Deepening Mist

So spake he, and Menelaus, good at the war-cry, failed not to hearken, but uttered a piercing shout and called to the Danaans: "Friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives, ye that at the board of the sons of Atreus, Agamemnon and Menelaus, drink at the common cost, and give commands each one to his folk--ye upon whom attend honour and glory from Zeus—hard is it for me to discern each man of the chieftains, in such wise is the strife of war ablaze. Nay, let every man go forth unbidden, and have shame at heart that Patroclus should become the sport of the dogs of Troy."

So spake he, and swift Aias, son of Oileus, heard him clearly, and was first to come running to meet him amid the battle, and after him Idomeneus and Idomeneus' comrade, Meriones, the peer of Enyalius, slayer of men. But of the rest, what man of his own wit could name the names—of all that came after these and aroused the battle of the Achaeans?

Then the Trojans drave forward in close throng, and Hector led them. And as when at the mouth of some heaven-fed river the mighty wave roareth against the stream, and the headlands of the shore echo on either hand, as the salt-sea belloweth without; even with such din of shouting came on the Trojans. But the Achaeans stood firm about the son of Menoetius with oneness of heart, fenced about with shields of bronze. And the son of Cronos shed thick darkness over their bright helms, for even aforetime was the son of Menoetius nowise hated of him, while he was yet alive and the squire of the son of Aeacus; and now was Zeus full loath that he should become the sport of the dogs of his foemen, even them of Troy; wherefore Zeus roused his comrades to defend him.

And first the Trojans drave back the bright-eyed Achaeans, who left the corpse and shrank back before them; howbeit not a man did the Trojans high of heart slay with their spears, albeit they were fain, but they set them to hale the corpse. Yet for but scant space were the Achaeans to hold back therefrom, for full speedily did Aias rally them—Aias that in comeliness and in deeds of war was above all the other Danaans next to the peerless son of Peleus. Straight through the foremost fighters he strode, in might like a wild boar that, amid the mountains lightly scattereth hounds and lusty youths when he wheeleth upon them in the glades; even so the son of lordly Telamon, glorious Aias, when he had got among them lightly scattered the battalions of the Trojans, that had taken their stand above Patroclus, and were fain above all to hale him to their city, and get them glory.

Now Hippothous, the glorious son of Pelasgian Lethus, was dragging the corpse by the foot through the fierce conflict, and had bound his baldric about the tendons of either ankle, doing pleasure unto Hector and the Trojans. But full swiftly upon him came evil that not one of them could ward off, how fain soever they were. For the son of Telamon, darting upon him through the throng, smote him from close at hand through the helmet with cheek-pieces of bronze; and the helm with horse-hair crest was cloven about the spear-point, smitten by the great spear and the strong hand; and the brain spurted forth from the wound along the socket of the spear all mingled with blood. There then his strength was loosed, and from his hands he let fall  to lie upon the ground the foot of great-hearted Patroclus, and hard thereby himself fell headlong upon the corpse, far from deep-soiled Larissa; nor paid he back to his dear parents the recompense of his upbringing, and but brief was the span of his life, for that he was laid low by the spear of great-souled Aias.

And Hector in turn cast at Aias with his bright spear, but Aias, looking steadily at him, avoided the spear of bronze albeit by a little, and Hector smote Schedius, son of great-souled Iphitus, far the best of the Phocians, that dwelt in a house in famous Panopeus, and was king over many men. Him Hector smote beneath the midst of the collar-bone, clean through passed the point of bronze, and came out beneath the base of the shoulder. And he fell with a thud, and upon him his armour clanged.

And Aias in his turn smote wise-hearted Phorcys, son of Phaenops, full upon the belly as he bestrode Hippothous, and he brake the plate of his corselet, and the bronze let forth the bowels there-through; and he fell in the dust and clutched the earth in his palm. Thereat the foremost fighters and glorious Hector gave ground, and the Argives shouted aloud, and drew off the dead, even Phorcys and Hippothous, and set them to strip the armour from their shoulders.

Then would the Trojans have been driven again by the Achaeans, dear to Ares, up to Ilios, vanquished in their cowardice, and the Argives would have won glory even beyond the allotment of Zeus, by reason of their might and their strength, had not Apollo himself aroused Aeneas, taking upon him the form of the herald, Periphas, son of Epytos, that in the house of his old father had grown old in his heraldship, and withal was of kindly mind toward him. In his likeness spake unto Aeneas the son of Zeus, Apollo: "Aeneas, how could ye ever guard steep Ilios, in defiance of a god? In sooth I have seen other men that had trust in their strength and might, in their valour and in their host, and that held their realm even in defiance of Zeus. But for us Zeus willeth the victory far more than for the Danaans; yet yourselves ye have measureless fear, and fight not."

