Lycians, bursting through the wall of the Greeks, make their way to the ships, nor could the warlike Greeks repulse the Lycians from the wall, since first they approached it. But as two men, holding measures in their hands, dispute, in a common field,[1] concerning their boundaries, who in a small space contend for their equitable right; thus did the buttresses separate these [warriors], and, for them, each smote the well-rounded ox-hide shields around each other's breasts, and the light bucklers of each other. And many were wounded upon the body with the merciless brass, whether the back of any combatants averted, was laid bare, and many right through the shield itself. Every where the towers and buttresses were sprinkled, on both sides, with the blood of heroes, from the Trojans and the Greeks. Yet not even thus could they cause a flight of the Greeks, but they held themselves, as a just woman, who labors with her hands, does the scales,[2] who, poisoning both the weight and the wood, draws them on either side to equalize them, that she may procure a scanty pittance for the support of her children. Thus equally was their battle and war extended, before the time when Jove gave superior glory to Hector, the son of Priam, who first leaped within the walls of the Greeks, and shouted with a penetrating voice, calling out to the Trojans:
"Push on, ye horse-breaking Trojans, burst through the wall of the Greeks, and hurl the fiercely-blazing fire against the ships,"
Thus he spake, cheering them on; but they all heard him with their ears, and rushed against the wall in great numbers, and then mounted the battlements, carrying their pointed spears. But Hector seizing it, took up a stone, which stood before the gates, widening out at the base,[3] but sharp above; which two men, the strongest of the people, such as mortals now are, could not easily raise from the ground upon a wagon. He, however, brandished it easily and alone, because the son of wise Saturn had rendered it light to him.
