Whereupon, Ulysses, in great anger, to avenge his death, strode boldly
midst the Trojan ranks and hurled his spear at Democoön, a son of
Priam, whom he slew. At length the Trojan hosts were borne backward by
the mighty onslaught of the Greeks, till Apollo cried from the heights
of Pergamos,—
“On, Trojans! The flesh of these Greeks is not stone or iron, that ye
cannot pierce it; and remember that the great Achilles fights not with
them to-day!”
Athené also urged the Greeks to valiant deeds. This goddess aroused
Diomed to battle, making a wondrous fire shine forth from his helmet,
which made him seem a god, and he raged through the battle so
furiously, that he was now seen amongst the Grecian ranks, now boldly
invading the Trojan forces, and striking down his foes with mighty arm.
Then Pandarus aimed an arrow at him and smote him on the shoulder. But
the brave Diomed cared not for the arrow, and leaping from his chariot
he called to Sthenelus, his charioteer, to draw the arrow from the
wound; and praying to Athené for aid, he rushed madly into the Trojan
ranks, slaying a man at every blow.
Meanwhile, Æneas, driving his swift chariot, said to Pandarus,—
“Climb up into my chariot, and thou shalt fight, and I will drive.”
So Pandarus mounted the chariot, and the two drove towards Diomed, and
as they came near, Pandarus cast his spear, which passed through the
shield of Diomed and reached his corselet; whereupon Pandarus cried,—
“Ha, now he bleeds! Low will this haughty Grecian lie!”
But Diomed replied,—
“Thy dart has erred! Now I will try my spear.”
And straightway he hurled his keen lance toward his boasting foe.
Through nose and jaw it crashed, and cleft the tongue in two; and the
bright point came forth beneath the chin.
Pandarus fell from the chariot mortally wounded, and Æneas leapt to
the ground with drawn spear to defend the dead body of his friend. But
Diomed raised a huge stone and hurled it at Æneas, and crushed his
hip-bone, felling him to the earth.
Then had brave Æneas perished, but his goddess mother, Aphrodité,
caught him in her white arms and threw her veil about him. But so
great was the rage of Diomed, that he spared not even the goddess, but
rushing upon her, he wounded her in the wrist, and with a shriek of
pain she dropped her son; but Apollo caught him up and covered him with
a thick mist. Thrice Diomed pursued, and thrice Apollo drove him back.
But as the rash Diomed advanced a fourth time, the god exclaimed,—
“O son of Tydeus, beware! Nor think to match the immortal gods!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account