Page 332 - the-iliad

and the Myrmidons and Achaeans on the other, strength-
ened their battalions, and fought desperately about the body
of Sarpedon, shouting fiercely the while. Mighty was the
din of their armour as they came together, and Jove shed
a thick darkness over the fight, to increase the toil of the
battle over the body of his son.
At first the Trojans made some headway against the
Achaeans, for one of the best men among the Myrmidons
was killed, Epeigeus, son of noble Agacles who had erewhile
been king in the good city of Budeum; but presently, hav-
ing killed a valiant kinsman of his own, he took refuge with
Peleus and Thetis, who sent him to Ilius the land of noble
steeds to fight the Trojans under Achilles. Hector now struck
him on the head with a stone just as he had caught hold of
the body, and his brains inside his helmet were all battered
in, so that he fell face foremost upon the body of Sarpedon,
and there died. Patroclus was enraged by the death of his
comrade, and sped through the front ranks as swiftly as
a hawk that swoops down on a flock of daws or starlings.
Even so swiftly, O noble knight Patroclus, did you make
straight for the Lycians and Trojans to avenge your com-
rade. Forthwith he struck Sthenelaus the son of Ithaemenes
on the neck with a stone, and broke the tendons that join it
to the head and spine. On this Hector and the front rank of
his men gave ground. As far as a man can throw a javelin
when competing for some prize, or even in battle—so far
did the Trojans now retreat before the Achaeans. Glaucus,
captain of the Lycians, was the first to rally them, by killing
Bathycles son of Chalcon who lived in Hellas and was the

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