The Iliad of Homer, Homer [reading fiction TXT] 📗

"Through the long walls the stony showers were heard,

The blaze of flames, the flash of arms appeared."--Pope.

But the Lapithæ began the battle and contest. Then the son of Pirithous, brave Polypœtes, smote Damasus with his spear, through his brazen-cheeked helmet; nor did the brazen casque withstand, but the brazen blade burst quite through the bone, and all the brain within was shattered. Thus he subdued him, rushing on, and afterwards he slew Pylon and Ormenus. And Leonteus, a branch of Mars, wounded Hippomachus, the son of Antimachus, with his spear, striking him at the belt. Next, drawing his sharp sword from the sheath, he, rushing through the crowd, smote Antiphates first, hand to hand, and he was dashed on his back to the ground; then Menon and Iämenus, and Orestes, all one over another he brought to the fertile earth.

Whilst they were stripping off their glittering armour, those youths, meantime, who were most numerous and most brave, and who were most eager to break down the wall, and burn the ships with fire, followed Polydamas and Hector, and they anxiously deliberated, standing at the trench. For an augury had appeared on the left to them while eager to cross, a high-flying eagle dividing the people, 400 bearing in his talons a monstrous blood-stained serpent, alive, still panting; nor was it yet forgetful of fighting; for, while holding it, writhing backwards, it wounded him upon the breast near the neck; but he let it drop from him to the ground, afflicted with anguish, and threw it into the midst of the crowd, and, flapping his wings, he fled away with the breeze of the wind. And the Trojans shuddered as they beheld the spotted serpent lying in the midst, a prodigy of ægis-bearing Jove. Then Polydamas, standing near, addressed gallant Hector:

"Hector, somehow or other thou art ever chiding me in the assemblies, although proposing good counsels; because it is by no means becoming for a man, being a citizen, to harangue contrary to thee, either in council or at any time in war; but ever to increase thy authority. Yet will I again speak as appears to me to be best. Let us not go about to fight with the Greeks for their ships; for thus do I think it will end, as sure as this augury has come to the Trojans desiring to cross, the high-flying eagle upon the left dividing the army, bearing in its talons a huge blood-stained serpent, [still] living; but presently it dropped it, before it reached its dear home, nor succeeded in carrying it to give it to its young: so we, if even we shall with great force break through the gates and wall of the Greeks, and the Greeks shall give way,--not in order shall we return by the same way from the ships: for we shall leave many Trojans, whom the Greeks, fighting for the ships, will subdue with the brass. Thus indeed would the diviner, who truly kens omens in his mind, interpret, and the people would obey him."

Footnote 400:(return) Either flying between the ranks of the Trojans, or between the two opposing armies. Compare Cicero's translation, de Divin. i. 47, and Virg. Æn. xi. 751, sqq. (with Macrob. Sat. v. 13), and xii. 247, sqq. The event of the Trojan war proved that Polydamas was right in his interpretation.

But him sternly regarding, crest-tossing Hector thus addressed: "O Polydamas, thou dost not say things agreeable to me: besides, thou knowest how to devise other counsel better than this. If, however, thou really speakest this with seriousness, then truly have the gods destroyed thy judgment from thee, who advisest me to be forgetful of the counsels of lofty-thundering Jove, which he hath himself undertaken for me, and confirmed. And thou exhortest me to obey the wing-expanding birds; which I very little regard, nor do I care for them, whether they fly to the right towards the Morn and the Sun, or to the left towards the darkening west; but let us obey the will of mighty Jove, who rules over all mortals and immortals. There is one augury, the best, to fight for our country. 401 Why dost thou dread the war and conflict? For although all the rest of us should perish round the ships of the Greeks, there is no fear that thou wilt perish, for thy heart is not persevering in the fight, nor warlike. But if thou darest to abstain from the combat, or dissuading, dost avert another from the battle, immediately stricken by my spear, shalt thou lose thy life."

Thus then having spoken, he led the way, but they followed him with an immense clamour. Then thunder-delighting Jove raised a storm of wind from the Idæan mountains, which bore the dust directly towards the ships; moreover, he weakened the courage of the Greeks, but bestowed glory upon the Trojans and Hector: so that, relying upon his prodigies, and [their own] strength, they endeavoured to break through the mighty wall of the Greeks. They tore down the niched battlements of the towers, and demolished the breast-works, 402 and with levers they upheaved the projecting buttresses, which the Greeks had planted first in the earth, as supporters of the towers. These then they tore down, and hoped to break through the wall of the Greeks.

