Fire being now thrown on the ship of Protesilaus, Patroclus
      fights in the armour of Achilles—He drives the Trojans back, but
      is in the end killed by Euphorbus and Hector.

      Thus did they fight about the ship of Protesilaus. Then Patroclus
      drew near to Achilles with tears welling from his eyes, as from
      some spring whose crystal stream falls over the ledges of a high
      precipice. When Achilles saw him thus weeping he was sorry for
      him and said, “Why, Patroclus, do you stand there weeping like
      some silly child that comes running to her mother, and begs to be
      taken up and carried—she catches hold of her mother’s dress to
      stay her though she is in a hurry, and looks tearfully up until
      her mother carries her—even such tears, Patroclus, are you now
      shedding. Have you anything to say to the Myrmidons or to myself?
      or have you had news from Phthia which you alone know? They tell
      me Menoetius son of Actor is still alive, as also Peleus son of
      Aeacus, among the Myrmidons—men whose loss we two should bitterly
      deplore; or are you grieving about the Argives and the way in
      which they are being killed at the ships, through their own
      high-handed doings? Do not hide anything from me but tell me that
      both of us may know about it.”

      Then, O knight Patroclus, with a deep sigh you answered,
      “Achilles, son of Peleus, foremost champion of the Achaeans, do
      not be angry, but I weep for the disaster that has now befallen
      the Argives. All those who have been their champions so far are
      lying at the ships, wounded by sword or spear. Brave Diomed son
      of Tydeus has been hit with a spear, while famed Ulysses and
      Agamemnon have received sword-wounds; Eurypylus again has been
      struck with an arrow in the thigh; skilled apothecaries are
      attending to these heroes, and healing them of their wounds; are
      you still, O Achilles, so inexorable? May it never be my lot to
      nurse such a passion as you have done, to the baning of your own
      good name. Who in future story will speak well of you unless you
      now save the Argives from ruin? You know no pity; knight Peleus
      was not your father nor Thetis your mother, but the grey sea bore
      you and the sheer cliffs begot you, so cruel and remorseless are
      you. If however you are kept back through knowledge of some
      oracle, or if your mother Thetis has told you something from the
      mouth of Jove, at least send me and the Myrmidons with me, if I
      may bring deliverance to the Danaans. Let me moreover wear your
      armour; the Trojans may thus mistake me for you and quit the
      field, so that the hard-pressed sons of the Achaeans may have
      breathing time—which while they are fighting may hardly be. We
      who are fresh might soon drive tired men back from our ships and
      tents to their own city.”

      He knew not what he was asking, nor that he was suing for his own
      destruction. Achilles was deeply moved and answered, “What, noble
      Patroclus, are you saying? I know no prophesyings which I am
      heeding, nor has my mother told me anything from the mouth of
      Jove, but I am cut to the very heart that one of my own rank
      should dare to rob me because he is more powerful than I am.
      This, after all that I have gone through, is more than I can
      endure. The girl whom the sons of the Achaeans chose for me, whom
      I won as the fruit of my spear on having sacked a city—her has
      King Agamemnon taken from me as though I were some common
      vagrant. Still, let bygones be bygones: no man may keep his anger
      for ever; I said I would not relent till battle and the cry of
      war had reached my own ships; nevertheless, now gird my armour
      about your shoulders, and lead the Myrmidons to battle, for the
      dark cloud of Trojans has burst furiously over our fleet; the
      Argives are driven back on to the beach, cooped within a narrow
      space, and the whole people of Troy has taken heart to sally out
      against them, because they see not the visor of my helmet
      gleaming near them. Had they seen this, there would not have been
      a creek nor grip that had not been filled with their dead as they
      fled back again. And so it would have been, if only King
      Agamemnon had dealt fairly by me. As it is the Trojans have beset
      our host. Diomed son of Tydeus no longer wields his spear to
      defend the Danaans, neither have I heard the voice of the son of
      Atreus coming from his hated head, whereas that of murderous
      Hector rings in my cars as he gives orders to the Trojans, who
      triumph over the Achaeans and fill the whole plain with their cry
      of battle. But even so, Patroclus, fall upon them and save the
      fleet, lest the Trojans fire it and prevent us from being able to
      return. Do, however, as I now bid you, that you may win me great
      honour from all the Danaans, and that they may restore the girl
      to me again and give me rich gifts into the bargain. When you
      have driven the Trojans from the ships, come back again. Though
      Juno’s thundering husband should put triumph within your reach,
      do not fight the Trojans further in my absence, or you will rob
      me of glory that should be mine. And do not for lust of battle go
      on killing the Trojans nor lead the Achaeans on to Ilius, lest
      one of the ever-living gods from Olympus attack you—for Phoebus
      Apollo loves them well: return when you have freed the ships from
      peril, and let others wage war upon the plain. Would, by father
      Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that not a single man of all the
      Trojans might be left alive, nor yet of the Argives, but that we
      two might be alone left to tear aside the mantle that veils the
      brow of Troy.”

      Thus did they converse. But Ajax could no longer hold his ground
      for the shower of darts that rained upon him; the will of Jove
      and the javelins of the Trojans were too much for him; the helmet
      that gleamed about his temples rang with the continuous clatter
      of the missiles that kept pouring on to it and on to the
      cheek-pieces that protected his face. Moreover his left shoulder
      was tired with having held his shield so long, yet for all this,
      let fly at him as they would, they could not make him give
      ground. He could hardly draw his breath, the sweat rained from
      every pore of his body, he had not a moment’s respite, and on all
      sides he was beset by danger upon danger.

      And now, tell me, O Muses that hold your mansions on Olympus, how
      fire was thrown upon the ships of the Achaeans. Hector came close
      up and let drive with his great sword at the ashen spear of Ajax.
      He cut it clean in two just behind where the point was fastened
      on to the shaft of the spear. Ajax, therefore, had now nothing
      but a headless spear, while the bronze point flew some way off
      and came ringing down on to the ground. Ajax knew the hand of
      heaven in this, and was dismayed at seeing that Jove had now left
      him utterly defenceless and was willing victory for the Trojans.
      Therefore he drew back, and the Trojans flung fire upon the ship
      which was at once wrapped in flame.

      The fire was now flaring about the ship’s stern, whereon Achilles
      smote his two thighs and said to Patroclus, “Up, noble knight,
      for I see the glare of hostile fire at our fleet; up, lest they
      destroy our ships, and there be no way by which we may retreat.
      Gird on your armour at once while I call our people together.”

      As he spoke Patroclus put on his armour. First he greaved his
      legs with greaves of good make, and fitted with ancle-clasps of
      silver; after this he donned the cuirass of the son of Aeacus,
      richly inlaid and studded. He hung his silver-studded sword of
      bronze about his shoulders, and then his mighty shield. On his
      comely head he set his helmet, well wrought, with a crest of
      horse-hair that nodded menacingly above it. He grasped two
      redoubtable spears that suited his hands, but he did not take the
      spear of noble Achilles, so stout and strong, for none other of
      the Achaeans could wield it, though Achilles could do so easily.
      This was the ashen spear from Mount Pelion, which Chiron had cut
      upon a mountain top and had given to Peleus, wherewith to deal
      out death among heroes. He bade Automedon yoke his horses with
      all speed, for he was the man whom he held in honour next after
      Achilles, and on whose support in battle he could rely most
      firmly. Automedon therefore yoked the fleet horses Xanthus and
      Balius, steeds that could fly like the wind: these were they whom
      the harpy Podarge bore to the west wind, as she was grazing in a
      meadow by the waters of the river Oceanus. In the side traces he
      set the noble horse Pedasus, whom Achilles had brought away with
      him when he sacked the city of Eetion, and who, mortal steed
      though he was, could take his place along with those that were
      immortal.

      Meanwhile Achilles went about everywhere among the tents, and
      bade his Myrmidons put on their armour. Even as fierce ravening
      wolves that are feasting upon a homed stag which they have killed
      upon the mountains, and their jaws are red with blood—they go in
      a pack to lap water from the clear spring with their long thin
      tongues; and they reek of blood and slaughter; they know not what
      fear is, for it is hunger drives them—even so did the leaders and
      counsellors of the Myrmidons gather round the good squire of the
      fleet descendant of Aeacus, and among them stood Achilles himself
      cheering on both men and horses.

      Fifty ships had noble Achilles brought to Troy, and in each there
      was a crew of fifty oarsmen. Over these he set five captains whom
      he could trust, while he was himself commander over them all.
      Menesthius of the gleaming corslet, son to the river Spercheius
      that streams from heaven, was captain of the first company. Fair
      Polydora daughter of Peleus bore him to ever-flowing Spercheius—a
      woman mated with a god—but he was called son of Borus son of
      Perieres, with whom his mother was living as his wedded wife, and
      who gave great wealth to gain her. The second company was led by
      noble Eudorus, son to an unwedded woman. Polymele, daughter of
      Phylas the graceful dancer, bore him; the mighty slayer of Argos
      was enamoured of her as he saw her among the singing women at a
      dance held in honour of Diana the rushing huntress of the golden
      arrows; he therefore—Mercury, giver of all good—went with her
      into an upper chamber, and lay with her in secret, whereon she
      bore him a noble son Eudorus, singularly fleet of foot and in
      fight valiant. When Ilithuia goddess of the pains of childbirth
      brought him to the light of day, and he saw the face of the sun,
      mighty Echecles son of Actor took the mother to wife, and gave
      great wealth to gain her, but her father Phylas brought the child
      up, and took care of him, doting as fondly upon him as though he
      were his own son. The third company was led by Pisander son of
      Maemalus, the finest spearman among all the Myrmidons next to
      Achilles’ own comrade Patroclus. The old knight Phoenix was
      captain of the fourth company, and Alcimedon, noble son of
      Laerceus of the fifth.

      When Achilles had chosen his men and had stationed them all with
      their captains, he charged them straitly saying, “Myrmidons,
      remember your threats against the Trojans while you were at the
      ships in the time of my anger, and you were all complaining of
      me. ‘Cruel son of Peleus,’ you would say, ‘your mother must have
      suckled you on gall, so ruthless are you. You keep us here at the
      ships against our will; if you are so relentless it were better
      we went home over the sea.’ Often have you gathered and thus
      chided with me. The hour is now come for those high feats of arms
      that you have so long been pining for, therefore keep high hearts
      each one of you to do battle with the Trojans.”

      With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and they
      serried their companies yet more closely when they heard the
      words of their king. As the stones which a builder sets in the
      wall of some high house which is to give shelter from the
      winds—even so closely were the helmets and bossed shields set
      against one another. Shield pressed on shield, helm on helm, and
      man on man; so close were they that the horse-hair plumes on the
      gleaming ridges of their helmets touched each other as they bent
      their heads.

      In front of them all two men put on their armour—Patroclus and
      Automedon—two men, with but one mind to lead the Myrmidons. Then
      Achilles went inside his tent and opened the lid of the strong
      chest which silver-footed Thetis had given him to take on board
      ship, and which she had filled with shirts, cloaks to keep out
      the cold, and good thick rugs. In this chest he had a cup of rare
      workmanship, from which no man but himself might drink, nor would
      he make offering from it to any other god save only to father
      Jove. He took the cup from the chest and cleansed it with
      sulphur; this done he rinsed it clean water, and after he had
      washed his hands he drew wine. Then he stood in the middle of the
      court and prayed, looking towards heaven, and making his
      drink-offering of wine; nor was he unseen of Jove whose joy is in
      thunder. “King Jove,” he cried, “lord of Dodona, god of the
      Pelasgi, who dwellest afar, you who hold wintry Dodona in your
      sway, where your prophets the Selli dwell around you with their
      feet unwashed and their couches made upon the ground—if you heard
      me when I prayed to you aforetime, and did me honour while you
      sent disaster on the Achaeans, vouchsafe me now the fulfilment of
      yet this further prayer. I shall stay here where my ships are
      lying, but I shall send my comrade into battle at the head of
      many Myrmidons. Grant, O all-seeing Jove, that victory may go
      with him; put your courage into his heart that Hector may learn
      whether my squire is man enough to fight alone, or whether his
      might is only then so indomitable when I myself enter the turmoil
      of war. Afterwards when he has chased the fight and the cry of
      battle from the ships, grant that he may return unharmed, with
      his armour and his comrades, fighters in close combat.”

      Thus did he pray, and all-counselling Jove heard his prayer. Part
      of it he did indeed vouchsafe him—but not the whole. He granted
      that Patroclus should thrust back war and battle from the ships,
      but refused to let him come safely out of the fight.

      When he had made his drink-offering and had thus prayed, Achilles
      went inside his tent and put back the cup into his chest.

      Then he again came out, for he still loved to look upon the
      fierce fight that raged between the Trojans and Achaeans.

      Meanwhile the armed band that was about Patroclus marched on till
      they sprang high in hope upon the Trojans. They came swarming out
      like wasps whose nests are by the roadside, and whom silly
      children love to tease, whereon any one who happens to be passing
      may get stung—or again, if a wayfarer going along the road vexes
      them by accident, every wasp will come flying out in a fury to
      defend his little ones—even with such rage and courage did the
      Myrmidons swarm from their ships, and their cry of battle rose
      heavenwards. Patroclus called out to his men at the top of his
      voice, “Myrmidons, followers of Achilles son of Peleus, be men my
      friends, fight with might and with main, that we may win glory
      for the son of Peleus, who is far the foremost man at the ships
      of the Argives—he, and his close fighting followers. The son of
      Atreus King Agamemnon will thus learn his folly in showing no
      respect to the bravest of the Achaeans.”

      With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and they
      fell in a body upon the Trojans. The ships rang again with the
      cry which the Achaeans raised, and when the Trojans saw the brave
      son of Menoetius and his squire all gleaming in their armour,
      they were daunted and their battalions were thrown into
      confusion, for they thought the fleet son of Peleus must now have
      put aside his anger, and have been reconciled to Agamemnon; every
      one, therefore, looked round about to see whither he might fly
      for safety.

      Patroclus first aimed a spear into the middle of the press where
      men were packed most closely, by the stern of the ship of
      Protesilaus. He hit Pyraechmes who had led his Paeonian horsemen
      from the Amydon and the broad waters of the river Axius; the
      spear struck him on the right shoulder, and with a groan he fell
      backwards in the dust; on this his men were thrown into
      confusion, for by killing their leader, who was the finest
      soldier among them, Patroclus struck panic into them all. He thus
      drove them from the ship and quenched the fire that was then
      blazing—leaving the half-burnt ship to lie where it was. The
      Trojans were now driven back with a shout that rent the skies,
      while the Danaans poured after them from their ships, shouting
      also without ceasing. As when Jove, gatherer of the
      thunder-cloud, spreads a dense canopy on the top of some lofty
      mountain, and all the peaks, the jutting headlands, and forest
      glades show out in the great light that flashes from the bursting
      heavens, even so when the Danaans had now driven back the fire
      from their ships, they took breath for a little while; but the
      fury of the fight was not yet over, for the Trojans were not
      driven back in utter rout, but still gave battle, and were ousted
      from their ground only by sheer fighting.

      The fight then became more scattered, and the chieftains killed
      one another when and how they could. The valiant son of Menoetius
      first drove his spear into the thigh of Areilycus just as he was
      turning round; the point went clean through, and broke the bone
      so that he fell forward. Meanwhile Menelaus struck Thoas in the
      chest, where it was exposed near the rim of his shield, and he
      fell dead. The son of Phyleus saw Amphiclus about to attack him,
      and ere he could do so took aim at the upper part of his thigh,
      where the muscles are thicker than in any other part; the spear
      tore through all the sinews of the leg, and his eyes were closed
      in darkness. Of the sons of Nestor one, Antilochus, speared
      Atymnius, driving the point of the spear through his throat, and
      down he fell. Maris then sprang on Antilochus in hand-to-hand
      fight to avenge his brother, and bestrode the body spear in hand;
      but valiant Thrasymedes was too quick for him, and in a moment
      had struck him in the shoulder ere he could deal his blow; his
      aim was true, and the spear severed all the muscles at the root
      of his arm, and tore them right down to the bone, so he fell
      heavily to the ground and his eyes were closed in darkness. Thus
      did these two noble comrades of Sarpedon go down to Erebus slain
      by the two sons of Nestor; they were the warrior sons of
      Amisodorus, who had reared the invincible Chimaera, to the bane
      of many. Ajax son of Oileus sprang on Cleobulus and took him
      alive as he was entangled in the crush; but he killed him then
      and there by a sword-blow on the neck. The sword reeked with his
      blood, while dark death and the strong hand of fate gripped him
      and closed his eyes.

      Peneleos and Lycon now met in close fight, for they had missed
      each other with their spears. They had both thrown without
      effect, so now they drew their swords. Lycon struck the plumed
      crest of Peneleos’ helmet but his sword broke at the hilt, while
      Peneleos smote Lycon on the neck under the ear. The blade sank so
      deep that the head was held on by nothing but the skin, and there
      was no more life left in him. Meriones gave chase to Acamas on
      foot and caught him up just as he was about to mount his chariot;
      he drove a spear through his right shoulder so that he fell
      headlong from the car, and his eyes were closed in darkness.
      Idomeneus speared Erymas in the mouth; the bronze point of the
      spear went clean through it beneath the brain, crashing in among
      the white bones and smashing them up. His teeth were all of them
      knocked out and the blood came gushing in a stream from both his
      eyes; it also came gurgling up from his mouth and nostrils, and
      the darkness of death enfolded him round about.

      Thus did these chieftains of the Danaans each of them kill his
      man. As ravening wolves seize on kids or lambs, fastening on them
      when they are alone on the hillsides and have strayed from the
      main flock through the carelessness of the shepherd—and when the
      wolves see this they pounce upon them at once because they cannot
      defend themselves—even so did the Danaans now fall on the
      Trojans, who fled with ill-omened cries in their panic and had no
      more fight left in them.

      Meanwhile great Ajax kept on trying to drive a spear into Hector,
      but Hector was so skilful that he held his broad shoulders well
      under cover of his ox-hide shield, ever on the look-out for the
      whizzing of the arrows and the heavy thud of the spears. He well
      knew that the fortunes of the day had changed, but still stood
      his ground and tried to protect his comrades.

      As when a cloud goes up into heaven from Olympus, rising out of a
      clear sky when Jove is brewing a gale—even with such panic
      stricken rout did the Trojans now fly, and there was no order in
      their going. Hector’s fleet horses bore him and his armour out of
      the fight, and he left the Trojan host penned in by the deep
      trench against their will. Many a yoke of horses snapped the pole
      of their chariots in the trench and left their master’s car
      behind them. Patroclus gave chase, calling impetuously on the
      Danaans and full of fury against the Trojans, who, being now no
      longer in a body, filled all the ways with their cries of panic
      and rout; the air was darkened with the clouds of dust they
      raised, and the horses strained every nerve in their flight from
      the tents and ships towards the city.

      Patroclus kept on heading his horses wherever he saw most men
      flying in confusion, cheering on his men the while. Chariots were
      being smashed in all directions, and many a man came tumbling
      down from his own car to fall beneath the wheels of that of
      Patroclus, whose immortal steeds, given by the gods to Peleus,
      sprang over the trench at a bound as they sped onward. He was
      intent on trying to get near Hector, for he had set his heart on
      spearing him, but Hector’s horses were now hurrying him away. As
      the whole dark earth bows before some tempest on an autumn day
      when Jove rains his hardest to punish men for giving crooked
      judgement in their courts, and driving justice therefrom without
      heed to the decrees of heaven—all the rivers run full and the
      torrents tear many a new channel as they roar headlong from the
      mountains to the dark sea, and it fares ill with the works of
      men—even such was the stress and strain of the Trojan horses in
      their flight.

      Patroclus now cut off the battalions that were nearest to him and
      drove them back to the ships. They were doing their best to reach
      the city, but he would not let them, and bore down on them
      between the river and the ships and wall. Many a fallen comrade
      did he then avenge. First he hit Pronous with a spear on the
      chest where it was exposed near the rim of his shield, and he
      fell heavily to the ground. Next he sprang on Thestor son of
      Enops, who was sitting all huddled up in his chariot, for he had
      lost his head and the reins had been torn out of his hands.
      Patroclus went up to him and drove a spear into his right jaw; he
      thus hooked him by the teeth and the spear pulled him over the
      rim of his car, as one who sits at the end of some jutting rock
      and draws a strong fish out of the sea with a hook and a
      line—even so with his spear did he pull Thestor all gaping from
      his chariot; he then threw him down on his face and he died while
      falling. On this, as Erylaus was on coming to attack him, he
      struck him full on the head with a stone, and his brains were all
      battered inside his helmet, whereon he fell headlong to the
      ground and the pangs of death took hold upon him. Then he laid
      low, one after the other, Erymas, Amphoterus, Epaltes,
      Tlepolemus, Echius son of Damastor, Pyris, Ipheus, Euippus and
      Polymelus son of Argeas.

      Now when Sarpedon saw his comrades, men who wore ungirdled
      tunics, being overcome by Patroclus son of Menoetius, he rebuked
      the Lycians saying. “Shame on you, where are you flying to? Show
      your mettle; I will myself meet this man in fight and learn who
      it is that is so masterful; he has done us much hurt, and has
      stretched many a brave man upon the ground.”

      He sprang from his chariot as he spoke, and Patroclus, when he
      saw this, leaped on to the ground also. The two then rushed at
      one another with loud cries like eagle-beaked crook-taloned
      vultures that scream and tear at one another in some high
      mountain fastness.

      The son of scheming Saturn looked down upon them in pity and said
      to Juno who was his wife and sister, “Alas, that it should be the
      lot of Sarpedon whom I love so dearly to perish by the hand of
      Patroclus. I am in two minds whether to catch him up out of the
      fight and set him down safe and sound in the fertile land of
      Lycia, or to let him now fall by the hand of the son of
      Menoetius.”

      And Juno answered, “Most dread son of Saturn, what is this that
      you are saying? Would you snatch a mortal man, whose doom has
      long been fated, out of the jaws of death? Do as you will, but we
      shall not all of us be of your mind. I say further, and lay my
      saying to your heart, that if you send Sarpedon safely to his own
      home, some other of the gods will be also wanting to escort his
      son out of battle, for there are many sons of gods fighting round
      the city of Troy, and you will make every one jealous. If,
      however, you are fond of him and pity him, let him indeed fall by
      the hand of Patroclus, but as soon as the life is gone out of
      him, send Death and sweet Sleep to bear him off the field and
      take him to the broad lands of Lycia, where his brothers and his
      kinsmen will bury him with mound and pillar, in due honour to the
      dead.”

      The sire of gods and men assented, but he shed a rain of blood
      upon the earth in honour of his son whom Patroclus was about to
      kill on the rich plain of Troy far from his home.

      When they were now come close to one another Patroclus struck
      Thrasydemus, the brave squire of Sarpedon, in the lower part of
      the belly, and killed him. Sarpedon then aimed a spear at
      Patroclus and missed him, but he struck the horse Pedasus in the
      right shoulder, and it screamed aloud as it lay, groaning in the
      dust until the life went out of it. The other two horses began to
      plunge; the pole of the chariot cracked and they got entangled in
      the reins through the fall of the horse that was yoked along with
      them; but Automedon knew what to do; without the loss of a moment
      he drew the keen blade that hung by his sturdy thigh and cut the
      third horse adrift; whereon the other two righted themselves, and
      pulling hard at the reins again went together into battle.

      Sarpedon now took a second aim at Patroclus, and again missed
      him, the point of the spear passed over his left shoulder without
      hitting him. Patroclus then aimed in his turn, and the spear sped
      not from his hand in vain, for he hit Sarpedon just where the
      midriff surrounds the ever-beating heart. He fell like some oak
      or silver poplar or tall pine to which woodmen have laid their
      axes upon the mountains to make timber for ship-building—even so
      did he lie stretched at full length in front of his chariot and
      horses, moaning and clutching at the blood-stained dust. As when
      a lion springs with a bound upon a herd of cattle and fastens on
      a great black bull which dies bellowing in its clutches—even so
      did the leader of the Lycian warriors struggle in death as he
      fell by the hand of Patroclus. He called on his trusty comrade
      and said, “Glaucus, my brother, hero among heroes, put forth all
      your strength, fight with might and main, now if ever quit
      yourself like a valiant soldier. First go about among the Lycian
      captains and bid them fight for Sarpedon; then yourself also do
      battle to save my armour from being taken. My name will haunt you
      henceforth and for ever if the Achaeans rob me of my armour now
      that I have fallen at their ships. Do your very utmost and call
      all my people together.”

      Death closed his eyes as he spoke. Patroclus planted his heel on
      his breast and drew the spear from his body, whereon his senses
      came out along with it, and he drew out both spear-point and
      Sarpedon’s soul at the same time. Hard by the Myrmidons held his
      snorting steeds, who were wild with panic at finding themselves
      deserted by their lords.

      Glaucus was overcome with grief when he heard what Sarpedon said,
      for he could not help him. He had to support his arm with his
      other hand, being in great pain through the wound which Teucer’s
      arrow had given him when Teucer was defending the wall as he,
      Glaucus, was assailing it. Therefore he prayed to far-darting
      Apollo saying, “Hear me O king from your seat, may be in the rich
      land of Lycia, or may be in Troy, for in all places you can hear
      the prayer of one who is in distress, as I now am. I have a
      grievous wound; my hand is aching with pain, there is no
      staunching the blood, and my whole arm drags by reason of my
      hurt, so that I cannot grasp my sword nor go among my foes and
      fight them, though our prince, Jove’s son Sarpedon, is slain.
      Jove defended not his son, do you, therefore, O king, heal me of
      my wound, ease my pain and grant me strength both to cheer on the
      Lycians and to fight along with them round the body of him who
      has fallen.”

      Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He eased his pain,
      staunched the black blood from the wound, and gave him new
      strength. Glaucus perceived this, and was thankful that the
      mighty god had answered his prayer; forthwith, therefore, he went
      among the Lycian captains, and bade them come to fight about the
      body of Sarpedon. From these he strode on among the Trojans to
      Polydamas son of Panthous and Agenor; he then went in search of
      Aeneas and Hector, and when he had found them he said, “Hector,
      you have utterly forgotten your allies, who languish here for
      your sake far from friends and home while you do nothing to
      support them. Sarpedon leader of the Lycian warriors has
      fallen—he who was at once the right and might of Lycia; Mars has
      laid him low by the spear of Patroclus. Stand by him, my friends,
      and suffer not the Myrmidons to strip him of his armour, nor to
      treat his body with contumely in revenge for all the Danaans whom
      we have speared at the ships.”

      As he spoke the Trojans were plunged in extreme and ungovernable
      grief; for Sarpedon, alien though he was, had been one of the
      main stays of their city, both as having much people with him,
      and himself the foremost among them all. Led by Hector, who was
      infuriated by the fall of Sarpedon, they made instantly for the
      Danaans with all their might, while the undaunted spirit of
      Patroclus son of Menoetius cheered on the Achaeans. First he
      spoke to the two Ajaxes, men who needed no bidding. “Ajaxes,”
      said he, “may it now please you to show yourselves the men you
      have always been, or even better—Sarpedon is fallen—he who was
      first to overleap the wall of the Achaeans; let us take the body
      and outrage it; let us strip the armour from his shoulders, and
      kill his comrades if they try to rescue his body.”

      He spoke to men who of themselves were full eager; both sides,
      therefore, the Trojans and Lycians on the one hand, and the
      Myrmidons and Achaeans on the other, strengthened their
      battalions, and fought desperately about the body of Sarpedon,
      shouting fiercely the while. Mighty was the din of their armour
      as they came together, and Jove shed a thick darkness over the
      fight, to increase the toil of the battle over the body of his
      son.

      At first the Trojans made some headway against the Achaeans, for
      one of the best men among the Myrmidons was killed, Epeigeus, son
      of noble Agacles who had erewhile been king in the good city of
      Budeum; but presently, having killed a valiant kinsman of his
      own, he took refuge with Peleus and Thetis, who sent him to Ilius
      the land of noble steeds to fight the Trojans under Achilles.
      Hector now struck him on the head with a stone just as he had
      caught hold of the body, and his brains inside his helmet were
      all battered in, so that he fell face foremost upon the body of
      Sarpedon, and there died. Patroclus was enraged by the death of
      his comrade, and sped through the front ranks as swiftly as a
      hawk that swoops down on a flock of daws or starlings. Even so
      swiftly, O noble knight Patroclus, did you make straight for the
      Lycians and Trojans to avenge your comrade. Forthwith he struck
      Sthenelaus the son of Ithaemenes on the neck with a stone, and
      broke the tendons that join it to the head and spine. On this
      Hector and the front rank of his men gave ground. As far as a man
      can throw a javelin when competing for some prize, or even in
      battle—so far did the Trojans now retreat before the Achaeans.
      Glaucus, captain of the Lycians, was the first to rally them, by
      killing Bathycles son of Chalcon who lived in Hellas and was the
      richest man among the Myrmidons. Glaucus turned round suddenly,
      just as Bathycles who was pursuing him was about to lay hold of
      him, and drove his spear right into the middle of his chest,
      whereon he fell heavily to the ground, and the fall of so good a
      man filled the Achaeans with dismay, while the Trojans were
      exultant, and came up in a body round the corpse. Nevertheless
      the Achaeans, mindful of their prowess, bore straight down upon
      them.

      Meriones then killed a helmed warrior of the Trojans, Laogonus
      son of Onetor, who was priest of Jove of Mt. Ida, and was
      honoured by the people as though he were a god. Meriones struck
      him under the jaw and ear, so that life went out of him and the
      darkness of death laid hold upon him. Aeneas then aimed a spear
      at Meriones, hoping to hit him under the shield as he was
      advancing, but Meriones saw it coming and stooped forward to
      avoid it, whereon the spear flew past him and the point stuck in
      the ground, while the butt-end went on quivering till Mars robbed
      it of its force. The spear, therefore, sped from Aeneas’s hand in
      vain and fell quivering to the ground. Aeneas was angry and said,
      “Meriones, you are a good dancer, but if I had hit you my spear
      would soon have made an end of you.”

      And Meriones answered, “Aeneas, for all your bravery, you will
      not be able to make an end of every one who comes against you.
      You are only a mortal like myself, and if I were to hit you in
      the middle of your shield with my spear, however strong and
      self-confident you may be, I should soon vanquish you, and you
      would yield your life to Hades of the noble steeds.”

      On this the son of Menoetius rebuked him and said, “Meriones,
      hero though you be, you should not speak thus; taunting speeches,
      my good friend, will not make the Trojans draw away from the dead
      body; some of them must go under ground first; blows for battle,
      and words for council; fight, therefore, and say nothing.”

      He led the way as he spoke and the hero went forward with him. As
      the sound of woodcutters in some forest glade upon the
      mountains—and the thud of their axes is heard afar—even such a
      din now rose from earth-clash of bronze armour and of good
      ox-hide shields, as men smote each other with their swords and
      spears pointed at both ends. A man had need of good eyesight now
      to know Sarpedon, so covered was he from head to foot with spears
      and blood and dust. Men swarmed about the body, as flies that
      buzz round the full milk-pails in spring when they are brimming
      with milk—even so did they gather round Sarpedon; nor did Jove
      turn his keen eyes away for one moment from the fight, but kept
      looking at it all the time, for he was settling how best to kill
      Patroclus, and considering whether Hector should be allowed to
      end him now in the fight round the body of Sarpedon, and strip
      him of his armour, or whether he should let him give yet further
      trouble to the Trojans. In the end, he deemed it best that the
      brave squire of Achilles son of Peleus should drive Hector and
      the Trojans back towards the city and take the lives of many.
      First, therefore, he made Hector turn fainthearted, whereon he
      mounted his chariot and fled, bidding the other Trojans fly also,
      for he saw that the scales of Jove had turned against him.
      Neither would the brave Lycians stand firm; they were dismayed
      when they saw their king lying struck to the heart amid a heap of
      corpses—for when the son of Saturn made the fight wax hot many
      had fallen above him. The Achaeans, therefore stripped the
      gleaming armour from his shoulders and the brave son of Menoetius
      gave it to his men to take to the ships. Then Jove lord of the
      storm-cloud said to Apollo, “Dear Phoebus, go, I pray you, and
      take Sarpedon out of range of the weapons; cleanse the black
      blood from off him, and then bear him a long way off where you
      may wash him in the river, anoint him with ambrosia, and clothe
      him in immortal raiment; this done, commit him to the arms of the
      two fleet messengers, Death, and Sleep, who will carry him
      straightway to the rich land of Lycia, where his brothers and
      kinsmen will inter him, and will raise both mound and pillar to
      his memory, in due honour to the dead.”

