September 16, 2024 • 46 mins
Book 11: Agamemnon’s Day of Glory
Agamemnon leads a charge, but the Trojans, led by Hector, fight back fiercely. Many Greek heroes, including Odysseus and Diomedes, are wounded. Summary by Dream Audiobooks
Agamemnon leads a charge, but the Trojans, led by Hector, fight back fiercely. Many Greek heroes, including Odysseus and Diomedes, are wounded. Summary by Dream Audiobooks
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Dream Audio Books presents section eleven of the Iliad by Homer,
translated by Samuel Butler, Book eleven. In the forenoon, the
fight is equal, but Agamemnon turns the fortune of the
day towards the Achaeans until he gets wounded and leaves
the field. Hector then drives everything before him till he
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is wounded by Diomed. Paris wounds Diomed, Ulysses, Nestor and
Idomeneus perform prodigies of valor. Machaeon is wounded, Nestor drives
him off in his chariot. Achilles sees the pair driving
towards the camp and sends Petroclus to ask who it
is that is wounded. This is the beginning of evil
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for Petroclus. Nestor makes a long speech, and now as
dawn rose from her couch, besides Tethnus harbinger of light
alike to mortals and immortals, Jove sent fears discord, with
the ensign of war in her hands, to the ships
of the Achaeans. She took her stand by the huge
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black hull of Ulysses ship, which was middlemost of all,
so that her voice might carry farthest on either side,
on the one hand towards the tents of Ajax and
a Telamon, and on the other towards those of Achilles.
For these two heroes, well assured of their own strength,
had valorously drawn up their ships at the two ends
of the line. There she took her stand and raised
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a cry, both loud and shrill, that filled the Achaeans
with courage, giving them heart to fight resolutely and with
all their might, so that they had rather stay there
and do battle than go home in their ships. The
son of Atreus shouted aloud and bade the argives gird
themselves for battle, while he put on his armor. First,
he girded his goodly grieves about his legs, making them
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fast with ankle clasps of silver. And about his chest
he set the breastplate, which Sonaris had once given him
as a guest gift. It had been nosed abroad as
far as Cypress that the Achaeans were about to sail
for Troy, and therefore he gave it to the king.
It had ten courses of dark sianus, twelve of gold,
and ten of tin. There were serpents of Sayanus that
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reared themselves up towards the neck, three on either side,
like the rainbows which the son of Satin had set
in heaven as a sign to mortal men. About his shoulders.
He threw his sword studded with bosses of gold, and
the scabbard was of silver, with a chain of gold
wherewith to hang it. He took moreover the richly dight
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shield that covered his body when he was in battle
fair to see, with ten circles of bronze running all
round it. On the body of the shield there were
twenty bosses of white tin, with another of dark sianas
in the middle. This last was made to show a
gorgon's head, fierce and grim, with rout and panic on
either side. The band for the arm to go through
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was of silver, on which there was a writhing snake
of Saianus, with three heads that sprang from a single
neck and went in and out among one another. On
his head, Agamemnon set a helmet with a peak before
and behind, and four plumes of horsehair that knodded menacingly
above it. Then he grasped two redoubtable bronzhod spears, and
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the gleam of his armors shot from him as a
flame into the firmament, while Juno and Minerva thundered in
honor of the King of rich Mycene. Every man now
left his horses in charge of his charioteer to hold
them in readiness by the trench, while he went into
battle on foot, clad in full armor, and a mighty
uproar rose on high into the dawning. The chiefs were
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armed and at the trench before the horses got there,
But these came up presently. The son of Satin sent
a portent of evil sound about their host, and the
dew fell red with blood, for he was about to
send many a brave man hurrying down to Hiades. The
Trojans on the other side, upon the rising slope of
the plain, were gathered round Great Hector Novle Polydamus Aeneas,
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who was honored by the Trojans like in immortal, and
the three sons of Antenor, Polebus, Aginor and the younger Camus,
Beautiful as a god. Hector's round shield showed in the
front rank, and as some baneful star that shines for
a moment through a rent in the clouds, and is
again hidden beneath them. Even so was Hector now seen
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in the front ranks, and now again in the hindmost,
and his bronze armor gleamed like the lightning of Ejis
bearing Jove. And now as a band of reapers mows
swathes of wheat or barley upon a rich man's land,
and the sheaves fall thick before them. Even so did
the Trojans and Achaeans fall upon one another. They were
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in no mood for yielding, but fought like wolves, and
neither side got the better of the other. This God
was glad as she beheld them, for she was the
only god that went among them. The others were not there,
but stayed quietly, each in his own home among the
dells and valleys of Olympus. All of them blamed the
son of Saturn for wanting to give victory to the Trojans.
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But Father Jove heeded them not. He held aloof from
all and sat apart in his all glorious majesty, looking
down upon the city of the Trojans, the ships of
the Achaeans, the gleam of bronze and alike, upon the slayers,
and on the slain. Now, so long as the day waxed,
and it was still morning, their darts reigned thick on
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one another, and the people perished. And as the hour
drew an eigh When a woodsman working in some mountain
forest will get his midday meal, for he has felt
till his hands are weary, he is tired out and
must now have food. Then the Daranaeans, with a cry
that rang through all their ranks, broke the battalions of
the enemy. Agamemnon led them on and slew first Bienor,
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a leader of his people, and afterwards his comrade and charioteer, Oelius,
who sprang from his chariot and was coming full towards him,
But Agamemnon struck him on the forehead with his spear.
His bronze visor was of no avail against the weapon,
which pierced both bronze and bone, so that his brains
were battered in and he was killed in full flight.
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Agamemnon stripped their shirts from off them and left them
with their breasts all bare, to lie where they had fallen.
He then went on to kill Isis and Antiphus, two
sons of Priam, the one a bastard, the other born
in wedlock. They were in the same chariot, the bastard driving,
while noble Antiphus fought beside him. Achilles had once taken
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both of them prisoner in the glades of Ida, and
had bound them with fresh wires as they were shepherding,
but he had taken a ransom for them. Now, however, Agamemnon,
son of Atreus smote isis in the chest above the
neple with his spear, while he struck Antiphus hard by
the ear and threw him from his chariot. Forthwith, he
stripped their goodly armor from off them, and recognized them,
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for he had already seen them at the ships when
Achilles brought them in from Ida. As a lion fastens
on the fawns of a hind and crushes them in
his great jaws, robbing them of their tender life while
he is on his way back to his lair, the
Hind can do nothing for them, even though she be
close by, for she is in an agony of fear,
and flies through the thick forest, sweating and at her
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utmost speed before the mighty monster. So no man of
the Trojans could help Isus and Antiphas, for they were
themselves flying in panic before the Argives. Then King Agamemnon
took the two sons of Antimachus, Pisander and brave Hippolochus.
It was Antimachus who had been foremost in preventing Helen's
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being restored to Menelaeus, for he was largely bribed by Alexandras.
And now Agamemnon took his two sons, both in the
same chariot, trying to bring their horses to a stand,
for they had lost hold of the reins, and the
horses were mad with fear. The son of Atreus sprang
upon them like a lion, and the pairbus sought him
from their chariot. Take us alive, they cried, son of Atreus,
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and you shall receive a great ransom for us our
father Antimychus's great store of gold, bronze and wrought iron.
And from this he will satisfy you with a very
large ransom should he hear of our being alive at
the ships of the Achaeans. With such pity as words
and tears did they beseech the king, But they heard
no pitiful answer in return. If said Agamamnon knew our
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sons of Antimichus, who once at a council of Trojans,
proposed that Menelaus and Ulysses, who had come to you
as envoys, should be killed and not suffered to return.
You shall now pay for the foul iniquity of your father.
As he spoke, he felled Pissander from his chariot to
the earth, smiting him on the chest with his spear,
so that he lay faced upmost upon the ground. Hippolochus fled,
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but him too did Agamemnon's smite. He cut off his
hands and his head, which he sent rolling in among
the crowd, as though it were a ball. Then he
let them both lie, and wherever the ranks were thickest,
thither he flew. While the other Achaeans followed. Foot soldiers
drove the foot soldiers of the foe in raup before
them and slew them. Horsemen did the like by horsemen,
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and the thundering tramp of the horses raised a cloud
of dust from off the plain. King Agamemnon followed after ever,
slaying them and cheering on the Achaeans. As when some
mighty forest is all ablaze, the eddying gusts woll fire
in all directions till the thickets shrivel and are consumed
before the blast of the flame. Even so fell the
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heads of the flying Trojans before Agamemnon, son of Atreus,
and many a noble pair of steeds to an empty
chariot along the highways of war, for lack of drivers,
who were lying on the plain, more useful out of
vultures than to their wives. Jove drew Hector away from
the darts and dust with the carnage and din of battle,
But the son of Atreus sped onwards, calling out lustily
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to the Danaeans. They flew on by the tomb of
old Eelus, son of Dardanus, in the midst of the plain,
and past the place of the wild fig tree, making
always for the city. The son of Atreus, still shouting
and with hands all bedrappled in gore. But when they
had reached the ski and gates and the oak tree,
there they halted and waited for the others to come up. Meanwhile,
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the Trojans kept on flying over the middle of the
plain like a herd of cows, maddened with fright. When
a lion has attacked them in the dead of night,
he springs on one of them, seizes her neck in
the grip of his strong teeth, and then laps up
her blood and gorges himself upon her entrails. Even so
did King Agamemnon, son of Atreus, pursue the foe, ever
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slaughtering the hindmost as they fled pell meal before him.
Many a man was flung headlong from his chariot by
the hand of the son of Atreus, for he wielded
his spear with fury. But when he was just about
to reach the high wall and the city, the Father
of gods and men came down from heaven and took
his seat thunderbolt in hand, upon the crest of many
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fountain Ida. He then told Iren of the Golden Wings
to carry a message for him. Go, said he fleet IRUs,
and speak thus to Hector, Say that so long as
he sees Agamemnon heading his men and making havoc of
the trojan ranks, he is to keep aloof and bid
the others bear the brunt of the battle. But when
Agamemnon is wounded either by spear or arrow, and takes
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to his chariot, then will I vouchsafe him strength to
slay till he reached the ships and night falls at
the going down of the sun. Iras hearkened and obeyed.
