you　go　and　try　whether　I　have　told　you　truth　or　lies。〃
  〃No；〃　said　Diomede；　〃if　I　spare　your　life　you　may　come　spying
  again；〃　and　he　drew　his　sword　and　smote　off　the　head　of　Dolon。
  They　hid　his　cap　and　bow　and　spear　where　they　could　find　them
  easily；　and　marked　the　spot；　and　went　through　the　night　to　the　dark
  camp　of　King　Rhesus；　who　had　no　watch…fire　and　no　guards。　　Then
  Diomede　silently　stabbed　each　sleeping　man　to　the　heart；　and
  Ulysses　seized　the　dead　by　the　feet　and　threw　them　aside　lest　they
  should　frighten　the　horses；　which　had　never　been　in　battle；　and
  would　shy　if　they　were　led　over　the　bodies　of　dead　men。　　Last　of
  all　Diomede　killed　King　Rhesus；　and　Ulysses　led　forth　his　horses；
  beating　them　with　his　bow；　for　he　had　forgotten　to　take　the　whip
  from　the　chariot。　　Then　Ulysses　and　Diomede　leaped　on　the　backs　of
  the　horses；　as　they　had　not　time　to　bring　away　the　chariot；　and
  they　galloped　to　the　ships；　stopping　to　pick　up　the　spear；　and　bow；
  and　cap　of　Dolon。　　They　rode　to　the　princes；　who　welcomed　them；　and
  all　laughed　for　glee　when　they　saw　the　white　horses　and　heard　that
  King　Rhesus　was　dead；　for　they　guessed　that　all　his　army　would　now
  go　home　to　Thrace。　　This　they　must　have　done；　for　we　never　hear　of
  them　in　the　battles　that　followed；　so　Ulysses　and　Diomede　deprived
  the　Trojans　of　thousands　of　men。　　The　other　princes　went　to　bed　in
  good　spirits；　but　Ulysses　and　Diomede　took　a　swim　in　the　sea；　and
  then　went　into　hot　baths；　and　so　to　breakfast；　for　rosy…fingered
  Dawn　was　coming　up　the　sky。
  BATTLE　AT　THE　SHIPS
  With　dawn　Agamemnon　awoke；　and　fear　had　gone　out　of　his　heart。　　He
  put　on　his　armour；　and　arrayed　the　chiefs　on　foot　in　front　of　their
  chariots；　and　behind　them　came　the　spearmen；　with　the　bowmen　and
  slingers　on　the　wings　of　the　army。　　Then　a　great　black　cloud　spread
  over　the　sky；　and　red　was　the　rain　that　fell　from　it。　　The　Trojans
  gathered　on　a　height　in　the　plain；　and　Hector；　shining　in　armour；
  went　here　and　there；　in　front　and　rear；　like　a　star　that　now　gleams
  forth　and　now　is　hidden　in　a　cloud。
  The　armies　rushed　on　each　other　and　hewed　each　other　down；　as
  reapers　cut　their　way　through　a　field　of　tall　corn。　　Neither　side
  gave　ground；　though　the　helmets　of　the　bravest　Trojans　might　be
  seen　deep　in　the　ranks　of　the　Greeks；　and　the　swords　of　the　bravest
  Greeks　rose　and　fell　in　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans；　and　all　the　while
  the　arrows　showered　like　rain。　　But　at　noon…day；　when　the　weary
  woodman　rests　from　cutting　trees；　and　takes　his　dinner　in　the　quiet
  hills；　the　Greeks　of　the　first　line　made　a　charge；　Agamemnon
  running　in　front　of　them；　and　he　speared　two　Trojans；　and　took
  their　breastplates；　which　he　laid　in　his　chariot；　and　then　he
  speared　one　brother　of　Hector　and　struck　another　down　with　his
  sword；　and　killed　two　more　who　vainly　asked　to　be　made　prisoners　of
  war。　　Footmen　slew　footmen；　and　chariot　men　slew　chariot　men；　and
  they　broke　into　the　Trojan　line　as　fire　falls　on　a　forest　in　a
  windy　day；　leaping　and　roaring　and　racing　through　the　trees。　　Many
