Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
another in their ox-hide shields, and then charged straight at the
Danaans, for they felt sure that they would not hold out longer and
that they should themselves now fall upon the ships.
The rest of the Trojans and their allies now followed the counsel of
Polydamas but Asius son of Hyrtacus would not leave his horses
and his esquire behind him; in his foolhardiness he took them on
with him towards the ships, nor did he fail to come by his end in
consequence. Nevermore was he to return to wind-beaten Ilius,
exulting in his chariot and his horses; ere he could do so, death of
ill-omened name had overshadowed him and he had fallen by the
spear of Idomeneus the noble son of Deucalion. He had driven
towards the left wing of the ships, by which way the Achaeans used
to return with their chariots and horses from the plain. Hither he
drove and found the gates with their doors opened wide, and the
great bar down- for the gatemen kept them open so as to let those
of their comrades enter who might be flying towards the ships.
Hither of set purpose did he direct his horses, and his men
followed him with a loud cry, for they felt sure that the Achaeans
would not hold out longer, and that they should now fall upon the
ships. Little did they know that at the gates they should find two of
the bravest chieftains, proud sons of the fighting Lapithae- the one,
Polypoetes, mighty son of Pirithous, and the other Leonteus, peer
of murderous Mars. These stood before the gates like two high oak
trees upon the mountains, that tower from their wide-spreading
roots, and year after year battle with wind and rain- even so did
these two men await the onset of great Asius confidently and
without flinching. The Trojans led by him and by Iamenus, Orestes,
Adamas the son of Asius, Thoon and Oenomaus, raised a loud cry
of battle and made straight for the wall, holding their shields of dry
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