Down she went to strong Ilias from the crests of Ida,
and found Hector, son of Priam, standing by his chariot
and horses. Then she said, Hector, son of Priam, peer
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of gods in council, Father Jove has sent me to
bear you this message. So long as you see Agamemnon
heading his men and making havoc of the Trojan ranks,
you are to keep aloof and bid the others bear
the brunt of the battle. But when Agamemnon is wounded,
either by spear or arrow, and takes to his chariot,
then will Jove vouchsafe you strength to slay till you
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reach the ships until night falls at the going down
of the sun. When she had thus spoken, Iris left him,
and Hector sprang full armed from his chariot to the ground,
brandishing his spear as he went about everywhere among the host,
cheering his men on to fight and stirring the dread
strife of battle. The Trojans then wheeled round and again
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met the Achaeans, while the Argus, on their part, strengthened
their battalions. The battle was now in array, and they
stood face to face with one another, Agamemnon, ever pressing
forward in his eagerness to be ahead of all others.
Daomen A yi muses that dwell in the mansions of olempers. Who,
whether of the Trojans or of their allies, was the
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first to face Agamemnon. It was Ephidamus, son of Antenor,
a man both brave and of great stature, who was
brought up in fertile Thrace, the mother of sheep cesses.
His mother's father brought him up in his own house
when he was a child, Cissis, father to Faiir Theano.
When he reached manhood, Cissis would have kept him there
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and was forgiving him his daughter in marriage. But as
soon as he had married, he set out to fight
the Achaean, with twelve ships that followed him. These he
had left at Percote and had come on by land
to Ilius. He it was that now met Agamemnon, son
of Atreus. When they were close up with one another.
The son of Atreus missed his aim, and Iphidamus hit
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him on the girdle below the cuirass, and then flung
himself upon him, trusting to his strength of arm. The girdle, however,
was not pierced, nor nearly so, for the point of
the spear struck against the silver, and was turned aside
as though it had been led. King Agamemnon caught it
from his hand and drew it towards him with the
fury of a lion. He then drew his sword and
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killed Iphidamus by striking him on the neck. So there
the poffellow lay sleeping, asleep as it were, of bronze,
killed in the defense of his fellow citizens, far from
his wedded wife, of whom he had had no joy,
though he had given much for her. He had given
a hundred head of cattle down, and had promised later
on to give a thousand sheep and goats mixed from
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the countless flocks of which he was possessed. Agamemnon, son
of Atreus, then despoiled him and carried off his armor
into the host of the Achaeans. When noble coon Antenno's
eldest son saw this, saw, indeed were his eyes at
the sight of his fallen brother, unseen by Agamemnon, he
got beside him spear in hand and wounded him in
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the middle of his arm, below the elbow, the point
of the spear going right through the arm. Agamemnon was
convulsed with pain, but still not even for this did
he leave off struggling and fighting, but grasped his spear
that flew his fleet as the wind, and sprang upon Coon,
who was trying to drag off the body of his brother,
his father's son, by the foot, and was crying for
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help to all the bravest of his comrades. But Agamemnon
struck him with a bronzehot spear and killed him as
he was dragging the dead body through the press of
men under cover of his shield. He then cut off
his head, standing over the body of Iphidamus. Thus did
the sons of Antenor meet their fate at the hands
of the son of Atreus, and go down into the
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house of Hades. As long as the blood still welled
warm from his wound, Agamemnon went about attacking the ranks
of the enemy with spear and sword, and with great
handfuls of stone. But when the blood had ceased to
flow and the wound grew dry, the pain became great
as the sharp pangs which the Ailuthuia, goddesses of childbirth,
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daughters of Juno, and dispensers of cruel pain send upon
a woman when she is in labor, even so sharp
are the pangs of the son of Atreus. He sprang
onto his chariot and bade his charioteer drive to the ships,
for he was in great agony. With a loud, clear voice,
he shouted to the Darinaeans, my friends, princes and counselors
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the Argives, defend the ships yourselves, for Jove has not
suffered me to fight the whole day through against the Trojans.
With this, the charioteer turned his horses towards the ships,
and they flew forward nothing loath. Their chests were white
with foam, and their bellies with dust, as they drew
the wounded king out of the battle. When Actor saw
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Agamemnon quit the field, he shouted to the Trojans and
Lysian saying, Trojans, Lyssians and Ardanian warriors, be men, my friends,
and acquit yourselves in battle. Bravely. Their best man has
left them, and Jove has vouchsafed me a great triumph
charge the foe with your chariots, that you may win
still greater glory. With these words, he put heart and
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soul into them all. And as a huntsman hounds his
dogs on against a lion or wild boar, even so
did Hector Peer of Mars hound the proud Trojans on
against the Achaeans. Full of hope, he plunged in among
the foremost, and fell on the fight, like some fierce
impus that swoops down upon the sea and lashes its
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deep blue waters into fury. What then is the full
tale of those whom Hectors, son of Priam killed in
the hour of triumph, which Jove then vouchsafed him. First
Assaius or Tanous, and Opites Dolops son of Clytius, Opheltius,
and Agilaeus, a simness Ourus and Hippenous steadfast in battle.
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These chieftains of the Achaeans did Hector slay. And then
he fell upon the rank and file, As when the
west wind hustles the clouds of the white South and
beats them down with the fierceness of its fury, the
waves of the sea roll high, and the spray is
flung aloft in the rage of the wandering wind. Even
so thick were the heads of them that fell by
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the hand of Hector. All had then been lost and
no help for it, and the Achaeans would have fled
pell Mell to their ships had not. Ulysses cried out
to Diomed, son of Tydeus, what has happened to us?
That we thus forget our prow Come, my good fellows,
stand by my side and help me. We shall be
shamed for ever if Hector takes the ships, and Diomed answered, come,
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what may? I will stand firm, but we shall have
scant joy of it, for Jover's minded to give victory
to the Trojans rather than to us. With these words,
he struck Thimbreyers from his chariot to the ground, smiting
him in the left breast with his spear, while Ulysses
killed Molion, who was his squire. These they let lie
now that they had stopped their fighting. The two heroes
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then went on playing havoc with the foe, like two
wild boars that turn in fury and rend the hounds
that hunt them. Thus did they turn upon the Trojans
and slay them. And the Achaeans were thankful to have
breathing time in their flight from Hector. They then took
two princes with their chariot, the two sons of Merops
of Percoti, who excelled all others in the arts of divination.
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He had forbidden his sons to go to the war,
but they would not obey him, for fate lured them
to their fall. Diomed, son of Tydeus, slew them both
and stripped them of their armor, while Ulysses killed Hepadiamus
and Hypaleurycos, and now the son of Saturn. As he
looked down from Ida, ordained that neither side should have
the advantage, and they kept on killing one another. The
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son of Tydeus speared agastroph A, son of Paeon in
the hip joint with his spear. His chariot was not
at hand for him to fly with so blindly confident
had he been. His squire was in charge of it
at some distance, and he was fighting on foot among
the foremost, until he lost his life. Hector soon marked
the havoc Diomed and Ulysses were making, and bore down
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upon them with a loud cry, followed by the Trojan ranks.
Brave Diomed was dismayed when he saw them, and said
to Ulysses, who was beside him, great Hector is bearing
down upon us, and we shall be undone. Let us
stand firm and wait. His arm set, he poised his
spear as he spoke and hurled it. Nor did he
miss his mark. He had aimed at Hector's head, near
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the his helmet, but bronze was turned by bronze, and
Hector was untouched, for the spear was stayed by the
vised helm made with three plates of metal, which Phoebus
Apollo had given him. Hector sprang back with a red
bound under cover of the ranks. He fell on his
knees and propped himself with his brawny hand, leaning on
the ground, for darkness had fallen on his eyes. The
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son of Tideous, having thrown his spear, dashed in among
the foremost fighters, to the place where he had seen
it strike the ground. Meanwhile, Hector recovered himself, and springing
back into his chariot, mingled with the crowd, by which
means he saved his life. But Diomed made at him
with his spear and said, dog, you have again got away,
though death was close on your heels. Phoebus Apollo to
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whom I ween you pray ere you go into battle,
has again saved you. Nevertheless, I will meet you and
make an end of you hereafter, if there is any
God who will stand by me too and be my helper.
For the present, I must pursue those I can lay
hands on. As he spoke, he began stripping the spoils
from the son of Paeon, but Alexandra's husband of lovely Helen,
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aimed an arrow at him. Leaning against a pillar of
the monument which men had raised to Eelus, son of Diardanus,
a ruler in days of old, diomed had taken the
cuirass from off the breast of Agastrophus, his heavy helmet also,
and the shield from off his shoulders. When Paris drew
his bow and let fly an arrow that sped not
from his hand in vain, but pierced the flat of
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Diomede's right foot, coming right through it and fixing itself
in the ground. Thereon, Paris, with a hearty laugh, sprang
forward from his hiding place and taunted him, saying, you
are wounded. My arrow has not been shut in vain.
Would that it hit you in the belly and killed you?
For Thus the trojans, who fear you as goats fear
a lion, would have had a truce from evil. Diomed All, undaunted,
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answered archer, you, who without your bow are nothing slanderer
and seducer. If you were to be tried in single combat,
fighting in full armor, your bow and your arrows would
serve you in little stead. Vain is your boast in
that you have scratched the sole of my foot. I
care no more than if a girl, a some silly
boy had hit me. A worthless coward could inflict but
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a light wound. When I wound a man, though I
but graze his skin, it is another matter. For my
weapon will lay him low. His wife will tear her
cheeks for grief, and his children will be fatherless. There
will he rot, reddening the earth of these blood and
vultures not women will gather round him. Thus he spoke,
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but Ulysses came up and stood over him. Under this cover,
he sat down to draw the arrow from his foot,
and sharp was the pain he suffered as he did so.
Then he sprang onto his chariot and bade the charioteer
drive him to the ships, for he was sick at heart.
Ulysses was now alone. Not one of the argives stood
by him, for they were all panic stricken. Alas said
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he to himself in his dismay, what will become of me?
It is hell if I turn and fly before these odds,
But it will be worse if I am left alone
and taken prisoner. For the son of Satin has struck
the rest of the Dardanians with panic. But why talk
to myself in this way? Well? Do I know that
though cowards quit the field, a hero, whether he wound
or be wounded, must stand firm and hold his own.
