the ways of war. He then struck the middle of the son
  of Phyleus' shield with his spear, setting on him at close quarters,
  but his good corslet made with plates of metal saved him; Phyleus
  had brought it from Ephyra and the river Selleis, where his host,
  King Euphetes, had given it him to wear in battle and protect
  him. It now served to save the life of his son. Then Meges struck
  the topmost crest of Dolops's bronze helmet with his spear and tore
  away its plume of horse-hair, so that all newly dyed with scarlet as
  it was it tumbled down into the dust. While he was still fighting
  and confident of victory, Menelaus came up to help Meges, and got by
  the side of Dolops unperceived; he then speared him in the shoulder,
  from behind, and the point, driven so furiously, went through into
  his chest, whereon he fell headlong. The two then made towards him
  to strip him of his armour, but Hector called on all his brothers
  for help, and he especially upbraided brave Melanippus son of
  Hiketaon, who erewhile used to pasture his herds of cattle in
  Percote before the war broke out; but when the ships of the Danaans
  came, he went back to Ilius, where he was eminent among the Trojans,
  and lived near Priam who treated him as one of his own sons. Hector
  now rebuked him and said, "Why, Melanippus, are we thus remiss? do
  you take no note of the death of your kinsman, and do you not see
  how they are trying to take Dolops's armour? Follow me; there must
  be no fighting the Argives from a distance now, but we must do so in
  close combat till either we kill them or they take the high wall of
  Ilius and slay her people."

  He led on as he spoke, and the hero Melanippus followed after.
  Meanwhile Ajax son of Telamon was cheering on the Argives. "My
  friends," he cried, "be men, and fear dishonour; quit yourselves in
  battle so as to win respect from one another. Men who respect each
  other's good opinion are less likely to be killed than those who do
  not, but in flight there is neither gain nor glory."

  Thus did he exhort men who were already bent upon driving back the
  Trojans. They laid his words to heart and hedged the ships as with a
  wall of bronze, while Jove urged on the Trojans. Menelaus of the
  loud battle-cry urged Antilochus on. "Antilochus," said he, "you are
  young and there is none of the Achaeans more fleet of foot or more
  valiant than you are. See if you cannot spring upon some Trojan and
  kill him."

  He hurried away when he had thus spurred Antilochus, who at once
  darted out from the front ranks and aimed a spear, after looking
  carefully round him. The Trojans fell back as he threw, and the dart
  did not speed from his hand without effect, for it struck Melanippus
  the proud son of Hiketaon in the breast by the nipple as he was
  coming forward, and his armour rang rattling round him as he fell
  heavily to the ground. Antilochus sprang upon him as a dog springs
  on a fawn which a hunter has hit as it was breaking away from its
  covert, and killed it. Even so, O Melanippus, did stalwart
  Antilochus spring upon you to strip you of your armour; but noble
  Hector marked him, and came running up to him through the thick of
  the battle. Antilochus, brave soldier though he was, would not stay
  to face him, but fled like some savage creature which knows it has
  done wrong, and flies, when it has killed a dog or a man who is
  herding his cattle, before a body of men can be gathered to attack
  it. Even so did the son of Nestor fly, and the Trojans and Hector
  with a cry that rent the air showered their weapons after him; nor
  did he turn round and stay his flight till he had reached his
  comrades.

  The Trojans, fierce as lions, were still rushing on towards the
  ships in fulfilment of the behests of Jove who kept spurring them on
  to new deeds of daring, while he deadened the courage of the Argives
  and defeated them by encouraging the Trojans. For he meant giving
  glory to Hector son of Priam, and letting him throw fire upon the
  ships, till he had fulfilled the unrighteous prayer that Thetis had
  made him; Jove, therefore, bided his time till he should see the
  glare of a blazing ship. From that hour he was about so to order
  that the Trojans should be driven back from the ships and to
  vouchsafe glory to the Achaeans. With this purpose he inspired
  Hector son of Priam, who was cager enough already, to assail the
  ships. His fury was as that of Mars, or as when a fire is raging in
  the glades of some dense forest upon the mountains; he foamed at the
  mouth, his eyes glared under his terrible eye-brows, and his helmet
  quivered on his temples by reason of the fury with which he
  fought. Jove from heaven was with him, and though he was but one
  against many, vouchsafed him victory and glory; for he was doomed to
  an early death, and already Pallas Minerva was hurrying on the hour
  of his destruction at the hands of the son of Peleus. Now, however,
  he kept trying to break the ranks of the enemy wherever he could see
  them thickest, and in the goodliest armour; but do what he might he
  could not break through them, for they stood as a tower foursquare,
  or as some high cliff rising from the grey sea that braves the anger
  of the gale, and of the waves that thunder up against it. He fell
  upon them like flames of fire from every quarter. As when a wave,
  raised mountain high by wind and storm, breaks over a ship and
  covers it deep in foam, the fierce winds roar against the mast, the
  hearts of the sailors fail them for fear, and they are saved but by
  a very little from destruction- even so were the hearts of the
  Achaeans fainting within them. Or as a savage lion attacking a herd
  of cows while they are feeding by thousands in the low-lying meadows
  by some wide-watered shore- the herdsman is at his wit's end how to
  protect his herd and keeps going about now in the van and now in the
  rear of his cattle, while the lion springs into the thick of them
  and fastens on a cow so that they all tremble for fear- even so were
  the Achaeans utterly panic-stricken by Hector and father
  Jove. Nevertheless Hector only killed Periphetes of Mycenae; he was
  son of Copreus who was wont to take the orders of King Eurystheus to
  mighty Hercules, but the son was a far better man than the father in
  every way; he was fleet of foot, a valiant warrior, and in
  understanding ranked among the foremost men of Mycenae. He it was
  who then afforded Hector a triumph, for as he was turning back he
  stumbled against the rim of his shield which reached his feet, and
  served to keep the javelins off him. He tripped against this and
  fell face upward, his helmet ringing loudly about his head as he did
  so. Hector saw him fall and ran up to him; he then thrust a spear
  into his chest, and killed him close to his own comrades. These, for
  all their sorrow, could not help him for they were themselves
  terribly afraid of Hector.

