Iliad

He led the way and mighty Ajax went with him. The Trojans had gathered round Odysseus like ravenous mountain jackals round the carcass of some horned stag that has been hit with an arrow - the stag has fled at full speed so long as his blood was warm and his strength has lasted, but when the arrow has overcome him, the savage jackals devour him in the shady glades of the forest. Then some daimôn sends a fierce lion thither, whereon the jackals flee in terror and the lion robs them of their prey - even so did Trojans many and brave gather round crafty Odysseus, but the hero stood at bay and kept them off with his spear. Ajax then came up with his shield before him like a wall, and stood hard by, whereon the Trojans fled in all directions. Menelaos took Odysseus by the hand, and led him out of the press while his squire [ therapôn ] brought up his chariot, but Ajax rushed furiously on the Trojans and killed Doryklos, a bastard son of Priam; then he wounded Pandokos, Lysandros, Pyrasus, and Pylartes; as some swollen torrent comes rushing in full flood from the mountains on to the plain, big with the rain of heaven - many a dry oak and many a pine does it engulf, and much mud does it bring down and cast into the sea - even so did brave Ajax chase the foe furiously over the plain, slaying both men and horses.

IliadBook 11, Line 472Samuel ButlerEnglishVerse permalinkRead in Book 11

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