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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="/comments.php?id=410298" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Iliad: Book 17</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="/comments.php?id=410298" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Brave Menelaus son of Atreus now came to know that Patroclus had<br>fallen, and made his way through the front ranks clad in full armour<br>to bestride him. As a cow stands lowing over her first calf, even so<br>did yellow-haired Menelaus bestride Patroclus. He held his round<br>shield and his spear in front of him, resolute to kill any who<br>should dare face him. But the son of Panthous had also noted the body,<br>and came up to Menelaus saying, "Menelaus, son of Atreus, draw back,<br>leave the body, and let the bloodstained spoils be. I was first of the<br>Trojans and their brave allies to drive my spear into Patroclus, let<br>me, therefore, have my full glory among the Trojans, or I will take<br>aim and kill you."<br>To this Menelaus answered in great anger "By father Jove, boasting<br>is an ill thing. The pard is not more bold, nor the lion nor savage<br>wild-boar, which is fiercest and most dauntless of all creatures, than<br>are the proud sons of Panthous. Yet Hyperenor did not see out the days<br>of his youth when he made light of me and withstood me, deeming me the<br>meanest soldier among the Danaans. His own feet never bore him back to<br>gladden his wife and parents. Even so shall I make an end of you<br>too, if you withstand me; get you back into the crowd and do not<br>face me, or it shall be worse for you. Even a fool may be wise after<br>the event."<br>Euphorbus would not listen, and said, "Now indeed, Menelaus, shall<br>you pay for the death of my brother over whom you vaunted, and whose<br>wife you widowed in her bridal chamber, while you brought grief<br>unspeakable on his parents. I shall comfort these poor people if I<br>bring your head and armour and place them in the hands of Panthous and<br>noble Phrontis. The time is come when this matter shall be fought<br>out and settled, for me or against me."<br>As he spoke he struck Menelaus full on the shield, but the spear did<br>not go through, for the shield turned its point. Menelaus then took<br>aim, praying to father Jove as he did so; Euphorbus was drawing<br>back, and Menelaus struck him about the roots of his throat, leaning<br>his whole weight on the spear, so as to drive it home. The point<br>went clean through his neck, and his armour rang rattling round him as<br>he fell heavily to the ground. His hair which was like that of the<br>Graces, and his locks so deftly bound in bands of silver and gold,<br>were all bedrabbled with blood. As one who has grown a fine young<br>olive tree in a clear space where there is abundance of water- the<br>plant is full of promise, and though the winds beat upon it from every<br>quarter it puts forth its white blossoms till the blasts of some<br>fierce hurricane sweep down upon it and level it with the ground- even<br>so did Menelaus strip the fair youth Euphorbus of his armour after<br>he had slain him. Or as some fierce lion upon the mountains in the<br>pride of his strength fastens on the finest heifer in a herd as it<br>is feeding- first he breaks her neck with his strong jaws, and then<br>gorges on her blood and entrails; dogs and shepherds raise a hue and<br>cry against him, but they stand aloof and will not come close to<br>him, for they are pale with fear- even so no one had the courage to<br>face valiant Menelaus. The son of Atreus would have then carried off<br>the armour of the son of Panthous with ease, had not Phoebus Apollo<br>been angry, and in the guise of Mentes chief of the Cicons incited<br>Hector to attack him. "Hector," said he, "you are now going after<br>the horses of the noble son of Aeacus, but you will not take them;<br>they cannot be kept in hand and driven by mortal man, save only by<br>Achilles, who is son to an immortal mother. Meanwhile Menelaus son<br>of Atreus has bestridden the body of Patroclus and killed the<br>noblest of the Trojans, Euphorbus son of Panthous, so that he can<br>fight no more."<br>The god then went back into the toil and turmoil, but the soul of<br>Hector was darkened with a cloud of grief; he looked along the ranks<br>and saw Euphorbus lying on the ground with the blood still flowing<br>from his wound, and Menelaus stripping him of his armour. On this he<br>made his way to the front like a flame of fire, clad in his gleaming<br>armour, and crying with a loud voice. When the son of Atreus heard<br>him, he said to himself in his dismay, "Alas! what shall I do? I may<br>not let the Trojans take the armour of Patroclus who has fallen<br>fighting on my behalf, lest some Danaan who sees me should cry shame<br>upon me. Still if for my honour's sake I fight Hector and the<br>Trojans single-handed, they will prove too many for me, for Hector<br>is bringing them up in force. Why, however, should I thus hesitate?