Assist Hector

But Hippolochus leapt down, and him he slew upon the ground, and shearing off his arms with the sword, and striking off his head, sent him rolling, like a round stone, amid the throng. These then he let be, but where chiefly the battalions were being driven in rout, there leapt he in, and with him other well-greaved Achaeans. Footmen were ever slaying footmen as they fled perforce, and horsemen horse-men—and from beneath them uprose from the plain the dust which the thundering hooves of horses stirred up—and they wrought havoc with the bronze. And lord Agamemnon, ever slaying, followed after, calling to the Argives. And as when consuming fire falls upon thick woodland, and the whirling wind beareth it everywhither, and the thickets fall utterly as they are assailed by the onrush of the fire; even so beneath Agamemon, son of Atreus, fell the heads of the Trojans as they fled, and many horses with high-arched necks rattled empty cars along the dykes of battle, lacking their peerless charioteers, who were lying upon the ground dearer far to the vultures than to their wives.

But Hector did Zeus draw forth from the missiles and the dust, from the man-slaying and the blood and the din; but the son of Atreus followed after, calling fiercely to the Danaans. And past the tomb of ancient Ilos, son of Dardanus, over the midst of the plain, past the wild fig-tree they sped, striving to win to the city, and ever did the son of Atreus follow shouting, and with gore were his invincible hands bespattered. But when they were come to the Scaean gates and the oak-tree, there then the two hosts halted and awaited each the other. Howbeit some were still being driven in rout over the midst of the plain like kine that a lion hath scattered, coming upon them in the dead of night; all hath he scattered, but to one appeareth sheer destruction; her neck he seizeth first in his strong teeth and breaketh it and thereafter devoureth the blood and all the inward parts: even in like manner did lord Agamemnon, son of Atreus, follow hard upon the Trojans, ever slaying the hindmost, and they were driven in rout. And many fell from their chariots upon their faces or upon their backs beneath the hands of Atreus' son, for around and before him he raged with his spear.

But when he was now about to come beneath the city and the steep wall, then, verily, the father of men and gods came down from heaven, and sate him down on the peaks of many-fountained Ida; and in his hands he held the thunder-bolt. And he sent forth golden-winged Iris to bear his message: "Up go, swift Iris, and declare this word unto Hector: So long as he shall see Agamemnon, shepherd of the host, raging amid the fore-most fighters, laying waste the ranks of men, so long let him hold back, and bid the rest of the host fight with the foe in the fierce conflict. But when, either wounded by a spear-thrust or smitten by an arrow, Agamemnon shall leap upon his chariot, then will I vouchsafe strength to Hector to slay and slay until he come to the well-benched ships, and the sun sets and sacred darkness cometh on."

So spake he, and wind-footed swift Iris failed not to hearken, but went down from the hills of Ida to sacred Ilios. She found the son of wise-hearted Priam, goodly Hector, standing in his jointed car; and swift-footed Iris drew nigh him and spake unto him, saying: "Hector, son of Priam, peer of Zeus in counsel, Zeus the father hath sent me forth to declare to thee this message. So long as thou shalt see Agamemnon, shepherd of the host, raging amid the foremost fighters, laying waste the ranks of men, so long do thou give place from battle, but bid the rest of the host fight with the foe in the fierce conflict. But when either wounded by a spear-thrust or smitten with an arrow Agamemnon shall leap upon his chariot, then will Zeus vouchsafe strength to thee to slay and slay until thou come to the well-benched ships, and the sun sets and sacred darkness cometh on."

When she had thus spoken swift-footed Iris departed; and Hector leapt in his armour from his chariot to the ground, and brandishing his two sharp spears went everywhere throughout the host, urging them to fight, and roused the dread din of battle. So they rallied, and took their stand with their faces toward the Achaeans, and the Argives over against them made strong their battalions. And the battle was set in array, and they stood over against each other, and among them Agamemnon rushed forth the first, and was minded to fight far in advance of all.

