The Trojans and their allies break the wall, led on by Hector.



      So the son of Menoetius was attending to the hurt of Eurypylus

      within the tent, but the Argives and Trojans still fought

      desperately, nor were the trench and the high wall above it, to

      keep the Trojans in check longer. They had built it to protect

      their ships, and had dug the trench all round it that it might

      safeguard both the ships and the rich spoils which they had

      taken, but they had not offered hecatombs to the gods. It had

      been built without the consent of the immortals, and therefore it

      did not last. So long as Hector lived and Achilles nursed his

      anger, and so long as the city of Priam remained untaken, the

      great wall of the Achaeans stood firm; but when the bravest of

      the Trojans were no more, and many also of the Argives, though

      some were yet left alive—when, moreover, the city was sacked in

      the tenth year, and the Argives had gone back with their ships to

      their own country—then Neptune and Apollo took counsel to destroy

      the wall, and they turned on to it the streams of all the rivers

      from Mount Ida into the sea, Rhesus, Heptaporus, Caresus,

      Rhodius, Grenicus, Aesopus, and goodly Scamander, with Simois,

      where many a shield and helm had fallen, and many a hero of the

      race of demigods had bitten the dust. Phoebus Apollo turned the

      mouths of all these rivers together and made them flow for nine

      days against the wall, while Jove rained the whole time that he

      might wash it sooner into the 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 expert in these matters, and

      was trusted by the people, read the portent.”



      Hector looked fiercely at him and said, “Polydamas, I like not of

      your reading. You can find a better saying than this if you will.

      If, however, you have spoken in good earnest, then indeed has

      heaven robbed you of your reason. You would have me pay no heed

      to the counsels of Jove, nor to the promises he made me—and he

      bowed his head in confirmation; you bid me be ruled rather by the

      flight of wild-fowl. What care I whether they fly towards dawn or

      dark, and whether they be on my right hand or on my left? Let us

      put our trust rather in the counsel of great Jove, king of

      mortals and immortals. There is one omen, and one only—that a man

      should fight for his country. Why are you so fearful? Though we

      be all of us slain at the ships of the Argives you are not likely

      to be killed yourself, for you are not steadfast nor courageous.

      If you will not fight, or would talk others over from doing so,

      you shall fall forthwith before my spear.”



      With these words he led the way, and the others followed after

      with a cry that rent the air. Then Jove the lord of thunder sent

      the blast of a mighty wind from the mountains of Ida, that bore

      the dust down towards the ships; he thus lulled the Achaeans into

      security, and gave victory to Hector and to the Trojans, who,

      trusting to their own might and to the signs he had shown them,

      essayed to break through the great wall of the Achaeans. They

      tore down the breastworks from the walls, and overthrew the

      battlements; they upheaved the buttresses, which the Achaeans had

      set in front of the wall in order to support it; when they had

      pulled these down they made sure of breaking through the wall,

      but the Danaans still showed no sign of giving ground; they still

      fenced the battlements with their shields of ox-hide, and hurled

      their missiles down upon the foe as soon as any came below the

      wall.



      The two Ajaxes went about everywhere on the walls cheering on the

      Achaeans, giving fair words to some while they spoke sharply to

      any one whom they saw to be remiss. “My friends,” they cried,

      “Argives one and all—good bad and indifferent, for there was

      never fight yet, in which all were of equal prowess—there is now

      work enough, as you very well know, for all of you. See that you

      none of you turn in flight towards the ships, daunted by the

      shouting of the foe, but press forward and keep one another in

      heart, if it may so be that Olympian Jove the lord of lightning

      will vouchsafe us to repel our foes, and drive them back towards

      the city.”



      Thus did the two go about shouting and cheering the Achaeans on.

      As the flakes that fall thick upon a winter’s day, when Jove is

      minded to snow and to display these his arrows to mankind—he

      lulls the wind to rest, and snows hour after hour till he has

      buried the tops of the high mountains, the headlands that jut

      into the sea, the grassy plains, and the tilled fields of men;

      the snow lies deep upon the forelands, and havens of the grey

      sea, but the waves as they come rolling in stay it that it can

      come no further, though all else is wrapped as with a mantle, so

      heavy are the heavens with snow—even thus thickly did the stones

      fall on one side and on the other, some thrown at the Trojans,

      and some by the Trojans at the Achaeans; and the whole wall was

      in an uproar.