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While he was thus in two minds, the ranks of
the Trojans advanced and hemmed him in, And bitterly did
they come to ruin it. As hounds and lusty youths
set upon a wild boar that sallies from his lair,
wetting his white tusks. They attacked him from every side,
and can hear the gnashing of his jaws. But for
all his fierceness, they still hold their ground. Even so
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furiously did the Trojans attack Ulysses. First, he sprang spear
in hand upon dire pieties and wounded him on the
shoulder with a downward blow. Then he killed Thouan and Anomus.
After these he struck her Saidamus, and the loins under
his shield, as he had just sprung down from his chariot.
So he fell in the dust and clutched the earth
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in the hollow of his hand. These he let lie
and went on to wound Chahrops, son of Hippassus, own
brother to noble Socus Sokos Hero that he was made
all speed to help him, And when he was close
to Ulysses, he said, far famed Ulysses, unsatiable of craft
and toil, this day, you shall either boast of having
killed both the sons of Hypassus and strip them of
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their armor, or you shall fall before my spear. With
these words he struck the shield of Ulysses. The spear
went through the shield and passed on through his richly
wrought cuirass, tearing the flesh from his side. But Pallas
Minerva did not suffer it to pierce the entrails of
the hero. Ulysses knew that his hour was not yet come,
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but he gave ground and said to Sochus Ratch, you
shall now surely die. You have stayed me from fighting
further with the Trojans, but you shall now fall by
my spear, yielding glory to myself and your soul to Hades.
Are the noble steeds. Socus had turned in flight, but
as he did so, the spear struck him in the back,
midway between the shoulders, and went right through his chest.
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He fell heavily to the ground, and Ulysses vaunted over him, saying, oh, Socus,
son of Hepassus, Stamer of horses, death has been too
quick for you, and you have not escaped him, poor wretch.
Not even in death shall your father and mother close
your eyes, but the ravening vultures shall enshroud you with
the flapping of their dark wings and devour you. Whereas
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even though I fall, the Achaeans will give me my
due rites of burial. So saying, he drew Socus's heavy
spear out of his flesh and from his shield, and
the blood welled forth when the spear was withdrawn, so
that he was much dismayed. When the Trojan saw that
Ulysses was bleeding, they raised a great shout and came
on in a body towards him. He therefore gave ground
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and called his comrades to come and help him. Thrice
did he cry, as loudly as man can cry, And
thrist did brave Menelaeus hear him. He turned therefore to Ajax,
who was close beside him, and said, Ajax, noble son
of Talamon, captain of your people, the cry of Ulysses
rings in my ears, as though the Trojans had cut
him off and were worsting him. While he is single handed.
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Let us make our way through the throng. It will
be well that we can defend him. I fear he
may come to harm for all his valor if he
be left without support, and the Danaeans would miss him sorely.
He led the way, and mighty Ajax went with him.
The Trojans had gathered round Ulysses like ravenous mountain jackals
round the carcass of some horned stag that has been
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hit with an arrow. The staggers fled at full speed,
so long as his blood was warm and his strength
has lasted. But when the arrow has overcome him, the
savage jackals devour him in the shady glades of the forest.
Then Heavens sends a fierce lion thither whereon the jackals
fly in terror, and the lion rubbed them of their prey.
Even so did Trojans many and brave gather round craft
(27:05):
to Ulysses, But the hero stood at bay and kept
them off with his spear. Ajax then came up with
his shield before him like a wall, and stood hard by,
where on the Trojans fled in all directions. Menelayus took
Ulysses by the hand and led him out of the press,
while his squire brought up his chariot. But Ajax rushed
furiously on the Trojans and killed Doricles, a bastard son
(27:28):
of Priam. Then he wounded Pandocus, Lyssandrus, Pyrasus, and Pilats.
As some swollen torrent comes rushing in full flood from
the mountains onto the plain, big with rain of heaven.
When he a dry oak and many a pine does
it engulf, and much mud does it bring down and
cast into the sea. Even so did brave Ajax chase
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the Vox furiously over the plain, slaying both men and horses.
Hector did not yet know what Ajax was doing, for
he was fighting on the extreme left of the battle,
by the banks of the rivers. Commander, where the carnage
was thickest and the war cry loudest round Nestor and
brave Demaneas among these, Hector was making great slaughter with
(28:09):
his spear and furious driving, and was destroying the ranks
that were opposed to him. Still, the Achaeans would have
given no ground had not Alexandrus, husband of lovely Helen,
stayed the prowess of Machaeon, shepherd of his people, by
wounding him in the right shoulder with a triple barbed arrow.
The Achaeans were in great fear that, as the fight
had turned against them, the Trojans might take him prisoner.
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N Idomeneus said to Nestor, Nestor, son of Nelius, honor
to the Achaean name, mount your chariot at once, take
Machaon with you, and drive your horses to the ships
as fast as you can. A physician is worth more
than several other men put together, for he can cut
out arrows and spread healing herbs. Nestor nightA jerene, did
(28:53):
as Idomaneus had counseled. He at once mounted his chariot,
and Machaeon, son of the femed physician as Sculapius went
with him. He lashed his horses, and they flew onward
nothing loath, towards the ships, as though of their own
free will. And Sabrione, seeing the Trojans in confusion, said
to Hector from his place beside him, Hector, here are
(29:15):
we two fighting on the extreme wing of the battle,
while the other Trojans are in pell mell rout. They
and their horses. Ajax, son of Telamon, is driving them
before him. I know him by the breadth of his shield.
Let us turn our chariot and horses thither, where horse
and foot are fighting most desperately, and where the cry
of battle is loudest. With this he lashed his goodly steeds,
(29:38):
and when they felt the whip, they drew the chariot
full speed among the Achaeans and Trojans, over the bodies
and shields of those that had fallen. The axle was
bespatted with blood, and the rail round the car was
covered with splashes, both from the horses hoofs and from
the tires of the wheels. Hector tore his way through
and flung himself into the thick of the fight, and
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his presence through the dun into confusion, for his spear
was not long idle. Nevertheless, though he went among the
ranks with sword and spear, and throwing great stones, he
avoided Ajax, son of Telamon, for Jove would have been
angry with him if he had fought a better man
than himself. Then Father Jove, from his high throne, struck
(30:18):
fear into the heart of Ajax, so that he stood
there dazed, and threw his shield behind him, looking fearfully
at the throng of his foes, as though he were
some wild beast, and turning hither and thither, but crouching
slowly backwards, as peasants with their hounds chase a lyon
from their stockyard, and watched by night to prevent his
carrying off the pick of their herd. He makes his
(30:41):
greedy spring, but in vain, for the darts from many
a strong hand to fall vicar around him with burning
brands that scare him for all his fury, And when
morning comes he SLINKs, foiled and angry away. Even so
did Ajax, sorely, against his will, retreat angrily before the Trojans,
fearing for the ships of the uk Achaeans, or a
(31:02):
some lazy ass that has had many a cudgel broken
about his back. When he into a field begins eating,
the corn boys beat him, but he has too many
for them, and though they lay about with their sticks,
they cannot hurt him. Still, when he has had his fill,
they at last drive him from the field. Even so
did the Trojans and their allies pursue Great Ajax, ever
(31:22):
smiting the middle of his shield with their darts. Now
and again he would turn and show fight, but keeping
back the battalions of the Trojans. And then he would
again retreat, But he prevented any of them from making
his way to the ships. Single handed, he stood midway
between the Trojans and Achaeans. The spears that sped from
(31:42):
their hands struck some of them many as mighty shield,
while many, though thirsting for his blood, fell to the
ground ere they could reach him, to the wounding of
his fair flesh. Now, when Eurepolus, the brave son of Uaemon,
saw that Ajax was being overpowered by the rain of arrows,
he went up to him and hurl his spear. He
struck Apaesaeon, the son of Harsius, in the lever below
(32:04):
the midriff and laid him low. Euypoulus sprang upon him
and stripped the armor from his shoulders. But when Alexandra
saw him, he aimed an arrow at him, which struck
him in the right thigh. The arrow broke, but the
point that was left in the wound dragged on the thigh.
He drew back, therefore under cover of his comrades to
save his life, shouting as he did so to the Daranaeans.
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My friends, princes and counselors of the Argives rallied to
the defense of Ajax, who was being overpowered, and I
doubt whether he will come out of the fight alive either.
Then to the rescue of Great Ajax, son of Telamon.
Even so did he cry when he was wounded. Thereon,
the others came near and gathered round him, holding their
(32:47):
shields upwards from their shoulders, so as to give him cover.
Ajax then made towards them and turned round to stand
at bay as soon as he had reached his men.
Thus then did they fight, as it were a flaming fire. Meanwhile,
the mares of Nelius, all in a lather with sweat,
were bearing Nestor out of the fight, and with him, Machaeon,
(33:07):
shepherd of his people. Achilles saw and took note, for
he was standing on the stern of his ship, watching
the hard stress and struggle of the fight. He called
from the ship to his comrade Petroclus, who heard him
in the tent and came out, looking like Mars himself. Here,
indeed was the beginning of the ill that presently befell him.
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Why said he, Achilles, do you call me? What do
you want with me? And Achilles answered, noble son of Monoecius,
man after my own heart, I take it that I
shall now have the Achaean spraying at my knees, for
they are in great straits. Go Patroclus and ask Nestor
who it is that he is bearing away wounded from
the field from his back. I should say it was
(33:49):
machay On, son of Esculapius, but I could not see
his face, for the horses went by me at full speed.
Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him, and
said off, running by the ships and tents of the Achaeans.
When Nestor and Machayan had reached the tents of the
son of Nelius, they dismounted and in a squire Eurymadon
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took the horses from the chariot. The pair then stood
in the breeze by the sea side to dry the
sweat from their shirts, and when they had so done,
they came inside and took their seats. Fair hecamede, whom
Nestor had had awarded to him from Tenedos. When Achilles
took it, mixed them a mess. She was daughter of
wires Asinous, and the Achaeans had given her to Nestor
(34:31):
because he excelled all of them in council. First she
set for them a fair and well made table that
had feet of cyanus on it. There was a vessel
of bronze and an onion to give relish to the
drink with honey and cakes of barley meal. There was
also a cup of rare workmanship, which the old man
had brought with him from home, studded with bosses of gold.
