Jove awakes, tells Apollo to heal Hector, and the Trojans again

      become victorious.



      But when their flight had taken them past the trench and the set

      stakes, and many had fallen by the hands of the Danaans, the

      Trojans made a halt on reaching their chariots, routed and pale

      with fear. Jove now woke on the crests of Ida, where he was lying

      with golden-throned Juno by his side, and starting to his feet he

      saw the Trojans and Achaeans, the one thrown into confusion, and

      the others driving them pell-mell before them with King Neptune

      in their midst. He saw Hector lying on the ground with his

      comrades gathered round him, gasping for breath, wandering in

      mind and vomiting blood, for it was not the feeblest of the

      Achaeans who struck him.



      The sire of gods and men had pity on him, and looked fiercely on

      Juno. “I see, Juno,” said he, “you mischief-making trickster,

      that your cunning has stayed Hector from fighting and has caused

      the rout of his host. I am in half a mind to thrash you, in which

      case you will be the first to reap the fruits of your scurvy

      knavery. Do you not remember how once upon a time I had you

      hanged? I fastened two anvils on to your feet, and bound your

      hands in a chain of gold which none might break, and you hung in

      mid-air among the clouds. All the gods in Olympus were in a fury,

      but they could not reach you to set you free; when I caught any

      one of them I gripped him and hurled him from the heavenly

      threshold till he came fainting down to earth; yet even this did

      not relieve my mind from the incessant anxiety which I felt about

      noble Hercules whom you and Boreas had spitefully conveyed beyond

      the seas to Cos, after suborning the tempests; but I rescued him,

      and notwithstanding all his mighty labours I brought him back

      again to Argos. I would remind you of this that you may learn to

      leave off being so deceitful, and discover how much you are

      likely to gain by the embraces out of which you have come here to

      trick me.”



      Juno trembled as he spoke, and said, “May heaven above and earth

      below be my witnesses, with the waters of the river Styx—and this

      is the most solemn oath that a blessed god can take—nay, I swear

      also by your own almighty head and by our bridal bed—things over

      which I could never possibly perjure myself—that Neptune is not

      punishing Hector and the Trojans and helping the Achaeans through

      any doing of mine; it is all of his own mere motion because he

      was sorry to see the Achaeans hard pressed at their ships: if I

      were advising him, I should tell him to do as you bid him.”



      The sire of gods and men smiled and answered, “If you, Juno, were

      always to support me when we sit in council of the gods, Neptune,

      like it or no, would soon come round to your and my way of

      thinking. If, then, you are speaking the truth and mean what you

      say, go among the rank and file of the gods, and tell Iris and

      Apollo lord of the bow, that I want them—Iris, that she may go to

      the Achaean host and tell Neptune to leave off fighting and go

      home, and Apollo, that he may send Hector again into battle and

      give him fresh strength; he will thus forget his present

      sufferings, and drive the Achaeans back in confusion till they

      fall among the ships of Achilles son of Peleus. Achilles will

      then send his comrade Patroclus into battle, and Hector will kill

      him in front of Ilius after he has slain many warriors, and among

      them my own noble son Sarpedon. Achilles will kill Hector to

      avenge Patroclus, and from that time I will bring it about that

      the Achaeans shall persistently drive the Trojans back till they

      fulfil the counsels of Minerva and take Ilius. But I will not

      stay my anger, nor permit any god to help the Danaans till I have

      accomplished the desire of the son of Peleus, according to the

      promise I made by bowing my head on the day when Thetis touched

      my knees and besought me to give him honour.”



      Juno heeded his words and went from the heights of Ida to great

      Olympus. Swift as the thought of one whose fancy carries him over

      vast continents, and he says to himself, “Now I will be here, or

      there,” and he would have all manner of things—even so swiftly

      did Juno wing her way till she came to high Olympus and went in

      among the gods who were gathered in the house of Jove. When they

      saw her they all of them came up to her, and held out their cups

      to her by way of greeting. She let the others be, but took the

      cup offered her by lovely Themis, who was first to come running

      up to her. “Juno,” said she, “why are you here? And you seem

      troubled—has your husband the son of Saturn been frightening

      you?”



      And Juno answered, “Themis, do not ask me about it. You know what

      a proud and cruel disposition my husband has. Lead the gods to

      table, where you and all the immortals can hear the wicked

      designs which he has avowed. Many a one, mortal and immortal,

      will be angered by them, however peaceably he may be feasting

      now.”