Tell me now, ye Muses, that have dwellings on Olympus, who it was that first came to face Agamemnon, either of the Trojans themselves or of their famed allies. It was Iphidamas, son of Antenor, a valiant man and tall, that was nurtured in deep-soiled Thrace, mother of flocks, and Cisseus reared him in his house while he was yet but a little child, even his mother's father, that begat fair-cheeked Theano. But when he came to the measure of glorious youth he sought to keep him there, and offered him his own daughter; howbeit, a bridegroom newly wed, forth from his bridal chamber he went after the rumour of the coming of the Achaeans, with twelve beaked ships that followed him. Now these he had left at Percote, the shapely ships, but himself had come by land to Ilios; he it was that now came to face Agamemnon, son of Atreus. And when they were come near as they advanced one against the other, the son of Atreus missed, and his spear was turned aside, but Iphidamas stabbed him on the girdle beneath the corselet, and put his weight into the thrust, trusting in his heavy hand; howbeit he pierced not the flashing girdle, for long ere that the spear-point struck the silver, and was bent like lead. Then wide-ruling Agamamnon seized the spear in his hand and drew it toward him furiously like a lion, and pulled it from the hand of Iphidamas, and smote him on the neck with his sword and loosed his limbs. So there he fell, and slept a sleep of bronze, unhappy youth, far from his wedded wife, bearing aid to his townsfolk—far from the bride of whom he had known no joy, yet much had he given for her; first he gave an hundred kine, and thereafter promised a thousand, goats and sheep together, which were herded for him in flocks past counting. Then did Agamemnon, son of Atreus, strip him and went through the throng of the Achaeans bearing his goodly armour.

But when Coön, pre-eminent among warriors, eldest son of Antenor, marked him, strong grief enfolded his eyes for his brother's fall, and he took his stand on one side with his spear, unseen of goodly Agamemnon, and stabbed him full upon the arm below the elbow, and clean through went the point of the shining spear. Thereat shuddered Agamemnon king of men, yet even so he ceased not from battle and war, but, wind-nurtured spear in hand, leapt upon Coön. Now he was eagerly drawing by the foot Iphidamas, his own brother, begotten of the one father, and was calling upon all the bravest, but even as he dragged him through the throng Agamemnon smote him with a thrust of his bronze-shod spear beneath his bossed shield, and loosed his limbs; and he drew near and struck off his head over Iphidamas. There then the sons of Antenor beneath the hands of the king, the son of Atreus, fulfilled the measure of their fate, and went down to the house of Hades.

But Agamemnon ranged along the ranks of the other warriors with spear and sword and great stones, so long as the blood welled yet warm from his wound. But when the wound waxed dry, and the blood ceased to flow, then sharp pains came upon the mighty son of Atreus. And even as when the sharp dart striketh a woman in travail, the piercing dart that the Eilithyiae, the goddesses of childbirth, send—even the daughters of Hera that have in their keeping bitter pangs; even so sharp pains came upon the mighty son of Atreus. Then he leapt upon his chariot and bade his charioteer drive to the hollow ships, for he was sore pained at heart. And he uttered a piercing shout, and called to the Danaans: "My friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives, do ye now ward from the seafaring ships the grievous din of battle, for Zeus the counsellor suffereth me not to war the whole day through against the Trojans."

So spake he, and the charioteer lashed the fair-maned horses towards the hollow ships, and nothing loath the pair sped onward. With foam were their breasts flecked, and with dust their bellies stained beneath them as they bore the wounded king forth from the battle.

But when Hector saw Agamemnon departing, to Trojans and Lycians he called with a loud shout: "Ye Trojans and Lycians and Dardanians that fight in close combat, be men, my friends, and bethink you of furious valour. Gone is the best of the men, and to me hath Zeus, son of Cronos granted great glory. Nay, drive your single-hooved horses straight towards the valiant Danaans, that ye may win the glory of victory."

So saving he aroused the strength and spirit of every man. And even as when a huntsman sets his white-toothed hounds upon a wild boar or a lion, so upon the Achaeans did Hector, son of Priam, peer of Ares, the bane of mortals, set the great-souled Trojans. Himself with high heart he strode among the foremost, and fell upon the conflict like a blustering tempest, that leapeth down and lasheth to fury the violet-hued deep.