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It had four handles, on each of which there were
two golden doves feeding, and had had two feet to
stand on, any one else would hardly have been able
to lift it from the table when it was full,
but Nestor could do so quite easily. In this the
woman as fair as a goddess, mixed them a mess
with Pramnian wine. She grated goat's milk cheese into it
(35:14):
with a bronze grater, threw in a handful of white
barley meal, and having thus prepared the mess, she bade
them drank it. When they had done so, and had
thus quenched their thirst, they fell talking with one another,
and at this moment Petroclus appeared at the door. When
the old man saw him, he sprang from his seat,
seized his hand, led him into the tent, and bade
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him take his place among them. But Petroclus stood where
he was and said, Noble Sir, I may not stay.
You cannot persuade me to come in. He that sent
me is not one to be trifled with. And he
bade me ask who the wounded man was whom you
were bearing away from the field. I can see now
for myself that he is machay On, shepherd of his people.
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I must go back and tell Achilles, you, sir, know
what a terrible man he is, and how ready to
blame even where no blame should lie. The nestor answered,
why should Achilles care to know? How many of the
Achaeans may be wounded, he recks not of the dismay
that reigns in our host. Our most valiant chieftains lie disabled.
(36:17):
Brave diomed son of Tideus, is wounded. So ulysses an
Agamemnon Eurypolus has been hit with an arrow in the thigh.
And I have just been bringing this man from the field,
he too wounded with an arrow. Nevertheless, Achilles, so valiant
though he be, cares not and knows no ruth. Will
he wait till the ships do what we may are
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in a blaze, and we perish one upon the other.
As for me, I have no strength nor stay in
many longer would that I was still young and strong,
as in the days when there was a fight between
us and the men of ALUs about some cattle raiding.
I then killed it to Maneus, the valiant son of Hyperiachus,
a dweller Inallus. As I was driving in the spoil,
(37:01):
he was hit by a dart thrown by my hand
while fighting in the front rank in defense of his cows.
So he fell, and the country people around him were
in great fear. We drove off a vast quantity of
booty from the plains fifty herds of cattle, and as
many flocks of sheep, fifty droves or so of pigs,
and as many widespread flocks of goats of horses. Moreover,
(37:23):
we seized one hundred and fifty, all of them mares,
and many had foals running with them. All these did
we drive by night to Pylus, the city of Nelius,
taking them within the city. And the heart of Nelius
was glad and that I had taken so much, though
it was the first time I had ever been in
the field. At daybreak, the heralds went round crying that
all an Elus, to whom there was a debt owing,
(37:45):
should come, and the leading Pylians assembled to divide the spoils.
There were many to whom the Apaeians old chattels. For
we men of Pylus were few and had been oppressed
with wrong in former years. Hercules had come and had
Lady's hand upon us, so that all our best men
had perished. Nelius had had twelve sons, but I alone
(38:06):
was left. The others had all been killed. The Apaeians,
presuming upon all this, had looked down upon us and
had done us much evil. My father chose a herd
of cattle, and a great flock of sheep, three hundred
in all, and he took their shepherds with him, for
there was a great debt due to him and Elus
to wit four horses, winners of prizes. They and their
(38:27):
chariots with them had gone to the games and were
to run for a tripod, but King Argaias took them
and sent back their driver, grieving for the loss of
his horses. Nelus was angered by what he had both
said and done, and took great value at return. But
he divided the rest, that no man might have less
than his full share dust. Did we order all things
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and offer sacrifices to the gods throughout the city. But
three days afterwards the Apaeans came in a body, many
in number. They and their chariots in full array, and
with them the two Moliones in their armor, though they
were still lads and unused to fighting. Now there is
a certain town, Thoressa, perched upon a rock on the
river Alpheus, the border city of Pylus. This they would
(39:13):
destroy and pitch their camp about it. But when they
had crossed their whole plain, Minerved darted down by night
from Olympus and bade Us set ourselves in array, and
she found willing soldiers in Pylos. For the men meant fighting.
Nelius would not let me arm and hit my horses,
for he said that as yet I could know nothing
about war. Nevertheless, Minerva so ordered the fight that all
(39:36):
on foot as I was, I fought among our mounted forces,
and vied with the foremost of them. There is a
river Minaeus that falls into the sea now Irene. And
there they that were mounted, and I with them, waited
till morning when the companies of foot soldiers came up
with us in force. Thence in full panoply and equipment.
We came towards noon to the sacred waters of the Alpheus,
(39:59):
and there we offered vicvictims to Almighty Jove, with a
bull to Alpheus, another to Neptune, and a herd heifer
to Minerva. After this we took supper in our companies
and laid us down to rest, each in his armor
by the river. The Apaians were beleaguering the city and
were determined to take it. But ere this might be,
there was a desperate fight in store for them. When
(40:21):
the sun's rays began to fall upon the earth, we
joined battle, praying to Jove and to Minerva. And when
the fight had begun, I was the first to kill
my man and take his horses to wit the warrior Mulius.
He was son in law to Argaeus, having married his
eldest daughter golden hair Agamede, who knew the virtues of
every herb which grows upon the face of the earth.
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I speared him as he was coming towards me, and
when he fell headlong in the dust, I sprang upon
his chariot and took my place in the front ranks.
The Apeians fled in all directions when they saw the
captain of their horsemen, the best men they had laid low,
and I swept down on them like a whirlwind, taking
fear fifty chariots, and in each of them two men
bit the dust, slain by my spear. I should have
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even killed the two Moliones, sons of Ector, unless their
real father, Neptune, lord of the earthquake, had hidden them
in a thick mist and borne them out of the fight. Thereon,
Jove outsafed the Pylians a great victory, for we chased
them far over the plain, killing the men and bringing
in their armor till we had brought our horses to Buprasium,
rich in wheat, and to the Oleidian rock with a
(41:28):
hill that is called Alision, on which point Minerva turned
the people back. There, I slew the last man and
left him. Then the Achaeans drove their horses back from
Buprasium to Pylos, and gave thanks to Jove among the
gods and among mortal men, to Nestor. Such was I
among my peers, as surely as ever was. But Achilles
(41:50):
is for keeping all his valor for himself. Bitterly will
they rue it hereafter, when the host has been cut
to pieces. My good friend did not Guinnecius charged you
thus on the day when he sent you from Phithia
to Agamemnon, Ulysses and I were in the house inside
and heard all that he said to you. For we
came to the fair house of Pelias while beating up
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recruits throughout all Achiir, And when we got there we
found Monocius in yourself an Achilles with you. The old
knight Peleus was in the outer court roasting the fat
thigh bones of a heifer to Jove, the lord of Thunder,
And he held a gold chalice in his hand, from
which he poured drink offerings of wine over the burning sacrifice.
You two were busy cutting up the haifer, And at
(42:33):
that moment we stood at the gates, whereon Achilles sprang
to his feet, led us by the hand into the house,
placed us at table, and set before us such hospitable
entertainment as guests expect. When we had satisfied ourselves with
meat and drink, I said my say, and urged both
of you to join us. You were ready enough to
(42:53):
do so, And the two old men charged you much
and straightly. Old Pelias bad his son Achilles fight ever
among the foremost and outvie his peers. Or Monoetius, the
son of actors, spoke thus to you, My son said he,
Achilles is of nobler birth than you are. But you
are older than he. Though he is far the better
man of the two. Counsel him wisely, guide him in
(43:17):
the right way, and he will follow you to his
own profit. Thus did your father charge you, but you
have forgotten. Nevertheless, even now say all this to Achilles.
If he will listened to you, who knows, But with
Heaven's help you may talk him over for it is
good to take a friend's advice. If, however, he is
fearful about some oracle, or if his mother has told
(43:38):
him something from Jove, then let him send you, and
let the rest of the Marmaddons follow with you, if
perchance you may bring light and saving to the Danaeans,
and let him send you into battle clad in his
own armor, that the Trojans may mistake you for him
and leave off fighting. The sons of the Achaeans may
thus have time to get their breath, for they are
hard pressed, and there is little breathing time in battle. You,
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who are fresh, might easily drive a tired enemy back
to his walls and away from the tents and ships.
With these words he moved the heart of Petroclus, who
set off running by the line of the ships to Achilles,
descended of Asius. When he had got as far as
the ships of Ulysses, where there was a place of
assembly and court of justice, where their altars dedicated to
(44:23):
the gods. Eurepolus, son of you, aim unmat him wounded
in the thigh with an arrow, and limping out of
the fight. Sweat reigned from his head and shoulders, and
black blood welled from his cruel wound, but his mind
did not wander. The son of Monoetius, when he saw him,
had compassion upon him and spoke piteously, saying, Oh, unhappy
(44:44):
princes and counselors of the D'arnaeans, are you then doomed
to feed the hounds of Troy with your fat, far
from your friends and your native lad say noble Eurepulus,
will the Achaeans be able to hold great hactor in jack?
Or will they fall? Now? Before his spear wounded, Uyppulus
made answer, Noble Patroclus, there is no hope left for
(45:06):
the Achaeans, but they will perish at their ships, all
they that were princes among us. A lying struck down
and wounded at the hands of the Trojans, who are
waxing stronger and stronger. But save me and take me
to your ship. Cut out the arrow from my thigh,
wash the black blood from off it with warm water,
and lay upon it those gracious herbs, which, so they say,
(45:27):
have been shown you by Achilles, who was himself shown
them by Cairn, most righteous of all the Centaurs. For
of the physicians, but Delirius and Machaeon I hear that
the one is lying wounded in his tent and is
himself in need of healing, while the other is fighting
the Trojans upon the plain. Hero Eurypulus replied, the brave
(45:48):
son of Monoetius, How may these things be? What can
I do? I am on my way to bear a
message to Noble Achilles from Nestor of Jerene, bulwark of
the Achaeans. But even so I will not be unmindful
of your distress. With this, he clasped him round the
middle and led him into his tent, and a servant
when he saw him, spread bullock skins on the ground
(46:10):
for him to lie on. He laid him at full
length and cut out the sharp arrow from his thigh.
He washed the black blood from the wound with warm water.
He then crushed a bitter herb, rubbing it between his hands,
and spread it upon the wound. This was a virtuous
herb which killed all pain. So the wound presently dried
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and the blood left off flowing. End of Section eleven.
Dream Audio Books hopes you have enjoyed this program.
