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

sea. Neptune himself, trident in hand,
surveyed the work and threw into the sea all the foundations of beams
and stones which the Achaeans had laid with so much toil; he made all
level by the mighty stream of the Hellespont, and then when he had
swept the wall away he spread a great beach of sand over the place
where it had been. This done he turned the rivers back into their old
courses.

This was what Neptune and Apollo were to do in after time; but as yet
battle and turmoil were still raging round the wall till its timbers
rang under the blows that rained upon them. The Argives, cowed by the
scourge of Jove, were hemmed in at their ships in fear of Hector the
mighty minister of Rout, who as heretofore fought with the force and
fury of a whirlwind. As a lion or wild boar turns fiercely on the dogs
and men that attack him, while these form a solid wall and shower their
javelins as they face him--his courage is all undaunted, but his high
spirit will be the death of him; many a time does he charge at his
pursuers to scatter them, and they fall back as often as he does
so--even so did Hector go about among the host exhorting his men, and
cheering them on to cross the trench.

But the horses dared not do so, and stood neighing upon its brink, for
the width frightened them. They could neither jump it nor cross it, for
it had overhanging banks all round upon either side, above which there
were the sharp stakes that the sons of the Achaeans had planted so
close and strong as a defence against all who would assail it; a horse,
therefore, could not get into it and draw his chariot after him, but
those who were on foot kept trying their very utmost. Then Polydamas
went up to Hector and said, "Hector, and you other captains of the
Trojans and allies, it is madness for us to try and drive our horses
across the trench; it will be very hard to cross, for it is full of
sharp stakes, and beyond these there is the wall. Our horses therefore
cannot get down into it, and would be of no use if they did; moreover
it is a narrow place and we should come to harm. If, indeed, great Jove
is minded to help the Trojans, and in his anger will utterly destroy
the Achaeans, I would myself gladly see them perish now and here far
from Argos; but if they should rally and we are driven back from the
ships pell-mell into the trench there will be not so much as a man get
back to the city to tell the tale. Now, therefore, let us all do as I
say; let our squires hold our horses by the trench, but let us follow
Hector in a body on foot, clad in full armour, and if the day of their
doom is at hand the Achaeans will not be able to withstand us."

Thus spoke Polydamas and his saying pleased Hector, who sprang in full
armour to the ground, and all the other Trojans, when they saw him do
so, also left their chariots. Each man then gave his horses over to his
charioteer in charge to hold them ready for him at the trench. Then
they formed themselves into companies, made themselves ready, and in
five bodies followed their leaders. Those that went with Hector and
Polydamas were the bravest and most in number, and the most determined
to break through the wall and fight at the ships. Cebriones was also
joined with them as third in command, for Hector had left his chariot
in charge of a less valiant soldier. The next company was led by Paris,
Alcathous, and Agenor; the third by Helenus and Deiphobus, two sons of
Priam, and with them was the hero Asius--Asius, the son of Hyrtacus,
whose great black horses of the breed that comes from the river Selleis
had brought him from Arisbe. Aeneas, the valiant son of Anchises, led
the fourth; he and the two sons of Antenor, Archelochus and Acamas, men
well versed in all the arts of war. Sarpedon was captain over the
allies, and took with him Glaucus and Asteropaeus whom he deemed most
valiant after himself--for he was far the best man of them all. These
helped to array one another in their ox-hide shields, and then charged
straight at the Danaans, for they felt sure that they would not hold
out longer and that they should themselves now fall upon the ships.

The rest of the Trojans and their allies now followed the counsel of
Polydamas but Asius, son of Hyrtacus, would not leave his horses and
his esquire behind him; in his foolhardiness he took them on with him
towards the ships, nor did he fail to come by his end in consequence.
Nevermore was he to return to wind-beaten Ilius, exulting in his
chariot and his horses; ere he could do so, death of ill-omened name
had overshadowed him and he had fallen by the spear of Idomeneus the
noble son of Deucalion. He had driven towards the left wing of the
ships, by which way the Achaeans used to return with their chariots and
horses from the plain. Hither he drove and found the gates with their
doors opened wide, and the great bar down--for the gatemen kept them
open so as to let those of their comrades enter who might be flying
towards the ships. Hither of set purpose did he direct his horses, and
his men followed him with a loud cry, for they felt sure that the
Achaeans would not hold out longer, and that they should now fall upon
the ships. Little did they know that at the gates they should find two
of the bravest chieftains, proud sons of the fighting Lapithae--the
one, Polypoetes, mighty son of Pirithous, and the other Leonteus, peer
of murderous Mars. These stood before the gates like two high oak trees
upon the mountains, that tower from their wide-spreading roots, and
year after year battle with wind and rain--even so did these two men
await the onset of great Asius confidently and without flinching. The
Trojans led by him and by Iamenus, Orestes, Adamas the son of Asius,
Thoon and Oenomaus, raised a loud cry of battle and made straight for
the wall, holding their shields of dry ox-hide above their heads; for a
while the two defenders remained inside and cheered the Achaeans on to
stand firm in the defence of their ships; when, however, they saw that
the Trojans were attacking the wall, while the Danaans were crying out
for help and being routed, they rushed outside and fought in front of
the gates like two wild boars upon the mountains that abide the attack
of men and dogs, and charging on either side break down the wood all
round them tearing it up by the roots, and one can hear the clattering
of their tusks, till some one hits them and makes an end of them--even
so did the gleaming bronze rattle about their breasts, as the weapons
fell upon them; for they fought with great fury, trusting to their own
prowess and to those who were on the wall above them. These threw great
stones at their assailants in defence of themselves their tents and
their ships. The stones fell thick as the flakes of snow which some
fierce blast drives from the dark clouds and showers down in sheets
upon the earth--even so fell the weapons from the hands alike of
Trojans and Achaeans. Helmet and shield rang out as the great stones
rained upon them, and Asius, the son of Hyrtacus, in his dismay cried
aloud and smote his two thighs. "Father Jove," he cried, "of a truth
you too are altogether given to lying. I made sure the Argive heroes
could not withstand us, whereas like slim-waisted wasps, or bees that
have their nests in the rocks by the wayside--they leave not the holes
wherein they have built undefended, but fight for their little ones
against all who would take them--even so these men, though they be but
two, will not be driven from the gates, but stand firm either to slay
or be slain."

He spoke, but moved not the mind of Jove, whose counsel it then was to
give glory to Hector. Meanwhile the rest of the Trojans were fighting
about the other gates; I, however, am no god to be able to tell about
all these things, for the battle raged everywhere about the stone wall
as it were a fiery furnace. The Argives, discomfited though they were,
were forced to defend their ships, and all the gods who were defending
the Achaeans were vexed in spirit; but the Lapithae kept on fighting
with might and main.

Thereon Polypoetes, mighty son of Pirithous, hit Damasus with a spear
upon his cheek-pierced helmet. The helmet did not protect him, for the
point of the spear went through it, and broke the bone, so that the
brain inside was scattered about, and he died fighting. He then slew
Pylon and Ormenus. Leonteus, of the race of Mars, killed Hippomachus
the son of Antimachus by striking him with his spear upon the girdle.
He then drew his sword and sprang first upon Antiphates whom he killed
in combat, and who fell face upwards on the earth. After him he killed
Menon, Iamenus, and Orestes, and laid them low one after the other.

While they were busy stripping the armour from these heroes, the youths
who were led on by Polydamas and Hector (and these were the greater
part and the most valiant of those that were trying to break through
the wall and fire the ships) were still standing by the trench,
uncertain what they should do; for they had seen a sign from heaven
when they had essayed to cross it--a soaring eagle that flew skirting
the left wing of their host, with a monstrous blood-red snake in its
talons still alive and struggling to escape. The snake was still bent
on revenge, wriggling and twisting itself backwards till it struck the
bird that held it, on the neck and breast; whereon the bird being in
pain, let it fall, dropping it into the middle of the host, and then
flew down the wind with a sharp cry. The Trojans were struck with
terror when they saw the snake, portent of aegis-bearing Jove, writhing
in the midst of them, and Polydamas went up to Hector and said,
"Hector, at our councils of war you are ever given to rebuke me, even
when I speak wisely, as though it were not well, forsooth, that one of
the people should cross your will either in the field or at the council
board; you would have them support you always: nevertheless I will say
what I think will be best; let us not now go on to fight the Danaans at
their ships, for I know what will happen if this soaring eagle which
skirted the left wing of our host with a monstrous blood-red snake in
its talons (the snake being still alive) was really sent as an omen to
the Trojans on their essaying to cross the trench. The eagle let go her
hold; she did not succeed in taking it home to her little ones, and so
will it be--with ourselves; even though by a mighty effort we break
through the gates and wall of the Achaeans, and they give way before
us, still we shall not return in good order by the way we came, but
shall leave many a man behind us whom the Achaeans will do to death in
defence of their ships. Thus would any seer who was