      Thus he spoke. Apollo obeyed his father’s saying, and came down
      from the heights of Ida into the thick of the fight; forthwith he
      took Sarpedon out of range of the weapons, and then bore him a
      long way off, where he washed him in the river, anointed him with
      ambrosia and clothed him in immortal raiment; this done, he
      committed him to the arms of the two fleet messengers, Death, and
      Sleep, who presently set him down in the rich land of Lycia.

      Meanwhile Patroclus, with many a shout to his horses and to
      Automedon, pursued the Trojans and Lycians in the pride and
      foolishness of his heart. Had he but obeyed the bidding of the
      son of Peleus, he would have escaped death and have been
      scatheless; but the counsels of Jove pass man’s understanding; he
      will put even a brave man to flight and snatch victory from his
      grasp, or again he will set him on to fight, as he now did when
      he put a high spirit into the heart of Patroclus.

      Who then first, and who last, was slain by you, O Patroclus, when
      the gods had now called you to meet your doom? First Adrestus,
      Autonous, Echeclus, Perimus the son of Megas, Epistor and
      Melanippus; after these he killed Elasus, Mulius, and Pylartes.
      These he slew, but the rest saved themselves by flight.

      The sons of the Achaeans would now have taken Troy by the hands
      of Patroclus, for his spear flew in all directions, had not
      Phoebus Apollo taken his stand upon the wall to defeat his
      purpose and to aid the Trojans. Thrice did Patroclus charge at an
      angle of the high wall, and thrice did Apollo beat him back,
      striking his shield with his own immortal hands. When Patroclus
      was coming on like a god for yet a fourth time, Apollo shouted to
      him with an awful voice and said, “Draw back, noble Patroclus, it
      is not your lot to sack the city of the Trojan chieftains, nor
      yet will it be that of Achilles who is a far better man than you
      are.” On hearing this, Patroclus withdrew to some distance and
      avoided the anger of Apollo.

      Meanwhile Hector was waiting with his horses inside the Scaean
      gates, in doubt whether to drive out again and go on fighting, or
      to call the army inside the gates. As he was thus doubting
      Phoebus Apollo drew near him in the likeness of a young and lusty
      warrior Asius, who was Hector’s uncle, being own brother to
      Hecuba, and son of Dymas who lived in Phrygia by the waters of
      the river Sangarius; in his likeness Jove’s son Apollo now spoke
      to Hector saying, “Hector, why have you left off fighting? It is
      ill done of you. If I were as much better a man than you, as I am
      worse, you should soon rue your slackness. Drive straight towards
      Patroclus, if so be that Apollo may grant you a triumph over him,
      and you may rule him.”

      With this the god went back into the hurly-burly, and Hector bade
      Cebriones drive again into the fight. Apollo passed in among
      them, and struck panic into the Argives, while he gave triumph to
      Hector and the Trojans. Hector let the other Danaans alone and
      killed no man, but drove straight at Patroclus. Patroclus then
      sprang from his chariot to the ground, with a spear in his left
      hand, and in his right a jagged stone as large as his hand could
      hold. He stood still and threw it, nor did it go far without
      hitting some one; the cast was not in vain, for the stone struck
      Cebriones, Hector’s charioteer, a bastard son of Priam, as he
      held the reins in his hands. The stone hit him on the forehead
      and drove his brows into his head for the bone was smashed, and
      his eyes fell to the ground at his feet. He dropped dead from his
      chariot as though he were diving, and there was no more life left
      in him. Over him did you then vaunt, O knight Patroclus, saying,
      “Bless my heart, how active he is, and how well he dives. If we
      had been at sea this fellow would have dived from the ship’s side
      and brought up as many oysters as the whole crew could stomach,
      even in rough water, for he has dived beautifully off his chariot
      on to the ground. It seems, then, that there are divers also
      among the Trojans.”

      As he spoke he flung himself on Cebriones with the spring, as it
      were, of a lion that while attacking a stockyard is himself
      struck in the chest, and his courage is his own bane—even so
      furiously, O Patroclus, did you then spring upon Cebriones.
      Hector sprang also from his chariot to the ground. The pair then
      fought over the body of Cebriones. As two lions fight fiercely on
      some high mountain over the body of a stag that they have killed,
      even so did these two mighty warriors, Patroclus son of Menoetius
      and brave Hector, hack and hew at one another over the corpse of
      Cebriones. Hector would not let him go when he had once got him
      by the head, while Patroclus kept fast hold of his feet, and a
      fierce fight raged between the other Danaans and Trojans. As the
      east and south wind buffet one another when they beat upon some
      dense forest on the mountains—there is beech and ash and
      spreading cornel; the top of the trees roar as they beat on one
      another, and one can hear the boughs cracking and breaking—even
      so did the Trojans and Achaeans spring upon one another and lay
      about each other, and neither side would give way. Many a pointed
      spear fell to ground and many a winged arrow sped from its
      bowstring about the body of Cebriones; many a great stone,
      moreover, beat on many a shield as they fought around his body,
      but there he lay in the whirling clouds of dust, all huge and
      hugely, heedless of his driving now.

      So long as the sun was still high in mid-heaven the weapons of
      either side were alike deadly, and the people fell; but when he
      went down towards the time when men loose their oxen, the
      Achaeans proved to be beyond all forecast stronger, so that they
      drew Cebriones out of range of the darts and tumult of the
      Trojans, and stripped the armour from his shoulders. Then
      Patroclus sprang like Mars with fierce intent and a terrific
      shout upon the Trojans, and thrice did he kill nine men; but as
      he was coming on like a god for a time, then, O Patroclus, was
      the hour of your end approaching, for Phoebus fought you in fell
      earnest. Patroclus did not see him as he moved about in the
      crush, for he was enshrouded in thick darkness, and the god
      struck him from behind on his back and his broad shoulders with
      the flat of his hand, so that his eyes turned dizzy. Phoebus
      Apollo beat the helmet from off his head, and it rolled rattling
      off under the horses’ feet, where its horse-hair plumes were all
      begrimed with dust and blood. Never indeed had that helmet fared
      so before, for it had served to protect the head and comely
      forehead of the godlike hero Achilles. Now, however, Zeus
      delivered it over to be worn by Hector. Nevertheless the end of
      Hector also was near. The bronze-shod spear, so great and so
      strong, was broken in the hand of Patroclus, while his shield
      that covered him from head to foot fell to the ground as did also
      the band that held it, and Apollo undid the fastenings of his
      corslet.

      On this his mind became clouded; his limbs failed him, and he
      stood as one dazed; whereon Euphorbus son of Panthous a
      Dardanian, the best spearman of his time, as also the finest
      horseman and fleetest runner, came behind him and struck him in
      the back with a spear, midway between the shoulders. This man as
      soon as ever he had come up with his chariot had dismounted
      twenty men, so proficient was he in all the arts of war—he it
      was, O knight Patroclus, that first drove a weapon into you, but
      he did not quite overpower you. Euphorbus then ran back into the
      crowd, after drawing his ashen spear out of the wound; he would
      not stand firm and wait for Patroclus, unarmed though he now was,
      to attack him; but Patroclus unnerved, alike by the blow the god
      had given him and by the spear-wound, drew back under cover of
      his men in fear for his life. Hector on this, seeing him to be
      wounded and giving ground, forced his way through the ranks, and
      when close up with him struck him in the lower part of the belly
      with a spear, driving the bronze point right through it, so that
      he fell heavily to the ground to the great grief of the Achaeans.
      As when a lion has fought some fierce wild boar and worsted
      him—the two fight furiously upon the mountains over some little
      fountain at which they would both drink, and the lion has beaten
      the boar till he can hardly breathe—even so did Hector son of
      Priam take the life of the brave son of Menoetius who had killed
      so many, striking him from close at hand, and vaunting over him
      the while. “Patroclus,” said he, “you deemed that you should sack
      our city, rob our Trojan women of their freedom, and carry them
      off in your ships to your own country. Fool; Hector and his fleet
      horses were ever straining their utmost to defend them. I am
      foremost of all the Trojan warriors to stave the day of bondage
      from off them; as for you, vultures shall devour you here. Poor
      wretch, Achilles with all his bravery availed you nothing; and
      yet I ween when you left him he charged you straitly saying,
      ‘Come not back to the ships, knight Patroclus, till you have rent
      the blood-stained shirt of murderous Hector about his body.’ Thus
      I ween did he charge you, and your fool’s heart answered him
      ‘yea’ within you.”

      Then, as the life ebbed out of you, you answered, O knight
      Patroclus: “Hector, vaunt as you will, for Jove the son of Saturn
      and Apollo have vouchsafed you victory; it is they who have
      vanquished me so easily, and they who have stripped the armour
      from my shoulders; had twenty such men as you attacked me, all of
      them would have fallen before my spear. Fate and the son of Leto
      have overpowered me, and among mortal men Euphorbus; you are
      yourself third only in the killing of me. I say further, and lay
      my saying to your heart, you too shall live but for a little
      season; death and the day of your doom are close upon you, and
      they will lay you low by the hand of Achilles son of Aeacus.”

      When he had thus spoken his eyes were closed in death, his soul
      left his body and flitted down to the house of Hades, mourning
      its sad fate and bidding farewell to the youth and vigor of its
      manhood. Dead though he was, Hector still spoke to him saying,
      “Patroclus, why should you thus foretell my doom? Who knows but
      Achilles, son of lovely Thetis, may be smitten by my spear and
      die before me?”

      As he spoke he drew the bronze spear from the wound, planting his
      foot upon the body, which he thrust off and let lie on its back.
      He then went spear in hand after Automedon, squire of the fleet
      descendant of Aeacus, for he longed to lay him low, but the
      immortal steeds which the gods had given as a rich gift to Peleus
      bore him swiftly from the field.


