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

as a fly, which, though driven off will yet come again and
bite if it can, so dearly does it love man's blood--even so bold as
this did she make him as he stood over Patroclus and threw his spear.
Now there was among the Trojans a man named Podes, son of Eetion, who
was both rich and valiant. Hector held him in the highest honour for he
was his comrade and boon companion; the spear of Menelaus struck this
man in the girdle just as he had turned in flight, and went right
through him. Whereon he fell heavily forward, and Menelaus son of
Atreus drew off his body from the Trojans into the ranks of his own
people.

Apollo then went up to Hector and spurred him on to fight, in the
likeness of Phaenops son of Asius who lived in Abydos and was the most
favoured of all Hector's guests. In his likeness Apollo said, "Hector,
who of the Achaeans will fear you henceforward now that you have
quailed before Menelaus who has ever been rated poorly as a soldier?
Yet he has now got a corpse away from the Trojans single-handed, and
has slain your own true comrade, a man brave among the foremost, Podes
son of Eetion."

A dark cloud of grief fell upon Hector as he heard, and he made his way
to the front clad in full armour. Thereon the son of Saturn seized his
bright tasselled aegis, and veiled Ida in cloud: he sent forth his
lightnings and his thunders, and as he shook his aegis he gave victory
to the Trojans and routed the Achaeans.

The panic was begun by Peneleos the Boeotian, for while keeping his
face turned ever towards the foe he had been hit with a spear on the
upper part of the shoulder; a spear thrown by Polydamas had grazed the
top of the bone, for Polydamas had come up to him and struck him from
close at hand. Then Hector in close combat struck Leitus son of noble
Alectryon in the hand by the wrist, and disabled him from fighting
further. He looked about him in dismay, knowing that never again should
he wield spear in battle with the Trojans. While Hector was in pursuit
of Leitus, Idomeneus struck him on the breastplate over his chest near
the nipple; but the spear broke in the shaft, and the Trojans cheered
aloud. Hector then aimed at Idomeneus son of Deucalion as he was
standing on his chariot, and very narrowly missed him, but the spear
hit Coiranus, a follower and charioteer of Meriones who had come with
him from Lyctus. Idomeneus had left the ships on foot and would have
afforded a great triumph to the Trojans if Coiranus had not driven
quickly up to him, he therefore brought life and rescue to Idomeneus,
but himself fell by the hand of murderous Hector. For Hector hit him on
the jaw under the ear; the end of the spear drove out his teeth and cut
his tongue in two pieces, so that he fell from his chariot and let the
reins fall to the ground. Meriones gathered them up from the ground and
took them into his own hands, then he said to Idomeneus, "Lay on, till
you get back to the ships, for you must see that the day is no longer
ours."

On this Idomeneus lashed the horses to the ships, for fear had taken
hold upon him.

Ajax and Menelaus noted how Jove had turned the scale in favour of the
Trojans, and Ajax was first to speak. "Alas," said he, "even a fool may
see that father Jove is helping the Trojans. All their weapons strike
home; no matter whether it be a brave man or a coward that hurls them,
Jove speeds all alike, whereas ours fall each one of them without
effect. What, then, will be best both as regards rescuing the body, and
our return to the joy of our friends who will be grieving as they look
hitherwards; for they will make sure that nothing can now check the
terrible hands of Hector, and that he will fling himself upon our
ships. I wish that some one would go and tell the son of Peleus at
once, for I do not think he can have yet heard the sad news that the
dearest of his friends has fallen. But I can see not a man among the
Achaeans to send, for they and their chariots are alike hidden in
darkness. O father Jove, lift this cloud from over the sons of the
Achaeans; make heaven serene, and let us see; if you will that we
perish, let us fall at any rate by daylight."

Father Jove heard him and had compassion upon his tears. Forthwith he
chased away the cloud of darkness, so that the sun shone out and all
the fighting was revealed. Ajax then said to Menelaus, "Look, Menelaus,
and if Antilochus son of Nestor be still living, send him at once to
tell Achilles that by far the dearest to him of all his comrades has
fallen."

Menelaus heeded his words and went his way as a lion from a
stockyard--the lion is tired of attacking the men and hounds, who keep
watch the whole night through and will not let him feast on the fat of
their herd. In his lust of meat he makes straight at them but in vain,
for darts from strong hands assail him, and burning brands which daunt
him for all his hunger, so in the morning he slinks sulkily away--even
so did Menelaus sorely against his will leave Patroclus, in great fear
lest the Achaeans should be driven back in rout and let him fall into
the hands of the foe. He charged Meriones and the two Ajaxes straitly
saying, "Ajaxes and Meriones, leaders of the Argives, now indeed
remember how good Patroclus was; he was ever courteous while alive,
bear it in mind now that he is dead."

