Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
Hector did as his brother bade him. He sprang from his chariot,
and went about everywhere among the host, brandishing his
spears, urging the men on to fight, and raising the dread cry of
battle. Thereon they rallied and again faced the Achaeans, who
gave ground and ceased their murderous onset, for they deemed
that some one of the immortals had come down from starry heaven
to help the Trojans, so strangely had they rallied. And Hector
shouted to the Trojans, “Trojans and allies, be men, my friends, and
fight with might and main, while I go to Ilius and tell the old men
of our council and our wives to pray to the gods and vow
hecatombs in their honour.”
With this he went his way, and the black rim of hide that went
round his shield beat against his neck and his ancles.
Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus, and the son of Tydeus went into
the open space between the hosts to fight in single combat. When
they were close up to one another Diomed of the loud war-cry was
the first to speak. “Who, my good sir,” said he, “who are you
among men? I have never seen you in battle until now, but you are
daring beyond all others if you abide my onset. Woe to those
fathers whose sons face my might. If, however, you are one of the
immortals and have come down from heaven, I will not fight you;
for even valiant Lycurgus, son of Dryas, did not live long when he
took to fighting with the gods. He it was that drove the nursing
women who were in charge of frenzied Bacchus through the land of
Nysa, and they flung their thyrsi on the ground as murderous
Lycurgus beat them with his oxgoad. Bacchus himself plunged
terror-stricken into the sea, and Thetis took him to her bosom to
comfort him, for he was scared by the fury with which the man
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