      On this Juno sat down, and the gods were troubled throughout the

      house of Jove. Laughter sat on her lips but her brow was furrowed

      with care, and she spoke up in a rage. “Fools that we are,” she

      cried, “to be thus madly angry with Jove; we keep on wanting to

      go up to him and stay him by force or by persuasion, but he sits

      aloof and cares for nobody, for he knows that he is much stronger

      than any other of the immortals. Make the best, therefore, of

      whatever ills he may choose to send each one of you; Mars, I take

      it, has had a taste of them already, for his son Ascalaphus has

      fallen in battle—the man whom of all others he loved most dearly

      and whose father he owns himself to be.”



      When he heard this Mars smote his two sturdy thighs with the flat

      of his hands, and said in anger, “Do not blame me, you gods that

      dwell in heaven, if I go to the ships of the Achaeans and avenge

      the death of my son, even though it end in my being struck by

      Jove’s lightning and lying in blood and dust among the corpses.”



      As he spoke he gave orders to yoke his horses Panic and Rout,

      while he put on his armour. On this, Jove would have been roused

      to still more fierce and implacable enmity against the other

      immortals, had not Minerva, alarmed for the safety of the gods,

      sprung from her seat and hurried outside. She tore the helmet

      from his head and the shield from his shoulders, and she took the

      bronze spear from his strong hand and set it on one side; then

      she said to Mars, “Madman, you are undone; you have ears that

      hear not, or you have lost all judgement and understanding; have

      you not heard what Juno has said on coming straight from the

      presence of Olympian Jove? Do you wish to go through all kinds of

      suffering before you are brought back sick and sorry to Olympus,

      after having caused infinite mischief to all us others? Jove

      would instantly leave the Trojans and Achaeans to themselves; he

      would come to Olympus to punish us, and would grip us up one

      after another, guilty or not guilty. Therefore lay aside your

      anger for the death of your son; better men than he have either

      been killed already or will fall hereafter, and one cannot

      protect every one’s whole family.”



      With these words she took Mars back to his seat. Meanwhile Juno

      called Apollo outside, with Iris the messenger of the gods.

      “Jove,” she said to them, “desires you to go to him at once on

      Mt. Ida; when you have seen him you are to do as he may then bid

      you.”



      Thereon Juno left them and resumed her seat inside, while Iris

      and Apollo made all haste on their way. When they reached

      many-fountained Ida, mother of wild beasts, they found Jove

      seated on topmost Gargarus with a fragrant cloud encircling his

      head as with a diadem. They stood before his presence, and he was

      pleased with them for having been so quick in obeying the orders

      his wife had given them.



      He spoke to Iris first. “Go,” said he, “fleet Iris, tell King

      Neptune what I now bid you—and tell him true. Bid him leave off

      fighting, and either join the company of the gods, or go down

      into the sea. If he takes no heed and disobeys me, let him

      consider well whether he is strong enough to hold his own against

      me if I attack him. I am older and much stronger than he is; yet

      he is not afraid to set himself up as on a level with myself, of

      whom all the other gods stand in awe.”



      Iris, fleet as the wind, obeyed him, and as the cold hail or

      snow-flakes that fly from out the clouds before the blast of

      Boreas, even so did she wing her way till she came close up to

      the great shaker of the earth. Then she said, “I have come, O

      dark-haired king that holds the world in his embrace, to bring

      you a message from Jove. He bids you leave off fighting, and

      either join the company of the gods or go down into the sea; if,

      however, you take no heed and disobey him, he says he will come

      down here and fight you. He would have you keep out of his reach,

      for he is older and much stronger than you are, and yet you are

      not afraid to set yourself up as on a level with himself, of whom

      all the other gods stand in awe.”



      Neptune was very angry and said, “Great heavens! strong as Jove

      may be, he has said more than he can do if he has threatened

      violence against me, who am of like honour with himself. We were

      three brothers whom Rhea bore to Saturn—Jove, myself, and Hades

      who rules the world below. Heaven and earth were divided into

      three parts, and each of us was to have an equal share. When we

      cast lots, it fell to me to have my dwelling in the sea for

      evermore; Hades took the darkness of the realms under the earth,

      while air and sky and clouds were the portion that fell to Jove;

      but earth and great Olympus are the common property of all.

      Therefore I will not walk as Jove would have me. For all his

      strength, let him keep to his own third share and be contented

      without threatening to lay hands upon me as though I were nobody.

