Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
when he stands at bay in the forest glades and routs the hounds
and lusty youths that have attacked him- even so did Ajax son of
Telamon passing easily in among the phalanxes of the Trojans,
disperse those who had bestridden Patroclus and were most bent
on winning glory by dragging him off to their city. At this moment
Hippothous brave son of the Pelasgian Lethus, in his zeal for
Hector and the Trojans, was dragging the body off by the foot
through the press of the fight, having bound a strap round the
sinews near the ancle; but a mischief soon befell him from which
none of those could save him who would have gladly done so, for
the son of Telamon sprang forward and smote him on his bronzecheeked
helmet. The plumed headpiece broke about the point of
the weapon, struck at once by the spear and by the strong hand of
Ajax, so that the bloody brain came oozing out through the crestsocket.
His strength then failed him and he let Patroclus’ foot drop
from his hand, as he fell full length dead upon the body; thus he
died far from the fertile land of Larissa, and never repaid his
parents the cost of bringing him up, for his life was cut short early
by the spear of mighty Ajax. Hector then took aim at Ajax with a
spear, but he saw it coming and just managed to avoid it; the spear
passed on and struck Schedius son of noble Iphitus, captain of the
Phoceans, who dwelt in famed Panopeus and reigned over much
people; it struck him under the middle of the collar-bone the
bronze point went right through him, coming out at the bottom of
his shoulder-blade, and his armour rang rattling round him as he
fell heavily to the ground. Ajax in his turn struck noble Phorcys son
of Phaenops in the middle of the belly as he was bestriding
Hippothous, and broke the plate of his cuirass; whereon the spear
tore out his entrails and he clutched the ground in his palm as he
fell to earth. Hector and those who were in the front rank then gave
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