Dream Audio Books presents section eleven of the Iliad by Homer,
translated by Samuel Butler, Book eleven. In the forenoon, the
fight is equal, but Agamemnon turns the fortune of the
day towards the Achaeans until he gets wounded and leaves
the field. Hector then drives everything before him till he
(00:21):
is wounded by Diomed. Paris wounds Diomed, Ulysses, Nestor and
Idomeneus perform prodigies of valor. Machaeon is wounded, Nestor drives
him off in his chariot. Achilles sees the pair driving
towards the camp and sends Petroclus to ask who it
is that is wounded. This is the beginning of evil
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for Petroclus. Nestor makes a long speech, and now as
dawn rose from her couch, besides Tethnus harbinger of light
alike to mortals and immortals, Jove sent fears discord, with
the ensign of war in her hands, to the ships
of the Achaeans. She took her stand by the huge
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black hull of Ulysses ship, which was middlemost of all,
so that her voice might carry farthest on either side,
on the one hand towards the tents of Ajax and
a Telamon, and on the other towards those of Achilles.
For these two heroes, well assured of their own strength,
had valorously drawn up their ships at the two ends
of the line. There she took her stand and raised
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a cry, both loud and shrill, that filled the Achaeans
with courage, giving them heart to fight resolutely and with
all their might, so that they had rather stay there
and do battle than go home in their ships. The
son of Atreus shouted aloud and bade the argives gird
themselves for battle, while he put on his armor. First,
he girded his goodly grieves about his legs, making them
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fast with ankle clasps of silver. And about his chest
he set the breastplate, which Sonaris had once given him
as a guest gift. It had been nosed abroad as
far as Cypress that the Achaeans were about to sail
for Troy, and therefore he gave it to the king.
It had ten courses of dark sianus, twelve of gold,
and ten of tin. There were serpents of Sayanus that
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reared themselves up towards the neck, three on either side,
like the rainbows which the son of Satin had set
in heaven as a sign to mortal men. About his shoulders.
He threw his sword studded with bosses of gold, and
the scabbard was of silver, with a chain of gold
wherewith to hang it. He took moreover the richly dight
(02:34):
shield that covered his body when he was in battle
fair to see, with ten circles of bronze running all
round it. On the body of the shield there were
twenty bosses of white tin, with another of dark sianas
in the middle. This last was made to show a
gorgon's head, fierce and grim, with rout and panic on
either side. The band for the arm to go through
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was of silver, on which there was a writhing snake
of Saianus, with three heads that sprang from a single
neck and went in and out among one another. On
his head, Agamemnon set a helmet with a peak before
and behind, and four plumes of horsehair that knodded menacingly
above it. Then he grasped two redoubtable bronzhod spears, and
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the gleam of his armors shot from him as a
flame into the firmament, while Juno and Minerva thundered in
honor of the King of rich Mycene. Every man now
left his horses in charge of his charioteer to hold
them in readiness by the trench, while he went into
battle on foot, clad in full armor, and a mighty
uproar rose on high into the dawning. The chiefs were
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armed and at the trench before the horses got there,
But these came up presently. The son of Satin sent
a portent of evil sound about their host, and the
dew fell red with blood, for he was about to
send many a brave man hurrying down to Hiades. The
Trojans on the other side, upon the rising slope of
the plain, were gathered round Great Hector Novle Polydamus Aeneas,
(04:04):
who was honored by the Trojans like in immortal, and
the three sons of Antenor, Polebus, Aginor and the younger Camus,
Beautiful as a god. Hector's round shield showed in the
front rank, and as some baneful star that shines for
a moment through a rent in the clouds, and is
again hidden beneath them. Even so was Hector now seen
(04:25):
in the front ranks, and now again in the hindmost,
and his bronze armor gleamed like the lightning of Ejis
bearing Jove. And now as a band of reapers mows
swathes of wheat or barley upon a rich man's land,
and the sheaves fall thick before them. Even so did
the Trojans and Achaeans fall upon one another. They were
(04:46):
in no mood for yielding, but fought like wolves, and
neither side got the better of the other. This God
was glad as she beheld them, for she was the
only god that went among them. The others were not there,
but stayed quietly, each in his own home among the
dells and valleys of Olympus. All of them blamed the
son of Saturn for wanting to give victory to the Trojans.
(05:07):
But Father Jove heeded them not. He held aloof from
all and sat apart in his all glorious majesty, looking
down upon the city of the Trojans, the ships of
the Achaeans, the gleam of bronze and alike, upon the slayers,
and on the slain. Now, so long as the day waxed,
and it was still morning, their darts reigned thick on
(05:29):
one another, and the people perished. And as the hour
drew an eigh When a woodsman working in some mountain
forest will get his midday meal, for he has felt
till his hands are weary, he is tired out and
must now have food. Then the Daranaeans, with a cry
that rang through all their ranks, broke the battalions of
the enemy. Agamemnon led them on and slew first Bienor,
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a leader of his people, and afterwards his comrade and charioteer, Oelius,
who sprang from his chariot and was coming full towards him,
But Agamemnon struck him on the forehead with his spear.
His bronze visor was of no avail against the weapon,
which pierced both bronze and bone, so that his brains
were battered in and he was killed in full flight.
(06:12):
Agamemnon stripped their shirts from off them and left them
with their breasts all bare, to lie where they had fallen.
He then went on to kill Isis and Antiphus, two
sons of Priam, the one a bastard, the other born
in wedlock. They were in the same chariot, the bastard driving,
while noble Antiphus fought beside him. Achilles had once taken
(06:33):
both of them prisoner in the glades of Ida, and
had bound them with fresh wires as they were shepherding,
but he had taken a ransom for them. Now, however, Agamemnon,
son of Atreus smote isis in the chest above the
neple with his spear, while he struck Antiphus hard by
the ear and threw him from his chariot. Forthwith, he
stripped their goodly armor from off them, and recognized them,
(06:55):
for he had already seen them at the ships when
Achilles brought them in from Ida. As a lion fastens
on the fawns of a hind and crushes them in
his great jaws, robbing them of their tender life while
he is on his way back to his lair, the
Hind can do nothing for them, even though she be
close by, for she is in an agony of fear,
and flies through the thick forest, sweating and at her
(07:16):
utmost speed before the mighty monster. So no man of
the Trojans could help Isus and Antiphas, for they were
themselves flying in panic before the Argives. Then King Agamemnon
took the two sons of Antimachus, Pisander and brave Hippolochus.
It was Antimachus who had been foremost in preventing Helen's
(07:37):
being restored to Menelaeus, for he was largely bribed by Alexandras.
And now Agamemnon took his two sons, both in the
same chariot, trying to bring their horses to a stand,
for they had lost hold of the reins, and the
horses were mad with fear. The son of Atreus sprang
upon them like a lion, and the pairbus sought him
from their chariot. Take us alive, they cried, son of Atreus,
(07:59):
and you shall receive a great ransom for us our
father Antimychus's great store of gold, bronze and wrought iron.
And from this he will satisfy you with a very
large ransom should he hear of our being alive at
the ships of the Achaeans. With such pity as words
and tears did they beseech the king, But they heard
no pitiful answer in return. If said Agamamnon knew our
(08:22):
sons of Antimichus, who once at a council of Trojans,
proposed that Menelaus and Ulysses, who had come to you
as envoys, should be killed and not suffered to return.
You shall now pay for the foul iniquity of your father.
As he spoke, he felled Pissander from his chariot to
the earth, smiting him on the chest with his spear,
so that he lay faced upmost upon the ground. Hippolochus fled,
(08:47):
but him too did Agamemnon's smite. He cut off his
hands and his head, which he sent rolling in among
the crowd, as though it were a ball. Then he
let them both lie, and wherever the ranks were thickest,
thither he flew. While the other Achaeans followed. Foot soldiers
drove the foot soldiers of the foe in raup before
them and slew them. Horsemen did the like by horsemen,
(09:08):
and the thundering tramp of the horses raised a cloud
of dust from off the plain. King Agamemnon followed after ever,
slaying them and cheering on the Achaeans. As when some
mighty forest is all ablaze, the eddying gusts woll fire
in all directions till the thickets shrivel and are consumed
before the blast of the flame. Even so fell the
(09:30):
heads of the flying Trojans before Agamemnon, son of Atreus,
and many a noble pair of steeds to an empty
chariot along the highways of war, for lack of drivers,
who were lying on the plain, more useful out of
vultures than to their wives. Jove drew Hector away from
the darts and dust with the carnage and din of battle,
But the son of Atreus sped onwards, calling out lustily
(09:53):
to the Danaeans. They flew on by the tomb of
old Eelus, son of Dardanus, in the midst of the plain,
and past the place of the wild fig tree, making
always for the city. The son of Atreus, still shouting
and with hands all bedrappled in gore. But when they
had reached the ski and gates and the oak tree,
there they halted and waited for the others to come up. Meanwhile,
(10:15):
the Trojans kept on flying over the middle of the
plain like a herd of cows, maddened with fright. When
a lion has attacked them in the dead of night,
he springs on one of them, seizes her neck in
the grip of his strong teeth, and then laps up
her blood and gorges himself upon her entrails. Even so
did King Agamemnon, son of Atreus, pursue the foe, ever
(10:36):
slaughtering the hindmost as they fled pell meal before him.
Many a man was flung headlong from his chariot by
the hand of the son of Atreus, for he wielded
his spear with fury. But when he was just about
to reach the high wall and the city, the Father
of gods and men came down from heaven and took
his seat thunderbolt in hand, upon the crest of many
(10:57):
fountain Ida. He then told Iren of the Golden Wings
to carry a message for him. Go, said he fleet IRUs,
and speak thus to Hector, Say that so long as
he sees Agamemnon heading his men and making havoc of
the trojan ranks, he is to keep aloof and bid
the others bear the brunt of the battle. But when
Agamemnon is wounded either by spear or arrow, and takes
(11:20):
to his chariot, then will I vouchsafe him strength to
slay till he reached the ships and night falls at
the going down of the sun. Iras hearkened and obeyed.
Down she went to strong Ilias from the crests of Ida,
and found Hector, son of Priam, standing by his chariot
and horses. Then she said, Hector, son of Priam, peer
(11:41):
of gods in council, Father Jove has sent me to
bear you this message. So long as you see Agamemnon
heading his men and making havoc of the Trojan ranks,
you are to keep aloof and bid the others bear
the brunt of the battle. But when Agamemnon is wounded,
either by spear or arrow, and takes to his chariot,
then will Jove vouchsafe you strength to slay till you
(12:03):
reach the ships until night falls at the going down
of the sun. When she had thus spoken, Iris left him,
and Hector sprang full armed from his chariot to the ground,
brandishing his spear as he went about everywhere among the host,
cheering his men on to fight and stirring the dread
strife of battle. The Trojans then wheeled round and again
(12:24):
met the Achaeans, while the Argus, on their part, strengthened
their battalions. The battle was now in array, and they
stood face to face with one another, Agamemnon, ever pressing
forward in his eagerness to be ahead of all others.
