Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  Discern no little miracle; Hector escaped from death,

  And all-recovered, when all thought his soul had sunk beneath

  The hands of Ajax. But some God hath saved and freed again

  Him that but now dissolved the knees of many a Grecian,

  And now I fear will weaken more, for not without the hand

  Of him that thunders can his pow'rs thus still the forefights stand,

  Thus still triumphant. Hear me then : Our troops in quick retreat

  Let's draw up to our fleet, and we that boast ourselves the great

  Stand firm, and try if these that raise so high their charging darts

  May be resisted. I believe, even this great heart of hearts

  Will fear himself to he too bold in charging thorough us."

  They eas'ly heard him, and obeyed; when all the generous

  They called t' encounter Hector's charge, and turned the common men

  Back to the fleet. And these were they that bravely furnished then

  The fierce forefight: The Ajaces both, the worthy Cretan king,

  The Mars-like Meges, Merion, and Teucer. Up then bring

  The Trojan chiefs their men in heaps; before whom, amply-paced,

  Marched Hector, and in front of him Apollo, who had cast

  About his bright aspect a cloud, and did before him bear

  Jove's huge and each-where-shaggy shield, which, to contain in fear

  Offending men, the God-smith gave to Jove; with this he led

  The Trojan forces. The Greeks stood. A fervent clamour spread

  The air on both sides as they joined. Out flew the shafts and darts,

  Some falling short, but other some found butts in breasts and hearts.

  As long as Phoebus held but out his horrid shield, so long

  The darts flew raging either way, and death grew both ways strong;

  But when the Greeks had seen his face, and, who it was that shook

  The bristled targe, knew by his voice, then all their strengths forsook

  Their nerves and minds. And then look how a goodly herd of neat,

  Or wealthy flock of sheep, being close, and dreadless at their meat

  In some black midnight, suddenly, and not a keeper near,

  A brace of horrid bears rush in, and then fly here and there

  The poor affrighted flocks or herds; so every way dispersed

  The heartless Grecians, so the Sun their headstrong chase reversed

  To headlong flight, and that day raised, with all grace, Hector's head.

  Arcesilaus then he slew, and Stichius; Stichius led

  Boeotia's brazen-coated men; the other was the friend

  Of mighty-souled Menestheus. Aeneas brought to end

  Medon and Jasus; Medon was the brother, though but base,

  Of swift Oiliades, and dwelt, far from his breeding place,

  In Phylace; the other led th' Athenian bands, his sire

  Was Spelus, Bucolus's son. Mecistheus did expire

  Beneath Polydamas's hand. Polites Echius slew,

  Just at the joining of the hosts. Agenor overthrew

  Glomus. Bold Deiochus felt Alexander's lance;

  It struck his shoulder's upper part, and did his head advance

  Quite through his breast, as from the fight he turned him for retreat.

  While these stood spoiling of the slain, the Greeks found time to get

  Beyond the dike and th' undiked pales; all scapes they gladly gained,

  Till all had passed the utmost wall; Necessity so reigned.

  Then Hector cried out: " Take no spoil, but rush on to the fleet,

  From whose assault, 'for spoil or flight, if any man I meet,

  He meets his death, nor in the fire of holy funeral

  His brother's or his sister's hands shall cast within our wall

  His loathed body, but, without, the throats of dogs shall grave

  His manless limbs." This said, the scourge his forward horses drave

  Through every order; and, with him, all whipped their chariots on,

  All threateningly, out-thundering shouts as earth were overthrown.

  Before them marched Apollo still; and, as he marched, digged down,

  Without all labour, with his feet the dike, till, with his own,

  He filled it to the top, and made way both for man and horse

  As broad and long as with a lance, cast out to try one's force,

  A maa could measure. Into this they poured whole troops as fast

  As numerous, Phoebus still, before, for all their haste,

  Still shaking Jove's unvalued shield, and held it up to all.

  And then, as he had choked their dike, he tumbled down their wall.

  And look how easily any boy upon the sea-ebbed shore

  Makes with a little sand a toy, and cares for it no more,

  But as he raised it childishly, so in his wanton vein

  Both with his hands and feet he pulls and spurns it down again;

  So slight, O Phoebus, thy hands made of that huge Grecian toil,

  And their late stand, so well resolved, as easily mad'st recoil.

  Thus stood they driven up at their fleet, where each heard other's thought,

  Exhorted, passing humbly prayed, all all the Gods besought,

  With hands held up to heaven, for help. 'Mongst all the good old man,

  Grave Nestor, for his counsels called the Argives' guardian,

  Fell on his aged knees, and prayed, and to the starry host

  Stretched out his hands for aid to theirs, of all thus moving most:

  “O father Jove, if ever man of all our host did burn

  Fat thighs of oxen or of sheep, for grace of safe return,

  In fruitful Argos, and obtained the bowing of thy head

  For promise of his humble prayers, O now remember him,

  Thou merely heavenly, and clear up the foul brows of this dim

  And cruel day; do not destroy our zeal for Trojan pride."

  He prayed, and heaven's great Counsellor with store of thunder tried

  His former grace good, and so heard the old man's hearty prayers.

