them that they should be of good courage, saying that he would himself
make trial of this great warrior. So he leapt down from his chariot, and
Patroclus also leapt down, and they rushed at each other as two eagles
rush together. Then first Patroclus struck down Thrasymelus, who was the
comrade of Sarpedon; and Sarpedon, who had a spear in either hand, with
the one struck the horse Pedasus, which was of mortal breed, on the right
shoulder, and with the other missed his aim, sending it over the left
shoulder of Patroclus. But Patroclus missed not his aim, driving his spear
into Sarpedon's heart. Then fell the great Lycian chief, as an oak, or a
poplar, or a pine falls upon the hills before the axe. But he called to
Glaucus, his companion, saying, "Now must thou show thyself a good
warrior, Glaucus. First call the men of Lycia to fight for me, and do thou
fight thyself, for it would be foul shame to thee, all thy days, if the
Greeks should spoil me of my arms."
Then he died. But Glaucus was sore troubled, for he could not help him, so
grievous was the wound where Teucer had wounded him. Therefore he prayed
to Apollo, and Apollo helped him and made him whole. Then he went first to
the Lycians, bidding them fight for their king, and then to the chiefs of
the Trojans, that they should save the body of Sarpedon. And to Hector he
said, "Little carest thou for thy allies. Lo! Sarpedon is dead, slain by
Patroclus. Suffer not the Myrmidons to carry him off and do dishonor to
his body."
But Hector was troubled to hear such news, and so were all the sons of
Troy, for Sarpedon was the bravest of the allies, and led most people to
the battle. So with a great shout they charged, and drove the Greeks back
a space from the body; and then again the Greeks did the like. And so the
battle raged, till no one would have known the great Sarpedon, so covered
was he with spears and blood and dust. But at the last the Greeks drave
back the men of Troy from the body, and stripped the arms, but the body
itself they harmed not. For Apollo came down at the bidding of Zeus, and
carried it out of the midst of the battle, and washed it with water, and
anointed it with ambrosia, and wrapped it in garments of the Gods. And
then he gave it to Sleep and Death, and these two carried it to Lycia, his
fatherland.
Then did Patroclus forget the word which Achilles had spoken to him, that
he should not go near to Troy, for he pursued the men of the city even to
the wall. Thrice he mounted on the angle of the wall, and thrice Apollo
himself drove him back, pushing his shining shield. But the fourth time
the god said, "Go thou back, Patroclus. It is not for thee to take the
city of Troy; no, nor for Achilles, who is far better than thou art."
So Patroclus went back, fearing the wrath of the archer god. Then Apollo
stirred up the spirit of Hector, that he should go against Patroclus.
Therefore he went, with his brother Cebriones for driver of his chariot.
But when they came near, Patroclus cast a great stone which he had in his
hand, and smote Cebriones on the forehead, crushing it in, so that he fell
headlong from the chariot. And Patroclus mocked him, saying,--
"How nimble is this man! how lightly he dives! What spoil he would take of
oysters, diving from a ship, even in a stormy sea! Who would have thought
that there were such skillful divers in Troy!"
Then again the battle waxed hot about the body of Cebriones, and this too,
at the last, the Greeks drew unto themselves, and spoiled it of the arms.
And this being accomplished, Patroclus rushed against the men of Troy.
Thrice he rushed, and each time he slew nine chiefs of fame. But the
fourth time Apollo stood behind him and struck him on the head and
shoulders, so that his eyes were darkened. And the helmet fell from off
his head, so that the horse-hair plumes were soiled with dust. Never
before had it touched the ground, for it was the helmet of Achilles. And
also the god brake the spear in his hand, and struck the shield from his
arms, and loosed his corselet. All amazed he stood, and then Euphorbus,
son of Panthous, smote him on the back with his spear, but slew him not.
Then Patroclus sought to flee to the ranks of his comrades. But Hector saw
him, and thrust at him with his spear, smiting him in the groin, so that
he fell. And when the Greeks saw him fall, they sent up a terrible cry.
Then Hector stood over him and cried,--
"Didst thou think to spoil our city, Patroclus, and to carry away our
wives and daughters in the ships? But lo! I have slain thee, and the fowls
of the air shall eat thy flesh; nor shall the great Achilles help thee at
all,--Achilles, who bade thee, I trow, strip the tunic from my breast, and
thou thoughtest in thy folly to do it."
