Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
just under the crest itself, and Menelaus hit Pisander as he was
coming towards him, on the forehead, just at the rise of his nose;
the bones cracked and his two gore-bedrabbled eyes fell by his feet
in the dust. He fell backwards to the ground, and Menelaus set his
heel upon him, stripped him of his armour, and vaunted over him
saying, “Even thus shall you Trojans leave the ships of the
Achaeans, proud and insatiate of battle though you be: nor shall
you lack any of the disgrace and shame which you have heaped
upon myself. Cowardly she-wolves that you are, you feared not the
anger of dread Jove, avenger of violated hospitality, who will one
day destroy your city; you stole my wedded wife and wickedly
carried off much treasure when you were her guest, and now you
would fling fire upon our ships, and kill our heroes. A day will
come when, rage as you may, you shall be stayed. O father Jove,
you, who they say art above all both gods and men in wisdom, and
from whom all things that befall us do proceed, how can you thus
favour the Trojans- men so proud and overweening, that they are
never tired of fighting? All things pall after a while- sleep, love,
sweet song, and stately dance- still these are things of which a man
would surely have his fill rather than of battle, whereas it is of
battle that the Trojans are insatiate.”
So saying Menelaus stripped the blood-stained armour from the
body of Pisander, and handed it over to his men; then he again
ranged himself among those who were in the front of the fight.
Harpalion son of King Pylaemenes then sprang upon him; he had
come to fight at Troy along with his father, but he did not go home
again. He struck the middle of Menelaus’s shield with his spear
but could not pierce it, and to save his life drew back under cover
256