The Iliad of Homer. Homer

And thence they named him; but his parents' He lived not to requite, in early youth Slain by the spear of Ajax famed in arms. For him advancing Ajax at the pap Wounded; right through his shoulder driven the point570 Stood forth behind; he fell, and press'd the dust. So in some spacious marsh the poplar falls Smooth-skinn'd, with boughs unladen save aloft; Some chariot-builder with his axe the trunk Severs, that he may warp it to a wheel575 Of shapely form; meantime exposed it lies To parching airs beside the running stream; Such Simöisius seemed, Anthemion's son, Whom noble Ajax slew. But soon at him Antiphus, son of Priam, bright in arms,580 Hurl'd through the multitude his pointed spear. He erred from Ajax, but he pierced the groin Of Leucus, valiant warrior of the band Led by Ulysses. He the body dragg'd Apart, but fell beside it, and let fall,585 Breathless himself, the burthen from his hand. Then burn'd Ulysses' wrath for Leucus slain, And through the foremost combatants, array'd In dazzling arms, he rush'd. Full near he stood, And, looking keen around him, hurl'd a lance.590 Back fell the Trojans from before the face Dispersed of great Ulysses. Not in vain His weapon flew, but on the field outstretch'd 103 A spurious son of Priam, from the shores Call'd of Abydus famed for fleetest mares,595 Democoon; him, for Leucus' sake enraged, Ulysses through both temples with his spear Transpierced. The night of death hung on his eyes, And sounding on his batter'd arms he fell. Then Hector and the van of Troy retired;600 Loud shout the Grecians; these draw off the dead, Those onward march amain, and from the heights Of Pergamus Apollo looking down In anger, to the Trojans called aloud.

      Turn, turn, ye Trojans! face your Grecian foes.605

       They, like yourselves, are vulnerable flesh,

       Not adamant or steel. Your direst dread

       Achilles, son of Thetis radiant-hair'd,

       Fights not, but sullen in his fleet abides.[18]

      Such from the citadel was heard the voice610

       Of dread Apollo. But Minerva ranged

       Meantime, Tritonian progeny of Jove,

       The Grecians, rousing whom she saw remiss.

       Then Amarynceus' son, Diores, felt

       The force of fate, bruised by a rugged rock615

       At his right heel, which Pirus, Thracian Chief,

       The son of Imbrasus of Ænos, threw.

       Bones and both tendons in its fall the mass

       Enormous crush'd. He, stretch'd in dust supine,

       With palms outspread toward his warrior friends620

       Lay gasping life away. But he who gave

       The fatal blow, Pirus, advancing, urged

       Into his navel a keen lance, and shed

       His bowels forth; then, darkness veil'd his eyes.

      Nor Pirus long survived; him through the breast625

       Above the pap, Ætolian Thoas pierced,

       And in his lungs set fast the quivering spear.

       Then Thoas swift approach'd, pluck'd from the wound

       104 His stormy spear, and with his falchion bright

       Gashing his middle belly, stretch'd him dead.630

       Yet stripp'd he not the slain, whom with long spears

       His Thracians hairy-scalp'd[19] so round about Encompassed, that though bold and large of limb Were Thoas, from before them him they thrust Staggering and reeling in his forced retreat.635

      They therefore in the dust, the Epean Chief

       Diores, and the Thracian, Pirus lay

       Stretch'd side by side, with numerous slain around.

      Then had Minerva led through all that field

       Some warrior yet unhurt, him sheltering safe640

       From all annoyance dread of dart or spear,

       No cause of blame in either had he found

       That day, so many Greeks and Trojans press'd,

       Extended side by side, the dusty plain.

      105

THE ILIAD.

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BOOK V.

       Table of Contents

      106

ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

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      Diomede is extraordinarily distinguished. He kills Pandarus, who had violated the truce, and wounds first Venus and then Mars.

      107

BOOK V.

       Table of Contents

      Then Athenæan Pallas on the son

       Of Tydeus,[1] Diomede, new force conferr'd And daring courage, that the Argives all He might surpass, and deathless fame achieve. Fires on his helmet and his shield around5 She kindled, bright and steady as the star Autumnal,[2] which in Ocean newly bathed Assumes fresh beauty; with such glorious beams His head encircling and his shoulders broad, She urged him forth into the thickest fight.10

      There lived a man in Troy, Dares his name,

       The priest of Vulcan; rich he was and good,

       The father of two sons, Idæus this,

       That, Phegeus call'd; accomplish'd warriors both.

       These, issuing from their phalanx, push'd direct15

       Their steeds at Diomede, who fought on foot.

       When now small interval was left between,

       First Phegeus his long-shadow'd spear dismiss'd;

       But over Diomede's left shoulder pass'd

       108 The point, innocuous. Then his splendid lance20

       Tydides hurl'd; nor ineffectual flew

       The weapon from his hand, but Phegeus pierced

       His paps between, and forced him to the ground.

       At once, his sumptuous chariot left, down leap'd

       Idæsus, wanting courage to defend25

       His brother slain; nor had he scaped himself

       His louring fate, but Vulcan, to preserve

       His ancient priest from unmixt sorrow, snatch'd

       The fugitive in darkness wrapt, away.

       Then brave Tydides, driving off the steeds,30

       Consign'd them to his fellow-warriors' care,

       That they might lead them down into the fleet.

      The valiant Trojans, when they saw the sons

       Of Dares, one beside his chariot slain,

       And one by flight preserved, through all their host35

       Felt consternation. Then Minerva seized

       The hand of fiery Mars, and thus she spake.

      Gore-tainted homicide, town-battering Mars!

       Leave we the Trojans and the Greeks to wage

       Fierce fight alone, Jove prospering whom he will,40

       So shall we not provoke our father's