country; but his wife shall be safe, and his children left behind him, his house and patrimony unimpaired, if indeed the Greeks depart with their ships to their dear fatherland."
So saying, he kindled the strength and spirit of each: and Ajax again, on the other side, animated his companions:
"Shame, oh Argives! now is the moment for us either to perish, or to be preserved and to repel destruction from the ships. Do ye expect that if crest-tossing Hector capture the ships, ye will reach on foot each his native land? Do ye not hear Hector, who now rages to fire the ships, inciting all his people? Nor indeed does he invite them to come to a dance, but to battle. But for us there is no opinion or design better than this, to join in close fight our hands and strength. Better, either to perish at once, or live, rather than thus uselessly to be wasted away[1] for a length of time in dire contention at the ships, by inferior men."
So saying, he aroused the strength and courage of each. Then Hector indeed slew Schedius, son of Perimedes, prince of the Phoceans; and Ajax slew Laodamas, leader of the infantry, the illustrious son of Antenor. Polydamas slew Cyllenian Otus, the companion of the son of Phyleus, chief of the magnanimous Epeans. Meges rushed upon him, perceiving it, but Polydamas stooped obliquely, and he missed him; for Apollo did not suffer the son of Panthous to be subdued among the foremost warriors. But he wounded Crœsmus in the middle of the breast with his spear, but falling, he resounded; and he stripped the arms from his shoulders. In the mean time Dolops, the descendant of Lampus, well skilled in the spear, leaped upon him (he whom Lampus, son of Laomedon, the best of men, begat, skilled in impetuous fight), who then attacking him in close fight, struck the middle of Meges' shield with his spear: but the thick corselet defended him, which he wore, compact in its cavities. This Phyleus formerly brought from Ephyre, from the river Selleïs: for his host, Euphetes, king of men, had given it to him, to bear into the battle as a defense against the enemy; and which then warded off destruction from the body of his son. But Meges with his sharp spear
- ↑ The verb στρεύγεσθαι, which may be compared with ἀπολιβάζειν in Od. xii. 351, is interpreted by Apollonius καταπονεῖσθαι. Cf. Hesych. t. i. p. 1603, t. ii. p. 1278.