Daomen A yi muses that dwell in the mansions of olempers. Who,
whether of the Trojans or of their allies, was the
(12:45):
first to face Agamemnon. It was Ephidamus, son of Antenor,
a man both brave and of great stature, who was
brought up in fertile Thrace, the mother of sheep cesses.
His mother's father brought him up in his own house
when he was a child, Cissis, father to Faiir Theano.
When he reached manhood, Cissis would have kept him there
(13:07):
and was forgiving him his daughter in marriage. But as
soon as he had married, he set out to fight
the Achaean, with twelve ships that followed him. These he
had left at Percote and had come on by land
to Ilius. He it was that now met Agamemnon, son
of Atreus. When they were close up with one another.
The son of Atreus missed his aim, and Iphidamus hit
(13:28):
him on the girdle below the cuirass, and then flung
himself upon him, trusting to his strength of arm. The girdle, however,
was not pierced, nor nearly so, for the point of
the spear struck against the silver, and was turned aside
as though it had been led. King Agamemnon caught it
from his hand and drew it towards him with the
fury of a lion. He then drew his sword and
(13:49):
killed Iphidamus by striking him on the neck. So there
the poffellow lay sleeping, asleep as it were, of bronze,
killed in the defense of his fellow citizens, far from
his wedded wife, of whom he had had no joy,
though he had given much for her. He had given
a hundred head of cattle down, and had promised later
on to give a thousand sheep and goats mixed from
(14:11):
the countless flocks of which he was possessed. Agamemnon, son
of Atreus, then despoiled him and carried off his armor
into the host of the Achaeans. When noble coon Antenno's
eldest son saw this, saw, indeed were his eyes at
the sight of his fallen brother, unseen by Agamemnon, he
got beside him spear in hand and wounded him in
(14:33):
the middle of his arm, below the elbow, the point
of the spear going right through the arm. Agamemnon was
convulsed with pain, but still not even for this did
he leave off struggling and fighting, but grasped his spear
that flew his fleet as the wind, and sprang upon Coon,
who was trying to drag off the body of his brother,
his father's son, by the foot, and was crying for
(14:55):
help to all the bravest of his comrades. But Agamemnon
struck him with a bronzehot spear and killed him as
he was dragging the dead body through the press of
men under cover of his shield. He then cut off
his head, standing over the body of Iphidamus. Thus did
the sons of Antenor meet their fate at the hands
of the son of Atreus, and go down into the
(15:15):
house of Hades. As long as the blood still welled
warm from his wound, Agamemnon went about attacking the ranks
of the enemy with spear and sword, and with great
handfuls of stone. But when the blood had ceased to
flow and the wound grew dry, the pain became great
as the sharp pangs which the Ailuthuia, goddesses of childbirth,
(15:38):
daughters of Juno, and dispensers of cruel pain send upon
a woman when she is in labor, even so sharp
are the pangs of the son of Atreus. He sprang
onto his chariot and bade his charioteer drive to the ships,
for he was in great agony. With a loud, clear voice,
he shouted to the Darinaeans, my friends, princes and counselors
(16:00):
the Argives, defend the ships yourselves, for Jove has not
suffered me to fight the whole day through against the Trojans.
With this, the charioteer turned his horses towards the ships,
and they flew forward nothing loath. Their chests were white
with foam, and their bellies with dust, as they drew
the wounded king out of the battle. When Actor saw
(16:21):
Agamemnon quit the field, he shouted to the Trojans and
Lysian saying, Trojans, Lyssians and Ardanian warriors, be men, my friends,
and acquit yourselves in battle. Bravely. Their best man has
left them, and Jove has vouchsafed me a great triumph
charge the foe with your chariots, that you may win
still greater glory. With these words, he put heart and
(16:42):
soul into them all. And as a huntsman hounds his
dogs on against a lion or wild boar, even so
did Hector Peer of Mars hound the proud Trojans on
against the Achaeans. Full of hope, he plunged in among
the foremost, and fell on the fight, like some fierce
impus that swoops down upon the sea and lashes its
(17:02):
deep blue waters into fury. What then is the full
tale of those whom Hectors, son of Priam killed in
the hour of triumph, which Jove then vouchsafed him. First
Assaius or Tanous, and Opites Dolops son of Clytius, Opheltius,
and Agilaeus, a simness Ourus and Hippenous steadfast in battle.
(17:25):
These chieftains of the Achaeans did Hector slay. And then
he fell upon the rank and file, As when the
west wind hustles the clouds of the white South and
beats them down with the fierceness of its fury, the
waves of the sea roll high, and the spray is
flung aloft in the rage of the wandering wind. Even
so thick were the heads of them that fell by
(17:46):
the hand of Hector. All had then been lost and
no help for it, and the Achaeans would have fled
pell Mell to their ships had not. Ulysses cried out
to Diomed, son of Tydeus, what has happened to us?
That we thus forget our prow Come, my good fellows,
stand by my side and help me. We shall be
shamed for ever if Hector takes the ships, and Diomed answered, come,
(18:10):
what may? I will stand firm, but we shall have
scant joy of it, for Jover's minded to give victory
to the Trojans rather than to us. With these words,
he struck Thimbreyers from his chariot to the ground, smiting
him in the left breast with his spear, while Ulysses
killed Molion, who was his squire. These they let lie
now that they had stopped their fighting. The two heroes
(18:32):
then went on playing havoc with the foe, like two
wild boars that turn in fury and rend the hounds
that hunt them. Thus did they turn upon the Trojans
and slay them. And the Achaeans were thankful to have
breathing time in their flight from Hector. They then took
two princes with their chariot, the two sons of Merops
of Percoti, who excelled all others in the arts of divination.
(18:54):
He had forbidden his sons to go to the war,
but they would not obey him, for fate lured them
to their fall. Diomed, son of Tydeus, slew them both
and stripped them of their armor, while Ulysses killed Hepadiamus
and Hypaleurycos, and now the son of Saturn. As he
looked down from Ida, ordained that neither side should have
the advantage, and they kept on killing one another. The
(19:17):
son of Tydeus speared agastroph A, son of Paeon in
the hip joint with his spear. His chariot was not
at hand for him to fly with so blindly confident
had he been. His squire was in charge of it
at some distance, and he was fighting on foot among
the foremost, until he lost his life. Hector soon marked
the havoc Diomed and Ulysses were making, and bore down
(19:38):
upon them with a loud cry, followed by the Trojan ranks.
Brave Diomed was dismayed when he saw them, and said
to Ulysses, who was beside him, great Hector is bearing
down upon us, and we shall be undone. Let us
stand firm and wait. His arm set, he poised his
spear as he spoke and hurled it. Nor did he
miss his mark. He had aimed at Hector's head, near
(19:59):
the his helmet, but bronze was turned by bronze, and
Hector was untouched, for the spear was stayed by the
vised helm made with three plates of metal, which Phoebus
Apollo had given him. Hector sprang back with a red
bound under cover of the ranks. He fell on his
knees and propped himself with his brawny hand, leaning on
the ground, for darkness had fallen on his eyes. The
(20:22):
son of Tideous, having thrown his spear, dashed in among
the foremost fighters, to the place where he had seen
it strike the ground. Meanwhile, Hector recovered himself, and springing
back into his chariot, mingled with the crowd, by which
means he saved his life. But Diomed made at him
with his spear and said, dog, you have again got away,
though death was close on your heels. Phoebus Apollo to
(20:44):
whom I ween you pray ere you go into battle,
has again saved you. Nevertheless, I will meet you and
make an end of you hereafter, if there is any
God who will stand by me too and be my helper.
For the present, I must pursue those I can lay
hands on. As he spoke, he began stripping the spoils
from the son of Paeon, but Alexandra's husband of lovely Helen,
(21:07):
aimed an arrow at him. Leaning against a pillar of
the monument which men had raised to Eelus, son of Diardanus,
a ruler in days of old, diomed had taken the
cuirass from off the breast of Agastrophus, his heavy helmet also,
and the shield from off his shoulders. When Paris drew
his bow and let fly an arrow that sped not
from his hand in vain, but pierced the flat of
(21:29):
Diomede's right foot, coming right through it and fixing itself
in the ground. Thereon, Paris, with a hearty laugh, sprang
forward from his hiding place and taunted him, saying, you
are wounded. My arrow has not been shut in vain.
Would that it hit you in the belly and killed you?
For Thus the trojans, who fear you as goats fear
a lion, would have had a truce from evil. Diomed All, undaunted,
(21:54):
answered archer, you, who without your bow are nothing slanderer
and seducer. If you were to be tried in single combat,
fighting in full armor, your bow and your arrows would
serve you in little stead. Vain is your boast in
that you have scratched the sole of my foot. I
care no more than if a girl, a some silly
boy had hit me. A worthless coward could inflict but
(22:15):
a light wound. When I wound a man, though I
but graze his skin, it is another matter. For my
weapon will lay him low. His wife will tear her
cheeks for grief, and his children will be fatherless. There
will he rot, reddening the earth of these blood and
vultures not women will gather round him. Thus he spoke,
(22:36):
but Ulysses came up and stood over him. Under this cover,
he sat down to draw the arrow from his foot,
and sharp was the pain he suffered as he did so.
Then he sprang onto his chariot and bade the charioteer
drive him to the ships, for he was sick at heart.
Ulysses was now alone. Not one of the argives stood
by him, for they were all panic stricken. Alas said
(22:59):
he to himself in his dismay, what will become of me?
It is hell if I turn and fly before these odds,
But it will be worse if I am left alone
and taken prisoner. For the son of Satin has struck
the rest of the Dardanians with panic. But why talk
to myself in this way? Well? Do I know that
though cowards quit the field, a hero, whether he wound
or be wounded, must stand firm and hold his own.
