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Book Eleven
archery. To keep the episode parallel with that of Diomedes, 3696°., would
call for the wounding of Aias, but poetical necessity - the shape of the
narrative to 595 - preserves him. The response to the wounding of Makhaon
adumbrates the final scene of the Book, a conversation by the ships. Diomedes
and Odysseus were left to make their own way home so that the narrative
could remain on the field of battle. Having thus set up his immediate
prospect the poet describes Aias' withdrawal in general terms, refusing to
be sidetracked into a prolonged androktasia. To emphasize the Trojan pressure
he gives Paris a final success, the wounding of Eurupulos. As is to be
expected the details of Aias' stand and subsequent retreat are typical, see
Fenik, TBS 105-13.
489 Aias, to 543, is given what appear to be the preliminaries to a normal
aggressive aristeia. He slays three Trojans and rages like a river in flood,
as does the rampant Diomedes at 5.87—92; Hektor avoids him. But the
Achaeans are making a fighting retreat and Aias is the hero of defence. His
characteristic role reasserts itself from 544. AopuxAos: only here, another of
Priam's voOoi, for whom see iO2n. It is surprising that the patronymic
npia|ii8r|s (25 x of Hektor) should be given to this nonentity, but cf. 3.356
(Paris, the verse = 7.250 of Hektor!), 4.490 (Antiphos), 6.76 and 13.586
(Helenos), 13.157 (Deiphobos), 20.87 (Lukaon), 20.407 (Poludoros).
490-1 There is some irony in the names of Aias' remaining victims:
nuA&pTrjs is an epithet of Hades (8.367, 13.415) and TTOCVSOKOS, 'receiver of
all', would be equally appropriate. Au