“—— wherefore do I assume
These royalties, and not refuse to reign,
Refusing to accept as great a share
Of hazard as of honour, due alike
To him who reigns, and so much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the rest
High honoured sits?”
Footnote 405: (return) Zeugma. See on ver. 268.
Footnote 406: (return) Three interpretations are given for this
line:—1. “All the gates were attacked.” 2. “All the gates were
bolted.”—Butt. 3. Change the nominative case to the accusative, and
translate—“They (the Lycians) had attacked all the gates.”—Ed. Dubl.
“Go, noble Thoötes, running, call Ajax, rather indeed both: for this
would be by far the best of all, since in a short while heavy
destruction will arise here. For so vigorously do the leaders of the
Lycians press on, who even before were impetuous in the sharp contest.
If, however, labour and contest have arisen to them there, at least let
brave Telamonian Ajax come, and with him let Teucer follow, well
skilled in archery.”
Thus he spoke, nor did the herald, having heard him, disobey, but he
hastened to run along the wall of the brazen-mailed Greeks, and
proceeding, he stood beside the Ajaces and immediately addressed them:
“Ye Ajaces, leaders of the brazen-mailed Greeks, the beloved son of
Jove-nourished Peteus adjures you to come thither, that ye may
participate in his toil, though for a short time. Both indeed in
preference, for this would be by far the best of all things, since soon
will heavy destruction arise there. For so vigorously do the leaders of
the Lycians press on, who even before were impetuous in the sharp
contest. But if here also war and contest have arisen, at least let
brave Telamonian Ajax come alone, and with him let Teucer follow, well
skilled in archery.”
Thus he spake, nor did mighty Telamonian Ajax disobey. Instantly he
addressed to the son of Oïleus winged words:
“Ajax, do thou and gallant Lycomedes, standing here, incite the Greeks
to fight bravely, whilst I go thither and oppose the battle; but I will
return again instantly, after I shall have assisted them.”
Thus then having spoken, Telamonian Ajax departed, and with him went
Teucer, his brother, sprung from the same father; and Pandion, along
with them, carried the bent bow of Teucer. As soon as they reached the
tower of magnanimous Menestheus, going within the wall (for they came
to [their friends] being hard pressed: and the brave leaders and chiefs
of the Lycians were mounting upon the breast-works like unto a dark
whirlwind), but they engaged to fight in opposition, and a clamour
arose. Telamonian Ajax first slew a man, the companion of Sarpedon,
magnanimous Epicles, striking him with a rugged stone, which, mighty in
size, lay highest up against a pinnacle within the wall. Not easily
would a man support it with both hands, such as mortals now are, not
although being very youthful; but he, raising it aloft, hurled it, and
burst the four-coned helmet, and along with it crushed all the bones of
the skull: but he, like unto a diver, fell from the lofty tower, and
life deserted his bones. Teucer likewise with a shaft wounded Glaucus,
the brave son of Hippolochus, as he was rushing on, against the lofty
wall, in a part where he perceived his arm naked; and made him cease
from combat. But he sprang back from the wall, concealing himself, that
none of the Greeks might perceive him wounded, and insult him with
words. Then grief came upon Sarpedon on account of Glaucus departing,
as soon as he observed it; though he nevertheless was not neglectful of
the contest: but he taking aim, wounded Alcmaon, son of Thestor, with
his spear, and extracted the spear; but he. following the weapon, fell
prone, and his armour, variously decked with brass, resounded upon him.
Sarpedon then seizing the buttress with his sturdy hands, pulled, and
it all followed entirely; but the wall was stripped away from above,
and he formed a way for many. Then Ajax and Teucer aiming at him
together, the one smote him with an arrow in the splendid belt of his
mortal-girding shield, around his breast; but Jove averted the fate
from his son, that he might not be slain at the sterns of the ships.
But Ajax, springing upon him, struck his shield, and pierced him quite
through with his spear, and forcibly checked him eager. And then he
fell back for a little from the buttress, but did not altogether
retreat, because his spirit hoped to bear off glory. And turning round,
he encouraged the godlike Lycians:
“O Lycians, why are ye thus remiss in your impetuous force? It is
difficult for me, although being brave, having alone burst through, to
form a way to the ships. But follow along with me; for the labour of
the greater number is better.”
Thus he spake; and they, reverencing the exhortation of their king,
pressed on with more alacrity round their counsel-giving king. And the
Greeks, on the other side, strengthened their phalanxes within the
wall, because a great work presented itself to them. For neither could
the gallant Lycians, bursting through the wall of the Greeks, make
their way to the ships, nor could the warlike Greeks repulse the
Lycians from the wall, since first they approached it. But as two men,
holding measures in their hands, dispute, in a common field, 407
concerning their boundaries, who in a small space contend for their
equitable right; thus did the buttresses separate these [warriors],
and, for them, each smote the well-rounded ox-hide shields around each
other’s breasts, and the light bucklers of each other. And many were
wounded upon the body with the merciless brass, whether the back of any
combatant, averted, was laid bare, and many right through the shield
itself. Everywhere the towers and buttresses were sprinkled, on both
sides, with the blood of heroes, from the Trojans and the Greeks. Yet
not even thus could they cause a flight of the Greeks, but they held
themselves, as a just woman, who labours with her hands, does the
scales, 408 who, poising both the weight and the wool, draws them on
either side to equalize them, that she may procure a scanty pittance
for the support of her children. Thus equally was their battle and war
extended, before the time when Jove gave superior glory to Hector, the
son of Priam, who first leaped within the wall of the Greeks, and
shouted with a penetrating voice, calling out to the Trojans:
“Push on, ye horse-breaking Trojans, burst through the wall of the
Greeks, and hurl the fiercely-blazing fire against the ships.”
Thus he spake, cheering them on; but they all heard him with their
ears, and rushed against the wall in great numbers, and then mounted
the battlements, carrying their pointed spears. But Hector seizing it,
took up a stone, which stood before the gates, widening out at the
base, 409 but sharp above; which two men, the strongest of the people,
such as mortals now are, could not easily raise from the ground upon a
waggon. He, however, brandished it easily and alone, because the son of
wise Saturn had rendered it light to him.
Footnote 407: (return) _I.e._ a field, to part of which each lays
claim. Μέτρα seem to be the lines used in measuring ground (“linea
mensuralis,” Siculus Flaccus, p. 23, ed. Goes.)