      Let him keep his bragging talk for his own sons and daughters,

      who must perforce obey him.”



      Iris fleet as the wind then answered, “Am I really, Neptune, to

      take this daring and unyielding message to Jove, or will you

      reconsider your answer? Sensible people are open to argument, and

      you know that the Erinyes always range themselves on the side of

      the older person.”



      Neptune answered, “Goddess Iris, your words have been spoken in

      season. It is well when a messenger shows so much discretion.

      Nevertheless it cuts me to the very heart that any one should

      rebuke so angrily another who is his own peer, and of like empire

      with himself. Now, however, I will give way in spite of my

      displeasure; furthermore let me tell you, and I mean what I

      say—if contrary to the desire of myself, Minerva driver of the

      spoil, Juno, Mercury, and King Vulcan, Jove spares steep Ilius,

      and will not let the Achaeans have the great triumph of sacking

      it, let him understand that he will incur our implacable

      resentment.”



      Neptune now left the field to go down under the sea, and sorely

      did the Achaeans miss him. Then Jove said to Apollo, “Go, dear

      Phoebus, to Hector, for Neptune who holds the earth in his

      embrace has now gone down under the sea to avoid the severity of

      my displeasure. Had he not done so those gods who are below with

      Saturn would have come to hear of the fight between us. It is

      better for both of us that he should have curbed his anger and

      kept out of my reach, for I should have had much trouble with

      him. Take, then, your tasselled aegis, and shake it furiously, so

      as to set the Achaean heroes in a panic; take, moreover, brave

      Hector, O Far-Darter, into your own care, and rouse him to deeds

      of daring, till the Achaeans are sent flying back to their ships

      and to the Hellespont. From that point I will think it well over,

      how the Achaeans may have a respite from their troubles.”



      Apollo obeyed his father’s saying, and left the crests of Ida,

      flying like a falcon, bane of doves and swiftest of all birds. He

      found Hector no longer lying upon the ground, but sitting up, for

      he had just come to himself again. He knew those who were about

      him, and the sweat and hard breathing had left him from the

      moment when the will of aegis-bearing Jove had revived him.

      Apollo stood beside him and said, “Hector son of Priam, why are

      you so faint, and why are you here away from the others? Has any

      mishap befallen you?”



      Hector in a weak voice answered, “And which, kind sir, of the

      gods are you, who now ask me thus? Do you not know that Ajax

      struck me on the chest with a stone as I was killing his comrades

      at the ships of the Achaeans, and compelled me to leave off

      fighting? I made sure that this very day I should breathe my last

      and go down into the house of Hades.”



      Then King Apollo said to him, “Take heart; the son of Saturn has

      sent you a mighty helper from Ida to stand by you and defend you,

      even me, Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, who have been

      guardian hitherto not only of yourself but of your city. Now,

      therefore, order your horsemen to drive their chariots to the

      ships in great multitudes. I will go before your horses to smooth

      the way for them, and will turn the Achaeans in flight.”



      As he spoke he infused great strength into the shepherd of his

      people. And as a horse, stabled and full-fed, breaks loose and

      gallops gloriously over the plain to the place where he is wont

      to take his bath in the river—he tosses his head, and his mane

      streams over his shoulders as in all the pride of his strength he

      flies full speed to the pastures where the mares are feeding—even

      so Hector, when he heard what the god said, urged his horsemen

      on, and sped forward as fast as his limbs could take him. As

      country peasants set their hounds on to a homed stag or wild

      goat—he has taken shelter under rock or thicket, and they cannot

      find him, but, lo, a bearded lion whom their shouts have roused

      stands in their path, and they are in no further humour for the

      chase—even so the Achaeans were still charging on in a body,

      using their swords and spears pointed at both ends, but when they

      saw Hector going about among his men they were afraid, and their

      hearts fell down into their feet.



      Then spoke Thoas son of Andraemon, leader of the Aetolians, a man

      who could throw a good throw, and who was staunch also in close

      fight, while few could surpass him in debate when opinions were

      divided. He then with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them

      thus: “What, in heaven’s name, do I now see? Is it not Hector

      come to life again? Every one made sure he had been killed by

      Ajax son of Telamon, but it seems that one of the gods has again

      rescued him. He has killed many of us Danaans already, and I take

      it will yet do so, for the hand of Jove must be with him or he

      would never dare show himself so masterful in the forefront of

      the battle. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say; let us order

      the main body of our forces to fall back upon the ships, but let

      those of us who profess to be the flower of the army stand firm,

      and see whether we cannot hold Hector back at the point of our

      spears as soon as he comes near us; I conceive that he will then

      think better of it before he tries to charge into the press of

      the Danaans.”



      Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. Those who

      were about Ajax and King Idomeneus, the followers moreover of

      Teucer, Meriones, and Meges peer of Mars called all their best

      men about them and sustained the fight against Hector and the

      Trojans, but the main body fell back upon the ships of the

      Achaeans.



      The Trojans pressed forward in a dense body, with Hector striding

      on at their head. Before him went Phoebus Apollo shrouded in

      cloud about his shoulders. He bore aloft the terrible aegis with

      its shaggy fringe, which Vulcan the smith had given Jove to

      strike terror into the hearts of men. With this in his hand he

      led on the Trojans.



      The Argives held together and stood their ground. The cry of

      battle rose high from either side, and the arrows flew from the

      bowstrings. Many a spear sped from strong hands and fastened in

      the bodies of many a valiant warrior, while others fell to earth

      midway, before they could taste of man’s fair flesh and glut

      themselves with blood. So long as Phoebus Apollo held his aegis

      quietly and without shaking it, the weapons on either side took

      effect and the people fell, but when he shook it straight in the

      face of the Danaans and raised his mighty battle-cry their hearts

      fainted within them and they forgot their former prowess. As when

      two wild beasts spring in the dead of night on a herd of cattle

      or a large flock of sheep when the herdsman is not there—even so

      were the Danaans struck helpless, for Apollo filled them with

      panic and gave victory to Hector and the Trojans.



      The fight then became more scattered and they killed one another

      where they best could. Hector killed Stichius and Arcesilaus, the

      one, leader of the Boeotians, and the other, friend and comrade

      of Menestheus. Aeneas killed Medon and Iasus. The first was

      bastard son to Oileus, and brother to Ajax, but he lived in

      Phylace away from his own country, for he had killed a man, a

      kinsman of his stepmother Eriopis whom Oileus had married. Iasus

      had become a leader of the Athenians, and was son of Sphelus the

      son of Boucolos. Polydamas killed Mecisteus, and Polites Echius,

      in the front of the battle, while Agenor slew Clonius. Paris

      struck Deiochus from behind in the lower part of the shoulder, as

      he was flying among the foremost, and the point of the spear went

      clean through him.



      While they were spoiling these heroes of their armour, the

      Achaeans were flying pell-mell to the trench and the set stakes,

      and were forced back within their wall. Hector then cried out to

      the Trojans, “Forward to the ships, and let the spoils be. If I

      see any man keeping back on the other side the wall away from the

      ships I will have him killed: his kinsmen and kinswomen shall not

      give him his dues of fire, but dogs shall tear him in pieces in

      front of our city.”



      As he spoke he laid his whip about his horses’ shoulders and

      called to the Trojans throughout their ranks; the Trojans shouted

      with a cry that rent the air, and kept their horses neck and neck

      with his own. Phoebus Apollo went before, and kicked down the

      banks of the deep trench into its middle so as to make a great

      broad bridge, as broad as the throw of a spear when a man is

      trying his strength. The Trojan battalions poured over the

      bridge, and Apollo with his redoubtable aegis led the way. He

      kicked down the wall of the Achaeans as easily as a child who

      playing on the sea-shore has built a house of sand and then kicks

      it down again and destroys it—even so did you, O Apollo, shed

      toil and trouble upon the Argives, filling them with panic and

      confusion.



      Thus then were the Achaeans hemmed in at their ships, calling out

      to one another and raising their hands with loud cries every man

      to heaven. Nestor of Gerene, tower of strength to the Achaeans,

      lifted up his hands to the starry firmament of heaven, and prayed

      more fervently than any of them. “Father Jove,” said he, “if ever

      any one in wheat-growing Argos burned you fat thigh-bones of

      sheep or heifer and prayed that he might return safely home,

      whereon you bowed your head to him in assent, bear it in mind

      now, and suffer not the Trojans to triumph thus over the

      Achaeans.”