1  ὣς οἳ μὲν περὶ νηὸς ἐϋσσέλμοιο μάχοντο·
2  Πάτροκλος δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ παρίστατο ποιμένι λαῶν
3  δάκρυα θερμὰ χέων ὥς τε κρήνη μελάνυδρος,
4  ἥ τε κατʼ αἰγίλιπος πέτρης δνοφερὸν χέει ὕδωρ.
5  τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ᾤκτιρε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,
6  καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
7  τίπτε δεδάκρυσαι Πατρόκλεες, ἠΰτε κούρη
8  νηπίη, ἥ θʼ ἅμα μητρὶ θέουσʼ ἀνελέσθαι ἀνώγει
9  εἱανοῦ ἁπτομένη, καί τʼ ἐσσυμένην κατερύκει,
10  δακρυόεσσα δέ μιν ποτιδέρκεται, ὄφρʼ ἀνέληται·
11  τῇ ἴκελος Πάτροκλε τέρεν κατὰ δάκρυον εἴβεις.
12  ἠέ τι Μυρμιδόνεσσι πιφαύσκεαι, ἢ ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ,
13  ἦέ τινʼ ἀγγελίην Φθίης ἐξέκλυες οἶος;
14  ζώειν μὰν ἔτι φασὶ Μενοίτιον Ἄκτορος υἱόν,
15  ζώει δʼ Αἰακίδης Πηλεὺς μετὰ Μυρμιδόνεσσι;
16  τῶν κε μάλʼ ἀμφοτέρων ἀκαχοίμεθα τεθνηώτων.
17  ἦε σύ γʼ Ἀργείων ὀλοφύρεαι, ὡς ὀλέκονται
18  νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ὑπερβασίης ἕνεκα σφῆς;
19  ἐξαύδα, μὴ κεῦθε νόῳ, ἵνα εἴδομεν ἄμφω.
20  τὸν δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων προσέφης Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ·
21  ὦ Ἀχιλεῦ Πηλῆος υἱὲ μέγα φέρτατʼ Ἀχαιῶν
22  μὴ νεμέσα· τοῖον γὰρ ἄχος βεβίηκεν Ἀχαιούς.
23  οἳ μὲν γὰρ δὴ πάντες, ὅσοι πάρος ἦσαν ἄριστοι,
24  ἐν νηυσὶν κέαται βεβλημένοι οὐτάμενοί τε.
25  βέβληται μὲν ὃ Τυδεΐδης κρατερὸς Διομήδης,
26  οὔτασται δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς δουρικλυτὸς ἠδʼ Ἀγαμέμνων,
27  βέβληται δὲ καὶ Εὐρύπυλος κατὰ μηρὸν ὀϊστῷ.
28  τοὺς μέν τʼ ἰητροὶ πολυφάρμακοι ἀμφιπένονται
29  ἕλκεʼ ἀκειόμενοι· σὺ δʼ ἀμήχανος ἔπλευ Ἀχιλλεῦ.
30  μὴ ἐμέ γʼ οὖν οὗτός γε λάβοι χόλος, ὃν σὺ φυλάσσεις
31  αἰναρέτη· τί σευ ἄλλος ὀνήσεται ὀψίγονός περ
32  αἴ κε μὴ Ἀργείοισιν ἀεικέα λοιγὸν ἀμύνῃς;
33  νηλεές, οὐκ ἄρα σοί γε πατὴρ ἦν ἱππότα Πηλεύς,
34  οὐδὲ Θέτις μήτηρ· γλαυκὴ δέ σε τίκτε θάλασσα
35  πέτραι τʼ ἠλίβατοι, ὅτι τοι νόος ἐστὶν ἀπηνής.
36  εἰ δέ τινα φρεσὶ σῇσι θεοπροπίην ἀλεείνεις
37  καί τινά τοι πὰρ Ζηνὸς ἐπέφραδε πότνια μήτηρ,
38  ἀλλʼ ἐμέ περ πρόες ὦχʼ, ἃμα δʼ ἄλλον λαὸν ὄπασσον
39  Μυρμιδόνων, ἤν πού τι φόως Δαναοῖσι γένωμαι.
40  δὸς δέ μοι ὤμοιιν τὰ σὰ τεύχεα θωρηχθῆναι,
41  αἴ κʼ ἐμὲ σοὶ ἴσκοντες ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο
42  Τρῶες, ἀναπνεύσωσι δʼ Ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
43  τειρόμενοι· ὀλίγη δέ τʼ ἀνάπνευσις πολέμοιο.
44  ῥεῖα δέ κʼ ἀκμῆτες κεκμηότας ἄνδρας ἀϋτῇ
45  ὤσαιμεν προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.
46  ὣς φάτο λισσόμενος μέγα νήπιος· ἦ γὰρ ἔμελλεν
47  οἷ αὐτῷ θάνατόν τε κακὸν καὶ κῆρα λιτέσθαι.
48  τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
49  ὤ μοι διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες οἷον ἔειπες·
50  οὔτε θεοπροπίης ἐμπάζομαι ἥν τινα οἶδα,
51  οὔτέ τί μοι πὰρ Ζηνὸς ἐπέφραδε πότνια μήτηρ·
52  ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει,
53  ὁππότε δὴ τὸν ὁμοῖον ἀνὴρ ἐθέλῃσιν ἀμέρσαι
54  καὶ γέρας ἂψ ἀφελέσθαι, ὅ τε κράτεϊ προβεβήκῃ·
55  αἰνὸν ἄχος τό μοί ἐστιν, ἐπεὶ πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ.
56  κούρην ἣν ἄρα μοι γέρας ἔξελον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,
57  δουρὶ δʼ ἐμῷ κτεάτισσα πόλιν εὐτείχεα πέρσας,
58  τὴν ἂψ ἐκ χειρῶν ἕλετο κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
59  Ἀτρεΐδης ὡς εἴ τινʼ ἀτίμητον μετανάστην.
60  ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν προτετύχθαι ἐάσομεν· οὐδʼ ἄρα πως ἦν
61  ἀσπερχὲς κεχολῶσθαι ἐνὶ φρεσίν· ἤτοι ἔφην γε
62  οὐ πρὶν μηνιθμὸν καταπαυσέμεν, ἀλλʼ ὁπότʼ ἂν δὴ
63  νῆας ἐμὰς ἀφίκηται ἀϋτή τε πτόλεμός τε.
64  τύνη δʼ ὤμοιιν μὲν ἐμὰ κλυτὰ τεύχεα δῦθι,
65  ἄρχε δὲ Μυρμιδόνεσσι φιλοπτολέμοισι μάχεσθαι,
66  εἰ δὴ κυάνεον Τρώων νέφος ἀμφιβέβηκε
67  νηυσὶν ἐπικρατέως, οἳ δὲ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης
68  κεκλίαται, χώρης ὀλίγην ἔτι μοῖραν ἔχοντες
69  Ἀργεῖοι, Τρώων δὲ πόλις ἐπὶ πᾶσα βέβηκε
70  θάρσυνος· οὐ γὰρ ἐμῆς κόρυθος λεύσσουσι μέτωπον
71  ἐγγύθι λαμπομένης· τάχα κεν φεύγοντες ἐναύλους
72  πλήσειαν νεκύων, εἴ μοι κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
73  ἤπια εἰδείη· νῦν δὲ στρατὸν ἀμφιμάχονται.
74  οὐ γὰρ Τυδεΐδεω Διομήδεος ἐν παλάμῃσι
75  μαίνεται ἐγχείη Δαναῶν ἀπὸ λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι·
76  οὐδέ πω Ἀτρεΐδεω ὀπὸς ἔκλυον αὐδήσαντος
77  ἐχθρῆς ἐκ κεφαλῆς· ἀλλʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο
78  Τρωσὶ κελεύοντος περιάγνυται, οἳ δʼ ἀλαλητῷ
79  πᾶν πεδίον κατέχουσι μάχῃ νικῶντες Ἀχαιούς.
80  ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς Πάτροκλε νεῶν ἄπο λοιγὸν ἀμύνων
81  ἔμπεσʼ ἐπικρατέως, μὴ δὴ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο
82  νῆας ἐνιπρήσωσι, φίλον δʼ ἀπὸ νόστον ἕλωνται.
83  πείθεο δʼ ὥς τοι ἐγὼ μύθου τέλος ἐν φρεσὶ θείω,
84  ὡς ἄν μοι τιμὴν μεγάλην καὶ κῦδος ἄρηαι
85  πρὸς πάντων Δαναῶν, ἀτὰρ οἳ περικαλλέα κούρην
86  ἂψ ἀπονάσσωσιν, ποτὶ δʼ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα πόρωσιν.
87  ἐκ νηῶν ἐλάσας ἰέναι πάλιν· εἰ δέ κεν αὖ τοι
88  δώῃ κῦδος ἀρέσθαι ἐρίγδουπος πόσις Ἥρης,
89  μὴ σύ γʼ ἄνευθεν ἐμεῖο λιλαίεσθαι πολεμίζειν
90  Τρωσὶ φιλοπτολέμοισιν· ἀτιμότερον δέ με θήσεις·
91  μὴ δʼ ἐπαγαλλόμενος πολέμῳ καὶ δηϊοτῆτι
92  Τρῶας ἐναιρόμενος προτὶ Ἴλιον ἡγεμονεύειν,
93  μή τις ἀπʼ Οὐλύμποιο θεῶν αἰειγενετάων
94  ἐμβήῃ· μάλα τούς γε φιλεῖ ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·
95  ἀλλὰ πάλιν τρωπᾶσθαι, ἐπὴν φάος ἐν νήεσσι
96  θήῃς, τοὺς δʼ ἔτʼ ἐᾶν πεδίον κάτα δηριάασθαι.
97  αἲ γὰρ Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον
98  μήτέ τις οὖν Τρώων θάνατον φύγοι ὅσσοι ἔασι,
99  μήτέ τις Ἀργείων, νῶϊν δʼ ἐκδῦμεν ὄλεθρον,
100  ὄφρʼ οἶοι Τροίης ἱερὰ κρήδεμνα λύωμεν.
101  ὣς οἳ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,
102  Αἴας δʼ οὐκ ἔτʼ ἔμιμνε· βιάζετο γὰρ βελέεσσι·
103  δάμνα μιν Ζηνός τε νόος καὶ Τρῶες ἀγαυοὶ
104  βάλλοντες· δεινὴν δὲ περὶ κροτάφοισι φαεινὴ
105  πήληξ βαλλομένη καναχὴν ἔχε, βάλλετο δʼ αἰεὶ
106  κὰπ φάλαρʼ εὐποίηθʼ· ὃ δʼ ἀριστερὸν ὦμον ἔκαμνεν
107  ἔμπεδον αἰὲν ἔχων σάκος αἰόλον· οὐδὲ δύναντο
108  ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ πελεμίξαι ἐρείδοντες βελέεσσιν.
109  αἰεὶ δʼ ἀργαλέῳ ἔχετʼ ἄσθματι, κὰδ δέ οἱ ἱδρὼς
110  πάντοθεν ἐκ μελέων πολὺς ἔρρεεν, οὐδέ πῃ εἶχεν
111  ἀμπνεῦσαι· πάντῃ δὲ κακὸν κακῷ ἐστήρικτο.
112  ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαι,
113  ὅππως δὴ πρῶτον πῦρ ἔμπεσε νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.
114  Ἕκτωρ Αἴαντος δόρυ μείλινον ἄγχι παραστὰς
115  πλῆξʼ ἄορι μεγάλῳ αἰχμῆς παρὰ καυλὸν ὄπισθεν,
116  ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἀπάραξε· τὸ μὲν Τελαμώνιος Αἴας
117  πῆλʼ αὔτως ἐν χειρὶ κόλον δόρυ, τῆλε δʼ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ
118  αἰχμὴ χαλκείη χαμάδις βόμβησε πεσοῦσα.
119  γνῶ δʼ Αἴας κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονα ῥίγησέν τε
120  ἔργα θεῶν, ὅ ῥα πάγχυ μάχης ἐπὶ μήδεα κεῖρε
121  Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης, Τρώεσσι δὲ βούλετο νίκην·
122  χάζετο δʼ ἐκ βελέων. τοὶ δʼ ἔμβαλον ἀκάματον πῦρ
123  νηῒ θοῇ· τῆς δʼ αἶψα κατʼ ἀσβέστη κέχυτο φλόξ.
124  ὣς τὴν μὲν πρυμνὴν πῦρ ἄμφεπεν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
125  μηρὼ πληξάμενος Πατροκλῆα προσέειπεν·
126  ὄρσεο διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες ἱπποκέλευθε·
127  λεύσσω δὴ παρὰ νηυσὶ πυρὸς δηΐοιο ἰωήν·
128  μὴ δὴ νῆας ἕλωσι καὶ οὐκέτι φυκτὰ πέλωνται·
129  δύσεο τεύχεα θᾶσσον, ἐγὼ δέ κε λαὸν ἀγείρω.
130  ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ κορύσσετο νώροπι χαλκῷ.
131  κνημῖδας μὲν πρῶτα περὶ κνήμῃσιν ἔθηκε
132  καλάς, ἀργυρέοισιν ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας·
133  δεύτερον αὖ θώρηκα περὶ στήθεσσιν ἔδυνε
134  ποικίλον ἀστερόεντα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο.
135  ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ὤμοισιν βάλετο ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον
136  χάλκεον, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε·
137  κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν
138  ἵππουριν· δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν.
139  εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμα δοῦρε, τά οἱ παλάμηφιν ἀρήρει.
140  ἔγχος δʼ οὐχ ἕλετʼ οἶον ἀμύμονος Αἰακίδαο
141  βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρόν· τὸ μὲν οὐ δύνατʼ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν
142  πάλλειν, ἀλλά μιν οἶος ἐπίστατο πῆλαι Ἀχιλλεὺς
143  Πηλιάδα μελίην, τὴν πατρὶ φίλῳ πόρε Χείρων
144  Πηλίου ἐκ κορυφῆς, φόνον ἔμμεναι ἡρώεσσιν.
145  ἵππους δʼ Αὐτομέδοντα θοῶς ζευγνῦμεν ἄνωγε,
146  τὸν μετʼ Ἀχιλλῆα ῥηξήνορα τῖε μάλιστα,
147  πιστότατος δέ οἱ ἔσκε μάχῃ ἔνι μεῖναι ὁμοκλήν.
148  τῷ δὲ καὶ Αὐτομέδων ὕπαγε ζυγὸν ὠκέας ἵππους
149  Ξάνθον καὶ Βαλίον, τὼ ἅμα πνοιῇσι πετέσθην,
150  τοὺς ἔτεκε Ζεφύρῳ ἀνέμῳ Ἅρπυια Ποδάργη
151  βοσκομένη λειμῶνι παρὰ ῥόον Ὠκεανοῖο.
152  ἐν δὲ παρηορίῃσιν ἀμύμονα Πήδασον ἵει,
153  τόν ῥά ποτʼ Ἠετίωνος ἑλὼν πόλιν ἤγαγʼ Ἀχιλλεύς,
154  ὃς καὶ θνητὸς ἐὼν ἕπεθʼ ἵπποις ἀθανάτοισι.
155  Μυρμιδόνας δʼ ἄρʼ ἐποιχόμενος θώρηξεν Ἀχιλλεὺς
156  πάντας ἀνὰ κλισίας σὺν τεύχεσιν· οἳ δὲ λύκοι ὣς
157  ὠμοφάγοι, τοῖσίν τε περὶ φρεσὶν ἄσπετος ἀλκή,
158  οἵ τʼ ἔλαφον κεραὸν μέγαν οὔρεσι δῃώσαντες
159  δάπτουσιν· πᾶσιν δὲ παρήϊον αἵματι φοινόν·
160  καί τʼ ἀγεληδὸν ἴασιν ἀπὸ κρήνης μελανύδρου
161  λάψοντες γλώσσῃσιν ἀραιῇσιν μέλαν ὕδωρ
162  ἄκρον ἐρευγόμενοι φόνον αἵματος· ἐν δέ τε θυμὸς
163  στήθεσιν ἄτρομός ἐστι, περιστένεται δέ τε γαστήρ·
164  τοῖοι Μυρμιδόνων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες
165  ἀμφʼ ἀγαθὸν θεράποντα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο
166  ῥώοντʼ· ἐν δʼ ἄρα τοῖσιν ἀρήϊος ἵστατʼ Ἀχιλλεύς,
167  ὀτρύνων ἵππους τε καὶ ἀνέρας ἀσπιδιώτας.
168  πεντήκοντʼ ἦσαν νῆες θοαί, ᾗσιν Ἀχιλλεὺς
169  ἐς Τροίην ἡγεῖτο Διῒ φίλος· ἐν δὲ ἑκάστῃ
170  πεντήκοντʼ ἔσαν ἄνδρες ἐπὶ κληῗσιν ἑταῖροι·
171  πέντε δʼ ἄρʼ ἡγεμόνας ποιήσατο τοῖς ἐπεποίθει
172  σημαίνειν· αὐτὸς δὲ μέγα κρατέων ἤνασσε.
173  τῆς μὲν ἰῆς στιχὸς ἦρχε Μενέσθιος αἰολοθώρηξ
174  υἱὸς Σπερχειοῖο διιπετέος ποταμοῖο·
175  ὃν τέκε Πηλῆος θυγάτηρ καλὴ Πολυδώρη
176  Σπερχειῷ ἀκάμαντι γυνὴ θεῷ εὐνηθεῖσα,
177  αὐτὰρ ἐπίκλησιν Βώρῳ Περιήρεος υἷι,
178  ὅς ῥʼ ἀναφανδὸν ὄπυιε πορὼν ἀπερείσια ἕδνα.
179  τῆς δʼ ἑτέρης Εὔδωρος ἀρήϊος ἡγεμόνευε
180  παρθένιος, τὸν ἔτικτε χορῷ καλὴ Πολυμήλη
