Page 111 - the-iliad

Thus did he speak, and his brother was persuaded by
him, for his words were just. Menelaus, therefore, thrust
Adrestus from him, whereon King Agamemnon struck him
in the flank, and he fell: then the son of Atreus planted his
foot upon his breast to draw his spear from the body.
Meanwhile Nestor shouted to the Argives, saying, ‘My
friends, Danaan warriors, servants of Mars, let no man lag
that he may spoil the dead, and bring back much booty to
the ships. Let us kill as many as we can; the bodies will lie
upon the plain, and you can despoil them later at your lei-
sure.’
With these words he put heart and soul into them all.
And now the Trojans would have been routed and driven
back into Ilius, had not Priam’s son Helenus, wisest of au-
gurs, said to Hector and Aeneas, ‘Hector and Aeneas, you
two are the mainstays of the Trojans and Lycians, for you are
foremost at all times, alike in fight and counsel; hold your
ground here, and go about among the host to rally them in
front of the gates, or they will fling themselves into the arms
of their wives, to the great joy of our foes. Then, when you
have put heart into all our companies, we will stand firm
here and fight the Danaans however hard they press us, for
there is nothing else to be done. Meanwhile do you, Hector,
go to the city and tell our mother what is happening. Tell
her to bid the matrons gather at the temple of Minerva in
the acropolis; let her then take her key and open the doors
of the sacred building; there, upon the knees of Minerva,
let her lay the largest, fairest robe she has in her house—
the one she sets most store by; let her, moreover, promise to

110 The Iliad