But Patroclus answered, "Thou boasteth much, Hector. Yet _thou_ didst not
slay me, but Apollo, who took from me my arms, for had twenty such as thou
met me, I had slain them all. And mark thou this: death and fate are close
to thee by the hand of the great Achilles."
And Hector answered, but Patroclus was dead already, "Why dost thou
prophesy death to me? Maybe the great Achilles himself shall fall by my
hand." Then he drew his spear from the wound, and went after Automedon, to
slay him, but the swift horse of Achilles carried him away.
Fierce was the fight about the body of Patroclus, and many heroes fell,
both on this side and on that.
[Illustration: FIERCE WAS THE FIGHT ABOUT THE BODY OF PATROCLUS AND MANY
HEROES FELL]
Meanwhile Antilochus, son of Nestor, ran to Achilles and said, "I bring
ill news; Patroclus lies low. The Greeks fight for his body, but Hector
hath his arms."
Then Achilles took of the dust of the plain in his hand, and poured it on
his head, and lay at his length upon the ground, and tare his hair. And
all the women wailed. And Antilochus sat weeping; but ever he held the
hands of Achilles, lest he should slay himself in his great grief.
Then came his mother, hearing his cry, from where she sat in the depths of
the sea, and laid her hand on him and said,--
"Why weepest thou, my son? Hide not the matter from me, but tell me."
And Achilles answered, "All that Zeus promised thee for me he hath
fulfilled. But what profit have I, for my friend Patroclus is dead, and
Hector has the arms which I gave him to wear. And as for me, I care not to
live, except I can avenge me upon him."
Then said Thetis, "Nay, my son, speak not thus. For when Hector dieth, thy
doom also is near."
And Achilles spake in great wrath: "Would that I might die this hour,
seeing that I could not help my friend, but am a burden on the earth,--I,
who am better in battle than all the Greeks besides. Cursed be the wrath
that sets men to strive the one with the other, even as it set me to
strive with King Agamemnon! But let the past be past. And as for my
fate--let it come when it may, so that I first avenge myself on Hector.
Wherefore, seek not to keep me back from the battle."
Then Thetis said, "Be it so; only thou canst not go without thy arms which
Hector hath. But to-morrow will I go to Vulcan, that he may furnish thee
anew."
But while they talked the men of Troy pressed the Greeks more and more,
and the two heroes, Ajax the Greater and Ajax the Less, could no longer
keep Hector back, but that he should lay hold of the body of Patroclus.
And indeed he would have taken it, but that Zeus sent Iris to Achilles,
who said,--
"Rouse thee, son of Peleus, or Patroclus will be a prey for the dogs of
Troy."
But Achilles said, "How shall I go?--for arms have I none, nor know I
whose I might wear. Haply I could shift with the shield of Ajax, son of
Telamon, but he, I know, is carrying it in the front of the battle."
Then answered Iris, "Go only to the trench and show thyself; so shall the
men of Troy tremble and cease from the battle, and the Greeks shall have
breathing-space."
So he went, and Athene put her ægis about his mighty shoulders, and a
golden halo about his head, making it shine as a flame of fire, even as
the watch-fires shine at night from some city that is beseiged. Then went
he to the trench; with the battle he mingled not, heeding his mother's
commands, but he shouted aloud, and his voice was as the sound of a
trumpet. And when the men of Troy heard, they were stricken with fear, and
the horses backed with the chariots, and the drivers were astonished when
they saw the flaming fire above his head which Athene had kindled. Thrice
across the trench the great Achilles shouted, and thrice the men of Troy
fell back. And that hour there perished twelve chiefs of fame, wounded by
their own spears or trampled by their own steeds, so great was the terror
among the men of Troy.
Right gladly did the Greeks take Patroclus out of the press. Then they
laid him on a bier, and carried him to the tent, Achilles walking with
many tears by his side.
But on the other side the men of Troy held an assembly. Standing they held
it, for none dared to sit, lest Achilles should be upon them.
Then spake Polydamas: "Let us not wait here for the morning. It was well
for us to fight at the ships while Achilles yet kept his wrath against
Agamemnon. But now it is not so, for to-morrow he will come against us in
his anger, and many will fall before him. Wherefore, let us go back to the
city, for high are the walls and strong the gates, and he will perish
before he pass them."
Then said Hector, "This is ill counsel, Polydamas. Shall we shut ourselves
up in the city, where all our goods are wasted already, buying meat for
the people? Nay, let us watch to-night, and to-morrow will we fight with
the Greeks. And if Achilles be indeed come forth from his tent, be it so.
