The Iliad (Audiobook) by Homer - Book 7

Book 7 : The Duel of Hector and Ajax
Hector and Ajax engage in single combat. The duel ends in a draw, and they exchange gifts as a sign of respect. Summary by Dream Audiobooks

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Dream Audio Books presents section seven of the Iliad by Homer,
translated by Samuel Butler. Book seven, Hector and Ajax fight.
Hector is getting worsted when night comes on and parts them.
They exchange presents the burial of the dead and the
building of a wall round their ships by the Achaeans.

(00:22):
The Achaeans buy their wine of Agamemnon and Menelayus. With
these words. Hector passed through the gates, and his brother
Alexandraus with him, both eager for the fray as when
heavens ends a breeze to sailors who have long looked
for one in vain, and have labored at their oars
till they are faint with toil. Even so welcome was

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the sight of these two heroes to the Trojans. Thereon,
Alexandraus killed Menestheus, the son of Arethus, who lived in Arna,
and was the son of Arethus the mace man, and
of Philo Medusa. Hector threw a spear at Dioneus and
struck him dead with the wound in the neck under
the bronze rim of his helmet. Glaucus, moreover, son of Hippolochus,

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captain of the Lycians in hard hand to hand fight,
smote Ephenus, son of Dexius, on the shoulder as he
was springing on to his chariot behind his fleet mares.
So he fell to earth from the car, and there
was no life left in him. When therefore min Irva
saw these men making havoc of the Argives, she darted
down to Ilius from the summits of Olympus, and Apollo,

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who was looking on from Pergamus, went out to meet her,
for he wanted the Trojans to be victorious. The pair
met by the oak tree, and King Apollo, son of Jove,
was first to speak. What would you have? Said he,
daughter of great Jove, that your proud spirit has sent
you hither from Olympus. Have you no pity upon the Trojans?

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And would you incline the scales of victory in favor
of the Dunayans. Let me persuade you, for it will
be better. Thus stay the combat for to day, but
let them renew the fight hereafter till they compass the
doom of Ilius. Since you goddesses have made up your
mind to destroy the city, and Manerva answered, so be
it far data It was in this mind that I

(02:11):
came down from Olympus to the Trojans and Achaeans. Tell me, then,
how do you propose to end this present fighting? Apollo
son of Jove, replied, let us incite great Hector to
challenge some one of the Danaeans in single combat. On this,
the Achaeans will be shamed into finding a man who
will fight him. Manerva assented, and Helenus, son of Priam,

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divined the counsel of the gods. He therefore went up
to Hector and said, Hector, son of Priam, peer of
gods in council, I am your brother. Let me then
persuade you. Bid the other Trojans and Achaeans, all of
them take their seats, and challenge the best man among
the Achaeans to meet you in single combat. I have

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heard the voice of the ever living gods, and the
hour of your doom is not yet. Hector was glad
when he heard this saying, and went in among the Trojans,
grasping his spear by the middle to hold them back,
and they all sat down. Agamemnon also bad. The Achaeans
be seated, but Maneva and Apollo, in the likeness of

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vultures perched on Father Jove's high oak tree, proud of
their men, and the ranks sat close range together, bristling
with shield and helmet and spear. As when the rising
west wind furs the face of the sea and the
waters grow dark beneath it. So sat the companies of
Trojans and Achaeans upon the plain, and Hector spoke. Thus

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hear me, Trojans and Achaeans, that I may speak even
as I am minded. Jove, on his high throne has
brought our oaths and covenants to nothing, and for shadows
ill for both of us till you either take the
towers of Troy or are yourselves vanquished at your ships.
The princes of the Achaeans are here present in the
midst of you. Let him that will fight me stand

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forward as your champion against Hector. Thus I say, and
may Jove be witnessed between us. If your champions slay me,
let him strip me of my armor and take it
to your ships. But let him send my body home,
that the Trojans and their wives may give me my
dues of fire when I am dead. In like manner,
if Apollo voutsafed me glory and I slay your champion.

