Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
But they, when now meeting, they had reached the same place, at once
joined their ox-hide shields, and their spears, and the might of
brazen-mailed warriors; and the bossy shields met one another, and much
battle-din arose. There at the same time were heard both the groans and
shouts of men slaying and being slain; and the earth flowed with blood.
As when wintry torrents flowing down from the mountains, mix in a basin
the impetuous water from their great springs in a hollow ravine, and
the shepherd in the mountains hears the distant roar—so arose the
shouting and panic of them, mixed together.
Antilochus first killed a Trojan warrior, Echepolus, son of Thalysias,
valiant in the van. Him he first struck on the cone of his horse-plumed
helmet, and the brazen point fixed itself in his forehead, then pierced
the bone, and darkness veiled his eyes; and he fell, like a tower, in
fierce conflict. Him fallen, king Elephenor, the offspring of
Chalcodon, chief of the magnanimous Abantes, seized by the feet, and
was drawing him beyond the reach of darts in haste, that with all haste
he might despoil him of his armour: but that attempt was short; for
magnanimous Agenor having descried him dragging the body, wounded him
with a brazen spear in the side, which, as he stooped, appeared from
beneath the covert of his shield, and he relaxed his limbs [in death].
His soul therefore left him. But over him arose a fierce conflict of
Trojans and of Greeks. But they like wolves rushed on each other, and
man bore down man. Then Telamonian Ajax smote the blooming youth
Simoïsius, son of Anthemion, whom formerly his mother, descending from
Ida, brought forth on the banks of Simois, when, to wit, she followed
her parents to view the flocks; wherefore they called him Simoïsius.
Nor did he repay to his dear parents the price of his early nurture,
for his life was short, he being slain with a spear by magnanimous
Ajax. For him advancing first, he [Ajax] struck on the breast, near the
right pap: and the brazen spear passed out through his shoulder on the
opposite side. He fell on the ground in the dust, like a poplar, winch
has sprung up in the moist grass-land of an extensive marsh,—branches
grow smooth, yet upon the very top, which the chariot-maker lops with
the shining steel, that he might bend [it as] a felloe for a beauteous
chariot. Drying, it lies indeed on the banks of the river. So did the
high-born Ajax spoil Simoïsius, the descendant of Anthemion. But at him
Antiphus, of the varied corslet, the son of Priam, took aim through the
crowd with a sharp spear. From whom, indeed, it erred: but he struck
Leucus, the faithful companion of Ulysses, in the groin, as he was
drawing the body aside; but he fell near it, and the body dropped from
his hand. For him slain, Ulysses was much enraged in mind; and he
rushed through the van, armed in shining brass; and advancing very
near, he stood, and casting his eyes all around him, hurled with his
glittering spear.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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