      All-counselling Jove thundered loudly in answer to the prayer of

      the aged son of Neleus. When they heard Jove thunder they flung

      themselves yet more fiercely on the Achaeans. As a wave breaking

      over the bulwarks of a ship when the sea runs high before a

      gale—for it is the force of the wind that makes the waves so

      great—even so did the Trojans spring over the wall with a shout,

      and drive their chariots onwards. The two sides fought with their

      double-pointed spears in hand-to-hand encounter-the Trojans from

      their chariots, and the Achaeans climbing up into their ships and

      wielding the long pikes that were lying on the decks ready for

      use in a sea-fight, jointed and shod with bronze.



      Now Patroclus, so long as the Achaeans and Trojans were fighting

      about the wall, but were not yet within it and at the ships,

      remained sitting in the tent of good Eurypylus, entertaining him

      with his conversation and spreading herbs over his wound to ease

      his pain. When, however, he saw the Trojans swarming through the

      breach in the wall, while the Achaeans were clamouring and struck

      with panic, he cried aloud, and smote his two thighs with the

      flat of his hands. “Eurypylus,” said he in his dismay, “I know

      you want me badly, but I cannot stay with you any longer, for

      there is hard fighting going on; a servant shall take care of you

      now, for I must make all speed to Achilles, and induce him to

      fight if I can; who knows but with heaven’s help I may persuade

      him. A man does well to listen to the advice of a friend.”



      When he had thus spoken he went his way. The Achaeans stood firm

      and resisted the attack of the Trojans, yet though these were

      fewer in number, they could not drive them back from the ships,

      neither could the Trojans break the Achaean ranks and make their

      way in among the tents and ships. As a carpenter’s line gives a

      true edge to a piece of ship’s timber, in the hand of some

      skilled workman whom Minerva has instructed in all kinds of

      useful arts—even so level was the issue of the fight between the

      two sides, as they fought some round one and some round another.



      Hector made straight for Ajax, and the two fought fiercely about

      the same ship. Hector could not force Ajax back and fire the

      ship, nor yet could Ajax drive Hector from the spot to which

      heaven had brought him.



      Then Ajax struck Caletor son of Clytius in the chest with a spear

      as he was bringing fire towards the ship. He fell heavily to the

      ground and the torch dropped from his hand. When Hector saw his

      cousin fallen in front of the ship he shouted to the Trojans and

      Lycians saying, “Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians good in close

      fight, bate not a jot, but rescue the son of Clytius lest the

      Achaeans strip him of his armour now that he has fallen.”



      He then aimed a spear at Ajax, and missed him, but he hit

      Lycophron a follower of Ajax, who came from Cythera, but was

      living with Ajax inasmuch as he had killed a man among the

      Cythereans. Hector’s spear struck him on the head below the ear,

      and he fell headlong from the ship’s prow on to the ground with

      no life left in him. Ajax shook with rage and said to his

      brother, “Teucer, my good fellow, our trusty comrade the son of

      Mastor has fallen, he came to live with us from Cythera and whom

      we honoured as much as our own parents. Hector has just killed

      him; fetch your deadly arrows at once and the bow which Phoebus

      Apollo gave you.”



      Teucer heard him and hastened towards him with his bow and quiver

      in his hands. Forthwith he showered his arrows on the Trojans,

      and hit Cleitus the son of Pisenor, comrade of Polydamas the

      noble son of Panthous, with the reins in his hands as he was

      attending to his horses; he was in the middle of the very

      thickest part of the fight, doing good service to Hector and the

      Trojans, but evil had now come upon him, and not one of those who

      were fain to do so could avert it, for the arrow struck him on

      the back of the neck. He fell from his chariot and his horses

      shook the empty car as they swerved aside. King Polydamas saw

      what had happened, and was the first to come up to the horses; he

      gave them in charge to Astynous son of Protiaon, and ordered him

      to look on, and to keep the horses near at hand. He then went

      back and took his place in the front ranks.



      Teucer then aimed another arrow at Hector, and there would have

      been no more fighting at the ships if he had hit him and killed

      him then and there: Jove, however, who kept watch over Hector,

      had his eyes on Teucer, and deprived him of his triumph, by

      breaking his bowstring for him just as he was drawing it and

      about to take his aim; on this the arrow went astray and the bow

      fell from his hands. Teucer shook with anger and said to his

      brother, “Alas, see how heaven thwarts us in all we do; it has

      broken my bowstring and snatched the bow from my hand, though I

      strung it this self-same morning that it might serve me for many

      an arrow.”



      Ajax son of Telamon answered, “My good fellow, let your bow and

      your arrows be, for Jove has made them useless in order to spite

      the Danaans. Take your spear, lay your shield upon your shoulder,

      and both fight the Trojans yourself and urge others to do so.

