Page 266 - the-iliad

that it would be the death of him, for his good old father
Polyidus had often told him that he must either stay at home
and die of a terrible disease, or go with the Achaeans and
perish at the hands of the Trojans; he chose, therefore, to
avoid incurring the heavy fine the Achaeans would have
laid upon him, and at the same time to escape the pain and
suffering of disease. Paris now smote him on the jaw under
his ear, whereon the life went out of him and he was en-
shrouded in the darkness of death.
Thus then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. But
Hector had not yet heard, and did not know that the Ar-
gives were making havoc of his men on the left wing of the
battle, where the Achaeans ere long would have triumphed
over them, so vigorously did Neptune cheer them on and
help them. He therefore held on at the point where he had
first forced his way through the gates and the wall, after
breaking through the serried ranks of Danaan warriors. It
was here that the ships of Ajax and Protesilaus were drawn
up by the sea-shore; here the wall was at its lowest, and the
fight both of man and horse raged most fiercely. The Boeo-
tians and the Ionians with their long tunics, the Locrians,
the men of Phthia, and the famous force of the Epeans
could hardly stay Hector as he rushed on towards the ships,
nor could they drive him from them, for he was as a wall of
fire. The chosen men of the Athenians were in the van, led
by Menestheus son of Peteos, with whom were also Pheidas,
Stichius, and stalwart Bias; Meges son of Phyleus, Amphi-
on, and Dracius commanded the Epeans, while Medon and
staunch Podarces led the men of Phthia. Of these, Medon