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him　fall　a　prey　to　the　dogs　of　his　foes　the　Trojans；　and　urged
his　rades　on　to　defend　him。

At　first　the　Trojans　drove　the　Achaeans　back；　and　they　withdrew
from　the　dead　man　daunted。　The　Trojans　did　not　succeed　in　killing
any　one；　nevertheless　they　drew　the　body　away。　But　the　Achaeans
did　not　lose　it　long；　for　Ajax；　foremost　of　all　the　Danaans　after
the　son　of　Peleus　alike　in　stature　and　prowess；　quickly　rallied
them　and　made　towards　the　front　like　a　wild　boar　upon　the
mountains　when　he　stands　at　bay　in　the　forest　glades　and　routs
the　hounds　and　lusty　youths　that　have　attacked　himeven　so　did
Ajax　son　of　Telamon　passing　easily　in　among　the　phalanxes　of　the
Trojans；　disperse　those　who　had　bestridden　Patroclus　and　were
most　bent　on　winning　glory　by　dragging　him　off　to　their　city。　At
this　moment　Hippothous　brave　son　of　the　Pelasgian　Lethus；　in　his
zeal　for　Hector　and　the　Trojans；　was　dragging　the　body　off　by　the
foot　through　the　press　of　the　fight；　having　bound　a　strap　round
the　sinews　near　the　ancle；　but　a　mischief　soon　befell　him　from
which　none　of　those　could　save　him　who　would　have　gladly　done　so；
for　the　son　of　Telamon　sprang　forward　and　smote　him　on　his
bronze…cheeked　helmet。　The　plumed　headpiece　broke　about　the　point
of　the　weapon；　struck　at　once　by　the　spear　and　by　the　strong　hand
of　Ajax；　so　that　the　bloody　brain　came　oozing　out　through　the
crest…socket。　His　strength　then　failed　him　and　he　let　Patroclus'
foot　drop　from　his　hand；　as　he　fell　full　length　dead　upon　the
body；　thus　he　died　far　from　the　fertile　land　of　Larissa；　and
never　repaid　his　parents　the　cost　of　bringing　him　up；　for　his
life　was　cut　short　early　by　the　spear　of　mighty　Ajax。　Hector　then
took　aim　at　Ajax　with　a　spear；　but　he　saw　it　ing　and　just
managed　to　avoid　it；　the　spear　passed　on　and　struck　Schedius　son
of　noble　Iphitus；　captain　of　the　Phoceans；　who　dwelt　in　famed
Panopeus　and　reigned　over　much　people；　it　struck　him　under　the
middle　of　the　collar…bone　the　bronze　point　went　right　through
him；　ing　out　at　the　bottom　of　his　shoulder…blade；　and　his
armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as　he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。
Ajax　in　his　turn　struck　noble　Phorcys　son　of　Phaenops　in　the
middle　of　the　belly　as　he　was　bestriding　Hippothous；　and　broke
the　plate　of　his　cuirass；　whereon　the　spear　tore　out　his　entrails
and　he　clutched　the　ground　in　his　palm　as　he　fell　to　earth。
Hector　and　those　who　were　in　the　front　rank　then　gave　ground；
while　the　Argives　raised　a　loud　cry　of　triumph；　and　drew　off　the
bodies　of　Phorcys　and　Hippothous　which　they　stripped　presently　of
their　armour。

The　Trojans　would　now　have　been　worsted　by　the　brave　Achaeans　and
driven　back　to　Ilius　through　their　own　cowardice；　while　the
Argives；　so　great　was　their　courage　and　endurance；　would　have
achieved　a　triumph　even　against　the　will　of　Jove；　if　Apollo　had
not　roused　Aeneas；　in　the　likeness　of　Periphas　son　of　Epytus；　an
attendant　who　had　grown　old　in　the　service　of　Aeneas'　aged
father；　and　was　at　all　times　devoted　to　him。　In　his　likeness；
then；　Apollo　said；　〃Aeneas；　can　you　not　manage；　even　though
heaven　be　against　us；　to　save　high　Ilius？　I　have　known　men；　whose
numbers；　courage；　and　self…reliance　have　saved　their　people　in
spite　of　Jove；　whereas　in　this　case　he　would　much　rather　give
victory　to　us　than　to　the　Danaans；　if　you　would　only　fight
instead　of　being　so　terribly　afraid。〃

