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Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

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

were a child; I too if I will can brag and talk unseemly; I know that<br />

you are a mighty warrior, mightier <strong>by</strong> far than I, nevertheless the<br />

issue lies in the the lap of heaven whether I, worse man though I<br />

be, may not slay you with my spear, for this too has been found<br />

keen ere now.”<br />

He hurled his spear as he spoke, but Minerva breathed upon it,<br />

and though she breathed but very lightly she turned it back from<br />

going towards Achilles, so that it returned to Hector and lay at his<br />

feet in front of him. Achilles then sprang furiously on him with a<br />

loud cry, bent on killing him, but Apollo caught him up easily as a<br />

god can, and hid him in a thick darkness. Thrice did Achilles<br />

spring towards him spear in hand, and thrice did he waste his blow<br />

upon the air. When he rushed forward for the fourth time as though<br />

he were a god, he shouted aloud saying, “Hound, this time too you<br />

have escaped death- but of a truth it came exceedingly near you.<br />

Phoebus Apollo, to whom it seems you pray before you go into<br />

battle, has again saved you; but if I too have any friend among the<br />

gods I will surely make an end of you when I come across you at<br />

some other time. Now, however, I will pursue and overtake other<br />

Trojans.”<br />

On this he struck Dryops with his spear, about the middle of his<br />

neck, and he fell headlong at his feet. There he let him lie and<br />

stayed Demouchus son of Philetor, a man both brave and of great<br />

stature, <strong>by</strong> hitting him on the knee with a spear; then he smote him<br />

with his sword and killed him. After this he sprang on Laogonus<br />

and Dardanus, sons of Bias, and threw them from their chariot, the<br />

one with a blow from a thrown spear, while the other he cut down<br />

in hand-to-hand fight. There was also Tros the son of Alastor- he<br />

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