The Iliad, Homer [big screen ebook reader .txt] 📗

gladly stripped the armour from off his shoulders.
Then Nestor rose and spoke, "Of a truth," said he, "the Achaean land is
fallen upon evil times. The old knight Peleus, counsellor and orator
among the Myrmidons, loved when I was in his house to question me
concerning the race and lineage of all the Argives. How would it not
grieve him could he hear of them as now quailing before Hector? Many a
time would he lift his hands in prayer that his soul might leave his
body and go down within the house of Hades. Would, by father Jove,
Minerva, and Apollo, that I were still young and strong as when the
Pylians and Arcadians were gathered in fight by the rapid river Celadon
under the walls of Pheia, and round about the waters of the river
Iardanus. The godlike hero Ereuthalion stood forward as their champion,
with the armour of King Areithous upon his shoulders--Areithous whom
men and women had surnamed 'the Mace-man,' because he fought neither
with bow nor spear, but broke the battalions of the foe with his iron
mace. Lycurgus killed him, not in fair fight, but by entrapping him in
a narrow way where his mace served him in no stead; for Lycurgus was
too quick for him and speared him through the middle, so he fell to
earth on his back. Lycurgus then spoiled him of the armour which Mars
had given him, and bore it in battle thenceforward; but when he grew
old and stayed at home, he gave it to his faithful squire Ereuthalion,
who in this same armour challenged the foremost men among us. The
others quaked and quailed, but my high spirit bade me fight him though
none other would venture; I was the youngest man of them all; but when
I fought him Minerva vouchsafed me victory. He was the biggest and
strongest man that ever I killed, and covered much ground as he lay
sprawling upon the earth. Would that I were still young and strong as I
then was, for the son of Priam would then soon find one who would face
him. But you, foremost among the whole host though you be, have none of
you any stomach for fighting Hector."

Thus did the old man rebuke them, and forthwith nine men started to
their feet. Foremost of all uprose King Agamemnon, and after him brave
Diomed the son of Tydeus. Next were the two Ajaxes, men clothed in
valour as with a garment, and then Idomeneus, and Meriones his brother
in arms. After these Eurypylus son of Euaemon, Thoas the son of
Andraemon, and Ulysses also rose. Then Nestor knight of Gerene again
spoke, saying: "Cast lots among you to see who shall be chosen. If he
come alive out of this fight he will have done good service alike to
his own soul and to the Achaeans."

Thus he spoke, and when each of them had marked his lot, and had thrown
it into the helmet of Agamemnon son of Atreus, the people lifted their
hands in prayer, and thus would one of them say as he looked into the
vault of heaven, "Father Jove, grant that the lot fall on Ajax, or on
the son of Tydeus, or upon the king of rich Mycene himself."

As they were speaking, Nestor knight of Gerene shook the helmet, and
from it there fell the very lot which they wanted--the lot of Ajax. The
herald bore it about and showed it to all the chieftains of the
Achaeans, going from left to right; but they none of them owned it.
When, however, in due course he reached the man who had written upon it
and had put it into the helmet, brave Ajax held out his hand, and the
herald gave him the lot. When Ajax saw his mark he knew it and was
glad; he threw it to the ground and said, "My friends, the lot is mine,
and I rejoice, for I shall vanquish Hector. I will put on my armour;
meanwhile, pray to King Jove in silence among yourselves that the
Trojans may not hear you--or aloud if you will, for we fear no man.
None shall overcome me, neither by force nor cunning, for I was born
and bred in Salamis, and can hold my own in all things."

With this they fell praying to King Jove the son of Saturn, and thus
would one of them say as he looked into the vault of heaven, "Father
Jove that rulest from Ida, most glorious in power, vouchsafe victory to
Ajax, and let him win great glory: but if you wish well to Hector also
and would protect him, grant to each of them equal fame and prowess."

Thus they prayed, and Ajax armed himself in his suit of gleaming
bronze. When he was in full array he sprang forward as monstrous Mars
when he takes part among men whom Jove has set fighting with one
another--even so did huge Ajax, bulwark of the Achaeans, spring forward
with a grim smile on his face as he brandished his long spear and
strode onward. The Argives were elated as they beheld him, but the
Trojans trembled in every limb, and the heart even of Hector beat
quickly, but he could not now retreat and withdraw into the ranks
behind him, for he had been the challenger. Ajax came up bearing his
shield in front of him like a wall--a shield of bronze with seven folds
of oxhide--the work of Tychius, who lived in Hyle and was by far the
best worker in leather. He had made it with the hides of seven full-fed
bulls, and over these he had set an eighth layer of bronze. Holding
this shield before him, Ajax son of Telamon came close up to Hector,
and menaced him saying, "Hector, you shall now learn, man to man, what
kind of champions the Danaans have among them even besides lion-hearted
Achilles cleaver of the ranks of men. He now abides at the ships in
anger with Agamemnon shepherd of his people, but there are many of us
who are well able to face you; therefore begin the fight."

