centaurs。　For　of　the　physicians　Podalirius　and　Machaon；　I　hear　that
  the　one　is　lying　wounded　in　his　tent　and　is　himself　in　need　of
  healing；　while　the　other　is　fighting　the　Trojans　upon　the　plain。〃
  〃Hero　Eurypylus；〃　replied　the　brave　son　of　Menoetius；　〃how　may　these
  things　be？　What　can　I　do？　I　am　on　my　way　to　bear　a　message　to　noble
  Achilles　from　Nestor　of　Gerene；　bulwark　of　the　Achaeans；　but　even　so　I
  will　not　be　unmindful　your　distress。〃
  With　this　he　clasped　him　round　the　middle　and　led　him　into　the　tent；
  and　a　servant；　when　he　saw　him；　spread　bullock…skins　on　the　ground　for
  him　to　lie　on。　He　laid　him　at　full　length　and　cut　out　the　sharp
  arrow　from　his　thigh；　he　washed　the　black　blood　from　the　wound　with
  warm　water；　he　then　crushed　a　bitter　herb；　rubbing　it　between　his
  hands；　and　spread　it　upon　the　wound；　this　was　a　virtuous　herb　which
  killed　all　pain；　so　the　wound　presently　dried　and　the　blood　left　off
  flowing。
  BOOK　XII
  SO　THE　son　of　Menoetius　was　attending　to　the　hurt　of　Eurypylus
  within　the　tent；　but　the　Argives　and　Trojans　still　fought　desperately；
  nor　were　the　trench　and　the　high　wall　above　it；　to　keep　the　Trojans　in
  check　longer。　They　had　built　it　to　protect　their　ships；　and　had　dug
  the　trench　all　round　it　that　it　might　safeguard　both　the　ships　and　the
  rich　spoils　which　they　had　taken；　but　they　had　not　offered　hecatombs
  to　the　gods。　It　had　been　built　without　the　consent　of　the　immortals；
  and　therefore　it　did　not　last。　So　long　as　Hector　lived　and　Achilles
  nursed　his　anger；　and　so　long　as　the　city　of　Priam　remained　untaken；
  the　great　wall　of　the　Achaeans　stood　firm；　but　when　the　bravest　of　the
  Trojans　were　no　more；　and　many　also　of　the　Argives；　though　some　were
  yet　left　alive　when；　moreover；　the　city　was　sacked　in　the　tenth
  year；　and　the　Argives　had　gone　back　with　their　ships　to　their　own
  country…　then　Neptune　and　Apollo　took　counsel　to　destroy　the　wall；　and
  they　turned　on　to　it　the　streams　of　all　the　rivers　from　Mount　Ida　into
  the　sea；　Rhesus；　Heptaporus；　Caresus；　Rhodius；　Grenicus；　Aesopus；
  and　goodly　Scamander；　with　Simois；　where　many　a　shield　and　helm　had
  fallen；　and　many　a　hero　of　the　race　of　demigods　had　bitten　the　dust。
  Phoebus　Apollo　turned　the　mouths　of　all　these　rivers　together　and　made
  them　flow　for　nine　days　against　the　wall；　while　Jove　rained　the
  whole　time　that　he　might　wash　it　sooner　into　the　sea。　Neptune　himself；
  trident　in　hand；　surveyed　the　work　and　threw　into　the　sea　all　the
  foundations　of　beams　and　stones　which　the　Achaeans　had　laid　with　so
  much　toil；　he　made　all　level　by　the　mighty　stream　of　the　Hellespont；
  and　then　when　he　had　swept　the　wall　away　he　spread　a　great　beach　of
  sand　over　the　place　where　it　had　been。　This　done　he　turned　the
  rivers　back　into　their　old　courses。
  This　was　what　Neptune　and　Apollo　were　to　do　in　after　time；　but　as
  yet　battle　and　turmoil　were　still　raging　round　the　wall　till　its
  timbers　rang　under　the　blows　that　rained　upon　them。　The　Argives；　cowed
  by　the　scourge　of　Jove；　were　hemmed　in　at　their　ships　in　fear　of
  Hector　the　mighty　minister　of　Rout；　who　as　heretofore　fought　with
