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746—787.
ILIAD. XVI.
311

dives! if indeed he were any where in the fishy sea, this man, groping for oysters, might have satisfied many, plunging from his ship, although it might be stormy; so easily now in the plain does he dive from his chariot! Without doubt there are divers among the Trojans."

So saying, he advanced against the hero Cebriones, having the force of a lion, which, ravaging the folds, is wounded in the breast, and his own courage destroys him; thus, O Patroclus, ardent, didst thou spring upon Cebriones; while Hector, on the other side, leaped from his chariot to the ground. These two, as lions, fought for Cebriones, when both being hungry fight with utmost courage for a slaughtered stag in mountain tops. So, for Cebriones, these two masters of the fight, Patroclus, son of Menœtius, and illustrious Hector, wished to rend each other's body with the pitiless brass, Hector indeed, after he seized him by the head, did not let him go; but Patroclus, on the other side, held [him by the] foot; and now the rest of the Trojans and Greeks engaged in the violent conflict.

And as the East and South winds strive with each other, in the dells of a mountain, to shake a deep wood, beech, ash, and rugged cornel, but they strike their long-extended boughs against each other with an immense sound, and a crash of them breaking [arises]; thus the Trojans and Greeks, leaping upon each other, slaughtered, but neither were mindful of pernicious flight. And many sharp spears were fixed round Cebriones, and winged arrows bounding from the string; and many huge stones smote the shields of those fighting round him; but he, mighty over mighty space, lay in a whirlwind of dust, forgetful of his equestrian skill.

As long indeed as the sun was ascending the middle heaven, so long did the weapons reach both sides effectually, and the people kept falling. But when the sun had passed over toward the west, then indeed the Greeks were superior, contrary to fate. They drew the hero Cebriones from the weapons, out of the tumult of Trojans, and took the armor from his shoulders. But Patroclus, devising evils against the Trojans, rushed on. Thrice then he charged, equal to swift Mars, shouting horribly, and thrice he slew nine heroes. But when, like unto a god, he made the attack for the fourth time, then indeed, O Patroclus, was the end of thy life mani-