<br>When a man fights in despite of heaven with one whom a god<br>befriends, he will soon rue it. Let no Danaan think ill of me if I<br>give place to Hector, for the hand of heaven is with him. Yet, if I<br>could find Ajax, the two of us would fight Hector and heaven too, if<br>we might only save the body of Patroclus for Achilles son of Peleus.<br>This, of many evils would be the least."<br>While he was thus in two minds, the Trojans came up to him with<br>Hector at their head; he therefore drew back and left the body,<br>turning about like some bearded lion who is being chased by dogs and<br>men from a stockyard with spears and hue and cry, whereon he is<br>daunted and slinks sulkily off- even so did Menelaus son of Atreus<br>turn and leave the body of Patroclus. When among the body of his<br>men, he looked around for mighty Ajax son of Telamon, and presently<br>saw him on the extreme left of the fight, cheering on his men and<br>exhorting them to keep on fighting, for Phoebus Apollo had spread a<br>great panic among them. He ran up to him and said, "Ajax, my good<br>friend, come with me at once to dead Patroclus, if so be that we may<br>take the body to Achilles- as for his armour, Hector already has it."<br>These words stirred the heart of Ajax, and he made his way among the<br>front ranks, Menelaus going with him. Hector had stripped Patroclus of<br>his armour, and was dragging him away to cut off his head and take the<br>body to fling before the dogs of Troy. But Ajax came up with his<br>shield like wall before him, on which Hector withdrew under shelter of<br>his men, and sprang on to his chariot, giving the armour over to the<br>Trojans to take to the city, as a great trophy for himself; Ajax,<br>therefore, covered the body of Patroclus with his broad shield and<br>bestrode him; as a lion stands over his whelps if hunters have come<br>upon him in a forest when he is with his little ones- in the pride and<br>fierceness of his strength he draws his knit brows down till they<br>cover his eyes- even so did Ajax bestride the body of Patroclus, and<br>by his side stood Menelaus son of Atreus, nursing great sorrow in<br>his heart.<br>Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus looked fiercely at Hector and<br>rebuked him sternly. "Hector," said he, "you make a brave show, but in<br>fight you are sadly wanting. A runaway like yourself has no claim to<br>so great a reputation. Think how you may now save your town and<br>citadel by the hands of your own people born in Ilius; for you will<br>get no Lycians to fight for you, seeing what thanks they have had<br>for their incessant hardships. Are you likely, sir, to do anything<br>to help a man of less note, after leaving Sarpedon, who was at once<br>your guest and comrade in arms, to be the spoil and prey of the<br>Danaans? So long as he lived he did good service both to your city and<br>yourself; yet you had no stomach to save his body from the dogs. If<br>the Lycians will listen to me, they will go home and leave Troy to its<br>fate. If the Trojans had any of that daring fearless spirit which lays<br>hold of men who are fighting for their country and harassing those who<br>would attack it, we should soon bear off Patroclus into Ilius. Could<br>we get this dead man away and bring him into the city of Priam, the<br>Argives would readily give up the armour of Sarpedon, and we should<br>get his body to boot. For he whose squire has been now killed is the<br>foremost man at the ships of the Achaeans- he and his close-fighting<br>followers. Nevertheless you dared not make a stand against Ajax, nor<br>face him, eye to eye, with battle all round you, for he is a braver<br>man than you are."<br>Hector scowled at him and answered, "Glaucus, you should know<br>better. I have held you so far as a man of more understanding than any<br>in all Lycia, but now I despise you for saying that I am afraid of<br>Ajax. I fear neither battle nor the din of chariots, but Jove's will<br>is stronger than ours; Jove at one time makes even a strong man draw<br>back and snatches victory from his grasp, while at another he will set<br>him on to fight. Come hither then, my friend, stand by me and see<br>indeed whether I shall play the coward the whole day through as you<br>say, or whether I shall not stay some even of the boldest Danaans from<br>fighting round the body of Patroclus."<br>As he spoke he called loudly on the Trojans saying, "Trojans,<br>Lycians, and Dardanians, fighters in close combat, be men, my friends,<br>and fight might and main, while I put on the goodly armour of<br>Achilles, which I took when I killed Patroclus."<br>With this Hector left the fight, and ran full speed after his men<br>who were taking the armour of Achilles to Troy, but had not yet got<br>far. Standing for a while apart from the woeful fight, he changed<br>his armour. His own he sent to the strong city of Ilius and to the<br>Trojans, while he put on the immortal armour of the son of Peleus,<br>which the gods had given to Peleus, who in his age gave it to his son;<br>but the son did not grow old in his father's armour.