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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.