Page 286 - the-iliad

off the ground and bore him away from the battle to the
place where his horses stood waiting for him at the rear of
the fight with their driver and the chariot; these then took
him towards the city groaning and in great pain. When they
reached the ford of the fair stream of Xanthus, begotten of
Immortal Jove, they took him from off his chariot and laid
him down on the ground; they poured water over him, and
as they did so he breathed again and opened his eyes. Then
kneeling on his knees he vomited blood, but soon fell back
on to the ground, and his eyes were again closed in dark-
ness for he was still stunned by the blow.
When the Argives saw Hector leaving the field, they took
heart and set upon the Trojans yet more furiously. Ajax fleet
son of Oileus began by springing on Satnius son of Enops,
and wounding him with his spear: a fair naiad nymph had
borne him to Enops as he was herding cattle by the banks
of the river Satnioeis. The son of Oileus came up to him
and struck him in the flank so that he fell, and a fierce
fight between Trojans and Danaans raged round his body.
Polydamas son of Panthous drew near to avenge him, and
wounded Prothoenor son of Areilycus on the right shoulder;
the terrible spear went right through his shoulder, and he
clutched the earth as he fell in the dust. Polydamas vaunted
loudly over him saying, ‘Again I take it that the spear has
not sped in vain from the strong hand of the son of Pan-
thous; an Argive has caught it in his body, and it will serve
him for a staff as he goes down into the house of Hades.’
The Argives were maddened by this boasting. Ajax son
of Telamon was more angry than any, for the man had fall-