Homer, Iliad (Orange Street).pdf

Homer’s Iliad
fighting on the Achaean side took charge of it as it rolled at his feet,
but the eyes of Deipyrus were closed in the darkness of death.
On this Menelaus was grieved, and made menacingly towards
Helenus, brandishing his spear; but Helenus drew his bow, and the
two attacked one another at one and the same moment, the one
with his spear, and the other with his bow and arrow. The son of
Priam hit the breastplate of Menelaus’s corslet, but the arrow
glanced from off it. As black beans or pulse come pattering down
on to a threshing-floor from the broad winnowing-shovel, blown by
shrill winds and shaken by the shovel- even so did the arrow
glance off and recoil from the shield of Menelaus, who in his turn
wounded the hand with which Helenus carried his bow; the spear
went right through his hand and stuck in the bow itself, so that to
his life he retreated under cover of his men, with his hand dragging
by his side- for the spear weighed it down till Agenor drew it out
and bound the hand carefully up in a woollen sling which his
esquire had with him.
Pisander then made straight at Menelaus- his evil destiny luring
him on to his doom, for he was to fall in fight with you, O
Menelaus. When the two were hard by one another the spear of the
son of Atreus turned aside and he missed his aim; Pisander then
struck the shield of brave Menelaus but could not pierce it, for the
shield stayed the spear and broke the shaft; nevertheless he was
glad and made sure of victory; forthwith, however, the son of
Atreus drew his sword and sprang upon him. Pisander then seized
the bronze battle-axe, with its long and polished handle of olive
wood that hung by his side under his shield, and the two made at
one another. Pisander struck the peak of Menelaus’s crested helmet
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