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I will strip him of his armor and take it
to the city of Ilius, where I will hang it
in the temple of Apollo. But I will give up
his body that the Achaeans may bury him at their ships,
and then build him a mound by the wide waters
of the hellers Pond. Then will one say, hereafter, as
he sails his ship over the sea, this is the
monument of one who died long since, a champion who

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was slain by mighty Hector. Thus will one say, and
my fame shall not be lost. Thus did he speak.
But they all held their peace, ashamed to decline the challenge,
yet fearing to accept it, till at last Menelayus rose
and rebuked them, for he was angry. Alias. He cried,
vain braggots, women, forsooth not men doub or died. Indeed

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will be the stain upon us. If no man of
the Danaeans were now face Hector, may you be turned,
every man of you, into earth and water, as you
sit spiritless and inglorious in your places. I will myself
go out against this man. But the upshot of the
fight will be from on high in the hands of
the immortal gods. With these words, he put on his armor.

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And then, O, Menilaeus, your life would have come to
an end at the hands of Hector, for he was
far better than man. Had not the princes of the
Achaeans sprung upon you and checked you, King Agamemnon caught
him by the right hand and said, Menilaeus, you are
mad a truce to this folly. Be patient in spite
of passion. Do not think of fighting a man so

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much stronger than yourself as Hector, son of Priam, who
is feared by many another as well as you. Even Achilles,
who are far more doughty than you, are, shrank from
meeting him in battle. Set down your own people, and
the Achaeans will send some other champion to fight Hector,
fearless and fond of battle, though he be i ween,
his knees will bend gladly under him if he comes

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out alive from the hurly burly of this fight. With
these words of reasonable counsel, he persuaded his brother, whereon
his squires gladly stripped the armor from off his shoulder.
Then Nestor rose and spoke of a truth, said he
the Achaean land has fallen upon evil times. The old
knight Peleus, counselor and orator among Themrmadonts loved when I

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was in his house, to question me concerning the race
and lineage of all the Argives. How would it not
grieve him? Could he hear of them as now quailing
before hector? Many a time would he lift his hands
in prayer that his soul might leave his body and
go down within the house of Hades, Would boy Father, Jove,
Minerva and Apollo, that I was still young and so strong.

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As when the Pylians and Arcadians were gathered in fight
by the rapid river Saladon, under the walls of Faya,
and round about the waters of the river Yadanas, the
godlike hero Eeruthalian stood forward as their champion, with the
armor of King Arrethus upon his shoulders Arreathus, whom men
and women had surnamed the mace man, because he fought

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neither with bow nor spear, but broke the battalions of
the foe with his iron mace. Lysurgus killed him not
in fair fight, but by entrapping him in a narrow way,
where his mace served him in no stead. For Lycurgus
was too quick for him and speared him through the middle,
so he fell to earth on his back. Lycurgus then
spoiled him of the armor which Mars had given him,

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and bore it in battle thenceforward. But when he grew
old and stayed at home, he gave it to his
faithful squire Eruthalian, who in this same armor challenged the
foremost men among us. The others quaked and quailed, But
my high spirit bade me fight him, though none other
would venture. I was the youngest man of them all.
But when I fought him, an irv a vouchsafed me victory.

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He was the biggest and strongest man that ever I killed,
and covered much ground as he lay sprawling upon the earth.
Would that I was still young and strong as I
then was, for the son of Priam would then soon
find one who would face him. But you, foremost among
the whole host, though you be, have none of you
any stomach for fighting hector. Thus did the old man

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rebuke them, and forthwith nine men started to their feet.
Foremost of all uprose King Agamemnon, and after him Brave Diomed,
the son of Tydeus. Next were the two Ajaxes men
clothed in valor as with a garment, and then Hidomenaeus
and Meriones, his brother in arms. After these, Eurypolus, son

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of euaemon Thoas the son of Andraemon, and Ulysses also arose,
and Nestor, Knight of Jirene, again spoke, saying, cast lots
among you, to see who shall be chosen. If if
he become alive out of this fight, he will have
done good service alike to his own soul and to
the Achaeans. Thus he spoke, And when each of them
had marked his lot and had thrown it into the

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helmet of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, the people lifted their
hands in prayer. And thus would one of them say,
as he looked into the vault of heaven, Father Jove,
grant that the lot fall on Ajax, or on the
son of Tydeus, or upon the king of rich Myceni himself.
As they were speaking, Nestor, Knight of Jerene, shook the helmet,

