The Iliad 4.529–543
and drew his sharp sword and smote him therewith full upon the belly, and took away his life. Howbeit of his armour he stripped him not, for about him his comrades, men of Thrace that wear the hair long at the top, stood with long spears grasped in their hands, and for all that he was great and mighty and lordly, drave him back from them, so that he reeled and gave ground. Thus the twain lay stretched in the dust each by the other, captains the one of the Thracians and the other of the brazen-coated Epeians; and about them were others full many likewise slain.
Then could no man any more enter into the battle and make light thereof, whoso still unwounded by missile or by thrust of sharp bronze, might move throughout the midst, being led of Pallas Athene by the hand, and by her guarded from the onrush of missiles: for multitudes of Trojans and Achaeans alike were that day stretched one by the other's side with faces in the dust.
ἀγχίμολον δέ οἱ ἦλθε Θόας, ἐκ δʼ ὄβριμον ἔγχος
ἐσπάσατο στέρνοιο, ἐρύσσατο δὲ ξίφος ὀξύ,
τῷ ὅ γε γαστέρα τύψε μέσην, ἐκ δʼ αἴνυτο θυμόν.
τεύχεα δʼ οὐκ ἀπέδυσε· περίστησαν γὰρ ἑταῖροι
Θρήϊκες ἀκρόκομοι δολίχʼ ἔγχεα χερσὶν ἔχοντες,
οἵ ἑ μέγαν περ ἐόντα καὶ ἴφθιμον καὶ ἀγαυὸν
ὦσαν ἀπὸ σφείων· ὃ δὲ χασσάμενος πελεμίχθη.
ὣς τώ γʼ ἐν κονίῃσι παρʼ ἀλλήλοισι τετάσθην,
ἤτοι ὃ μὲν Θρῃκῶν, ὃ δʼ Ἐπειῶν χαλκοχιτώνων
ἡγεμόνες· πολλοὶ δὲ περὶ κτείνοντο καὶ ἄλλοι.
ἔνθά κεν οὐκέτι ἔργον ἀνὴρ ὀνόσαιτο μετελθών,
ὅς τις ἔτʼ ἄβλητος καὶ ἀνούτατος ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ
δινεύοι κατὰ μέσσον, ἄγοι δέ ἑ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη
χειρὸς ἑλοῦσʼ, αὐτὰρ βελέων ἀπερύκοι ἐρωήν·
πολλοὶ γὰρ Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν ἤματι κείνῳ
Lattimore commentary