stepmother　Eriopis；　the　wife　of　Oileus；　the　other；　Podarces；　was　the
  son　of　Iphiclus　son　of　Phylacus。　These　two　stood　in　the　van　of　the
  Phthians；　and　defended　the　ships　along　with　the　Boeotians。
  Ajax　son　of　Oileus　never　for　a　moment　left　the　side　of　Ajax　son　of
  Telamon；　but　as　two　swart　oxen　both　strain　their　utmost　at　the
  plough　which　they　are　drawing　in　a　fallow　field；　and　the　sweat
  steams　upwards　from　about　the　roots　of　their　horns…　nothing　but　the
  yoke　divides　them　as　they　break　up　the　ground　till　they　reach　the
  end　of　the　field…　even　so　did　the　two　Ajaxes　stand　shoulder　to
  shoulder　by　one　another。　Many　and　brave　comrades　followed　the　son　of
  Telamon；　to　relieve　him　of　his　shield　when　he　was　overcome　with
  sweat　and　toil；　but　the　Locrians　did　not　follow　so　close　after　the　son
  of　Oileus；　for　they　could　not　hold　their　own　in　a　hand…to…hand
  fight。　They　had　no　bronze　helmets　with　plumes　of　horse…hair；　neither
  had　they　shields　nor　ashen　spears；　but　they　had　come　to　Troy　armed
  with　bows；　and　with　slings　of　twisted　wool　from　which　they　showered
  their　missiles　to　break　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans。　The　others；
  therefore；　with　their　heavy　armour　bore　the　brunt　of　the　fight　with
  the　Trojans　and　with　Hector；　while　the　Locrians　shot　from　behind；
  under　their　cover；　and　thus　the　Trojans　began　to　lose　heart；　for　the
  arrows　threw　them　into　confusion。
  The　Trojans　would　now　have　been　driven　in　sorry　plight　from　the
  ships　and　tents　back　to　windy　Ilius；　had　not　Polydamas　presently
  said　to　Hector；　〃Hector；　there　is　no　persuading　you　to　take　advice。
  Because　heaven　has　so　richly　endowed　you　with　the　arts　of　war；　you
  think　that　you　must　therefore　excel　others　in　counsel；　but　you
  cannot　thus　claim　preeminence　in　all　things。　Heaven　has　made　one　man
  an　excellent　soldier；　of　another　it　has　made　a　dancer　or　a　singer
  and　player　on　the　lyre；　while　yet　in　another　Jove　has　implanted　a　wise
  understanding　of　which　men　reap　fruit　to　the　saving　of　many；　and　he
  himself　knows　more　about　it　than　any　one；　therefore　I　will　say　what
  I　think　will　be　best。　The　fight　has　hemmed　you　in　as　with　a　circle
  of　fire；　and　even　now　that　the　Trojans　are　within　the　wall　some　of
  them　stand　aloof　in　full　armour；　while　others　are　fighting　scattered
  and　outnumbered　near　the　ships。　Draw　back；　therefore；　and　call　your
  chieftains　round　you；　that　we　may　advise　together　whether　to　fall
  now　upon　the　ships　in　the　hope　that　heaven　may　vouchsafe　us　victory；
  or　to　beat　a　retreat　while　we　can　yet　safely　do　so。　I　greatly　fear
  that　the　Achaeans　will　pay　us　their　debt　of　yesterday　in　full；　for
  there　is　one　abiding　at　their　ships　who　is　never　weary　of　battle；
  and　who　will　not　hold　aloof　much　longer。〃
  Thus　spoke　Polydamas；　and　his　words　pleased　Hector　well。　He　sprang
  in　full　armour　from　his　chariot　and　said；　〃Polydamas；　gather　the
  chieftains　here；　I　will　go　yonder　into　the　fight；　but　will　return　at
  once　when　I　have　given　them　their　orders。〃
  He　then　sped　onward；　towering　like　a　snowy　mountain；　and　with　a　loud
  cry　flew　through　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans　and　their　allies。　When
