Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 17

Page 18

Peneleus, the Boeotian, first was leader of the flight; for he was wounded slightly[565] on the tip of the shoulder with a spear, being always turned frontwards; but the spear of Polydamas grazed even to the bone, for he, coming close, had wounded him. Next Hector wounded Leitus, son of magnanimous Alectryon, on the hand at the wrist, and caused him to cease from battle. Then looking around him, he trembled, since he no longer hoped in his mind [to be able] to fight with the Trojans, holding his spear in his hand. But Idomeneus had struck, on the corslet, upon the breast near the pap, Hector rushing after Leitus: the long spear, however, was broken at the socket; and the Trojans shouted. But he [Hector] discharged his javelin at Idomeneus, the son of Deucalion, as he was standing in his car: him he missed by a little, but struck Coeranus, the attendant and charioteer of Meriones, who had followed him from well-situated Lyctus. For at first on foot, having left his equally-plied ships, he came, and would have secured a decided victory to the Trojans, had not Coeranus quickly driven on his swift-footed steeds: to him then he (Coeranus) came as a help, and warded off the merciless day; but he himself lost his life beneath man-slaughtering Hector. Him he smote beneath the jaw-bone and ear, and the extremity of the spear forced out his teeth and cut through the middle of his tongue. He fell from his chariot, and the reins dropped to the ground; and Meriones, stooping, lifted them from the plain in his own hands, and addressed Idomeneus:

"Lash on, now, until thou reach the swift ships; for even thou thyself perceivest that victory is no longer on the side of the Achaeans."

[Footnote 565: [Greek: Epiligoen], on the surface, [Greek: di' epipoles].—Kennedy.]

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