The Iliad 5.35–49

So spake she, and led furious Ares forth from the battle. Then she made him to sit down on the sandy banks of Scamander, and the Trojans were turned in flight by the Danaans. Each one of the captains slew his man; first the king of men, Agamemnon, thrust from his car the leader of the Halizones, great Odius, for as he turned first of all to flee he fixed his spear in his back between the shoulders and drave it through his breast; and he fell with a thud, and upon him his armour clanged. Him even as he was mounting his chariot Idomeneus, famed for his spear, pierced with a thrust of his long spear through the right shoulder; and he fell from his car, and hateful darkness gat hold of him. Him then the squires of Idomeneus stripped of his armour; and Scamandrius, son of Strophius, cunning in the chase,

ὣς εἰποῦσα μάχης ἐξήγαγε θοῦρον Ἄρηα· τὸν μὲν ἔπειτα καθεῖσεν ἐπʼ ἠϊόεντι Σκαμάνδρῳ, Τρῶας δʼ ἔκλιναν Δαναοί· ἕλε δʼ ἄνδρα ἕκαστος ἡγεμόνων· πρῶτος δὲ ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων ἀρχὸν Ἁλιζώνων Ὀδίον μέγαν ἔκβαλε δίφρου· πρώτῳ γὰρ στρεφθέντι μεταφρένῳ ἐν δόρυ πῆξεν ὤμων μεσσηγύς, διὰ δὲ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσε, δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, ἀράβησε δὲ τεύχεʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ. Ἰδομενεὺς δʼ ἄρα Φαῖστον ἐνήρατο Μῄονος υἱὸν Βώρου, ὃς ἐκ Τάρνης ἐριβώλακος εἰληλούθει. τὸν μὲν ἄρʼ Ἰδομενεὺς δουρικλυτὸς ἔγχεϊ μακρῷ νύξʼ ἵππων ἐπιβησόμενον κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον· ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, στυγερὸς δʼ ἄρα μιν σκότος εἷλε. τὸν μὲν ἄρʼ Ἰδομενῆος ἐσύλευον θεράποντες· υἱὸν δὲ Στροφίοιο Σκαμάνδριον αἵμονα θήρης

Lattimore commentary

The highly cinematic scan beginning here pinpoints the leading Greek heroes, who will then in turn be contrasted with the most successful fighter, Diomedes. As in similar extended catalogues of slayings, the poet never exactly repeats details. The basic descriptive pattern (strike; location of wounded part; fall of victim) is expanded and varied with further elements (armor stripped; horses taken). Emotional peaks are crafted through brief “obituaries” (glimpses into the previous life or motives of the deceased), which make the audience sympathize even with the enemies of the Greeks.

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