Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
fighting about the other gates; I, however, am no god to be able to
tell about all these things, for the battle raged everywhere about
the stone wall as it were a fiery furnace. The Argives, discomfited
though they were, were forced to defend their ships, and all the
gods who were defending the Achaeans were vexed in spirit; but
the Lapithae kept on fighting with might and main.
Thereon Polypoetes, mighty son of Pirithous, hit Damasus with a
spear upon his cheek-pierced helmet. The helmet did not protect
him, for the point of the spear went through it, and broke the bone,
so that the brain inside was scattered about, and he died fighting.
He then slew Pylon and Ormenus. Leonteus, of the race of Mars,
killed Hippomachus the son of Antimachus by striking him with
his spear upon the girdle. He then drew his sword and sprang first
upon Antiphates whom he killed in combat, and who fell face
upwards on the earth. After him he killed Menon, Iamenus, and
Orestes, and laid them low one after the other.
While they were busy stripping the armour from these heroes, the
youths who were led on by Polydamas and Hector (and these were
the greater part and the most valiant of those that were trying to
break through the wall and fire the ships) were still standing by the
trench, uncertain what they should do; for they had seen a sign
from heaven when they had essayed to cross it- a soaring eagle that
flew skirting the left wing of their host, with a monstrous blood-red
snake in its talons still alive and struggling to escape. The snake
was still bent on revenge, wriggling and twisting itself backwards
till it struck the bird that held it, on the neck and breast; whereon
the bird being in pain, let it fall, dropping it into the middle of the
host, and then flew down the wind with a sharp cry. The Trojans
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