<br>When Jove, lord of the storm-cloud, saw Hector standing aloof and<br>arming himself in the armour of the son of Peleus, he wagged his<br>head and muttered to himself saying, "A! poor wretch, you arm in the<br>armour of a hero, before whom many another trembles, and you reck<br>nothing of the doom that is already close upon you. You have killed<br>his comrade so brave and strong, but it was not well that you should<br>strip the armour from his head and shoulders. I do indeed endow you<br>with great might now, but as against this you shall not return from<br>battle to lay the armour of the son of Peleus before Andromache."<br>The son of Saturn bowed his portentous brows, and Hector fitted<br>the armour to his body, while terrible Mars entered into him, and<br>filled his whole body with might and valour. With a shout he strode in<br>among the allies, and his armour flashed about him so that he seemed<br>to all of them like the great son of Peleus himself. He went about<br>among them and cheered them on- Mesthles, Glaucus, Medon,<br>Thersilochus, Asteropaeus, Deisenor and Hippothous, Phorcys,<br>Chromius and Ennomus the augur. All these did he exhort saying,<br>"Hear me, allies from other cities who are here in your thousands,<br>it was not in order to have a crowd about me that I called you<br>hither each from his several city, but that with heart and soul you<br>might defend the wives and little ones of the Trojans from the<br>fierce Achaeans. For this do I oppress my people with your food and<br>the presents that make you rich. Therefore turn, and charge at the<br>foe, to stand or fall as is the game of war; whoever shall bring<br>Patroclus, dead though he be, into the hands of the Trojans, and shall<br>make Ajax give way before him, I will give him one half of the<br>spoils while I keep the other. He will thus share like honour with<br>myself."<br>When he had thus spoken they charged full weight upon the Danaans<br>with their spears held out before them, and the hopes of each ran high<br>that he should force Ajax son of Telamon to yield up the body- fools<br>that they were, for he was about to take the lives of many. Then<br>Ajax said to Menelaus, "My good friend Menelaus, you and I shall<br>hardly come out of this fight alive. I am less concerned for the<br>body of Patroclus, who will shortly become meat for the dogs and<br>vultures of Troy, than for the safety of my own head and yours. Hector<br>has wrapped us round in a storm of battle from every quarter, and<br>our destruction seems now certain. Call then upon the princes of the<br>Danaans if there is any who can hear us."<br>Menelaus did as he said, and shouted to the Danaans for help at<br>the top of his voice. "My friends," he cried, "princes and counsellors<br>of the Argives, all you who with Agamemnon and Menelaus drink at the<br>public cost, and give orders each to his own people as Jove vouchsafes<br>him power and glory, the fight is so thick about me that I cannot<br>distinguish you severally; come on, therefore, every man unbidden, and<br>think it shame that Patroclus should become meat and morsel for Trojan<br>hounds."<br>Fleet Ajax son of Oileus heard him and was first to force his way<br>through the fight and run to help him. Next came Idomeneus and<br>Meriones his esquire, peer of murderous Mars. As for the others that<br>came into the fight after these, who of his own self could name them?<br>The Trojans with Hector at their head charged in a body. As a<br>great wave that comes thundering in at the mouth of some heaven-born<br>river, and the rocks that jut into the sea ring with the roar of the<br>breakers that beat and buffet them- even with such a roar did the<br>Trojans come on; but the Achaeans in singleness of heart stood firm<br>about the son of Menoetius, and fenced him with their bronze<br>shields. Jove, moreover, hid the brightness of their helmets in a<br>thick cloud, for he had borne no grudge against the son of Menoetius<br>while he was still alive and squire to the descendant of Aeacus;<br>therefore he was loth to let him fall a prey to the dogs of his foes<br>the Trojans, and urged his comrades on to defend him.<br>At first the Trojans drove the Achaeans back, and they withdrew from<br>the dead man daunted. The Trojans did not succeed in killing any<br>one, nevertheless they drew the body away. But the Achaeans did not<br>lose it long, for Ajax, foremost of all the Danaans after the son of<br>Peleus alike in stature and prowess, quickly rallied them and made<br>towards the front like a wild boar upon the mountains when he stands<br>at bay in the forest glades and routs the hounds and lusty youths that<br>have attacked him- even so did Ajax son of Telamon passing easily in<br>among the phalanxes of the Trojans, disperse those who had<br>bestridden Patroclus and were most bent on winning glory by dragging<br>him off to their city. At this moment Hippothous brave son of the<br>Pelasgian Lethus, in his zeal for Hector and the Trojans, was dragging<br>the body off