So spake he, and Aeneas knew Apollo that smiteth afar, when he looked upon his face, and he called aloud, and spake to Hector: "Hector, and ye other leaders of the Trojans and allies, shame verily were this, if before the Achaeans, dear to Ares, we be driven back to Ilios, vanquished in our cowardice. Howbeit even yet, declareth one of the gods that stood by my side, is Zeus, the counsellor most high, our helper in the fight. Wherefore let us make straight for the Danaans, and let it not be at their ease that they bring to the ships the dead Patroclus."

So spake he, and leapt forth far to the front of the foremost fighters, and there stood. And they rallied, and took their stand with their faces toward the Achaeans. Then Aeneas wounded with a thrust of his spear Leocritus, son of Arisbas and valiant comrade of Lycomedes. And as he fell Lycomedes, dear to Ares, had pity for him, and came and stood hard by and with a cast of his bright spear smote Apisaon, son of Hippasus, shepherd of the host, in the liver, below the midriff, and straightway loosed his knees—Apisaon that was come from out of deep-soiled Paeonia, and next to Asteropaeus was preeminent above them all in fight.

But as he fell warlike Asteropaeus had pity for him, and he too rushed onward, fain to fight with the Danaans; howbeit thereto could he no more avail, for with shields were they fenced in on every side, as they stood around Patroclus, and before them they held their spears. For Aias ranged to and fro among them and straitly charged every man; not one, he bade them, should give ground backward from the corpse, nor yet fight in front of the rest of the Achaeans as one pre-eminent above them all; but stand firm close beside the corpse and do battle hand to hand. Thus mighty Aias charged them, and the earth grew wet with dark blood, and the dead fell thick and fast alike of the Trojans and their mighty allies, and of the Danaans; for these too fought not without shedding of blood, howbeit fewer of them by far were falling; for they ever bethought them to ward utter destruction from one another in the throng.

So fought they like unto blazing fire, nor wouldst thou have deemed that sun or moon yet abode, for with darkness were they shrouded in the fight, all the chieftains that stood around the slain son of Menoetius. But the rest of the Trojans and the well-greaved Achaeans fought at their ease under clear air, and over them was spread the piercing brightness of the sun, and on all the earth and the mountains was no cloud seen; and they fought resting themselves at times, avoiding one another's shafts, fraught with groaning, and standing far apart. But those in the midst suffered woes by reason of the darkness and the war, and were sore distressed with the pitiless bronze, even all they that were chieftains. Howbeit two men that were famous warriors, even Thrasymedes and Antilochus, had not yet learned that peerless Patroclus was dead, but deemed that, yet alive, he was fighting with the Trojans in the forefront of the throng. And they twain, watching against the death and rout of their comrades, were warring in a place apart, for thus had Nestor bidden them, when he roused them forth to the battle from the black ships.

So then the whole day through raged the great strife of their cruel fray, and with the sweat of toil were the knees and legs and feet of each man beneath him ever ceaselessly bedewed, and his arms and eyes, as the two hosts fought about the goodly squire of swift-footed Achilles. And as when a man giveth to his people the hide of a great bull for stretching, all drenched in fat, and when they have taken it, they stand in a circle and stretch it, and forthwith its moisture goeth forth and the fat entereth in under the tugging of many hands, and all the hide is stretched to the uttermost; even so they on this side and on that were haling the corpse hither and thither in scant space; and their hearts within them were full of hope, the Trojans that they might drag him to Ilios, but the Achaeans to the hollow ships; and around him the battle waxed wild, nor could even Ares, rouser of hosts, nor Athene, at sight of that strife have made light thereof, albeit their anger were exceeding great.

Such evil toil of men and horses did Zeus on that day strain taut over Patroclus. Nor as yet did goodly Achilles know aught of Patroclus' death, for afar from the swift ships were they fighting beneath the wall of the Trojans. Wherefore Achilles never deemed in his heart that he was dead, but that he would return alive, after he had reached even to the gates; nor yet thought he this in any wise, that Patroclus would sack the city without him, nay, nor with him, for full often had he heard this from his mother, listening to her privily, whenso she brought him tidings of the purpose of great Zeus. Howbeit then his mother told him not how great an evil had been brought to pass, that his comrade, far the dearest, had been slain.

