The Iliad 17.752–761

And as flieth a cloud of starlings or of daws, shrieking cries of doom, when they see coming upon them a falcon that beareth death unto small birds; so before Aeneas and Hector fled the youths of the Achaeans, shrieking cries of doom, and forgat all fighting. And fair arms full many fell around and about the trench as the Danaans fled; but there was no ceasing from war.

ὣς αἰεὶ Αἴαντε μάχην ἀνέεργον ὀπίσσω Τρώων· οἳ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο, δύω δʼ ἐν τοῖσι μάλιστα Αἰνείας τʼ Ἀγχισιάδης καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ. τῶν δʼ ὥς τε ψαρῶν νέφος ἔρχεται ἠὲ κολοιῶν οὖλον κεκλήγοντες, ὅτε προΐδωσιν ἰόντα κίρκον, ὅ τε σμικρῇσι φόνον φέρει ὀρνίθεσσιν, ὣς ἄρʼ ὑπʼ Αἰνείᾳ τε καὶ Ἕκτορι κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν οὖλον κεκλήγοντες ἴσαν, λήθοντο δὲ χάρμης. πολλὰ δὲ τεύχεα καλὰ πέσον περί τʼ ἀμφί τε τάφρον φευγόντων Δαναῶν· πολέμου δʼ οὐ γίγνετʼ ἐρωή.

Lattimore commentary

The image seems reversed: one would imagine the following crowd of Trojans to be noisy in pursuit. But the comparison hinges on the frantic movement of the fleeing Greek troops, and the cries, like those of small birds instead of raptors, emphasize their weak position.

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