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and from it there fell the very lot which they wanted,
the lot of Ajax. The Herald bore it about and
showed it to all the chieftains of the Achaeans, going
from left to right, but they none of them owned it. When, however,
in due course he reached the man who had written
upon it and had put it into the helmet, brave
Ajax held out his hand, and the herald gave him

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the lot. When Ajax saw his mark, he knew it
and was glad. He threw it to the ground and said,
my friends, the lot is mine, and I joyce, for
I shall vanquish Hector. I will put on my armor. Meanwhile,
pray to King Jove, in silence among yourselves, that the
Trojans may not hear you, or allowed if you will,
for we fear no man. None shall overcome me, neither

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by force nor cunning, For I was born and bred
in Salamis, and can hold my own in all things.
With this, they fell praying to King Jove, the son
of Saturn. And thus would one of them say, as
he looked into the vault of heaven, Father Jove, that
rulest from Ida, most glorious in power, vouchsafe victory to Ajax,

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and let him win great glory. But if you wish
well to Hector also, and would protect him, grant to
each of them equal fame and prowess. Thus they prayed,
and Ajax armed himself in his suit of gleaming bronze.
When he was in full array, he sprang forward as
monstrous Mars when he takes part among men whom Jove

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assent fighting with one another. Even so did huge Ajax,
bulwark of the Acayans, spring forward, with a grim smile
on his face, as he brandished his long spear and
strode onward. The Argylls were elated as they beheld him,
but the Trojans trembled in every limb, and the heart
even of Hector beat quickly. But he could not now

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retreat and withdraw into the ranks behind him, for he
had been the challenger. Ajax came up, bearing his shield
in front of him like a wall, a shield of
bronze with seven folds of ox hide, the work of Tychius,
who lived in Hyla and was by far the best
worker in Leaver. He had made it with the hides
of seven full fed bulls, and over these he had

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set an eighth layer of bronze. Holding this shield before him, Ajax,
son of Telamon, came close up to Hector and menaced him,
saying Hector, you shall now learn man to man what
kind of champions the Dynaeans have among them, even beside
lion harded Achilles, cleaver of the ranks of men. He
now abides at the ships in anger with Agamemnon, shepherd

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of his people. But there are many of us who
are well able to face you. Therefore begin the fight,
And Hector answered, Noble Ajax, son of Delamon, captain of
the host, treat me not as though I were some
puny boy or woman that cannot fight. I have been
long used to the blood and butcheries of battle. I

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am quick to turn my leathern shield either to right
or left. For this I deem the main thing in battle.
I can charge among the chariots and horsemen, and in
hand to hand fighting can delight the heart of Mars. Howbeit,
I would not take such a man as you off
his guard, but I will smite you openly if I can.
He poised his spear as he spoke, and hurled it

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from him. It struck the sevenfold shield with its uttermost layer,
the eighth which was of bronze, and went through six
of the layers, But in the seventh hide it stayed
then Ajax threw in his turn and struck the round
shield of the son of Priam. The terrible spear went
through his gleaming shield and pressed onward through his carass

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of cunning workmanship, it pierced the shirt against his side,
but he swerved and thus saved his life. They then,
each of them drew out the spear from his shield
and fell on one another, like savage lions or wild
bars of great strength and endurance. The son of Priam
struck the middle of Ajax's shield, but the bronze did
not break, and the point of his dart was turned.

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Ajax then sprang forward and pierced the shield of Hector.
The spear went through it and staggered him as he
was springing forward to attack. It gashed his neck and
the blood came pouring from the wound. But even so
Hector did not cease fighting. He gave ground and with
his brawny hand seized a stone, rugged and hue that
was lying upon the plain. With this he struck the

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shield of Ajax on the boss that was in its middle,
so that the bronze rang again. But Ajax in turn
caught up a far largers stone, swung at aloft and
hurled it with prodigious force. This millstone of a rock
broke Hector's shield inwards and threw him down on his
back with a shield, crushing him under it. But Apollo
raised him at once. Thereon, they would have hacked at

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one another in close combat with their swords, had not heralds,
messengers of gods and men, come forward, one from the Trojans,
and the other from the Achaeans. Tarphibius and Idaeus, both
of the honorable men, these parted them with their staves,
and the good herald Adaeus said, my sons, fight no longer.
You are both of you valiant, and both are dear

