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The god then went back into the toil and turmoil, but the soul of
Hector was darkened with a cloud of grief; he looked along the ranks
and saw Euphorbus lying on the ground with the blood still flowing
from his wound, and Menelaus stripping him of his armour. On this
he made his way to the front like a flame of fire, clad in his gleaming
armour, and crying with a loud voice. When the son of Atreus heard
him, he said to himself in his dismay, "Alas! what shall I do? I may
not let the Trojans take the armour of Patroclus who has fallen fighting
on my behalf, lest some Danaan who sees me should cry shame upon me.
Still if for my honour's sake I fight Hector and the Trojans single-­‐handed,
they will prove too many for me, for Hector is bringing them up in
force. Why, however, should I thus hesitate? When a man fights in
despite of heaven with one whom a god befriends, he will soon rue
it. Let no Danaan think ill of me if I give place to Hector, for the
hand of heaven is with him. Yet, if I could find Ajax, the two of
us would fight Hector and heaven too, if we might only save the body
of Patroclus for Achilles son of Peleus. This, of many evils would
be the least."
While he was thus in two minds, the Trojans came up to him with Hector
at their head; he therefore drew back and left the body, turning about
like some bearded lion who is being chased by dogs and men from a
stockyard with spears and hue and cry, whereon he is daunted and slinks
sulkily off-­‐ even so did Menelaus son of Atreus turn and leave the
body of Patroclus. When among the body of his men, he looked around
for mighty Ajax son of Telamon, and presently saw him on the extreme
left of the fight, cheering on his men and exhorting them to keep