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Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

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

even such was the toil and uproar of the hosts as they joined in<br />

battle.<br />

First Antilochus slew an armed warrior of the Trojans, Echepolus,<br />

son of Thalysius, fighting in the foremost ranks. He struck at the<br />

projecting part of his helmet and drove the spear into his brow; the<br />

point of bronze pierced the bone, and darkness veiled his eyes;<br />

headlong as a tower he fell amid the press of the fight, and as he<br />

dropped King Elephenor, son of Chalcodon and captain of the<br />

proud Abantes began dragging him out of reach of the darts that<br />

were falling around him, in haste to strip him of his armour. But his<br />

purpose was not for long; Agenor saw him haling the body away,<br />

and smote him in the side with his bronze-shod spear- for as he<br />

stooped his side was left unprotected <strong>by</strong> his shield- and thus he<br />

perished. Then the fight between Trojans and Achaeans grew<br />

furious over his body, and they flew upon each other like wolves,<br />

man and man crushing one upon the other.<br />

Forthwith Ajax, son of Telamon, slew the fair youth Simoeisius, son<br />

of Anthemion, whom his mother bore <strong>by</strong> the banks of the Simois, as<br />

she was coming down from Mt. Ida, where she had been with her<br />

parents to see their flocks. Therefore he was named Simoeisius, but<br />

he did not live to pay his parents for his rearing, for he was cut off<br />

untimely <strong>by</strong> the spear of mighty Ajax, who struck him in the breast<br />

<strong>by</strong> the right nipple as he was coming on among the foremost<br />

fighters; the spear went right through his shoulder, and he fell as a<br />

poplar that has grown straight and tall in a meadow <strong>by</strong> some mere,<br />

and its top is thick with branches. Then the wheelwright lays his<br />

axe to its roots that he may fashion a felloe for the wheel of some<br />

goodly chariot, and it lies seasoning <strong>by</strong> the waterside. In such wise<br />

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