  they　heard　his　voice　they　all　hastened　to　gather　round　Polydamas　the
  excellent　son　of　Panthous；　but　Hector　kept　on　among　the　foremost；
  looking　everywhere　to　find　Deiphobus　and　prince　Helenus；　Adamas　son　of
  Asius；　and　Asius　son　of　Hyrtacus；　living；　indeed；　and　scatheless　he
  could　no　longer　find　them；　for　the　two　last　were　lying　by　the　sterns
  of　the　Achaean　ships；　slain　by　the　Argives；　while　the　others　had
  been　also　stricken　and　wounded　by　them；　but　upon　the　left　wing　of
  the　dread　battle　he　found　Alexandrus；　husband　of　lovely　Helen；
  cheering　his　men　and　urging　them　on　to　fight。　He　went　up　to　him　and
  upbraided　him。　〃Paris；〃　said　he；　〃evil…hearted　Paris；　fair　to　see
  but　woman…mad　and　false　of　tongue；　where　are　Deiphobus　and　King
  Helenus？　Where　are　Adamas　son　of　Asius；　and　Asius　son　of　Hyrtacus？
  Where　too　is　Othryoneus？　Ilius　is　undone　and　will　now　surely　fall！〃
  Alexandrus　answered；　〃Hector；　why　find　fault　when　there　is　no　one　to
  find　fault　with？　I　should　hold　aloof　from　battle　on　any　day　rather
  than　this；　for　my　mother　bore　me　with　nothing　of　the　coward　about
  me。　From　the　moment　when　you　set　our　men　fighting　about　the　ships　we
  have　been　staying　here　and　doing　battle　with　the　Danaans。　Our　comrades
  about　whom　you　ask　me　are　dead；　Deiphobus　and　King　Helenus　alone
  have　left　the　field；　wounded　both　of　them　in　the　hand；　but　the　son
  of　Saturn　saved　them　alive。　Now；　therefore；　lead　on　where　you　would
  have　us　go；　and　we　will　follow　with　right　goodwill；　you　shall　not　find
  us　fail　you　in　so　far　as　our　strength　holds　out；　but　no　man　can　do
  more　than　in　him　lies；　no　matter　how　willing　he　may　be。〃
  With　these　words　he　satisfied　his　brother；　and　the　two　went
  towards　the　part　of　the　battle　where　the　fight　was　thickest；　about
  Cebriones；　brave　Polydamas；　Phalces；　Orthaeus；　godlike　Polyphetes；
  Palmys；　Ascanius；　and　Morys　son　of　Hippotion；　who　had　come　from
  fertile　Ascania　on　the　preceding　day　to　relieve　other　troops。　Then
  Jove　urged　them　on　to　fight。　They　flew　forth　like　the　blasts　of　some
  fierce　wind　that　strike　earth　in　the　van　of　a　thunderstorm…　they
  buffet　the　salt　sea　into　an　uproar；　many　and　mighty　are　the　great
  waves　that　come　crashing　in　one　after　the　other　upon　the　shore　with
  their　arching　heads　all　crested　with　foam…　even　so　did　rank　behind
  rank　of　Trojans　arrayed　in　gleaming　armour　follow　their　leaders
  onward。　The　way　was　led　by　Hector　son　of　Priam；　peer　of　murderous
  Mars；　with　his　round　shield　before　him…　his　shield　of　ox…hides　covered
  with　plates　of　bronze…　and　his　gleaming　helmet　upon　his　temples。　He
  kept　stepping　forward　under　cover　of　his　shield　in　every　direction；
  making　trial　of　the　ranks　to　see　if　they　would　give　way　be　him；　but　he
  could　not　daunt　the　courage　of　the　Achaeans。　Ajax　was　the　first　to
  stride　out　and　challenge　him。　〃Sir；〃　he　cried；　〃draw　near；　why　do
  you　think　thus　vainly　to　dismay　the　Argives？　We　Achaeans　are　excellent
  soldiers；　but　the　scourge　of　Jove　has　fallen　heavily　upon　us。　Your
  heart；　forsooth；　is　set　on　destroying　our　ships；　but　we　too　have　bands
  that　can　keep　you　at　bay；　and　your　own　fair　town　shall　be　sooner　taken
