Page 192 - the-iliad

cast, or less away form him, he saw that they were enemies
as fast as his legs could take him. The others gave chase at
once, and as a couple of well-trained hounds press forward
after a doe or hare that runs screaming in front of them,
even so did the son of Tydeus and Ulysses pursue Dolon
and cut him off from his own people. But when he had fled
so far towards the ships that he would soon have fallen in
with the outposts, Minerva infused fresh strength into the
son of Tydeus for fear some other of the Achaeans might
have the glory of being first to hit him, and he might him-
self be only second; he therefore sprang forward with his
spear and said, ‘Stand, or I shall throw my spear, and in that
case I shall soon make an end of you.’
He threw as he spoke, but missed his aim on purpose.
The dart flew over the man’s right shoulder, and then stuck
in the ground. He stood stock still, trembling and in great
fear; his teeth chattered, and he turned pale with fear. The
two came breathless up to him and seized his hands, where-
on he began to weep and said, ‘Take me alive; I will ransom
myself; we have great store of gold, bronze, and wrought
iron, and from this my father will satisfy you with a very
large ransom, should he hear of my being alive at the ships
of the Achaeans.’
‘Fear not,’ replied Ulysses, ‘let no thought of death be
in your mind; but tell me, and tell me true, why are you
thus going about alone in the dead of night away from your
camp and towards the ships, while other men are sleeping?
Is it to plunder the bodies of the slain, or did Hector send
you to spy out what was going on at the ships? Or did you

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