      They may be successful for the moment but if we fight as we ought

      they will find it a hard matter to take the ships.”



      Teucer then took his bow and put it by in his tent. He hung a

      shield four hides thick about his shoulders, and on his comely

      head he set his helmet well wrought with a crest of horse-hair

      that nodded menacingly above it; he grasped his redoubtable

      bronze-shod spear, and forthwith he was by the side of Ajax.



      When Hector saw that Teucer’s bow was of no more use to him, he

      shouted out to the Trojans and Lycians, “Trojans, Lycians, and

      Dardanians good in close fight, be men, my friends, and show your

      mettle here at the ships, for I see the weapon of one of their

      chieftains made useless by the hand of Jove. It is easy to see

      when Jove is helping people and means to help them still further,

      or again when he is bringing them down and will do nothing for

      them; he is now on our side, and is going against the Argives.

      Therefore swarm round the ships and fight. If any of you is

      struck by spear or sword and loses his life, let him die; he dies

      with honour who dies fighting for his country; and he will leave

      his wife and children safe behind him, with his house and

      allotment unplundered if only the Achaeans can be driven back to

      their own land, they and their ships.”



      With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Ajax on the

      other side exhorted his comrades saying, “Shame on you Argives,

      we are now utterly undone, unless we can save ourselves by

      driving the enemy from our ships. Do you think, if Hector takes

      them, that you will be able to get home by land? Can you not hear

      him cheering on his whole host to fire our fleet, and bidding

      them remember that they are not at a dance but in battle? Our

      only course is to fight them with might and main; we had better

      chance it, life or death, once for all, than fight long and

      without issue hemmed in at our ships by worse men than

      ourselves.”



      With these words he put life and soul into them all. Hector then

      killed Schedius son of Perimedes, leader of the Phoceans, and

      Ajax killed Laodamas captain of foot soldiers and son to Antenor.

      Polydamas killed Otus of Cyllene a comrade of the son of Phyleus

      and chief of the proud Epeans. When Meges saw this he sprang upon

      him, but Polydamas crouched down, and he missed him, for Apollo

      would not suffer the son of Panthous to fall in battle; but the

      spear hit Croesmus in the middle of his chest, whereon he fell

      heavily to the ground, and Meges stripped him of his armour. At

      that moment the valiant soldier Dolops son of Lampus sprang upon

      Lampus was son of Laomedon and noted for his valour, while his

      son Dolops was versed in all the ways of war. He then struck the

      middle of the son of Phyleus’ shield with his spear, setting on

      him at close quarters, but his good corslet made with plates of

      metal saved him; Phyleus had brought it from Ephyra and the river

      Selleis, where his host, King Euphetes, had given it him to wear

      in battle and protect him. It now served to save the life of his

      son. Then Meges struck the topmost crest of Dolops’s bronze

      helmet with his spear and tore away its plume of horse-hair, so

      that all newly dyed with scarlet as it was it tumbled down into

      the dust. While he was still fighting and confident of victory,

      Menelaus came up to help Meges, and got by the side of Dolops

      unperceived; he then speared him in the shoulder, from behind,

      and the point, driven so furiously, went through into his chest,

      whereon he fell headlong. The two then made towards him to strip

      him of his armour, but Hector called on all his brothers for

      help, and he especially upbraided brave Melanippus son of

      Hiketaon, who erewhile used to pasture his herds of cattle in

      Percote before the war broke out; but when the ships of the

      Danaans came, he went back to Ilius, where he was eminent among

      the Trojans, and lived near Priam who treated him as one of his

      own sons. Hector now rebuked him and said, “Why, Melanippus, are

      we thus remiss? do you take no note of the death of your kinsman,

      and do you not see how they are trying to take Dolops’s armour?

      Follow me; there must be no fighting the Argives from a distance

      now, but we must do so in close combat till either we kill them

      or they take the high wall of Ilius and slay her people.”



      He led on as he spoke, and the hero Melanippus followed after.

      Meanwhile Ajax son of Telamon was cheering on the Argives. “My

      friends,” he cried, “be men, and fear dishonour; quit yourselves

      in battle so as to win respect from one another. Men who respect

      each other’s good opinion are less likely to be killed than those

      who do not, but in flight there is neither gain nor glory.”



