arrow, on the cavity of the corselet, hut the bitter shaft rebounded. As when from the broad winnowing-fan in a large thrashing-floor, the black-coated beans or vetches leap at the shrill blast, and the force of the winnower; so, strongly repulsed by the corselet of glorious Menelaus, the bitter arrow flew afar. But Menelaus, the son of Atreus, brave in the din of battle, smote him upon the hand which held his well-polished bow; and in the bow the brazen spear was fixed from the opposite side, through his hand. Then he retired back into the crowd of his companions, avoiding death, hanging down his hand at his side, but the ashen spear was trailed along with him. And then magnanimous Agenor extracted it from his hand, and bound [the hand] itself sling-ways in well-twisted sheep's wool, which his attendant carried for the shepherd of the people.
But Pisander went direct against glorious Menelaus, because evil Fate led him toward the end of death, to be subdued by thee, O Menelaus, in the dire battle. When therefore they were near, advancing against each other, the son of Atreus indeed missed, and his spear was turned aside from him; but Pisander smote the shield of glorious Menelaus, nor could he drive the spear quite through; because the broad shield kept it off, and the spear was broken at the extremity: still he rejoiced in his mind, and hoped for victory. The son of Atreus, however, drawing his silver-studded sword, sprang upon Pisander; but he drew from beneath his shield a handsome battle-ax of well-wrought brass, fixed upon either side of an olive handle, long, well-polished; and at once they struck each other. Then he (Pisander) cut away the cone of the helmet, thick with horse-hair, under the very crest, but (Menelaus smote) him, approaching, upon the forehead, above the root of the nose. And the bones crashed, and his blood-stained eyes fell at his feet upon the ground in the dust: and falling, he writhed. Then he (Menelaus) placing his heel upon his breast, despoiled him of his armor, and boasting, spoke [this] speech:
" Thus,[1] then, shall ye abandon the ships of the Greeks, who possess swift steeds, ye treaty-breaking Trojans, insatiate of dire battle. Of other injury and disgrace ye indeed lack
- ↑ i. e., by being slain one after another.
