Page 357 - the-iliad

him, ‘Aeneas, counsellor of the mail-clad Trojans, I see the
steeds of the fleet son of Aeacus come into battle with weak
hands to drive them. I am sure, if you think well, that we
might take them; they will not dare face us if we both at-
tack them.’
The valiant son of Anchises was of the same mind, and
the pair went right on, with their shoulders covered under
shields of tough dry ox-hide, overlaid with much bronze.
Chromius and Aretus went also with them, and their hearts
beat high with hope that they might kill the men and cap-
ture the horses—fools that they were, for they were not to
return scatheless from their meeting with Automedon, who
prayed to father Jove and was forthwith filled with courage
and strength abounding. He turned to his trusty comrade
Alcimedon and said, ‘Alcimedon, keep your horses so close
up that I may feel their breath upon my back; I doubt that
we shall not stay Hector son of Priam till he has killed us
and mounted behind the horses; he will then either spread
panic among the ranks of the Achaeans, or himself be killed
among the foremost.’
On this he cried out to the two Ajaxes and Menelaus,
‘Ajaxes captains of the Argives, and Menelaus, give the dead
body over to them that are best able to defend it, and come
to the rescue of us living; for Hector and Aeneas who are
the two best men among the Trojans, are pressing us hard
in the full tide of war. Nevertheless the issue lies on the lap
of heaven, I will therefore hurl my spear and leave the rest
to Jove.’
He poised and hurled as he spoke, whereon the spear

The Iliad