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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