I will not shun to meet him, for Mars gives the victory now to one man and
now to another."
So he spake, and all the people applauded, not knowing what the morrow
should bring forth.
Thus did it come to pass that Achilles went again into the battle, eager
above all things to meet with Hector and to slay him.
But Apollo stood by Æneas, and spake to him: "Æneas, where are now thy
boastings that thou wouldst meet Achilles face to face?"
Then Æneas answered, "Nay, I have stood up against him in the day when he
took the town of Lyrnessus. But I fled before him, and only my nimble feet
saved me from falling by his spear. Surely a god is ever with him, making
his spear to fly aright."
Him Apollo answered again, "Thou, too, art the son of a goddess, and thy
mother is greater than his, for she is but a daughter of the sea. Drive
straight at him with thy spear, and let not his threats dismay thee."
Then Æneas stood out from the press to meet Achilles and Achilles said,
"Fightest thou with me because thou hopest to reign over the men of Troy,
or have they given thee a choice portion of ground, ploughland and
orchard, to be thine when thou hast slain me? Thou wilt not find it easy.
Dost thou not remember how thou fleddest before me in the day that I took
Lyrnessus?"
Then Æneas answered, "Think not to terrify me with words, son of Peleus,
for I, too, am the son of a goddess. Let us make a trial one of the
other."
Then he cast his spear, and it struck the shield of Achilles with so
dreadful a sound that the hero feared lest it should pierce it through,
knowing not that the gifts of the Gods are not easy for mortal man to
vanquish. Two folds, indeed, it pierced, that were of bronze, but in the
gold it was stayed, and there were yet two of tin within. Then Achilles
cast his spear. Through the shield of Æneas it passed, and though it
wounded him not, yet was he sore dismayed, so near it came. Then Achilles
drew his sword, and rushed on Æneas, and Æneas caught up a great stone to
cast at him. But it was not the will of the Gods that Æneas should perish,
seeing that he and his sons after him should rule over the men of Troy in
the ages to come. Therefore Neptune lifted him up, and bore him over the
ranks of men to the left of the battle, but first he drew the spear out of
the shield, and laid it at the feet of Achilles. Much the hero marveled to
see it, crying, "This is a great wonder that I behold with mine eyes. For
I see my spear before me, but the man whom I sought to slay, I see not. Of
a truth Æneas spake truth, saying that he was dear to the immortal Gods."
Then he rushed into the battle, slaying as he went. And Hector would have
met him, but Apollo stood by him and said, "Fight not with Achilles, lest
he slay thee." Therefore he went back among the men of Troy. Many did
Achilles slay, and among them Polydorus, son of Priam, who, because he was
the youngest and very dear, his father suffered not to go to the battle.
Yet he went, in his folly, and being very swift of foot, he trusted in his
speed, running through the foremost of the fighters. But as he ran
Achilles smote him and wounded him to the death. When Hector saw it, he
could not bear any more to stand apart. Therefore he rushed at Achilles,
and Achilles rejoiced to see him, saying, "This is the man who slew my
comrade;" and to Hector he cried, "Come hither, and taste of death."
And Hector made answer, "Son of Peleus, seek not to make me afraid with
words. For though I be weaker than thou, yet victory lieth on the knees of
the Gods, and I, too, bear a spear."
Then he cast his spear, but Athene turned it aside with her breath, and
laid it again at his feet. And when Achilles leapt upon Hector with a
shout, Apollo snatched him away. Three times did Achilles leap upon him,
and three times he struck only the mist. But the fourth time he cried with
a terrible voice, "Dog, thou hast escaped from death, Apollo helping thee;
but I shall meet thee again, and make an end of thee."
Then Achilles turned to the others, and slew multitudes of them, so that
they fled, some across the plain, and some to the river, the eddying
Xanthus. And these leapt into the water as locusts leap into a river when
a fire which men light drives them from the fields. And all the river was
full of horses and men. Then Achilles leapt into the stream, leaving his
spear on the bank, resting on the tamarisk trees. Only his sword had he,
and with this he slew many; and they were as fishes which fly from some
great dolphin in the sea. In all the bays of a harbor they hide
themselves, for the great beast devours them apace. So did the Trojans
hide themselves under the banks of the river. And when Achilles was weary
of slaying, he took twelve alive, whom he would slay on the tomb of
Patroclus.
