The Project Gutenberg Etext of the Iliad of - Stanford Exploration ...

1 ILIAD. XVII. 235
dogs tear the faithful companion of illustrious Achilles beneath the wall of the
Trojans; therefore bravely hold on, and urge on all the people.” Whom, in
return, Menelaus, good in the din of war, addressed: “Phoenix, father, old man
long since born, would that Minerva would give me strength, and ward off the
force of the weapons. Then indeed would I be willing to stand by and defend
Patroclus; for dying, he greatly affected my mind with grief. But Hector has
the dreadful force of fire, nor does he cease slaying with his spear; for to him
Jove affords glory.”
Thus he spoke; but the azure-eyed goddess Minerva rejoiced, because to
her he had prayed first of all the gods. But in his shoulders and knees she
put strength, and placed in his bosom the boldness of a fly, which, although
frequently driven away from a human body, persists in biting—and the blood
of man is sweet to it. With such confidence she filled his dark soul: and he
advanced toward Patroclus, and took aim with his splendid spear. Now there
was among the Trojans one Podes, the son of Eëtion, rich and brave; whom
of his people Hector chiefly honored, for he was his dear companion in the
banquet. Him yellow-haired Menelaus smote upon the belt while hastening to
flight, and drove the brazen weapon quite through. He, falling, gave a crash,
and Menelaus, the son of Atreus, dragged away the body from the Trojans to
the crowd of his companions. But Apollo, standing near, excited Hector in the
likeness of Phœnops, son of Asias, who, inhabiting dwellings at Abydos, was
most dear to him of all his guests. Assimilating himself to him, far-darting
Apollo spoke:
“Hector, what other of the Greeks will any more fear thee, since now thou
dreadest Menelaus, who indeed before was but an effeminate warrior, but now
departs alone, bearing off the dead corse from the Trojans? He has slain, in the
front ranks, Podes, the son of Eëtion, thy comrade, faithful and brave.”
Thus he spoke; but him a dark cloud of grief overshadowed, and he went
through the front ranks, armed in glittering brass. And then the son of Saturn
took his ægis, fringed and splendid, and covered Ida with clouds; but having
flashed his lightning, he thundered very loudly, and shook it (the mountain);
and (he) gave victory to the Trojans, but put the Greeks to flight.
Peneleus, the Bœotian, first was leader of the flight; for he was wounded
slightly 1 on the tip of the shoulder with a spear, being always turned frontward;
but the spear of Polydamas grazed even to the bone, for he, coming close, had
wounded him. Next Hector wounded Leïtus, son of magnanimous Alectryon,
on the hand at the wrist, and caused him to cease from battle. Then looking
around him, he trembled, since he no longer hoped in his mind [to be able] to
fight with the Trojans, holding his spear in his hand. But Idomeneus had struck,
on the corselet, upon the breast near the pap, Hector rushing after Leïtus: the
long spear, however, was broken at the socket; and the Trojans shouted. But
he [Hector] discharged his javelin at Idomeneus, the son of Deucalion, as he
was standing in his car: him he missed by a little, but struck Coeranus, the
attendant and charioteer of Meriones, who had followed him from well-situated
1 ∗)epili/ gdhn, on the surface, di: e)pipolh=s.—Kennedy.