and　cheers　me　on。〃
  As　he　spoke　thus　the　Trojans　sprang　yet　more　fiercely　on　the
  Achaeans；　and　Ajax　no　longer　held　his　ground；　for　he　was　overcome　by
  the　darts　that　were　flung　at　him；　and　made　sure　that　he　was　doomed。
  Therefore　he　left　the　raised　deck　at　the　stern；　and　stepped　back　on　to
  the　seven…foot　bench　of　the　oarsmen。　Here　he　stood　on　the　look…out；
  and　with　his　spear　held　back　Trojan　whom　he　saw　bringing　fire　to　the
  ships。　All　the　time　he　kept　on　shouting　at　the　top　of　his　voice　and
  exhorting　the　Danaans。　〃My　friends；〃　he　cried；　〃Danaan　heroes；
  servants　of　Mars；　be　men　my　friends；　and　fight　with　might　and　with
  main。　Can　we　hope　to　find　helpers　hereafter；　or　a　wall　to　shield　us
  more　surely　than　the　one　we　have？　There　is　no　strong　city　within
  reach；　whence　we　may　draw　fresh　forces　to　turn　the　scales　in　our
  favour。　We　are　on　the　plain　of　the　armed　Trojans　with　the　sea　behind
  us；　and　far　from　our　own　country。　Our　salvation；　therefore；　is　in
  the　might　of　our　hands　and　in　hard　fighting。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　wielded　his　spear　with　still　greater　fury；　and　when
  any　Trojan　made　towards　the　ships　with　fire　at　Hector's　bidding；　he
  would　be　on　the　look…out　for　him；　and　drive　at　him　with　his　long
  spear。　Twelve　men　did　he　thus　kill　in　hand…to…hand　fight　before　the
  ships。
  BOOK　XVI
  THUS　did　they　fight　about　the　ship　of　Protesilaus。　Then　Patroclus
  drew　near　to　Achilles　with　tears　welling　from　his　eyes；　as　from　some
  spring　whose　crystal　stream　falls　over　the　ledges　of　a　high　precipice。
  When　Achilles　saw　him　thus　weeping　he　was　sorry　for　him　and　said；
  〃Why；　Patroclus；　do　you　stand　there　weeping　like　some　silly　child　that
  comes　running　to　her　mother；　and　begs　to　be　taken　up　and　carried…
  she　catches　hold　of　her　mother's　dress　to　stay　her　though　she　is　in
  a　hurry；　and　looks　tearfully　up　until　her　mother　carries　her…　even
  such　tears；　Patroclus；　are　you　now　shedding。　Have　you　anything　to
  say　to　the　Myrmidons　or　to　myself？　or　have　you　had　news　from　Phthia
  which　you　alone　know？　They　tell　me　Menoetius　son　of　Actor　is　still
  alive；　as　also　Peleus　son　of　Aeacus；　among　the　Myrmidons…　men　whose
  loss　we　two　should　bitterly　deplore；　or　are　you　grieving　about　the
  Argives　and　the　way　in　which　they　are　being　killed　at　the　ships；　throu
  their　own　high…handed　doings？　Do　not　hide　anything　from　me　but　tell　me
  that　both　of　us　may　know　about　it。〃
  Then；　O　knight　Patroclus；　with　a　deep　sigh　you　answered；
  〃Achilles；　son　of　Peleus；　foremost　champion　of　the　Achaeans；　do　not　be
  angry；　but　I　weep　for　the　disaster　that　has　now　befallen　the
  Argives。　All　those　who　have　been　their　champions　so　far　are　lying　at
  the　ships；　wounded　by　sword　or　spear。　Brave　Diomed　son　of　Tydeus　has
  been　hit　with　a　spear；　while　famed　Ulysses　and　Agamemnon　have　received
  sword…wounds；　Eurypylus　again　has　been　struck　with　an　arrow　in　the
  thigh；　skilled　apothecaries　are　attending　to　these　heroes；　and　healing
  them　of　their　wounds；　are　you　still；　O　Achilles；　so　inexorable？　May　it
  never　be　my　lot　to　nurse　such　a　passion　as　you　have　done；　to　the
  baning　of　your　own　good　name。　Who　in　future　story　will　speak　well　of
  you　unless　you　now　save　the　Argives　from　ruin？　You　know　no　pity；
  knight　Peleus　was　not　your　father　nor　Thetis　your　mother；　but　the　grey
  sea　bore　you　and　the　sheer　cliffs　begot　you；　so　cruel　and
  remorseless　are　you。　If　however　you　are　kept　back　through　knowledge　of
  some　oracle；　or　if　your　mother　Thetis　has　told　you　something　from
  the　mouth　of　Jove；　at　least　send　me　and　the　Myrmidons　with　me；　if　I
  may　bring　deliverance　to　the　Danaans。　Let　me　moreover　wear　your
  armour；　the　Trojans　may　thus　mistake　me　for　you　and　quit　the　field；　so
  that　the　hard…pressed　sons　of　the　Achaeans　may　have　breathing　time…
  which　while　they　are　fighting　may　hardly　be。　We　who　are　fresh　might
  soon　drive　tired　men　back　from　our　ships　and　tents　to　their　own　city。〃
  He　knew　not　what　he　was　asking；　nor　that　he　was　suing　for　his　own
  destruction。　Achilles　was　deeply　moved　and　answered；　〃What；　noble
  Patroclus；　are　you　saying？　I　know　no　prophesyings　which　I　am
  heeding；　nor　has　my　mother　told　me　anything　from　the　mouth　of　Jove；
  but　I　am　cut　to　the　very　heart　that　one　of　my　own　rank　should　dare
  to　rob　me　because　he　is　more　powerful　than　I　am。　This；　after　all
  that　I　have　gone　through；　is　more　than　I　can　endure。　The　girl　whom　the
  sons　of　the　Achaeans　chose　for　me；　whom　I　won　as　the　fruit　of　my　spear
  on　having　sacked　a　city…　her　has　King　Agamemnon　taken　from　me　as
  though　I　were　some　common　vagrant。　Still；　let　bygones　be　bygones：　no
  man　may　keep　his　anger　for　ever；　I　said　I　would　not　relent　till　battle
  and　the　cry　of　war　had　reached　my　own　ships；　nevertheless；　now　gird　my
  armour　about　your　shoulders；　and　lead　the　Myrmidons　to　battle；　for　the
  dark　cloud　of　Trojans　has　burst　furiously　over　our　fleet；　the
  Argives　are　driven　back　on　to　the　beach；　cooped　within　a　narrow　space；
  and　the　whole　people　of　Troy　has　taken　heart　to　sally　out　against
  them；　because　they　see　not　the　visor　of　my　helmet　gleaming　near
  them。　Had　they　seen　this；　there　would　not　have　been　a　creek　nor　grip
  that　had　not　been　filled　with　their　dead　as　they　fled　back　again。
  And　so　it　would　have　been；　if　only　King　Agamemnon　had　dealt　fairly
  by　me。　As　it　is　the　Trojans　have　beset　our　host。　Diomed　son　of
  Tydeus　no　longer　wields　his　spear　to　defend　the　Danaans；　neither
  have　I　heard　the　voice　of　the　son　of　Atreus　coming　from　his　hated
  head；　whereas　that　of　murderous　Hector　rings　in　my　cars　as　he　gives
  orders　to　the　Trojans；　who　triumph　over　the　Achaeans　and　fill　the
  whole　plain　with　their　cry　of　battle。　But　even　so；　Patroclus；　fall
  upon　them　and　save　the　fleet；　lest　the　Trojans　fire　it　and　prevent
  us　from　being　able　to　return。　Do；　however；　as　I　now　bid　you；　that
  you　may　win　me　great　honour　from　all　the　Danaans；　and　that　they　may
  restore　the　girl　to　me　again　and　give　me　rich　gifts　into　the
  bargain。　When　you　have　driven　the　Trojans　from　the　ships；　come　back
  again。　Though　Juno's　thundering　husband　should　put　triumph　within　your
  reach；　do　not　fight　the　Trojans　further　in　my　absence；　or　you　will　rob
  me　of　glory　that　should　be　mine。　And　do　not　for　lust　of　battle　go　on
