Page 261 - the-iliad

ed himself in hand-to-hand fight, his heavy feet could not
bear him swiftly out of the battle. Deiphobus aimed a spear
at him as he was retreating slowly from the field, for his
bitterness against him was as fierce as ever, but again he
missed him, and hit Ascalaphus, the son of Mars; the spear
went through his shoulder, and he clutched the earth in the
palms of his hands as he fell sprawling in the dust.
Grim Mars of awful voice did not yet know that his son
had fallen, for he was sitting on the summits of Olympus
under the golden clouds, by command of Jove, where the
other gods were also sitting, forbidden to take part in the
battle. Meanwhile men fought furiously about the body.
Deiphobus tore the helmet from off his head, but Meriones
sprang upon him, and struck him on the arm with a spear
so that the visored helmet fell from his hand and came ring-
ing down upon the ground. Thereon Meriones sprang upon
him like a vulture, drew the spear from his shoulder, and
fell back under cover of his men. Then Polites, own brother
of Deiphobus passed his arms around his waist, and bore
him away from the battle till he got to his horses that were
standing in the rear of the fight with the chariot and their
driver. These took him towards the city groaning and in
great pain, with the blood flowing from his arm.
The others still fought on, and the battle-cry rose to
heaven without ceasing. Aeneas sprang on Aphareus son of
Caletor, and struck him with a spear in his throat which
was turned towards him; his head fell on one side, his hel-
met and shield came down along with him, and death, life’s
foe, was shed around him. Antilochus spied his chance, flew

0 The Iliad