by the foot through the press of the fight, having<br>bound a strap round the sinews near the ancle; but a mischief soon<br>befell him from which none of those could save him who would have<br>gladly done so, for the son of Telamon sprang forward and smote him on<br>his bronze-cheeked helmet. The plumed headpiece broke about the<br>point of the weapon, struck at once by the spear and by the strong<br>hand of Ajax, so that the bloody brain came oozing out through the<br>crest-socket. His strength then failed him and he let Patroclus'<br>foot drop from his hand, as he fell full length dead upon the body;<br>thus he died far from the fertile land of Larissa, and never repaid<br>his parents the cost of bringing him up, for his life was cut short<br>early by the spear of mighty Ajax. Hector then took aim at Ajax with a<br>spear, but he saw it coming and just managed to avoid it; the spear<br>passed on and struck Schedius son of noble Iphitus, captain of the<br>Phoceans, who dwelt in famed Panopeus and reigned over much people; it<br>struck him under the middle of the collar-bone the bronze point went<br>right through him, coming out at the bottom of his shoulder-blade, and<br>his armour rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground.<br>Ajax in his turn struck noble Phorcys son of Phaenops in the middle of<br>the belly as he was bestriding Hippothous, and broke the plate of<br>his cuirass; whereon the spear tore out his entrails and he clutched<br>the ground in his palm as he fell to earth. Hector and those who<br>were in the front rank then gave ground, while the Argives raised a<br>loud cry of triumph, and drew off the bodies of Phorcys and Hippothous<br>which they stripped presently of their armour.<br>The Trojans would now have been worsted by the brave Achaeans and<br>driven back to Ilius through their own cowardice, while the Argives,<br>so great was their courage and endurance, would have achieved a<br>triumph even against the will of Jove, if Apollo had not roused<br>Aeneas, in the likeness of Periphas son of Epytus, an attendant who<br>had grown old in the service of Aeneas' aged father, and was at all<br>times devoted to him. In his likeness, then, Apollo said, "Aeneas, can<br>you not manage, even though heaven be against us, to save high<br>Ilius? I have known men, whose numbers, courage, and self-reliance<br>have saved their people in spite of Jove, whereas in this case he<br>would much rather give victory to us than to the Danaans, if you would<br>only fight instead of being so terribly afraid."<br>Aeneas knew Apollo when he looked straight at him, and shouted to<br>Hector saying, "Hector and all other Trojans and allies, shame on us<br>if we are beaten by the Achaeans and driven back to Ilius through<br>our own cowardice. A god has just come up to me and told me that<br>Jove the supreme disposer will be with us. Therefore let us make for<br>the Danaans, that it may go hard with them ere they bear away dead<br>Patroclus to the ships."<br>As he spoke he sprang out far in front of the others, who then<br>rallied and again faced the Achaeans. Aeneas speared Leiocritus son of<br>Arisbas, a valiant follower of Lycomedes, and Lycomedes was moved with<br>pity as he saw him fall; he therefore went close up, and speared<br>Apisaon son of Hippasus shepherd of his people in the liver under<br>the midriff, so that he died; he had come from fertile Paeonia and was<br>the best man of them all after Asteropaeus. Asteropaeus flew forward<br>to avenge him and attack the Danaans, but this might no longer be,<br>inasmuch as those about Patroclus were well covered by their<br>shields, and held their spears in front of them, for Ajax had given<br>them strict orders that no man was either to give ground, or to<br>stand out before the others, but all were to hold well together<br>about the body and fight hand to hand. Thus did huge Ajax bid them,<br>and the earth ran red with blood as the corpses fell thick on one<br>another alike on the side of the Trojans and allies, and on that of<br>the Danaans; for these last, too, fought no bloodless fight though<br>many fewer of them perished, through the care they took to defend<br>and stand by one another.<br>Thus did they fight as it were a flaming fire; it seemed as though<br>it had gone hard even with the sun and moon, for they were hidden over<br>all that part where the bravest heroes were fighting about the dead<br>son of Menoetius, whereas the other Danaans and Achaeans fought at<br>their ease in full daylight with brilliant sunshine all round them,<br>and there was not a cloud to be seen neither on plain nor mountain.<br>These last moreover would rest for a while and leave off fighting, for<br>they were some distance apart and beyond the range of one another's<br>weapons, whereas those who were in the thick of the fray suffered both<br>from battle and darkness. All the best of them were being worn out<br>by the great weight of their armour, but the two valiant heroes,<br>Thrasymedes and Antilochus, had not yet heard of the death of<br>Patroclus, and believed him to be still alive and leading the van<br>against the Trojans; they were keeping themselves in reserve against<br>the death or rout of their own comrades, for so Nestor had ordered<br>when he sent them from the ships into battle.<br>Thus through the livelong day did they wage fierce war, and the<br>sweat of their toil rained ever on their legs under them, and on their<br>hands and eyes, as they fought over the squire of the fleet son of<br>Peleus. It was as when a man gives a great ox-hide all drenched in fat<br>to his men, and bids them stretch it; whereon they stand round it in a<br>ring and tug till the moisture leaves it, and the fat soaks in for the<br>many that pull at it, and it is well stretched- even so did the two<br>sides tug the dead body hither and thither within the compass of but a<br>little space- the Trojans steadfastly set on drag ing it into Ilius,<br>while the Achaeans were no less so on taking it to their ships; and<br>fierce was the fight between them. Not Mars himself the lord of hosts,<br>nor yet Minerva, even in their fullest fury could make light of such a<br>battle.<br>Such fearful turmoil of men and horses did Jove on that day ordain<br>round the body of Patroclus. Meanwhile Achilles did not know that he<br>had fallen, for the fight was under the wall of Troy a long way off<br>the ships. He had no idea, therefore, that Patroclus was dead, and<br>deemed that he would return alive as soon as he had gone close up to<br>the gates. He knew that he was not to sack the city neither with nor<br>without himself, for his mother had often told him this when he had<br>sat alone with her, and she had informed him of the counsels of<br>great Jove. Now, however, she had not told him how great a disaster<br>had befallen him in the death of the one who was far dearest to him of<br>all his comrades.<br>The others still kept on charging one another round the body with<br>their pointed spears and killing each other. Then would one say, "My<br>friends, we can never again show our faces at the ships- better, and<br>greatly better, that earth should open and swallow us here in this<br>place, than that we should let the Trojans have the triumph of bearing<br>off Patroclus to their city."<br>The Trojans also on their part spoke to one another saying,<br>"Friends, though we fall to a man beside this body, let none shrink<br>from fighting." With such words did they exhort each other. They<br>fought and fought, and an iron clank rose through the void air to<br>the brazen vault of heaven. The horses of the descendant of Aeacus<br>stood out of the fight and wept when they heard that their driver<br>had been laid low by the hand of murderous Hector. Automedon,<br>valiant son of Diores, lashed them again and again; many a time did he<br>speak kindly to them, and many a time did he upbraid them, but they<br>would neither go back to the ships by the waters of the broad<br>Hellespont, nor yet into battle among the Achaeans; they stood with<br>their chariot stock still, as a pillar set over the tomb of some<br>dead man or woman, and bowed their heads to the ground. Hot tears fell<br>from their eyes as they mourned the loss of their charioteer, and<br>their noble manes drooped all wet from under the yokestraps on<br>either side the yoke.<br>The son of Saturn saw them and took pity upon their sorrow. He<br>wagged his head, and muttered to himself, saying, "Poor things, why<br>did we give you to King Peleus who is a mortal, while you are<br>yourselves ageless and immortal? Was it that you might share the<br>sorrows that befall mankind? for of all creatures that live and move<br>upon the earth there is none so pitiable as he is- still, Hector son<br>of Priam shall drive neither you nor your chariot. I will not have it.<br>It is enough that he should have the armour over which he vaunts so<br>vainly. Furthermore I will give you strength of heart and limb to bear<br>Automedon safely to the ships from battle, for I shall let the Trojans<br>triumph still further, and go on killing till they reach the ships;<br>whereon night shall fall and darkness overshadow the land."<br>As he spoke he breathed heart and strength into the horses so that<br>they shook the dust from out of their manes, and bore their chariot<br>swiftly into the fight that raged between Trojans and Achaeans. Behind<br>them fought Automedon full of sorrow for his comrade, as a vulture<br>amid a flock of geese. In and out, and here and there, full speed he<br>dashed amid the throng of the Trojans, but for all the fury of his<br>pursuit he killed no man, for he could not wield his spear and keep<br>his horses in hand when alone in the chariot; at last, however, a<br>comrade, Alcimedon, son of Laerces son of Haemon caught sight of him<br>and came up behind his chariot. "Automedon," said he, "what god has<br>put this folly into your heart and robbed you of your right mind, that<br>you fight the Trojans in the front rank single-handed? He who was your<br>comrade is slain, and Hector plumes himself on being armed in the<br>armour of the descendant of Aeacus."<br>Automedon son of Diores answered, "Alcimedon, there is no one else<br>who can control and guide the immortal steeds so well as you can, save<br>only Patroclus- while he was alive- peer of gods in counsel. Take then<br>the whip and reins, while I go down from the car and fight.<br>Alcimedon sprang on to the chariot, and caught up the whip and<br>reins, while Automedon leaped from off the car. When Hector saw him he<br>said to Aeneas who was near him, "Aeneas, counsellor of the<br>mail-clad Trojans, I see the steeds of the fleet son of Aeacus come<br>into battle with weak hands to drive them. I am sure, if you think<br>well, that we might take them; they will not dare face us if we both<br>attack them."<br>The valiant son of Anchises was of the same mind, and the pair<br>went right on, with their shoulders covered under shields of tough dry<br>ox-hide, overlaid with much bronze. Chromius and Aretus went also with<br>them, and their hearts beat high with hope that they might kill the<br>men and capture the horses- fools that they were, for they were not to<br>return scatheless from their meeting with Automedon, who prayed to<br>father Jove and was forthwith filled with courage and strength<br>abounding. He turned to his trusty comrade Alcimedon and said,<br>"Alcimedon, keep your horses so close up that I may feel their<br>breath upon my back; I doubt that we shall not stay Hector son of<br>Priam till he has killed us and mounted behind the horses; he will<br>then either spread panic among the ranks of the Achaeans, or himself<br>be killed among the foremost."<br>On this he cried out to the two Ajaxes and Menelaus, "Ajaxes<br>captains of the Argives, and Menelaus, give the dead body over to them<br>that are best able to defend it, and come to the rescue of us<br>living; for Hector and Aeneas who are the two best men among the<br>Trojans, are pressing us hard in the full tide of war. Nevertheless<br>the issue lies on the lap of heaven, I will therefore hurl my spear<br>and leave the rest to Jove."<br>He poised and hurled as he spoke, whereon the spear struck the round<br>shield of Aretus, and went right through it for the shield stayed it<br>not, so that it was driven through his belt into the lower part of his<br>belly. As when some sturdy youth, axe in hand, deals his blow behind<br>the horns of an ox and severs the tendons at the back of its neck so<br>that it springs forward and then drops, even so did Aretus give one<br>bound and then fall on his back the spear quivering in his body till<br>it made an end of him. Hector then aimed a spear at Automedon but he<br>saw it coming and stooped forward to avoid it, so that it flew past<br>him and the point stuck in the ground, while the butt-end went on<br>quivering till Mars robbed it of its force. They would then have<br>fought hand to hand with swords had not the two Ajaxes forced their<br>way through the crowd when they heard their comrade calling, and<br>parted them for all their fury- for Hector, Aeneas, and Chromius<br>were afraid and drew back, leaving Aretus to lie there struck to the<br>heart. Automedon, peer of fleet Mars, then stripped him of his<br>armour and vaunted over him saying, "I have done little to assuage<br>my sorrow for the son of Menoetius, for the man I have killed is not<br>so good as he was."<br>As he spoke he took the blood-stained spoils and laid them upon<br>his chariot; then he mounted the car with his hands and feet all<br>steeped in gore as a lion that has been gorging upon a bull.<br>And now the fierce groanful fight again raged about Patroclus, for<br>Minerva came down from heaven and roused its fury by the command of<br>far-seeing Jove, who had changed his mind and sent her to encourage<br>the Danaans. As when Jove bends his bright bow in heaven in token to<br>mankind either of war or of the chill storms that stay men from<br>their labour and plague the flocks- even so, wrapped in such radiant<br>raiment, did Minerva go in among the host and speak man by man to<br>each. First she took the form and voice of Phoenix and spoke to<br>Menelaus son of Atreus, who was standing near her. "Menelaus," said<br>she, "it will be shame and dishonour to you, if dogs tear the noble<br>comrade of Achilles under the walls of Troy. Therefore be staunch, and<br>urge your men to be so also."<br>Menelaus answered, "Phoenix, my good old friend, may Minerva<br>vouchsafe me strength and keep the darts from off me, for so shall I<br>stand by Patroclus and defend him; his death has gone to my heart, but<br>Hector is as a raging fire and deals his blows without ceasing, for<br>Jove is now granting him a time of triumph."