  They had now reached the ships and the prows of those that had been
  drawn up first were on every side of them, but the Trojans came
  pouring after them. The Argives were driven back from the first row
  of ships, but they made a stand by their tents without being broken
  up and scattered; shame and fear restrained them. They kept shouting
  incessantly to one another, and Nestor of Gerene, tower of strength
  to the Achaeans, was loudest in imploring every man by his parents,
  and beseeching him to stand firm.

  "Be men, my friends," he cried, "and respect one another's good
  opinion. Think, all of you, on your children, your wives, your
  property, and your parents whether these be alive or dead. On their
  behalf though they are not here, I implore you to stand firm, and
  not to turn in flight."

  With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Minerva lifted
  the thick veil of darkness from their eyes, and much light fell upon
  them, alike on the side of the ships and on that where the fight was
  raging. They could see Hector and all his men, both those in the
  rear who were taking no part in the battle, and those who were
  fighting by the ships.

  Ajax could not bring himself to retreat along with the rest, but
  strode from deck to deck with a great sea-pike in his hands twelve
  cubits long and jointed with rings. As a man skilled in feats of
  horsemanship couples four horses together and comes tearing full
  speed along the public way from the country into some large town-
  many both men and women marvel as they see him for he keeps all the
  time changing his horse, springing from one to another without ever
  missing his feet while the horses are at a gallop- even so did Ajax
  go striding from one ship's deck to another, and his voice went up
  into the heavens. He kept on shouting his orders to the Danaans and
  exhorting them to defend their ships and tents; neither did Hector
  remain within the main body of the Trojan warriors, but as a dun
  eagle swoops down upon a flock of wild-fowl feeding near a
  river-geese, it may be, or cranes, or long-necked swans- even so did
  Hector make straight for a dark-prowed ship, rushing right towards
  it; for Jove with his mighty hand impelled him forward, and roused
  his people to follow him.

  And now the battle again raged furiously at the ships. You would
  have thought the men were coming on fresh and unwearied, so fiercely
  did they fight; and this was the mind in which they were- the
  Achaeans did not believe they should escape destruction but thought
  themselves doomed, while there was not a Trojan but his heart beat
  high with the hope of firing the ships and putting the Achaean
  heroes to the sword.

  Thus were the two sides minded. Then Hector seized the stern of the
  good ship that had brought Protesilaus to Troy, but never bore him
  back to his native land. Round this ship there raged a close
  hand-to-hand fight between Danaans and Trojans. They did not fight
  at a distance with bows and javelins, but with one mind hacked at
  one another in close combat with their mighty swords and spears
  pointed at both ends; they fought moreover with keen battle-axes and
  with hatchets. Many a good stout blade hilted and scabbarded with
  iron, fell from hand or shoulder as they fought, and the earth ran
  red with blood. Hector, when he had seized the ship, would not loose
  his hold but held on to its curved stern and shouted to the Trojans,
  "Bring fire, and raise the battle-cry all of you with a single
  voice. Now has Jove vouchsafed us a day that will pay us for all the
  rest; this day we shall take the ships which came hither against
  heaven's will, and which have caused us such infinite suffering
  through the cowardice of our councillors, who when I would have done
  battle at the ships held me back and forbade the host to follow me;
  if Jove did then indeed warp our judgements, himself now commands me
  and cheers me on."

  As he spoke thus the Trojans sprang yet more fiercely on the
  Achaeans, and Ajax no longer held his ground, for he was overcome by
  the darts that were flung at him, and made sure that he was doomed.
  Therefore he left the raised deck at the stern, and stepped back on
  to the seven-foot bench of the oarsmen. Here he stood on the
  look-out, and with his spear held back Trojan whom he saw bringing
  fire to the ships. All the time he kept on shouting at the top of
  his voice and exhorting the Danaans. "My friends," he cried, "Danaan
  heroes, servants of Mars, be men my friends, and fight with might
  and with main. Can we hope to find helpers hereafter, or a wall to
  shield us more surely than the one we have? There is no strong city
  within reach, whence we may draw fresh forces to turn the scales in
  our favour. We are on the plain of the armed Trojans with the sea
  behind us, and far from our own country. Our salvation, therefore,
  is in the might of our hands and in hard fighting."

  As he spoke he wielded his spear with still greater fury, and when
  any Trojan made towards the ships with fire at Hector's bidding, he
  would be on the look-out for him, and drive at him with his long
  spear. Twelve men did he thus kill in hand-to-hand fight before the
  ships.