Page 316 - the-iliad

do not fight the Trojans further in my absence, or you will
rob me of glory that should be mine. And do not for lust of
battle go on killing the Trojans nor lead the Achaeans on
to Ilius, lest one of the ever-living gods from Olympus at-
tack you—for Phoebus Apollo loves them well: return when
you have freed the ships from peril, and let others wage war
upon the plain. Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo,
that not a single man of all the Trojans might be left alive,
nor yet of the Argives, but that we two might be alone left to
tear aside the mantle that veils the brow of Troy.’
Thus did they converse. But Ajax could no longer hold
his ground for the shower of darts that rained upon him;
the will of Jove and the javelins of the Trojans were too
much for him; the helmet that gleamed about his temples
rang with the continuous clatter of the missiles that kept
pouring on to it and on to the cheek-pieces that protected
his face. Moreover his left shoulder was tired with having
held his shield so long, yet for all this, let fly at him as they
would, they could not make him give ground. He could
hardly draw his breath, the sweat rained from every pore of
his body, he had not a moment’s respite, and on all sides he
was beset by danger upon danger.
And now, tell me, O Muses that hold your mansions on
Olympus, how fire was thrown upon the ships of the Achae-
ans. Hector came close up and let drive with his great sword
at the ashen spear of Ajax. He cut it clean in two just behind
where the point was fastened on to the shaft of the spear.
Ajax, therefore, had now nothing but a headless spear, while
the bronze point flew some way off and came ringing down

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