Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
But those that were armed at the same time with magnanimous Patroclus,
marched orderly, till they rushed upon the Trojans, with high hopes.
Immediately they were poured out, like unto wasps dwelling by the
road-side, which silly boys are wont to irritate, incessantly harassing
them, possessing cells by the way-side; and cause a common evil to
many. And if by chance any traveller, passing by, unintentionally
disturb them, then they, possessing a valiant heart, all fly forth, and
fight for their young. The Myrmidons then, having the heart and courage
of these, poured out from the ships, and an inextinguishable tumult
arose. But Patroclus cheered on his companions, loudly shouting:
“Ye Myrmidons, companions of Achilles, the son of Peleus, be men, my
friends, and be mindful of impetuous valour; that we, his
close-fighting servants, may honour the son of Peleus, who is by far
the bravest of the Greeks at the ships; and that the son of Atreus,
wide-ruling Agamemnon, may know his fault, that he nothing honoured the
bravest of the Greeks.”
Thus speaking, he aroused the might and spirits of each: and in dense
array they fell upon the Trojans: but the ships re-echoed dreadfully
around from the Greeks shouting. But the Trojans, when they beheld the
brave son of Menœtius, himself and his attendant glittering in arms,
the mind to all of them was disturbed, and the phalanxes were deranged,
deeming that the swift-footed son of Peleus at the ships had cast away
his wrath, and resumed friendship: then each one gazed about where he
might escape utter destruction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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