<br>Minerva was pleased at his having named herself before any of the<br>other gods. Therefore she put strength into his knees and shoulders,<br>and made him as bold as a fly, which, though driven off will yet<br>come again and bite if it can, so dearly does it love man's blood-<br>even so bold as this did she make him as he stood over Patroclus and<br>threw his spear. Now there was among the Trojans a man named Podes,<br>son of Eetion, who was both rich and valiant. Hector held him in the<br>highest honour for he was his comrade and boon companion; the spear of<br>Menelaus struck this man in the girdle just as he had turned in<br>flight, and went right through him. Whereon he fell heavily forward,<br>and Menelaus son of Atreus drew off his body from the Trojans into the<br>ranks of his own people.<br>Apollo then went up to Hector and spurred him on to fight, in the<br>likeness of Phaenops son of Asius who lived in Abydos and was the most<br>favoured of all Hector's guests. In his likeness Apollo said, "Hector,<br>who of the Achaeans will fear you henceforward now that you have<br>quailed before Menelaus who has ever been rated poorly as a soldier?<br>Yet he has now got a corpse away from the Trojans single-handed, and<br>has slain your own true comrade, a man brave among the foremost, Podes<br>son of Eetion.<br>A dark cloud of grief fell upon Hector as he heard, and he made<br>his way to the front clad in full armour. Thereon the son of Saturn<br>seized his bright tasselled aegis, and veiled Ida in cloud: he sent<br>forth his lightnings and his thunders, and as he shook his aegis he<br>gave victory to the Trojans and routed the Achaeans.<br>The panic was begun by Peneleos the Boeotian, for while keeping<br>his face turned ever towards the foe he had been hit with a spear on<br>the upper part of the shoulder; a spear thrown by Polydamas had grazed<br>the top of the bone, for Polydamas had come up to him and struck him<br>from close at hand. Then Hector in close combat struck Leitus son of<br>noble Alectryon in the hand by the wrist, and disabled him from<br>fighting further. He looked about him in dismay, knowing that never<br>again should he wield spear in battle with the Trojans. While Hector<br>was in pursuit of Leitus, Idomeneus struck him on the breastplate over<br>his chest near the nipple; but the spear broke in the shaft, and the<br>Trojans cheered aloud. Hector then aimed at Idomeneus son of Deucalion<br>as he was standing on his chariot, and very narrowly missed him, but<br>the spear hit Coiranus, a follower and charioteer of Meriones who<br>had come with him from Lyctus. Idomeneus had left the ships on foot<br>and would have afforded a great triumph to the Trojans if Coiranus had<br>not driven quickly up to him, he therefore brought life and rescue<br>to Idomeneus, but himself fell by the hand of murderous Hector. For<br>Hector hit him on the jaw under the ear; the end of the spear drove<br>out his teeth and cut his tongue in two pieces, so that he fell from<br>his chariot and let the reins fall to the ground. Meriones gathered<br>them up from the ground and took them into his own hands, then he said<br>to Idomeneus, "Lay on, till you get back to the ships, for you must<br>see that the day is no longer ours."<br>On this Idomeneus lashed the horses to the ships, for fear had taken<br>hold upon him.<br>Ajax and Menelaus noted how Jove had turned the scale in favour of<br>the Trojans, and Ajax was first to speak. "Alas," said he, "even a<br>fool may see that father Jove is helping the Trojans. All their<br>weapons strike home; no matter whether it be a brave man or a coward<br>that hurls them, Jove speeds all alike, whereas ours fall each one<br>of them without effect. What, then, will be best both as regards<br>rescuing the body, and our return to the joy of our friends who will<br>be grieving as they look hitherwards; for they will make sure that<br>nothing can now check the terrible hands of Hector, and that he will<br>fling himself upon our ships. I wish that some one would go and tell<br>the son of Peleus at once, for I do not think he can have yet heard<br>the sad news that the dearest of his friends has fallen. But I can see<br>not a man among the Achaeans to send, for they and their chariots<br>are alike hidden in darkness. O father Jove, lift this cloud from over<br>the sons of the Achaeans; make heaven serene, and let us see; if you<br>will that we perish, let us fall at any rate by daylight."<br>Father Jove heard him and had compassion upon his tears. Forthwith<br>he chased away the cloud of darkness, so that the sun shone out and<br>all the fighting was revealed. Ajax then said to Menelaus, "Look,<br>Menelaus, and if Antilochus son of Nestor be still living, send him at<br>once to tell Achilles that by far the dearest to him of all his<br>comrades has fallen."<br>Menelaus heeded his words and went his way as a lion from a<br>stockyard- the lion is tired of attacking the men and hounds, who keep<br>watch the whole night through and will not let him feast on the fat of<br>their herd. In his lust of meat he makes straight at them but in vain,<br>for darts from strong hands assail him, and burning brands which daunt<br>him for all his hunger, so in the morning he slinks sulkily away- even<br>so did Menelaus sorely against his will leave Patroclus, in great fear<br>lest the Achaeans should be driven back in rout and let him fall<br>into the hands of the foe. He charged Meriones and the two Ajaxes<br>straitly saying, "Ajaxes and Meriones, leaders of the Argives, now<br>indeed remember how good Patroclus was; he was ever courteous while<br>alive, bear it in mind now that he is dead."