21.06.2013 Views

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<strong>Homer</strong>’s <strong>Iliad</strong><br />

With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and as a<br />

huntsman hounds his dogs on against a lion or wild boar, even so<br />

did Hector, peer of Mars, hound the proud Trojans on against the<br />

Achaeans. Full of hope he plunged in among the foremost, and fell<br />

on the fight like some fierce tempest that swoops down upon the<br />

sea, and lashes its deep blue waters into fury.<br />

What, then is the full tale of those whom Hector son of Priam killed<br />

in the hour of triumph which Jove then vouchsafed him? First<br />

Asaeus, Autonous, and Opites; Dolops son of Clytius, Opheltius<br />

and Agelaus; Aesymnus, Orus and Hipponous steadfast in battle;<br />

these chieftains of the Achaeans did Hector slay, and then he fell<br />

upon the rank and file. As when the west wind hustles the clouds<br />

of the white south and beats them down with the fierceness of its<br />

fury- the waves of the sea roll high, and the spray is flung aloft in<br />

the rage of the wandering wind- even so thick were the heads of<br />

them that fell <strong>by</strong> the hand of Hector.<br />

All had then been lost and no help for it, and the Achaeans would<br />

have fled pell-mell to their ships, had not Ulysses cried out to<br />

Diomed, “Son of Tydeus, what has happened to us that we thus<br />

forget our prowess? Come, my good fellow, stand <strong>by</strong> my side and<br />

help me, we shall be shamed for ever if Hector takes the ships.”<br />

And Diomed answered, “Come what may, I will stand firm; but we<br />

shall have scant joy of it, for Jove is minded to give victory to the<br />

Trojans rather than to us.”<br />

With these words he struck Thymbraeus from his chariot to the<br />

ground, smiting him in the left breast with his spear, while Ulysses<br />

206

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!