181  Φύλαντος θυγάτηρ· τῆς δὲ κρατὺς ἀργεϊφόντης
182  ἠράσατʼ, ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδὼν μετὰ μελπομένῃσιν
183  ἐν χορῷ Ἀρτέμιδος χρυσηλακάτου κελαδεινῆς.
184  αὐτίκα δʼ εἰς ὑπερῷʼ ἀναβὰς παρελέξατο λάθρῃ
185  Ἑρμείας ἀκάκητα, πόρεν δέ οἱ ἀγλαὸν υἱὸν
186  Εὔδωρον πέρι μὲν θείειν ταχὺν ἠδὲ μαχητήν.
187  αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τόν γε μογοστόκος Εἰλείθυια
188  ἐξάγαγε πρὸ φόως δὲ καὶ ἠελίου ἴδεν αὐγάς,
189  τὴν μὲν Ἐχεκλῆος κρατερὸν μένος Ἀκτορίδαο
190  ἠγάγετο πρὸς δώματʼ, ἐπεὶ πόρε μυρία ἕδνα,
191  τὸν δʼ ὃ γέρων Φύλας εὖ ἔτρεφεν ἠδʼ ἀτίταλλεν
192  ἀμφαγαπαζόμενος ὡς εἴ θʼ ἑὸν υἱὸν ἐόντα.
193  τῆς δὲ τρίτης Πείσανδρος ἀρήϊος ἡγεμόνευε
194  Μαιμαλίδης, ὃς πᾶσι μετέπρεπε Μυρμιδόνεσσιν
195  ἔγχεϊ μάρνασθαι μετὰ Πηλεΐωνος ἑταῖρον.
196  τῆς δὲ τετάρτης ἦρχε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Φοῖνιξ,
197  πέμπτης δʼ Ἀλκιμέδων Λαέρκεος υἱὸς ἀμύμων.
198  αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντας ἅμʼ ἡγεμόνεσσιν Ἀχιλλεὺς
199  στῆσεν ἐῢ κρίνας, κρατερὸν δʼ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλε·
200  Μυρμιδόνες μή τίς μοι ἀπειλάων λελαθέσθω,
201  ἃς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ θοῇσιν ἀπειλεῖτε Τρώεσσι
202  πάνθʼ ὑπὸ μηνιθμόν, καί μʼ ᾐτιάασθε ἕκαστος·
203  σχέτλιε Πηλέος υἱὲ χόλῳ ἄρα σʼ ἔτρεφε μήτηρ,
204  νηλεές, ὃς παρὰ νηυσὶν ἔχεις ἀέκοντας ἑταίρους·
205  οἴκαδέ περ σὺν νηυσὶ νεώμεθα ποντοπόροισιν
206  αὖτις, ἐπεί ῥά τοι ὧδε κακὸς χόλος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ.
207  ταῦτά μʼ ἀγειρόμενοι θάμʼ ἐβάζετε· νῦν δὲ πέφανται
208  φυλόπιδος μέγα ἔργον, ἕης τὸ πρίν γʼ ἐράασθε.
209  ἔνθά τις ἄλκιμον ἦτορ ἔχων Τρώεσσι μαχέσθω.
210  ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.
211  μᾶλλον δὲ στίχες ἄρθεν, ἐπεὶ βασιλῆος ἄκουσαν.
212  ὡς δʼ ὅτε τοῖχον ἀνὴρ ἀράρῃ πυκινοῖσι λίθοισι
213  δώματος ὑψηλοῖο βίας ἀνέμων ἀλεείνων,
214  ὣς ἄραρον κόρυθές τε καὶ ἀσπίδες ὀμφαλόεσσαι.
215  ἀσπὶς ἄρʼ ἀσπίδʼ ἔρειδε, κόρυς κόρυν, ἀνέρα δʼ ἀνήρ·
216  ψαῦον δʼ ἱππόκομοι κόρυθες λαμπροῖσι φάλοισι
217  νευόντων, ὡς πυκνοὶ ἐφέστασαν ἀλλήλοισι.
218  πάντων δὲ προπάροιθε δύʼ ἀνέρε θωρήσσοντο
219  Πάτροκλός τε καὶ Αὐτομέδων ἕνα θυμὸν ἔχοντες
220  πρόσθεν Μυρμιδόνων πολεμιζέμεν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
221  βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ἐς κλισίην, χηλοῦ δʼ ἀπὸ πῶμʼ ἀνέῳγε
222  καλῆς δαιδαλέης, τήν οἱ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα
223  θῆκʼ ἐπὶ νηὸς ἄγεσθαι ἐῢ πλήσασα χιτώνων
224  χλαινάων τʼ ἀνεμοσκεπέων οὔλων τε ταπήτων.
225  ἔνθα δέ οἱ δέπας ἔσκε τετυγμένον, οὐδέ τις ἄλλος
226  οὔτʼ ἀνδρῶν πίνεσκεν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ αἴθοπα οἶνον,
227  οὔτέ τεῳ σπένδεσκε θεῶν, ὅτε μὴ Διὶ πατρί.
228  τό ῥα τότʼ ἐκ χηλοῖο λαβὼν ἐκάθηρε θεείῳ
229  πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δʼ ἔνιψʼ ὕδατος καλῇσι ῥοῇσι,
230  νίψατο δʼ αὐτὸς χεῖρας, ἀφύσσατο δʼ αἴθοπα οἶνον.
231  εὔχετʼ ἔπειτα στὰς μέσῳ ἕρκεϊ, λεῖβε δὲ οἶνον
232  οὐρανὸν εἰσανιδών· Δία δʼ οὐ λάθε τερπικέραυνον·
233  Ζεῦ ἄνα Δωδωναῖε Πελασγικὲ τηλόθι ναίων
234  Δωδώνης μεδέων δυσχειμέρου, ἀμφὶ δὲ Σελλοὶ
235  σοὶ ναίουσʼ ὑποφῆται ἀνιπτόποδες χαμαιεῦναι,
236  ἠμὲν δή ποτʼ ἐμὸν ἔπος ἔκλυες εὐξαμένοιο,
237  τίμησας μὲν ἐμέ, μέγα δʼ ἴψαο λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν,
238  ἠδʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν μοι τόδʼ ἐπικρήηνον ἐέλδωρ·
239  αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐγὼ μενέω νηῶν ἐν ἀγῶνι,
240  ἀλλʼ ἕταρον πέμπω πολέσιν μετὰ Μυρμιδόνεσσι
241  μάρνασθαι· τῷ κῦδος ἅμα πρόες εὐρύοπα Ζεῦ,
242  θάρσυνον δέ οἱ ἦτορ ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ὄφρα καὶ Ἕκτωρ
243  εἴσεται ἤ ῥα καὶ οἶος ἐπίστηται πολεμίζειν
244  ἡμέτερος θεράπων, ἦ οἱ τότε χεῖρες ἄαπτοι
245  μαίνονθʼ, ὁππότʼ ἐγώ περ ἴω μετὰ μῶλον Ἄρηος.
246  αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κʼ ἀπὸ ναῦφι μάχην ἐνοπήν τε δίηται,
247  ἀσκηθής μοι ἔπειτα θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἵκοιτο
248  τεύχεσί τε ξὺν πᾶσι καὶ ἀγχεμάχοις ἑτάροισιν.
249  ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε μητίετα Ζεύς.
250  τῷ δʼ ἕτερον μὲν ἔδωκε πατήρ, ἕτερον δʼ ἀνένευσε·
251  νηῶν μέν οἱ ἀπώσασθαι πόλεμόν τε μάχην τε
252  δῶκε, σόον δʼ ἀνένευσε μάχης ἐξαπονέεσθαι.
253  ἤτοι ὃ μὲν σπείσας τε καὶ εὐξάμενος Διὶ πατρὶ
254  ἂψ κλισίην εἰσῆλθε, δέπας δʼ ἀπέθηκʼ ἐνὶ χηλῷ,
255  στῆ δὲ πάροιθʼ ἐλθὼν κλισίης, ἔτι δʼ ἤθελε θυμῷ
256  εἰσιδέειν Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν φύλοπιν αἰνήν.
257  οἳ δʼ ἅμα Πατρόκλῳ μεγαλήτορι θωρηχθέντες
258  ἔστιχον, ὄφρʼ ἐν Τρωσὶ μέγα φρονέοντες ὄρουσαν.
259  αὐτίκα δὲ σφήκεσσιν ἐοικότες ἐξεχέοντο
260  εἰνοδίοις, οὓς παῖδες ἐριδμαίνωσιν ἔθοντες
261  αἰεὶ κερτομέοντες ὁδῷ ἔπι οἰκίʼ ἔχοντας
262  νηπίαχοι· ξυνὸν δὲ κακὸν πολέεσσι τιθεῖσι.
263  τοὺς δʼ εἴ περ παρά τίς τε κιὼν ἄνθρωπος ὁδίτης
264  κινήσῃ ἀέκων, οἳ δʼ ἄλκιμον ἦτορ ἔχοντες
265  πρόσσω πᾶς πέτεται καὶ ἀμύνει οἷσι τέκεσσι.
266  τῶν τότε Μυρμιδόνες κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἔχοντες
267  ἐκ νηῶν ἐχέοντο· βοὴ δʼ ἄσβεστος ὀρώρει.
268  Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτάροισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
269  Μυρμιδόνες ἕταροι Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
270  ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς,
271  ὡς ἂν Πηλεΐδην τιμήσομεν, ὃς μέγʼ ἄριστος
272  Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ καὶ ἀγχέμαχοι θεράποντες,
273  γνῷ δὲ καὶ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
274  ἣν ἄτην, ὅ τʼ ἄριστον Ἀχαιῶν οὐδὲν ἔτισεν.
275  ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου,
276  ἐν δʼ ἔπεσον Τρώεσσιν ἀολλέες· ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆες
277  σμερδαλέον κονάβησαν ἀϋσάντων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν.
278  Τρῶες δʼ ὡς εἴδοντο Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμον υἱὸν
279  αὐτὸν καὶ θεράποντα σὺν ἔντεσι μαρμαίροντας,
280  πᾶσιν ὀρίνθη θυμός, ἐκίνηθεν δὲ φάλαγγες
281  ἐλπόμενοι παρὰ ναῦφι ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα
282  μηνιθμὸν μὲν ἀπορρῖψαι, φιλότητα δʼ ἑλέσθαι·
283  πάπτηνεν δὲ ἕκαστος ὅπῃ φύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.
284  Πάτροκλος δὲ πρῶτος ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ
285  ἀντικρὺ κατὰ μέσσον, ὅθι πλεῖστοι κλονέοντο,
286  νηῒ πάρα πρυμνῇ μεγαθύμου Πρωτεσιλάου,
287  καὶ βάλε Πυραίχμην, ὃς Παίονας ἱπποκορυστὰς
288  ἤγαγεν ἐξ Ἀμυδῶνος ἀπʼ Ἀξιοῦ εὐρὺ ῥέοντος·
289  τὸν βάλε δεξιὸν ὦμον· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἐν κονίῃσι
290  κάππεσεν οἰμώξας, ἕταροι δέ μιν ἀμφεφόβηθεν
291  Παίονες· ἐν γὰρ Πάτροκλος φόβον ἧκεν ἅπασιν
292  ἡγεμόνα κτείνας, ὃς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι.
293  ἐκ νηῶν δʼ ἔλασεν, κατὰ δʼ ἔσβεσεν αἰθόμενον πῦρ.
294  ἡμιδαὴς δʼ ἄρα νηῦς λίπετʼ αὐτόθι· τοὶ δὲ φόβηθεν
295  Τρῶες θεσπεσίῳ ὁμάδῳ· Δαναοὶ δʼ ἐπέχυντο
296  νῆας ἀνὰ γλαφυράς· ὅμαδος δʼ ἀλίαστος ἐτύχθη.
297  ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀφʼ ὑψηλῆς κορυφῆς ὄρεος μεγάλοιο
298  κινήσῃ πυκινὴν νεφέλην στεροπηγερέτα Ζεύς,
299  ἔκ τʼ ἔφανεν πᾶσαι σκοπιαὶ καὶ πρώονες ἄκροι
300  καὶ νάπαι, οὐρανόθεν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπερράγη ἄσπετος αἰθήρ,
301  ὣς Δαναοὶ νηῶν μὲν ἀπωσάμενοι δήϊον πῦρ
302  τυτθὸν ἀνέπνευσαν, πολέμου δʼ οὐ γίγνετʼ ἐρωή·
303  οὐ γάρ πώ τι Τρῶες ἀρηϊφίλων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν
304  προτροπάδην φοβέοντο μελαινάων ἀπὸ νηῶν,
305  ἀλλʼ ἔτʼ ἄρʼ ἀνθίσταντο, νεῶν δʼ ὑπόεικον ἀνάγκῃ.
306  ἔνθα δʼ ἀνὴρ ἕλεν ἄνδρα κεδασθείσης ὑσμίνης
307  ἡγεμόνων. πρῶτος δὲ Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱὸς
308  αὐτίκʼ ἄρα στρεφθέντος Ἀρηϊλύκου βάλε μηρὸν
309  ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι, διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσε·
310  ῥῆξεν δʼ ὀστέον ἔγχος, ὃ δὲ πρηνὴς ἐπὶ γαίῃ
311  κάππεσʼ· ἀτὰρ Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος οὖτα Θόαντα
312  στέρνον γυμνωθέντα παρʼ ἀσπίδα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.
313  Φυλεΐδης δʼ Ἄμφικλον ἐφορμηθέντα δοκεύσας
314  ἔφθη ὀρεξάμενος πρυμνὸν σκέλος, ἔνθα πάχιστος
315  μυὼν ἀνθρώπου πέλεται· περὶ δʼ ἔγχεος αἰχμῇ
316  νεῦρα διεσχίσθη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.
317  Νεστορίδαι δʼ ὃ μὲν οὔτασʼ Ἀτύμνιον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ
318  Ἀντίλοχος, λαπάρης δὲ διήλασε χάλκεον ἔγχος·
319  ἤριπε δὲ προπάροιθε. Μάρις δʼ αὐτοσχεδὰ δουρὶ
320  Ἀντιλόχῳ ἐπόρουσε κασιγνήτοιο χολωθεὶς
321  στὰς πρόσθεν νέκυος· τοῦ δʼ ἀντίθεος Θρασυμήδης
322  ἔφθη ὀρεξάμενος πρὶν οὐτάσαι, οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτεν,
323  ὦμον ἄφαρ· πρυμνὸν δὲ βραχίονα δουρὸς ἀκωκὴ
324  δρύψʼ ἀπὸ μυώνων, ἀπὸ δʼ ὀστέον ἄχρις ἄραξε·
325  δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, κατὰ δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.
326  ὣς τὼ μὲν δοιοῖσι κασιγνήτοισι δαμέντε
327  βήτην εἰς Ἔρεβος Σαρπηδόνος ἐσθλοὶ ἑταῖροι
328  υἷες ἀκοντισταὶ Ἀμισωδάρου, ὅς ῥα Χίμαιραν
329  θρέψεν ἀμαιμακέτην πολέσιν κακὸν ἀνθρώποισιν.
330  Αἴας δὲ Κλεόβουλον Ὀϊλιάδης ἐπορούσας
331  ζωὸν ἕλε βλαφθέντα κατὰ κλόνον· ἀλλά οἱ αὖθι
332  λῦσε μένος πλήξας ξίφει αὐχένα κωπήεντι.
333  πᾶν δʼ ὑπεθερμάνθη ξίφος αἵματι· τὸν δὲ κατʼ ὄσσε
334  ἔλλαβε πορφύρεος θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιή.
335  Πηνέλεως δὲ Λύκων τε συνέδραμον· ἔγχεσι μὲν γὰρ
336  ἤμβροτον ἀλλήλων, μέλεον δʼ ἠκόντισαν ἄμφω·
337  τὼ δʼ αὖτις ξιφέεσσι συνέδραμον. ἔνθα Λύκων μὲν
338  ἱπποκόμου κόρυθος φάλον ἤλασεν, ἀμφὶ δὲ καυλὸν
339  φάσγανον ἐρραίσθη· ὃ δʼ ὑπʼ οὔατος αὐχένα θεῖνε
340  Πηνέλεως, πᾶν δʼ εἴσω ἔδυ ξίφος, ἔσχεθε δʼ οἶον
341  δέρμα, παρηέρθη δὲ κάρη, ὑπέλυντο δὲ γυῖα.
342  Μηριόνης δʼ Ἀκάμαντα κιχεὶς ποσὶ καρπαλίμοισι
343  νύξʼ ἵππων ἐπιβησόμενον κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον·
344  ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, κατὰ δʼ ὀφθαλμῶν κέχυτʼ ἀχλύς.
345  Ἰδομενεὺς δʼ Ἐρύμαντα κατὰ στόμα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ
346  νύξε· τὸ δʼ ἀντικρὺ δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξεπέρησε
347  νέρθεν ὑπʼ ἐγκεφάλοιο, κέασσε δʼ ἄρʼ ὀστέα λευκά·
348  ἐκ δʼ ἐτίναχθεν ὀδόντες, ἐνέπλησθεν δέ οἱ ἄμφω
349  αἵματος ὀφθαλμοί· τὸ δʼ ἀνὰ στόμα καὶ κατὰ ῥῖνας
350  πρῆσε χανών· θανάτου δὲ μέλαν νέφος ἀμφεκάλυψεν.
