Ajaxes

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 21 Sep 2011 13:01 and updated at 21 Sep 2011 13:01

ILIAD NOUN

ild.02 First he asked Nestor and King Idomeneus, then the two Ajaxes and the son of Tydeus, and Sixthly Ulysses, peer of Gods in counsel; but Menelaus came of his own accord, for he knew how busy his brother then was.
ild.04 The son of Atreus went on, glad at heart, till he came upon the two Ajaxes arming themselves amid a host of foot soldiers.
ild.04 As when a Goat herd from some high post watches a storm drive over the deep before the west wind black as pitch is the offing and a mighty whirlwind draws towards him, so that he is afraid and drives his flock into a cave even thus did the ranks of stalwart youths move in a dark mass to battle under the Ajaxes, horrid with shield and spear.
ild.05 The two Ajaxes, Ulysses and Diomed, cheered the Danaans on, fearless of the fury and onset of the Trojans.
ild.06 Thrice have the bravest of them come thither and assailed it, under the two Ajaxes, Idomeneus, the sons of Atreus, and the brave son of Tydeus, either of their own bidding, or because some soothsayer had told them.
ild.07 Next were the two Ajaxes, men clothed in valour as with a garment, and then Idomeneus, and Meriones his brother in arms.
ild.08 Idomeneus dared not stay nor yet Agamemnon, nor did the two Ajaxes, servants of Mars, hold their ground.
ild.08 After him came Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons of Atreus, the two Ajaxes clothed in valour as with a garment, Idomeneus and his companion in arms Meriones, peer of murderous Mars, and Eurypylus the brave son of Euaemon.
ild.10 The two Ajaxes, servants of Mars, Meriones, and the son of Nestor all wanted to go, so did Menelaus son of Atreus; Ulysses also wished to go among the host of the Trojans, for he was ever full of daring, and thereon Agamemnon king of men spoke thus: "Diomed," said he, "son of Tydeus, man after my own heart, choose your comrade for yourself take the best man of those that have offered, for many would now go with you.
ild.12 The two Ajaxes went about everywhere on the walls cheering on the Achaeans, giving fair words to some while they spoke sharply to any one whom they saw to be remiss.
ild.12 Menestheus son of Peteos was dismayed when he saw them, for it was against his part of the wall that they came bringing destruction with them; he looked along the wall for some chieftain to support his comrades and saw the two Ajaxes, men ever eager for the fray, and Teucer, who had just come from his tent, standing near them; but he could not make his voice heard by shouting to them, so great an uproar was there from crashing shields and helmets and the battering of gates with a din which reached the skies.
ild.12 When he reached the Ajaxes he said to them, Sirs", princes of the Argives, the son of noble Peteos bids you come to him for a while and help him.
ild.13 First he spoke to the two Ajaxes, who were doing their best already, and said, Ajaxes", you two can be the saving of the Achaeans if you will put out all your strength and not let yourselves be daunted.
ild.13 Thereon round the two Ajaxes there gathered strong bands of men, of whom not even Mars nor Minerva, marshaller of hosts could make light if they went among them, for they were the picked men of all those who were now awaiting the onset of Hector and the Trojans.
ild.13 Stichius and Menestheus, captains of the Athenians, bore away Amphimachus to the host of the Achaeans, while the two brave and impetuous Ajaxes did the like by Imbrius.
ild.13 As two Lions snatch a Goat from the hounds that have it in their fangs, and bear it through thick brushwood high above the ground in their jaws, thus did the Ajaxes bear aloft the body of Imbrius, and strip it of its armour.
ild.13 Idomeneus answered, "There are others to defend the centre the two Ajaxes and Teucer, who is the finest archer of all the Achaeans, and is good also in a hand to hand fight.
ild.13 Ajax son of Oileus never for a moment left the side of Ajax son of Telamon, but as two swart Oxen both strain their utmost at the plough which they are drawing in a fallow field, and the sweat steams upwards from about the roots of their horns nothing but the yoke divides them as they break up the ground till they reach the end of the field even so did the two Ajaxes stand shoulder to shoulder by one another.
ild.16 First he spoke to the two Ajaxes, men who needed no bidding.
ild.16 Ajaxes"," said he, "may it now please you to show youselves the men you have always been, or even better Sarpedon is fallen he who was first to overleap the wall of the Achaeans; let us take the body and outrage it; let us strip the armour from his shoulders, and kill his comrades if they try to rescue his body.
ild.17 On this he cried out to the two Ajaxes and Menelaus, Ajaxes" captains of the Argives, and Menelaus, give the dead body over to them that are best able to defend it, and come to the rescue of us living; for Hector and Aeneas who are the two best men among the Trojans, are pressing us hard in the full tide of war.
ild.17 They would then have fought hand to hand with swords had not the two Ajaxes forced their way through the crowd when they heard their comrade calling, and parted them for all their fury for Hector, Aeneas, and Chromius were afraid and drew back, leaving Aretus to lie there struck to the heart.
ild.17 He charged Meriones and the two Ajaxes straitly saying, Ajaxes" and Meriones, leaders of the Argives, now indeed remember how good Patroclus was; he was ever courteous while alive, bear it in mind now that he is dead.
ild.17 He came running up to the two Ajaxes and said, "I have sent Antilochus to the ships to tell Achilles, but rage against Hector as he may, he cannot come, for he cannot fight without armour.
ild.17 For a while the hounds fly at him as though they would tear him in pieces, but now and again he turns on them in a fury, scaring and scattering them in all directions even so did the Trojans for a while charge in a body, striking with sword and with spears pointed ai both the ends, but when the two Ajaxes faced them and stood at bay, they would turn pale and no man dared press on to fight further about the dead.
ild.17 Behind them the two Ajaxes held stoutly out.
ild.17 As some wooded mountain spur that stretches across a plain will turn water and check the flow even of a great river, nor is there any stream strong enough to break through it even so did the two Ajaxes face the Trojans and stern the tide of their fighting though they kept pouring on towards them and foremost among them all was Aeneas son of Anchises with valiant Hector.
ild.18 Thus, then, did her feet bear the Goddess to Olympus, and meanwhile the Achaeans were flying with loud cries before murderous Hector till they reached the ships and the Hellespont, and they could not draw the body of Mars s servant Patroclus out of reach of the weapons that were showered upon him, for Hector son of Priam with his host and Horsemen had again caught up to him like the flame of a fiery furnace; thrice did brave Hector seize him by the feet, striving with might and main to draw him away and calling loudly on the Trojans, and thrice did the two Ajaxes, clothed in valour as with a garment, beat him from off the body; but all undaunted he would now charge into the thick of the fight, and now again he would stand still and cry aloud, but he would give no ground.
ild.18 As upland shepherds that cannot chase some famished Lion from a carcase, even so could not the two Ajaxes scare Hector son of Priam from the body of Patroclus.

Arise Greece! from thy silent sleep, 2000 years long it is! Forget not, thy ancient culture, beautiful and marvelous it is!

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