Page 358 - the-iliad

struck the round shield of Aretus, and went right through
it for the shield stayed it not, so that it was driven through
his belt into the lower part of his belly. As when some stur-
dy youth, axe in hand, deals his blow behind the horns of
an ox and severs the tendons at the back of its neck so that
it springs forward and then drops, even so did Aretus give
one bound and then fall on his back the spear quivering
in his body till it made an end of him. Hector then aimed
a spear at Automedon but he saw it coming and stooped
forward to avoid it, so that it flew past him and the point
stuck in the ground, while the butt-end went on quivering
till Mars robbed it of its force. They would then have fought
hand to hand with swords had not the two Ajaxes forced
their way through the crowd when they heard their com-
rade calling, and parted them for all their fury—for Hector,
Aeneas, and Chromius were afraid and drew back, leaving
Aretus to lie there struck to the heart. Automedon, peer of
fleet Mars, then stripped him of his armour and vaunted
over him saying, ‘I have done little to assuage my sorrow
for the son of Menoetius, for the man I have killed is not so
good as he was.’
As he spoke he took the blood-stained spoils and laid
them upon his chariot; then he mounted the car with his
hands and feet all steeped in gore as a lion that has been
gorging upon a bull.
And now the fierce groanful fight again raged about Pa-
troclus, for Minerva came down from heaven and roused its
fury by the command of far-seeing Jove, who had changed
his mind and sent her to encourage the Danaans. As when