Aeneas　knew　Apollo　when　he　looked　straight　at　him；　and　shouted　to
Hector　saying；　〃Hector　and　all　other　Trojans　and　allies；　shame　on
us　if　we　are　beaten　by　the　Achaeans　and　driven　back　to　Ilius
through　our　own　cowardice。　A　god　has　just　e　up　to　me　and　told
me　that　Jove　the　supreme　disposer　will　be　with　us。　Therefore　let
us　make　for　the　Danaans；　that　it　may　go　hard　with　them　ere　they
bear　away　dead　Patroclus　to　the　ships。〃

As　he　spoke　he　sprang　out　far　in　front　of　the　others；　who　then
rallied　and　again　faced　the　Achaeans。　Aeneas　speared　Leiocritus
son　of　Arisbas；　a　valiant　follower　of　Lyedes；　and　Lyedes
was　moved　with　pity　as　he　saw　him　fall；　he　therefore　went　close
up；　and　speared　Apisaon　son　of　Hippasus　shepherd　of　his　people　in
the　liver　under　the　midriff；　so　that　he　died；　he　had　e　from
fertile　Paeonia　and　was　the　best　man　of　them　all　after
Asteropaeus。　Asteropaeus　flew　forward　to　avenge　him　and　attack
the　Danaans；　but　this　might　no　longer　be；　inasmuch　as　those　about
Patroclus　were　well　covered　by　their　shields；　and　held　their
spears　in　front　of　them；　for　Ajax　had　given　them　strict　orders
that　no　man　was　either　to　give　ground；　or　to　stand　out　before　the
others；　but　all　were　to　hold　well　together　about　the　body　and
fight　hand　to　hand。　Thus　did　huge　Ajax　bid　them；　and　the　earth
ran　red　with　blood　as　the　corpses　fell　thick　on　one　another　alike
on　the　side　of　the　Trojans　and　allies；　and　on　that　of　the
Danaans；　for　these　last；　too；　fought　no　bloodless　fight　though
many　fewer　of　them　perished；　through　the　care　they　took　to　defend
and　stand　by　one　another。

Thus　did　they　fight　as　it　were　a　flaming　fire；　it　seemed　as
though　it　had　gone　hard　even　with　the　sun　and　moon；　for　they　were
hidden　over　all　that　part　where　the　bravest　heroes　were　fighting
about　the　dead　son　of　Menoetius；　whereas　the　other　Danaans　and
Achaeans　fought　at　their　ease　in　full　daylight　with　brilliant
sunshine　all　round　them；　and　there　was　not　a　cloud　to　be　seen
neither　on　plain　nor　mountain。　These　last　moreover　would　rest　for
a　while　and　leave　off　fighting；　for　they　were　some　distance　apart
and　beyond　the　range　of　one　another's　weapons；　whereas　those　who
were　in　the　thick　of　the　fray　suffered　both　from　battle　and
darkness。　All　the　best　of　them　were　being　worn　out　by　the　great
weight　of　their　armour；　but　the　two　valiant　heroes；　Thrasymedes
and　Antilochus；　had　not　yet　heard　of　the　death　of　Patroclus；　and
believed　him　to　be　still　alive　and　leading　the　van　against　the
Trojans；　they　were　keeping　themselves　in　reserve　against　the
death　or　rout　of　their　own　rades；　for　so　Nestor　had　ordered
when　he　sent　them　from　the　ships　into　battle。