      Still the Trojans and brave Hector would not yet have broken down

      the gates and the great bar, had not Jove turned his son Sarpedon

      against the Argives as a lion against a herd of horned cattle.

      Before him he held his shield of hammered bronze, that the smith

      had beaten so fair and round, and had lined with ox-hides which

      he had made fast with rivets of gold all round the shield; this

      he held in front of him, and brandishing his two spears came on

      like some lion of the wilderness, who has been long famished for

      want of meat and will dare break even into a well-fenced

      homestead to try and get at the sheep. He may find the shepherds

      keeping watch over their flocks with dogs and spears, but he is

      in no mind to be driven from the fold till he has had a try for

      it; he will either spring on a sheep and carry it off, or be hit

      by a spear from some strong hand—even so was Sarpedon fain to

      attack the wall and break down its battlements. Then he said to

      Glaucus son of Hippolochus, “Glaucus, why in Lycia do we receive

      especial honour as regards our place at table? Why are the

      choicest portions served us and our cups kept brimming, and why

      do men look up to us as though we were gods? Moreover we hold a

      large estate by the banks of the river Xanthus, fair with orchard

      lawns and wheat-growing land; it becomes us, therefore, to take

      our stand at the head of all the Lycians and bear the brunt of

      the fight, that one may say to another, ‘Our princes in Lycia eat

      the fat of the land and drink best of wine, but they are fine

      fellows; they fight well and are ever at the front in battle.’ My

      good friend, if, when we were once out of this fight, we could

      escape old age and death thenceforward and forever, I should

      neither press forward myself nor bid you do so, but death in ten

      thousand shapes hangs ever over our heads, and no man can elude

      him; therefore let us go forward and either win glory for

      ourselves, or yield it to another.”



      Glaucus heeded his saying, and the pair forthwith led on the host

      of Lycians. Menestheus son of Peteos was dismayed when he saw

      them, for it was against his part of the wall that they

      came—bringing destruction with them; he looked along the wall for

      some chieftain to support his comrades and saw the two Ajaxes,

      men ever eager for the fray, and Teucer, who had just come from

      his tent, standing near them; but he could not make his voice

      heard by shouting to them, so great an uproar was there from

      crashing shields and helmets and the battering of gates with a

      din which reached the skies. For all the gates had been closed,

      and the Trojans were hammering at them to try and break their way

      through them. Menestheus, therefore, sent Thootes with a message

      to Ajax. “Run, good Thootes,” he said, “and call Ajax, or better

      still bid both come, for it will be all over with us here

      directly; the leaders of the Lycians are upon us, men who have

      ever fought desperately heretofore. But if they have too much on

      their hands to let them come, at any rate let Ajax son of Telamon

      do so, and let Teucer, the famous bowman, come with him.”



      The messenger did as he was told, and set off running along the

      wall of the Achaeans. When he reached the Ajaxes he said to them,

      “Sirs, princes of the Argives, the son of noble Peteos bids you

      come to him for a while and help him. You had better both come if

      you can, or it will be all over with him directly; the leaders of

      the Lycians are upon him, men who have ever fought desperately

      heretofore; if you have too much on your hands to let both come,

      at any rate let Ajax, son of Telamon, do so, and let Teucer, the

      famous bowman, come with him.”



      Great Ajax son of Telamon heeded the message, and at once spoke

      to the son of Oileus. “Ajax,” said he, “do you two, yourself and

      brave Lycomedes, stay here and keep the Danaans in heart to fight

      their hardest. I will go over yonder, and bear my part in the

      fray, but I will come back here at once as soon as I have given

      them the help they need.”



      With this, Ajax son of Telamon set off, and Teucer, his brother

      by the same father, went also, with Pandion to carry Teucer’s

      bow. They went along inside the wall, and when they came to the

      tower where Menestheus was (and hard pressed indeed did they find

      him) the brave captains and leaders of the Lycians were storming

      the battlements as it were a thick dark cloud, fighting in close

      quarters, and raising the battle-cry aloud.