  the　force　and　fury　of　a　whirlwind。　As　a　lion　or　wild　boar　turns
  fiercely　on　the　dogs　and　men　that　attack　him；　while　these　form　solid
  wall　and　shower　their　javelins　as　they　face　him…　his　courage　is　all
  undaunted；　but　his　high　spirit　will　be　the　death　of　him；　many　a　time
  does　he　charge　at　his　pursuers　to　scatter　them；　and　they　fall　back
  as　often　as　he　does　so…　even　so　did　Hector　go　about　among　the　host
  exhorting　his　men；　and　cheering　them　on　to　cross　the　trench。
  But　the　horses　dared　not　do　so；　and　stood　neighing　upon　its　brink；
  for　the　width　frightened　them。　They　could　neither　jump　it　nor　cross
  it；　for　it　had　overhanging　banks　all　round　upon　either　side；　above
  which　there　were　the　sharp　stakes　that　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　had
  planted　so　close　and　strong　as　a　defence　against　all　who　would
  assail　it；　a　horse；　therefore；　could　not　get　into　it　and　draw　his
  chariot　after　him；　but　those　who　were　on　foot　kept　trying　their　very
  utmost。　Then　Polydamas　went　up　to　Hector　and　said；　〃Hector；　and　you
  other　captains　of　the　Trojans　and　allies；　it　is　madness　for　us　to
  try　and　drive　our　horses　across　the　trench；　it　will　be　very　hard　to
  cross；　for　it　is　full　of　sharp　stakes；　and　beyond　these　there　is　the
  wall。　Our　horses　therefore　cannot　get　down　into　it；　and　would　be　of　no
  use　if　they　did；　moreover　it　is　a　narrow　place　and　we　should　come　to
  harm。　If；　indeed；　great　Jove　is　minded　to　help　the　Trojans；　and　in　his
  anger　will　utterly　destroy　the　Achaeans；　I　would　myself　gladly　see
  them　perish　now　and　here　far　from　Argos；　but　if　they　should　rally
  and　we　are　driven　back　from　the　ships　pell…mell　into　the　trench
  there　will　be　not　so　much　as　a　man　get　back　to　the　city　to　tell　the
  tale。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all　do　as　I　say；　let　our　squires　hold　our
  horses　by　the　trench；　but　let　us　follow　Hector　in　a　body　on　foot；　clad
  in　full　armour；　and　if　the　day　of　their　doom　is　at　hand　the　Achaeans
  will　not　be　able　to　withstand　us。〃
  Thus　spoke　Polydamas　and　his　saying　pleased　Hector；　who　sprang　in
  full　armour　to　the　ground；　and　all　the　other　Trojans；　when　they　saw
  him　do　so；　also　left　their　chariots。　Each　man　then　gave　his　horses
  over　to　his　charioteer　in　charge　to　hold　them　ready　for　him　at　the
  trench。　Then　they　formed　themselves　into　companies；　made　themselves
  ready；　and　in　five　bodies　followed　their　leaders。　Those　that　went　with
  Hector　and　Polydamas　were　the　bravest　and　most　in　number；　and　the　most
  determined　to　break　through　the　wall　and　fight　at　the　ships。　Cebriones
  was　also　joined　with　them　as　third　in　command；　for　Hector　had　left　his
  chariot　in　charge　of　a　less　valiant　soldier。　The　next　company　was
  led　by　Paris；　Alcathous；　and　Agenor；　the　third　by　Helenus　and
  Deiphobus；　two　sons　of　Priam；　and　with　them　was　the　hero　Asius…
  Asius　the　son　of　Hyrtacus；　whose　great　black　horses　of　the　breed
  that　comes　from　the　river　Selleis　had　brought　him　from　Arisbe。
  Aeneas　the　valiant　son　of　Anchises　led　the　fourth；　he　and　the　two　sons
  of　Antenor；　Archelochus　and　Acamas；　men　well　versed　in　all　the　arts　of