- Homer, The Iliad, Book 17 (A. T. Murray translation)


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He spoke, and Menelaos of the great war cry obeyed him.
He lifted his voice and called in a piercing cry to the Danaäns:
“Friends, O leaders and men of counsel among the Argives,
you that beside Agamemnon and Menelaos, the two sons
of Atreus, drink the community’s wine and give, each man, his orders
to the people; and from Zeus the respect and honor attend you.
It is hard for me to discriminate among you each man
who is a leader, so big is the bitter fight that has blazed up.
Then let a man come of his own accord, think it shameful
that Patroklos be given to the dogs of Troy to delight them.”
He spoke, and swift Aias son of Oïleus was sharp to hear him
and was first to come running along the battle, and join him,
and after him Idomeneus, and Idomeneus’ companion
Meriones, a match for the murderous lord of battles.
But what man could tell forth from his heart the names of the others,
all who after these waked the war strength of the Achaians?
The Trojans came down on them in a pack, and Hektor led them.
As when at the outpouring place of a rain-glutted river
the huge surf of the sea roars against the current, out-jutting
beaches thunder aloud to the backwash of the salt water,
with such a bellow the Trojans came on, but now the Achaians
stood fast about the son of Menoitios, in a single courage
and fenced beneath their bronze-armored shields, while the son of Kronos
drifted across the glitter of their helmets a deepening
mist; since before this time he had not hated Menoitios’
son, while he lived yet and was Achilleus’ companion,
and loathed now that he should become the spoil of the hated
Trojans’ dogs, and stirred his companions on to defend him.
First the Trojans shouldered back the glancing-eyed Achaians,
who abandoned the body and ran for terror, nor did the high-hearted
Trojans take any with their spears, for all of their striving,
but dragged at the dead man, only the Achaians were not long destined
to fail him, since they were pulled around in sudden speed
by Aias, who for his beauty and the work of his hands surpassed
all other Danaäns, after the blameless son of Peleus.
He steered through the front fighters in pride of strength like a savage
wild boar, who among the mountains easily scatters
the dogs and strong young men when he turns at bay in the valley.
So now the son of haughty Telamon, glorious Aias,
turned to charge and easily scatter the Trojan battalions,
who had taken their stand bestriding Patroklos, in high hope
of dragging him off to their own city, and so winning honor.
Indeed, Hippothoös, glorious son of Pelasgian Lethos,
was trying to drag him by the foot through the strong encounter
by fastening the sling of his shield round the ankle tendons
for the favor of Hektor and the Trojans, but the sudden evil
came to him, and none for all their desire could defend him.
The son of Telamon, sweeping in through the mass of the fighters,
struck him at close quarters through the brazen cheeks of his helmet
and the helm crested with horse-hair was riven about the spearhead
to the impact of the huge spear and the weight of the hand behind it
and the brain ran from the wound along the spear by the eye-hole,
bleeding. There his strength was washed away, and from his hands
he let fall to the ground the foot of great-hearted Patroklos
to lie there, and himself collapsed prone over the dead man
far away from generous Larissa, and he could not
render again the care of his dear parents; he was short-lived,
beaten down beneath the spear of high-hearted Aias.
Again Hektor threw at Aias with the shining javelin,
but Aias with his eyes straight on him avoided the bronze spear
by a little, and Hektor struck Schedios, the son of high-hearted
Iphitos and far the best of the Phokians, one who lived
in his home in famous Panopeus and was lord over many people.
He struck him fair beneath the collar-bone, and the pointed
310  bronze head tore clean through and came out by the base of the shoulder.
He fell, thunderously, and his armor clattered upon him.
But Aias in turn cut at Phorkys, the wise son of Phainops,
in the middle of the belly as he stood over fallen Hippothoös,
and broke the hollow of the corselet, so that the entrails spurted
from the bronze, and he went down clawing the dust in his fingers.
The champions of Troy gave back then, and glorious Hektor,
and the Argives gave a great cry and dragged back the bodies
of Hippothoös and Phorkys, and eased the armor from their shoulders.
Then, once more, might the Trojans have climbed back into Ilion’s
wall, subdued by terror before the warlike Achaians,
and the Argives, even beyond Zeus’ destiny, might have won glory
by their own force and strength, had not Apollo in person
stirred on Aineias; he had assumed the form of the herald
Periphas, Epytos’ son, growing old in his herald’s office
by Aineias’ aged father, and a man whose thoughts were of kindness.
In the likeness of this man Zeus’ son Apollo spoke to him:
“Aineias, how could you be the man to defend sheer Ilion
even against a god’s will, as I have seen other men do it
in the confidence of their own force and strength, their own manhood
