It was now Hector’s care to stop the rout and bring order into the ranks once more at the city gates. He implored, he admonished, he scolded and threatened, and thus drove them back again after a brief rest. Shamed by his words, the young princes sought out the most dangerous antagonists to show their valor. Iphidamas, son of Antenor, was even anxious to contend with Agamemnon himself, who, however, saw him coming and was the first to cast his lance. But the youth dodged the missile and ran quickly at him with his own spear and would surely have run him through had the brazen coat not bent the point of the weapon and broken the force of the blow. Agamemnon seized hold of the youth’s lance with his powerful left hand and forced both him and it down, while, with a sudden blow of his sword, he cut off the youth’s head. A servant soon stripped him and carried off the armor. Koon, Antenor’s second son, who had seen his brother’s fall, called some of his companions together to avenge him. They approached Agamemnon unobserved and Koon cast his spear, which struck the hero’s arm, wounding him so that the warm blood spurted forth. The youth was triumphant, for although Agamemnon did not fall, he saw him stagger backward. He wished to make use of this moment to carry off his brother’s body, but as he was bending over it, Agamemnon’s spear entered his side, and before he could recover himself Agamemnon had sprung upon him and cut off his head. The hero then turned away and attacked another body of the enemy, slaying many. As long as the warm blood continued to gush out he did not notice his wound, but when it began to dry, he could no longer endure the pain and was obliged to retire from the field. He mounted his chariot, admonishing the Achaians once more to fight bravely, and then drove rapidly away to his tent to have his wound dressed. His departure revived the sinking courage of the Trojans. Hector pressed forward and the Achaians, abandoned by their courageous leader, turned to flee, as the Trojans had done before. The young princes sought to measure their strength against Hector, but only paid for their temerity with their lives. Seeing this, Ulysses’ heart burned with rage. He called Diomedes and said: “Son of Tydeus, let us fight together against that terrible man. It would be a shame should plumed Hector take our great ships from us.” “Gladly will I tarry here,” answered his friend surlily; “but much good will it do us, for Jove, the Thunderer, does not intend the victory for us, but for the Trojans.” However, they set forth together and plunged amongst the swarms of soldiers like two raging lions, driving them backward, as waves are whipped by the wind. Hector saw this from afar and quick as a flash he bore down upon them in his chariot, sprang to earth, and met the heroes on foot. “Look,” cried Diomedes to Ulysses when he saw him; “there cometh our destruction. But let us stand firm, we will not flee.”