Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
his pain. When, however, he saw the Trojans swarming through the
breach in the wall, while the Achaeans were clamouring and struck
with panic, he cried aloud, and smote his two thighs with the flat of
his hands. “Eurypylus,” said he in his dismay, “I know you want
me badly, but I cannot stay with you any longer, for there is hard
fighting going on; a servant shall take care of you now, for I must
make all speed to Achilles, and induce him to fight if I can; who
knows but with heaven’s help I may persuade him. A man does
well to listen to the advice of a friend.”
When he had thus spoken he went his way. The Achaeans stood
firm and resisted the attack of the Trojans, yet though these were
fewer in number, they could not drive them back from the ships,
neither could the Trojans break the Achaean ranks and make their
way in among the tents and ships. As a carpenter’s line gives a true
edge to a piece of ship’s timber, in the hand of some skilled
workman whom Minerva has instructed in all kinds of useful artseven
so level was the issue of the fight between the two sides, as
they fought some round one and some round another.
Hector made straight for Ajax, and the two fought fiercely about the
same ship. Hector could not force Ajax back and fire the ship, nor
yet could Ajax drive Hector from the spot to which heaven had
brought him.
Then Ajax struck Caletor son of Clytius in the chest with a spear as
he was bringing fire towards the ship. He fell heavily to the ground
and the torch dropped from his hand. When Hector saw his cousin
fallen in front of the ship he shouted to the Trojans and Lycians
saying, “Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians good in close fight, bate
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