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to Jove. We know this, But night is now falling,
and the behests of night may not be well gained,
said Ajax, son of Telamon. Answered Edeus, bid Hector say so,
for it was he that challenged our princes. Let him
speak first, and I will accept his saying. Then, Hector
said Ajax, Heaven has vouchsafed you stature and strength and judgment,

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and in wielding the spear you excel all others of
the Achaeans. Let us for this day cease fighting. Hereafter
we will fight anew till Heaven de side between us
and give victory to one or to the other. Night
is now falling, and the behests of night may not
be well gained. Said Gladden. Then the hearts of the
Achaeans at your ships, and more especially those of your

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own followers and clansmen, While I in the great city
of King Priam, bring comfort to the Trojans and their women,
who vie with one another in their prayers. On my behalf,
let us moreover exchange presents, that it may be said,
among the Achaeans and Trojans they fought with might and main,
but were reconciled and parted in friendship. On this he

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gave Ajax a silver studded sword with its sheath and
leathern baldric, and in return Ajax gave him a girdle
eyed with purple. Thus they parted, the one going to
the host of the Achaeans, and the other to that
of the Trojans, who rejoiced when they saw their hero
come to them, safe and unharmed from the strong hands
of mighty Ajax. They led him therefore to the city

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as one that had been saved beyond their hopes. On
the other side, the Achaeans brought Ajax elated with victory
to Agamemnon. When they reached the quarters of the son
of Atreus, Agamemnon sacrificed for them a five year old
bull in honor of Jove, the son of Saturn. They
flayed the carcass, made it ready, and divided it into joints.

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These they cut carefully up into smaller pieces, putting them
on the spits, roasting them sufficiently, and then drawing them off.
When they had done all this and had prepared the feast,
they ate it, and every man had his full and
equal share, so that all was satisfied. And King Agamemnon
gave Ajax some slices cut lengthways down the loin as
a mark of special honor. As soon as they had

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had enough to eat and drink, Old Nestor, whose counsel
was ever truest, began to speak with all sincerity and
good will. Therefore he addressed them thus, son of Atreus,
and other chieftains. And as much as many of the
Achaeans are now dead, whose blood mars is shed by
the banks of this commander, and their souls have gone

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down to the house of hades. It will be well
when morning comes that we should cease fighting. We will
then wheel our dead together with oxen and mules, and
burn them not far from the ships, that when we sail,
hence we may take the bones of our comrades home
to their children hard by the funeral pyre. We will
build a barrow that should be raised from the plain

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for all in common near this, let us set about
building a high wall to shelter ourselves and our ships,
and let it have well made gates, that there may
be a way through them for our chariots close outside.
We will dig a deep trench all round to keep
off both horse and foot, that the Trojan chieftains may
not bear hard upon us. Thus he spoke, and the

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princes shouted in applause. Meanwhile, the Trojans held a council
angry and full of discord on the acropolis by the
gates of King Priam's palace, and Wise Antennous spoke hear me, said, Trojans, Dardanians,
and allies, that I may speak even as I am minded.
Let us give up argive Helen and her wealth to

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the sons of Atreus, for we are now fighting in
violation of our solemn covenants, and shall not prosper till
we have done as I say. He then sat down,
and Alexandra's husband of lovely Helen rose to speak. Anteno said, he,
your words are not to my liking. You can find
a better saying than this if you will. If, however,

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you have spoken in good earnest, then indeed has Heaven
robbed you of your reason. I will speak plainly, and
hereby notify to the Trojans that I will not give
up the woman, but the wealth that I brought home
with her from Argos I will restore, and will add
yet further of my own on this. When Paris had
spoken and taken his seat, Priam of the rece of Dardanus,

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peer of gods in council, rose and with all sincerity
and good will, addressed them. Thus hear me, Trojans, Dardanians,
and allies, that I may speak even as I am minded.
Get your suppers now as hitherto throughout the city. But
keep your watches and be wakeful. At daybreak. Let Adaeus
go to the ships and tell Agamemnon and Menelaeus, sons

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of Atreus, the saying of Alexandras, through whom this quarrel
has come about, and let him also be instant with them,
that they now cease fighting till we burn our dead.
Hereafter we will fight anew till Heaven decide between us
and give victory to one or to the other. Thus
did he speak, and they did even as he had said.

