Page 350 - the-iliad

sea ring with the roar of the breakers that beat and buffet
them—even with such a roar did the Trojans come on; but
the Achaeans in singleness of heart stood firm about the
son of Menoetius, and fenced him with their bronze shields.
Jove, moreover, hid the brightness of their helmets in a thick
cloud, for he had borne no grudge against the son of Meno-
etius while he was still alive and squire to the descendant
of Aeacus; therefore he was loth to let him fall a prey to the
dogs of his foes the Trojans, and urged his comrades on to
defend him.
At first the Trojans drove the Achaeans back, and they
withdrew from the dead man daunted. The Trojans did
not succeed in killing any one, nevertheless they drew the
body away. But the Achaeans did not lose it long, for Ajax,
foremost of all the Danaans after the son of Peleus alike
in stature and prowess, quickly rallied them and made to-
wards the front like a wild boar upon the mountains when
he stands at bay in the forest glades and routs the hounds
and lusty youths that have attacked him—even so did Ajax
son of Telamon passing easily in among the phalanxes of
the Trojans, disperse those who had bestridden Patroclus
and were most bent on winning glory by dragging him off
to their city. At this moment Hippothous brave son of the
Pelasgian Lethus, in his zeal for Hector and the Trojans,
was dragging the body off by the foot through the press of
the fight, having bound a strap round the sinews near the
ancle; but a mischief soon befell him from which none of
those could save him who would have gladly done so, for
the son of Telamon sprang forward and smote him on his