Yet there was one man who dared to stand up against him, while the others
fled. This was Asteropæus, who was the grandson of the river-god Axius,
and led the men of Pæonia. And Achilles wondered to see him, and said,
"Who art thou that standest against me?"
And he said, "I am the grandson of the river-god Axius, fairest of all the
streams on the earth, and I lead the men of Pæonia."
And as he spake he cast two spears, one with each hand, for he could use
either alike; and the one struck the shield, nor pierced it through, for
the gold staved it, and the other grazed the right hand of Achilles so
that the blood spurted forth. Then did Achilles cast his spear, but missed
his aim, and the great spear stood fast in the bank. And thrice Asteropæus
strove to draw it forth. Thrice he strove in vain, and the fourth time he
strove to break the spear. But as he strove Achilles smote him that he
died. Yet had he some glory, for that he wounded the great Achilles.
When the River saw that Asteropæus was dead, and that Achilles was slaying
many of the Pæonians--for these were troubled, their chief being dead--he
took upon him the shape of a man, and spake to Achilles, saying, "Truly,
Achilles, thou excellest all other men in might and deeds of blood, for
the Gods themselves protect thee. It may be that Zeus hath given thee to
slay all the sons of Troy; nevertheless, depart from me and work thy will
upon the plain; for my stream is choked with the multitude of corpses, nor
can I pass to the sea. Do thou, therefore, cease from troubling me."
To him Achilles made answer, "This shall be as thou wilt, O Scamander. But
the Trojans I will not cease from slaying till I have driven them into
their city and have made trial of Hector, whether I shall vanquish him or
he shall vanquish me."
And as he spake he sped on, pursuing the Trojans. Then the River cried to
Apollo, "Little thou doest the will of thy father, thou of the Silver Bow,
who bade thee stand by the men of Troy and help them till darkness should
cover the land." And he rushed on with a great wave, stirring together all
his streams. The dead bodies he threw upon the shore, roaring as a bull
roareth; and them that lived he hid in the depths of his eddies. And all
about Achilles rose up the flood, beating full upon his shield, so that he
could not stand fast upon his feet. Then Achilles laid hold of a
lime-tree, fair and tall, that grew upon the bank; but the tree brake
therefrom with all its roots, and tare down the bank, and lay across the
River, staying its flood, for it had many branches. Thereupon Achilles
leapt out of the water and sped across the plain, being sore afraid. But
the River ceased not from pursuing him, that he might stay him from
slaughter and save the sons of Troy. So far as a man may throw a spear, so
far did Achilles leap; strong as an eagle was he, the hunting-bird that is
the strongest and swiftest of all birds. And still as he fled the River
pursued after him with a great roar. Even as it is with a man that would
water his garden, bringing a stream from a fountain; he has a pick-axe in
his hand to break down all that would stay the water; and the stream runs
on, rolling the pebbles along with it, and overtakes him that guides it.
Even so did the River overtake Achilles, for all that he was swift of
foot, for indeed the Gods are mightier than men. And when Achilles would
have stood against the River, seeking to know whether indeed all the Gods
were against him, then the great wave smote upon his shoulders; and when
he leapt into the air, it bowed his knees beneath him and devoured the
ground from under his feet. Then Achilles looked up to heaven and groaned,
crying out, "O Zeus, will none of the Gods pity me, and save me from the
River? I care not what else may befall me. Truly my mother hath deceived
me, saying that I should perish under the walls of Troy by the arrows of
Apollo. Surely it had been better that Hector should slay me, for he is
the bravest of the men of Troy, but now I shall perish miserably in the
River, as some herd-boy perisheth whom a torrent sweeps away in a storm."
So he spake; but Poseidon and Athene stood by him, having taken upon them
the shape of men, and took him by the hand and strengthened him with
comforting words, for Poseidon spake, saying, "Son of Peleus, tremble not,
neither be afraid. It is not thy fate to be mastered by the River. He
shall soon cease from troubling thee. And do thou heed what we say. Stay
not thy hands from the battle, till thou shalt have driven all the sons of
Troy that escape thee within the walls of the city. And when thou shalt
have slain Hector, go back to the ships; for this day is the day of thy
glory."