  an　empty　chariot　did　the　horses　hurry　madly　through　the　field；　for
  the　charioteers　were　lying　dead；　with　the　greedy　vultures　hovering
  above　them；　flapping　their　wide　wings。　　Still　Agamemnon　followed
  and　slew　the　hindmost　Trojans；　but　the　rest　fled　till　they　came　to
  the　gates；　and　the　oak　tree　that　grew　outside　the　gates；　and　there
  they　stopped。
  But　Hector　held　his　hands　from　fighting；　for　in　the　meantime　he　was
  making　his　men　face　the　enemy　and　form　up　in　line　and　take　breath；
  and　was　encouraging　them；　for　they　had　retreated　from　the　wall　of
  the　Greeks　across　the　whole　plain；　past　the　hill　that　was　the　tomb
  of　Ilus；　a　king　of　old；　and　past　the　place　of　the　wild　fig…tree。
  Much　ado　had　Hector　to　rally　the　Trojans；　but　he　knew　that　when　men
  do　turn　again　they　are　hard　to　beat。　　So　it　proved；　for　when　the
  Trojans　had　rallied　and　formed　in　line；　Agamemnon　slew　a　Thracian
  chief　who　had　come　to　fight　for　Troy　before　King　Rhesus　came。　　But
  the　eldest　brother　of　the　slain　man　smote　Agamemnon　through　the　arm
  with　his　spear；　and；　though　Agamemnon　slew　him　in　turn；　his　wound
  bled　much　and　he　was　in　great　pain；　so　he　leaped　into　his　chariot
  and　was　driven　back　to　the　ships。
  Then　Hector　gave　the　word　to　charge；　as　a　huntsman　cries　on　his
  hounds　against　a　lion；　and　he　rushed　forward　at　the　head　of　the
  Trojan　line；　slaying　as　he　went。　　Nine　chiefs　of　the　Greeks　he
  slew；　and　fell　upon　the　spearmen　and　scattered　them；　as　the　spray
  of　the　waves　is　scattered　by　the　wandering　wind。
  Now　the　ranks　of　the　Greeks　were　broken；　and　they　would　have　been
  driven　among　their　ships　and　killed　without　mercy；　had　not　Ulysses
  and　Diomede　stood　firm　in　the　centre；　and　slain　four　Trojan
  leaders。　　The　Greeks　began　to　come　back　and　face　their　enemies　in
  line　of　battle　again；　though　Hector；　who　had　been　fighting　on　the
  Trojan　right；　rushed　against　them。　　But　Diomede　took　good　aim　with
  his　spear　at　the　helmet　of　Hector；　and　struck　it　fairly。　　The
  spear…point　did　not　go　through　the　helmet；　but　Hector　was　stunned
  and　fell；　and；　when　he　came　to　himself；　he　leaped　into　his　chariot；
  and　his　squire　drove　him　against　the　Pylians　and　Cretans；　under
  Nestor　and　Idomeneus；　who　were　on　the　left　wing　of　the　Greek　army。
  Then　Diomede　fought　on　till　Paris；　who　stood　beside　the　pillar　on
  the　hillock　that　was　the　tomb　of　old　King　Ilus；　sent　an　arrow　clean
  through　his　foot。　　Ulysses　went　and　stood　in　front　of　Diomede；　who
  sat　down；　and　Ulysses　drew　the　arrow　from　his　foot；　and　Diomede
  stepped　into　his　chariot　and　was　driven　back　to　the　ships。
  Ulysses　was　now　the　only　Greek　chief　that　still　fought　in　the
  centre。　　The　Greeks　all　fled；　and　he　was　alone　in　the　crowd　of
  Trojans；　who　rushed　on　him　as　hounds　and　hunters　press　round　a　wild
  boar　that　stands　at　bay　in　a　wood。　　〃They　are　cowards　that　flee
  from　the　fight；〃　said　Ulysses　to　himself；　〃but　I　will　stand　here；
  one　man　against　a　multitude。〃　　He　covered　the　front　of　his　body
  with　his　great　shield；　that　hung　by　a　belt　round　his　neck；　and　he
  smote　four　Trojans　and　wounded　a　fifth。　　But　the　brother　of　the
