Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
Atreus turn and leave the body of Patroclus. When among the
body of his men, he looked around for mighty Ajax son of
Telamon, and presently saw him on the extreme left of the fight,
cheering on his men and exhorting them to keep on fighting, for
Phoebus Apollo had spread a great panic among them. He ran up
to him and said, “Ajax, my good friend, come with me at once to
dead Patroclus, if so be that we may take the body to Achilles- as
for his armour, Hector already has it.”
These words stirred the heart of Ajax, and he made his way among
the front ranks, Menelaus going with him. Hector had stripped
Patroclus of his armour, and was dragging him away to cut off his
head and take the body to fling before the dogs of Troy. But Ajax
came up with his shield like wall before him, on which Hector
withdrew under shelter of his men, and sprang on to his chariot,
giving the armour over to the Trojans to take to the city, as a great
trophy for himself; Ajax, therefore, covered the body of Patroclus
with his broad shield and bestrode him; as a lion stands over his
whelps if hunters have come upon him in a forest when he is with
his little ones- in the pride and fierceness of his strength he draws
his knit brows down till they cover his eyes- even so did Ajax
bestride the body of Patroclus, and by his side stood Menelaus son
of Atreus, nursing great sorrow in his heart.
Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus looked fiercely at Hector and
rebuked him sternly. “Hector,” said he, “you make a brave show,
but in fight you are sadly wanting. A runaway like yourself has no
claim to so great a reputation. Think how you may now save your
town and citadel by the hands of your own people born in Ilius; for
you will get no Lycians to fight for you, seeing what thanks they
336