Then the two departed from him. Now all the plain was covered with water,
wherein floated much fair armor and many dead bodies. But Achilles went on
even against the stream, nor could the River hold him back; for Athene put
great might into his heart. Yet did not Scamander cease from his wrath,
but lifted his waves yet higher, and cried aloud to Simois, "Dear brother,
let us two stay the fury of this man, or else of a surety he will destroy
the city of Priam. Come now, fill all thy streams and rouse thy torrents
against him, and lift up against him a mighty wave with a great concourse
of tree-trunks and stones, that we may stay this wild man from his
fighting. Very high thoughts hath he, even as a god; yet shall neither his
might nor his beauty nor his fair form profit him; for they shall be
covered with much mud; and over himself will I heap abundance of sand
beyond all counting. Neither shall the Greeks be able to gather his bones
together, with such a heap will I hide them. Surely a great tomb will I
build for him; nor will his people have need to make a mound over him when
they would bury him."
Then he rushed again upon Achilles, swelling high with foam and blood and
dead bodies of men. Very dark was the wave as it rose, and was like to
have overwhelmed the man, so that Juno greatly feared for him, lest the
River should sweep him away. And she cried to Vulcan, her son, saying,
"Rouse thee, Haltfoot, my son! I thought that thou wouldst have been a
match for Scamander in battle. But come, help us, and bring much fire with
thee; and I will call the west wind and the south wind from the sea, with
such a storm as shall consume the sons of Troy, both them and their arms.
And do thou burn the trees that are by the banks of Xanthus, yea, and the
River himself. And let him not turn thee from thy purpose by fury or by
craft; but burn till I shall bid thee cease."
Then Vulcan lit a great fire. First he burned the dead bodies that lay
upon the plain, and it dried all the plain, as the north wind in the
autumn time dries a field, to the joy of him that tills it. After this it
laid hold of the River. The lime-trees and the willows and the tamarisks
it burned; also the plants that grew in the streams. And the eels and the
fishes were sore distressed, twisting hither and thither in the water,
being troubled by the breath of Vulcan. So the might of the River was
subdued, and he cried aloud, "O Vulcan, no one of the Gods can match
himself with thee. Cease now from consuming me; and Achilles may drive the
men of Troy from their city if he will. What have I to do with the strife
and sorrow of men?"
So he spake, for all his streams were boiling--as a cauldron boils with a
great fire beneath it, when a man would melt the fat of a great hog; nor
could he flow any longer to the sea, so sorely did the breath of the
Fire-god trouble him. Then he cried aloud to Juno, entreating her: "O
Juno, why doth thy son torment me only among all? Why should I be blamed
more than others that help the men of Troy? Verily, I will cease from
helping them, if he also will cease. Nay, I will swear a great oath that I
will keep no more the day of doom from the sons of Troy; no, not when all
the city shall be consumed with fire."
And Queen Juno heard him, and called to Vulcan, saying, "Cease, my son; it
doth not beseem thee to work such damage to a god for the sake of a mortal
man."
So Vulcan quenched his fire, and the River flowed as he flowed before.
VULCAN MAKES ARMOR FOR ACHILLES
By Walter C. Perry
On high Olympus, the Loud-thundering Zeus spake mockingly to his consort,
Juno, and said, "At length, thou hast what thou desirest, and hast roused
Achilles to fight against the Trojans. Surely, the long-haired Achaians
must be thine own children, since thou lovest them so dearly!"
And the ox-eyed queen replied, "Dread son of Cronos! what words are these
which have passed the barrier of thy teeth? Even a mortal man doth what he
can to help another; and shall not I, the chief of goddesses by birth and
as thy wife--O thou king of the deathless Gods!--shall not _I_ avenge
myself upon the men of Troy?"
Thus these two strove with one another.
Meantime, the silver-footed Thetis came to the splendid palace of Vulcan,
bright and immortal, which shone like a star among the mansions of the
Gods. She found him at his bellows, sweating from his mighty toil; for he
was forging twenty tripods, to stand round the walls of his well-built
mansion. Beneath each of them he placed wheels of gold; and they move, of
themselves, into the assembly of the Gods, and so return.
While he was thus employed, the silver-footed Thetis approached the house.
And Charis, of the shining veil, the wedded wife of Vulcan (whose first
wife had been Aphrodite or Venus), came forth to meet her, and took her by
the hand, and called her by her name. "O long-robed Thetis! dear and
honored as thou art! not oft, I ween, dost thou come to visit us. But
follow me, that I may show thee due hospitality."
Then she led the way in, and seated Thetis on a lofty chair with silver
studs, beautiful, and cunningly wrought, and placed a footstool beneath
her shining feet. And she called to Vulcan, the divine artificer, "Come
hither, Vulcan! for the silver-footed Thetis seeketh thine aid."