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588–642 ILIAD. V. 69
long he stood (for he fell on deep sand), till the two horses, striking him, cast
him to the ground in the dust; but Antilochus lashed them on, and drove them
to the army of the Greeks.
But them Hector discerned through the ranks, and rushed on them, vociferating,
and with him followed the brave phalanxes of the Trojans. Mars and
venerable Bellona led them; she, on the one hand, bearing with her tumultuous
Din, but Mars, on the other, brandished a huge spear in his hands. At one time,
indeed, he paced before Hector, at another after him.
But him Diomede, brave in fight, seeing, trembled. As when a man, uncertain
of his course, passing over a great plain; has stopped at a swift-flowing
river, running into the sea, beholding it boiling with foam, and retreats back in
haste; so then did the son of Tydeus retire, and he said to the host:
“O friends, how do we all admire noble Hector, that he is both a spearman
and a daring warrior! But with him one at least of the gods is ever present, who
wards off death; even now Mars in person stands by him like unto a mortal man.
But retreat back, [with your faces] turned always to the Trojans, nor desire to
fight valiantly against the gods.”
Thus then he said: but the Trojans advanced very near them. There Hector
slew two heroes skilled in battle, Menesthes and Anchialus, being in one chariot.
But mighty Telamonian Ajax pitied them falling; and advancing he stood very
near them, and launched with his shining spear, and smote Amphius, son of
Selagus, who, exceedingly rich in property and crops, dwelt in Pæsus. But fate
had led him as an ally to Priam and his sons. Him Telamonian Ajax smote
on the belt, and the long-shadowed spear was fixed in the pit of his stomach.
Falling, he made a crash, and illustrious Ajax ran up to him, about to spoil
[him of] his armor; but the Trojans poured upon him sharp spears, shining all
around, and his shield received many. But he, pressing on him with his heel,
drew from the body his brazen spear; however, he was not able to take off from
his shoulders any other beautiful armor, for he was pressed upon with weapons.
He also dreaded the stout defense of haughty Trojans, 1 who, both numerous
and doughty, stood around, stretching forth their spears, and who drove him
away from them, although being mighty, and valiant, and renowned. But he,
retiring, was repelled by force.
Thus they, on the one hand, toiled through the violent conflict. But violent
fate urged on Tlepolemus, the brave and great son of Hercules, against godlike
Sarpedon. But when they, the son and grandson of cloud-collecting Jove, were
now rushing against one another, Tlepolemus first addressed him [Sarpedon]:
“Sarpedon, chief of the Lycians, what necessity is there for thee, being a man
unskilled in war, to tremble here? Falsely do they say that thou art the offspring
of ægis-bearing Jove, since thou art far inferior to those heroes, who were of Jove,
in the time of ancient men. But what sort do they say that Hercules was, my
bold-minded, lion-hearted father? who formerly coming hither, on account of
the steeds of Laomedon, with six ships only, and with a few men, laid waste the
1 Cf. Lex. Seg. 6., p. 336. Bekk.: a)ge/ rwxos, semno\s , upero/ pths, qrasu/ s. On the
different and doubtful etymologies of this word, see Alberti on Hesych. t. i. p. 44, and Buttm.
Lexil. p. 19, sq.