With this Menelaus left them, looking round him as keenly as an eagle,
whose sight they say is keener than that of any other bird--however
high he may be in the heavens, not a hare that runs can escape him by
crouching under bush or thicket, for he will swoop down upon it and
make an end of it--even so, O Menelaus, did your keen eyes range round
the mighty host of your followers to see if you could find the son of
Nestor still alive. Presently Menelaus saw him on the extreme left of
the battle cheering on his men and exhorting them to fight boldly.
Menelaus went up to him and said, "Antilochus, come here and listen to
sad news, which I would indeed were untrue. You must see with your own
eyes that heaven is heaping calamity upon the Danaans, and giving
victory to the Trojans. Patroclus has fallen, who was the bravest of
the Achaeans, and sorely will the Danaans miss him. Run instantly to
the ships and tell Achilles, that he may come to rescue the body and
bear it to the ships. As for the armour, Hector already has it."

Antilochus was struck with horror. For a long time he was speechless;
his eyes filled with tears and he could find no utterance, but he did
as Menelaus had said, and set off running as soon as he had given his
armour to a comrade, Laodocus, who was wheeling his horses round, close
beside him.

Thus, then, did he run weeping from the field, to carry the bad news to
Achilles son of Peleus. Nor were you, O Menelaus, minded to succour his
harassed comrades, when Antilochus had left the Pylians--and greatly
did they miss him--but he sent them noble Thrasymedes, and himself went
back to Patroclus. He came running up to the two Ajaxes and said, "I
have sent Antilochus to the ships to tell Achilles, but rage against
Hector as he may, he cannot come, for he cannot fight without armour.
What then will be our best plan both as regards rescuing the dead, and
our own escape from death amid the battle-cries of the Trojans?"

Ajax answered, "Menelaus, you have said well: do you, then, and
Meriones stoop down, raise the body, and bear it out of the fray, while
we two behind you keep off Hector and the Trojans, one in heart as in
name, and long used to fighting side by side with one another."

On this Menelaus and Meriones took the dead man in their arms and
lifted him high aloft with a great effort. The Trojan host raised a hue
and cry behind them when they saw the Achaeans bearing the body away,
and flew after them like hounds attacking a wounded boar at the loo of
a band of young huntsmen. For a while the hounds fly at him as though
they would tear him in pieces, but now and again he turns on them in a
fury, scaring and scattering them in all directions--even so did the
Trojans for a while charge in a body, striking with sword and with
spears pointed at both the ends, but when the two Ajaxes faced them and
stood at bay, they would turn pale and no man dared press on to fight
further about the dead.

In this wise did the two heroes strain every nerve to bear the body to
the ships out of the fight. The battle raged round them like fierce
flames that when once kindled spread like wildfire over a city, and the
houses fall in the glare of its burning--even such was the roar and
tramp of men and horses that pursued them as they bore Patroclus from
the field. Or as mules that put forth all their strength to draw some
beam or great piece of ship's timber down a rough mountain-track, and
they pant and sweat as they go--even so did Menelaus and pant and sweat
as they bore the body of Patroclus. Behind them the two Ajaxes held
stoutly out. As some wooded mountain-spur that stretches across a plain
will turn water and check the flow even of a great river, nor is there
any stream strong enough to break through it--even so did the two
Ajaxes face the Trojans and stem the tide of their fighting though they
kept pouring on towards them and foremost among them all was Aeneas son
of Anchises with valiant Hector. As a flock of daws or starlings fall
to screaming and chattering when they see a falcon, foe to all small
birds, come soaring near them, even so did the Achaean youth raise a
babel of cries as they fled before Aeneas and Hector, unmindful of
their former prowess. In the rout of the Danaans much goodly armour
fell round about the trench, and of fighting there was no end.


BOOK XVIII

The grief of Achilles over Patroclus--The visit of Thetis
to Vulcan and the armour that he made for Achilles.

THUS then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. Meanwhile the fleet
runner Antilochus, who had been sent as messenger, reached Achilles,
and found him sitting by his tall ships and boding that which was
indeed too surely true. "Alas," said he to himself in the heaviness of
his heart, "why are the Achaeans again scouring the plain and flocking
towards the ships? Heaven grant the gods be not now bringing that
sorrow upon me of which my mother Thetis spoke, saying that while I was
yet alive the bravest of the Myrmidons should fall before the Trojans,
and see the light of the sun no longer. I fear the brave son of
Menoetius has fallen through his own daring and yet I bade him return
to the ships as