Then Telamonian Ajax smote to death Epicles, great of soul, Sarpedon's friend: Against that chief he cast a huge, rough stone, That lay high up beside a pinnacle
Within the wall. No man with both his hands,
Such men as now are,—though in prime of youth, Could lift its weight; and yet he wielded it
Aloft, and flung it. Through the four-coned helm
It crashed, and brake the skull within. Down plunged The Lycian, like a diver, from his place
On the high tower, and life forsook his limbs.
Then Teucer also wounded with a shaft Glaucus, the brave son of Hippolochus,
As he leaped forth to scale the lofty wall,— Wounded him where the naked arm was seen,
And made him leave the combat. Back he sprang, Hiding amid the crowd, that so the Greeks Might not behold the wounded limb, and scoff. With grief Sarpedon saw his friend withdraw, Yet paused not from the conflict, but took aim At Thestor's son, Alcmaon, with his spear; Pierced him; and drew the weapon out. The Greek, Following the spear, fell headlong; and his arms,
Studded with brass, clashed round him as he fell.
Then did Sarpedon seize, with powerful hands, The battlement; he wrenched it, and it came To earth, and laid the rampart's summit bare, To make a passage for the assailing host. Ajax and Teucer saw, and both took aim Together at Sarpedon: Teucer's shaft
Struck in the midst the buckler's glittering belt, Just at the bosom; but Jove warded off
The death-stroke from his son, lest he should fall Beside the galleys. Ajax, springing, struck The buckler with his spear, and pierced its folds, And checked the eager warrior, who gave way A little, yet retreated not, but turned, Encouraging the godlike Lycians thus:- "Where, Lycians, is your fiery valor now? Were I the bravest, it were hard, alone, For me to force a passage to the fleet, Though I have cleared the way.
Light is the task when many share the toil." He spake; and they who reverenced his words
Of exhortation drew more closely round
Their counsellor and sovereign, while the Greeks Above them made their phalanxes more strong Within the wall,- for urgent was the need;
Since neither could the gallant Lycians break The barrier of the Greeks, and cut their way Through to the fleet, nor could the warlike Greeks Drive back the Lycians when they once had reached The rampart. As two men upon a field,
With measuring-rods in hand, disputing stand Over the common boundary, in small space,
Each one contending for the right he claims, So, kept asunder by the breastwork, fought The warriors over it, and fiercely struck The orbed bull's-hide shields held The breast, and the light targets. Was smitten when he turned and showed the back Unarmed, and many wounded through the shield. The towers and battlements were steeped in blood Of heroes, Greeks and Trojans. Yet were not The Greeks thus put to flight; but, as the scales Are held by some just woman, who maintains, By spinning wool, her household, carefully She poises both the wool and weights, to make The balance even, that she may provide A pittance for her babes,—thus equally Were matched the warring hosts, till Jupiter Conferred the eminent glory of the day
On Hector, son of Priam. He it was Who first leaped down into the space within The Grecian wall, and, with far-reaching voice, Thus shouted, calling to the men of Troy:-
"Rush on, ye knights of Troy! rush boldly on, And break your passage through the Grecian wall, And hurl consuming flames against their fleet!"
So spake he, cheering on his men. They heard, And rushed in mighty throngs against the wall, And climbed the battlements, to charge the foe With spears. Then Hector stooped, and seized a stone Which lay before the gate, broad at the base
And sharp above, which two, the strongest men,—— As men are now, could hardly heave from earth Into a wain. With ease he lifted it, Alone, and brandished it: such strength the son Of Saturn gave him, that it seemed but light. As when a shepherd carries home with ease A wether's fleece, -he bears it in one hand, And little is he cumbered with its weight,— So Hector bore the lifted stone, to break
The beams that strengthened the tall folding-gates. Two bars within, laid crosswise, held them firm,— Both fastened with one bolt. He came and stood
Before them; with wide-parted feet he stood, And put forth all his strength, that so his arm Might drive the missile home; and in the midst He smote the folding-gates. The blow tore off The hinges; heavily the great stone fell
Within; the portals crashed; nor did the bars
Withstand the blow: the shattered beams gave way Before it; and illustrious Hector sprang
Into the camp. His look was stern as night;
And terribly the brazen armor gleamed
That swathed him. With two spears in hand he came, And none except the gods- when once his foot
Was on the ground-could stand before his might. His eyes shot fire, and, turning to his men, He bade them mount the wall; and they obeyed:
Some o'er the wall, some through the sculptured gate,
Poured in. The Achaians to their roomy ships
Fled, and a fearful uproar filled the air.
Cambridge: Electrotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co.
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