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279—309.
ILIAD. XVI.
297

himself and his attendant glittering in arms, the mind to all of them was disturbed, and the phalanxes were deranged, deeming that the swift-footed son of Peleus at the ships had cast away his wrath, and resumed friendship: then each one gazed about where he might escape utter destruction.

But Patroclus first took aim with his shining spear from the opposite side right into the midst, where they were huddled together in greatest numbers at the stern of the ship of magnanimous Protesilaus, and wounded Pyræchmes, who led the Pæonian equestrian warriors from Amydon, from the wide-flowing Axius. Him he smote upon the right shoulder, and he fell on his back in the dust groaning; but the Pæonians, his companions, were put to flight around him, for Patroclus caused fear to them all, having slain their leader, who was very brave to fight. And he drove them from the ships, and extinguished the blazing fire. But the ship was left there half-burnt, while the Trojans were routed with a prodigious tumult: and the Greeks were poured forth among the hollow ships; and mighty confusion was created. And as when, from the lofty summit of a great mountain,[1] lightning-driving Jove dislodges a dense cloud, and all the eminences and highest ridges and glens appear, while the boundless ether is burst open[2] throughout the heaven; so the Greeks respired for a little, having repelled the hostile fire from their vessels. But of battle there was no cessation: for the Trojans were by no means yet totally routed from the black ships by the warlike Greeks, but still resisted, and retreated from the ships from necessity. Then of the generals, man slew man, the fight being scattered; and first, the brave son of Menœtius forthwith with his sharp spear

  1. Milton, Paradise Lost, ii. 488:
    "As when from mountain tops the dusky clouds
    Ascending, while the north wind sleeps, o'er-spread
    Heav'n's cheerful face, the lowring element
    Scowls o'er the darkened landskip snow, or shower;
    If chance the radiant sun with farewell sweet
    Extend his evening beam, the fields revive,
    The birds their notes renew and bleating herds
    Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings."

  2. Virg. Æn. i. 591:
    "Vix ea fatus erat, cum circumfusa repente
    Scindit se nubes, et in æthera purgat apertum."

    Cf. Drakenb. on Silius, iii. 196; Kuinoel on Matth. iii. 16; Acts vii. 55.

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