armour　of　the　descendant　of　Aeacus。〃
  Automedon　son　of　Diores　answered；　〃Alcimedon；　there　is　no　one　else
  who　can　control　and　guide　the　immortal　steeds　so　well　as　you　can；　save
  only　Patroclus…　while　he　was　alive…　peer　of　gods　in　counsel。　Take　then
  the　whip　and　reins；　while　I　go　down　from　the　car　and　fight。
  Alcimedon　sprang　on　to　the　chariot；　and　caught　up　the　whip　and
  reins；　while　Automedon　leaped　from　off　the　car。　When　Hector　saw　him　he
  said　to　Aeneas　who　was　near　him；　〃Aeneas；　counsellor　of　the
  mail…clad　Trojans；　I　see　the　steeds　of　the　fleet　son　of　Aeacus　come
  into　battle　with　weak　hands　to　drive　them。　I　am　sure；　if　you　think
  well；　that　we　might　take　them；　they　will　not　dare　face　us　if　we　both
  attack　them。〃
  The　valiant　son　of　Anchises　was　of　the　same　mind；　and　the　pair
  went　right　on；　with　their　shoulders　covered　under　shields　of　tough　dry
  ox…hide；　overlaid　with　much　bronze。　Chromius　and　Aretus　went　also　with
  them；　and　their　hearts　beat　high　with　hope　that　they　might　kill　the
  men　and　capture　the　horses…　fools　that　they　were；　for　they　were　not　to
  return　scatheless　from　their　meeting　with　Automedon；　who　prayed　to
  father　Jove　and　was　forthwith　filled　with　courage　and　strength
  abounding。　He　turned　to　his　trusty　comrade　Alcimedon　and　said；
  〃Alcimedon；　keep　your　horses　so　close　up　that　I　may　feel　their
  breath　upon　my　back；　I　doubt　that　we　shall　not　stay　Hector　son　of
  Priam　till　he　has　killed　us　and　mounted　behind　the　horses；　he　will
  then　either　spread　panic　among　the　ranks　of　the　Achaeans；　or　himself
  be　killed　among　the　foremost。〃
  On　this　he　cried　out　to　the　two　Ajaxes　and　Menelaus；　〃Ajaxes
  captains　of　the　Argives；　and　Menelaus；　give　the　dead　body　over　to　them
  that　are　best　able　to　defend　it；　and　come　to　the　rescue　of　us
  living；　for　Hector　and　Aeneas　who　are　the　two　best　men　among　the
  Trojans；　are　pressing　us　hard　in　the　full　tide　of　war。　Nevertheless
  the　issue　lies　on　the　lap　of　heaven；　I　will　therefore　hurl　my　spear
  and　leave　the　rest　to　Jove。〃
  He　poised　and　hurled　as　he　spoke；　whereon　the　spear　struck　the　round
  shield　of　Aretus；　and　went　right　through　it　for　the　shield　stayed　it
  not；　so　that　it　was　driven　through　his　belt　into　the　lower　part　of　his
  belly。　As　when　some　sturdy　youth；　axe　in　hand；　deals　his　blow　behind
  the　horns　of　an　ox　and　severs　the　tendons　at　the　back　of　its　neck　so
  that　it　springs　forward　and　then　drops；　even　so　did　Aretus　give　one
  bound　and　then　fall　on　his　back　the　spear　quivering　in　his　body　till
  it　made　an　end　of　him。　Hector　then　aimed　a　spear　at　Automedon　but　he
  saw　it　coming　and　stooped　forward　to　avoid　it；　so　that　it　flew　past
  him　and　the　point　stuck　in　the　ground；　while　the　butt…end　went　on
  quivering　till　Mars　robbed　it　of　its　force。　They　would　then　have
  fought　hand　to　hand　with　swords　had　not　the　two　Ajaxes　forced　their
  way　through　the　crowd　when　they　heard　their　comrade　calling；　and
  parted　them　for　all　their　fury…　for　Hector；　Aeneas；　and　Chromius
  were　afraid　and　drew　back；　leaving　Aretus　to　lie　there　struck　to　the
  heart。　Automedon；　peer　of　fleet　Mars；　then　stripped　him　of　his
