But the soul of each within his breast, to the Trojans, hoped to burn the ships, and slay the Grecian heroes. They thinking these things, opposed one another. Footnote 500: (return) _I.e._ about its carcase. The Scholiast also gives another interpretation, viz. “to prevent his killing an ox;” but Kennedy, with reason, prefers the former one. Footnote 501: (return) “_They now held their ships in view_, which were arranged in a two-fold line, from the outermost whereof the Greeks were driven in upon their tents, disposed in the intermediate position between the lines of the vessels.”—Kennedy. Footnote 502: (return) Cf. v. 530. Footnote 503: (return) As the “desultores” (Liv. xxiii. 29). Hence “desultor amoris,” in Ovid, Amor. i. 3, 15, to denote an inconstant lover; “desultoria scientia,” Apuleius, Met. i. præf., speaking of his own varied fable. But Hector seized the stern of a sea-traversing bark, beautiful, swift, which had carried Protesilaus 504 to Troy, but did not bear him back again to his father-land. Round his ship the Greeks and Trojans were now slaying one another in close combat; nor did they indeed at a distance await the attacks of arrows and of javelins, but standing near, having one mind, they fought with sharp battle-axes and hatchets, with large swords and two-edged spears. And many fair swords, black-hilted, with massive handles, fell to the ground, some indeed from the hands, and others from the shoulders of the contending heroes; and the dark earth streamed with gore. But Hector, after he had seized [the vessel] by the stern, did not let go, holding the furthest 505 edge with his hands, and he cheered on the Trojans: “Bring fire, and at the same time do yourselves together excite the battle. Now hath Jove vouchsafed us a day worth all, 506 to take the ships, which, coming hither against the will of the gods, brought many evils upon us through the cowardice of our elders, who kept me back when desirous myself to fight at the sterns of the ships, and restrained the people. But if, indeed, far-sounding Jove then injured 507 our minds, he now impels and orders us.” Thus he spoke, but they rushed the more against the Greeks. Even Ajax no longer sustained them, for he was overwhelmed with darts; but, thinking he should fall, retired back a short space to the seven-feet bench, and deserted the deck of his equal ship. There he stood watching, and with his spear continually repulsed the Trojans from the ships, whoever might bring the indefatigable fire; and always shouting dreadfully, he animated the Greeks: