Book V - Page 2

The squires of Idomeneus spoiled him of his armour, while

Menelaus, son of Atreus, killed Scamandrius the son of Strophius,

a mighty huntsman and keen lover of the chase. Diana herself had

taught him how to kill every kind of wild creature that is bred

in mountain forests, but neither she nor his famed skill in

archery could now save him, for the spear of Menelaus struck him

in the back as he was flying; it struck him between the shoulders

and went right through his chest, so that he fell headlong and

his armour rang rattling round him.

Meriones then killed Phereclus the son of Tecton, who was the son

of Hermon, a man whose hand was skilled in all manner of cunning

workmanship, for Pallas Minerva had dearly loved him. He it was

that made the ships for Alexandrus, which were the beginning of

all mischief, and brought evil alike both on the Trojans and on

Alexandrus himself; for he heeded not the decrees of heaven.

Meriones overtook him as he was flying, and struck him on the

right buttock. The point of the spear went through the bone into

the bladder, and death came upon him as he cried aloud and fell

forward on his knees.

Meges, moreover, slew Pedaeus, son of Antenor, who, though he was

a bastard, had been brought up by Theano as one of her own

children, for the love she bore her husband. The son of Phyleus

got close up to him and drove a spear into the nape of his neck:

it went under his tongue all among his teeth, so he bit the cold

bronze, and fell dead in the dust.

And Eurypylus, son of Euaemon, killed Hypsenor, the son of noble

Dolopion, who had been made priest of the river Scamander, and

was honoured among the people as though he were a god. Eurypylus

gave him chase as he was flying before him, smote him with his

sword upon the arm, and lopped his strong hand from off it. The

bloody hand fell to the ground, and the shades of death, with

fate that no man can withstand, came over his eyes.

Thus furiously did the battle rage between them. As for the son

of Tydeus, you could not say whether he was more among the

Achaeans or the Trojans. He rushed across the plain like a winter

torrent that has burst its barrier in full flood; no dykes, no

walls of fruitful vineyards can embank it when it is swollen with

rain from heaven, but in a moment it comes tearing onward, and

lays many a field waste that many a strong man's hand has

reclaimed--even so were the dense phalanxes of the Trojans driven

in rout by the son of Tydeus, and many though they were, they

dared not abide his onslaught.

Now