351  οὗτοι ἄρʼ ἡγεμόνες Δαναῶν ἕλον ἄνδρα ἕκαστος.
352  ὡς δὲ λύκοι ἄρνεσσιν ἐπέχραον ἢ ἐρίφοισι
353  σίνται ὑπʼ ἐκ μήλων αἱρεύμενοι, αἵ τʼ ἐν ὄρεσσι
354  ποιμένος ἀφραδίῃσι διέτμαγεν· οἳ δὲ ἰδόντες
355  αἶψα διαρπάζουσιν ἀνάλκιδα θυμὸν ἐχούσας·
356  ὣς Δαναοὶ Τρώεσσιν ἐπέχραον· οἳ δὲ φόβοιο
357  δυσκελάδου μνήσαντο, λάθοντο δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.
358  Αἴας δʼ ὃ μέγας αἰὲν ἐφʼ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ
359  ἵετʼ ἀκοντίσσαι· ὃ δὲ ἰδρείῃ πολέμοιο
360  ἀσπίδι ταυρείῃ κεκαλυμμένος εὐρέας ὤμους
361  σκέπτετʼ ὀϊστῶν τε ῥοῖζον καὶ δοῦπον ἀκόντων.
362  ἦ μὲν δὴ γίγνωσκε μάχης ἑτεραλκέα νίκην·
363  ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἀνέμιμνε, σάω δʼ ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους.
364  ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀπʼ Οὐλύμπου νέφος ἔρχεται οὐρανὸν εἴσω
365  αἰθέρος ἐκ δίης, ὅτε τε Ζεὺς λαίλαπα τείνῃ,
366  ὣς τῶν ἐκ νηῶν γένετο ἰαχή τε φόβος τε,
367  οὐδὲ κατὰ μοῖραν πέραον πάλιν. Ἕκτορα δʼ ἵπποι
368  ἔκφερον ὠκύποδες σὺν τεύχεσι, λεῖπε δὲ λαὸν
369  Τρωϊκόν, οὓς ἀέκοντας ὀρυκτὴ τάφρος ἔρυκε.
370  πολλοὶ δʼ ἐν τάφρῳ ἐρυσάρματες ὠκέες ἵπποι
371  ἄξαντʼ ἐν πρώτῳ ῥυμῷ λίπον ἅρματʼ ἀνάκτων,
372  Πάτροκλος δʼ ἕπετο σφεδανὸν Δαναοῖσι κελεύων
373  Τρωσὶ κακὰ φρονέων· οἳ δὲ ἰαχῇ τε φόβῳ τε
374  πάσας πλῆσαν ὁδούς, ἐπεὶ ἂρ τμάγεν· ὕψι δʼ ἀέλλη
375  σκίδναθʼ ὑπὸ νεφέων, τανύοντο δὲ μώνυχες ἵπποι
376  ἄψορρον προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.
377  Πάτροκλος δʼ ᾗ πλεῖστον ὀρινόμενον ἴδε λαόν,
378  τῇ ῥʼ ἔχʼ ὁμοκλήσας· ὑπὸ δʼ ἄξοσι φῶτες ἔπιπτον
379  πρηνέες ἐξ ὀχέων, δίφροι δʼ ἀνακυμβαλίαζον.
380  ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἄρα τάφρον ὑπέρθορον ὠκέες ἵπποι
381  ἄμβροτοι, οὓς Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,
382  πρόσσω ἱέμενοι, ἐπὶ δʼ Ἕκτορι κέκλετο θυμός·
383  ἵετο γὰρ βαλέειν· τὸν δʼ ἔκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι.
384  ὡς δʼ ὑπὸ λαίλαπι πᾶσα κελαινὴ βέβριθε χθὼν
385  ἤματʼ ὀπωρινῷ, ὅτε λαβρότατον χέει ὕδωρ
386  Ζεύς, ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἄνδρεσσι κοτεσσάμενος χαλεπήνῃ,
387  οἳ βίῃ εἰν ἀγορῇ σκολιὰς κρίνωσι θέμιστας,
388  ἐκ δὲ δίκην ἐλάσωσι θεῶν ὄπιν οὐκ ἀλέγοντες·
389  τῶν δέ τε πάντες μὲν ποταμοὶ πλήθουσι ῥέοντες,
390  πολλὰς δὲ κλιτῦς τότʼ ἀποτμήγουσι χαράδραι,
391  ἐς δʼ ἅλα πορφυρέην μεγάλα στενάχουσι ῥέουσαι
392  ἐξ ὀρέων ἐπικάρ, μινύθει δέ τε ἔργʼ ἀνθρώπων·
393  ὣς ἵπποι Τρῳαὶ μεγάλα στενάχοντο θέουσαι.
394  Πάτροκλος δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν πρώτας ἐπέκερσε φάλαγγας,
395  ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆας ἔεργε παλιμπετές, οὐδὲ πόληος
396  εἴα ἱεμένους ἐπιβαινέμεν, ἀλλὰ μεσηγὺ
397  νηῶν καὶ ποταμοῦ καὶ τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο
398  κτεῖνε μεταΐσσων, πολέων δʼ ἀπετίνυτο ποινήν.
399  ἔνθʼ ἤτοι Πρόνοον πρῶτον βάλε δουρὶ φαεινῷ
400  στέρνον γυμνωθέντα παρʼ ἀσπίδα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα·
401  δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δὲ Θέστορα Ἤνοπος υἱὸν
402  δεύτερον ὁρμηθείς· ὃ μὲν εὐξέστῳ ἐνὶ δίφρῳ
403  ἧστο ἀλείς· ἐκ γὰρ πλήγη φρένας, ἐκ δʼ ἄρα χειρῶν
404  ἡνία ἠΐχθησαν· ὃ δʼ ἔγχεϊ νύξε παραστὰς
405  γναθμὸν δεξιτερόν, διὰ δʼ αὐτοῦ πεῖρεν ὀδόντων,
406  ἕλκε δὲ δουρὸς ἑλὼν ὑπὲρ ἄντυγος, ὡς ὅτε τις φὼς
407  πέτρῃ ἔπι προβλῆτι καθήμενος ἱερὸν ἰχθὺν
408  ἐκ πόντοιο θύραζε λίνῳ καὶ ἤνοπι χαλκῷ·
409  ὣς ἕλκʼ ἐκ δίφροιο κεχηνότα δουρὶ φαεινῷ,
410  κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ στόμʼ ἔωσε· πεσόντα δέ μιν λίπε θυμός.
411  αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Ἐρύλαον ἐπεσσύμενον βάλε πέτρῳ
412  μέσσην κὰκ κεφαλήν· ἣ δʼ ἄνδιχα πᾶσα κεάσθη
413  ἐν κόρυθι βριαρῇ· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐπὶ γαίῃ
414  κάππεσεν, ἀμφὶ δέ μιν θάνατος χύτο θυμοραϊστής.
415  αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Ἐρύμαντα καὶ Ἀμφοτερὸν καὶ Ἐπάλτην
416  Τληπόλεμόν τε Δαμαστορίδην Ἐχίον τε Πύριν τε
417  Ἰφέα τʼ Εὔιππόν τε καὶ Ἀργεάδην Πολύμηλον
418  πάντας ἐπασσυτέρους πέλασε χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ.
419  Σαρπηδὼν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἴδʼ ἀμιτροχίτωνας ἑταίρους
420  χέρσʼ ὕπο Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο δαμέντας,
421  κέκλετʼ ἄρʼ ἀντιθέοισι καθαπτόμενος Λυκίοισιν·
422  αἰδὼς ὦ Λύκιοι· πόσε φεύγετε; νῦν θοοὶ ἔστε.
423  ἀντήσω γὰρ ἐγὼ τοῦδʼ ἀνέρος, ὄφρα δαείω
424  ὅς τις ὅδε κρατέει καὶ δὴ κακὰ πολλὰ ἔοργε
425  Τρῶας, ἐπεὶ πολλῶν τε καὶ ἐσθλῶν γούνατʼ ἔλυσεν.
426  ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε.
427  Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ἔκθορε δίφρου.
428  οἳ δʼ ὥς τʼ αἰγυπιοὶ γαμψώνυχες ἀγκυλοχεῖλαι
429  πέτρῃ ἐφʼ ὑψηλῇ μεγάλα κλάζοντε μάχωνται,
430  ὣς οἳ κεκλήγοντες ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ὄρουσαν.
431  τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν ἐλέησε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω,
432  Ἥρην δὲ προσέειπε κασιγνήτην ἄλοχόν τε·
433  ὤ μοι ἐγών, ὅ τέ μοι Σαρπηδόνα φίλτατον ἀνδρῶν
434  μοῖρʼ ὑπὸ Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο δαμῆναι.
435  διχθὰ δέ μοι κραδίη μέμονε φρεσὶν ὁρμαίνοντι,
436  ἤ μιν ζωὸν ἐόντα μάχης ἄπο δακρυοέσσης
437  θείω ἀναρπάξας Λυκίης ἐν πίονι δήμῳ,
438  ἦ ἤδη ὑπὸ χερσὶ Μενοιτιάδαο δαμάσσω.
439  τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·
440  αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.
441  ἄνδρα θνητὸν ἐόντα πάλαι πεπρωμένον αἴσῃ
442  ἂψ ἐθέλεις θανάτοιο δυσηχέος ἐξαναλῦσαι;
443  ἔρδʼ· ἀτὰρ οὔ τοι πάντες ἐπαινέομεν θεοὶ ἄλλοι.
444  ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·
445  αἴ κε ζὼν πέμψῃς Σαρπηδόνα ὃν δὲ δόμον δέ,
446  φράζεο μή τις ἔπειτα θεῶν ἐθέλῃσι καὶ ἄλλος
447  πέμπειν ὃν φίλον υἱὸν ἀπὸ κρατερῆς ὑσμίνης·
448  πολλοὶ γὰρ περὶ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο μάχονται
449  υἱέες ἀθανάτων, τοῖσιν κότον αἰνὸν ἐνήσεις.
450  ἀλλʼ εἴ τοι φίλος ἐστί, τεὸν δʼ ὀλοφύρεται ἦτορ,
451  ἤτοι μέν μιν ἔασον ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ
452  χέρσʼ ὕπο Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο δαμῆναι·
453  αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ τόν γε λίπῃ ψυχή τε καὶ αἰών,
454  πέμπειν μιν θάνατόν τε φέρειν καὶ νήδυμον ὕπνον
455  εἰς ὅ κε δὴ Λυκίης εὐρείης δῆμον ἵκωνται,
456  ἔνθά ἑ ταρχύσουσι κασίγνητοί τε ἔται τε
457  τύμβῳ τε στήλῃ τε· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ θανόντων.
458  ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·
459  αἱματοέσσας δὲ ψιάδας κατέχευεν ἔραζε
460  παῖδα φίλον τιμῶν, τόν οἱ Πάτροκλος ἔμελλε
461  φθίσειν ἐν Τροίῃ ἐριβώλακι τηλόθι πάτρης.
462  οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες,
463  ἔνθʼ ἤτοι Πάτροκλος ἀγακλειτὸν Θρασύμηλον,
464  ὅς ῥʼ ἠῢς θεράπων Σαρπηδόνος ἦεν ἄνακτος,
465  τὸν βάλε νείαιραν κατὰ γαστέρα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.
466  Σαρπηδὼν δʼ αὐτοῦ μὲν ἀπήμβροτε δουρὶ φαεινῷ
467  δεύτερον ὁρμηθείς, ὃ δὲ Πήδασον οὔτασεν ἵππον
468  ἔγχεϊ δεξιὸν ὦμον· ὃ δʼ ἔβραχε θυμὸν ἀΐσθων,
469  κὰδ δʼ ἔπεσʼ ἐν κονίῃσι μακών, ἀπὸ δʼ ἔπτατο θυμός.
470  τὼ δὲ διαστήτην, κρίκε δὲ ζυγόν, ἡνία δέ σφι
471  σύγχυτʼ, ἐπεὶ δὴ κεῖτο παρήορος ἐν κονίῃσι.
472  τοῖο μὲν Αὐτομέδων δουρικλυτὸς εὕρετο τέκμωρ·
473  σπασσάμενος τανύηκες ἄορ παχέος παρὰ μηροῦ
474  ἀΐξας ἀπέκοψε παρήορον οὐδʼ ἐμάτησε·
475  τὼ δʼ ἰθυνθήτην, ἐν δὲ ῥυτῆρσι τάνυσθεν·
476  τὼ δʼ αὖτις συνίτην ἔριδος πέρι θυμοβόροιο.
477  ἔνθʼ αὖ Σαρπηδὼν μὲν ἀπήμβροτε δουρὶ φαεινῷ,
478  Πατρόκλου δʼ ὑπὲρ ὦμον ἀριστερὸν ἤλυθʼ ἀκωκὴ
479  ἔγχεος, οὐδʼ ἔβαλʼ αὐτόν· ὃ δʼ ὕστερος ὄρνυτο χαλκῷ
480  Πάτροκλος· τοῦ δʼ οὐχ ἅλιον βέλος ἔκφυγε χειρός,
481  ἀλλʼ ἔβαλʼ ἔνθʼ ἄρα τε φρένες ἔρχαται ἀμφʼ ἁδινὸν κῆρ.
482  ἤριπε δʼ ὡς ὅτε τις δρῦς ἤριπεν ἢ ἀχερωῒς
483  ἠὲ πίτυς βλωθρή, τήν τʼ οὔρεσι τέκτονες ἄνδρες
484  ἐξέταμον πελέκεσσι νεήκεσι νήϊον εἶναι·
485  ὣς ὃ πρόσθʼ ἵππων καὶ δίφρου κεῖτο τανυσθεὶς
486  βεβρυχὼς κόνιος δεδραγμένος αἱματοέσσης.
487  ἠΰτε ταῦρον ἔπεφνε λέων ἀγέληφι μετελθὼν
488  αἴθωνα μεγάθυμον ἐν εἰλιπόδεσσι βόεσσι,
489  ὤλετό τε στενάχων ὑπὸ γαμφηλῇσι λέοντος,
490  ὣς ὑπὸ Πατρόκλῳ Λυκίων ἀγὸς ἀσπιστάων
491  κτεινόμενος μενέαινε, φίλον δʼ ὀνόμηνεν ἑταῖρον·
492  Γλαῦκε πέπον πολεμιστὰ μετʼ ἀνδράσι νῦν σε μάλα χρὴ
493  αἰχμητήν τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ θαρσαλέον πολεμιστήν·
494  νῦν τοι ἐελδέσθω πόλεμος κακός, εἰ θοός ἐσσι.
495  πρῶτα μὲν ὄτρυνον Λυκίων ἡγήτορας ἄνδρας
496  πάντῃ ἐποιχόμενος Σαρπηδόνος ἀμφιμάχεσθαι·
497  αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα καὶ αὐτὸς ἐμεῦ πέρι μάρναο χαλκῷ.
498  σοὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ ἔπειτα κατηφείη καὶ ὄνειδος
499  ἔσσομαι ἤματα πάντα διαμπερές, εἴ κέ μʼ Ἀχαιοὶ
500  τεύχεα συλήσωσι νεῶν ἐν ἀγῶνι πεσόντα.
501  ἀλλʼ ἔχεο κρατερῶς, ὄτρυνε δὲ λαὸν ἅπαντα.
502  ὣς ἄρα μιν εἰπόντα τέλος θανάτοιο κάλυψεν
503  ὀφθαλμοὺς ῥῖνάς θʼ· ὃ δὲ λὰξ ἐν στήθεσι βαίνων
504  ἐκ χροὸς ἕλκε δόρυ, προτὶ δὲ φρένες αὐτῷ ἕποντο·
505  τοῖο δʼ ἅμα ψυχήν τε καὶ ἔγχεος ἐξέρυσʼ αἰχμήν.
506  Μυρμιδόνες δʼ αὐτοῦ σχέθον ἵππους φυσιόωντας
507  ἱεμένους φοβέεσθαι, ἐπεὶ λίπον ἅρματʼ ἀνάκτων.
508  Γλαύκῳ δʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος γένετο φθογγῆς ἀΐοντι·
509  ὠρίνθη δέ οἱ ἦτορ ὅ τʼ οὐ δύνατο προσαμῦναι.
510  χειρὶ δʼ ἑλὼν ἐπίεζε βραχίονα· τεῖρε γὰρ αὐτὸν
511  ἕλκος, ὃ δή μιν Τεῦκρος ἐπεσσύμενον βάλεν ἰῷ
512  τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο, ἀρὴν ἑτάροισιν ἀμύνων.
513  εὐχόμενος δʼ ἄρα εἶπεν ἑκηβόλῳ Ἀπόλλωνι·
514  κλῦθι ἄναξ ὅς που Λυκίης ἐν πίονι δήμῳ
515  εἲς ἢ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ· δύνασαι δὲ σὺ πάντοσʼ ἀκούειν
516  ἀνέρι κηδομένῳ, ὡς νῦν ἐμὲ κῆδος ἱκάνει.
517  ἕλκος μὲν γὰρ ἔχω τόδε καρτερόν, ἀμφὶ δέ μοι χεὶρ
518  ὀξείῃς ὀδύνῃσιν ἐλήλαται, οὐδέ μοι αἷμα
519  τερσῆναι δύναται, βαρύθει δέ μοι ὦμος ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ·
520  ἔγχος δʼ οὐ δύναμαι σχεῖν ἔμπεδον, οὐδὲ μάχεσθαι
521  ἐλθὼν δυσμενέεσσιν. ἀνὴρ δʼ ὤριστος ὄλωλε
522  Σαρπηδὼν Διὸς υἱός· ὃ δʼ οὐ οὗ παιδὸς ἀμύνει.
523  ἀλλὰ σύ πέρ μοι ἄναξ τόδε καρτερὸν ἕλκος ἄκεσσαι,
524  κοίμησον δʼ ὀδύνας, δὸς δὲ κράτος, ὄφρʼ ἑτάροισι
525  κεκλόμενος Λυκίοισιν ἐποτρύνω πολεμίζειν,
526  αὐτός τʼ ἀμφὶ νέκυι κατατεθνηῶτι μάχωμαι.
527  ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.
528  αὐτίκα παῦσʼ ὀδύνας ἀπὸ δʼ ἕλκεος ἀργαλέοιο
