Homer, Iliad (Orange Street).pdf

Homer’s Iliad
him, and now Mars is with him in the likeness of mortal man. Keep
your faces therefore towards the Trojans, but give ground
backwards, for we dare not fight with gods.”
As he spoke the Trojans drew close up, and Hector killed two men,
both in one chariot, Menesthes and Anchialus, heroes well versed
in war. Ajax son of Telamon pitied them in their fall; he came close
up and hurled his spear, hitting Amphius the son of Selagus, a man
of great wealth who lived in Paesus and owned much corngrowing
land, but his lot had led him to come to the aid of Priam
and his sons. Ajax struck him in the belt; the spear pierced the
lower part of his belly, and he fell heavily to the ground. Then Ajax
ran towards him to strip him of his armour, but the Trojans rained
spears upon him, many of which fell upon his shield. He planted
his heel upon the body and drew out his spear, but the darts
pressed so heavily upon him that he could not strip the goodly
armour from his shoulders. The Trojan chieftains, moreover, many
and valiant, came about him with their spears, so that he dared not
stay; great, brave and valiant though he was, they drove him from
them and he was beaten back.
Thus, then, did the battle rage between them. Presently the strong
hand of fate impelled Tlepolemus, the son of Hercules, a man both
brave and of great stature, to fight Sarpedon; so the two, son and
grandson of great Jove, drew near to one another, and Tlepolemus
spoke first. “Sarpedon,” said he, “councillor of the Lycians, why
should you come skulking here you who are a man of peace? They
lie who call you son of aegis-bearing Jove, for you are little like
those who were of old his children. Far other was Hercules, my
own brave and lion-hearted father, who came here for the horses of
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