Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
Iris hearkened and obeyed. Down she went to strong Ilius 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 of gods in
counsel, 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 reach the ships, and till 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 met the Achaeans, while the Argives 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.
Tell me now ye Muses that dwell in the mansions of Olympus,
who, whether of the Trojans or of their allies, was first to face
Agamemnon? It was Iphidamas son of Antenor, a man both brave
and of great stature, who was brought up in fertile Thrace the
mother of sheep. Cisses, his mother’s father, brought him up in his
own house when he was a child- Cisses, father to fair Theano.
When he reached manhood, Cisses would have kept him there, and
was for giving him his daughter in marriage, but as soon as he had
married he set out to fight the Achaeans with twelve ships that
followed him: these he had left at Percote and had come on by land
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