21.06.2013 Views

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>Homer</strong>’s <strong>Iliad</strong><br />

upon Lampus was son of Laomedon and for his valour, while his<br />

son Dolops was versed in all the ways of war. He then struck the<br />

middle of the son of Phyleus’ shield with his spear, setting on him<br />

at close quarters, but his good corslet made with plates of metal<br />

saved him; Phyleus had brought it from Ephyra and the river<br />

Selleis, where his host, King Euphetes, had given it him to wear in<br />

battle and protect him. It now served to save the life of his son.<br />

Then Meges struck the topmost crest of Dolops’s bronze helmet<br />

with his spear and tore away its plume of horse-hair, so that all<br />

newly dyed with scarlet as it was it tumbled down into the dust.<br />

While he was still fighting and confident of victory, Menelaus came<br />

up to help Meges, and got <strong>by</strong> the side of Dolops unperceived; he<br />

then speared him in the shoulder, from behind, and the point,<br />

driven so furiously, went through into his chest, whereon he fell<br />

headlong. The two then made towards him to strip him of his<br />

armour, but Hector called on all his brothers for help, and he<br />

especially upbraided brave Melanippus son of Hiketaon, who<br />

erewhile used to pasture his herds of cattle in Percote before the<br />

war broke out; but when the ships of the Danaans came, he went<br />

back to Ilius, where he was eminent among the Trojans, and lived<br />

near Priam who treated him as one of his own sons. Hector now<br />

rebuked him and said, “Why, Melanippus, are we thus remiss? do<br />

you take no note of the death of your kinsman, and do you not see<br />

how they are trying to take Dolops’s armour? Follow me; there<br />

must be no fighting the Argives from a distance now, but we must<br />

do so in close combat till either we kill them or they take the high<br />

wall of Ilius and slay her people.”<br />

He led on as he spoke, and the hero Melanippus followed after.<br />

Meanwhile Ajax son of Telamon was cheering on the Argives. “My<br />

297

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!