I
The result of the first day's fighting had been all in favour of the
Greeks, but, as many had fallen on both sides, a truce was made by
mutual consent for the next day, to enable both armies to bury their
dead. By the advice of Nestor the Greeks dug a trench and threw up a
rampart for the defence of their camp, and by the zealous labour of
that vast multitude the work was finished on the same night.
Zeus had not forgotten his promise to Thetis, and on the morning of the
third day he summoned all the gods to council, and thus declared his
will: "Hear me, all ye gods and goddesses, and let none dare to cross
my purpose. I forbid any among you to take part in the battle to-day,
and if any disobey me I will take him and fling him into Tartarus, the
black and gloomy pit, as far beneath Hades as heaven is above the
earth. Then shall ye learn how much mightier am I than ye all
together."
Without waiting for question or reply, the lord of Olympus mounted his
car, and swept along his airy road until he came to the mountain-range
of Ida, overlooking the Trojan plain. There he halted and took his
station on Mount Gargarus, the highest peak of Ida, from which he had a
complete view of Troy and the Grecian camp.
Forth sallied the rival hosts, and soon the clash of arms rang through
the cool morning air, as Greek grappled with Trojan in deadly conflict.
All through the long hours, until noon, the issue remained doubtful;
but when the sun stood at the zenith Zeus lifted a pair of golden
scales, and weighed the fates of Greeks and Trojans; and the scale
which held the fate of the Greeks sank down, heavy with defeat and
disaster. Then Zeus thundered with a mighty peal from Ida, and hurled
his bolt among the thronging ranks of the Greeks; and they were sore
amazed, and pale Fear gat hold of them. Not one among them dared to
stand his ground, neither Ajax, nor Idomeneus, nor Agamemnon himself.
Only Nestor lagged behind, for he was hindered by the fall of one of
his horses, which had been pierced through the brain by Paris with an
arrow. Nestor sprang down, and began cutting through the traces with
his sword; and while he was thus engaged, Hector came thundering past
in hot pursuit of the Greeks, and seeing Nestor's plight turned aside
to slay him. Diomede saw the old man's danger, and lashing his horses
to a gallop drove instantly to his aid. "Mount, mount," he cried,
"with me, and leave to my squires these sorry steeds of thine. Take
thou the reins, and we will see if we can check the onset of the
Trojans, and arrest Hector's destroying arm."
Nestor was not slow to obey the summons, and mounting by the side of
Diomede he drove straight at Hector. Then Diomede flung his spear, and
struck down Hector's charioteer, and, pursuing his advantage, he fell
fiercely on the broken columns of the Trojans, scattered in wild
pursuit of the enemy. Already the Greeks were beginning to rally, when
Zeus hurled a second bolt, which crashed down before the feet of the
horses of Diomede. "We must fly," said Nestor; "heaven is against us,"
and wheeling the affrighted steeds he followed the main body of the
Greeks, who were now in full retreat towards the ships. That was a
bitter moment for the gallant Diomede, when he heard the exulting voice
of Hector, calling him coward, minion, woman. But peal after peal came
from the frowning peak of Ida, now wrapped in black clouds; and that
proud spirit was forced to bow to a higher power.
"On, Trojans, on!" shouted Hector, pushing on at full speed to head the
pursuit. "Zeus favours our cause, and the Greeks are doomed. Neither
walls, nor moat, nor all their sorry devices, shall stay our fury, but
we will burn their ships and cut them off to a man." So on they sped,
driving the Greeks before them across the plain, even to the very gates
of the camp. Here the leaders turned at bay, and Agamemnon succeeded
by desperate efforts in restoring some order in the panic-stricken
host. Foremost among the defenders of the camp were Ajax, the greater
and the less, Idomeneus and his comrade, Meriones, Diomede, and Teucer
the half-brother of the greater Ajax. Teucer especially, who was a
famous archer, did splendid service to the Greeks in that dreadful
strait. Crouched behind the vast orb of his mighty kinsman's shield he
watched his opportunity, and shot down man after man as the Trojans
came rushing to the assault.
"Well done, brave bowman!" cried Agamemnon, who was standing near, as
the eighth victim to Teucer's skill bit the dust. "Now aim an arrow at
yonder mad dog"; and he pointed at Hector, who was leading the attack.
Again the bow twanged, but this time he missed his mark, and instead of
Hector struck another son of Priam, who was fighting by his brother's
side. And as droops the poppyflower in a fair garden plot, heavy with
its seed-pod, and drenched with the summer rains, so drooped that
comely head, oppressed by the weight of its helmet.
"Nine have I slain," cried Teucer, in triumph. "Now let me see if my
tenth arrow will bring down this noble quarry"; and once more he
pointed a shaft at Hector's breast. But a second time the arrow went
amiss, and pierced through the heart of Hector's charioteer.
Cebriones, Hector's brother, succeeded to this dangerous office, thus
twice left vacant on one day; while Hector himself sprang to the
ground, and picking up a stone hurled it at Teucer, who was just
fitting another arrow to his bowstring. The stone struck Teucer on the
collar-bone, breaking the bowstring, and paralysing his arm. Ajax
sprang forward to cover his injured brother, who was carried, groaning
with pain, to the shelter of the ships.
The fall of Teucer struck fresh dismay into the Greeks, who now shrank
back behind their defences, Hector following them close, and cutting
down the stragglers, like a hound hanging on the flanks of a wild boar.
When the last man had passed the barriers the gates were shut, and
Hector was left outside, glaring with baffled rage.