Thus　through　the　livelong　day　did　they　wage　fierce　war；　and　the
sweat　of　their　toil　rained　ever　on　their　legs　under　them；　and　on
their　hands　and　eyes；　as　they　fought　over　the　squire　of　the　fleet
son　of　Peleus。　It　was　as　when　a　man　gives　a　great　ox…hide　all
drenched　in　fat　to　his　men；　and　bids　them　stretch　it；　whereon
they　stand　round　it　in　a　ring　and　tug　till　the　moisture　leaves
it；　and　the　fat　soaks　in　for　the　many　that　pull　at　it；　and　it　is
well　stretchedeven　so　did　the　two　sides　tug　the　dead　body
hither　and　thither　within　the　pass　of　but　a　little　spacethe
Trojans　steadfastly　set　on　dragging　it　into　Ilius；　while　the
Achaeans　were　no　less　so　on　taking　it　to　their　ships；　and　fierce
was　the　fight　between　them。　Not　Mars　himself　the　lord　of　hosts；
nor　yet　Minerva；　even　in　their　fullest　fury　could　make　light　of
such　a　battle。

Such　fearful　turmoil　of　men　and　horses　did　Jove　on　that　day
ordain　round　the　body　of　Patroclus。　Meanwhile　Achilles　did　not
know　that　he　had　fallen；　for　the　fight　was　under　the　wall　of　Troy
a　long　way　off　the　ships。　He　had　no　idea；　therefore；　that
Patroclus　was　dead；　and　deemed　that　he　would　return　alive　as　soon
as　he　had　gone　close　up　to　the　gates。　He　knew　that　he　was　not　to
sack　the　city　neither　with　nor　without　himself；　for　his　mother
had　often　told　him　this　when　he　had　sat　alone　with　her；　and　she
had　informed　him　of　the　counsels　of　great　Jove。　Now；　however；　she
had　not　told　him　how　great　a　disaster　had　befallen　him　in　the
death　of　the　one　who　was　far　dearest　to　him　of　all　his　rades。

The　others　still　kept　on　charging　one　another　round　the　body　with
their　pointed　spears　and　killing　each　other。　Then　would　one　say；
〃My　friends；　we　can　never　again　show　our　faces　at　the　ships
better；　and　greatly　better；　that　earth　should　open　and　swallow　us
here　in　this　place；　than　that　we　should　let　the　Trojans　have　the
triumph　of　bearing　off　Patroclus　to　their　city。〃

The　Trojans　also　on　their　part　spoke　to　one　another　saying；
〃Friends；　though　we　fall　to　a　man　beside　this　body；　let　none
shrink　from　fighting。〃　With　such　words　did　they　exhort　each
other。　They　fought　and　fought；　and　an　iron　clank　rose　through　the
void　air　to　the　brazen　vault　of　heaven。　The　horses　of　the
descendant　of　Aeacus　stood　out　of　the　fight　and　wept　when　they
heard　that　their　driver　had　been　laid　low　by　the　hand　of
murderous　Hector。　Automedon；　valiant　son　of　Diores；　lashed　them
again　and　again；　many　a　time　did　he　speak　kindly　to　them；　and
many　a　time　did　he　upbraid　them；　but　they　would　neither　go　back
to　the　ships　by　the　waters　of　the　broad　Hellespont；　nor　yet　into
battle　among　the　Achaeans；　they　stood　with　their　chariot　stock
still；　as　a　pillar　set　over　the　tomb　of　some　dead　man　or　woman；
and　bowed　their　heads　to　the　ground。　Hot　tears　fell　from　their
eyes　as　they　mourned　the　loss　of　their　charioteer；　and　their
noble　manes　drooped　all　wet　from　under　the　yokestraps　on　either
side　the　yoke。

The　son　of　Saturn　saw　them　and　took　pity　upon　their　sorrow。　He
wagged　his　head；　and　muttered　to　himself；　saying；　〃Poor　things；
why　did　we　give　you　to　King　Peleus　who　is　a　mortal；　while　you　are
yourselves　ageless　and　immortal？　Was　it　that　you　mi