  armour　and　vaunted　over　him　saying；　〃I　have　done　little　to　assuage
  my　sorrow　for　the　son　of　Menoetius；　for　the　man　I　have　killed　is　not
  so　good　as　he　was。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　took　the　blood…stained　spoils　and　laid　them　upon
  his　chariot；　then　he　mounted　the　car　with　his　hands　and　feet　all
  steeped　in　gore　as　a　lion　that　has　been　gorging　upon　a　bull。
  And　now　the　fierce　groanful　fight　again　raged　about　Patroclus；　for
  Minerva　came　down　from　heaven　and　roused　its　fury　by　the　command　of
  far…seeing　Jove；　who　had　changed　his　mind　and　sent　her　to　encourage
  the　Danaans。　As　when　Jove　bends　his　bright　bow　in　heaven　in　token　to
  mankind　either　of　war　or　of　the　chill　storms　that　stay　men　from
  their　labour　and　plague　the　flocks…　even　so；　wrapped　in　such　radiant
  raiment；　did　Minerva　go　in　among　the　host　and　speak　man　by　man　to
  each。　First　she　took　the　form　and　voice　of　Phoenix　and　spoke　to
  Menelaus　son　of　Atreus；　who　was　standing　near　her。　〃Menelaus；〃　said
  she；　〃it　will　be　shame　and　dishonour　to　you；　if　dogs　tear　the　noble
  comrade　of　Achilles　under　the　walls　of　Troy。　Therefore　be　staunch；　and
  urge　your　men　to　be　so　also。〃
  Menelaus　answered；　〃Phoenix；　my　good　old　friend；　may　Minerva
  vouchsafe　me　strength　and　keep　the　darts　from　off　me；　for　so　shall　I
  stand　by　Patroclus　and　defend　him；　his　death　has　gone　to　my　heart；　but
  Hector　is　as　a　raging　fire　and　deals　his　blows　without　ceasing；　for
  Jove　is　now　granting　him　a　time　of　triumph。〃
  Minerva　was　pleased　at　his　having　named　herself　before　any　of　the
  other　gods。　Therefore　she　put　strength　into　his　knees　and　shoulders；
  and　made　him　as　bold　as　a　fly；　which；　though　driven　off　will　yet
  come　again　and　bite　if　it　can；　so　dearly　does　it　love　man's　blood…
  even　so　bold　as　this　did　she　make　him　as　he　stood　over　Patroclus　and
  threw　his　spear。　Now　there　was　among　the　Trojans　a　man　named　Podes；
  son　of　Eetion；　who　was　both　rich　and　valiant。　Hector　held　him　in　the
  highest　honour　for　he　was　his　comrade　and　boon　companion；　the　spear　of
  Menelaus　struck　this　man　in　the　girdle　just　as　he　had　turned　in
  flight；　and　went　right　through　him。　Whereon　he　fell　heavily　forward；
  and　Menelaus　son　of　Atreus　drew　off　his　body　from　the　Trojans　into　the
  ranks　of　his　own　people。
  Apollo　then　went　up　to　Hector　and　spurred　him　on　to　fight；　in　the
  likeness　of　Phaenops　son　of　Asius　who　lived　in　Abydos　and　was　the　most
  favoured　of　all　Hector's　guests。　In　his　likeness　Apollo　said；　〃Hector；
  who　of　the　Achaeans　will　fear　you　henceforward　now　that　you　have
  quailed　before　Menelaus　who　has　ever　been　rated　poorly　as　a　soldier？
  Yet　he　has　now　got　a　corpse　away　from　the　Trojans　single…handed；　and
  has　slain　your　own　true　comrade；　a　man　brave　among　the　foremost；　Podes
  son　of　Eetion。
  A　dark　cloud　of　grief　fell　upon　Hector　as　he　heard；　and　he　made
  his　way　to　the　front　clad　in　full　armour。　Thereon　the　son　of　Saturn
  seized　his　bright　tasselled　aegis；　and　veiled　Ida　in　cloud：　he　sent
  forth　his　lightnings　and　his　thunders；　and　as　he　shook　his　aegis　he
  gave　victory　to　the　Trojans　and　routed　the　Achaeans。
  The　panic　was　begun　by　Peneleos　the　Boeotian；　for　while　keeping
  his　face　turned　ever　towards　the　foe　he　had　been　hit　with　a　spear　on
  the　upper　part　of　the　shoulder；　a　spear　thrown　by　Polydamas　had　grazed
  the　top　of　the　bone；　for　Polydamas　had　come　up　to　him　and　struck　him
  from　close　at　hand。　Then　Hector　in　close　combat　struck　Leitus　son　of
  noble　Alectryon　in　the　hand　by　the　wrist；　and　disabled　him　from
  fighting　further。　He　looked　about　him　in　dismay；　knowing　that　never
  again　should　he　wield　spear　in　battle　with　the　Trojans。　While　Hector
  was　in　pursuit　of　Leitus；　Idomeneus　struck　him　on　the　breastplate　over
  his　chest　near　the　nipple；　but　the　spear　broke　in　the　shaft；　and　the
  Trojans　cheered　aloud。　Hector　then　aimed　at　Idomeneus　son　of　Deucalion
  as　he　was　standing　on　his　chariot；　and　very　narrowly　missed　him；　but
  the　spear　hit　Coiranus；　a　follower　and　charioteer　of　Meriones　who
  had　come　with　him　from　Lyctus。　Idomeneus　had　left　the　ships　on　foot
  and　would　have　afforded　a　great　triumph　to　the　Trojans　if　Coiranus　had
  not　driven　quickly　up　to　him；　he　therefore　brought　life　and　rescue
  to　Idomeneus；　but　himself　fell　by　the　hand　of　murderous　Hector。　For
  Hector　hit　him　on　the　jaw　under　the　ear；　the　end　of　the　spear　drove
  out　his　teeth　and　cut　his　tongue　in　two　pieces；　so　that　he　fell　from
  his　chariot　and　let　the　reins　fall　to　the　ground。　Meriones　gathered
  them　up　from　the　ground　and　took　them　into　his　own　hands；　then　he　said
  to　Idomeneus；　〃Lay　on；　till　you　get　back　to　the　ships；　for　you　must
  see　that　the　day　is　no　longer　ours。〃
  On　this　Idomeneus　lashed　the　horses　to　the　ships；　for　fear　had　taken
  hold　upon　him。
  Ajax　and　Menelaus　noted　how　Jove　had　turned　the　scale　in　favour　of
  the　Trojans；　and　Ajax　was　first　to　speak。　〃Alas；〃　said　he；　〃even　a
  fool　may　see　that　father　Jove　is　helping　the　Trojans。　All　their
  weapons　strike　home；　no　matter　whether　it　be　a　brave　man　or　a　coward
  that　hurls　them；　Jove　speeds　all　alike；　whereas　ours　fall　each　one
  of　them　without　effect。　What；　then；　will　be　best　both　as　regards
  rescuing　the　body；　and　our　return　to　the　joy　of　our　friends　who　will
  be　grieving　as　they　look　hitherwards；　for　they　will　make　sure　that
  nothing　can　now　check　the　terrible　hands　of　Hector；　and　that　he　will
  fling　himself　upon　our　ships。　I　wish　that　some　one　would　go　and　tell
  the　son　of　Peleus　at　once；　for　I　do　not　think　he　can　have　yet　heard
  the　sad　news　that　the　dearest　of　his　friends　has　fallen。　But　I　can　see
  not　a　man　among　the　Achaeans　to　send；　for　they　and　their　chariots
  are　alike　hidden　in　darkness。　O　father　Jove；　lift　this　cloud　from　over
  the　sons　of　the　Achaeans；　make　heaven　serene；　and　let　us　see；　if　you
  will　that　we　perish；　let　us　fall　at　any　rate　by　daylight。〃
  Father　Jove　heard　him　and　had　compassion　upon　his　tears。　Forthwith
  he　chased　away　the　cloud　of　darkness；　so　that　the　sun　shone　out　and
  all　the　fighting　was　revealed。　Ajax　then　said　to　Menelaus；　〃Look；
  Menelaus；　and　if　Antilochus　son　of　Nestor　be　still　living；　send　him　at
  once　to　tell　Achilles　that　by　far　the　dearest　to　him　of　all　his
  comrades　has　fallen。〃