Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
combat, stand firm: the Achaeans have set themselves as a wall
against me, but they will not check me for long; they will give
ground before me if the mightiest of the gods, the thundering
spouse of Juno, has indeed inspired my onset.”
With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Deiphobus
son of Priam went about among them intent on deeds of daring
with his round shield before him, under cover of which he strode
quickly forward. Meriones took aim at him with a spear, nor did he
fail to hit the broad orb of ox-hide; but he was far from piercing it
for the spear broke in two pieces long ere he could do so; moreover
Deiphobus had seen it coming and had held his shield well away
from him. Meriones drew back under cover of his comrades, angry
alike at having failed to vanquish Deiphobus, and having broken
his spear. He turned therefore towards the ships and tents to fetch a
spear which he had left behind in his tent.
The others continued fighting, and the cry of battle rose up into the
heavens. Teucer son of Telamon was the first to kill his man, to wit,
the warrior Imbrius son of Mentor rich in horses. Until the
Achaeans came he had lived in Pedaeum, and had married
Medesicaste a bastard daughter of Priam; but on the arrival of the
Danaan fleet he had gone back to Ilius, and was a great man among
the Trojans, dwelling near Priam himself, who gave him like
honour with his own sons. The son of Telamon now struck him
under the ear with a spear which he then drew back again, and
Imbrius fell headlong as an ash-tree when it is felled on the crest of
some high mountain beacon, and its delicate green foliage comes
toppling down to the ground. Thus did he fall with his bronzedight
armour ringing harshly round him, and Teucer sprang
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