Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
strong hand of the son of Panthous; an Argive has caught it in his
body, and it will serve him for a staff as he goes down into the
house of Hades.”
The Argives were maddened by this boasting. Ajax son of Telamon
was more angry than any, for the man had fallen close be, him; so
he aimed at Polydamas as he was retreating, but Polydamas saved
himself by swerving aside and the spear struck Archelochus son of
Antenor, for heaven counselled his destruction; it struck him where
the head springs from the neck at the top joint of the spine, and
severed both the tendons at the back of the head. His head, mouth,
and nostrils reached the ground long before his legs and knees
could do so, and Ajax shouted to Polydamas saying, “Think,
Polydamas, and tell me truly whether this man is not as well worth
killing as Prothoenor was: he seems rich, and of rich family, a
brother, it may be, or son of the knight Antenor, for he is very like
him.”
But he knew well who it was, and the Trojans were greatly
angered. Acamas then bestrode his brother’s body and wounded
Promachus the Boeotian with his spear, for he was trying to drag
his brother’s body away. Acamas vaunted loudly over him saying,
“Argive archers, braggarts that you are, toil and suffering shall not
be for us only, but some of you too shall fall here as well as
ourselves. See how Promachus now sleeps, vanquished by my
spear; payment for my brother’s blood has not long delayed; a
man, therefore, may well be thankful if he leaves a kinsman in his
house behind him to avenge his fall.”
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