Prevent Sarpedon's Death

Then Aias, son of Telamon, was first to slay his man, even great-souled Epicles, comrade of Sarpedon, for he smote him with a huge jagged rock, that lay the topmost of all within the wall by the battlements. Not easily with both hands could a man, such as mortals now are, hold it, were he never so young and strong, but Aias lifted it on high and hurled it, and he shattered the four-horned helmet, and crushed together all the bones of the head of Epicles; and he fell like a diver from the high wall, and his spirit left his bones. And Teucer smote Glaucus, the stalwart son of Hippolochus, as he rushed upon them, with an arrow from the high wall, where he saw his arm uncovered; and he stayed him from fighting. Back from the wall he leapt secretly, that no man of the Achaeans might mark that he had been smitten, and vaunt over him boastfully. But over Sarpedon came grief at Glaucus' departing, so soon as he was ware thereof, yet even so forgat he not to fight, but smote with a thrust of his spear Alcmaon, son of Thestor, with sure aim, and again drew forth the spear. And Alcmaon, following the spear, fell headlong, and about him rang his armour, dight with bronze. But Sarpedon with strong hands caught hold of the battlement and tugged, and the whole length of it gave way, and the wall above was laid bare, and he made a path for many.

But against him came Aias and Teucer at the one moment: Teucer smote him with an arrow on the gleaming baldric of his sheltering shield about his breast, but Zeus warded off the fates from his own son that he should not be laid low at the ships' sterns; and Aias leapt upon him and thrust against his shield, but the spear-point passed not through, howbeit he made him reel in his onset. So he gave ground a little space from the battlement, yet withdrew not wholly, for his spirit hoped to win him glory. And he wheeled about, and called to the godlike Lycians: "Ye Lycians, wherefore are ye thus slack in furious valour? Hard is it for me, how mighty so ever I be, alone to breach the wall, and make a path to the ships. Nay, have at them with me; the more men the better work."


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 12 (A. T. Murray translation)a


----------

First to kill his man was Telamonian Aias.
It was Sarpedon’s companion in arms, high-hearted Epikles,
whom he struck with a great jagged stone, that lay at the inside
of the wall, huge, on top of the battlements. A man could not easily
hold it, not even if he were very strong, in both hands,
of men such as men are now, but he heaving it high threw it,
and smashed in the four-sheeted helm, and pounded to pieces
the bones of the head inside it, so that Epikles dropped
like a diver from the high bastion, and the life left his bones.
And Teukros with an arrow struck the strong son of Hippolochos,
Glaukos, as he was swarming aloft the wall’s high bastion,
where he saw the arm was bare of defense, and stayed his warcraft;
he sprang down from the wall, secretly, for fear some Achaian
might see that he had been hit and vaunt with high words over him.
Sarpedon, as soon as he was aware that Glaukos had gone back,
was downcast, nevertheless he did not forget his warcraft
but striking with his spear at Alkmaon, the son of Thestor,
stabbed him, then wrenched the spear out, and he following the spear fell
on his face, and the armor elaborate with bronze clashed about him.
And Sarpedon, grabbing in both ponderous hands the battlements,
pulled, and the whole thing came away in his hands, and the rampart
was stripped defenseless above. He had opened a pathway for many.
Aias and Teukros aimed at him together, and Teukros
hit him with an arrow in the shining belt that encircled
his chest to hold the man-covering shield, but Zeus brushed the death spirits
from his son, and would not let him be killed there beside the ships’ sterns;
and Aias plunging upon him stabbed at the shield, but the spearhead
did not pass clean through. Still, he pounded him back in his fury
so that he gave back a little space from the battlement, and yet not
utterly gave way, since his heart was still hopeful of winning glory.
He whirled about and called aloud to the godlike Lykians:
“Lykians, why do you thus let go of your furious valor?
It is a hard thing for me, strong as I am, to break down
the wall, single-handed, and open a path to the vessels.
Come on with me then. This work is better if many do it.”


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 12 (Richmond Lattimore translation)