  wounded　man　drove　a　spear　through　the　shield　and　breastplate　of
  Ulysses；　and　tore　clean　through　his　side。　　Then　Ulysses　turned　on
  this　Trojan；　and　he　fled；　and　Ulysses　sent　a　spear　through　his
  shoulder　and　out　at　his　breast；　and　he　died。　　Ulysses　dragged　from
  his　own　side　the　spear　that　had　wounded　him；　and　called　thrice　with
  a　great　voice　to　the　other　Greeks；　and　Menelaus　and　Aias　rushed　to
  rescue　him；　for　many　Trojans　were　round　him；　like　jackals　round　a
  wounded　stag　that　a　man　has　struck　with　an　arrow。　　But　Aias　ran　and
  covered　the　wounded　Ulysses　with　his　huge　shield　till　he　could
  climb　into　the　chariot　of　Menelaus；　who　drove　him　back　to　the
  ships。
  Meanwhile；　Hector　was　slaying　the　Greeks　on　the　left　of　their
  battle；　and　Paris　struck　the　Greek　surgeon；　Machaon；　with　an　arrow；
  and　Idomeneus　bade　Nestor　put　Machaon　in　his　chariot　and　drive　him
  to　Nestor's　hut；　where　his　wound　might　be　tended。　　Meanwhile；
  Hector　sped　to　the　centre　of　the　line；　where　Aias　was　slaying　the
  Trojans；　but　Eurypylus；　a　Greek　chief；　was　wounded　by　an　arrow　from
  the　bow　of　Paris；　and　his　friends　guarded　him　with　their　shields
  and　spears。
  Thus　the　best　of　the　Greeks　were　wounded　and　out　of　the　battle；
  save　Aias；　and　the　spearmen　were　in　flight。　　Meanwhile　Achilles　was
  standing　by　the　stern　of　his　ship　watching　the　defeat　of　the
  Greeks；　but　when　he　saw　Machaon　being　carried　past；　sorely　wounded；
  in　the　chariot　of　Nestor；　he　bade　his　friend　Patroclus；　whom　he
  loved　better　than　all　the　rest；　to　go　and　ask　how　Machaon　did。　　He
  was　sitting　drinking　wine　with　Nestor　when　Patroclus　came；　and
  Nestor　told　Patroclus　how　many　of　the　chiefs　were　wounded；　and
  though　Patroclus　was　in　a　hurry　Nestor　began　a　very　long　story
  about　his　own　great　deeds　of　war；　done　when　he　was　a　young　man。　　At
  last　he　bade　Patroclus　tell　Achilles　that；　if　he　would　not　fight
  himself；　he　should　at　least　send　out　his　men　under　Patroclus；　who
  should　wear　the　splendid　armour　of　Achilles。　　Then　the　Trojans
  would　think　that　Achilles　himself　had　returned　to　the　battle；　and
  they　would　be　afraid；　for　none　of　them　dared　to　meet　Achilles　hand
  to　hand。
  So　Patroclus　ran　off　to　Achilles；　but；　on　his　way；　he　met　the
  wounded　Eurypylus；　and　he　took　him　to　his　hut　and　cut　the　arrow　out
  of　his　thigh　with　a　knife；　and　washed　the　wound　with　warm　water；
  and　rubbed　over　it　a　bitter　root　to　take　the　pain　away。　　Thus　he
  waited　for　some　time　with　Eurypylus；　but　the　advice　of　Nestor　was
  in　the　end　to　cause　the　death　of　Patroclus。　　The　battle　now　raged
  more　fiercely；　while　Agamemnon　and　Diomede　and　Ulysses　could　only
  limp　about　leaning　on　their　spears；　and　again　Agamemnon　wished　to
  moor　the　ships　near　shore；　and　embark　in　the　night　and　run　away。
  But　Ulysses　was　very　angry　with　him；　and　said：　　〃You　should　lead
  some　other　inglorious　army；　not　us；　who　will　fight　on　till　every
  soul　of　us　perish；　rather　than　flee　like　cowards！　　Be　silent；　lest
  the　soldiers　hear　you　speaking　of　flight；　such　words　as　no　man
  should　utter。　　I　wholly　scorn　your　counsel；　for　the　Greeks　will
  lose　heart　if；　in　the　midst　of　battle；　you　bi