Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
cuirass; and I made sure I should send him hurrying to the world
below, but it seems that I have not killed him. There must be a god
who is angry with me. Moreover I have neither horse nor chariot. In
my father’s stables there are eleven excellent chariots, fresh from
the builder, quite new, with cloths spread over them; and by each
of them there stand a pair of horses, champing barley and rye; my
old father Lycaon urged me again and again when I was at home
and on the point of starting, to take chariots and horses with me
that I might lead the Trojans in battle, but I would not listen to him;
it would have been much better if I had done so, but I was thinking
about the horses, which had been used to eat their fill, and I was
afraid that in such a great gathering of men they might be ill-fed, so
I left them at home and came on foot to Ilius armed only with my
bow and arrows. These it seems, are of no use, for I have already
hit two chieftains, the sons of Atreus and of Tydeus, and though I
drew blood surely enough, I have only made them still more
furious. I did ill to take my bow down from its peg on the day I led
my band of Trojans to Ilius in Hector’s service, and if ever I get
home again to set eyes on my native place, my wife, and the
greatness of my house, may some one cut my head off then and
there if I do not break the bow and set it on a hot fire- such pranks
as it plays me.”
Aeneas answered, “Say no more. Things will not mend till we two
go against this man with chariot and horses and bring him to a trial
of arms. Mount my chariot, and note how cleverly the horses of
Tros can speed hither and thither over the plain in pursuit or flight.
If Jove again vouchsafes glory to the son of Tydeus they will carry
us safely back to the city. Take hold, then, of the whip and reins
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