  The Trojans took Jove's sign for them, and poured out their affairs

  In much more violence on the Greeks, and thought on nought but fight.

  And as a huge wave of a sea, swoln to his rudest height,

  Breaks over both sides of a ship, being all-urged by the wind,

  For that's it makes the wave so proud; in such a borne-up kind

  The Trojans overgat the wall, and, getting in their horse,

  Fought close at fleet, which now the Greeks ascended for their force.

  Then from their chariots they with darts, the Greeks with bead-hooks fought,

  Kept still aboard for naval fights, their heads with iron wrought

  In hooks and pikes. Achilles' friend, still while he saw the wall

  That stood without their fleet afford employment for them all,

  Was never absent from the tent of that man-loving Greek,

  Late hurt Eurypylus, but sate, and every way did seek

  To spend the sharp time of his wound with all the ease he could

  In medicines and in kind discourse. But when he might behold

  The Trojans pass the wall, the Greeks flight-driven, and all in cries,

  Then cried he out, cast down his hands, and beat with grief his thighs,

  Then, " O Eurypylus," he cried, " now all thy need of me

  Must bear my absence, now a work of more necessity

  Calls hence, and I must haste to call Achilles to the field.

  Who knows, but, God assisting me, my words may make him yield?

  The motion of a friend is strong." His feet thus took him thence.

  The rest yet stood their enemies firm, but all their violence,

  Though Troy fought there with fewer men, lacked vigour to repel

  Those fewer from their navy's charge, and so that charge as
well

  Lacked force to spoil their fleet or tents. And as a shipwright's line

  (Disposed by such a hand as learned from th' Artizan divine

  The perfect practice of his art) directs or guards so well

  The naval timber then in frame, that all the laid-on steel

  Can hew no further than may serve to give the timber th' end

  Fore-purposed by the skilful wright; so both hosts did contend

  With such a line or law applied to what their steel would gain.

  At other ships fought other men; but Hector did maintain

  His quarrel firm at Ajax' ship. And so did both employ

  About one vessel all their toil, nor could the one destroy

  The ship with fire, nor force the man, nor that man yet get gone

  The other from so near his ship, for God had brought him on.

  But now did Ajax with a dart wound deadly in the breast

  Caletor, son of Clytius, as he with fire addressed

  To burn the vessel; as he fell, the brand fell from his hand.

  When Hector saw his sister's son lie slaughtered in the sand,

  He called to all his friends, and prayed they would not in that strait

  Forsake his nephew, but maintain about his corse the fight,

  And save it from the spoil of Greece. Then sent he out a lance

  At Ajax, in his nephew's wreak, which missed, but made the chance

  On Lycophron Mastorides, that was the household friend

  Of Ajax, born in Cythera, whom Ajax did defend,

  Being fled to his protection, for killing of a man

  Amongst the godlike Cytherans. The vengeful javelin ran

  Quite through his head, above his ear, as he was standing by

  His fautour, then astern his ship, from whence his soul did fly,

  And to the earth his body fell. The hair stood up on end

  On Ajax, who to Teucer called (his brother) saying: " Friend,

  Our loved consort, whom we brought from Gythera and graced

  So like our father, Hector's hand hath made him breathe his last.

  Where then are all thy death-borne shafts, and that unvalued bow

  Apollo gave thee?" Teucer straight his brother's thoughts did know,

  Stood near him, and dispatched a shaft amongst the Trojan fight.

  It struck Pisenor's goodly son, young Clitus, the delight

  Of the renowned Polydamas, the bridle in his hand,

  As he was labouring his horse to please the high command

  Of Hector and his Trojan friends, and bring him where the fight

  Made greatest tumult; but his strife, for honour in their sight,

  Wrought not what sight or wishes helped, for, turning back his look,

  The hollow of his neck the shaft came singing on, and strook,

  And down he fell; his horses back, and hurried through the field

  The empty chariot. Panthus' son made all haste, and withheld

  Their loose career, disposing them to Protiaon's son,

  Astynous, with special charge to keep them ever on,

  And in his sight. So he again amongst the foremost went.

  At Hector then another shaft incensed Teucer sent,

  Which, .had it hit him, sure had hurt, and, had it hurt him, slain,

  And, had it slain him, it had driven all those to Troy again.

  But Jove's mind was not sleeping now, it waked to Hector's fame,

  Arid Teucer's infamy, himself, in Teucer's deadly aim,

  His well-wrought string dissevering that served his bravest bow;

  His shaft flew quite another way, his bow the earth did strow.

  At all which Teucer stood amazed, and to his brother cried :

  “O prodigy! Without all doubt our angel doth deride

  The counsels of our fight; he. brake a string my hands put on

  This morning, and was newly made, and well might have set gone

  A hundred.arrows, and, beside, he struck out of my hand

  The bow Apollo gave." He said : " Then, good friend, do not stand

  More on thy archery, since God, preventer of all grace

  Desired by Grecians, slights it so. Take therefore in the place

  A good large lance, and on thy neck a target cast as bright,

  With which come fight thyself with some', and other some excite,

  That without labour at the least, though we prove worser men,

  Troy may not brag it took our ships. Come, mind our business then."

  This said, he hasted to his tent, left there his shafts and bow,

  And then his double double shield did on his shoulders throw,

  Upon his honoured head he placed his helmet thickly-plumed,

  And then his strong and well-piled lance in his fair hand assumed,

  Returned, and boldly took his place by his great brother's side.

  When Hector saw his arrows broke, out to his friends he cried :

  “O friends, be yet more comforted, I saw the hands of Jove

  Break the great Grecian archer's shafts. 'Tis easy to approve

  That Jove's power is direct with men, as well in those set high

  Upon the sudden, as in those depressed as suddenly,

  And those not put in state at all. As now he takes away

  Strength from the Greeks, and gives it us, theu use it, and assay

  With joined hands this approached fleet. If any bravely buy

  His fame or fate with wounds or death, in Jove's name let him die.

  Who for his country suffers death sustains no shameful thing,

  His wife in honour shall survive, his progeny shall spring

  In endless summers, and their roofs with patrimony swell.

  And all this, though with all their freight the Greek ships we repel."

  His friends thus cheered. On th' other part strong Ajax stirred his friends :

  “O Greeks," said he, " what shame is this, that no man more defends

  His fame and safety, than to live, and thus be forced to shrink!

  Now either save your fleet, or die, unless ye vainly think

  That you can live and they destroyed. Perceives not every ear

  How Hector heartens up his men, and hath his firebrands here

  Now ready to inflame our fleet? He doth not bid them dance

  That you may take your ease and see, but to the fight advance.

  No counsel can serve us but this : To mix both hands and hearts,

  And bear up close. 'Tis better much t' expose our utmost parts

  To one day's certain life or death, than languish in a war

  So base as this, beat to our ships by our inferiors far."

  Thus roused he up their spirits and strengths. To work then both sides went,,

  When Hector the Phocensian duke to fields of darkness sent,

  Fierce Schedius, Perimedes' son; which Ajax did reqiiite

  With slaughter of Laodamas, that led the foot to fight,

  And was Antenor's famous son. Polydamas did end

  Otus, surnamed C.yllenius, whom Phydas made his friend.

  Being chief of the Epeians' bands. Whose fall when Meges viewed,

  He let fly at his feller's life; who, shrinking in, eschewed

  The well-aimed lance; Apollo's will denied that Panthus' son

  Should fall amongst the foremost fights; the dart the mid-breast won

  Of Crasmus; Meges won his arms. At Meges, Dolops then

  Bestowed his lance; he was the son of Lampus, best of men,

  And Lampus of Laomedon, well-skilled in strength of mind,

  He struck Phylides' shield quite through, whose curets, better lined

  And hollowed fitly, saved his life. Phyleus left him them,

  Who from Epirus brought them home, on that part where the stream

  Of famous Selees doth run; Euphetes did bestow,

  Being guest with him, those well-proved arms to wear against the foe,
<
br />   And now they saved his son from death. At Dolops, Meges threw

  A spear well-piled, that struck his casque full in the height; off flew

  His purple feather, newly made, and in the dust it fell.

  While these thus strived for victory, and either's hope served well,

  Atrides came to Meges' aid, and, hidden with his side,

  Let loose a javelin at his foe, that through his back implied

  His lusty head, even past his breast; the ground received his weight.

  While these made in to spoil his arms, great Hector did excite

  All his allies to quick revenge; and first he wrought upon

  Strong Menalippus, that was son to great Hycetaon,

  With some reproof. Before these wars, he in Percote fed

  Cloven-footed oxen, but did since return where he was bred,

  Excelled amongst the Ilians, was much of Priam loved,

  And in bis court kept as his son. Him Hector thus reproved :

  “Thus, Menalippus, shall our blood accuse us of neglect?

  Nor moves it thy loved heart, thus urged, thy kinsman to protect?

  Seest thou not how they seek his spoil? Come, follow, now no more

  Our fight must stand at length, but close, nor leave the close before

  We close the latest eye of them, or they the lowest stone

  Tear up, and sack the citizens of lofty Ilion."

  He led; he followed, like a God. And then must Ajax needs,

  As well as Hector, cheer his men, and thus their spirits he feeds :

  “Good friends, bring but yourselves to feel the noble stings of shame

  For what ye suffer, and be men. Respect each other's fame;

  For which who strives in shame's fit fear, and puts on ne'er so far,

  Comes oft'ner off. Then stick engaged; these fugitives of war

  Save neither life, nor get renown, nor bear more mind than sheep."

  This short speech fired them in his aid, his spirit touched them deep,

  And turned them all before the fleet into a wall of brass;

  To whose assault Jove stirred their foes, and young Atrides was

  Jove's instrument, who thus set on the young Antilochus:

  “Antilochus, in all our host, there is not one of us

  More young than you, more swift of foot, nor, with both those, so strong,

  O would thou wouldst then, for thou canst, one of this lusty throng,

  That thus comes skipping out before (whoever, any where)

  Make stick, for my sake, 'twixt both hosts, and leave his bold blood there!'

  He said no sooner, and retired, but forth he rushed before