(23:24):
While he was thus in two minds, the ranks of
the Trojans advanced and hemmed him in, And bitterly did
they come to ruin it. As hounds and lusty youths
set upon a wild boar that sallies from his lair,
wetting his white tusks. They attacked him from every side,
and can hear the gnashing of his jaws. But for
all his fierceness, they still hold their ground. Even so
(23:45):
furiously did the Trojans attack Ulysses. First, he sprang spear
in hand upon dire pieties and wounded him on the
shoulder with a downward blow. Then he killed Thouan and Anomus.
After these he struck her Saidamus, and the loins under
his shield, as he had just sprung down from his chariot.
So he fell in the dust and clutched the earth
(24:05):
in the hollow of his hand. These he let lie
and went on to wound Chahrops, son of Hippassus, own
brother to noble Socus Sokos Hero that he was made
all speed to help him, And when he was close
to Ulysses, he said, far famed Ulysses, unsatiable of craft
and toil, this day, you shall either boast of having
killed both the sons of Hypassus and strip them of
(24:27):
their armor, or you shall fall before my spear. With
these words he struck the shield of Ulysses. The spear
went through the shield and passed on through his richly
wrought cuirass, tearing the flesh from his side. But Pallas
Minerva did not suffer it to pierce the entrails of
the hero. Ulysses knew that his hour was not yet come,
(24:48):
but he gave ground and said to Sochus Ratch, you
shall now surely die. You have stayed me from fighting
further with the Trojans, but you shall now fall by
my spear, yielding glory to myself and your soul to Hades.
Are the noble steeds. Socus had turned in flight, but
as he did so, the spear struck him in the back,
midway between the shoulders, and went right through his chest.
(25:12):
He fell heavily to the ground, and Ulysses vaunted over him, saying, oh, Socus,
son of Hepassus, Stamer of horses, death has been too
quick for you, and you have not escaped him, poor wretch.
Not even in death shall your father and mother close
your eyes, but the ravening vultures shall enshroud you with
the flapping of their dark wings and devour you. Whereas
(25:34):
even though I fall, the Achaeans will give me my
due rites of burial. So saying, he drew Socus's heavy
spear out of his flesh and from his shield, and
the blood welled forth when the spear was withdrawn, so
that he was much dismayed. When the Trojan saw that
Ulysses was bleeding, they raised a great shout and came
on in a body towards him. He therefore gave ground
(25:57):
and called his comrades to come and help him. Thrice
did he cry, as loudly as man can cry, And
thrist did brave Menelaeus hear him. He turned therefore to Ajax,
who was close beside him, and said, Ajax, noble son
of Talamon, captain of your people, the cry of Ulysses
rings in my ears, as though the Trojans had cut
him off and were worsting him. While he is single handed.
(26:20):
Let us make our way through the throng. It will
be well that we can defend him. I fear he
may come to harm for all his valor if he
be left without support, and the Danaeans would miss him sorely.
He led the way, and mighty Ajax went with him.
The Trojans had gathered round Ulysses like ravenous mountain jackals
round the carcass of some horned stag that has been
(26:42):
hit with an arrow. The staggers fled at full speed,
so long as his blood was warm and his strength
has lasted. But when the arrow has overcome him, the
savage jackals devour him in the shady glades of the forest.
Then Heavens sends a fierce lion thither whereon the jackals
fly in terror, and the lion rubbed them of their prey.
Even so did Trojans many and brave gather round craft
(27:05):
to Ulysses, But the hero stood at bay and kept
them off with his spear. Ajax then came up with
his shield before him like a wall, and stood hard by,
where on the Trojans fled in all directions. Menelayus took
Ulysses by the hand and led him out of the press,
while his squire brought up his chariot. But Ajax rushed
furiously on the Trojans and killed Doricles, a bastard son
(27:28):
of Priam. Then he wounded Pandocus, Lyssandrus, Pyrasus, and Pilats.
As some swollen torrent comes rushing in full flood from
the mountains onto the plain, big with rain of heaven.
When he a dry oak and many a pine does
it engulf, and much mud does it bring down and
cast into the sea. Even so did brave Ajax chase
(27:48):
the Vox furiously over the plain, slaying both men and horses.
Hector did not yet know what Ajax was doing, for
he was fighting on the extreme left of the battle,
by the banks of the rivers. Commander, where the carnage
was thickest and the war cry loudest round Nestor and
brave Demaneas among these, Hector was making great slaughter with
(28:09):
his spear and furious driving, and was destroying the ranks
that were opposed to him. Still, the Achaeans would have
given no ground had not Alexandrus, husband of lovely Helen,
stayed the prowess of Machaeon, shepherd of his people, by
wounding him in the right shoulder with a triple barbed arrow.
The Achaeans were in great fear that, as the fight
had turned against them, the Trojans might take him prisoner.
(28:32):
N Idomeneus said to Nestor, Nestor, son of Nelius, honor
to the Achaean name, mount your chariot at once, take
Machaon with you, and drive your horses to the ships
as fast as you can. A physician is worth more
than several other men put together, for he can cut
out arrows and spread healing herbs. Nestor nightA jerene, did
(28:53):
as Idomaneus had counseled. He at once mounted his chariot,
and Machaeon, son of the femed physician as Sculapius went
with him. He lashed his horses, and they flew onward
nothing loath, towards the ships, as though of their own
free will. And Sabrione, seeing the Trojans in confusion, said
to Hector from his place beside him, Hector, here are
(29:15):
we two fighting on the extreme wing of the battle,
while the other Trojans are in pell mell rout. They
and their horses. Ajax, son of Telamon, is driving them
before him. I know him by the breadth of his shield.
Let us turn our chariot and horses thither, where horse
and foot are fighting most desperately, and where the cry
of battle is loudest. With this he lashed his goodly steeds,
(29:38):
and when they felt the whip, they drew the chariot
full speed among the Achaeans and Trojans, over the bodies
and shields of those that had fallen. The axle was
bespatted with blood, and the rail round the car was
covered with splashes, both from the horses hoofs and from
the tires of the wheels. Hector tore his way through
and flung himself into the thick of the fight, and
(29:58):
his presence through the dun into confusion, for his spear
was not long idle. Nevertheless, though he went among the
ranks with sword and spear, and throwing great stones, he
avoided Ajax, son of Telamon, for Jove would have been
angry with him if he had fought a better man
than himself. Then Father Jove, from his high throne, struck
(30:18):
fear into the heart of Ajax, so that he stood
there dazed, and threw his shield behind him, looking fearfully
at the throng of his foes, as though he were
some wild beast, and turning hither and thither, but crouching
slowly backwards, as peasants with their hounds chase a lyon
from their stockyard, and watched by night to prevent his
carrying off the pick of their herd. He makes his
(30:41):
greedy spring, but in vain, for the darts from many
a strong hand to fall vicar around him with burning
brands that scare him for all his fury, And when
morning comes he SLINKs, foiled and angry away. Even so
did Ajax, sorely, against his will, retreat angrily before the Trojans,
fearing for the ships of the uk Achaeans, or a
(31:02):
some lazy ass that has had many a cudgel broken
about his back. When he into a field begins eating,
the corn boys beat him, but he has too many
for them, and though they lay about with their sticks,
they cannot hurt him. Still, when he has had his fill,
they at last drive him from the field. Even so
did the Trojans and their allies pursue Great Ajax, ever
(31:22):
smiting the middle of his shield with their darts. Now
and again he would turn and show fight, but keeping
back the battalions of the Trojans. And then he would
again retreat, But he prevented any of them from making
his way to the ships. Single handed, he stood midway
between the Trojans and Achaeans. The spears that sped from
(31:42):
their hands struck some of them many as mighty shield,
while many, though thirsting for his blood, fell to the
ground ere they could reach him, to the wounding of
his fair flesh. Now, when Eurepolus, the brave son of Uaemon,
saw that Ajax was being overpowered by the rain of arrows,
he went up to him and hurl his spear. He
struck Apaesaeon, the son of Harsius, in the lever below
(32:04):
the midriff and laid him low. Euypoulus sprang upon him
and stripped the armor from his shoulders. But when Alexandra
saw him, he aimed an arrow at him, which struck
him in the right thigh. The arrow broke, but the
point that was left in the wound dragged on the thigh.
He drew back, therefore under cover of his comrades to
save his life, shouting as he did so to the Daranaeans.
(32:26):
My friends, princes and counselors of the Argives rallied to
the defense of Ajax, who was being overpowered, and I
doubt whether he will come out of the fight alive either.
Then to the rescue of Great Ajax, son of Telamon.
Even so did he cry when he was wounded. Thereon,
the others came near and gathered round him, holding their
(32:47):
shields upwards from their shoulders, so as to give him cover.
Ajax then made towards them and turned round to stand
at bay as soon as he had reached his men.
Thus then did they fight, as it were a flaming fire. Meanwhile,
the mares of Nelius, all in a lather with sweat,
were bearing Nestor out of the fight, and with him, Machaeon,
(33:07):
shepherd of his people. Achilles saw and took note, for
he was standing on the stern of his ship, watching
the hard stress and struggle of the fight. He called
from the ship to his comrade Petroclus, who heard him
in the tent and came out, looking like Mars himself. Here,
indeed was the beginning of the ill that presently befell him.
(33:28):
Why said he, Achilles, do you call me? What do
you want with me? And Achilles answered, noble son of Monoecius,
man after my own heart, I take it that I
shall now have the Achaean spraying at my knees, for
they are in great straits. Go Patroclus and ask Nestor
who it is that he is bearing away wounded from
the field from his back. I should say it was
(33:49):
machay On, son of Esculapius, but I could not see
his face, for the horses went by me at full speed.
Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him, and
said off, running by the ships and tents of the Achaeans.
When Nestor and Machayan had reached the tents of the
son of Nelius, they dismounted and in a squire Eurymadon
(34:09):
took the horses from the chariot. The pair then stood
in the breeze by the sea side to dry the
sweat from their shirts, and when they had so done,
they came inside and took their seats. Fair hecamede, whom
Nestor had had awarded to him from Tenedos. When Achilles
took it, mixed them a mess. She was daughter of
wires Asinous, and the Achaeans had given her to Nestor
(34:31):
because he excelled all of them in council. First she
set for them a fair and well made table that
had feet of cyanus on it. There was a vessel
of bronze and an onion to give relish to the
drink with honey and cakes of barley meal. There was
also a cup of rare workmanship, which the old man
had brought with him from home, studded with bosses of gold.
