Iliad

The panic was begun by Peneleos the Boeotian, for while keeping his face turned ever towards the foe he had been hit with a spear on the upper part of the shoulder; a spear thrown by Polydamas had grazed the top of the bone, for Polydamas had come up to him and struck him from close at hand. Then Hektor in close combat struck Leitos son of noble Alektryon in the hand by the wrist, and disabled him from fighting further. He looked about him in dismay, knowing that never again should he wield spear in battle with the Trojans. While Hektor was in pursuit of Leitos, Idomeneus struck him on the breastplate over his chest near the nipple; but the spear broke in the shaft, and the Trojans cheered aloud. Hektor then aimed at Idomeneus son of Deukalion as he was standing on his chariot, and very narrowly missed him, but the spear hit Koiranos, a follower and charioteer of Meriones who had come with him from Lyktos. Idomeneus had left the ships on foot and would have afforded a great triumph to the Trojans if Koiranos had not driven quickly up to him, he therefore brought life and rescue to Idomeneus, but himself fell by the hand of murderous Hektor. For Hektor hit him on the jaw under the ear; the end of the spear drove out his teeth and cut his tongue in two pieces, so that he fell from his chariot and let the reins fall to the ground. Meriones gathered them up from the ground and took them into his own hands, then he said to Idomeneus, "Lay on, till you get back to the ships, for you must see that the day is no longer ours."

IliadBook 17, Line 597Samuel ButlerEnglishVerse permalinkRead in Book 17

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