Call into mind the fury of your might! For I have seen, myself, Jove rendering vain The arrows of their mightiest. Man may know With ease the hand of interposing Jove,595 Both whom to glory he ordains, and whom He weakens and aids not; so now he leaves The Grecians, but propitious smiles on us. Therefore stand fast, and whosoever gall’d By arrow or by spear, dies—let him die;600 It shall not shame him that he died to serve His country,[12] but his children, wife and home, With all his heritage, shall be secure, Drive but the Grecians from the shores of Troy. So saying, he animated each. Meantime,605 Ajax his fellow-warriors thus address’d. Shame on you all! Now, Grecians, either die, Or save at once your galley and yourselves. Hope ye, that should your ships become the prize Of warlike Hector, ye shall yet return610 On foot? Or hear ye not the Chief aloud Summoning all his host, and publishing His own heart’s wish to burn your fleet with fire? Not to a dance, believe me, but to fight He calls them; therefore wiser course for us615 Is none, than that we mingle hands with hands In contest obstinate, and force with force. Better at once to perish, or at once To rescue life, than to consume the time Hour after hour in lingering conflict vain620 Here at the ships, with an inferior foe. He said, and by his words into all hearts Fresh confidence infused. Then Hector smote Schedius, a Chief of the Phocensian powers And son of Perimedes; Ajax slew,625 Meantime, a Chief of Trojan infantry, Laodamas, Antenor’s noble son While by Polydamas, a leader bold Of the Epeans, and Phylides’[13] friend, Cyllenian Otus died. Meges that sight630 Viewing indignant on the conqueror sprang, But, starting wide, Polydamas escaped, Saved by Apollo, and his spear transpierced The breast of Cræsmus; on his sounding shield Prostrate he fell, and Meges stripp’d his arms.635 Him so employ’d Dolops assail’d, brave son Of Lampus, best of men and bold in fight, Offspring of King Laomedon; he stood Full near, and through his middle buckler struck The son of Phyleus, but his corselet thick640 With plates of scaly brass his life secured. That corselet Phyleus on a time brought home From Ephyre, where the Selleïs winds, And it was given him for his life’s defence In furious battle by the King of men,645 Euphetes. Many a time had it preserved Unharm’d the sire, and now it saved the son. Then Meges, rising, with his pointed lance The bushy crest of Dolops’ helmet drove Sheer from its base; new-tinged with purple bright650 Entire it fell and mingled with the dust. While thus they strove, each hoping victory, Came martial Menelaus to the aid Of Meges; spear in hand apart he stood By Dolops unperceived, through his back drove655 And through his breast the spear, and far beyond. And down fell Dolops, forehead to the ground. At once both flew to strip his radiant arms, Then, Hector summoning his kindred, call’d Each to his aid, and Melanippus first,660