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They took supper and their companies, and at daybreak Idaeus
went his way to the ships. He found the Darnaeans
servants of Mars in council at the stern of Agamemnon's ship,
and took his place in the midst of them. The
son of Atreus, he said, and princes of the Achaean host, Priam,
and the other noble Trojans have sent me to tell
you the saying of Alexandras, through whom this quarrel has

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come about, if so be that you may find it acceptable,
or the treasure he took with him in his ships
to Troy, would that he had sooner perished, He will
restore and will add yet further of his own. But
he will not give up the wedded wife of Menelaeus,
though the Trojans would have him do so. Bryam bade
me inquire further, if you will cease fighting till we

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burn our dead. Hereafter we will fight anew till Heaven
decide between us and give victory to one or to
the other. They all held their peace, but presently Diomed,
of the loud war cry spoke, saying, let there be
no taking, neither treasure nor yet helen, for even a
child may see that the doom of the Trojans is
at hand. The sons of the Achaean shouted applause at

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the words that Diomed had spoken, and thereon King Agamemnon
said to Adaeus, adaeis you have heard the answer the
Achaeans make you and I with them. But as concerning
the dead, I give you leave to burn them, For
when men are once dead, they should be no grudging
them the rights of fire. Let Jove, the mighty husband
of Juno, be witnessed to this covenant. As he spoke,

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he upheld his scepter in the sight of all the gods,
and Adaeus went back to the strong city of Ilius.
The Trojans and Dardanians were gathered in council waiting his return.
When he came, he stood in their midst and delivered
his message. As soon as they heard it. They set
about their twofold labor, some to gather the corpses, and
others to bring in wood. The Argives, on their part,

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also hastened from their ships, some to gather the corpses,
and others to bring in wood. The sun was beginning
to beat upon the fields, fresh risen into the vault
of heaven from the slow, still currents of deep Oceanus.
When the two armies met, they could hardly recognize their dead,
but they washed the clotted gore from off them, shed

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tears over them, and lifted them upon their wagons. Priam
had forbidden the Trojans to wail aloud, so they heaped
them they were dead, sadly and silently upon the pyre,
and having burned them, went back to the city of Elios.
The Achaeans, in like manner, heaped their dead sadly and
silently on the pyre, and having burned them, went back

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to their ships. Now in the twilight, when it was
not yet dawn, chosen bands of the Achaeans were gathered
round the pyre and built one barrow that was raised
in common for all and hard by this they built
a high wall to shelter themselves and their ships. They
gave its strong gates that there might be a way
through them for their chariots. And close outside it they

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dug a trench deep and wide, and they planted it
within with stakes. Thus did the Achaeans toil, and the gods,
seated by the sight of Jove, the lord of lightning,
marveled at their great work. But Neptune, lord of the earthquake, spoke, saying,
Father Jove, what mortal in the whole world will again
take the gods into his council? See you not how

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the Achaeans have built a wall about their ships and
driven a trench all round it without offering hecatombs to
the gods. The fame of this wall will reach as
far as dawn itself, and men will no longer think
anything of the one which foevers, Apollo and myself built
with so much labor for a Lao made on. Jove
was displeased and answered, what, O, shaker of the earth,

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are you talking about? A god less powerful than yourself
might be alarmed at what they are doing, But your
fame riches as far as dawn itself. Surely, when the
Achaeans have gone home with their ships, you can shatter
their wall and fling it into the sea, you can
cover the beach with sand again, and the great wall
of the Achaeans will then be utterly effaced. Thus did

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they converse, and by sunset the work of the Achaeans
was completed. They then slaughtered oxen at their tents and
got their supper. Many ships had come with wine from Lemnos,
sent by Euneus, the son of Jason, born to him
by Hypsipal, the son of Jason, freighted them with ten
thousand measures of wine, which he said specially to the

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sons of Atreus, Agamemnon, and Menelaeus. From this supply the
Achaeans bought their wine, some with bronze, some with iron,
some with hides, some with whole heifers, and some again
with captives. They spread a goodly banquet and feasted the
whole night through, as also did the Trojans and their
allies in the city. But all the time Jove boded

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the mill and roared with his portentous thunder. Pale fear
got hold upon them, and they spilled the wine from
their cups on to the ground. Nor did any dare
drink till he had made offerings to the most mighty
Son of Saturn. Then they laid themselves down to rest
and enjoyed the boon of sleep. End of Section seven.

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