Book XI - Page 2

charioteer to hold

them in readiness by the trench, while he went into battle on

foot clad in full armour, and a mighty uproar rose on high into

the dawning. The chiefs were armed and at the trench before the

horses got there, but these came up presently. The son of Saturn

sent a portent of evil sound about their host, and the dew fell

red with blood, for he was about to send many a brave man

hurrying down to Hades.

The Trojans, on the other side upon the rising slope of the

plain, were gathered round great Hector, noble Polydamas, Aeneas

who was honoured by the Trojans like an immortal, and the three

sons of Antenor, Polybus, Agenor, and young Acamas beauteous as a

god. Hector's round shield showed in the front rank, and as some

baneful star that shines for a moment through a rent in the

clouds and is again hidden beneath them; even so was Hector now

seen in the front ranks and now again in the hindermost, and his

bronze armour gleamed like the lightning of aegis-bearing Jove.

And now as a band of reapers mow swathes of wheat or barley upon

a rich man's land, and the sheaves fall thick before them, even

so did the Trojans and Achaeans fall upon one another; they were

in no mood for yielding but fought like wolves, and neither side

got the better of the other. Discord was glad as she beheld them,

for she was the only god that went among them; the others were

not there, but stayed quietly each in his own home among the

dells and valleys of Olympus. All of them blamed the son of

Saturn for wanting to give victory to the Trojans, but father

Jove heeded them not: he held aloof from all, and sat apart in

his all-glorious majesty, looking down upon the city of the

Trojans, the ships of the Achaeans, the gleam of bronze, and

alike upon the slayers and on the slain.

Now so long as the day waxed and it was still morning, their

darts rained thick on one another and the people perished, but as

the hour drew nigh when a woodman working in some mountain forest

will get his midday meal--for he has felled till his hands are

weary; he is tired out, and must now have food--then the Danaans

with a cry that rang through all their ranks, broke the

battalions of the enemy. Agamemnon led them on, and slew first

Bienor, a leader of his people, and afterwards his comrade and

charioteer Oileus, who sprang from his chariot and was coming

full towards him; but Agamemnon struck him on the forehead with

his spear; his bronze visor was of no avail against the weapon,

which pierced both bronze and bone, so that his brains were