Page 352 - the-iliad

of Periphas son of Epytus, an attendant who had grown old
in the service of Aeneas’ aged father, and was at all times
devoted to him. In his likeness, then, Apollo said, ‘Aeneas,
can you not manage, even though heaven be against us, to
save high Ilius? I have known men, whose numbers, cour-
age, and self-reliance have saved their people in spite of Jove,
whereas in this case he would much rather give victory to
us than to the Danaans, if you would only fight instead of
being so terribly afraid.’
Aeneas knew Apollo when he looked straight at him, and
shouted to Hector saying, ‘Hector and all other Trojans and
allies, shame on us if we are beaten by the Achaeans and
driven back to Ilius through our own cowardice. A god has
just come up to me and told me that Jove the supreme dis-
poser will be with us. Therefore let us make for the Danaans,
that it may go hard with them ere they bear away dead Pa-
troclus to the ships.’
As he spoke he sprang out far in front of the others, who
then rallied and again faced the Achaeans. Aeneas speared
Leiocritus son of Arisbas, a valiant follower of Lycomedes,
and Lycomedes was moved with pity as he saw him fall; he
therefore went close up, and speared Apisaon son of Hippa-
sus shepherd of his people in the liver under the midriff, so
that he died; he had come from fertile Paeonia and was the
best man of them all after Asteropaeus. Asteropaeus flew
forward to avenge him and attack the Danaans, but this
might no longer be, inasmuch as those about Patroclus were
well covered by their shields, and held their spears in front
of them, for Ajax had given them strict orders that no man

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