Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
First, Ajax son of Telamon killed brave Epicles, a comrade of
Sarpedon, hitting him with a jagged stone that lay by the
battlements at the very top of the wall. As men now are, even one
who is in the bloom of youth could hardly lift it with his two
hands, but Ajax raised it high aloft and flung it down, smashing
Epicles’ four-crested helmet so that the bones of his head were
crushed to pieces, and he fell from the high wall as though he were
diving, with no more life left in him. Then Teucer wounded
Glaucus the brave son of Hippolochus as he was coming on to
attack the wall. He saw his shoulder bare and aimed an arrow at it,
which made Glaucus leave off fighting. Thereon he sprang covertly
down for fear some of the Achaeans might see that he was
wounded and taunt him. Sarpedon was stung with grief when he
saw Glaucus leave him, still he did not leave off fighting, but
aimed his spear at Alcmaon the son of Thestor and hit him. He
drew his spear back again Alcmaon came down headlong after it
with his bronzed armour rattling round him. Then Sarpedon seized
the battlement in his strong hands, and tugged at it till it an gave
way together, and a breach was made through which many might
pass.
Ajax and Teucer then both of them attacked him. Teucer hit him
with an arrow on the band that bore the shield which covered his
body, but Jove saved his son from destruction that he might not fall
by the ships’ sterns. Meanwhile Ajax sprang on him and pierced his
shield, but the spear did not go clean through, though it hustled
him back that he could come on no further. He therefore retired a
little space from the battlement, yet without losing all his ground,
for he still thought to cover himself with glory. Then he turned
round and shouted to the brave Lycians saying, “Lycians, why do
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