<br>With this Menelaus left them, looking round him as keenly as an<br>eagle, whose sight they say is keener than that of any other bird-<br>however high he may be in the heavens, not a hare that runs can escape<br>him by crouching under bush or thicket, for he will swoop down upon it<br>and make an end of it- even so, O Menelaus, did your keen eyes range<br>round the mighty host of your followers to see if you could find the<br>son of Nestor still alive. Presently Menelaus saw him on the extreme<br>left of the battle cheering on his men and exhorting them to fight<br>boldly. Menelaus went up to him and said, "Antilochus, come here and<br>listen to sad news, which I would indeed were untrue. You must see<br>with your own eyes that heaven is heaping calamity upon the Danaans,<br>and giving victory to the Trojans. Patroclus has fallen, who was the<br>bravest of the Achaeans, and sorely will the Danaans miss him. Run<br>instantly to the ships and tell Achilles, that he may come to rescue<br>the body and bear it to the ships. As for the armour, Hector already<br>has it."<br>Antilochus was struck with horror. For a long time he was<br>speechless; his eyes filled with tears and he could find no utterance,<br>but he did as Menelaus had said, and set off running as soon as he had<br>given his armour to a comrade, Laodocus, who was wheeling his horses<br>round, close beside him.<br>Thus, then, did he run weeping from the field, to carry the bad news<br>to Achilles son of Peleus. Nor were you, O Menelaus, minded to succour<br>his harassed comrades, when Antilochus had left the Pylians- and<br>greatly did they miss him- but he sent them noble Thrasymedes, and<br>himself went back to Patroclus. He came running up to the two Ajaxes<br>and said, "I have sent Antilochus to the ships to tell Achilles, but<br>rage against Hector as he may, he cannot come, for he cannot fight<br>without armour. What then will be our best plan both as regards<br>rescuing the dead, and our own escape from death amid the battle-cries<br>of the Trojans?"<br>Ajax answered, "Menelaus, you have said well: do you, then, and<br>Meriones stoop down, raise the body, and bear it out of the fray,<br>while we two behind you keep off Hector and the Trojans, one in<br>heart as in name, and long used to fighting side by side with one<br>another."<br>On this Menelaus and Meriones took the dead man in their arms and<br>lifted him high aloft with a great effort. The Trojan host raised a<br>hue and cry behind them when they saw the Achaeans bearing the body<br>away, and flew after them like hounds attacking a wounded boar at<br>the loo of a band of young huntsmen. For a while the hounds fly at him<br>as though they would tear him in pieces, but now and again he turns on<br>them in a fury, scaring and scattering them in all directions- even so<br>did the Trojans for a while charge in a body, striking with sword<br>and with spears pointed ai both the ends, but when the two Ajaxes<br>faced them and stood at bay, they would turn pale and no man dared<br>press on to fight further about the dead.<br>In this wise did the two heroes strain every nerve to bear the<br>body to the ships out of the fight. The battle raged round them like<br>fierce flames that when once kindled spread like wildfire over a city,<br>and the houses fall in the glare of its burning- even such was the<br>roar and tramp of men and horses that pursued them as they bore<br>Patroclus from the field. Or as mules that put forth all their<br>strength to draw some beam or great piece of ship's timber down a<br>rough mountain-track, and they pant and sweat as they, go even so<br>did Menelaus and pant and sweat as they bore the body of Patroclus.<br>Behind them the two Ajaxes held stoutly out. As some wooded<br>mountain-spur that stretches across a plain will turn water and<br>check the flow even of a great river, nor is there any stream strong<br>enough to break through it- even so did the two Ajaxes face the<br>Trojans and stern the tide of their fighting though they kept<br>pouring on towards them and foremost among them all was Aeneas son<br>of Anchises with valiant Hector. As a flock of daws or starlings<br>fall to screaming and chattering when they see a falcon, foe to i'll<br>small birds, come soaring near them, even so did the Achaean youth<br>raise a babel of cries as they fled before Aeneas and Hector,<br>unmindful of their former prowess. In the rout of the Danaans much<br>goodly armour fell round about the trench, and of fighting there was<br>no end.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br/></a><a href="https://poems.citatepedia.com/">poem</a> by <strong><a rel="author" href="https://authors.citatepedia.com/by.php?a=Homer">Homer</a></strong>, translated by Samuel Butler</div>

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