(34:54):
It had four handles, on each of which there were
two golden doves feeding, and had had two feet to
stand on, any one else would hardly have been able
to lift it from the table when it was full,
but Nestor could do so quite easily. In this the
woman as fair as a goddess, mixed them a mess
with Pramnian wine. She grated goat's milk cheese into it
(35:14):
with a bronze grater, threw in a handful of white
barley meal, and having thus prepared the mess, she bade
them drank it. When they had done so, and had
thus quenched their thirst, they fell talking with one another,
and at this moment Petroclus appeared at the door. When
the old man saw him, he sprang from his seat,
seized his hand, led him into the tent, and bade
(35:36):
him take his place among them. But Petroclus stood where
he was and said, Noble Sir, I may not stay.
You cannot persuade me to come in. He that sent
me is not one to be trifled with. And he
bade me ask who the wounded man was whom you
were bearing away from the field. I can see now
for myself that he is machay On, shepherd of his people.
(35:57):
I must go back and tell Achilles, you, sir, know
what a terrible man he is, and how ready to
blame even where no blame should lie. The nestor answered,
why should Achilles care to know? How many of the
Achaeans may be wounded, he recks not of the dismay
that reigns in our host. Our most valiant chieftains lie disabled.
(36:17):
Brave diomed son of Tideus, is wounded. So ulysses an
Agamemnon Eurypolus has been hit with an arrow in the thigh.
And I have just been bringing this man from the field,
he too wounded with an arrow. Nevertheless, Achilles, so valiant
though he be, cares not and knows no ruth. Will
he wait till the ships do what we may are
(36:39):
in a blaze, and we perish one upon the other.
As for me, I have no strength nor stay in
many longer would that I was still young and strong,
as in the days when there was a fight between
us and the men of ALUs about some cattle raiding.
I then killed it to Maneus, the valiant son of Hyperiachus,
a dweller Inallus. As I was driving in the spoil,
(37:01):
he was hit by a dart thrown by my hand
while fighting in the front rank in defense of his cows.
So he fell, and the country people around him were
in great fear. We drove off a vast quantity of
booty from the plains fifty herds of cattle, and as
many flocks of sheep, fifty droves or so of pigs,
and as many widespread flocks of goats of horses. Moreover,
(37:23):
we seized one hundred and fifty, all of them mares,
and many had foals running with them. All these did
we drive by night to Pylus, the city of Nelius,
taking them within the city. And the heart of Nelius
was glad and that I had taken so much, though
it was the first time I had ever been in
the field. At daybreak, the heralds went round crying that
all an Elus, to whom there was a debt owing,
(37:45):
should come, and the leading Pylians assembled to divide the spoils.
There were many to whom the Apaeians old chattels. For
we men of Pylus were few and had been oppressed
with wrong in former years. Hercules had come and had
Lady's hand upon us, so that all our best men
had perished. Nelius had had twelve sons, but I alone
(38:06):
was left. The others had all been killed. The Apaeians,
presuming upon all this, had looked down upon us and
had done us much evil. My father chose a herd
of cattle, and a great flock of sheep, three hundred
in all, and he took their shepherds with him, for
there was a great debt due to him and Elus
to wit four horses, winners of prizes. They and their
(38:27):
chariots with them had gone to the games and were
to run for a tripod, but King Argaias took them
and sent back their driver, grieving for the loss of
his horses. Nelus was angered by what he had both
said and done, and took great value at return. But
he divided the rest, that no man might have less
than his full share dust. Did we order all things
(38:49):
and offer sacrifices to the gods throughout the city. But
three days afterwards the Apaeans came in a body, many
in number. They and their chariots in full array, and
with them the two Moliones in their armor, though they
were still lads and unused to fighting. Now there is
a certain town, Thoressa, perched upon a rock on the
river Alpheus, the border city of Pylus. This they would
(39:13):
destroy and pitch their camp about it. But when they
had crossed their whole plain, Minerved darted down by night
from Olympus and bade Us set ourselves in array, and
she found willing soldiers in Pylos. For the men meant fighting.
Nelius would not let me arm and hit my horses,
for he said that as yet I could know nothing
about war. Nevertheless, Minerva so ordered the fight that all
(39:36):
on foot as I was, I fought among our mounted forces,
and vied with the foremost of them. There is a
river Minaeus that falls into the sea now Irene. And
there they that were mounted, and I with them, waited
till morning when the companies of foot soldiers came up
with us in force. Thence in full panoply and equipment.
We came towards noon to the sacred waters of the Alpheus,
(39:59):
and there we offered vicvictims to Almighty Jove, with a
bull to Alpheus, another to Neptune, and a herd heifer
to Minerva. After this we took supper in our companies
and laid us down to rest, each in his armor
by the river. The Apaians were beleaguering the city and
were determined to take it. But ere this might be,
there was a desperate fight in store for them. When
(40:21):
the sun's rays began to fall upon the earth, we
joined battle, praying to Jove and to Minerva. And when
the fight had begun, I was the first to kill
my man and take his horses to wit the warrior Mulius.
He was son in law to Argaeus, having married his
eldest daughter golden hair Agamede, who knew the virtues of
every herb which grows upon the face of the earth.
(40:42):
I speared him as he was coming towards me, and
when he fell headlong in the dust, I sprang upon
his chariot and took my place in the front ranks.
The Apeians fled in all directions when they saw the
captain of their horsemen, the best men they had laid low,
and I swept down on them like a whirlwind, taking
fear fifty chariots, and in each of them two men
bit the dust, slain by my spear. I should have
(41:06):
even killed the two Moliones, sons of Ector, unless their
real father, Neptune, lord of the earthquake, had hidden them
in a thick mist and borne them out of the fight. Thereon,
Jove outsafed the Pylians a great victory, for we chased
them far over the plain, killing the men and bringing
in their armor till we had brought our horses to Buprasium,
rich in wheat, and to the Oleidian rock with a
(41:28):
hill that is called Alision, on which point Minerva turned
the people back. There, I slew the last man and
left him. Then the Achaeans drove their horses back from
Buprasium to Pylos, and gave thanks to Jove among the
gods and among mortal men, to Nestor. Such was I
among my peers, as surely as ever was. But Achilles
(41:50):
is for keeping all his valor for himself. Bitterly will
they rue it hereafter, when the host has been cut
to pieces. My good friend did not Guinnecius charged you
thus on the day when he sent you from Phithia
to Agamemnon, Ulysses and I were in the house inside
and heard all that he said to you. For we
came to the fair house of Pelias while beating up
(42:11):
recruits throughout all Achiir, And when we got there we
found Monocius in yourself an Achilles with you. The old
knight Peleus was in the outer court roasting the fat
thigh bones of a heifer to Jove, the lord of Thunder,
And he held a gold chalice in his hand, from
which he poured drink offerings of wine over the burning sacrifice.
You two were busy cutting up the haifer, And at
(42:33):
that moment we stood at the gates, whereon Achilles sprang
to his feet, led us by the hand into the house,
placed us at table, and set before us such hospitable
entertainment as guests expect. When we had satisfied ourselves with
meat and drink, I said my say, and urged both
of you to join us. You were ready enough to
(42:53):
do so, And the two old men charged you much
and straightly. Old Pelias bad his son Achilles fight ever
among the foremost and outvie his peers. Or Monoetius, the
son of actors, spoke thus to you, My son said he,
Achilles is of nobler birth than you are. But you
are older than he. Though he is far the better
man of the two. Counsel him wisely, guide him in
(43:17):
the right way, and he will follow you to his
own profit. Thus did your father charge you, but you
have forgotten. Nevertheless, even now say all this to Achilles.
If he will listened to you, who knows, But with
Heaven's help you may talk him over for it is
good to take a friend's advice. If, however, he is
fearful about some oracle, or if his mother has told
(43:38):
him something from Jove, then let him send you, and
let the rest of the Marmaddons follow with you, if
perchance you may bring light and saving to the Danaeans,
and let him send you into battle clad in his
own armor, that the Trojans may mistake you for him
and leave off fighting. The sons of the Achaeans may
thus have time to get their breath, for they are
hard pressed, and there is little breathing time in battle. You,
(44:02):
who are fresh, might easily drive a tired enemy back
to his walls and away from the tents and ships.
With these words he moved the heart of Petroclus, who
set off running by the line of the ships to Achilles,
descended of Asius. When he had got as far as
the ships of Ulysses, where there was a place of
assembly and court of justice, where their altars dedicated to
(44:23):
the gods. Eurepolus, son of you, aim unmat him wounded
in the thigh with an arrow, and limping out of
the fight. Sweat reigned from his head and shoulders, and
black blood welled from his cruel wound, but his mind
did not wander. The son of Monoetius, when he saw him,
had compassion upon him and spoke piteously, saying, Oh, unhappy
(44:44):
princes and counselors of the D'arnaeans, are you then doomed
to feed the hounds of Troy with your fat, far
from your friends and your native lad say noble Eurepulus,
will the Achaeans be able to hold great hactor in jack?
Or will they fall? Now? Before his spear wounded, Uyppulus
made answer, Noble Patroclus, there is no hope left for
(45:06):
the Achaeans, but they will perish at their ships, all
they that were princes among us. A lying struck down
and wounded at the hands of the Trojans, who are
waxing stronger and stronger. But save me and take me
to your ship. Cut out the arrow from my thigh,
wash the black blood from off it with warm water,
and lay upon it those gracious herbs, which, so they say,
(45:27):
have been shown you by Achilles, who was himself shown
them by Cairn, most righteous of all the Centaurs. For
of the physicians, but Delirius and Machaeon I hear that
the one is lying wounded in his tent and is
himself in need of healing, while the other is fighting
the Trojans upon the plain. Hero Eurypulus replied, the brave
(45:48):
son of Monoetius, How may these things be? What can
I do? I am on my way to bear a
message to Noble Achilles from Nestor of Jerene, bulwark of
the Achaeans. But even so I will not be unmindful
of your distress. With this, he clasped him round the
middle and led him into his tent, and a servant
when he saw him, spread bullock skins on the ground
(46:10):
for him to lie on. He laid him at full
length and cut out the sharp arrow from his thigh.
He washed the black blood from the wound with warm water.
He then crushed a bitter herb, rubbing it between his hands,
and spread it upon the wound. This was a virtuous
herb which killed all pain. So the wound presently dried
(46:30):
and the blood left off flowing. End of Section eleven.
Dream Audio Books hopes you have enjoyed this program.
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