      First, Ajax son of Telamon killed brave Epicles, a comrade of

      Sarpedon, hitting him with a jagged stone that lay by the

      battlements at the very top of the wall. As men now are, even one

      who is in the bloom of youth could hardly lift it with his two

      hands, but Ajax raised it high aloft and flung it down, smashing

      Epicles’ four-crested helmet so that the bones of his head were

      crushed to pieces, and he fell from the high wall as though he

      were diving, with no more life left in him. Then Teucer wounded

      Glaucus the brave son of Hippolochus as he was coming on to

      attack the wall. He saw his shoulder bare and aimed an arrow at

      it, which made Glaucus leave off fighting. Thereon he sprang

      covertly down for fear some of the Achaeans might see that he was

      wounded and taunt him. Sarpedon was stung with grief when he saw

      Glaucus leave him, still he did not leave off fighting, but aimed

      his spear at Alcmaon the son of Thestor and hit him. He drew his

      spear back again and Alcmaon came down headlong after it with his

      bronzed armour rattling round him. Then Sarpedon seized the

      battlement in his strong hands, and tugged at it till it all gave

      way together, and a breach was made through which many might

      pass.



      Ajax and Teucer then both of them attacked him. Teucer hit him

      with an arrow on the band that bore the shield which covered his

      body, but Jove saved his son from destruction that he might not

      fall by the ships’ sterns. Meanwhile Ajax sprang on him and

      pierced his shield, but the spear did not go clean through,

      though it hustled him back that he could come on no further. He

      therefore retired a little space from the battlement, yet without

      losing all his ground, for he still thought to cover himself with

      glory. Then he turned round and shouted to the brave Lycians

      saying, “Lycians, why do you thus fail me? For all my prowess I

      cannot break through the wall and open a way to the ships

      single-handed. Come close on behind me, for the more there are of

      us the better.”



      The Lycians, shamed by his rebuke, pressed closer round him who

      was their counsellor and their king. The Argives on their part

      got their men in fighting order within the wall, and there was a

      deadly struggle between them. The Lycians could not break through

      the wall and force their way to the ships, nor could the Danaans

      drive the Lycians from the wall now that they had once reached

      it. As two men, measuring-rods in hand, quarrel about their

      boundaries in a field that they own in common, and stickle for

      their rights though they be but in a mere strip, even so did the

      battlements now serve as a bone of contention, and they beat one

      another’s round shields for their possession. Many a man’s body

      was wounded with the pitiless bronze, as he turned round and

      bared his back to the foe, and many were struck clean through

      their shields; the wall and battlements were everywhere deluged

      with the blood alike of Trojans and of Achaeans. But even so the

      Trojans could not rout the Achaeans, who still held on; and as

      some honest hard-working woman weighs wool in her balance and

      sees that the scales be true, for she would gain some pitiful

      earnings for her little ones, even so was the fight balanced

      evenly between them till the time came when Jove gave the greater

      glory to Hector son of Priam, who was first to spring towards the

      wall of the Achaeans. When he had done so, he cried aloud to the

      Trojans, “Up, Trojans, break the wall of the Argives, and fling

      fire upon their ships.”



      Thus did he hound them on, and in one body they rushed straight

      at the wall as he had bidden them, and scaled the battlements

      with sharp spears in their hands. Hector laid hold of a stone

      that lay just outside the gates and was thick at one end but

      pointed at the other; two of the best men in a town, as men now

      are, could hardly raise it from the ground and put it on to a

      waggon, but Hector lifted it quite easily by himself, for the son

      of scheming Saturn made it light for him. As a shepherd picks up

      a ram’s fleece with one hand and finds it no burden, so easily

      did Hector lift the great stone and drive it right at the doors

      that closed the gates so strong and so firmly set. These doors

      were double and high, and were kept closed by two cross-bars to

      which there was but one key. When he had got close up to them,

      Hector strode towards them that his blow might gain in force and

      struck them in the middle, leaning his whole weight against them.

      He broke both hinges, and the stone fell inside by reason of its

      great weight. The portals re-echoed with the sound, the bars held

      no longer, and the doors flew open, one one way, and the other

      the other, through the force of the blow. Then brave Hector

      leaped inside with a face as dark as that of flying night. The

      gleaming bronze flashed fiercely about his body and he had two

      spears in his hand. None but a god could have withstood him as he

      flung himself into the gateway, and his eyes glared like fire.

      Then he turned round towards the Trojans and called on them to

      scale the wall, and they did as he bade them—some of them at once

      climbing over the wall, while others passed through the gates.

      The Danaans then fled panic-stricken towards their ships, and all

      was uproar and confusion.