Irische Texte : mit ersetzungen und Wterbuch

°i'
124 The Destruction of Troy.
in a duel. The battle-soldiers of the Greeks endured not the
exceeding great vehemence and the fury which the woman-
champions brought upon them. So they fled as far as the
camp. Penthesilea with her women inflicted great slaughter
upon them, so that they came into the camp. Then the
woman-soldier spread her host all round about the camp. By
her was burnt a great portion of the ships. Battle was given
to them (the Greeks) every day in that wise, and they were
routed, so that they came into the middle of the camp fleeing;
and it is doubtful (if even) Diomede stood firm alone against
her, because the women were brisker than the men. For when
the Greeks would uplift their hands for delivering a blow or
a thrust, the women would raise their shields all round them
for protection. But when the Greeks carried their shields and
their bosses for protection and for defence, on the side at which
they were (thus) made naked, they were riddled by the women.
Now when the Greeks endured not the attacks of the fullvaliant
women, whose equal or like was not found of the women
of the world, they went into their camp and closed the gates
diligently. And Agamemnon allowed them not to go foith from
the fortress till Menelaus should have come out of Greece.
Thereafter came Menelaus and Pyrrhus to the leaguer of the
Greeks; and his father's armour was given to Pyrrhus, and he
made wailing and handsmiting on his grave, and it was not
without ground that he did so.
1717. Howbeit, as regards Penthesilea, she came into the
battle, as she used to do every day, and went to the gates of
the camp. Pyrrhus, moreover, the king of the Myrmidons,
arrays his battalion on the other side. Then Agamemnon set
out the hosts of the rest of the Greeks. They both proceed
before Penthesilea. Then did Pyrrhus inflict an enormous
slaughter on the Burnt-paps, and he routed them till he came
to Penthisilea. Then when she came she fought a duel with
Pyrrhus. So they were biding till the end of the day, each
of them smiting the other's shield, and neither gave a thrust
on skin (?) to the other. Cruel was the woman's combat which