      Thus did he exhort men who were already bent upon driving back

      the Trojans. They laid his words to heart and hedged the ships as

      with a wall of bronze, while Jove urged on the Trojans. Menelaus

      of the loud battle-cry urged Antilochus on. “Antilochus,” said

      he, “you are young and there is none of the Achaeans more fleet

      of foot or more valiant than you are. See if you cannot spring

      upon some Trojan and kill him.”



      He hurried away when he had thus spurred Antilochus, who at once

      darted out from the front ranks and aimed a spear, after looking

      carefully round him. The Trojans fell back as he threw, and the

      dart did not speed from his hand without effect, for it struck

      Melanippus the proud son of Hiketaon in the breast by the nipple

      as he was coming forward, and his armour rang rattling round him

      as he fell heavily to the ground. Antilochus sprang upon him as a

      dog springs on a fawn which a hunter has hit as it was breaking

      away from its covert, and killed it. Even so, O Melanippus, did

      stalwart Antilochus spring upon you to strip you of your armour;

      but noble Hector marked him, and came running up to him through

      the thick of the battle. Antilochus, brave soldier though he was,

      would not stay to face him, but fled like some savage creature

      which knows it has done wrong, and flies, when it has killed a

      dog or a man who is herding his cattle, before a body of men can

      be gathered to attack it. Even so did the son of Nestor fly, and

      the Trojans and Hector with a cry that rent the air showered

      their weapons after him; nor did he turn round and stay his

      flight till he had reached his comrades.



      The Trojans, fierce as lions, were still rushing on towards the

      ships in fulfilment of the behests of Jove who kept spurring them

      on to new deeds of daring, while he deadened the courage of the

      Argives and defeated them by encouraging the Trojans. For he

      meant giving glory to Hector son of Priam, and letting him throw

      fire upon the ships, till he had fulfilled the unrighteous prayer

      that Thetis had made him; Jove, therefore, bided his time till he

      should see the glare of a blazing ship. From that hour he was

      about so to order that the Trojans should be driven back from the

      ships and to vouchsafe glory to the Achaeans. With this purpose

      he inspired Hector son of Priam, who was eager enough already, to

      assail the ships. His fury was as that of Mars, or as when a fire

      is raging in the glades of some dense forest upon the mountains;

      he foamed at the mouth, his eyes glared under his terrible

      eyebrows, and his helmet quivered on his temples by reason of

      the fury with which he fought. Jove from heaven was with him, and

      though he was but one against many, vouchsafed him victory and

      glory; for he was doomed to an early death, and already Pallas

      Minerva was hurrying on the hour of his destruction at the hands

      of the son of Peleus. Now, however, he kept trying to break the

      ranks of the enemy wherever he could see them thickest, and in

      the goodliest armour; but do what he might he could not break

      through them, for they stood as a tower foursquare, or as some

      high cliff rising from the grey sea that braves the anger of the

      gale, and of the waves that thunder up against it. He fell upon

      them like flames of fire from every quarter. As when a wave,

      raised mountain high by wind and storm, breaks over a ship and

      covers it deep in foam, the fierce winds roar against the mast,

      the hearts of the sailors fail them for fear, and they are saved

      but by a very little from destruction—even so were the hearts of

      the Achaeans fainting within them. Or as a savage lion attacking

      a herd of cows while they are feeding by thousands in the

      low-lying meadows by some wide-watered shore—the herdsman is at

      his wit’s end how to protect his herd and keeps going about now

      in the van and now in the rear of his cattle, while the lion

      springs into the thick of them and fastens on a cow so that they

      all tremble for fear—even so were the Achaeans utterly

      panic-stricken by Hector and father Jove. Nevertheless Hector

      only killed Periphetes of Mycenae; he was son of Copreus who was

      wont to take the orders of King Eurystheus to mighty Hercules,

      but the son was a far better man than the father in every way; he

      was fleet of foot, a valiant warrior, and in understanding ranked

      among the foremost men of Mycenae. He it was who then afforded

      Hector a triumph, for as he was turning back he stumbled against

      the rim of his shield which reached his feet, and served to keep

      the javelins off him. He tripped against this and fell face

      upward, his helmet ringing loudly about his head as he did so.

      Hector saw him fall and ran up to him; he then thrust a spear

      into his chest, and killed him close to his own comrades. These,

      for all their sorrow, could not help him for they were themselves

      terribly afraid of Hector.