And Hector answered, "Noble Ajax, son of Telamon, captain of the host,
treat me not as though I were some puny boy or woman that cannot fight.
I have been long used to the blood and butcheries of battle. I am quick
to turn my leathern shield either to right or left, for this I deem the
main thing in battle. I can charge among the chariots and horsemen, and
in hand to hand fighting can delight the heart of Mars; howbeit I would
not take such a man as you are off his guard--but I will smite you
openly if I can."

He poised his spear as he spoke, and hurled it from him. It struck the
sevenfold shield in its outermost layer--the eighth, which was of
bronze--and went through six of the layers but in the seventh hide it
stayed. Then Ajax threw in his turn, and struck the round shield of the
son of Priam. The terrible spear went through his gleaming shield, and
pressed onward through his cuirass of cunning workmanship; it pierced
the shirt against his side, but he swerved and thus saved his life.
They then each of them drew out the spear from his shield, and fell on
one another like savage lions or wild boars of great strength and
endurance: the son of Priam struck the middle of Ajax's shield, but the
bronze did not break, and the point of his dart was turned. Ajax then
sprang forward and pierced the shield of Hector; the spear went through
it and staggered him as he was springing forward to attack; it gashed
his neck and the blood came pouring from the wound, but even so Hector
did not cease fighting; he gave ground, and with his brawny hand seized
a stone, rugged and huge, that was lying upon the plain; with this he
struck the shield of Ajax on the boss that was in its middle, so that
the bronze rang again. But Ajax in turn caught up a far larger stone,
swung it aloft, and hurled it with prodigious force. This millstone of
a rock broke Hector's shield inwards and threw him down on his back
with the shield crushing him under it, but Apollo raised him at once.
Thereon they would have hacked at one another in close combat with
their swords, had not heralds, messengers of gods and men, come
forward, one from the Trojans and the other from the
Achaeans--Talthybius and Idaeus both of them honourable men; these
parted them with their staves, and the good herald Idaeus said, "My
sons, fight no longer, you are both of you valiant, and both are dear
to Jove; we know this; but night is now falling, and the behests of
night may not be well gainsaid."

Ajax son of Telamon answered, "Idaeus, bid Hector say so, for it was he
that challenged our princes. Let him speak first and I will accept his
saying."

Then Hector said, "Ajax, heaven has vouchsafed you stature and
strength, and judgement; and in wielding the spear you excel all others
of the Achaeans. Let us for this day cease fighting; hereafter we will
fight anew till heaven decide between us, and give victory to one or to
the other; night is now falling, and the behests of night may not be
well gainsaid. Gladden, then, the hearts of the Achaeans at your ships,
and more especially those of your own followers and clansmen, while I,
in the great city of King Priam, bring comfort to the Trojans and their
women, who vie with one another in their prayers on my behalf. Let us,
moreover, exchange presents that it may be said among the Achaeans and
Trojans, 'They fought with might and main, but were reconciled and
parted in friendship.'"

On this he gave Ajax a silver-studded sword with its sheath and
leathern baldric, and in return Ajax gave him a girdle dyed with
purple. Thus they parted, the one going to the host of the Achaeans,
and the other to that of the Trojans, who rejoiced when they saw their
hero come to them safe and unharmed from the strong hands of mighty
Ajax. They led him, therefore, to the city as one that had been saved
beyond their hopes. On the other side the Achaeans brought Ajax elated
with victory to Agamemnon.

When they reached the quarters of the son of Atreus, Agamemnon
sacrificed for them a five-year-old bull in honour of Jove the son of
Saturn. They flayed the carcass, made it ready, and divided it into
joints; these they cut carefully up into smaller pieces, putting them
on the spits, roasting them sufficiently, and then drawing them off.
When they had done all this and had prepared the feast, they ate it,
and every man had his full and equal share, so that all were satisfied,
and King Agamemnon gave Ajax some slices cut lengthways down the loin,
as a mark of special honour. As soon as they had had enough to eat and
drink, old Nestor whose counsel was ever truest began to speak; with
all sincerity and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:--

"Son of Atreus, and other chieftains, inasmuch as many of the Achaeans
are now dead, whose blood Mars has shed by the banks of the Scamander,
and their souls have gone down to the house of Hades, it will be well
when morning comes that we should cease fighting; we will then wheel
our dead together with oxen and mules and burn them not far from the
ships, that when we sail hence we may take the bones of our comrades
home to their children. Hard by