and their own numbers, though they had too few people for it?
But now Zeus wishes the victory far rather for our side
than the Danaäns’, only yourselves keep blenching and will not fight them.”
So he spoke, but Aineias knew far-striking Apollo
as he looked him straight in the face, and called in a great voice to Hektor:
“Hektor, and you other lords of the Trojans and their companions,
here is a shameful thing! We are climbing back into Ilion’s
wall, subdued by terror before the warlike Achaians.
Yet see, some one of the gods is standing beside me, and tells me
that Zeus the supreme counselor lends his weight to our fighting.
Therefore we must go straight for the Danaäns, so that they may not
carry thus easily back to their ships the fallen Patroklos.”
He spoke, and with a long leap stood far before the front fighters,
and the Trojans turned and held their ground against the Achaians.
And now Aineias killed Leiokritos, with a spear-thrust,
the son of Arisbas and noble companion of Lykomedes;
but as he fell the warrior Lykomedes pitied him,
and stood close in, and made a cast with the shining javelin
and struck Apisaon, son of Hippasos, shepherd of the people,
in the liver under the midriff, and the strength of his knees was broken.
He was one who had come from Paionia of the rich soil
and was best of her men in fighting next to Asteropaios.
As this man fell, warlike Asteropaios pitied him
and he in turn drove forward eager to fight with the Danaäns,
but was not able to do it, for they, standing about Patroklos,
fenced him behind their shields on all sides, and held their spears out-thrust.
For Aias ranged their whole extent with his numerous orders,
and would not let any man give back from the body, nor let one
go out and fight by himself far in front of the other Achaians,
but made them stand hard and fast about him and fight at close quarters.
Such were the orders of gigantic Aias. The ground ran
with red blood, the dead men dropped one after another
from the ranks alike of Trojans and their mighty companions
and Danaäns also, since these fought not without bloodletting,
but far fewer of them went down, since they ever remembered
always to stand massed and beat sudden death from each other.
So they fought on in the likeness of fire, nor would you have thought
the sun was still secure in his place in the sky, nor the moon, since
the mist was closed over all that part of the fight where the bravest
stood about Patroklos, the fallen son of Menoitios.
Now elsewhere the rest of the Trojans and strong-greaved Achaians
fought naturally in the bright air, with the sun’s sharp glitter
everywhere about them, no cloud was showing anywhere
on earth nor on the mountains. They fought their battle by intervals
standing each well off at a distance, avoiding the painful
shots from the other side; but they in the middle were suffering
distress in the mist and the fighting, with the cruel bronze wearing them.
These men were the bravest, but there were two men of glory,
Thrasymedes and Antilochos, who had not yet heard
how Patroklos the blameless had been killed, but still thought
he was alive and fighting in the first shock with the Trojans.
But these two, watching against death or flight in their company,
fought their separate battle, since such was their order from Nestor
as he was urging them forth from the black ships into the fighting.
So for these daylong the hard bitterness of the wearing
battle rose. With the ever-relentless sweat and the weariness
knees, legs, and feet that supported from underneath each fighter,
their hands and eyes also were running wet as they fought on
over the brave henchman of swift-footed Aiakides.
As when a man gives the hide of a great ox, a bullock,
drenched first deep in fat, to all his people to stretch out;
the people take it from him and stand in a circle about it
and pull, and presently the moisture goes and the fat sinks
in, with so many pulling, and the bull’s hide is stretched out level;
so the men of both sides in a cramped space tugged at the body
in both directions; and the hearts of the Trojans were hopeful
to drag him away to Ilion, those of the Achaians
to get him back to the hollow ships. And about him a savage
struggle arose. Not Ares who rallies men, not Athene,
watching this fight could have scorned it, not even in some strong anger,
such was the wicked work of battle for men and for horses
Zeus strained tight above Patroklos that day. But the brilliant
Achilleus did not yet know at all that Patroklos had fallen.
Since now the men were fighting far away from the fast ships
under the Trojan wall, and Achilleus had no expectation
that Patroklos was dead, but thought he was alive and close under
the gates, and would come back. He had not thought that Patroklos
would storm the city without himself, nor with himself either;
for often he had word from his mother, not known to mortals;
she was ever telling him what was the will of great Zeus; but this time
his mother did not tell Achilleus of all the evil
that had been done, nor how his dearest companion had perished.


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 17 (Richmond Lattimore translation)