529  αἷμα μέλαν τέρσηνε, μένος δέ οἱ ἔμβαλε θυμῷ.
530  Γλαῦκος δʼ ἔγνω ᾗσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ γήθησέν τε
531  ὅττί οἱ ὦκʼ ἤκουσε μέγας θεὸς εὐξαμένοιο.
532  πρῶτα μὲν ὄτρυνεν Λυκίων ἡγήτορας ἄνδρας
533  πάντῃ ἐποιχόμενος Σαρπηδόνος ἀμφιμάχεσθαι·
534  αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα μετὰ Τρῶας κίε μακρὰ βιβάσθων
535  Πουλυδάμαντʼ ἔπι Πανθοΐδην καὶ Ἀγήνορα δῖον,
536  βῆ δὲ μετʼ Αἰνείαν τε καὶ Ἕκτορα χαλκοκορυστήν,
537  ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
538  Ἕκτορ νῦν δὴ πάγχυ λελασμένος εἰς ἐπικούρων,
539  οἳ σέθεν εἵνεκα τῆλε φίλων καὶ πατρίδος αἴης
540  θυμὸν ἀποφθινύθουσι· σὺ δʼ οὐκ ἐθέλεις ἐπαμύνειν.
541  κεῖται Σαρπηδὼν Λυκίων ἀγὸς ἀσπιστάων,
542  ὃς Λυκίην εἴρυτο δίκῃσί τε καὶ σθένεϊ ᾧ·
543  τὸν δʼ ὑπὸ Πατρόκλῳ δάμασʼ ἔγχεϊ χάλκεος Ἄρης.
544  ἀλλὰ φίλοι πάρστητε, νεμεσσήθητε δὲ θυμῷ,
545  μὴ ἀπὸ τεύχεʼ ἕλωνται, ἀεικίσσωσι δὲ νεκρὸν
546  Μυρμιδόνες, Δαναῶν κεχολωμένοι ὅσσοι ὄλοντο,
547  τοὺς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ θοῇσιν ἐπέφνομεν ἐγχείῃσιν.
548  ὣς ἔφατο, Τρῶας δὲ κατὰ κρῆθεν λάβε πένθος
549  ἄσχετον, οὐκ ἐπιεικτόν, ἐπεί σφισιν ἕρμα πόληος
550  ἔσκε καὶ ἀλλοδαπός περ ἐών· πολέες γὰρ ἅμʼ αὐτῷ
551  λαοὶ ἕποντʼ, ἐν δʼ αὐτὸς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι·
552  βὰν δʼ ἰθὺς Δαναῶν λελιημένοι· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφιν
553  Ἕκτωρ χωόμενος Σαρπηδόνος. αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς
554  ὦρσε Μενοιτιάδεω Πατροκλῆος λάσιον κῆρ·
555  Αἴαντε πρώτω προσέφη μεμαῶτε καὶ αὐτώ·
556  Αἴαντε νῦν σφῶϊν ἀμύνεσθαι φίλον ἔστω,
557  οἷοί περ πάρος ἦτε μετʼ ἀνδράσιν ἢ καὶ ἀρείους.
558  κεῖται ἀνὴρ ὃς πρῶτος ἐσήλατο τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν
559  Σαρπηδών· ἀλλʼ εἴ μιν ἀεικισσαίμεθʼ ἑλόντες,
560  τεύχεά τʼ ὤμοιιν ἀφελοίμεθα, καί τινʼ ἑταίρων
561  αὐτοῦ ἀμυνομένων δαμασαίμεθα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ.
562  ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀλέξασθαι μενέαινον.
563  οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐκαρτύναντο φάλαγγας
564  Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Μυρμιδόνες καὶ Ἀχαιοί,
565  σύμβαλον ἀμφὶ νέκυι κατατεθνηῶτι μάχεσθαι
566  δεινὸν ἀΰσαντες· μέγα δʼ ἔβραχε τεύχεα φωτῶν.
567  Ζεὺς δʼ ἐπὶ νύκτʼ ὀλοὴν τάνυσε κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ,
568  ὄφρα φίλῳ περὶ παιδὶ μάχης ὀλοὸς πόνος εἴη.
569  ὦσαν δὲ πρότεροι Τρῶες ἑλίκωπας Ἀχαιούς·
570  βλῆτο γὰρ οὔ τι κάκιστος ἀνὴρ μετὰ Μυρμιδόνεσσιν
571  υἱὸς Ἀγακλῆος μεγαθύμου δῖος Ἐπειγεύς,
572  ὅς ῥʼ ἐν Βουδείῳ εὖ ναιομένῳ ἤνασσε
573  τὸ πρίν· ἀτὰρ τότε γʼ ἐσθλὸν ἀνεψιὸν ἐξεναρίξας
574  ἐς Πηλῆʼ ἱκέτευσε καὶ ἐς Θέτιν ἀργυρόπεζαν·
575  οἳ δʼ ἅμʼ Ἀχιλλῆϊ ῥηξήνορι πέμπον ἕπεσθαι
576  Ἴλιον εἰς εὔπωλον, ἵνα Τρώεσσι μάχοιτο.
577  τόν ῥα τόθʼ ἁπτόμενον νέκυος βάλε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ
578  χερμαδίῳ κεφαλήν· ἣ δʼ ἄνδιχα πᾶσα κεάσθη
579  ἐν κόρυθι βριαρῇ· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐπὶ νεκρῷ
580  κάππεσεν, ἀμφὶ δέ μιν θάνατος χύτο θυμοραϊστής.
581  Πατρόκλῳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἄχος γένετο φθιμένου ἑτάροιο,
582  ἴθυσεν δὲ διὰ προμάχων ἴρηκι ἐοικὼς
583  ὠκέϊ, ὅς τʼ ἐφόβησε κολοιούς τε ψῆράς τε·
584  ὣς ἰθὺς Λυκίων Πατρόκλεες ἱπποκέλευθε
585  ἔσσυο καὶ Τρώων, κεχόλωσο δὲ κῆρ ἑτάροιο.
586  καί ῥʼ ἔβαλε Σθενέλαον Ἰθαιμένεος φίλον υἱὸν
587  αὐχένα χερμαδίῳ, ῥῆξεν δʼ ἀπὸ τοῖο τένοντας.
588  χώρησαν δʼ ὑπό τε πρόμαχοι καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ.
589  ὅσση δʼ αἰγανέης ῥιπὴ ταναοῖο τέτυκται,
590  ἥν ῥά τʼ ἀνὴρ ἀφέῃ πειρώμενος ἢ ἐν ἀέθλῳ
591  ἠὲ καὶ ἐν πολέμῳ δηΐων ὕπο θυμοραϊστέων,
592  τόσσον ἐχώρησαν Τρῶες, ὤσαντο δʼ Ἀχαιοί.
593  Γλαῦκος δὲ πρῶτος Λυκίων ἀγὸς ἀσπιστάων
594  ἐτράπετʼ, ἔκτεινεν δὲ Βαθυκλῆα μεγάθυμον
595  Χάλκωνος φίλον υἱόν, ὃς Ἑλλάδι οἰκία ναίων
596  ὄλβῳ τε πλούτῳ τε μετέπρεπε Μυρμιδόνεσσι.
597  τὸν μὲν ἄρα Γλαῦκος στῆθος μέσον οὔτασε δουρὶ
598  στρεφθεὶς ἐξαπίνης, ὅτε μιν κατέμαρπτε διώκων·
599  δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· πυκινὸν δʼ ἄχος ἔλλαβʼ Ἀχαιούς,
600  ὡς ἔπεσʼ ἐσθλὸς ἀνήρ· μέγα δὲ Τρῶες κεχάροντο,
601  στὰν δʼ ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν ἰόντες ἀολλέες· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ Ἀχαιοὶ
602  ἀλκῆς ἐξελάθοντο, μένος δʼ ἰθὺς φέρον αὐτῶν.
603  ἔνθʼ αὖ Μηριόνης Τρώων ἕλεν ἄνδρα κορυστὴν
604  Λαόγονον θρασὺν υἱὸν Ὀνήτορος, ὃς Διὸς ἱρεὺς
605  Ἰδαίου ἐτέτυκτο, θεὸς δʼ ὣς τίετο δήμῳ.
606  τὸν βάλʼ ὑπὸ γναθμοῖο καὶ οὔατος· ὦκα δὲ θυμὸς
607  ᾤχετʼ ἀπὸ μελέων, στυγερὸς δʼ ἄρα μιν σκότος εἷλεν.
608  Αἰνείας δʼ ἐπὶ Μηριόνῃ δόρυ χάλκεον ἧκεν·
609  ἔλπετο γὰρ τεύξεσθαι ὑπασπίδια προβιβῶντος.
610  ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἄντα ἰδὼν ἠλεύατο χάλκεον ἔγχος·
611  πρόσσω γὰρ κατέκυψε, τὸ δʼ ἐξόπιθεν δόρυ μακρὸν
612  οὔδει ἐνισκίμφθη, ἐπὶ δʼ οὐρίαχος πελεμίχθη
613  ἔγχεος· ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀφίει μένος ὄβριμος Ἄρης.
614  αἰχμὴ δʼ Αἰνείαο κραδαινομένη κατὰ γαίης
615  ᾤχετʼ, ἐπεί ῥʼ ἅλιον στιβαρῆς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ὄρουσεν.
616  Αἰνείας δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐχώσατο φώνησέν τε·
617  Μηριόνη τάχα κέν σε καὶ ὀρχηστήν περ ἐόντα
618  ἔγχος ἐμὸν κατέπαυσε διαμπερές, εἴ σʼ ἔβαλόν περ.
619  τὸν δʼ αὖ Μηριόνης δουρικλυτὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα·
620  Αἰνεία χαλεπόν σε καὶ ἴφθιμόν περ ἐόντα
621  πάντων ἀνθρώπων σβέσσαι μένος, ὅς κέ σευ ἄντα
622  ἔλθῃ ἀμυνόμενος· θνητὸς δέ νυ καὶ σὺ τέτυξαι.
623  εἰ καὶ ἐγώ σε βάλοιμι τυχὼν μέσον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,
624  αἶψά κε καὶ κρατερός περ ἐὼν καὶ χερσὶ πεποιθὼς
625  εὖχος ἐμοὶ δοίης, ψυχὴν δʼ Ἄϊδι κλυτοπώλῳ.
626  ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ἐνένιπε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός·
627  Μηριόνη τί σὺ ταῦτα καὶ ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν ἀγορεύεις;
628  ὦ πέπον οὔ τοι Τρῶες ὀνειδείοις ἐπέεσσι
629  νεκροῦ χωρήσουσι· πάρος τινὰ γαῖα καθέξει.
630  ἐν γὰρ χερσὶ τέλος πολέμου, ἐπέων δʼ ἐνὶ βουλῇ·
631  τὼ οὔ τι χρὴ μῦθον ὀφέλλειν, ἀλλὰ μάχεσθαι.
632  ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν ἦρχʼ, ὃ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕσπετο ἰσόθεος φώς.
633  τῶν δʼ ὥς τε δρυτόμων ἀνδρῶν ὀρυμαγδὸς ὀρώρει
634  οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃς, ἕκαθεν δέ τε γίγνετʼ ἀκουή,
635  ὣς τῶν ὄρνυτο δοῦπος ἀπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης
636  χαλκοῦ τε ῥινοῦ τε βοῶν τʼ εὐποιητάων,
637  νυσσομένων ξίφεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισιν.
638  οὐδʼ ἂν ἔτι φράδμων περ ἀνὴρ Σαρπηδόνα δῖον
639  ἔγνω, ἐπεὶ βελέεσσι καὶ αἵματι καὶ κονίῃσιν
640  ἐκ κεφαλῆς εἴλυτο διαμπερὲς ἐς πόδας ἄκρους.
641  οἳ δʼ αἰεὶ περὶ νεκρὸν ὁμίλεον, ὡς ὅτε μυῖαι
642  σταθμῷ ἔνι βρομέωσι περιγλαγέας κατὰ πέλλας
643  ὥρῃ ἐν εἰαρινῇ, ὅτε τε γλάγος ἄγγεα δεύει·
644  ὣς ἄρα τοὶ περὶ νεκρὸν ὁμίλεον, οὐδέ ποτε Ζεὺς
645  τρέψεν ἀπὸ κρατερῆς ὑσμίνης ὄσσε φαεινώ,
646  ἀλλὰ κατʼ αὐτοὺς αἰὲν ὅρα καὶ φράζετο θυμῷ,
647  πολλὰ μάλʼ ἀμφὶ φόνῳ Πατρόκλου μερμηρίζων,
648  ἢ ἤδη καὶ κεῖνον ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ
649  αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ ἀντιθέῳ Σαρπηδόνι φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ
650  χαλκῷ δῃώσῃ, ἀπό τʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἕληται,
651  ἦ ἔτι καὶ πλεόνεσσιν ὀφέλλειεν πόνον αἰπύν.
652  ὧδε δέ οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι
653  ὄφρʼ ἠῢς θεράπων Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
654  ἐξαῦτις Τρῶάς τε καὶ Ἕκτορα χαλκοκορυστὴν
655  ὤσαιτο προτὶ ἄστυ, πολέων δʼ ἀπὸ θυμὸν ἕλοιτο.
656  Ἕκτορι δὲ πρωτίστῳ ἀνάλκιδα θυμὸν ἐνῆκεν·
657  ἐς δίφρον δʼ ἀναβὰς φύγαδʼ ἔτραπε, κέκλετο δʼ ἄλλους
658  Τρῶας φευγέμεναι· γνῶ γὰρ Διὸς ἱρὰ τάλαντα.
659  ἔνθʼ οὐδʼ ἴφθιμοι Λύκιοι μένον, ἀλλὰ φόβηθεν
660  πάντες, ἐπεὶ βασιλῆα ἴδον βεβλαμμένον ἦτορ
661  κείμενον ἐν νεκύων ἀγύρει· πολέες γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ
662  κάππεσον, εὖτʼ ἔριδα κρατερὴν ἐτάνυσσε Κρονίων.
663  οἳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀπʼ ὤμοιιν Σαρπηδόνος ἔντεʼ ἕλοντο
664  χάλκεα μαρμαίροντα, τὰ μὲν κοίλας ἐπὶ νῆας
665  δῶκε φέρειν ἑτάροισι Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός.
666  καὶ τότʼ Ἀπόλλωνα προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·
667  εἰ δʼ ἄγε νῦν φίλε Φοῖβε, κελαινεφὲς αἷμα κάθηρον
668  ἐλθὼν ἐκ βελέων Σαρπηδόνα, καί μιν ἔπειτα
669  πολλὸν ἀπὸ πρὸ φέρων λοῦσον ποταμοῖο ῥοῇσι
670  χρῖσόν τʼ ἀμβροσίῃ, περὶ δʼ ἄμβροτα εἵματα ἕσσον·
671  πέμπε δέ μιν πομποῖσιν ἅμα κραιπνοῖσι φέρεσθαι
672  ὕπνῳ καὶ θανάτῳ διδυμάοσιν, οἵ ῥά μιν ὦκα
673  θήσουσʼ ἐν Λυκίης εὐρείης πίονι δήμῳ,
674  ἔνθά ἑ ταρχύσουσι κασίγνητοί τε ἔται τε
675  τύμβῳ τε στήλῃ τε· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ θανόντων.
676  ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα πατρὸς ἀνηκούστησεν Ἀπόλλων.
677  βῆ δὲ κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἐς φύλοπιν αἰνήν,
678  αὐτίκα δʼ ἐκ βελέων Σαρπηδόνα δῖον ἀείρας
679  πολλὸν ἀπὸ πρὸ φέρων λοῦσεν ποταμοῖο ῥοῇσι
680  χρῖσέν τʼ ἀμβροσίῃ, περὶ δʼ ἄμβροτα εἵματα ἕσσε·
681  πέμπε δέ μιν πομποῖσιν ἅμα κραιπνοῖσι φέρεσθαι,
682  ὕπνῳ καὶ θανάτῳ διδυμάοσιν, οἵ ῥά μιν ὦκα
683  κάτθεσαν ἐν Λυκίης εὐρείης πίονι δήμῳ.
684  Πάτροκλος δʼ ἵπποισι καὶ Αὐτομέδοντι κελεύσας
685  Τρῶας καὶ Λυκίους μετεκίαθε, καὶ μέγʼ ἀάσθη
686  νήπιος· εἰ δὲ ἔπος Πηληϊάδαο φύλαξεν
687  ἦ τʼ ἂν ὑπέκφυγε κῆρα κακὴν μέλανος θανάτοιο.
688  ἀλλʼ αἰεί τε Διὸς κρείσσων νόος ἠέ περ ἀνδρῶν·
689  ὅς τε καὶ ἄλκιμον ἄνδρα φοβεῖ καὶ ἀφείλετο νίκην
690  ῥηϊδίως, ὅτε δʼ αὐτὸς ἐποτρύνῃσι μάχεσθαι·
691  ὅς οἱ καὶ τότε θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀνῆκεν.
692  ἔνθα τίνα πρῶτον τίνα δʼ ὕστατον ἐξενάριξας
693  Πατρόκλεις, ὅτε δή σε θεοὶ θάνατον δὲ κάλεσσαν;
694  Ἄδρηστον μὲν πρῶτα καὶ Αὐτόνοον καὶ Ἔχεκλον
695  καὶ Πέριμον Μεγάδην καὶ Ἐπίστορα καὶ Μελάνιππον,
696  αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Ἔλασον καὶ Μούλιον ἠδὲ Πυλάρτην·
697  τοὺς ἕλεν· οἳ δʼ ἄλλοι φύγαδε μνώοντο ἕκαστος.
698  ἔνθά κεν ὑψίπυλον Τροίην ἕλον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
699  Πατρόκλου ὑπὸ χερσί, περὶ πρὸ γὰρ ἔγχεϊ θῦεν,
700  εἰ μὴ Ἀπόλλων Φοῖβος ἐϋδμήτου ἐπὶ πύργου
701  ἔστη τῷ ὀλοὰ φρονέων, Τρώεσσι δʼ ἀρήγων.