  war。　Sarpedon　was　captain　over　the　allies；　and　took　with　him　Glaucus
  and　Asteropaeus　whom　he　deemed　most　valiant　after　himself…　for　he
  was　far　the　best　man　of　them　all。　These　helped　to　array　one　another　in
  their　ox…hide　shields；　and　then　charged　straight　at　the　Danaans；　for
  they　felt　sure　that　they　would　not　hold　out　longer　and　that　they
  should　themselves　now　fall　upon　the　ships。
  The　rest　of　the　Trojans　and　their　allies　now　followed　the　counsel　of
  Polydamas　but　Asius　son　of　Hyrtacus　would　not　leave　his　horses　and　his
  esquire　behind　him；　in　his　foolhardiness　he　took　them　on　with　him
  towards　the　ships；　nor　did　he　fail　to　come　by　his　end　in
  consequence。　Nevermore　was　he　to　return　to　wind…beaten　Ilius；　exulting
  in　his　chariot　and　his　horses；　ere　he　could　do　so；　death　of　ill…omened
  name　had　overshadowed　him　and　he　had　fallen　by　the　spear　of
  Idomeneus　the　noble　son　of　Deucalion。　He　had　driven　towards　the　left
  wing　of　the　ships；　by　which　way　the　Achaeans　used　to　return　with　their
  chariots　and　horses　from　the　plain。　Hither　he　drove　and　found　the
  gates　with　their　doors　opened　wide；　and　the　great　bar　down…　for　the
  gatemen　kept　them　open　so　as　to　let　those　of　their　comrades　enter
  who　might　be　flying　towards　the　ships。　Hither　of　set　purpose　did　he
  direct　his　horses；　and　his　men　followed　him　with　a　loud　cry；　for
  they　felt　sure　that　the　Achaeans　would　not　hold　out　longer；　and　that
  they　should　now　fall　upon　the　ships。　Little　did　they　know　that　at
  the　gates　they　should　find　two　of　the　bravest　chieftains；　proud　sons
  of　the　fighting　Lapithae…　the　one；　Polypoetes；　mighty　son　of
  Pirithous；　and　the　other　Leonteus；　peer　of　murderous　Mars。　These　stood
  before　the　gates　like　two　high　oak　trees　upon　the　mountains；　that
  tower　from　their　wide…spreading　roots；　and　year　after　year　battle　with
  wind　and　rain…　even　so　did　these　two　men　await　the　onset　of　great
  Asius　confidently　and　without　flinching。　The　Trojans　led　by　him　and　by
  Iamenus；　Orestes；　Adamas　the　son　of　Asius；　Thoon　and　Oenomaus；
  raised　a　loud　cry　of　battle　and　made　straight　for　the　wall；　holding
  their　shields　of　dry　ox…hide　above　their　heads；　for　a　while　the　two
  defenders　remained　inside　and　cheered　the　Achaeans　on　to　stand　firm　in
  the　defence　of　their　ships；　when；　however；　they　saw　that　the　Trojans
  were　attacking　the　wall；　while　the　Danaans　were　crying　out　for　help
  and　being　routed；　they　rushed　outside　and　fought　in　front　of　the　gates
  like　two　wild　boars　upon　the　mountains　that　abide　the　attack　of　men
  and　dogs；　and　charging　on　either　side　break　down　the　wood　all　round
  them　tearing　it　up　by　the　roots；　and　one　can　hear　the　clattering　of
  their　tusks；　till　some　one　hits　them　and　makes　an　end　of　them…　even　so
  did　the　gleaming　bronze　rattle　about　their　breasts；　as　the　weapons
  fell　upon　them；　for　they　fought　with　great　fury；　trusting　to　their　own
  prowess　and　to　those　who　were　on　the　wall　above　them。　These　threw
  great　stones　at　their　assailants　in　defence　of　themselves　their
  tents　and　their　ships。　The　stones　fell　thick　as　the　flakes　of　snow
  which　some　fierce　blast　drives　from　the　dark　clo