Who then was first to be slain, and who last by Hector, Priam's son, when Zeus vouchsafed him glory? Asaeus first, and Autonous, and Opites and Dolops, son of Clytius, and Opheltius, and Agelaus, and Aesymnus, and Orus, and Hipponous, staunch in fight. These leaders of the Danaans he slew and thereafter fell upon the multitude, and even as when the West Wind driveth the clouds of the white South Wind, smiting them with a violent squall, and many a swollen wave rolleth onward, and on high the spray is scattered beneath the blast of the wandering wind; even so many heads of the host were laid low by Hector. Then had ruin come, and deeds beyond remedy been wrought, and now would the Achaeans in flight have flung themselves upon their ships, had not Odysseus called to Diomedes, son of Tydeus: "Tydeus' son, what has come over us that we have forgotten our furious valour? Nay, come thou hither, good friend, and take thy stand by my side, for verily shame will it be if Hector of the flashing helm shall take the ships."

Then in answer to him spake mighty Diomedes: "Of a surety will I abide and endure, howbeit but for scant space shall be our profit, for Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, plainly willeth to give victory to the Trojans rather than to us."

He spake, and thrust Thymbraeus from his chariot to the ground, smiting him with his spear on the left breast, and Odysseus smote Molion, the godlike squire of that prince. These then they let be, when they had made them cease from war; but the twain ranged throughout the throng, making havoc of it, as when two boars with high hearts fall upon hunting hounds; even so they turned again upon the Trojans and slew them, and the Achaeans gladly had respite in their flight before goodly Hector.

Then took they a chariot and two men, the best of their people, sons twain of Merops of Percote, that was above all men skilled in prophesying, and would not suffer his sons to go into war, the bane of men; but the twain would in no wise hearken to him, for the fates of black death were leading them on. These did the son of Tydeus, Diomedes, famed for his spear, rob of spirit and of life, and took from them their goodly battle-gear. And Odysseus slew Hippodamus and Hypeirochus.

Then the son of Cronos stretched evenly for them the line of battle, as he looked down from Ida, and they kept slaying one another. Tydeus' son wounded the warrior Agastrophus, son of Paeon, on the hip with a thrust of his spear; nor were his horses near at hand for him to flee, but he was greatly blinded at heart;, for his squire held the horses withdrawn apart, and he on foot was raging amid the foremost fighters until he lost his life. But Hector was quick to mark them across the ranks, and rushed upon them, shouting, and with him followed the battalions of the Trojans. At sight of him Diomedes, good at the war-cry, shuddered, and forthwith spake to Odysseus that was near: "On us twain is this ruin rolling, even mighty Hector; but come, let us stand, and ward off his onset abiding where we are."

He spake and poised his far-shadowing spear, and hurled it, nor missed he the mark at which he aimed, but smote him on the head, on the top of the helmet, but the bronze was turned aside by bronze, and reached not his fair flesh, for it was stayed by the threefold crested helm, which Phoebus Apollo had bestowed upon him. But Hector sprang back a wondrous way, and mingled with the throng, and he fell upon his knees and thus abode, and with his stout hand leaned upon the earth, and dark night enfolded his eyes. But while the son of Tydeus was following after the cast of his spear far through the foremost fighters, where he had seen it fix itself in the earth, meanwhile Hector revived again, and leaping back into his chariot drave forth into the throng, and escaped black fate. And rushing after him with his spear mighty Diomedes spake to him: "Now again, thou dog, art thou escaped from death, though verily thy bane came nigh thee; but once more hath Phoebus Apollo saved thee, to whom of a surety thou must make prayer whenso thou goest amid the hurtling of spears. Verily I will yet make an end of thee when I meet thee hereafter, if so be any god is helper to me likewise. But now will I make after the rest, whomsoever I may light upon."

So spake he, and went on to strip of his armour the son of Paeon, famed for his spear. But Alexander, lord of fair-haired Helen, aimed an arrow at Tydeus' son, shepherd of the host, leaning the while against a pillar on the barrow that men's hands reared for Ilus, son of Dardanus, an elder of the people in days of old.


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 11