      They had now reached the ships and the prows of those that had

      been drawn up first were on every side of them, but the Trojans

      came pouring after them. The Argives were driven back from the

      first row of ships, but they made a stand by their tents without

      being broken up and scattered; shame and fear restrained them.

      They kept shouting incessantly to one another, and Nestor of

      Gerene, tower of strength to the Achaeans, was loudest in

      imploring every man by his parents, and beseeching him to stand

      firm.



      “Be men, my friends,” he cried, “and respect one another’s good

      opinion. Think, all of you, on your children, your wives, your

      property, and your parents whether these be alive or dead. On

      their behalf though they are not here, I implore you to stand

      firm, and not to turn in flight.”



      With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Minerva

      lifted the thick veil of darkness from their eyes, and much light

      fell upon them, alike on the side of the ships and on that where

      the fight was raging. They could see Hector and all his men, both

      those in the rear who were taking no part in the battle, and

      those who were fighting by the ships.



      Ajax could not bring himself to retreat along with the rest, but

      strode from deck to deck with a great sea-pike in his hands

      twelve cubits long and jointed with rings. As a man skilled in

      feats of horsemanship couples four horses together and comes

      tearing full speed along the public way from the country into

      some large town—many both men and women marvel as they see him

      for he keeps all the time changing his horse, springing from one

      to another without ever missing his feet while the horses are at

      a gallop—even so did Ajax go striding from one ship’s deck to

      another, and his voice went up into the heavens. He kept on

      shouting his orders to the Danaans and exhorting them to defend

      their ships and tents; neither did Hector remain within the main

      body of the Trojan warriors, but as a dun eagle swoops down upon

      a flock of wild-fowl feeding near a river—geese, it may be, or

      cranes, or long-necked swans—even so did Hector make straight for

      a dark-prowed ship, rushing right towards it; for Jove with his

      mighty hand impelled him forward, and roused his people to follow

      him.



      And now the battle again raged furiously at the ships. You would

      have thought the men were coming on fresh and unwearied, so

      fiercely did they fight; and this was the mind in which they

      were—the Achaeans did not believe they should escape destruction

      but thought themselves doomed, while there was not a Trojan but

      his heart beat high with the hope of firing the ships and putting

      the Achaean heroes to the sword.



      Thus were the two sides minded. Then Hector seized the stern of

      the good ship that had brought Protesilaus to Troy, but never

      bore him back to his native land. Round this ship there raged a

      close hand-to-hand fight between Danaans and Trojans. They did

      not fight at a distance with bows and javelins, but with one mind

      hacked at one another in close combat with their mighty swords

      and spears pointed at both ends; they fought moreover with keen

      battle-axes and with hatchets. Many a good stout blade hilted and

      scabbarded with iron, fell from hand or shoulder as they fought,

      and the earth ran red with blood. Hector, when he had seized the

      ship, would not loose his hold but held on to its curved stern

      and shouted to the Trojans, “Bring fire, and raise the battle-cry

      all of you with a single voice. Now has Jove vouchsafed us a day

      that will pay us for all the rest; this day we shall take the

      ships which came hither against heaven’s will, and which have

      caused us such infinite suffering through the cowardice of our

      councillors, who when I would have done battle at the ships held

      me back and forbade the host to follow me; if Jove did then

      indeed warp our judgements, himself now commands me and cheers me

      on.”



      As he spoke thus the Trojans sprang yet more fiercely on the

      Achaeans, and Ajax no longer held his ground, for he was overcome

      by the darts that were flung at him, and made sure that he was

      doomed. Therefore he left the raised deck at the stern, and

      stepped back on to the seven-foot bench of the oarsmen. Here he

      stood on the look-out, and with his spear held back any Trojan

      whom he saw bringing fire to the ships. All the time he kept on

      shouting at the top of his voice and exhorting the Danaans. “My

      friends,” he cried, “Danaan heroes, servants of Mars, be men my

      friends, and fight with might and with main. Can we hope to find

      helpers hereafter, or a wall to shield us more surely than the

      one we have? There is no strong city within reach, whence we may

      draw fresh forces to turn the scales in our favour. We are on the

      plain of the armed Trojans with the sea behind us, and far from

      our own country. Our salvation, therefore, is in the might of our

      hands and in hard fighting.”



      As he spoke he wielded his spear with still greater fury, and

      when any Trojan made towards the ships with fire at Hector’s

      bidding, he would be on the look-out for him, and drive at him

      with his long spear. Twelve men did he thus kill in hand-to-hand

      fight before the ships.