Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
son Antilochus, and Agamemnon, king of men, killed Elatus who
dwelt in Pedasus by the banks of the river Satnioeis. Leitus killed
Phylacus as he was flying, and Eurypylus slew Melanthus.
Then Menelaus of the loud war-cry took Adrestus alive, for his
horses ran into a tamarisk bush, as they were flying wildly over the
plain, and broke the pole from the car; they went on towards the
city along with the others in full flight, but Adrestus rolled out, and
fell in the dust flat on his face by the wheel of his chariot; Menelaus
came up to him spear in hand, but Adrestus caught him by the
knees begging for his life. “Take me alive,” he cried, “son of
Atreus, and you shall have a full ransom for me: my father is rich
and has much treasure of gold, bronze, and wrought iron laid by in
his house. From this store he will give you a large ransom should
he hear of my being alive and at the ships of the Achaeans.”
Thus did he plead, and Menelaus was for yielding and giving him
to a squire to take to the ships of the Achaeans, but Agamemnon
came running up to him and rebuked him. “My good Menelaus,”
said he, “this is no time for giving quarter. Has, then, your house
fared so well at the hands of the Trojans? Let us not spare a single
one of them- not even the child unborn and in its mother’s womb;
let not a man of them be left alive, but let all in Ilius perish,
unheeded and forgotten.”
Thus did he speak, and his brother was persuaded by him, for his
words were just. Menelaus, therefore, thrust Adrestus from him,
whereon King Agamemnon struck him in the flank, and he fell:
then the son of Atreus planted his foot upon his breast to draw his
spear from the body.
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