He said; and by the King’s rebuke abash’d, With fiercer zeal the Lycians press’d around Their King and councillor; on th’ other side Within the wall the Greeks their squadrons mass’d; Then were great deeds achiev’d; nor thro’ the breach Could the brave troops of Lycia to the ships Their passage force; nor could the warrior Greeks Repel the Lycians from the ground, where they, Before the wall, had made their footing good. As when two neighbours, in a common field, Each line in hand, within a narrow space, About the limits of their land contend; Between them thus the rampart drew the line; O’er which the full-orb’d shields of tough bull’s-hide, And lighter bucklers on the warriors’ breasts On either side they clove; and many a wound The pitiless weapons dealt, on some who, turn’d, Their neck and back laid bare; on many more, Who full in front, and through their shields were struck. On ev’ry side the parapet and tow’rs With Greek and Trojan blood were spatter’d o’er. Nor yet, e’en so, the Greeks to flight were driv’n; But as a woman that for wages spins, Honest and true, with wool and weights in hand, In even balance holds the scales, to mete Her humble hire, her children’s maintenance; So even hung the balance of the war, Till Jove with highest honour Hector crown’d, The son of Priam; he, the foremost, scal’d The wall, and loudly on the Trojans call’d: “On, valiant Trojans, on! the Grecian wall Break down, and wrap their ships in blazing fires.” Thus he, exhorting, spoke; they heard him all, And to the wall rush’d numberless, and swarm’d Upon the ramparts, bristling thick with spears. Then Hector, stooping, seiz’d a pond’rous stone That lay before the gates; ’twas broad below, But sharp above; and scarce two lab’ring men, The strongest, from the ground could raise it up, And load upon a wain; as men are now; But he unaided lifted it with ease, So light it seem’d, by grace of Saturn’s son. As in one hand a shepherd bears with ease A full-siz’d fleece, and scarcely feels the weight; So Hector tow’rd the portals bore the stone, Which clos’d the lofty double-folding gates, Within defended by two massive bars Laid crosswise, and with one cross bolt secur’d. Close to the gate he stood; and planting firm His foot, to give his arm its utmost pow’r, Full on the middle dash’d the mighty mass. The hinges both gave way; the pond’rous stone Fell inwards; widely gap’d the op’ning gates; Nor might the bars within the blow sustain: This way and that the sever’d portals flew Before the crashing missile; dark as night His low’ring brow, great Hector sprang within; Bright flash’d the brazen armour on his breast, As through the gates, two jav’lins in his hand, He sprang; the Gods except, no pow’r might meet That onset; blaz’d his eyes with lurid fire. Then to the Trojans, turning to the throng, He call’d aloud to scale the lofty wall; They heard, and straight obey’d; some scal’d the wall: Some through the strong-built gates continuous pour’d;