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

/> allies, and on that of the Danaans; for these last, too, fought no
bloodless fight though many fewer of them perished, through the care
they took to defend and stand by one another.

Thus did they fight as it were a flaming fire; it seemed as though it
had gone hard even with the sun and moon, for they were hidden over all
that part where the bravest heroes were fighting about the dead son of
Menoetius, whereas the other Danaans and Achaeans fought at their ease
in full daylight with brilliant sunshine all round them, and there was
not a cloud to be seen neither on plain nor mountain. These last
moreover would rest for a while and leave off fighting, for they were
some distance apart and beyond the range of one another's weapons,
whereas those who were in the thick of the fray suffered both from
battle and darkness. All the best of them were being worn out by the
great weight of their armour, but the two valiant heroes, Thrasymedes
and Antilochus, had not yet heard of the death of Patroclus, and
believed him to be still alive and leading the van against the Trojans;
they were keeping themselves in reserve against the death or rout of
their own comrades, for so Nestor had ordered when he sent them from
the ships into battle.

Thus through the livelong day did they wage fierce war, and the sweat
of their toil rained ever on their legs under them, and on their hands
and eyes, as they fought over the squire of the fleet son of Peleus. It
was as when a man gives a great ox-hide all drenched in fat to his men,
and bids them stretch it; whereon they stand round it in a ring and tug
till the moisture leaves it, and the fat soaks in for the many that
pull at it, and it is well stretched--even so did the two sides tug the
dead body hither and thither within the compass of but a little
space--the Trojans steadfastly set on dragging it into Ilius, while the
Achaeans were no less so on taking it to their ships; and fierce was
the fight between them. Not Mars himself the lord of hosts, nor yet
Minerva, even in their fullest fury could make light of such a battle.

Such fearful turmoil of men and horses did Jove on that day ordain
round the body of Patroclus. Meanwhile Achilles did not know that he
had fallen, for the fight was under the wall of Troy a long way off the
ships. He had no idea, therefore, that Patroclus was dead, and deemed
that he would return alive as soon as he had gone close up to the
gates. He knew that he was not to sack the city neither with nor
without himself, for his mother had often told him this when he had sat
alone with her, and she had informed him of the counsels of great Jove.
Now, however, she had not told him how great a disaster had befallen
him in the death of the one who was far dearest to him of all his
comrades.

The others still kept on charging one another round the body with their
pointed spears and killing each other. Then would one say, "My friends,
we can never again show our faces at the ships--better, and greatly
better, that earth should open and swallow us here in this place, than
that we should let the Trojans have the triumph of bearing off
Patroclus to their city."

The Trojans also on their part spoke to one another saying, "Friends,
though we fall to a man beside this body, let none shrink from
fighting." With such words did they exhort each other. They fought and
fought, and an iron clank rose through the void air to the brazen vault
of heaven. The horses of the descendant of Aeacus stood out of the
fight and wept when they heard that their driver had been laid low by
the hand of murderous Hector. Automedon, valiant son of Diores, lashed
them again and again; many a time did he speak kindly to them, and many
a time did he upbraid them, but they would neither go back to the ships
by the waters of the broad Hellespont, nor yet into battle among the
Achaeans; they stood with their chariot stock still, as a pillar set
over the tomb of some dead man or woman, and bowed their heads to the
ground. Hot tears fell from their eyes as they mourned the loss of
their charioteer, and their noble manes drooped all wet from under the
yokestraps on either side the yoke.

The son of Saturn saw them and took pity upon their sorrow. He wagged
his head, and muttered to himself, saying, "Poor things, why did we
give you to King Peleus who is a mortal, while you are yourselves
ageless and immortal? Was it that you might share the sorrows that
befall mankind? for of all creatures that live and move upon the earth
there is none so pitiable as he is--still, Hector son of Priam shall
drive neither you nor your chariot. I will not have it. It is enough
that he should have the armour over which he vaunts so vainly.
Furthermore I will give you strength of heart and limb to bear
Automedon safely to the ships from battle, for I shall let the Trojans
triumph still further, and go on killing till they reach the ships;
whereon night shall fall and darkness overshadow the land."

