Book VI

BOOK VI

THE fight between Trojans and Achaeans was now left to rage as it

would, and the tide of war surged hither and thither over the

plain as they aimed their bronze-shod spears at one another

between the streams of Simois and Xanthus.

First, Ajax son of Telamon, tower of strength to the Achaeans,

broke a phalanx of the Trojans, and came to the assistance of his

comrades by killing Acamas son of Eussorus, the best man among

the Thracians, being both brave and of great stature. The spear

struck the projecting peak of his helmet: its bronze point then

went through his forehead into the brain, and darkness veiled his

eyes.

Then Diomed killed Axylus son of Teuthranus, a rich man who lived

in the strong city of Arisbe, and was beloved by all men; for he

had a house by the roadside, and entertained every one who

passed; howbeit not one of his guests stood before him to save

his life, and Diomed killed both him and his squire Calesius, who

was then his charioteer--so the pair passed beneath the earth.

Euryalus killed Dresus and Opheltius, and then went in pursuit of

Aesepus and Pedasus, whom the naiad nymph Abarbarea had borne to

noble Bucolion. Bucolion was eldest son to Laomedon, but he was a

bastard. While tending his sheep he had converse with the nymph,

and she conceived twin sons; these the son of Mecisteus now slew,

and he stripped the armour from their shoulders. Polypoetes then

killed Astyalus, Ulysses Pidytes of Percote, and Teucer Aretaon.

Ablerus fell by the spear of Nestor's son Antilochus, and

Agamemnon, king of men, killed Elatus who dwelt in Pedasus by the

banks of the river Satnioeis. Leitus killed Phylacus as he was

flying, and Eurypylus slew Melanthus.

Then Menelaus of the loud war-cry took Adrestus alive, for his

horses ran into a tamarisk bush, as they were flying wildly over

the plain, and broke the pole from the car; they went on towards

the city along with the others in full flight, but Adrestus

rolled out, and fell in the dust flat on his face by the wheel of

his chariot; Menelaus came up to him spear in hand, but Adrestus

caught him by the knees begging for his life. "Take me alive," he

cried, "son of Atreus, and you shall have a full ransom for me:

my father is rich and has much treasure of gold, bronze, and

wrought iron laid by in his house. From this store he will give

you a large ransom should he hear of my being alive and at the

ships of the Achaeans."

Thus did he plead, and Menelaus was for yielding and giving him

to a squire to take to the ships of the Achaeans,