husband。 Haste in pursuit； that we may take the shield of Nestor；
the fame of which ascends to heaven； for it is of solid gold； arm…rods
and all； and that we may strip from the shoulders of Diomed。 the
cuirass which Vulcan made him。 Could we take these two things； the
Achaeans would set sail in their ships this self…same night。〃
Thus did he vaunt； but Queen Juno made high Olympus quake as she
shook with rage upon her throne。 Then said she to the mighty god of
Neptune； 〃What now； wide ruling lord of the earthquake？ Can you find
no compassion in your heart for the dying Danaans； who bring you
many a welcome offering to Helice and to Aegae？ Wish them well then。
If all of us who are with the Danaans were to drive the Trojans back
and keep Jove from helping them； he would have to sit there sulking
alone on Ida。〃
King Neptune was greatly troubled and answered； 〃Juno； rash of
tongue； what are you talking about？ We other gods must not set
ourselves against Jove； for he is far stronger than we are。〃
Thus did they converse； but the whole space enclosed by the ditch；
from the ships even to the wall； was filled with horses and
warriors； who were pent up there by Hector son of Priam； now that
the hand of Jove was with him。 He would even have set fire to the
ships and burned them； had not Queen Juno put it into the mind of
Agamemnon； to bestir himself and to encourage the Achaeans。 To this
end he went round the ships and tents carrying a great purple cloak；
and took his stand by the huge black hull of Ulysses' ship； which
was middlemost of all； it was from this place that his voice would
carry farthest； on the one hand towards the tents of Ajax son of
Telamon； and on the other towards those of Achilles… for these two
heroes； well assured of their own strength； had valorously drawn up
their ships at the two ends of the line。 From this spot then； with a
voice that could be heard afar； he shouted to the Danaans； saying；
〃Argives； shame on you cowardly creatures； brave in semblance only；
where are now our vaunts that we should prove victorious… the vaunts
we made so vaingloriously in Lemnos； when we ate the flesh of horned
cattle and filled our mixing…bowls to the brim？ You vowed that you
would each of you stand against a hundred or two hundred men； and
now you prove no match even for one… for Hector； who will be ere
long setting our ships in a blaze。 Father Jove； did you ever so ruin a
great king and rob him so utterly of his greatness？ yet； when to my
sorrow I was coming hither； I never let my ship pass your altars
without offering the fat and thigh…bones of heifers upon every one
of them； so eager was I to sack the city of Troy。 Vouchsafe me then
this prayer… suffer us to escape at any rate with our lives； and let
not the Achaeans be so utterly vanquished by the Trojans。〃
Thus did he pray； and father Jove pitying his tears vouchsafed him
that his people should live； not die； forthwith he sent them an eagle；
most unfailingly portentous of all birds； with a young fawn in its
talons； the eagle dropped the fawn by the altar on which the
Achaeans sacrificed to Jove the lord of omens； When； therefore； the
people saw that the bird had come from Jove； they sprang more fiercely
upon the Trojans and fought more boldly。
There was no man of all the many Danaans who could then boast that
he had driven his horses over the trench and gone forth to fight
sooner than the son of Tydeus； long before any one else could do so he
slew an armed warrior of the Trojans； Agelaus the son of Phradmon。
He had turned his horses in flight； but the spear struck him in the
back midway between his shoulders and went right through his chest；
and his armour rang rattling round him as he fell forward from his
chariot。
After him came Agamemnon and Menelaus； sons of Atreus； the two
Ajaxes clothed in valour as with a garment； Idomeneus and his
companion in arms Meriones； peer of murderous Mars； and Eurypylus
the brave son of Euaemon。 Ninth came Teucer with his bow； and took his
place under cover of the shield of Ajax son of Telamon。 When Ajax
lifted his shield Teucer would peer round； and when he had hit any one
in the throng； the man would fall dead； then Teucer would hie back
to Ajax as a child to its mother； and again duck down under his
shield。
Which of the Trojans did brave Teucer first kill？ Orsilochus； and
then Ormenus and Ophelestes； Daetor； Chromius； and godlike
Lycophontes； Amopaon son of Polyaemon； and Melanippus。 these in turn
did he lay low upon the earth； and King Agamemnon was glad when he saw