702  τρὶς μὲν ἐπʼ ἀγκῶνος βῆ τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο
703  Πάτροκλος, τρὶς δʼ αὐτὸν ἀπεστυφέλιξεν Ἀπόλλων
704  χείρεσσʼ ἀθανάτῃσι φαεινὴν ἀσπίδα νύσσων.
705  ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπέσσυτο δαίμονι ἶσος,
706  δεινὰ δʼ ὁμοκλήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
707  χάζεο διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες· οὔ νύ τοι αἶσα
708  σῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ πόλιν πέρθαι Τρώων ἀγερώχων,
709  οὐδʼ ὑπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος, ὅς περ σέο πολλὸν ἀμείνων.
710  ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δʼ ἀνεχάζετο πολλὸν ὀπίσσω
711  μῆνιν ἀλευάμενος ἑκατηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος.
712  Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἐν Σκαιῇσι πύλῃς ἔχε μώνυχας ἵππους·
713  δίζε γὰρ ἠὲ μάχοιτο κατὰ κλόνον αὖτις ἐλάσσας,
714  ἦ λαοὺς ἐς τεῖχος ὁμοκλήσειεν ἀλῆναι.
715  ταῦτʼ ἄρα οἱ φρονέοντι παρίστατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
716  ἀνέρι εἰσάμενος αἰζηῷ τε κρατερῷ τε
717  Ἀσίῳ, ὃς μήτρως ἦν Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο
718  αὐτοκασίγνητος Ἑκάβης, υἱὸς δὲ Δύμαντος,
719  ὃς Φρυγίῃ ναίεσκε ῥοῇς ἔπι Σαγγαρίοιο·
720  τῷ μιν ἐεισάμενος προσέφη Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων·
721  Ἕκτορ τίπτε μάχης ἀποπαύεαι; οὐδέ τί σε χρή.
722  αἴθʼ ὅσον ἥσσων εἰμί, τόσον σέο φέρτερος εἴην·
723  τώ κε τάχα στυγερῶς πολέμου ἀπερωήσειας.
724  ἀλλʼ ἄγε Πατρόκλῳ ἔφεπε κρατερώνυχας ἵππους,
725  αἴ κέν πώς μιν ἕλῃς, δώῃ δέ τοι εὖχος Ἀπόλλων.
726  ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν αὖτις ἔβη θεὸς ἂμ πόνον ἀνδρῶν,
727  Κεβριόνῃ δʼ ἐκέλευσε δαΐφρονι φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ
728  ἵππους ἐς πόλεμον πεπληγέμεν. αὐτὰρ Ἀπόλλων
729  δύσεθʼ ὅμιλον ἰών, ἐν δὲ κλόνον Ἀργείοισιν
730  ἧκε κακόν, Τρωσὶν δὲ καὶ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ὄπαζεν.
731  Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἄλλους μὲν Δαναοὺς ἔα οὐδʼ ἐνάριζεν·
732  αὐτὰρ ὃ Πατρόκλῳ ἔφεπε κρατερώνυχας ἵππους.
733  Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀφʼ ἵππων ἆλτο χαμᾶζε
734  σκαιῇ ἔγχος ἔχων· ἑτέρηφι δὲ λάζετο πέτρον
735  μάρμαρον ὀκριόεντα τόν οἱ περὶ χεὶρ ἐκάλυψεν,
736  ἧκε δʼ ἐρεισάμενος, οὐδὲ δὴν χάζετο φωτός,
737  οὐδʼ ἁλίωσε βέλος, βάλε δʼ Ἕκτορος ἡνιοχῆα
738  Κεβριόνην νόθον υἱὸν ἀγακλῆος Πριάμοιο
739  ἵππων ἡνίʼ ἔχοντα μετώπιον ὀξέϊ λᾶϊ.
740  ἀμφοτέρας δʼ ὀφρῦς σύνελεν λίθος, οὐδέ οἱ ἔσχεν
741  ὀστέον, ὀφθαλμοὶ δὲ χαμαὶ πέσον ἐν κονίῃσιν
742  αὐτοῦ πρόσθε ποδῶν· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀρνευτῆρι ἐοικὼς
743  κάππεσʼ ἀπʼ εὐεργέος δίφρου, λίπε δʼ ὀστέα θυμός.
744  τὸν δʼ ἐπικερτομέων προσέφης Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ·
745  ὢ πόποι ἦ μάλʼ ἐλαφρὸς ἀνήρ, ὡς ῥεῖα κυβιστᾷ.
746  εἰ δή που καὶ πόντῳ ἐν ἰχθυόεντι γένοιτο,
747  πολλοὺς ἂν κορέσειεν ἀνὴρ ὅδε τήθεα διφῶν
748  νηὸς ἀποθρῴσκων, εἰ καὶ δυσπέμφελος εἴη,
749  ὡς νῦν ἐν πεδίῳ ἐξ ἵππων ῥεῖα κυβιστᾷ.
750  ἦ ῥα καὶ ἐν Τρώεσσι κυβιστητῆρες ἔασιν.
751  ὣς εἰπὼν ἐπὶ Κεβριόνῃ ἥρωϊ βεβήκει
752  οἶμα λέοντος ἔχων, ὅς τε σταθμοὺς κεραΐζων
753  ἔβλητο πρὸς στῆθος, ἑή τέ μιν ὤλεσεν ἀλκή·
754  ὣς ἐπὶ Κεβριόνῃ Πατρόκλεες ἆλσο μεμαώς.
755  Ἕκτωρ δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀφʼ ἵππων ἆλτο χαμᾶζε.
756  τὼ περὶ Κεβριόναο λέονθʼ ὣς δηρινθήτην,
757  ὥ τʼ ὄρεος κορυφῇσι περὶ κταμένης ἐλάφοιο
758  ἄμφω πεινάοντε μέγα φρονέοντε μάχεσθον·
759  ὣς περὶ Κεβριόναο δύω μήστωρες ἀϋτῆς
760  Πάτροκλός τε Μενοιτιάδης καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ
761  ἵεντʼ ἀλλήλων ταμέειν χρόα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ.
762  Ἕκτωρ μὲν κεφαλῆφιν ἐπεὶ λάβεν οὐχὶ μεθίει·
763  Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἔχεν ποδός· οἳ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι
764  Τρῶες καὶ Δαναοὶ σύναγον κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην.
765  ὡς δʼ Εὖρός τε Νότος τʼ ἐριδαίνετον ἀλλήλοιιν
766  οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃς βαθέην πελεμιζέμεν ὕλην
767  φηγόν τε μελίην τε τανύφλοιόν τε κράνειαν,
768  αἵ τε πρὸς ἀλλήλας ἔβαλον τανυήκεας ὄζους
769  ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ, πάταγος δέ τε ἀγνυμενάων,
770  ὣς Τρῶες καὶ Ἀχαιοὶ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισι θορόντες
771  δῄουν, οὐδʼ ἕτεροι μνώοντʼ ὀλοοῖο φόβοιο.
772  πολλὰ δὲ Κεβριόνην ἀμφʼ ὀξέα δοῦρα πεπήγει
773  ἰοί τε πτερόεντες ἀπὸ νευρῆφι θορόντες,
774  πολλὰ δὲ χερμάδια μεγάλʼ ἀσπίδας ἐστυφέλιξαν
775  μαρναμένων ἀμφʼ αὐτόν· ὃ δʼ ἐν στροφάλιγγι κονίης
776  κεῖτο μέγας μεγαλωστί, λελασμένος ἱπποσυνάων.
777  ὄφρα μὲν Ἠέλιος μέσον οὐρανὸν ἀμφιβεβήκει,
778  τόφρα μάλʼ ἀμφοτέρων βέλεʼ ἥπτετο, πῖπτε δὲ λαός·
779  ἦμος δʼ Ἠέλιος μετενίσετο βουλυτὸν δέ,
780  καὶ τότε δή ῥʼ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν Ἀχαιοὶ φέρτεροι ἦσαν.
781  ἐκ μὲν Κεβριόνην βελέων ἥρωα ἔρυσσαν
782  Τρώων ἐξ ἐνοπῆς, καὶ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἕλοντο,
783  Πάτροκλος δὲ Τρωσὶ κακὰ φρονέων ἐνόρουσε.
784  τρὶς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἐπόρουσε θοῷ ἀτάλαντος Ἄρηϊ
785  σμερδαλέα ἰάχων, τρὶς δʼ ἐννέα φῶτας ἔπεφνεν.
786  ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπέσσυτο δαίμονι ἶσος,
787  ἔνθʼ ἄρα τοι Πάτροκλε φάνη βιότοιο τελευτή·
788  ἤντετο γάρ τοι Φοῖβος ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ
789  δεινός· ὃ μὲν τὸν ἰόντα κατὰ κλόνον οὐκ ἐνόησεν,
790  ἠέρι γὰρ πολλῇ κεκαλυμμένος ἀντεβόλησε·
791  στῆ δʼ ὄπιθεν, πλῆξεν δὲ μετάφρενον εὐρέε τʼ ὤμω
792  χειρὶ καταπρηνεῖ, στρεφεδίνηθεν δέ οἱ ὄσσε.
793  τοῦ δʼ ἀπὸ μὲν κρατὸς κυνέην βάλε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων·
794  ἣ δὲ κυλινδομένη καναχὴν ἔχε ποσσὶν ὑφʼ ἵππων
795  αὐλῶπις τρυφάλεια, μιάνθησαν δὲ ἔθειραι
796  αἵματι καὶ κονίῃσι· πάρος γε μὲν οὐ θέμις ἦεν
797  ἱππόκομον πήληκα μιαίνεσθαι κονίῃσιν,
798  ἀλλʼ ἀνδρὸς θείοιο κάρη χαρίεν τε μέτωπον
799  ῥύετʼ Ἀχιλλῆος· τότε δὲ Ζεὺς Ἕκτορι δῶκεν
800  ᾗ κεφαλῇ φορέειν, σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦεν ὄλεθρος.
801  πᾶν δέ οἱ ἐν χείρεσσιν ἄγη δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος
802  βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρὸν κεκορυθμένον· αὐτὰρ ἀπʼ ὤμων
803  ἀσπὶς σὺν τελαμῶνι χαμαὶ πέσε τερμιόεσσα.
804  λῦσε δέ οἱ θώρηκα ἄναξ Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων.
805  τὸν δʼ ἄτη φρένας εἷλε, λύθεν δʼ ὑπὸ φαίδιμα γυῖα,
806  στῆ δὲ ταφών· ὄπιθεν δὲ μετάφρενον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ
807  ὤμων μεσσηγὺς σχεδόθεν βάλε Δάρδανος ἀνὴρ
808  Πανθοΐδης Εὔφορβος, ὃς ἡλικίην ἐκέκαστο
809  ἔγχεΐ θʼ ἱπποσύνῃ τε πόδεσσί τε καρπαλίμοισι·
810  καὶ γὰρ δὴ τότε φῶτας ἐείκοσι βῆσεν ἀφʼ ἵππων
811  πρῶτʼ ἐλθὼν σὺν ὄχεσφι διδασκόμενος πολέμοιο·
812  ὅς τοι πρῶτος ἐφῆκε βέλος Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ
813  οὐδὲ δάμασσʼ· ὃ μὲν αὖτις ἀνέδραμε, μίκτο δʼ ὁμίλῳ,
814  ἐκ χροὸς ἁρπάξας δόρυ μείλινον, οὐδʼ ὑπέμεινε
815  Πάτροκλον γυμνόν περ ἐόντʼ ἐν δηϊοτῆτι.
816  Πάτροκλος δὲ θεοῦ πληγῇ καὶ δουρὶ δαμασθεὶς
817  ἂψ ἑτάρων εἰς ἔθνος ἐχάζετο κῆρʼ ἀλεείνων.
818  Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς εἶδεν Πατροκλῆα μεγάθυμον
819  ἂψ ἀναχαζόμενον βεβλημένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,
820  ἀγχίμολόν ῥά οἱ ἦλθε κατὰ στίχας, οὖτα δὲ δουρὶ
821  νείατον ἐς κενεῶνα, διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσε·
822  δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, μέγα δʼ ἤκαχε λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν·
823  ὡς δʼ ὅτε σῦν ἀκάμαντα λέων ἐβιήσατο χάρμῃ,
824  ὥ τʼ ὄρεος κορυφῇσι μέγα φρονέοντε μάχεσθον
825  πίδακος ἀμφʼ ὀλίγης· ἐθέλουσι δὲ πιέμεν ἄμφω·
826  πολλὰ δέ τʼ ἀσθμαίνοντα λέων ἐδάμασσε βίηφιν·
827  ὣς πολέας πεφνόντα Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμον υἱὸν
828  Ἕκτωρ Πριαμίδης σχεδὸν ἔγχεϊ θυμὸν ἀπηύρα,
829  καί οἱ ἐπευχόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
830  Πάτροκλʼ ἦ που ἔφησθα πόλιν κεραϊξέμεν ἁμήν,
831  Τρωϊάδας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ ἀπούρας
832  ἄξειν ἐν νήεσσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν
833  νήπιε· τάων δὲ πρόσθʼ Ἕκτορος ὠκέες ἵπποι
834  ποσσὶν ὀρωρέχαται πολεμίζειν· ἔγχεϊ δʼ αὐτὸς
835  Τρωσὶ φιλοπτολέμοισι μεταπρέπω, ὅ σφιν ἀμύνω
836  ἦμαρ ἀναγκαῖον· σὲ δέ τʼ ἐνθάδε γῦπες ἔδονται.
837  ἆ δείλʼ, οὐδέ τοι ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν χραίσμησεν Ἀχιλλεύς,
838  ὅς πού τοι μάλα πολλὰ μένων ἐπετέλλετʼ ἰόντι·
839  μή μοι πρὶν ἰέναι Πατρόκλεες ἱπποκέλευθε
840  νῆας ἔπι γλαφυρὰς πρὶν Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο
841  αἱματόεντα χιτῶνα περὶ στήθεσσι δαΐξαι.
842  ὥς πού σε προσέφη, σοὶ δὲ φρένας ἄφρονι πεῖθε.
843  τὸν δʼ ὀλιγοδρανέων προσέφης Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ·
844  ἤδη νῦν Ἕκτορ μεγάλʼ εὔχεο· σοὶ γὰρ ἔδωκε
845  νίκην Ζεὺς Κρονίδης καὶ Ἀπόλλων, οἵ με δάμασσαν
846  ῥηιδίως· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἕλοντο.
847  τοιοῦτοι δʼ εἴ πέρ μοι ἐείκοσιν ἀντεβόλησαν,
848  πάντές κʼ αὐτόθʼ ὄλοντο ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντες.
849  ἀλλά με μοῖρʼ ὀλοὴ καὶ Λητοῦς ἔκτανεν υἱός,
850  ἀνδρῶν δʼ Εὔφορβος· σὺ δέ με τρίτος ἐξεναρίζεις.
851  ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·
852  οὔ θην οὐδʼ αὐτὸς δηρὸν βέῃ, ἀλλά τοι ἤδη
853  ἄγχι παρέστηκεν θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιὴ
854  χερσὶ δαμέντʼ Ἀχιλῆος ἀμύμονος Αἰακίδαο.
855  ὣς ἄρα μιν εἰπόντα τέλος θανάτοιο κάλυψε·
856  ψυχὴ δʼ ἐκ ῥεθέων πταμένη Ἄϊδος δὲ βεβήκει
857  ὃν πότμον γοόωσα λιποῦσʼ ἀνδροτῆτα καὶ ἥβην.
858  τὸν καὶ τεθνηῶτα προσηύδα φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·
859  Πατρόκλεις τί νύ μοι μαντεύεαι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον;
860  τίς δʼ οἶδʼ εἴ κʼ Ἀχιλεὺς Θέτιδος πάϊς ἠϋκόμοιο
861  φθήῃ ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσαι;
862  ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξ ὠτειλῆς
863  εἴρυσε λὰξ προσβάς, τὸν δʼ ὕπτιον ὦσʼ ἀπὸ δουρός.
864  αὐτίκα δὲ ξὺν δουρὶ μετʼ Αὐτομέδοντα βεβήκει
865  ἀντίθεον θεράποντα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο·
866  ἵετο γὰρ βαλέειν· τὸν δʼ ἔκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι
867  ἄμβροτοι, οὓς Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα.