At once fled all his followers, on all sides350 With consternation fill’d, seeing their Chief And their best warrior, by Patroclus slain. Forth from the fleet he drove them, quench’d the flames, And rescued half the ship. Then scatter’d fled With infinite uproar the host of Troy,355 While from between their ships the Danaï Pour’d after them, and hideous rout ensued. As when the king of lightnings, Jove, dispels From some huge eminence a gloomy cloud, The groves, the mountain-tops, the headland heights360 Shine all, illumined from the boundless heaven, So when the Danaï those hostile fires Had from their fleet expell’d, awhile they breathed, Yet found short respite, for the battle yet Ceased not, nor fled the Trojans in all parts365 Alike, but still resisted, from the ships Retiring through necessity alone. Then, in that scatter’d warfare, every Chief Slew one. While Areïlochus his back Turn’d on Patroclus, sudden with a lance370 His thigh he pierced, and urged the weapon through, Shivering the bone; he headlong smote the ground. The hero Menelaus, where he saw The breast of Thoas by his slanting shield Unguarded, struck and stretch’d him at his feet.375 Phylides,[9] meeting with preventive spear The furious onset of Amphiclus, gash’d His leg below the knee, where brawny most The muscles swell in man; disparted wide The tendons shrank, and darkness veil’d his eyes.380 The two Nestoridæ slew each a Chief. Of these, Antilochus Atymnius pierced Right through his flank, and at his feet he fell. With fierce resentment fired Maris beheld His brother’s fall, and guarding, spear in hand,385 The slain, impetuous on the conqueror flew; But godlike Thrasymedes[10] wounded first Maris, ere he Antilochus; he pierced His upper arm, and with the lance’s point Rent off and stript the muscles to the bone.390 Sounding he fell, and darkness veil’d his eyes. They thus, two brothers by two brothers slain, Went down to Erebus, associates both Of brave Sarpedon, and spear-practised sons Of Amisodarus; of him who fed395 Chimæra,[11] monster, by whom many died. Ajax the swift on Cleobulus sprang, Whom while he toil’d entangled in the crowd, He seized alive, but smote him where he stood With his huge-hafted sword full on the neck;400 The blood warm’d all his blade, and ruthless fate Benighted dark the dying warrior’s eyes. Peneleus into close contention rush’d And Lycon. Each had hurl’d his glittering spear, But each in vain, and now with swords they met.405 He smote Peneleus on the crested casque, But snapp’d his falchion; him Peneleus smote Beneath his ear; the whole blade entering sank Into his neck, and Lycon with his head Depending by the skin alone, expired.410 Meriones o’ertaking Acamas Ere yet he could ascend his chariot, thrust A lance into his shoulder; down he fell In dreary death’s eternal darkness whelm’d. Idomeneus his ruthless spear enforced415 Into the mouth of Erymas. The point Stay’d not, but gliding close beneath the brain,