all round, even among many weapons. For never indeed was he apart from the enemy, but he turned himself about among them: nor did he hold his spear without motion, but continually moving, it was whirled about; and he prepared within his mind, either to hurl it at some one afar off, or to rush upon some one close at hand. But meditating these things amid the throng, he escaped not the notice of Adamas, the son of Asias, who smote him in the middle of his shield with the sharp brass, attacking him in close combat; but azure-haired Neptune weakened the spear, grudging[1] him the life [of Antilochus]. Part of it remained there like a stake burned in the fire,[2] in the shield of Antilochus, and the other half lay upon the ground; while he gave backward into the crowd of his companions, shunning death. Meriones, however, following him departing, smote him with his spear between the private parts and the navel, where a wound[3] is particularly painful to miserable mortals. There he fixed the spear in him; and he falling, struggled panting around the spear, as an ox, when cowherds in the mountains, forcibly binding him with twisted cords, lead [him] away unwilling. So he, wounded, throbbed, though but for a short time, and not very long, until the hero Meriones coming near, plucked the spear from his body; and darkness vailed his eyes. But Helenus, close at hand, struck Deïpyrus upon the temple with his huge Thracian sword, and cut away the three-coned helmet; which, being dashed off, fell upon the ground; and some one of the combating Greeks lifted it up, having rolled between his feet; while dim night enveloped his eyes. Then grief seized the son of Atreus, Menelaus, brave in the din of battle, and he advanced, threatening the hero, king Helenus; brandishing his sharp spear, while the other drew the horn of his bow. Together then they darted, the one eager to lanch his fir-tree spear, and the other an arrow from the string. Then indeed the son of Priam smote him in the breast with an
- ↑ Φθονήσας Ἀδάμαντι, μὴ τὸν βίον Ἀντιλόχου ἀφέληται.
- ↑ The "præustæ sudes" of Cæsar, B. G. v. 40. These were among the rustic weapons of antiquity, as may be seen from Virg. Æn. vii. 523.
"Non jam certamine agresti
Stipitibus duris agitur, sudibusve præustis;
Sed ferro ancipiti decernunt." - ↑ Cf vs. 444.
