Page 214 - the-iliad

hollow of his hand. These he let lie, and went on to wound
Charops son of Hippasus own brother to noble Socus. So-
cus, hero that he was, made all speed to help him, and when
he was close to Ulysses he said, ‘Far-famed Ulysses, insatia-
ble of craft and toil, this day you shall either boast of having
killed both the sons of Hippasus and stripped them of their
armour, or you shall fall before my spear.’
With these words he struck the shield of Ulysses. The
spear went through the shield and passed on through his
richly wrought cuirass, tearing the flesh from his side, but
Pallas Minerva did not suffer it to pierce the entrails of the
hero. Ulysses knew that his hour was not yet come, but he
gave ground and said to Socus, ‘Wretch, you shall now sure-
ly die. You have stayed me from fighting further with the
Trojans, but you shall now fall by my spear, yielding glory to
myself, and your soul to Hades of the noble steeds.’
Socus had turned in flight, but as he did so, the spear
struck him in the back midway between the shoulders, and
went right through his chest. He fell heavily to the ground
and Ulysses vaunted over him saying, ‘O Socus, son of Hip-
pasus tamer of horses, death has been too quick for you and
you have not escaped him: poor wretch, not even in death
shall your father and mother close your eyes, but the raven-
ing vultures shall enshroud you with the flapping of their
dark wings and devour you. Whereas even though I fall the
Achaeans will give me my due rites of burial.’
So saying he drew Socus’s heavy spear out of his flesh
and from his shield, and the blood welled forth when the
spear was withdrawn so that he was much dismayed. When

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