Seba.Health

The Iliad 17.722–736

The Iliad 17.722–736
And they charged straight upon them like hounds that in front of hunting youths dart upon a wounded wild boar: awhile they rush upon him fain to rend him asunder, but whenso he wheeleth among them trusting in his might, then they give ground and shrink in fear, one here, one there; even so the Trojans for a time ever followed on in throngs, thrusting with swords and two-edged spears, but whenso the twain Aiantes would wheel about and stand against them, then would their colour change, and no man dared dart forth and do battle for the dead. Thus the twain were hasting to bear the corpse forth from out the battle to the hollow ships, and against them was strained a conflict fierce as fire that, rushing upon a city of men with sudden onset, setteth it aflame, and houses fall amid the mighty glare, and the might of the wind driveth it roaring on.
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα νεκρὸν ἀπὸ χθονὸς ἀγκάζοντο ὕψι μάλα μεγάλως· ἐπὶ δʼ ἴαχε λαὸς ὄπισθε Τρωϊκός, ὡς εἴδοντο νέκυν αἴροντας Ἀχαιούς. ἴθυσαν δὲ κύνεσσιν ἐοικότες, οἵ τʼ ἐπὶ κάπρῳ βλημένῳ ἀΐξωσι πρὸ κούρων θηρητήρων· ἕως μὲν γάρ τε θέουσι διαρραῖσαι μεμαῶτες, ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἐν τοῖσιν ἑλίξεται ἀλκὶ πεποιθώς, ἄψ τʼ ἀνεχώρησαν διά τʼ ἔτρεσαν ἄλλυδις ἄλλος. ὣς Τρῶες εἷος μὲν ὁμιλαδὸν αἰὲν ἕποντο νύσσοντες ξίφεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισιν· ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ Αἴαντε μεταστρεφθέντε κατʼ αὐτοὺς σταίησαν, τῶν δὲ τράπετο χρώς, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη πρόσσω ἀΐξας περὶ νεκροῦ δηριάασθαι. ὣς οἵ γʼ ἐμμεμαῶτε νέκυν φέρον ἐκ πολέμοιο νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς· ἐπὶ δὲ πτόλεμος τέτατό σφιν
Read in context →