Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
So spake he, and the other marked him, and ran, and came and stood
close by him, with the bended bow in his hand, and the quiver with the
arrows, and right swiftly he showered his shafts upon the Trojans. And
he smote Kleitos, the splendid son of Peisenor, the comrade of
Polydamas, the haughty son of Panthoos, with the reins in his hand, as
he was busy with the horses, for thither was he driving them where far
the most of the companies were broken in confusion, and he was showing
a favour to Hector and the Trojans. But swiftly on himself came his
bane, that not one of them could ward off from him, despite their
desire. For the woful arrow lighted on the back of his neck, and he
fell from the chariot, and back started his horses, shaking the empty
car. But straightway the prince Polydamas beheld it, and was the first
to come over against the horses. Them he gave to Astynoos, the son of
Protiaon, and enjoined him straitly to hold the horses close at hand,
and look on, and himself went back, and mingled with the foremost
fighters. Then Teukros aimed another shaft against Hector of the helm
of bronze, and would have made cease the battle by the ships of the
Achaians, if he had smitten him in his prowess and taken his life away.
But he escaped not the wise mind of Zeus, who guarded Hector, but took
away the praise from Teukros son of Telamon, for he brake the
well-twisted string on the goodly bow, even as Teukros was aiming at
Hector, and his arrow weighted with bronze wandered otherwhere, and the
bow fell from his hands. But Teukros shuddered, and spake to his
brother saying: “Alas, now verily the god breaks altogether the purpose
of our battle, in that he hath cast the bow from my hand, and hath
broken the newly twisted cord, which I bound on but this morning, that
it might sustain the many shafts that should leap from the bow.”
Then the great Aias son of Telamon answered him saying: “Yea, friend,
but let the bow and the many arrows lie, even so, since the god has
confounded them, being jealous of the Danaans, but take in thy hands a
long spear, and a shield on thy shoulder, and war with the Trojans, and
arouse the rest of the host. Verily not without labour, for all their
victory, let them take the well-timbered ships, nay, let us be mindful
of the delight of battle.”
So spake he, and Teukros set the bow within the huts again, but round
his shoulder he set a fourfold shield, and on his mighty head a
well-wrought helmet, [with a horse-hair plume, and terribly the crest
nodded above.] And he seized a strong spear, shod with sharp bronze,
and started on his way, and started and running right speedily stood
beside Aias.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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