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mine. And do not for lust of battle go on killing the Trojans nor
lead the Achaeans on to Ilius, lest one of the ever-­‐living gods from
Olympus attack you-­‐ for Phoebus Apollo loves them well: return when
you have freed the ships from peril, and let others wage war upon
the plain. Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that not a
single man of all the Trojans might be left alive, nor yet of the
Argives, but that we two might be alone left to tear aside the mantle
that veils the brow of Troy."
Thus did they converse. But Ajax could no longer hold his ground for
the shower of darts that rained upon him; the will of Jove and the
javelins of the Trojans were too much for him; the helmet that gleamed
about his temples rang with the continuous clatter of the missiles
that kept pouring on to it and on to the cheek-­‐pieces that protected
his face. Moreover his left shoulder was tired with having held his
shield so long, yet for all this, let fly at him as they would, they
could not make him give ground. He could hardly draw his breath, the
sweat rained from every pore of his body, he had not a moment's respite,
and on all sides he was beset by danger upon danger.
And now, tell me, O Muses that hold your mansions on Olympus, how
fire was thrown upon the ships of the Achaeans. Hector came close
up and let drive with his great sword at the ashen spear of Ajax.
He cut it clean in two just behind where the point was fastened on
to the shaft of the spear. Ajax, therefore, had now nothing but a
headless spear, while the bronze point flew some way off and came
ringing down on to the ground. Ajax knew the hand of heaven in this,
and was dismayed at seeing that Jove had now left him utterly defenceless