Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 16

Page 27

"Hector, why dost thou cease from battle? Nor does it at all become thee. Would that I were so much superior to thee as I am inferior; then indeed wouldst thou quickly have retired from the battle to thy loss. But come, direct thy solid-hoofed steeds against Patroclus, if perchance thou mayest slay him, and Apollo may give thee glory." So saying, the god on his part went again through the labour of men; but illustrious Hector on his part commanded warlike Cebriones to lash on his steeds to the battle, whilst Apollo, proceeding, entered the throng; and sent an evil tumult among the Greeks; but gave glory to the Trojans and Hector. Then indeed did Hector neglect the other Greeks, nor slew them; but directed his solid-hoofed horses against Patroclus. But Patroclus, on the other side, leaped from his chariot to the ground, in his left hand holding his spear; but in the other he seized a stone, white, rugged, which his hand embraced around. Putting his force to it, he hurled it; nor did it err far from the man, nor was the weapon hurled in vain,[543] for in the forehead with the sharp stone he smote the charioteer of Hector, Cebriones, the illegitimate son of illustrious Priam, whilst holding the reins of the horses. But the stone crushed both his eyebrows, nor did the bone sustain it, and his eyes fell amid the dust upon the ground before his feet. But he then, like unto a diver, fell from the well-formed chariot-seat, and life left his bones. But him insulting, thou didst address, O equestrian Patroclus:

[Footnote 543: See Kennedy. Others make [Greek: belos] the accusative, and take [Greek: aliose] transitively.]

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