him making havoc of the Trojans with his mighty bow。 He went up to him
and said； 〃Teucer； man after my own heart； son of Telamon； captain
among the host； shoot on； and be at once the saving of the Danaans and
the glory of your father Telamon； who brought you up and took care
of you in his own house when you were a child； bastard though you
were。 Cover him with glory though he is far off； I will promise and
I will assuredly perform； if aegis…bearing Jove and Minerva grant me
to sack the city of Ilius； you shall have the next best meed of honour
after my own… a tripod； or two horses with their chariot； or a woman
who shall go up into your bed。〃
And Teucer answered； 〃Most noble son of Atreus； you need not urge
me； from the moment we began to drive them back to Ilius； I have never
ceased so far as in me lies to look out for men whom I can shoot and
kill； I have shot eight barbed shafts； and all of them have been
buried in the flesh of warlike youths； but this mad dog I cannot hit。〃
As he spoke he aimed another arrow straight at Hector； for he was
bent on hitting him； nevertheless he missed him； and the arrow hit
Priam's brave son Gorgythion in the breast。 His mother； fair
Castianeira； lovely as a goddess； had been married from Aesyme； and
now he bowed his head as a garden poppy in full bloom when it is
weighed down by showers in spring… even thus heavy bowed his head
beneath the weight of his helmet。
Again he aimed at Hector； for he was longing to hit him； and again
his arrow missed； for Apollo turned it aside； but he hit Hector's
brave charioteer Archeptolemus in the breast； by the nipple； as he was
driving furiously into the fight。 The horses swerved aside as he
fell headlong from the chariot； and there was no life left in him。
Hector was greatly grieved at the loss of his charioteer； but for
all his sorrow he let him lie where he fell； and bade his brother
Cebriones； who was hard by； take the reins。 Cebriones did as he had
said。 Hector thereon with a loud cry sprang from his chariot to the
ground； and seizing a great stone made straight for Teucer with intent
kill him。 Teucer had just taken an arrow from his quiver and had
laid it upon the bow…string； but Hector struck him with the jagged
stone as he was taking aim and drawing the string to his shoulder；
he hit him just where the collar…bone divides the neck from the chest；
a very deadly place； and broke the sinew of his arm so that his
wrist was less； and the bow dropped from his hand as he fell forward
on his knees。 Ajax saw that his brother had fallen； and running
towards him bestrode him and sheltered him with his shield。
Meanwhile his two trusty squires； Mecisteus son of Echius； and
Alastor； came up and bore him to the ships groaning in his great pain。
glad when he saw
Jove now again put heart into the Trojans； and they drove the
Achaeans to their deep trench with Hector in all his glory at their
head。 As a hound grips a wild boar or lion in flank or buttock when he
gives him chase； and watches warily for his wheeling； even so did
Hector follow close upon the Achaeans； ever killing the hindmost as
they rushed panic…stricken onwards。 When they had fled through the set
stakes and trench and many Achaeans had been laid low at the hands
of the Trojans； they halted at their ships； calling upon one another
and praying every man instantly as they lifted up their hands to the
gods； but Hector wheeled his horses this way and that； his eyes
glaring like those of Gorgo or murderous Mars。
Juno when she saw them had pity upon them； and at once said to
Minerva； 〃Alas； child of aegis…bearing Jove； shall you and I take no
more thought for the dying Danaans； though it be the last time we ever
do so？ See how they perish and come to a bad end before the onset of
but a single man。 Hector the son of Priam rages with intolerable fury；
and has already done great mischief。〃
Minerva answered； 〃Would； indeed； this fellow might die in his own
land； and fall by the hands of the Achaeans； but my father Jove is mad
with spleen； ever foiling me； ever headstrong and unjust。 He forgets
how often I saved his son when he was worn out by the labours
Eurystheus had laid on him。 He would weep till his cry came up to
heaven； and then Jove would send me down to help him； if I had had the
sense to foresee all this； when Eurystheus sent him to the house of
Hades； to fetch the hell…hound from Erebus； he would never have come
back alive out of the deep waters of the river Styx。 And now Jove
hates me； while he lets Thetis have her way because she kissed his
knees and took hold of his beard； when she was begging him