Achilles (Mythological character); Classical literature; Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
With these words he put life and soul into them all. Hector then
killed Schedius son of Perimedes, leader of the Phoceans, and
Ajax killed Laodamas captain of foot soldiers and son to Antenor.
Polydamas killed Otus of Cyllene a comrade of the son of Phyleus
and chief of the proud Epeans. When Meges saw this he sprang upon
him, but Polydamas crouched down, and he missed him, for Apollo
would not suffer the son of Panthous to fall in battle; but the
spear hit Croesmus in the middle of his chest, whereon he fell
heavily to the ground, and Meges stripped him of his armour. At
that moment the valiant soldier Dolops son of Lampus sprang upon
Lampus was son of Laomedon and noted for his valour, while his
son Dolops was versed in all the ways of war. He then struck the
middle of the son of Phyleus’ shield with his spear, setting on
him at close quarters, but his good corslet made with plates of
metal saved him; Phyleus had brought it from Ephyra and the river
Selleis, where his host, King Euphetes, had given it him to wear
in battle and protect him. It now served to save the life of his
son. Then Meges struck the topmost crest of Dolops’s bronze
helmet with his spear and tore away its plume of horse-hair, so
that all newly dyed with scarlet as it was it tumbled down into
the dust. While he was still fighting and confident of victory,
Menelaus came up to help Meges, and got by the side of Dolops
unperceived; he then speared him in the shoulder, from behind,
and the point, driven so furiously, went through into his chest,
whereon he fell headlong. The two then made towards him to strip
him of his armour, but Hector called on all his brothers for
help, and he especially upbraided brave Melanippus son of
Hiketaon, who erewhile used to pasture his herds of cattle in
Percote before the war broke out; but when the ships of the
Danaans came, he went back to Ilius, where he was eminent among
the Trojans, and lived near Priam who treated him as one of his
own sons. Hector now rebuked him and said, “Why, Melanippus, are
we thus remiss? do you take no note of the death of your kinsman,
and do you not see how they are trying to take Dolops’s armour?
Follow me; there must be no fighting the Argives from a distance
now, but we must do so in close combat till either we kill them
or they take the high wall of Ilius and slay her people.”
He led on as he spoke, and the hero Melanippus followed after.
Meanwhile Ajax son of Telamon was cheering on the Argives. “My
friends,” he cried, “be men, and fear dishonour; quit yourselves
in battle so as to win respect from one another. Men who respect
each other’s good opinion are less likely to be killed than those
who do not, but in flight there is neither gain nor glory.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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