  and　sacked　by　ourselves。　The　time　is　near　when　you　shall　pray　Jove　and
  all　the　gods　in　your　flight；　that　your　steeds　may　be　swifter　than
  hawks　as　they　raise　the　dust　on　the　plain　and　bear　you　back　to　your
  city。〃
  As　he　was　thus　speaking　a　bird　flew　by　upon　his　right　hand；　and
  the　host　of　the　Achaeans　shouted；　for　they　took　heart　at　the　omen。　But
  Hector　answered；　〃Ajax；　braggart　and　false　of　tongue；　would　that　I
  were　as　sure　of　being　son　for　evermore　to　aegis…bearing　Jove；　with
  Queen　Juno　for　my　mother；　and　of　being　held　in　like　honour　with
  Minerva　and　Apollo；　as　I　am　that　this　day　is　big　with　the
  destruction　of　the　Achaeans；　and　you　shall　fall　among　them　if　you　dare
  abide　my　spear；　it　shall　rend　your　fair　body　and　bid　you　glut　our
  hounds　and　birds　of　prey　with　your　fat　and　your　flesh；　as　you　fall
  by　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。〃
  With　these　words　he　led　the　way　and　the　others　followed　after　with　a
  cry　that　rent　the　air；　while　the　host　shouted　behind　them。　The　Argives
  on　their　part　raised　a　shout　likewise；　nor　did　they　forget　their
  prowess；　but　stood　firm　against　the　onslaught　of　the　Trojan
  chieftains；　and　the　cry　from　both　the　hosts　rose　up　to　heaven　and　to
  the　brightness　of　Jove's　presence。
  BOOK　XIV
  NESTOR　was　sitting　over　his　wine；　but　the　cry　of　battle　did　not
  escape　him；　and　he　said　to　the　son　of　Aesculapius；　〃What；　noble
  Machaon；　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？　The　shouts　of　men　fighting　by　our
  ships　grow　stronger　and　stronger；　stay　here；　therefore；　and　sit　over
  your　wine；　while　fair　Hecamede　heats　you　a　bath　and　washes　the　clotted
  blood　from　off　you。　I　will　go　at　once　to　the　look…out　station　and
  see　what　it　is　all　about。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　took　up　the　shield　of　his　son　Thrasymedes　that　was
  lying　in　his　tent；　all　gleaming　with　bronze；　for　Thrasymedes　had　taken
  his　father's　shield；　he　grasped　his　redoubtable　bronze…shod　spear；　and
  as　soon　as　he　was　outside　saw　the　disastrous　rout　of　the　Achaeans　who；
  now　that　their　wall　was　overthrown；　were　flying　pell…mell　before　the
  Trojans。　As　when　there　is　a　heavy　swell　upon　the　sea；　but　the　waves
  are　dumb…　they　keep　their　eyes　on　the　watch　for　the　quarter　whence　the
  fierce　winds　may　spring　upon　them；　but　they　stay　where　they　are　and
  set　neither　this　way　nor　that；　till　some　particular　wind　sweeps　down
  from　heaven　to　determine　them…　even　so　did　the　old　man　ponder
  whether　to　make　for　the　crowd　of　Danaans；　or　go　in　search　of
  Agamemnon。　In　the　end　he　deemed　it　best　to　go　to　the　son　of　Atreus；
  but　meanwhile　the　hosts　were　fighting　and　killing　one　another；　and　the
  hard　bronze　rattled　on　their　bodies；　as　they　thrust　at　one　another
  with　their　swords　and　spears。
  The　wounded　kings；　the　son　of　Tydeus；　Ulysses；　and　Agamemnon　son
  of　Atreus；　fell　in　Nestor　as　they　were　coming　up　from　their　ships…　for
  theirs　were　drawn　up　some　way　from　where　the　fighting　was　going　on；
  being　on　the　shore　itself　inasmuch　as　they　had　been　beached　first；
  while　the　wall　had　been　built　behind　the　hindermost。　The　stretch　of
  the　shore；　wide