As he spoke he breathed heart and strength into the horses so that they
shook the dust from out of their manes, and bore their chariot swiftly
into the fight that raged between Trojans and Achaeans. Behind them
fought Automedon full of sorrow for his comrade, as a vulture amid a
flock of geese. In and out, and here and there, full speed he dashed
amid the throng of the Trojans, but for all the fury of his pursuit he
killed no man, for he could not wield his spear and keep his horses in
hand when alone in the chariot; at last, however, a comrade, Alcimedon,
son of Laerces son of Haemon caught sight of him and came up behind his
chariot. "Automedon," said he, "what god has put this folly into your
heart and robbed you of your right mind, that you fight the Trojans in
the front rank single-handed? He who was your comrade is slain, and
Hector plumes himself on being armed in the armour of the descendant of
Aeacus."

Automedon son of Diores answered, "Alcimedon, there is no one else who
can control and guide the immortal steeds so well as you can, save only
Patroclus--while he was alive--peer of gods in counsel. Take then the
whip and reins, while I go down from the car and fight."

Alcimedon sprang on to the chariot, and caught up the whip and reins,
while Automedon leaped from off the car. When Hector saw him he said to
Aeneas who was near him, "Aeneas, counsellor of the mail-clad Trojans,
I see the steeds of the fleet son of Aeacus come into battle with weak
hands to drive them. I am sure, if you think well, that we might take
them; they will not dare face us if we both attack them."

The valiant son of Anchises was of the same mind, and the pair went
right on, with their shoulders covered under shields of tough dry
ox-hide, overlaid with much bronze. Chromius and Aretus went also with
them, and their hearts beat high with hope that they might kill the men
and capture the horses--fools that they were, for they were not to
return scatheless from their meeting with Automedon, who prayed to
father Jove and was forthwith filled with courage and strength
abounding. He turned to his trusty comrade Alcimedon and said,
"Alcimedon, keep your horses so close up that I may feel their breath
upon my back; I doubt that we shall not stay Hector son of Priam till
he has killed us and mounted behind the horses; he will then either
spread panic among the ranks of the Achaeans, or himself be killed
among the foremost."

On this he cried out to the two Ajaxes and Menelaus, "Ajaxes captains
of the Argives, and Menelaus, give the dead body over to them that are
best able to defend it, and come to the rescue of us living; for Hector
and Aeneas who are the two best men among the Trojans, are pressing us
hard in the full tide of war. Nevertheless the issue lies on the lap of
heaven, I will therefore hurl my spear and leave the rest to Jove."

He poised and hurled as he spoke, whereon the spear struck the round
shield of Aretus, and went right through it for the shield stayed it
not, so that it was driven through his belt into the lower part of his
belly. As when some sturdy youth, axe in hand, deals his blow behind
the horns of an ox and severs the tendons at the back of its neck so
that it springs forward and then drops, even so did Aretus give one
bound and then fall on his back the spear quivering in his body till it
made an end of him. Hector then aimed a spear at Automedon but he saw
it coming and stooped forward to avoid it, so that it flew past him and
the point stuck in the ground, while the butt-end went on quivering
till Mars robbed it of its force. They would then have fought hand to
hand with swords had not the two Ajaxes forced their way through the
crowd when they heard their comrade calling, and parted them for all
their fury--for Hector, Aeneas, and Chromius were afraid and drew back,
leaving Aretus to lie there struck to the heart. Automedon, peer of
fleet Mars, then stripped him of his armour and vaunted over him
saying, "I have done little to assuage my sorrow for the son of
Menoetius, for the man I have killed is not so good as he was."

As he spoke he took the blood-stained spoils and laid them upon his
chariot; then he mounted the car with his hands and feet all steeped in
gore as a lion that has been gorging upon a bull.

And now the fierce groanful fight again raged about Patroclus, for
Minerva came down from heaven and roused its fury by the command of
far-seeing Jove, who had changed his mind and sent her to encourage the
Danaans. As when Jove bends his bright bow in heaven in token to
mankind either of war or of the chill storms that stay men from their
labour and plague the flocks--even so, wrapped in such radiant raiment,
did Minerva go in among the host and speak man by man to each. First
she took the form and voice of Phoenix and spoke to Menelaus son of
Atreus, who was standing near her. "Menelaus," said she, "it will be
shame and dishonour to you, if dogs tear the noble comrade of Achilles
under the walls of Troy. Therefore be staunch, and urge your men to be
so also."

Menelaus answered, "Phoenix, my good old friend, may Minerva vouchsafe
me strength and keep the darts from off me, for so shall I stand by
Patroclus and defend him; his death has gone to my heart, but Hector is
as a raging fire and deals his blows without ceasing, for Jove is now
granting him a time of triumph."

Minerva was pleased at his having named herself before any of the other
gods. Therefore she put strength into his knees and shoulders, and made
him as bold