Yet did not the Greeks retire as yet from the way; but fencing up the embrazures with their ox-hide shields, they wounded from behind them the enemy coming up under the wall. And both the Ajaces ranged in every direction upon the towers, cheering on, rousing the valour of the Greeks. One [they addressed] 403 with soothing, another they rebuked with harsh expressions, whomsoever they beheld totally neglectful of battle:

Footnote 401:(return) Cf. Aristot. Rhet. ii. 22; Cicero Ep. ad Attic, ii. 3. See, also, Duport, Gnom. Horn. p. 73. Footnote 402:(return) Observe the zeugma, and compare Il. Ω. 8, Γ. 327; Od. Ξ. 291; and the most elaborate and accurate note on this construction of D'Orville on Charit. iv. 4, p. 440, sqq. ed. Lips., with Burm. and Schwabe on Phædr. iv. 17, 31; Duker on Flor. iii. 21, 26. Footnote 403:(return) Id.

"O friends, whoever of the Greeks is excelling, or moderate, or inferior (since all men are not alike in war), now is there work for all; and ye yourselves, I ween, know this. Let not any one be turned back towards the ships, hearing the threatener [Hector], but advance onwards, and exhort each other, if perchance Olympic Jove, the darter of lightning, may grant that, having repulsed the conflict, we may pursue the enemy to the city."

Thus they, shouting in front, cheered on the attack of the Greeks. But of them--as when frequent flakes of snow fall upon a winter's day, when provident Jove has begun to snow, displaying his weapons in the sight of men, and, having lulled the winds, pours it down incessantly, till he covers the tops and highest peaks of the lofty mountains, and the lotus plains and rich husbandry of men: and likewise it is poured out upon the havens and shores of the hoary sea; but the approaching wave restrains its progress, whilst all other things are covered beneath it, when the shower of Jove comes down heavily; so flew the frequent stones from those hurling on both sides, some indeed towards the Trojans, and others from the Trojans towards the Greeks. And along the whole wall a tumult arose.

Yet never would the Trojans and illustrious Hector have burst open the gates of the wall, and the long bolt, had not provident Jove urged on his son, Sarpedon, against the Greeks, like a lion against crooked-horned oxen. But he immediately held before him his shield, equal on all sides, beautiful, brazen, plated; which the brazier indeed had plated over, and underneath had sewed together thick bulls' hides, with successive golden wires round its orb. He then, holding this before him, advanced, brandishing two spears, like a lion reared in the mountains, which hath been long in want of flesh, and whose valiant mind impels him to go even to the well-fenced fold, about to make an attempt upon the sheep. And although he there find the shepherds keeping watch about their flocks with dogs and spears, still he cannot bear to be driven away, without having made trial of the fold, but, springing in, he either carries [one] off, or is himself wounded among the first by a javelin from a quick hand. Thus then did his mind impel godlike Sarpedon to attack the wall, and to burst through the barriers; and instantly he addressed Glaucus, son of Hippolochus:

"Glaucus, 404 why are we especially honoured in Lycia, both with the [first] seat in banquet, and with full goblets, and why do all look to us as to gods? Why do we also possess a great and beautiful enclosure of the vine-bearing and corn-bearing land on the banks of Xanthus? Now, therefore, it behoves us, advancing among the foremost Lycians, to stand firm, and to bear the brunt of the raging fight; so that some one of the closely-armed Lycians may say, 'By no means inglorious do our kings govern Lycia, and eat the fat sheep, and [drink] 405 the choice sweet wine; but their valour likewise is excelling, because they fight among the foremost Lycians.' O dear friend, if indeed, by escaping from this war, we were destined to be ever free from old age, and immortal, neither would I combat myself in the van, nor send thee into the glorious battle. But now--for of a truth ten thousand Fates of death press upon us, which it is not possible for a mortal to escape or avoid--let us on: either we shall give glory to some one, or some one to us."

Thus he spake, nor did Glaucus turn aside or disobey, but both advanced straight forward, leading a numerous band of Lycians. But Menestheus, the son of Peteus, beholding them, shuddered, for they were advancing towards his company, bearing destruction. He looked round along the line of the Greeks, if he might see any of the leaders who could ward off the fight from his companions, and perceived the two Ajaces, insatiable of war, standing, and Teucer, lately come from his tent, near at hand. Yet was it not possible for him to be heard when shouting, so great was the din; and the crash of stricken shields, and of horse-hair crested helmets, and of the gates, reached to heaven. For they had assailed all, 406 and they, standing beside them, endeavoured to enter, bursting them open by force. But immediately he despatched the herald Thoötes to Ajax:

Footnote 404:(return) Milton, P.L. ii. 450:---