  killing　the　Trojans　nor　lead　the　Achaeans　on　to　Ilius；　lest　one　of　the
  ever…living　gods　from　Olympus　attack　you…　for　Phoebus　Apollo　loves
  them　well：　return　when　you　have　freed　the　ships　from　peril；　and　let
  others　wage　war　upon　the　plain。　Would；　by　father　Jove；　Minerva；　and
  Apollo；　that　not　a　single　man　of　all　the　Trojans　might　be　left
  alive；　nor　yet　of　the　Argives；　but　that　we　two　might　be　alone　left
  to　tear　aside　the　mantle　that　veils　the　brow　of　Troy。〃
  Thus　did　they　converse。　But　Ajax　could　no　longer　hold　his　ground　for
  the　shower　of　darts　that　rained　upon　him；　the　will　of　Jove　and　the
  javelins　of　the　Trojans　were　too　much　for　him；　the　helmet　that　gleamed
  about　his　temples　rang　with　the　continuous　clatter　of　the　missiles
  that　kept　pouring　on　to　it　and　on　to　the　cheek…pieces　that　protected
  his　face。　Moreover　his　left　shoulder　was　tired　with　having　held　his
  shield　so　long；　yet　for　all　this；　let　fly　at　him　as　they　would；　they
  could　not　make　him　give　ground。　He　could　hardly　draw　his　breath；　the
  sweat　rained　from　every　pore　of　his　body；　he　had　not　a　moment's
  respite；　and　on　all　sides　he　was　beset　by　danger　upon　danger。
  And　now；　tell　me；　O　Muses　that　hold　your　mansions　on　Olympus；　how
  fire　was　thrown　upon　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　Hector　came　close　up
  and　let　drive　with　his　great　sword　at　the　ashen　spear　of　Ajax。　He
  cut　it　clean　in　two　just　behind　where　the　point　was　fastened　on　to　the
  shaft　of　the　spear。　Ajax；　therefore；　had　now　nothing　but　a　headless
  spear；　while　the　bronze　point　flew　some　way　off　and　came　ringing
  down　on　to　the　ground。　Ajax　knew　the　hand　of　heaven　in　this；　and　was
  dismayed　at　seeing　that　Jove　had　now　left　him　utterly　defenceless
  and　was　willing　victory　for　the　Trojans。　Therefore　he　drew　back；　and
  the　Trojans　flung　fire　upon　the　ship　which　was　at　once　wrapped　in
  flame。
  The　fire　was　now　flaring　about　the　ship's　stern；　whereon　Achilles
  smote　his　two　thighs　and　said　to　Patroclus；　〃Up；　noble　knight；　for　I
  see　the　glare　of　hostile　fire　at　our　fleet；　up；　lest　they　destroy
  our　ships；　and　there　be　no　way　by　which　we　may　retreat。　Gird　on　your
  armour　at　once　while　I　call　our　people　together。〃
  As　he　spoke　Patroclus　put　on　his　armour。　First　he　greaved　his　legs
  with　greaves　of　good　make；　and　fitted　with　ancle…clasps　of　silver；
  after　this　he　donned　the　cuirass　of　the　son　of　Aeacus；　richly　inlaid
  and　studded。　He　hung　his　silver…studded　sword　of　bronze　about　his
  shoulders；　and　then　his　mighty　shield。　On　his　comely　head　he　set　his
  helmet；　well　wrought；　with　a　crest　of　horse…hair　that　nodded
  menacingly　above　it。　He　grasped　two　redoubtable　spears　that　suited　his
  hands；　but　he　did　not　take　the　spear　of　noble　Achilles；　so　stout　and
  strong；　for　none　other　of　the　Achaeans　could　wield　it；　though　Achilles
  could　do　so　easily。　This　was　the　ashen　spear　from　Mount　Pelion；
  which　Chiron　had　cut　upon　a　mountain　top　and　had　given　to　Peleus；
  wherewith　to　deal　out　death　among　heroes。　He　bade　Automedon　yoke　his
  horses　with　all　speed；　for　he　was　the　man　whom　he　held　in　honour
  next　afte